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Essay / An assessment of how ICT services can help grow businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic
Table of contentsIntroductionICT in business development during the Covid-19 pandemicConclusionReferencesIntroductionToday's businesses are relying on technology more than ever. From improved telecommunications to online payment options, most modern businesses couldn't operate as efficiently without technology. Even the ability to accept credit or debit card payments in retail stores requires a complex system of banking and telecommunications in order to operate smoothly and reliably. The application of information technology to management provides the opportunity to work outside the office and have increased access to important information, regardless of location. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayInformation and communications technology (ICT) services are the backbone of the digital economy. Best described as directly involving the production and/or use of ICT, they include ICT services as end products (e.g. telecommunications services, computer and information services) as well as ICT-enabled services, c i.e. services provided remotely over ICT networks for which ICT is therefore essential. entries. ICT-enabled services include financial services, research and development services, professional and management consulting services, audio-visual and related services, health services and education services. In the digital age, the production of a variety of services, including ICT services, has become increasingly location-independent, new services are being created, and the marketability of many service activities is increasing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ICT services have played a leading role. As governments began imposing travel bans and social distancing measures in order to prevent the virus from spreading both within and across borders due to human proximity and to alleviate With pressure on healthcare systems struggling to cope with the outbreak, businesses and the public sector have resorted to adopting a smart working approach and digital solutions to minimize the disruptive impact these restrictions would have on employment, global value chains and the production of goods and services. With the transition to remote working and the increasing reliance on digital media, ICT services and ICT-enabled services have exploded. Therefore, this paper will assess how they can help grow businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. ICT in Business Development During the Covid-19 Pandemic Businesses around the world are relying on technology to keep employees safe, speed up information distribution and maintain continuity. In addition, governments have also invested in cutting-edge technologies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. During this global crisis, the use of technology in business is reducing the spread of the virus, while keeping businesses afloat. Here are the reasons why ICT can contribute to business development during the covid-19 pandemic. According to Imam and Oladapo (2010), ICT contributes to business growth during the covid-19 outbreak by streamlining remote work. To manage remote work seamlessly, businesses are usingtechnologies such as virtual private networks, collaboration tools and cloud conferencing. More and more employees are now succeeding in adapting the practice of working from home. For example, Cisco is enhancing its Webex software to support businesses and offering them 247 support. Project management tools like Trello and team communication apps like Slack have also made it easier for teams to work remotely. In addition to providing more flexibility in working, technology also allows remote workers to save time on their commute. Live promotion on live streaming platforms. Social media has significantly changed service industries, such as hospitality and tourism. The emergence of Web 2.0 offers online social services spaces for real-time connectivity between businesses and Internet users by easily creating and exchanging information. Social media enables inexpensive and efficient management of information exchange and online relationships, including social networks, providing information to travelers and disseminating consumer-generated content about products, brands, services and problems. Through social media, businesses have more opportunities to reach their customers and sell their products. During the pandemic, promotions via social media have become the default work operation for many Chinese companies. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ict is helping businesses by enabling online business advertising. One of the most important advantages of information technology in industry is the ability for companies in various industries to advertise their products and services on the Internet. Almost all websites contain advertisements surrounding the main content of the site. These sites often contain links from which, with a simple mouse click or on a touch screen, Internet users can find information about the company they clicked on. By making information so easily accessible, advertisers can benefit from a much greater volume of traffic to their own sites and thus significantly increase the chances of someone taking advantage of their products or services. Companies are even able to communicate or reach people all over the world, thereby increasing the visibility of their advertisements without having to pay exorbitant additional advertising costs (Imam and Oladapo, 2010). Online advertising during this period of covid-19 pandemic has many advantages since many people are usually on the internet, especially during the lockdown, at the same time people are at home and spending more time online than ever before , thus increasing the audience provided. This is a fundamental economic theory: when demand falls and supply increases, prices fall. This is what is happening now, creating the perfect opportunity for business development to bid low on CPM advertising. The development of ICT during the covid-19 pandemic allows businesses to implement online purchases and money transfers, resulting in business development. Online shopping, bill paying and money transfers are also key examples of the use of information technology in business. By allowing consumers to access products and services from any computer, phone or tablet, from home