To help small businesses plan the smartest ways to invest in technology in Canada in 2022, GetApp queried 150 Canadian business leaders on the types of software they plan to invest in. According to the majority of respondents, application integration, conversational user interfaces and blockchain were the technologies most cited to have an impact over the next two years.
Integration of applications
More than a third of those surveyed said their company plans to adopt application integration software. This is the most popular technology noted throughout the GetApp survey.
Application integration allows digital tools to communicate and work together. Since the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, businesses are working with more digital tools than ever before.
According to GetApp, it is extremely important for businesses that applications are integrated and that data is consistent across multiple sites.
In addition, it is also important to orchestrate a streamlined flow of activities performed by disparate applications and to provide access to data and functionality of different applications through a single user interface.
Conversational user interfaces
Conversational user interfaces (CUIs) were the second most cited technology slated for implementation in 2022, with 36% of respondents reporting it.
A CUI is a technology that allows users to interact and chat with a machine as they would with a human. For example, voice assistants such as an Echo, Google Home, or Siri are forms of CUI. Text chatbots are another example.
According to GetApp, SMEs have adopted chatbots to provide 24/7 service, answer customer questions, collect customer data, and deliver information in different languages.
Block chain
36% of business owners said they want to invest in blockchain technology in the next year. GetApp attributes this to the increase in cyber attacks this year.
Blockchain technology creates records in decentralized “blocks” that cannot be changed, making all recorded data safe and verifiable. It can create records of many activities, such as currency transactions, supply chain movements, and even contact verification. GetApp explained in its report that the technology creates an additional layer of cybersecurity for digital businesses. It means hHackers must successfully penetrate multiple “blocks” of data to gain access to the information, which adds complexity to the hack and reduces the likelihood of data breaches for organizations using the technology.
Other trends
The survey reveals that 27% of companies plan to invest in mobile applications.
In addition to the 45 percent of companies who said they are already using the technology, this suggests that a large majority of Canadian SMEs could have a mobile app by the end of next year.
GetApp also surveyed SME executives in the US, UK and Australia on mobile app adoption. In Canada, 42 percent of decision makers plan to invest between $ 10,000 and $ 50,000 in mobile applications over the next 12 months.
Globally, planned spending is lower, with just 33 percent of UK and US companies planning to match Canada’s level of investment, and 32 percent from Australia.
The survey also revealed a decline in business interest in augmented and virtual reality technologies. GetApp reported that 22% of business leaders say they can invest in augmented technology and VR. However, in a previous survey in February this year, that number was 32 percent.
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