Internet use and how companies engage with their customers
Big leap in internet user numbers
The number of Internet users worldwide is now 400 million higher than last year, representing 10 percent annual growth.
These figures have been significantly influenced by new data published by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), and much of the growth is likely due to more accurate and timely reports, rather than a sudden increase in number of Internet users. in the last three months
Regardless of the cause, however, the new figures are particularly encouraging. The number of Internet users worldwide is rapidly approaching 4.5 billion, and if current trends continue, we should see some impressive new milestones as we move towards 2020.
It is interesting to see that much of the growth in new ITU data comes from emerging economies, especially in Africa, and this could indicate the beginning of a new wave of growth in all kinds of connected behaviors in the coming Months. 
The graph above shows the very significant growth of both internet and computer users.
Global social media user numbers have also increased this quarter, but once again, this is mainly due to the availability of new data and not the sudden surge of new users.
The key factor in this quarter's growth comes from India, where WhatsApp recently revealed that they have surpassed the mark of 400 million active users. By context, 100 million more active users are up to Facebook's core platform.
These figures suggest that nearly 30 percent of India's total population already uses WhatsApp every month. In addition, with the number of mobile Internet subscribers in India growing at a rate of more than 250,000 each day, there are still many more opportunities for social media growth in India.
Other platforms belonging to Facebook Inc. and Tencent also contributed to the overall growth in the number of social media users, but there are some interesting trends emerging at the individual platform level, as we'll see below.
This site in the first days of the year 2020 makes an important trend report, but already in the October 2019 report mentions that 3 important topics are already being seen to be observed:
Voice: one of the biggest changes in 2020 will be the increasing use and influence of voice interfaces, these tools will shape the evolution of digital as a whole. For clarity, the story here isn't just about the emergence of smart speakers, and the opportunity certainly is to empower voice interfaces to revolutionize the ways in which each and every one of us uses and interacts with all of us our connected devices, with content and, most importantly, with search results.
Games: Whether it's playing them or watching others play them, and whether it's five minutes at the bus stop or in a world tournament, the games will be another important story in 2020. There are some great opportunities for brands here, but marketing in these active environments will require a very different thought to the type of marketing has dominated mass advertising over the past 50 years.
A cultural shift: As Internet access and connection speeds accelerate in emerging markets, we can also expect significant increases in the volume and popularity of content coming out of these geographies. Many denounce the dangers of today's Internet "filter bubbles," but in reality it has never been easier for people to connect with people around the world; to learn about their worlds and cultures, and explore new perspectives and valuable opportunities. Therefore, the main advice for 2020 is to "feed your diet": actively add diverse perspectives and opinions to your digital diet and adopt what diversity can do for you.
And how do companies interact with their customers?
The evolution in this century in technology has been accompanying companies, it is moving from call centers, applications "self services" i.e. applications on mobile or on the website so that the customer can meet their needs contact with a company operator. But today the strategy is Omnichannel and improve the user experience.
This involves having software solutions that can receive requests or requests from: third-party websites, mobile applications, social networks, emails and other messaging systems, voice calls and the company's own website. The need or tendency to improve the user experience implies more automation and more application integration and less operator involvement in the chain for value delivery.
The technological pillars that will allow automation and integration are two:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) with different types of technologies
- Big Data support with all the capabilities that this entails (hardware, analytical software and others)
Chatbots increasingly allow a natural way to communicate with people through text messages, multimedia user interfaces and speech-to-text software.
Chatbots to companies already studies reveal that they save costs of up to 30%.
A company's call center is a key point for the company's image. 48% of consumers who had a bad experience with the call center will tell 10 or more people.
Deploying chatbots in enterprises can be very low risk if you plan a gradual deployment of functionalities.
In short, what do we hope to start our new projects by integrating chatbots, socialmedia and artificial intelligence?
* The initial part of this article is based on information extracted from the website we are social www.wearesocial.com