IoT Services

How Can IoT Improve Supply Chain During COVID-19?

The spread of COVID-19 has restrained the speed of businesses and interrupted the functioning of logistics and transportations. The current dilemma is how to sustain in the situation and to stop the economic meltdown while staying healthy.

Many companies and manufacturing industries are struggling to supply the goods to the customer or market. Recent studies conducted by Adobe stated that online purchase of hand sanitizer, masks, gloves and anti-bacterial sprays was raised by 817 per cent in February 2020. The sudden shift from window shopping to online has created a new challenge as well as an opportunity for all the businesses. Most of the businesses are opening an online platform for shopping, but without good and reliable logistics and transport, nothing is worth doing.

To stay economically healthy in the business, retailers need to assure that they are providing an excellent quality customer experience. Retailers need to inform about the shipment status and its expected delivery date of the product to the customer.

From packaging to delivery, proactive communication about the status of a product can only be achieved by the involvement of IoT and sensors.

Adopting sensors integrated with IoT devices can help retailers in keeping a track on the shipment to know its status and to inform the same to the customer. But before we understand how holistically Iot will aid in supply chains, let’s check what are the challenges in supply chain management.

Challenges in supply chain management:

Today, the supply chain has become the heart of any business, if it is not available, then forget about the profit and fulfilment of demands. However, with the globalization, lack of technology adoption and rise in eCommerce, supply chain complexities are increased.

Here are a few challenges which are disrupting in smooth supply chain flow:

  1. Lack of coordination and communication between people at different places involved in supply chains like producers, brokers, transporters, processors, retailers, wholesalers and consumers.
  2. Lack of fast last-mile delivery and compliance to meet the operational needs required for direct-to-customer fulfilment.
  3. Improper manual and slow data reconciliation process.
  4. Lack of transparency and improper record maintenance across the supply chain.
  5. Poor stock management and no record maintenance of stolen, lost, shortage of products and inability to maintain minimum stock level etc.
  6. Lack of visibility in supply chain inventory and security across all the channels in the supply chain.
  7. Unsatisfied customers because of late deliveries without information.

Well, COVID-19 has proved the need for improvement in the logistics and adoption of the latest technologies for getting the best results. IoT offers a lot to the logistics to overcome challenges, improve transparency and ensure on-time delivery. Let us check how IoT can add advancement, proactive communication and transparency in logistics:

Precise Location Tracking:

Today, when the virus is spreading everywhere, the shipment has become more significant as people are staying home to stay healthy. The expectation of the customers to get the delivery on time has raised to a much higher level. By switching to the Internet of things enabled devices, companies can have insights into shipment and its status, which they can share with the customers. Companies can share the location of the consignment and the estimated delivery date of the packages.

Read More: How COVID-19 Explains The Need for IoT Based World?

Not just this, data received by IoT devices also helps retailers in scheduling optimized shipment routes for faster delivery, improved functioning and providing the best customer experience.

IoT enabled devices even helps in identifying warehouse delays and assists in addressing weak links while pushing overall efficiencies. Today in this virus affected the world, such data can be proved as lifesaving. Suppliers can trace the routes where shipments are facing snag and causing late delivery. They can avoid the road in future and opt for another way to make sure the delivery of essential products on time to customers.

Shipment Conditions Monitoring:

Apart from tracking consignment, delivering product in good condition is also essential. By acquiring, computing and providing updates on the environment state of a shipment can add confidence that the package is at a good state. This part is particularly important for providers of fragile or perishable products, as containers depart from supplier to seller to customer.

For clear vision, let us take an example of shipment containing food/dairy packages. A food/dairy shipment requires proper temperature throughout the journey to maintain quality; otherwise, it would just not spoil the reputation of the brand but would lead to serious health issues.

Through IoT-enabled sensors, a retailer can keep a check on container conditions to make sure no compromise with quality. In fact, if some issues appear, the retailer can take immediate steps to resolve the problems.

Global Connectivity:

Tracking and monitoring consignment is possible through Iot devices that are connected to a global network and can provide insights to retailers and customers to stay aware of products’ status.

Companies should switch to a 0G network to provide them with global connectivity. A 0G network is an exclusive low-bandwidth wireless network designed to connect simple, low-cost and less power consuming IoT devices to the internet. It is used to transfer a small amount of data across long ranges. It is different from others as it can transmit data such as location or temperature at a lower cost without compromising with quality.

