During the COVID-19 pandemic, technology is repeatedly mentioned as a solution to help businesses overcome difficulties. But is technology the key to all trouble?

The use of Zoom in this work-from-home season

When most countries urge their people to stay inside and practice #socialdistancing, online working and learning become more and more popular. Online conference platforms, especially Zoom, have escalated both in the number of new downloads and the traffic. In the first two months of 2020, Zoom got 2.22 million new users, more than the number of people downloading Zoom in whole year 2019 (1.99 million). There was a 535% rise in daily traffic to the Zoom.us download page in March, according to SimilarWeb.

Most users believe that Zoom is simple and easy to use. Does it mean they all know how to use Zoom properly?

It is not uncommon for people to see their colleague’s nose full of the screen, presenter’s face instead of his content slides, or messy bedrooms on the background… during an online conference. Every professional should follow a number of email and phone etiquette rules, why do they forget when joining online conferences?

In fact, people do not know about Zoom as much as they thought. After downloading and using intensively, millions of people quickly regret it. Zoom is accused of leaking users’ email address and photos, enabling hackers to take over users’ devices due to security flaws, sending data to China, and not being end-to-end encrypted.

The impatience of finding a convenient platform to work from home makes many individuals and companies rush in downloading Zoom before obtaining thorough understanding about it, accidentally bring themselves to trouble. The data leak causes more difficulties in the already difficult time avid the pandemic.

Similar stories are not uncommon. When “4.0 industry” and “digital transformation” are mentioned everywhere, everyone is excited about new technology. They don’t want to be left behind their friends, so they manage to use all trendy apps and platforms without knowing the risks. And the risks are multiplied when companies use malware.

Therefore, one should slow down and think twice before downloading any app. Without understanding, tech lover is blind, and the danger is high.

Hi-tech application: should we use freely because it’s available?

Darren Woolley, an Australian Marketing Communication guru with 20 years of experience in creative problem solving, and a regular industry commentator to trade and industry magazine and forums around the world, shares his thoughts on how companies use technology. As a technophile, he loves what technology allows him to do, experience and enjoy. But he is also amused and annoyed at how often, especially in marketing and advertising, technology is purchased and procured without either considering the real benefit or doing the work to achieve the desired outcome.

Based on his long experience consulting with companies, Darren Woolley concludes: “The marketer with the most technology is not the winner. The one who uses the technology they have to deliver exception results wins. The biggest mistake you can make is suffering FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) when it comes to MarTech, because you play straight into the hands of the salespeople. And don’t skimp on the training and implementation”.

The biggest challenge for marketers is understanding that technology transformation starts with strategy (purpose), focuses on capabilities (people) and transforms ways of working (process) to deliver the outcome desired (performance). And not with the technology itself.

Just because technology is available, cheap or even free, it does not mean you should use it. Don’t download an app to avoid feeling out-of-date, or to show you are trendier than your neighbors.

“Like money, technology is a good servant but a bad master. Tech users should be clever and conscious to apply it effectively. With our experience and expertise in business consulting, EloQ Communications tailors integrated packages to suit various clients’ needs, at different stages of their businesses. The use of technology is considered thoroughly for the best results.” – insists Dr. Clāra Ly-Le, Managing Director of EloQ Communications.

With smart implement, even simple technology works well. In Vietnam, during the three-week lockdown, big supermarket chains offer home delivery service to help customers avoid big crowds. Co.opmart collects orders by calls and SMS to their hotline, and deliver products to customers’ doors. Their delivery workers also go door to door to distribute order forms, making it easier for home shoppers.

Similarly, Big C supermarkets get orders by phone calls, and offer free delivery for receipts of VND 200,000 or more, within the radius of 10 km. Lotte Mart encourages their customers use the e-commerce site SpeedL or contact the hotline for home delivery.

The sales of all supermarket chains increase dramatically while applying technology in no-contact shopping. A spokesperson for Co.opmart supermarket chain said their phone orders increased by 50% on the first week of practicing social distancing.

On a large scale, Bach Hoa Viet Technology Joint Stock Company introduced GT Link – a platform which provides a solution to connect manufacturers, distributors and traditional retail stores with a number of supporting features such as logistics and smart payment systems. With the goal of becoming a “Super App – Multi-service”, GT Link will provide digital conversion solutions for internal manufacturers, distributors, helping them meet the external needs while raising grade traditional retail shops into technology stores with diversified goods and services.

It is predicted there will be more than 80,000 retail stores, goods distributors, logistics companies, and payment systems… participating in GT Link. As the traditional sales still accounts for more than 60% of total retail sales, the combination between the offline and online stores boosts the trade, supporting a number of manufacturing and supplying businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a vital challenge to companies. On the positive side, it also creates once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for businesses to restructure and apply technology in order to optimize their operation. The epidemic will pass, but the growth and modernization of enterprises remain, becoming permanent property, adding more value to the companies.

It is not easy to recognize which technology is necessary and effective for your company. EloQ Communications is ready to consult and offer a range of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), including Public Relations (PR), social marketing, digital marketing, influencer marketing (KOL), business and product branding, crisis communication, integrated strategic planning, and event planning.