Self-driving cars will eventually eclipse traditional vehicles by drastically cutting economic and environmental costs. Genetic engineering allows us to significantly increase our food production to help diminish worldwide hunger. VR is changing the way we game, watch movies and even communicate, and the list just goes on and on. Because of the insane amount of technological and scientific innovation in today's industries, entrepreneurs and users alike are needing to change with the times.

The newest technologies are disrupting 4 major industries — and forcing each to grow, adapt and develop in their own unique way. How are customers and users adapting to these changes? We're here to investigate.

E-Commerce

E-commerce, as an industry, has historically adapted very well to innovations in online and mobile purchasing. E-commerce has some of the most cutting-edge technologies, such as bots that can handle full transactions — from browsing to purchases — which has revolutionized the industry.

The challenge for e-commerce startups is tapping into more niche segments. The latest development in e-commerce saw a major focus on mobile selling, using effective tools such as geotargeting and push notifications. Mobile sales technologies like Pepperi make the sales cycle much easier since they allow B2B customers to place orders directly from mobile devices or web portals rather than relying on traditional sales methods.

Some e-commerce platforms such as Clicktale have also found the best way to optimize customer experience online by combining marketing and analytics solutions. This allows businesses to map out the behavior of thousands of users in real time, and optimize their services, while simultaneously helping them increase sales.

Another noteworthy development as of late is the simplification of online installment payment methods such as those offered by companies like Splitit, which help businesses to increase sales by guaranteeing a more attractive and affordable price to their customers. Customers are then driven to purchase more expensive items than they were initially intending on buying.

Customer Service

This industry has seen an enormous shift with the dominance of social media, AI and the sharp increase in mobile usage, and consumers have been noticing the difference.

For one, companies that aim to put the customer first and bring back the human interaction between consumer and business through immediate social media response, are making a real difference when it comes to online customer service. A multitude of technology platforms, Conversocial being one of them, have sprouted to help businesses better interact with their users.

Advanced algorithms such as the ones used by TeleTech are able to find patterns in customer data that humans alone are unable to see. Companies can also utilize algorithms for predictive modeling (recommending the company's next best action) and customer segmentation, which in the long run, serve the customer in the best way possible.

Marketing

Times have changed significantly for the marketing industry, which has seen a rapid acceleration of technology pushing businesses to the forefront of AI, machine learning, and smart user segmentation. Marketing technologies include everything from marketing automation to email campaign management and analytics, but the most innovative advancements are working on engaging customers through various digital channels.

Major industry leaders in marketing technology utilize machine learning and AI to foster a more emotionally intelligent connection with current customers. One disruptive technology example is the creation of an 'intelligent agent' that provides a business with recommendations and insights about a company micro-segments while running self-optimizing testing campaigns.

Businesses are beginning to understand the impact of live video streaming within their marketing practices and most importantly, have started considering socially integrated live-streaming video services like the ones you can watch on Periscope. Customers have already gotten used to seeing videos streaming on their Facebook feeds, and are drawn to them more than they are to textual content.

Advertising

Never free of controversy, the advertising industry keeps pushing the envelope and new technology to its limits.

One ingenious solution offered to global advertisers by companies such as Admonsters is ID targeting, which identifies the different social media accounts of the same user. This way, an ad will be shown consistently across all devices and social media accounts, allowing for a more targeted experience that will better serve both the business and the user.

User behavior is key for both mobile and display advertisers — both share the desire for easier and more effective communication with publishers. That's where demand-side platforms (DSPs) come into play. Native in-app ads are the latest and most effective app marketing strategy and have become many DSPs' specialty.

Looking ahead

Each industry mentioned has both adapted to and pushed for new and more innovative technologies that will better affect both businesses and their customers. As an entrepreneur, staying on top of the latest disruptive technologies is extremely important, and as a customer or user, it can get even more challenging to keep up with the constant changes around you. Understanding the newest and most innovative technologies can better help users find what they are looking for online, and get the service and attention they need and require, sometimes without them even being aware that their actions online are being watched.

Industries will forever be transformed by recent technologies, but as long as businesses keep making sure their users remain their top priority, both ends will undoubtedly benefit from the next big change.