For many industries, the dawn of the computer simplified the way business owners and trailblazers in these fields operate and expand their companies. What was once impossible or inefficient became easy with advances in technology. With a new development in technology, it can take time for industries to adjust to the new normal. Some industries tend to welcome change and adopt it quickly while others might resist advancement in the name of preserving age-old practices.
Can Any Industry Benefit from Computers?
If you work in an industry with established analog practices and protocols, you may wonder if it could be helpful to throw computers into the mix of the tools that your field uses. While some industries like to be as removed from technological advancements as possible to preserve traditional techniques and the integrity of their process, it would serve most fields well to stick with the times instead of falling behind them. When an industry resists progress, adjacent fields may start to eclipse it. In the case of human services or medical care, resisting technological advancements can cause an industry to fail people who rely on that industry and reduce the quality of care in comparison to technologically sound industries.
For some industries, using computers can make it more difficult to do what one needs to complete tasks in it. For example, in the medical field, computers may interfere with certain equipment that doctors and nurses use to diagnose problems. In the art and music industries, some folks may believe that electronic or digital creative tools compromise the integrity of creative endeavors and create a problem of literal “lost arts” if left unchecked by our society.
If an industry mostly operates in remote parts of the world that are inaccessible by technology and incapable of supporting technological infrastructure, computers can make participating in those industries and carrying out tasks related to them more challenging. What’s more, it can be more cost-effective for workers in some industries to do everything without the aid of computers. Of course, in other industries, it may be less expensive to have a computer to do complex tasks like heavy computations and tracking than it would be to have a person complete the same tasks by hand.
As you can see, not every industry is designed to accommodate changes in technology like computers. Some industries are actually better off if they are as far removed from current technological trends as possible. Even so, most industries have found positive perks when it comes to implementing computers into their processes for clients and industry professionals.
1. Excavation
For contractors who specialize in providing excavation services, computers can be a game changer. Once these pieces of technology were introduced, computers simplified many aspects of excavating projects. From planning out the project through specialized software to tracking invoices for clients with book-keeping software to hiring contractors through hiring platforms, computers provide many services that excavators did on their own for decades before this shift in technology.
For archaeologists who excavate ancient or antique items on excavation sites, computers come in extra handy. They can make it easier to create maps of the site, document findings, analyze data, and even do research on what an unfamiliar item that was found on the site may be. Those who want to enter this field and become archaeologists have an easier time than ever finding an online educational program that suits their needs.
Whether someone wants to get a bachelor’s degree in archaeological studies or a master’s degree, they don’t need to live near a college that offers it or move to a town with a university that has this degree to advance their education in this field. Folks who simply want to investigate the process of excavation for construction or archaeological purposes for a hobby or academic project can find plenty of information about these topics on the internet. This is all thanks to the creation of the computer and the distribution of this technology into most modern households.
2. Telecommunications
For those who work in telemarketing and other telecommunication positions, computers simplified the way they work. Before computers were a thing, one would have to keep a paper list of all of the clients one had to call and make sure that their notes were legible. They also had to find new clients by knocking on doors or discovering data in an analog way. Today, computers make it so that telecommunication professionals can identify potential clients, store client information, take notes of telecommunication interactions, and more on one simple device called a computer.
For professionals who work in radio, wireless infrastructure companies have revolutionized the way that this industry works. With computers, it’s possible to listen to the radio without a proper radio player. In the past, folks who lived in areas with poor reception or other issues that impacted radio signals couldn’t listen to the radio.
The disparity in signal strength and radio connection made it harder for radio show hosts and others who had their fair share of air time to advertise to those populations. What’s more, it would have been difficult to get the word out about your radio compared to today. Nowadays, you can just post pictures of your crew on social media and start generating hype about your radio show thanks to the way computers simplified this industry.
Computers also paved the way for the popular telecommunication medium podcasts. With podcasts, listeners can tune into their favorite audio shows on their preferred platform and listen to the podcast hosts speak, sing, or do other things that make it worthwhile to listen to their show. Podcasts can help people fill up gaps in free time if they work in an industry with a lot of downtime. In this way, computers not only simplified telecommunications but also solved the issue of boredom in many other industries.
