How the Apple enterprise will evolve in 2021 according to Jamf

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

This has been a very challenging year. As it winds down, Dean Hager, CEO of Apple enterprise management company Jamf has made a few predictions for how the tech industry will evolve in 2021, with diversity, inclusion and communication at the core.

Tech is the employee experience

When you spend your working life staring at Zoom or Teams and working on a Mac, then it’s pretty self-evident that for many of us technology has moved from being a tool you use at work to become the entire employee experience.

Hager puts it like this: “2020 has taught us that the technology experience and the employee experience are synonymous. Today’s employees are less inclined to draw a line between work and personal technology. They expect to work from anywhere at any time, collaborate instantly, and have a choice in the technology they use.”

He also points to the steady growth of Apple in the enterprise space, observing: “Many more organizations are now tasked with managing and securing a fleet of Apple devices, especially with the demand of remote work.”

What this means, of course, is that in the year ahead more enterprises will work with Apple Enterprise Management providers, “so they are able to bring the native Apple experience forward and enhance the user experience and overall productivity…. all whether their employees are in the office or outside of it,” Hager said.

By managing devices in accordance with their unique capabilities, organizations can increase security, improve the employee experience, utilize the latest operating systems as they become available, and maximize IT efficiency.

Tech industry 4.0

You don’t need to look too far to see that the tech industry is a little unrepresentative. It has developed this stereotype of being seen as “geeky, confusing, boring, and oftentimes very homogenous”.

That’s got to change to foster innovation, Hager thinks:

“As Gen Z and Millennials enter and lead the industry, companies are expected to prioritize inclusivity and diversity. 2021 will mark the much-needed beginning of an industry rebrand, as organizations recognize that inclusivity of unique experiences and perspectives is the root of innovation.

“The first step to change is acknowledgement that perception of the industry’s talent is not reality and in dire need of work. It is only then, companies can make true progress to becoming a more inclusive and diverse brand and producing their best work.”

Queuing for iPhones is so passes…

Tech is the customer experience

The pandemic means we’re engaging in an increasingly virtual way with just about everything. However, moving forward, there are lessons to take into the future new normal. “Organizations need to think about how they can best utilize tech to reach and engage with their customers in streamlined and new ways,” said Hager, pointin out that doing so will boost company efficiency with our without a pandemic.

He thinks “Every industry will put technology between human to human contact. Devices will become the new connector to improve the experience, help with safety and overall improve efficiencies.”

How Jamf sees technologies changing industries in 2021

The Jamf CEO also provides a useful list of which industries and how this kind of technology communication will be deployed:

Education:

Imagine a world where students can reach their teacher and learn as effectively whether they’re 10 feet or 10 miles away from their in-person classroom. The right ed tech can empower personalized, competency learning.

Teacher (provider) and Student (customer)

Medical:

Health care organizations will focus on bringing in tech that allows for safe and seamless telehealth care, along with real-time monitoring from devices that better allow patients to be served from home.

Doctor (provider) and Patient (customer)

Hospitality:

Tech can allow new experiences, like letting hotel guests check-in prior to arrival, walk in and go directly to their room, unlock with their phone, have a TV setup for them, use the phone as the remote control, and more.

Host (provider in hospitality) and Guest (customer)

Retail:

Technology can offer a customized shopping experience, allow salespeople flexibility on how they serve customers, and better streamline inventory management.

Sales Associate (provider) and Shopper (customer)

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