The Internet of Things can be the key to delivering great user experiences. Especially in combination with 5G, it enables a new level of interaction based on data and insights. Thanks to numerous sensors and actuators, workflows and workloads, IoT can now be used in ways that seemed impossible even to imagine years ago.
While IoT helps propel customer experience to the next level, there are still many hurdles that companies need to overcome in order to fully benefit from the technology. As it happens, frequently these projects are implemented half-heartedly and often end up with bumpy interfaces that leave out important parts of the user journey.
Most interactions start with a customer initiating an action, either by using or buying a product or service. This can be turned around with IoT integration: Systems can proactively initiate actions based on continuously collected data.
For example, in industrial manufacturing, IoT solutions can now predict maintenance issues or determine the remaining useful life of a production-critical component or machine. Consequently, the time for its replacement can be proactively suggested to the user by built-in sensors. Relying on an application like this allows manufacturers to avoid costly downtime and thus significantly improve customer experience.
The Internet of Things can help predict and anticipate customer actions based on captured information and real-time access to data models in the cloud.
Think of connected cars, which essentially have become just another digital platform running software to improve all aspects of the driving experience. Ultimately, IoT applications will forsee driver behavior to the extent that it will help make autonomous vehicles safer. Sensor data from radar, cameras and night vision devices are already helping to predict driving behavior and prevent accidents.
Delivering content that engages, captivates and leaves the customer feeling satisfied should be a top priority for any business, from the customer’s first search or interaction with a product to the end of their digital journey. Personalization can create a more satisfying customer experience while driving higher sales, and IoT enables this personalization by seamlessly capturing user behavior and preferences.
For example, suppose a customer has searched online for a particular item. In that case, they can be persuaded to buy it by being offered a special deal on that item and an associated accessory when they enter the store - a matter of intelligent proximity marketing.
The Internet of Things is poised to further enhance personalization in retail and beyond by tapping into data from devices such as smartwatches, door locks, home appliances, security systems, and others.