March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

Digital Services Still On The Rise, Even As Economy Reopens

Digital Ipad

Digital Ipad2020 will be remembered for a lot of things, but one of the most lasting impacts will be how it expedited our move towards digital living. For years, businesses had been speaking about the potential for remote working and digital services. However, only when the pandemic made it impossible to continue living as we used to did they make the switch.

Since the start of the pandemic, people have been talking about the new normal. The idea is that things will never be as they once were, for better or worse. But is the new normal reality or are we reverting to our old habits as the economy reopens?

The rise of digital services

It is important to recognize that, while digital services have been on the rise, not everyone is benefiting from them in the same way. Quite simply, certain services have been of vital necessity to some people while not impacting the lives of others.

Here is a quick look at some of the digital services that grew during the pandemic, to get a better idea of how the world is changing.

eCommerce

eCommerce is the most obvious “winner” in the realm of digital services. People who never thought they would turn to online shopping have begun to use it as their primary means of buying even the most basic supplies. There are still those who only use eCommerce websites for buying tech and other occasional purchases. However, millions more are buying groceries online and that is not changing even as shopping in person is once again safe.

Telehealth

Another important industry that has been changed by the availability of digital services is the healthcare industry. Telehealth has been growing for the past three decades, especially in the mental health space, but 2020 has brought an unparalleled level of progress. Going to see a doctor in person was no longer safe, and providers who had believed strongly in the necessity of in-person contact had no choice but to adapt. They quickly realized that telehealth has benefits over in-person care, even during normal times.

People started seeing therapists from the confines of their solitude. Individuals with chronic illnesses managed their conditions through regular online appointments. Meanwhile, medical providers honed their diagnosis skills over distance, giving them an advantage going forward.

Legal services

Online legal services are another growing industry that was on the rise before the pandemic. Lawyers charge higher fees than almost any other professionals, and many people who badly needed legal assistance could not afford it. Furthermore, with the overwhelming number of legal cases, whether monetary claims or criminal prosecutions, the introduction of algorithms has long been necessary.

One of the most popular online legal services is will software. It is unsurprising that more people are thinking about their own mortality. With over 600,000 Americans dead from the virus, death has dominated many people’s thoughts. Every adult should have a will to ensure their family does not have to deal with their estate in their absence. But seeing an attorney to write a simple will can cost around $300.

Will software is incredibly cheap and works because wills do not need to be complicated. They can be taken care of by an algorithm that uses legalese to close out any loopholes and include all the right details and caveats.

Online will software is growing in popularity along with other online legal services. This is especially true when it comes to legal documents, including things like power of attorney and living trusts.

Digital payments

Services like PayPal and Payoneer have been on the rise for a couple of decades, with more people purchasing items and subscriptions online. But now they are being used more than ever for sending and receiving payments. With the world shifting to digital services, traditional banking is looking more archaic by the day.

Apps like Venmo also give friends the ease of splitting bills and helping each other out when necessary. Since the pandemic hit many people hard financially, campaigns to help people in need have taken advantage of these digital services, with their low fees and lack of requirement for localized banking.

Gambling

Online gambling has been hugely popular for decades. However, there were still many people who chose to spend their days in actual casinos. That number is much lower today, as people have recognized how similar the online experience is and, in many ways, how the internet is more suited to the pastime.

The New Normal

So is the new normal here to stay? It certainly looks that way. Industries that have embraced the digital have seen their numbers continue to rise. People who made the move from traditional services to virtual services have little reason to revert to how things were, especially as they have seen the convenience and benefits of getting these services online.

The rise of digital services is one of the permanent impacts that COVID-19 has had on humanity. The world will take time to recover from the aversion to physical contact that has emerged among people trying to stay safe, and that will give digital services even more time to grow.

We are unlikely to return to the way things were, even if on the surface life seems to be back to normal. The new normal is going to look familiar to us while taking humanity in a new direction.

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