On the other hand, due to less consumption of power, battery life is longer and lasts till the shipment journey ends. Thus it provides real-time data of the package location.

Excellent visibility provided by IoT across the supply chain offers an opportunity for enterprises to adopt the path to operational efficiency, aids in providing better customer experiences and a healthy bottom line.

Though COVID-19 has interrupted in the growth and development, it has given an opportunity to explore and adopt the most beneficial technology for improving efficiency and increasing benefits. Most of the companies are embracing IoT to churn profits. IoT provides insights to adjust the changes caused by a virus while offering excellent services at less price.

If you are looking for an IoT development company, then your search is ended. Contact Prompt Softech to get the most advanced and reliable IoT services.

Why IoT (Internet Of Things) will Be a New Normal?

Covid-19 stress, technology disruption, modernization, and many other interruptions, we can now conclude that in coming years IoT would be the new normal. To say it straight, we have to accept that IoT would be the new normal. The dependency on IoT would increase and increase and increase.

If you are not preparing yourself for this new world, then you might face the loses. You should update your business strategies and add IoT to it by connecting experienced and reliable IoT service providers.

Joining the IoT categories would offer you long-term benefits for your business. Today businesses are looking for a model which can endeavour stabilization and optimization while trimming cost, improving operational data and insights and increasing operating capacity without compromising with employees’ health.

In this IoT blog, we will discuss “how you can optimize your operations by the use of IoT.” Let us dive into the sea of possibilities

Buildings are Smart now:

Well, smart buildings, this word might not surprise you. You might have read it in many articles or blogs but have you thought about how it would help you?

Smart buildings have integration of individual sensors, devices and gateways. It consists of smart cameras, asset tags, occupancy and environment sensors, automated controls, wearables and HVAC– which are networked into automated solutions in a connected environment.

Today many new buildings are designed with IoT integration while providing options for future changes. Exploring the potential of IoT, emerging trends are considering its use to connect the building with external services like metropolitan transport systems, garbage management system, smart vehicles and personal sensors which altogether contribute to making smart cities.

For instance, in the coming future, there would be connecting sensors in the waste disposal bin of your house to the local waste management services. The sensors would inform the garbage management service providers for the garbage collection, enabling the just-in-time collection, thus providing more efficient service utilization while curbing extra costs.

It has been concluded that the retrofit Building Automation System (BAS) could reduce energy consumption by 20-30% in small and medium-sized commercial buildings. Installation of occupancy sensors in hotel rooms could save approx 12-24% savings on HVAC and 16-22% on lighting. In fact, adding cloud-based analytics could contribute to an extra 5-10% cost savings.

Not just this, smart building solutions can also provide as security, traffic and occupancy analytics, emergency alerts and pathfinding. For instance, Wearables and sensors can be used to get occupancy and traffic analytics or simplify headcounts during emergency evacuations. Energy-saving smart lighting controls can be used for wayfinding, emergency lighting and signage.

Read More: How will IoT Transform Transportation in the Coming Years?

Automating Hospital Services:

Iot in healthcare has emerged as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). IoT enabled devices can autonomously monitor personal health data such as blood pressure, temperature, pulse etc.through wearables or implantable under skin devices. The need for social distancing is being followed as healthcare providers are now adopting video conferencing technology and using data from IoMT devices for consultations purposes.

The COVID-19 has emphasized the need for more autonomous services. It is tough for hospitals to save their staffs from getting infected while treating corona infected patients. Healthcare executives and administrators have to maintain productivity while ensuring full safety in this pandemic situation.

To meet the need for contactless solutions, healthcare would leverage advanced technologies such as remote data collection, autonomous robotics and computer vision. In the coming days, hospitals would be employing robots for providing food and medicines to patients. They would be used to monitor diagnostics and to disinfect purposes as well.

Iot solutions can optimize healthcare operations. IoT based predictive maintenance sensors and software can escape the shortages/outages of functional equipment, alert for maintenance service of equipment and reduce the operating costs. Attaching low power consumption Bluetooth sensors in equipment can help in tracking the location of the equipment and consumables and provide the data of the supply chain to administration.

Industrial IoT Solutions-An end to mismanagement:

IIot is another very familiar term in today’s world. The most used service of IoT in this sector is predictive maintenance solutions. Iot has not just entered in manufacturing but has become part of logistics and urban transport.

There are IoT app development companies which provide solutions for asset tracking and supply chain management. It can be used at the port, mobile equipment and consumables in warehouse, manufacturing and retail settings.