or on the go, businesses have made it easier than ever to transfer money. Online shopping has become so important thatMost major retailers have online stores to accommodate shoppers. Consumers can buy virtually everything online, from appliances to music. Funds transfers allow investors to track their investments or manage their clients' accounts much faster. During the Covid-19 pandemic, most utility companies are offering online bill payment options that allow a customer to instruct their utility provider to withdraw funds directly from a designated account (Galanouli and McNair, 2001). This virtually guarantees that customers can avoid late payment fees because the utility provider automatically collects their payments from customers' accounts. This eliminates the possibility of payments being mailed and then arriving at the utility provided after the payment due date. For added convenience, customers are also spared envelope or postage costs. “During the pandemic, online consumption habits in Brazil have changed significantly, with a greater proportion of internet users purchasing essential products, such as food and drinks, cosmetics and medicines,” said Alexandre Barbosa, director of the Regional Center for Development Studies. of the information society at the Brazilian Network Information Center. For example, Amazon.com sells almost all of its products online through its e-commerce platform. NewEgg, Ocado and TigerDirect also mainly focus on online shopping services. Online shopping includes both buying things online, as well as just looking at things online. Online shopping reduces crowds. If you're like me, you hate crowds when shopping. Especially during holidays, festivals or weekends, they can be a real headache. Additionally, being squashed in the crowd of shoppers sometimes makes us feel rushed or rushed. You don't have to fight for a parking space. All these problems can be avoided when you shop online. Ict also contributed to the development of activities during covid-19 by focusing on online banking services. Online banking strengthens the self-banking model. They allow customers to pay their bills, view their account balances, transfer funds from one account to another, pay friends and much more. Financial institutions have also given consumers control over their own security by adding features such as the ability to freeze a missing credit card to avoid additional charges. Over time, these controls will only increase as technologies like biometrics and facial recognition keep accounts secure. Businesses have grown during the covid-19 pandemic despite containment measures implemented in most countries. Online banking technology makes it possible to carry out any 247 transaction and benefit from permanent access to all financial information in real time. Some banks have also tried to promote online banking by sharing tutorials and expanding the types of transactions customers can make remotely. For users themselves, there are also a number of factors leading to increased use of online banking, such as fear that cash will spread the corona virus. ICT can also contribute to business development during the covid-19 pandemic, as it enables transactionselectronic, meaning a transaction in which one party, or its intermediary, contemplates that an agreement may be concluded through the use of electronic messages or responses, whether or not either party expects ensure that the information or records exchanged are reviewed by an individual. Businesses often had to wait for a check to clear, which meant approval from the payer's financial institution, to access the funds they deposited. The use of computers has sped up this entire process, with instant control permissions. Checks have become an afterthought for the most part, thanks to debit cards that automatically withdraw funds from a person's account. Mobile payments will go even further, allowing customers to pay with a mobile or wearable device, removing plastic from the equation. This has really helped many businesses to operate without any complications. For example, it could be Internet banking, ATMs, stock trading, or just an invoice for some service. Nowadays, almost all transactions are classified as electronic. In business development during the covid-19 pandemic, it has played a more important role as it has contributed to global communication. One of the most powerful business tools offered by technology is the ability to communicate around the world with almost no restrictions. Video chat applications such as Skype have greatly increased the efficiency of conference calls by making it possible to conduct international meetings from computers or mobile devices. Email and file sharing services allow documents to be transported instantly across an ocean. Smartphones allow associates to communicate even on the go. Companies with associates in several different states or countries can now send important updates or information without delay. For example, China experienced massive changes in the decades leading up to the pandemic and exerts considerable influence on global markets. When something happens in China that changes its production and manufacturing lines, there are knock-on effects for trading partners around the world. Globalization communication connects businesses and customers around the world. Companies are opening satellite offices to reduce production costs, build relationships in new territories, and access new consumer markets. The importance of communication in globalization is paramount because individuals from different countries, ethnicities, languages, cultural attitudes, and other variations must understand and express themselves effectively in order to work together. This could lead to business development during the covid-19 pandemic. Abdullahi (2013) argues that the use of robots in stores, hotel and housekeeping deliveries, etc., is another way in which it has helped businesses grow during this period of the covid-19 pandemic. . Robots play an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, and elements of the business world can evoke a sci-fi vision of the future. But the fact is that many companies across a wide range of industries rely on robots to perform basic tasks that are too dangerous, laborious or time-consuming for humans to complete. The pandemic is prompting several sectors to adopt contactless options. Shopping centers, large or small, should use robots to increase social distancing and reduce numbers.