The internet has drastically changed in the last 10 years. Almost everything is nowadays connected to the Internet, from ATMs to vending machines. By 2020, there will be almost approximately 20-30 billion devices connected to the Internet.
A website offers confidence. A business without one is not trustworthy. In a couple of years, not having a website will become unreal.
The first concept of IoT was developed in 1999, by the co-founder of the Auto-ID Center at MIT, Kevin Ashton. The term reffered to the connection of a physical object to the Internet via sensors, collecting data and reporting it to a location.
The next step in the IoT evolution was the communication between devices. Nowadays, the IoT has a wide range of characteristics, the most important one being the fact that it connects people and businesses pertaining to every domain and industry.
Related: Why the IoT Isn’t Just About the Buzz, It’s the Future
The amazing thing is that, what matters the most is not the connection between devices, but rather the service provided. It doesn’t matter that an IoT connection could prevent an unplanned landing of a jet plane or the fact that your vending machine never fails to get your coffee to the right temperature. What matters most is the experience, or the benefits of the person who owns the connection.
Seeing how important it is to have an IoT connection, many businesses choose it as a key element in their strategy. An IoT business can benefit you in many ways. First of all, it brings you closer to your customers. That way, you are closer to knowing their needs and providing them with the right service. Secondly, the entire process is automatic. Your business works better at its full potential, ensuring great performance. Lastly, the business model becomes more efficient in almost every way, from time management to your income.
General Motors is the best example of showing how amazing an IoT can become. GM cars have a user-friendly interface built-in their vehicles, that connects with people in real life through their cars. That way, when an accident occurs, or when the car breaks down, the vehicle becomes a wi-fi hotspot and connects to an emergency line or to the car dealership. Also, GM cars will allow drivers to download apps right on their cars by 2015. There will be music apps, car maintenance apps, weather and traffic apps, etc.
How to start working with IoT?
There are a lot of benefits working with an IoT connection, but it requires a lot of maintenance. Being an always-on connection, the IoT connects your business to the rest of the world. This will change the way in which you will operate your business and interact with your customers.
While starting an IoT business, you will have to deal with transitions (customer service, archive), you will have to develop resources and expertise, and most important, you will need to manage your time, your paperwork, and your diagnostics differently.
Automation
The next step in developing an IoT business is automation. Automation prevents risk. Whether it is the temperature of a hot beverage or the capacity of a plane’s engine to function, with automation, risk is minimum to zero. What about the medical system? As a doctor, having your patient’s information in real time in one place could literally save his or her life. Automation increases the productivity of your business.
