The City of Houston and Microsoft has partnered to create the nation’s first “Internet of Things” alliance.  This partnership will be aimed at digital literacy. Microsoft says they will focus on 5 communities where they will be giving people the skills they need to develop careers in an increasingly digital world. The focus is on science, technology, engineering and mathematics education programs.

The “internet of things” has far reaching potential and benefits.  One common example is when smartphones receive software upgrades to fix bugs. Another impressive one comes from electric car company Tesla, which resolves problems in cars without recalling them to the dealership. For example, upon discovering that a charger plug was a potential fire hazard, it was able to fix the issue in 29,222 vehicles via a software update.

Another overriding benefits of the “internet of things” for marketers is the vast amount of data that can be harnessed from devices. Not only can this data help to inform wider product development, but it can also be used to create meaningful and personalised interactions with consumers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Alongside this, it also means that customer service will be able to evolve. If a non-connected device malfunctions, it would currently be up to the consumer to take action. Whether that means searching for a solution online, enquiring of customer service, or returning it to the manufacturer. 

Ngozi

Gilliland, N., & Econsultancy. (2018, May 02). How the internet of things can improve customer experience. Retrieved from https://www.econsultancy.com/blog/69988-how-the-internet-of-things-can-improve-customer-experience