Improving business processes using Internet of Things

Businesses are always looking for solutions to reducing time and increasing efficiency of their employees and the equipment and technology that is being used in everyday work tasks.

Automation continues to grow in popularity to help aid businesses. The introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) into the workplace has seen a shift towards data-driven decisions involved in business processes. Internet of Things plays a key role in current business digital transformation, as a tool that automatically records data, IoT allow for monitoring and recording. This data is then automatically past on to the relevant business process that would require this information.

IoT has a range of unique, different ways it can be utilised for different purposes across a variety of different industries. By helping businesses in giving them an insight into everything from the performance and maintenance of machines to supply chains and operational logistics. IoT works in real-time, it has the ability to be self-running, it can provide analytics and capture data. Sensors are a common feature for IoT which can trigger alerts of when a specific area of machinery or equipment would require attention. Not only this, sensors can capture, collect and communicate data about the sensor itself, and more so the conditions of the environment that they are situated.

The data that is collected from IoT can be sent to embedded systems through IoT gateways, they are then ready to be analysed and given value to the data ready to be used for human benefit in the form of actionable decisions. Collection and analysing is all automatically handled by IoT which can avoid human error from inputting data incorrectly. The automation of data entry eliminates error from occurring.

IoT can be utilized to decrease business expenses in multiple ways. IoT can reduce business cost in:

• Inventory management competence  
• Reduce the cost of maintenance
• Improve energy use

IoT gives businesses more solutions for solving inventory management issues. By bringing management into real-time it allows every item to be located immediately as a standard process. If items need to be shipped with IoT capabilities, tracking is much more in-depth for individual items throughout its delivery to the endpoint. IoT can also be used for warehouse management and can allocate locations for frequently used items, this creates a usage pattern so these items can be stored more closely to access points improving warehouse efficiency.

With more accurate data available which can cause a notable increase in productivity and efficiency within a business. With IoT devices acting accordingly off their responsibilities, more can be done by workers. It is a common connection that an increase in productivity can cause an increase in profits for a business.

IoT should be considered as a great use to many businesses, its has endless capabilities to introducing or improving automation within a business. The discussed IoT features and benefits are just a small number of ways IoT can be implemented into a business, they all help to reduce expenses and increase productivity and efficiency. Digital transformation strategies that continue to take place in organisations have a focus on automation alongside other emerging technology such as Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality. IoT will continue to work alongside these emerging technology