Read More: Will 2020 Be The Transition Phase of Internet Of Things?

Contact tracing to curb virus spread:

Now, people are getting back to offices and the concern to stay safe is obvious. It has become mandatory to get coronavirus-specific data collection and risk management. Taking necessary precautions at workplace and industry, managing shifts and changeovers and contact tracing if someone gets infected are the unavoidable things to be followed. These all necessary measures can be easily followed with the help of Iot applications. Wearables can be used to resolve all the concerns as it alerts the employee for maintaining social distancing, and if they come close, it gathers the data to help in determining the possible exposure to the coronavirus.

Thermal Cameras:

This one is the amazing one; the coronavirus spread has led to the development of another IoT based innovative solution, i.e. thermal camera.

The cloud-connected thermal cameras can identify persons with raised body temperature. This will certainly help an employer in identifying the probably infected people. Though it cannot stop the spread of COVID-19, these systems ensure that the company is concerned about the health of employees and customers as well. If someone is identified with high body temperature, then they’ll have to get tested or follow the quarantine.

Conclusion

The need, the urge for changes and the present setbacks all three things conclude that we need to adopt IoT as soon as possible. It will not just warn us from future pandemic but also back in saving electricity and many other resources.

The adoption of IoT and its successful implementation can provide better operational data and insights. It will even enhance operations, intermediate steps and provide the relevant data to develop optimal IoT solution for meeting business needs. But successful IoT implementation isn’t easy; you need to depend on trusted technology partner having hand-on expertise in IoT. You can explain your ideas to the IoT development and software development companies and get the most fitting solutions.

How will IoT Transform Transportation in the Coming Years?

How far have you imagined the development of technologies? Have you ever thought of automatic driving car in your childhood?

Few sci-fi movies might have created some imaginations, but who had thought IoT and AI would make it possible.

The holistic development of technology has changed the outlook of every sector. Healthcare, houses, towns are among things which are becoming smart along with the human race. The transportation sector is also benefiting from these changes to brush itself as more modernized and smart.

The transportation sector is evolving every day and thanks to IoT service providing companies which are inducing smartness to this industry.

The transportation sector has been offering safer, faster, cleaner and comfortable drives, and now IoT has taken the responsibility to make it smart.

As per the survey, global smart technology would touch $262 billion by 2025, and this would not be just financial success for manufacturers but would add a realistic approach to the expectations of users.

Don’t believe it? Read the blog to know how IoT would transform the transportation sector in years.

Assisted Driving:

The most prominent feature which IoT promises in transportation is safety. Smart transportation would have cars that would communicate with one another to improve supported driving features and ensure more safety.

Through IoT integrated communication, a driver would get the real-time data of other things present on the road to avoid any collision. The driver could use the data and take necessary steps like brake or turn and enjoy the smooth driving.

Though assisted driving features are no new as many vehicles have it but the inclusion of IoT into it would make it more useful and reliable. This integration also gives a base to driveless cars. Connecting IoT would allow vehicles to communicate with other vehicles and would help in better navigation. To be honest, safe and reliable self-driving cars would not have been possible without IoT.

You can too add IoT in your manufacturing business by contacting reliable and experienced IoT development company.

Read More: Will 2020 Be The Transition Phase of Internet Of Things?

Effective Navigation:

Improved navigation is helpful for humans, and IoT is the one which provides the most efficient navigation. Today, most of the people are dependent on GPS navigation which sometimes is slow to adapt the traffic changes, leading to frustration.

IoT navigation is a saviour in this situation. It is more helpful for the driver as it provides real-time information about traffic, blockages etc. Dynamic navigation can help in avoiding any type of hazard by providing real-time feedback to the driver.

Fluid navigation is best suited to services like environmental waste transport as accidents can cause spillage. To avoid accidents, drivers need proper real-time information on high traffic areas or spot accident-prone areas.

Maintenance clock:

Oil change sometimes comes up with a hefty repair bill. Any idea behind this unexpected bill?

Late servicing and inability to know when to go for vehicle maintenance is the primary reason behind this. There are many drivers who have no idea about when to get a vehicle checkup service. In this situation, IoT act as your assistant. It provides predictive maintenance of a vehicle and alerts drivers by highlighting urgent repair needs.

IoT devices installed in cars or vehicles analyze the performance of different parts and determines when servicing is required. It notifies the driver when something is about to damage.

