How can the internet of things benefit SME’s?

With technology at the forefront of modern business, how we merge communication in the digital and physical worlds is becoming more important than ever. The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a system of physical devices connected to the internet, collecting and sharing data. It can allow people and businesses to be more connected to the world around them and to action more meaningful and intelligent tasks.

A competitive advantage for growing SMEs

IoT will continue to influence how management systems function and how we do business. The possibilities for connectivity are endless, allowing any object to be transformed into an IoT device. An app which allows you to control your heating or a motion sensor that triggers CCTV are simple examples of where IoT assists us in controlling and automating everyday tasks. The same technologies and logic can be put into business to provide real time information and drive efficiencies in the way we work.

IoT for SME’s offers a real competitive advantage helping businesses to utilise cutting edge technology and continually improve their processes by minimising time consuming tasks through automation.

Affordable technology

Thanks to cheaper processors and the ever-increasing availability of wireless networks, IoT technology is readily available to the SME market and already driving forward-thinking businesses. A simple IoT device can be built for pennies and be online in seconds. Making SME systems more intelligent is a now a reality. To process the communication from IoT devices, a business requires a platform capable of integrating data across management systems. In an intelligent business there should also be only ‘one version of the truth’ meaning data is collected and collated into a single source.

The SAP Business One Integration Framework, or B1IF, is a tool purposely built for exchanging data across the digital landscape. It can be used to consolidate communication, trigger workflows or automated tasks within SAP Business One’s digital core. This powerful and scalable platform is key to allowing digital transformation that improves processes and decision making.