3. Appraisal
While antique appraisers may seem like they are in an industry that wouldn’t benefit from technological advances, computers have actually helped those in this field sharpen their skills and expand their knowledge base. Before computers simplified the antique appraisal industry, appraisers had to rely on the knowledge they acquired from books or mentors to make accurate decisions about pieces. A really convincing dupe of a rare antique could have caused appraisers to value it higher than what it was actually worth. What’s more, they could have mistaken high-value antiques for cheap reproductions if they had gaps in their understanding that led them to believe that a piece was a reproduction instead of the original antique.
Since computers became a normal part of this industry, appraisers have benefitted from being able to research specific rare antiques from the comfort of their office or home. With reseller websites like eBay and the like, it also makes it possible for those who work in the antique industry to sell their objects or find objects that they would like to add to their collections. What’s more, computers make it so that they can blog about their exciting finds and share them with a whole community of people who share the same interests.
4. Healthcare
Besides the world of finances, the medical field has probably been the greatest beneficiary of the introduction of computers to the workplace as computers simplified health-related industries. Gone are the days of losing the boxes containing a client’s entire medical history. All the information is uploaded to the company’s servers and until it’s deleted, it’s there forever. A hospital on one side of town can write up documentation and when someone has to go to another for specialized treatment, all the information is right there for the new doctors to access.
Another benefit to the introduction of computers, everything is streamlined to the point of being like an assembly line. Say you had to go to your local urgent care for something as simple as a headache. The nurses or doctors on duty can write you a prescription and have it sent to your local pharmacy in a matter of seconds. It’s never been easier to provide people with the care they need.
5. Wedding Planning
For wedding planners and brides who want to plan their weddings themselves, planning a wedding is one of the things that computers simplified for us. Whether you’re scrolling through Pinterest looking for the perfect autumn inspired wedding bouquet or ordering your wedding’s catering through a catering company’s website, you’ll see how technology influences this field. It also makes it easier for those who are physically unable to attend a wedding to see the wedding day through video chatting platforms and other social media advancements.
6. Construction
While contractors in this industry like crane companies use their hands a lot, they also use computers. After all, computers simplified ordering supplies. They also made it easier for clients to book projects.
7. Delivery
The days of brick-and-mortar storefronts dominating commerce are quickly coming to an end since the rise of the Internet. With the ability to place an order and have it sent out to you on the same day, many people take advantage of the ability to shop from the comfort of their own homes. Advancements in delivery get shipping supplies to vendors faster, as well.
8. Surveying
For those who own a survey service, computers revolutionized the industry. Computers simplified the processes in this field. They also increased marketing opportunities for survey companies.
9. Music
The music industry cannot function without access to computers and the software they provide. From remixing existing music to providing autotune to vocal tracks to even making entire albums using nothing but synthetic beats produced entirely by a machine, the introduction of computers changed the way the music industry operates. Not to mention amateur artists benefit greatly from being able to post their music online for anyone to find, talent agents included.
Another way the music industry thrives because of the Internet is the resale market for used instruments and equipment. Getting your foot in the door in the world of music is both time-consuming and expensive. Being able to go onto the Internet and search resale markets for what you need can save hundreds of dollars. Consider a parent wishing to get a piano for their child. A new piano can cost thousands of dollars. Scanning the resale market for used pianos can cut that price in half and all it takes is access to a computer to find the right product for you.
10. Firearm Sales
The firearm industry is one of the most vital industries to gain access to the Internet and have standardized computer software thanks to how computers simplified this industry. With how important it is to keep the manufacturer, the distributor, and the consumer safe while handling firearms, having a computer greatly simplifies the process. It also aids in keeping people safe. There are millions and millions of guns in the world we live in. While not impossible to regulate every single firearm transaction in the world, the Internet provides a solid safety net to keep our communities safe, specifically in federal background checks.
Another example of how computers have aided the firearm industry is now consumers can now engage in window shopping for potential firearm sales from the comfort of their own homes. The rise of online shopping has made it so anyone with access to the Internet can view the products available for purchase on the websites of gunsmiths, sports stores, and other distributors. Anyone can now search for a firearm they’re interested in without the hassle of traveling to a store.
If you love computers and you want to get into a field that takes advantage of the simplification that computers bring to a work environment, you should take note of the ten industries we’ve listed here. As you can see, you don’t need to get into computer science or information technology to be great at using computers in your workplace every day. Sometimes, folks who have experience in computer sciences or technology may want to branch out and use this expertise to benefit other fields. If you rely on our list of fields where computers simplified their processes, you may have an easier time narrowing down what field you would like to enter.
