14 Major Tech Issues — and the Innovations That Will Resolve Them

The past year has seen unprecedented challenges to public-health systems and the global economy. Many facets of daily life and work have moved into the digital realm, and the shift has highlighted some underlying business technology issues that are getting in the way of productivity, communication and security.

As successful business leaders, the members of the Young Entrepreneur Council understand how important it is to have functional, up-to-date technology. That’s why we asked a panel of them to share what they view as the biggest business tech problem of the past year. Here are the issues they’re concerned about and the innovations they believe will help solve them.

1. Employee Productivity Measurement

As most companies switched to 100 percent remote almost overnight, many realized that they lacked an efficient way to measure employee productivity. Technology with “user productivity reports” has become invaluable. Without being able to “see” an employee in the workplace, companies must find technology that helps them to track and report how productive employees are at home. —Bill Mulholland, ARC Relocation

2. Digital Industry Conference Platforms

Nothing beats in-person communication when it comes to business development. In the past, industry conferences were king. Today, though, the move to remote conferences really leaves a lot to be desired and transforms the largely intangible value derived from attending into something that is purely informational. A new form or platform for industry conferences is sorely needed. —Nick Reese, Elder Guide

3. Remote Internet Speed and Equipment

With a sudden shift to most employees working remotely, corporations need to boost at-home internet speed and capacity for employees that didn’t previously have the requirements to produce work adequately. Companies need to invest in new technologies like 5G and ensure they are supported at home. —Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.

4. Too Much Focus on Automation

Yes, automation and multi-platform management might be ideal for big-name brands and companies, but for small site owners and businesses, it’s just overkill. Way too many people are overcomplicating things. Stick to your business model and what works without trying to overload the process. —Zac Johnson, Blogger

5. Phishing Sites

There are many examples of phishing site victims. Last year, I realized the importance of good pop-up blockers for your laptop and mobile devices. It is so scary to be directed to a website that you don’t know or to even pay to get to sites that actually don’t exist. Come up with better pop-up blockers if possible. —Daisy Jing, Banish

6. Data Privacy

I think data privacy is still one of the biggest business tech issues around. Blockchain technology can solve this problem. We need more and more businesses to understand that blockchains don’t just serve digital currencies, they also protect people’s privacy. We also need Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc. to understand that personal data belongs in the hands of the individual. —Amine Rahal, IronMonk Solutions

7. Mobile Security

Mobile security is a big issue because we rely so much on mobile internet access today. We need to be more aware of how these networks can be compromised and how to protect them. Whether it’s the IoT devices helping deliver data wirelessly to companies or people using apps on their smartphones, we need to become more aware of our mobile cybersecurity and how to protect our data. —Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite

8. Deepfake Content

More and more people are embracing deepfake content, which is content created to look real but isn’t. Using AI, people can edit videos to look like someone did something they didn’t do and vice versa, which hurts authenticity and makes people question what’s real. Lawmakers need to take this issue seriously and create ways to stop people from doing this. —Jared Atchison, WPForms

9. Poor User Experience

I’ve noticed some brands struggling with building a seamless user experience. There are so many themes, plugins and changes people can make to their site that it can be overwhelming. As a result, the business owner eventually builds something they like, but sacrifices UX in the process. I suspect that we will see more businesses using customer feedback to make design changes. —John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC

10. Cybersecurity Threats

Cybersecurity threats are more prevalent than ever before with increased digital activities. This has drawn many hackers, who are becoming more sophisticated and are targeting many more businesses. Vital Information, such as trade secrets, price-sensitive information, HR records, and many others are more vulnerable. Strengthening cybersecurity laws can maintain equilibrium. —Vikas Agrawal, Infobrandz

11. Data Backup and Recovery

As a company, you’ll store and keep lots of data crucial to keeping business moving forward. A huge tech issue that businesses face is their backup recovery process when their system goes down. If anything happens, you need access to your information. Backing up your data is crucial to ensure your brand isn’t at a standstill. Your IT department should have a backup plan in case anything happens. —Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

12. Multiple Ad and Marketing Platforms

A major issue that marketers are dealing with is having to use multiple advertising and marketing platforms, with each one handling a different activity. It can overload a website and is quite expensive. We’re already seeing AdTech and MarTech coming together as MAdTech. Businesses need to keep an eye on this convergence of technologies and adopt new platforms that support it. —Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

13. Location-Based Innovation

The concentration of tech companies in places like Seattle and San Francisco has led to a quick rise in living costs in these cities. Income isn’t catching up, and there’s stress on public infrastructure. Poor internet services in rural areas also exacerbate this issue. Innovation should be decentralized. —Samuel Thimothy, OneIMS

14. Artificial Intelligence Implementation

Businesses, especially those in the tech industry, are having trouble implementing AI. If you’ve used and improved upon your AI over the years, you’re likely having an easier time adjusting. But new online businesses test multiple AI programs at once and it’s causing communication and data mix-ups. As businesses settle with specific programs and learn what works for them, we will see improvements. —Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights