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Verizon Identifies Key Enterprise-Technology Trends for 2014
MUMBAI: Enterprise users will gain unprecedented control over their technology environment in 2014, according to Verizon Enterprise Solutions’ list of top enterprise technology trends for 2014. The new year will see a sharp focus on how enterprises and governments use technology to enhance the customer’s experience and enable innovation.
“We are experiencing the democratization of enterprise technology,” said David Small, Verizon Enterprise Solutions’ chief platform officer. “Mirroring what has happened in the consumer technology space, enterprise technology users look for services to be delivered on demand, to a time and place of their choosing, and in the way that they want. In 2014, enterprise success will be measured by how well organizations are able to use technology to meet user expectations and harness individual innovation.”
Here are the key trends Verizon believes will drive change for enterprises and government in 2014:
1. The Customer of One Comes of Age
The ability to tailor a customer’s experience to best meet personalized, individual needs will increasingly be a brand differentiator. In 2014, enterprises will refocus on customer touch points, recognizing that integrated omnichannel connections – across online, mobile, broadcast and in-store –can make customers feel valued at every step of the purchase and experience lifecycle. These integrated systems will be the key to opening up new routes to markets by enabling businesses to engage directly with the individual on demand, and build trusted connections to simplify transactions. Insight provided by big data analytics will create new, individualized marketing opportunities that will transform and focus the customer engagement model.
2. M2M ‘as a Service’ Simplifies Path to the Connected World
Ubiquitous4G LTE wireless service and the availability of machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions “as a service” – on demand, over the Internet and ready to use –coupled with strong security will overcome the issues that have previously prevented many organizations from fully embracing M2M. By leveraging third-party expertise, organizations will be able to quickly transform the conversations of intelligent endpoints into unprecedented insights – and unprecedented business opportunities. As M2M adoption accelerates, manufacturers, dealers and business partners will be able to realize the full potential of new revenue streams and increased operational efficiencies, while better meeting the needs of their customers.
3. The Shortage of Security Expertise Forces Changes to Cyber security Management
Continued targeted attacks and high-profile security breaches impel corporate boards of directors to demand substantial increases in security investments in 2014 – and rethinking of traditional approaches to cyber security management. As enterprises increasingly adopt mobility, big data, cloud and broadcast solutions, the complexity of effective cyber security programs far exceeds both the availability of human capital around the world and the capability of any one enterprise to execute alone. Enterprises will develop and execute hybrid cyber security-management models that combine an agile staff of in-house security-minded business experts with trusted managed security services across a broad range of capabilities such as identity management, security analytics and cyber intelligence, and governance, risk and compliance.
4. IT Decentralizes
Organizations embracing the new information technology world of cloud, mobility and M2M will see IT increasingly decentralized. IT will be core to every business function. As a result, IT will work more closely with individual business units and focus on developing tools for seamless process enablement that empowers employees and customers. The C-suite (e.g. CFO, CMO, COO), lines of business and staff functions will increasingly take the lead role in engaging and deploying in the cloud, because of the immediate deployment speed, flexibility, control and cost value they see in cloud, as well as advantages in big data analysis. IT will be integrated into financial performance planning, and the lines between the IT department and finance will continue to blur as technology becomes the valued enabler, rather than the end game.
5. Providers Add Gravity to the Cloud
In a world where mobile is the norm, and rich media content is a given, the cloud will come into its own as the only location where growing data volumes can be stored, accessed and analyzed on demand. In 2014, adding software and services to the cloud will be a key focus for cloud providers seeking to attract customers –adding gravity and encouraging user stickiness.
Integrated cloud offerings will increasingly enable mashups of fixed and mobile networks; systems, ideas and solutions; people and things; and intelligence and information. Providing systems and tools to transform these data into insights in the cloud and on demand will transform the customer experience.
Small concluded: “Verizon Enterprise Solutions brings together an unparalleled set of assets with the objective of driving open a connected world of opportunity for our clients. Whatever their industry or sector, in 2014 our clients will look to invest and innovate so they can more rapidly and securely deliver their products and services where, when, and how their users want them. Our focus is on offering powerful answers to business challenges by harnessing the power of our advanced technology platforms to deliver industry-specific solutions that unlock productivity and value for our clients, their customers and society.”
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Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
