Technology has turned nearly every industry on its head, requiring businesses to offer high-performance apps and robust, secure software in order to survive and thrive over the competition. Industries focused on developing products are now dependent on software solutions and mobile apps to drive their success. No matter the industry you’re in, Now Every Company Is A Software Company, according to David Kirkpatrick.
Organizations leading the way
Many businesses have already seen the value of mobile apps and software, incorporating the technology into their day-to-day operations and improving customer-facing applications.
Ford
Vehicle manufacturer Ford has long been an innovator in technologies that drive the industry, fuel efficiency for example, but now, the organization is innovating in a nontraditional arena that’s unusual for the car manufacturers: software.
Ford’s innovative ideas are cutting edge. For example, the manufacturer’s vehicles are mobile hot spots via Wi-Fi; they’ve created software to monitor and optimize fuel efficiency; and they’ve developed vehicle sensors to automatically helps drivers parallel park their cars. Without the software to accomplish these feats, Ford would be solely focused on improving combustion, vehicle exterior durability and the life span of parts.
FedEx
FedEx is another example of a company in a non-software industry that has revolutionized its day-to-day operations, moving from just a package-delivery product to using software to drive customer engagement and real-time monitoring. What was once an essentially blind operation, where customers weren’t informed as to the packages’ whereabouts, is now a process customers can monitor in real time, from the minute packages are shipped to their location to their status en route to their delivery time. FedEx has its sights set next on putting a chip on every shipped package, providing information about temperature, if the package has been opened, and more.
Uber
Startups built solely on a software program or mobile app, such as Twitter, Facebook and others, benefit from the expertise of savvy developers. Companies like these are truly software-dependent out of the gate, and they depend on innovative, engaging platforms to attract and retain users.
Uber’s software is the hub around which all operations take place, allowing customers to find nearby cabs, determine a meeting point with drivers and pay for the service. And it’s turning the cab industry across the nation on its head, often offering an improved, more reliable customer experience.
It’s all about the buyer
What do these companies know about their customer that other non-software focused organizations don’t know? The marketplace has changed. Instead of the seller driving decisions in the marketplace (the norm in decades past), today’s buyer, the customer, has his eye on added value.
The value-add of companies like Ford, FedEx and Uber is driven by customer demands, with technology proving the delivery vehicle. Organizations that listen to their customer’s desires and demands, and then provide an experience via software or mobile solutions, gain a competitive edge.
It’s no longer an option for companies to sidestep technology, thinking it isn’t relevant to their business.
