Providing a product with digital data access is one of the common smart product strategies that product companies are able to pursue thanks to digital technology. In this blog you will learn about the key drivers and benefits of adding digital data access to your products, illustrated with several product examples of local companies.
|
Access to raw or pre-processed data collected by the product
The product gives users access to raw or pre-processed data collected by the product through an application programming interface (API) or a data platform. Key technologies here are a secure and dependable connectivity and cloud and APIs for the data exchange with external systems.
Some inspiring examples:
- AVR Connect is the company's digital platform that enables the collection, analysis and sharing of data related to the cultivation of potatoes, turning potato harvesting into an optimised, transparent process. More about this case
- Effitrax's telematics platform EffiCube makes it possible to have one solution for an entire industrial vehicle fleet, delivering a uniform information stream, to help to improve vehicle usage rate and optimise fuel consumption and maintenance. More about this case
- Pattyn's cloud-based solution centralises and stores all machine status information for its customers in food packaging. In this way the packaging machines can be operated and troubleshot more efficiently, which contributes to the quality and productivity of the food processing. More about this case
- Shayp's water management solution makes it possible to monitor consumption, detect leaks and track interventions. A bi-directional API enables external data to be integrated and water meter data to be shared with other platforms. More about this case
Simpler operations, transparency and improved user experience
Users can securely retrieve and analyse the (raw) data from the connected product. Digital access to product data and integration with relevant business processes results in operational simplification. More information about and transparency of product usage also improve productivity and enlarge the access to the product. Remote digital access improves user experience compared to field collection from physical products.
From customer integration to customer bonding
By adding digital data access to their product product builders achieve 'customer integration' and shift from a 'best product' offering more towards a ‘total customer solution’. Through data access, the product or solution gets more tightly integrated into the business processes of the customer. Applications at the customer relying on data access bind the customer to the product. As an enabler of processes around the product, the product builder broadens its position in the value chain. If product builders are granted access to the customer's product data, they can optimise their own business processes related to the product and gain insights into product usage and customer needs.
Interested to learn more about smart product strategies? Deep dive in our online smart product inspirator for more strategies and product examples or contact our expert Pieter Beyl directly.
