How Companies Can Leverage the Internet of Things to Improve Productivity

@Sylvia thanks for your comment. There is no way to know but, based upon where we are today, I would think that IoT is here to stay - for large companies as well as smaller ones and even non-profits. The biggest concern is about security but technology has made leaps and bounds in the last few years and will continue. Looking for a new career? Check out Cyber Security as there will be great need for qualified employees to take us to the next level in security threat protection. Not sure about the pushback. Has anyone experienced issues with IoT in their work places?

I wonder how widespread this whole concept is going to be in several years. Right now it seems to only be a concern in high-tech environments. Will there ever come a time that this grows to be part of the larger corporate (or even non-profit) world? Would smaller companies benefit from this, or is it a hindrance/deterrent? I wonder about employee feedback. Has there been any pushback?

Thanks for the comments. It has been fun watching IoT grow. I started working on technology - computers - back in the early 80's. I worked on one of the old Xerox 860 workhorses that took up 1/2 a room. I learned how to program back then, also so that I could create a standardized layout for employee evaluations as well as for naval messages and for tracking of personnel. This was back in the days of the old keypunch cards. But, even with that, it was so awesome to be able to print out a report of those personnel who were transitioning to civilian life and go through that than to have to come through over 1000 employee files by hand. And now look at where are in just that short period of time. The sky is the limit and it's up to businesses to figure this out and jump on the bandwagon or be left behind with all of the old relics.

Watching the "Internet of Things", in it's infancy, grow is fascinating. The data collected from our cell phones to compute perfect, real-time traffic situations was genius and life-changing for a lot of us. The wearable trackers have unbelievable potential and we have truly only scratched the surface of their potential. Think about incorporating things like blood sugar monitoring for diabetics or GPS tracking for senile seniors.

IoT is completely changing the way that businesses operate. The benefits of using web-connected technology are cost savings, eliminating waste by monitoring data, and it can also be used to facilitate product design. Businesses are realizing that this technology has so many helpful applications, and they are implementing them more and more. IoT applications are gaining popularity.

Thanks for the great comments. IoT can boggle the mind and this is only the beginning. Will companies be able to keep up? Maybe, if they make the right investments. Will companies spend money on things that don't really matter - just to be better than their competitors - probably! But they will learn just as we do in our private lives. We learn how much potential there is and we love the opportunity to give feedback @Catherine. @Hema I think that companies are always going to need humans to work with data and not allow it to be machine generated only. The machines are only as good as the person who programmed them. I remember the first time Watson was on Jeopardy and competed against two humans. Watson won. But Watson did miss out on a few questions just because the wording was different than it had been programmed. So yes, humans are always going to be needed. We are living in some exciting times.

I wonder if a company’s reliance on data will reduce its need for actual employees. A company should not base all its decisions on collected data alone, it’s important that a human analyzes the data and makes recommendations on how to proceed. Productivity should not increase at the expense of workers as higher levels of unemployment leads to lower levels of consumer spending, which in turn hurts all productive companies.

What a time to be alive, really. It's amazing how much this sector has grown and changed--and influenced trends and technology!--in recent years. Although it's important not to discount questions about security, I really think IoT has so much potential to help make the most of our time, and that increased productivity may, hopefully, lead to better life-work balance in the long run. Fascinating stuff, thank you.

It's very interesting how, with beta testing of Internet of Things products, customers are able to give product designers instant feedback. This could mean that customer plays a major role in the processes of design, which expedites the process exponentially and results in more useful and dynamic products. I've also found that online forums and apps (like Yelp) play major role in the success of new businesses like restaurants or other services because people are able to rate, comment and share their experience. I think consumers really value this information and make a lot of their buying decisions based off of this.

I worry that the workforce won't be able to keep up with increased technological advances associated with the IoT and also that companies might spend money and time on technologies that they don't know how to fully use or integrate into their industry. I look forward to an increased educational push towards developing technologically literate employees for every industry. I think job applicants with more education and experience in technology have definite edge moving into the future.

The Internet of Things seems to be leading towards so much data and information that software and algorithms can predict when companies should make a move. Sensors on laser printers can send a message through a wireless connection to an ordering system that gets new laser printer toner in house so an administrative assistant does not have to do the work. The same is true for replacing light bulbs, changing furnace filters and more. Imagine what software can do in five or 10 years if predictive technology is already this advanced with IoT devices.

I'm a big fan of Ian Bogost and his writings on the Internet of Things. Or what he calls certain aspects of it in The Atlantic, "The Internet of Things You Don't Need." Product design, accessible 3d printer, faster and cheaper printing on demand are all great things I've benefited from and can't talk up enough. Those have all been great. On the other hand, it sometimes seems more of a buzzword and actually educating employees or coworkers on ways to be more waste-conscientious seems like a better first step.

"Winners keep score." A manager once told me that — and the sentiment has stuck with me ever since. It's true: the more data you have, the more focused you can become. I think this applies to freelancers as well as large companies. I particularly like the customer feedback aspect of the IoT. You don't have to wait for people to fill out questionnaires or experience problems to gather valuable information about how they're using products or services.

Thanks for the comments. As with any system, security is always a concern along with the cost to keep everything secure. The cost to integrate the systems may be high for the initial layout but, after that, the cost would be minimal compared to the ease and convenience. The internet is here to stay and security will probably always be a concern. Companies need to spend the dollars to keep their information safe regardless of the systems used. @Shannon I have always wondered the same thing - what do companies really do with the feedback that they receive. Hopefully they take it to heart - or at least some of it - and, if there is a problem based upon the feedback, that they do the work needed to correct the issue for the better. Thanks again for the comments.

Is the cost to integrate these systems prohibitive? The big-picture overview sounds like a fantastic opportunity for medium- and large-sized companies to be much more agile, but is resistance to capital outlay a hindrance for the IoT? And how secure is the system? I think we've all come to realize that security is paramount.

I like the idea of instant feedback from customers. This is a positive and productive way to use technology. The key question, though, is whether or not companies are heeding this input from their customers. I always provide feedback on purchases I make, but I'm not sure if some companies are actually taking this feedback to heart. The use of social media to communicate with clients is extremely helpful when company representatives respond right away.

The process sounds really streamlined and efficient. And of course, saving money is always a positive thing for businesses and consumers alike. The security issue is worrisome though. The article says the technology "has been proven" to be sure- how and when was it proven? Is there an article this piece could link to?