We sat down with our Chief Operating Officer Larry White to reflect on a challenging year and a look for what’s to come in 2021.
1. What are the most relevant industry trends to watch in 2021?
The first and most obvious trend you will see in 2021 is in the private sector; because of COVID, the shift to working remotely is becoming widely acceptable and is no longer just a temporary solution. It leads to new opportunities in managed print services (MPS) for home printer needs. And, where we can provide the most impact for our clients is helping support their corporate security requirements for devices in a work-from-home setting. For security and cost reasons alone, it’s critical to have home offices that are an extension of the corporate office, not an unruly, unsecured, unmanaged series of one-offs. This means standardizing and optimizing office environments, no matter the location. As a leader in MPS, Toshiba very much understands the importance of optimizing the entire print infrastructure as a whole, which is why we take a multi-vendor approach to our MPS offerings.
Another trend you will see more of in 2021 is the move to more cloud printing. Companies will look for vendors offering the most flexible yet secure cloud print management capabilities available.
2. Do you have any predictions for what 2021 will hold?
2021 should be a rebound year. The uncertainty about what the future held or waiting for business to return to normal had a delaying effect on many important decisions in 2020. Most companies will reopen with increased fervor and a need to accelerate back to business operations. As a result, you will see an uptick in product shipments. Particularly with replacement products.
I also predict you’ll see an even greater emphasis on environmental topics with customers demanding more sustainability initiatives and measures from their vendors.
You will also hear more about the “paperless” office in 2021. The buzzword from the 1980s and 1990s will once again enter the business vernacular. Though the paperless office remains a future concept, you will see more movement from IT departments to eventually get there. And this means increased focus on digitizing existing paper documents and integrating paper even more into digital workflows through software solutions. We’re already seeing this trend in our software solutions and in our services that help convert paper to digital.
3. Taking a longer view of the industry, are there any “sleeper” trends that might not have an immediate impact, but are poised to have long-term consequences?
Sustainability, security, blockchain, digital transformation, augmented reality and the internet of things (IoT) are all areas Toshiba is immersed in today.
Technologies such as blockchain – if widely adopted – have the potential to simplify collaboration in a more secure, authentic manner and should have a profound impact on how we will conduct business.
Augmented reality devices such as smart glasses will enable every surface to become a screen while further changing and improving the way we communicate, collaborate and work. Our company is also looking to create more intelligent spaces and smart places by connecting homes, offices and even cities using IoT.
Toshiba can help prepare businesses for this rapid industry shift. To learn more please contact us.
Contact us today to learn more about Toshiba Business Solutions for your office.