IoT and Pitching it to the Boss
So your company is thinking of getting involved in IoT, a commercial on T.V or an add on a website caught your attention and now you are interested. Where do you start?
Identify your needs
Is your company rather large? What would you want to connect to? For what data and purpose? If you are going to pitch IoT to your boss or colleague, it is best to have a plan outlined that shows a need and a clear use for IoT.
Set a goal for IoT to achieve
This comes into play when you are talking about monetary savings or an increase in productivity. A situation where you can prove the effectiveness of the solution, over a 6 month or a year long time frame. Having a goal to aim for will let them know you thought this through, and a return on investment will help solidify your decision.
Research every option, don't select a solution impulsively
Just like when buying a car, you shouldn't choose the first solution you find when searching "Internet of Things" on Google and hoping for a quick answer. Knowing some technical specifications of what your company requires in a IoT solution will help, if you have tanks, pumps and pipes you would most likely need a solution with pressure, flow and viscosity sensors. If you are a company that produces clothing and style-wear the most you may require may be a telematics solution, in which you can monitor and guide trucks on their routes and analyze aspects of the supply chain in order to achieve better planning and service.
Contact a company to organize a project
Try not to invest in anything quite yet, if you select a smaller company you may be able to work out a deal. Your company using their IoT solution and offering something of equal value. To them it is an opportunity to put another company on their site and advertise that another company is using their product. Every conversation has a chance to benefit both parties, act on the opportunity.
Discover compatibility and possible short comings
Where do your organizations mesh well and where can you improve? If you specialize in operational technology, you may need to make improvements in informational technology. Other forms of software and hardware can simplify daily tasks and reduce daily challenges. Is it logical to get involved in the Internet of Things? The answer is yes, no matter the size of your organization, there are small ways you can increase success and increase overall connection within your business.
Contact an IoT advocate, someone that will guide you to success
Reach out to people in the IoT field, people who know about emerging technologies. These experts can offer insight and knowledge of the IoT space. A quick search on LinkedIn will yield a whole list of possible connections who may be able to help you on your IoT journey.
Best of luck,
Dalton Perry
Feel free to contact me with questions or leave a comment. If you are curious what my team and I are working on, it is an IoT mobility platform called IoT2cell. If you are interested in exploring this further, send me an email at: [email protected]
