IoT Gains Ground among Corporate Executives

Recent studies point to growing acceptance of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies among businesses. These studies provide more evidence that the concept has moved beyond hype and into a gray area of early stage acceptance, experimentation, and uncertainty.

Verizon’s latest report on the topic finds 73% of executive survey respondents are either deploying IoT solutions or researching the technology. The report also highlights compelling economics, citing that among business-to-business applications, there is the possibility to generate nearly 70% of the potential value enabled by IoT technologies.

Another study from enterprise software vendor IFS found that 30% of respondents from industrial companies say they use IoT data to support field service management, while 16% say their firms use IoT data in enterprise resource planning software. While this response did not come from the majority of respondents, the data shows a significant level of early adoption. The study also suggests the effects of IoT are likely to be greater in the industrial sector than among consumer products and services. And I concur; the drive to cut costs, improve operational efficiencies, and seek tangible ROI is more compelling among businesses. Consumers care about such things to be sure, but they seldom act with the same verve as corporations.

SAP had a similar study earlier this year that found 3% of corporate executive respondents saying their companies had completed companywide digital transformation projects, many of which involved IoT technologies. This is still a low level of adoption in view of previous industry expectations. Nonetheless, 55% of the same respondents say their firms are conducting pilot programs, which is a positive sign.

Case Studies Proving Necessary

What is lacking in the marketplace for IoT, or industrial IoT (IIoT), is a persuasive set of case studies that show how a company can move from where it is pre-IoT to a valuable deployment involving the latest tools. Business leaders tend to be skeptical about new technology and want to make sure the benefits are clear before moving ahead, especially with the complexities and new costs involved in IIoT projects. There are examples of companies making strides in this direction. One is Alpiq, a leading Swiss utility, which has adopted an IoT data strategy to transform its operations and now expects to see lower total costs. But more examples across many industrial sectors are needed before one can say the trend has truly taken hold. Until then, we shall be in an uncertain period as many firms test the waters and gradually learn what works best. Once more of the leaders set the stage, others will follow.