The real-time information provided by IoT allows the driver to take the necessary steps and go for repair before any significant breakage occur. Not just this, it even provides a chance to manufacturers for more improvement. They can analyze the data from IoT devices and detect the common issues in their vehicles. Thus, they can use the information and make more reliable and safe cars.

Better Ridesharing:

Ridesharing is a new and useful trend which has been adopted and has brought disruptive changes in the transportation sector. IoT has made this trend more reliable and comfortable for the company as well as passengers.

Functional ridesharing depends on IoT, and it won’t work correctly unless a passenger could not see the location on the related app. Ridesharing even includes items like bicycles and scooters, so companies need to have their built-in device as well.

Read More: How can IoT be Used to Fight Against COVID-19?

A well established IoT network grants better vehicle surveillance by passengers and providers. It even helps by providing the fuel level information and determining the performance of a vehicle. With the provided data, companies could check that passengers are getting the car at peak performance levels.

Improved fleet management:

IoT has made everything more organized, particularly for fleet owners. IoT integration in transportation is helpful for a company that operates a fleet as they need to get the location of the vehicles, and how they are running. Through Iot enabled transportation, managers can get the real-time location of their trucks.

Not just tracking part, iot devices provide other services like weather analytics to help drivers for a safe journey, fuel economy tracking for fleet managers to calculate regular expenses like gas and maintenance. These features add more money and fast deliveries and reduced maintenance cost.

Introducing IoT in Transportation:

Well, IoT has already added a lot more than expectations. If you see the surrounding then would found that IoT has already become part of our daily life. IoT service providers are exploring the best versions to make the surrounding more smart and accurate.

Statista states that the connected car market expanded by 45% between 2018-2019 and would observe a hike in the global shipment of 76 million units by 2023.

Hence, it is no wrong to conclude that car companies are familiar with IoT and its wondrous offering, and they are capitalizing it as well. In coming year IoT would submerge the transportation sector fully, exploring safer, smart and reliable vehicles. Connected cars would become part of normal life, and roads would be more safe and convenient for everyone.

If you still not thinking about modernizing your products or adding IoT to your business, then it might emerge as a significant loss in coming future because the coming year would be based on IoT. If you want some help or assistance, then consult a reliable IoT development company.

Know How IoT can Double Your Hospitality Business?

IoT this very much ‘in-use’ word can be simply moulded as a concept to connect all digital devices embedded with software, sensors, network connectivity and necessary electronics. It permits them to collect and exchange data, making them responsive and “smart”. The Internet of Things has now fitted itself in all industries, viz logistics, healthcare, sports, agriculture manufacturing, travel and tourism etc. But its intervention in the hospitality industry has many things to talk about. The boom in technology has developed the requirement of IoT services in almost all services. You can also make your business smart by getting IoT Development Services.

In hospitality, it can be defined as a network of digital devices and machines interrelated through the internet for better guest experience in minimal costing.

Here, am listing a few examples of hospitality where IoT has been engraving its worth.

  • Marriott have a live Internet of Things room. They are providing a facility of the most realistic virtual life. The room is capable of doing various automated activities.
  • Le-Meridian Goa, Calangute has also used IoT to reduce energy consumption and offer an exceptional guest experience.

Why adopt IoT in Hospitality?

Customisation is something which attracts people and providing the same facility would undoubtedly place your hotel and services on the top.

Customisation makes people feel important and being in hospitality, its the most crucial point to be focused.

We can predict that hospitality can carve the optimal benefit from IoT to enhance customer experiences.

Highly valued IoT solutions for hotels:

  • Helpful for HR, front desk management and housekeeping.
  • Positive reviews of the visitors and one to one customer engagement ultimately lead to more revenue generation.
  • Less unpredicted ad-hoc maintenance calls. Scheduled maintenance helps in proper management and contribute to saving cost and money.
  • Guest data management becomes easy. The proper analysis of habits, likes, dislikes, preferences and spending patterns allows providing a better-enhanced experience.

So in the end, both the sides i.e. guest and hospitality take the leverage of IoT services which can be only developed by proficient iot application development company.

How IoT entertains guests?

Guest experience is a measuring factor in the hotel industry, and this fact cannot be ignored. The whole hospitality industry runs on the reviews of the guests.

So the inclusion of IoT can provide exclusive services to increase the comfort level of the guests.

