Hello there, folks!
Nearly half of the businesses surveyed have discontinued the use of fax machines
Let me fill you in on a juicy tidbit from the tech sphere, thanks to trusted digital association Bitkom, based in Berlin. Turns out that old ol' reliable, the fax machine, is on its way out, with just one in five companies still relying on it for comms. Alarm bells? Not much, really, as they've got better fish to fry, as you'll see.
Their recent survey of 603 companies, focusing on booming businesses with 20 or more employees, revealed a steep decline in the love affair with fax machines – a mere 18% still give it regular airtime for internal or external comms. Last year, that figure was 30%, and the prediction for 2023? It's dwindling further to 33%. So it looks like the fax machine is well on its way to becoming a relic of the past, as Bernhard Rohleder, CEO of Bitkom, puts it, "The fax machine is gradually disappearing. It's a symbol of backwardness."
Now let's talk about the real winners in this game of digital comms: email. Guess what? Every single one of those surveyed companies chose it as their go-to tool, with a whopping 100% using email very frequently or frequently. And what about the mobile device you've got fashionably tucked in your pocket or purse? Yep, it's not just for emergencies and selfies – 94% of them communicate via their smartphones regularly.
Phone calling, the classic landline version, still lingers behind, with 93% giving it a regular hearing. But you know what's really hot on the rise? Video conferences, with two-thirds of companies now using them regularly (67%). And guess what else is rocketing in popularity? Messenger services like Slack or Microsoft Teams, favored by two-thirds for internal or external comms (66%).
But here's where things get interesting. While AI (artificial intelligence) apps are making massive strides in the business world, Bitkom noticed hesitation among German companies. Employee resistance crops up in more than half of the companies they surveyed (53%), with 75% of companies interested in seeing how others fare before diving in. A whopping half of the surveyed companies have reservations about AI's viability in their business processes (50%).
Rohleder urges caution, stating, "Being overly cautious with AI is a dangerous strategy. It's not about waiting – those who are late risk losing their competitive edge. Companies must start implementing AI solutions and ensure their employees are trained accordingly."
As for the city of Hamm, there are some exciting changes brewing – McDonald's is getting a revamp, the city wants to spruce up the Wilhelmstraße underpass, and the police have drawn some conclusions from nighttime controls. Curious about other news from Hamm? You can find it all here!
Technology plays a crucial role in the evolving communication landscape, with email emerging as the preferred tool for all companies surveyed. Additionally, the adoption of video conferencing and messenger services like Slack or Microsoft Teams is on the rise, signaling a shift towards more modern modes of digital communication. However, Article Intelligence (AI) applications face some resistance among German companies, with a majority expressing hesitation due to employee concerns and the need for careful implementation.
