Virtual trends in 2020 and the future to come

2020 – the year of the coronavirus pandemic, of radical social changes, advances in technology and rapid growth in demand for virtual services.

Over the last century we’ve seen the development of the PC, the expansion of the internet and the introduction of mobile. Now, all eyes are on virtual developments.

We always new virtual services would be BIG news over the course of the next decade, but never did we imagine it to be THIS big THIS quickly.

In just one year alone, they have revolutionised day-to-day activities, played into the very definition of our ‘new normal’ and began to alter the course of history for good.

What a year! And it’s not over yet…

Current Virtual Trends

So how are these virtual services actually impacting your everyday experiences at work and at home?

Here are the top 10 virtual trends we are seeing already this year, things we are doing virtually that we once did in person.

How many can you relate to?

1	Virtual Sales Assistants	Rather than speaking with a sales assistant in a store you might now engage with a virtual sales assistant online.
2	Virtual Conferences	Instead of attending a conference for work, you might pay a fee and ‘enter’ the virtual conference via your computer.
3	Virtual Events	Rather than attending an event, you might log in and participate via computer. Perhaps watching a wedding ceremony via Zoom or ‘attending’ an award ceremony online.
4	Virtual Open Days	Instead of visiting a school, college or university you are more likely to engage in a Virtual Open Day or Virtual Tour.
5	Virtual Training	In the workplace, staff training methods are changing from flip-chart paper, pens and conference rooms to computer or VR headset based training simulations.
6	Virtual Recruitment	When applying for work, organisations may now conduct the entire recruitment process online, providing virtual tours and online interviews rather than inviting you to visit the office space. Applicants are no longer limited by geographical location so more people can apply for jobs outside of commuting distance.
7	Virtual Tours	You no longer need to visit somewhere in person to know what it will be like, now you can use Virtual Tours to look around from home.
8	Virtual Tourism	With current restrictions and increasing demands for more travel applications via VR technology including tourist hotspots and famous places, Virtual Tourism is proving to be an important next step for the industry.
9	Virtual Property Search	You can now, quite comfortably, view and purchase a property without having to leave the sofa. Virtual tours have revolutionised traditional house-viewing arrangements and they are here to stay.
10	Virtual Education	Interactive learning experiences are becoming vital to educational development, in the classroom and at home. Virtual Education resources are aiding teaching methodologies and providing outstanding results.

The Future

So it’s official. Virtual technologies have proven their place on the main stage and are finally being adopted across the board as an acceptable development in society. Rather than just a gaming industry buzz. They have highlighted that they can be tailored for all walks of life, from business to school, home life to training centres, and that they are for everyone to enjoy. Worth just $6 billion in 2016, the market share of virtual services is now on path to reach $34.2 billion by 2023, that’s an increase of 470% in less than a decade. Talk about impressive!

So as we look ahead, not only do we expect the use of virtual technologies to advance across all industries, we also expect to see the following developments too.

1	Virtual Services will become more widespread, accessible and affordable for many to use, both at work and at home. Developments of 5G networks and improved user experience will also increase overall satisfaction and increase demand.
2	VR headsets will develop and evolve and become key in every household, just like the mobile phone.
3	Virtual Training will see exponential growth within workplaces in the coming years, alongside Virtual Services within Education and Tourism such as Virtual Tours and Virtual Open Days.
4	Brands will incorporate native advertising across VR content and advancements in VR technology will give way to virtual advertisements for various products.
5	Marketing, Recruitment, Communications & Tourism departments will look to allocate budgets for virtual services as a priority. Making it central to their future strategies.
6	Virtual Services will have a positive impact on the environment. Reducing carbon emissions by lowering the need for excessive travel, and encouraging more paperless workplaces.
7	Web Accessibility guidelines will become tighter across the UK, for all sectors, to ensure virtual worlds are fair for all users to enjoy.

Virtual services provide transformative abilities across many sectors, within different contexts. It’s versatility and durability will see it last for generations to come.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the virtual services we provide, please contact our award-winning team today by clicking the ‘Contact Us’ button at the top of your screen.