Once a seldom-used term a few years ago, “Internet of Things†has become an increasingly common phrase in our vernacular. Thanks to Web-based management tools like IFTTT and Zapier, as well as automation platforms like Wemo and SmartThings, more of us are aware of what the Internet of Things (abbreviated IoT) entails.
But one has to wonder — while consumers are certainly making use of this sprawling, interconnected web of software and devices, how are businesses using it? We’ve collected ten of the most interesting companies using IoT today, and below, we’ll take a closer look at how each is utilizing this exciting new technology.
Omnitrol
Omnitrol is a middleware provider focused on delivering “cloud-to-edge real-time IoT business and operational intelligence solutions.â€
Essentially, the company powers the software that keeps businesses performing at their peak, utilizing the Internet of Things to assist with important tasks like asset tracking, manufacturing intelligence, supplier intelligence, inventory intelligence, and logistics intelligence. Imagine forgoing a sign-out log for a business asset in favor of instantaneous, real-time tracking that lets you know where the asset is and who’s using it. That’s just part of the promise of Omnitrol’s technology.
Engage3
In a free market, prices for goods and services fluctuate. That’s just a fact of life. What Engage3 does — to the benefit of many of its customers — is utilize insight pulled from troves of data on products and competitive pricing to help businesses understand where their offerings should be priced.
Engage3 makes use of “statistical physics†and proprietary software to come up with the best price point for products, and through the Internet of Things, offers a powerful digital assistant capable of presenting personalized offers to customers in order to close a sale.
Snapbizz
A “Kirana†is a small store that is typically family owned — not the first place you’d expect to see a bunch of technology, especially in a world where we have Apple Stores and Best Buys. That’s what makes Snapbizz’s mission so interesting.
The company’s aim is to help these small shops gain equal footing with their larger counterparts by using online software and the Internet of Things to connect stores to consumers, distributors, marketers, researchers, and more.
Snapbizz hopes not only to impact the business world, but also to make a social impact with their tools, and so they deserve a spot on the list.
MiNODES
MiNODES sets out to help businesses “understand and retain†their shoppers, primarily through the use of consumer insights and retargeting, which is a way to advertise again to those who’ve shown interest in a product or service in the past.
With the use of sophisticated marketing software paired to the Internet of Things, MiNODES is able to get a handle on consumer behavior across many different industries and help businesses use that behavior to reach customers where they’re most likely to buy.
Plexure
Customer relationship management (CRM) isn’t the sexiest term to non-business folk, but to those in sales, it’s what can get the initial deal done and help keep a customer hooked for the long haul.
Plexure provides a CRM platform driven by the Internet of Things: a way to not only connect with customers at the point of sale and at other points of contact, but to reach them while they’re at a retail location in real time.
Plexure’s platform is used by big names like McDonald’s, Microsoft, 7-Eleven, and more. They might be onto something…
Kontakt.io
What if you could say hello to your customers as they walk by your store, or as they enter, without having to devote a salesperson to the task? That’s the kind of world Kontakt.io wants us to live in, and the companies they’ve partnered with have seen results in a big way.
Kontakt.io’s platform is powered by Bluetooth Beacons placed around retail locations that can instantly let shoppers know about new items or sales, and can even provide them with a coupon — all by sending a notification to their phones. ELLE uses this technology and was able to bring 8.5% more shoppers into their store.
Softwear Automation
The above name is not a typo — it’s actually a very appropriate name for a company specializing in automated sewing worklines powered by the Internet of Things.
Softwear’s SEWBOTS are Internet-connected machines capable of making a number of different material-based products: pillows, bath mats, automotive mats, t-shirts, and mattresses, just to name a few.
The move to automated sewing means sellers can be closer to distributors, cutting costs all around.
BlueFox.io
BlueFox wants to help companies know how many people are at a location or event, but it’s not too keen on using beacons or apps.
Instead, the company uses technology capable of detecting individual smartphone signals. These Internet-connected BlueFox sensors upload that data to the cloud, where someone from the business can then view data through an app or a Web-based user interface.
And the best part? There’s no waiting. Everything happens in real time, so if your company wants a current, to-the-second count of how many people are in a certain range of your location, BlueFox can provide it instantly.
Kwik
Not unlike Amazon’s Dash Buttons, Kwik provides an easy way for businesses to provide push-button ordering of products to their customers.
What sets Kwik apart from Amazon’s initiative, however, is that its technology is open to any brand. If you operate a pizza shop, for example, and you want to offer your customers an Internet-connected button they can press to send a steaming-hot pizza on the way to their door, you can do it.
Kwik also provides a “Genie†call center service, which a customer can access by long-pressing a button.
Leantegra
In case you didn’t get the gist from some of the above companies, proximity marketing is a pretty big deal right now.
Leantegra is tapping into the craze by offering Internet-connected tech for retailers such as its Ble Beacon, Wireless Gateway, UWB Location Tag, and more.
All assist businesses in reaching out to customers when they’re closest and more likely to be interested in a purchase and all have done wonders to drive additional revenue for Leantegra’s partner companies.