It is no secret that data and analytics are driving many customer engagement initiatives today. These mechanisms and capabilities are allowing brands and marketers to delve deep into the insights needed to gain a better understanding of customers. This, in turn, lets brands leverage these understandings to provide the meaningful and relevant customer experiences that resonate on a much more personal level.
This is an area where IBM is continuing to excel. The iconic technology company recently announced a new collaboration with ARM, which plans to bring an even higher level of data driven analytical relevance to both brands and consumers everywhere.
IBM and ARM, an advanced wireless and networking digital services provider, have teamed to accelerate the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), an IBM platform that will provide an unparalleled amount of cloud-based connectivity throughout a wide range of devices.
This will allow brands across industries to collect massive quantities of data from the electronics and appliances that many consumers use on a daily basis. This includes industrial appliances, weather sensors, wearable monitoring devices, and so much more.
What’s more, IBM’s IoT will come equipped with the analytical tools to allow for real-time breakdowns and evaluations of these torrential data streams.
In effect, this means that brands will soon be able to quickly analyze and act upon customer data gained from things like washing machines, refrigerators, televisions, audio equipment, and more.
This technology could help brands drastically improve the customer experience. For example, if a dishwasher happens to break down, an alert could be immediately sent out to schedule an appointment with a repair specialist.
Until now, this kind of real-time and instantaneous customer engagement was unattainable. And its arrival is certainly generating excitement.
“Deploying IoT technology has to be easy, secure and scalable for it to feel like a natural extension of a company's business,” said Krisztian Flautner, General Manager, IoT Business, ARM. “By collaborating with IBM, we will deliver the first unified chip-to-cloud, enterprise-class IoT platform. This will empower companies of any size with a productivity tool that can readily transform how they operate, and the services they can offer.”
The new ARM partnership will also provide a host of other essential functions.
In addition to things like predictive maintenance, the proprietary ARM mbed-enabled hardware will also allow IoT to conduct asset performance routines, run risk management functions, and operationalize advanced security features.
And some brands are already excited about the initial results.
“By using IBM IoT services, we are able to real-time manage and control Smart TV content in over 30 countries,” said Marc Harmsen, Philips Television Global Marketing Lead and Product Manager. “This provides us the opportunity to continuously balance costs with increased customer experience.”