The Internet of Things (IoT) has taken the world of technology by storm. While it has been discussed, theorised and continuously developed for a number of years, consumers are only just starting to experience its uses in everyday life first-hand through products like Nest.
Anton Le Saux of Telefonica O2 said: ‘businesses have been benefiting from improved sustainability thanks to M2M solutions for some time now. Unbeknown to the general public, businesses everywhere are reducing fuel and energy, producing less waste and improving the security and safety of both assets and people.”
The opportunities to improve sustainability in your business through innovating with the IoT and M2M solutions could bring a variety of benefits to your business. The time and money savings that could be realised can be invested back into the business or allow you to improve profit margins. But that’s not all. Have you thought about the less obvious – but just as impactful – effects of being more sustainable? Improved customer and brand perception and employee loyalty will also positively impact your top and bottom lines.
Some of you may think that this is great in theory, but may be sceptical about the opportunities for you in your industry. You could be missing a trick – no matter what sector, there will be an M2M solution either available or under development which can help you boost sustainability. That could be through reduced transport costs for retailers, tracking equipment and livestock for farmers or extending the lifecycle of pallets for manufacturers. IoT and M2M help businesses think outside the box.
What are you waiting for? If it’s because you’re cautious of implementing new technology and processes or worried about the initial cost and time, then speak to someone at O2.
The author is Anton Le Saux, head of connectivity and partner sales at Telefonica UK, anton.lesaux@telefonica.com