  • Check-in and Check out queues would be no more headache.
  • In-house navigation would help in finding the way to restaurants and other amenities.
  • Customised offers/food would pamper the guest.
  • Fixing room temperature, music, lighting as per the choice of the guest to provide exceptional comfort.
  • Ideal water temperature and remembering the food choices of the guest.

Thes are just some apparent advantages of including IoT in the business.

Read More: Is IIoT is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

How IoT helps the hotel industry?

For hotel industry, including IoT is like “having the best of all possible worlds.” Let’s check the possible positive ways through which IoT can help:

1) Automatic Room Services:

The automatic room services ultimately fulfil the motive of guests visiting your hotel. They expect comfort and personalised stay, which is only possible through IoT.

For instances, you can adopt a centralised network of automated systems to deliver customised solutions.

Guests can fill out all there preferences like food, temperature, lighting etc. and then everything will be served as per their choices.

A virtual assistant can give a wake-up call to the guest, or smart sensor can make coffee once the guest gets up.

Sensors can detect the absence of the guests and switch off all the services automatically.

In fact, sensors can start shower at a particular time with a set temperature on voice command or through the app.

2) Hotel Maintenance in a smart way:

The hospitality industry has to spend many bucks on maintenance. If it could be detected and sorted out by sensors gradually then it would contribute in reduction of loses.

The IoT sensors can do this and make the maintenance culture smart and secure. It can detect the damaged appliances and fix it automatically, or it can notify you about the same.

Sensors can be installed to detect issues like leaking taps or fused lights to reduce human resources and water wastages.

3) In-room Features:

Through IoT, you can offer keyless doors, set temperatures ( as per the guest’s preference), music, lighting etc.

Amazon’s smart products like Alexa, a voice-based interaction assistant, can be used to control and adjust the in-room features.

4) Smart solutions for building and logistics:

IoT can provide a whole new look to the building and logistics by making it smart and efficient.

Stock management, facility management and inventory can be regularly monitored and better managed in IoT enabled ambience.

This confers better guest experience and maintains the whole management smoothly.

Read More: Cloud-MANET and IoT Collaboration- A New Era of Technology?

5) Energy management:

Proper energy management can reduce all the useless expenditure caused by the hotel industry. This is possible through IOT and it could aid in reducing energy cost to 20 per cent.

When we talk about IoT and energy-saving, then don’t limit it till heating, air conditioning or ventilating. There are devices like a smart thermostat, occupancy sensors, and machine learning algorithms which analyse the energy usage pattern, weather and peak season demand to manage the energy requirement demand.

6) Cross property integration:

How about centrally calibrating the data of guest for all the hotel chains? Well, IoT would enable you for the same for future purposes and uses. It would learn the choices and preferences of the guest and would set it if guest visits the hotel situated at any place. The visitors would experience the customisation at different chains of same hotel (ultimately making them loyal).

On the other hand, this would bring transparency across properties as data would be uploaded in the CRM.

I won’t say that the above-mentioned roles are definite because IoT can be potentially utilised only if your aim to explore it. IoT is all about its explorations and integrations.

Some IoT devices for the hospitality industry:

  • Amazon Alexa: Alexa is a virtual assistant who is ready to serve the guests anytime. It empowers them by providing voice-control to different smart devices. The guest experiences the most customised and personal stay in the hotel.
  • Mount Kelvin: Mount Kelvin, a device developed to provide extraordinary experiences to guests for their in-room preferences and comforts through controls. From light to curtain, heating to air condition- it provides all the control to the guest making them king of the room.
  • Flic: Flic is another way to enhance the guest experience. It has a wireless Bluetooth button with customizable options that notify the guests for coffee, towels, linen (basic services they demand) just with a press of button.
  • Nest Thermostats: It is a smart thermostat which helps in saving money and energy while providing full temperature comfort. It is connected to the hotel’s booking system. It saves the cost by knowing the occupancy of the room. When guest enter it adjusts the temperature as per the guest’s preference.

These IoT solutions will certainly submerge the hospitality industry by making itself “requirement”.

IoT is a one-time investment and has been predicted as a long-time benefit provider for all the industries.

If you too want to embrace the IoT benefits then must contact reliable iot development company.

IoT development services providers can turn your thoughts into an actual reality. In the coming seasons, IoT would be no more a ‘surprise’ as it would be integrated with most of the devices.

Perhaps you need to come in the loop of IoT trends and make your administration and working better in all the possible ways.