At last week’s UK Manufacturer conference at the NEC, GE CIO Mark Elborne said, “if you don’t transform your business by adopting Industry 4.0 then you’ll be intermediated.” Meaning that another company will use these systems to do it better, faster, and cheaper than you can using traditional methods. So, what is Industry 4.0 and how can you apply it to your business to keep ahead of your competition?

According to Wikipedia, Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution, is the “current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things and cloud computing.” 

Industry 4.0 is guided by 4 principles:

• Enabling increased productivity
• Reducing waste through agile processes
• Maintaining a competitive edge
• Creating high-value, long-term manufacturing careers

To realize those principles, businesses are connecting machines, work pieces, and systems to create intelligent networks that can control each other autonomously along the value chain. 

Cyber-Physical Systems
In layman’s terms, cyber-physical systems means using machinery, technology and data to make intelligent decisions. To put this into context, many organizations are already embracing this concept as a complete business model with unprecedented success. Take the supermarket delivery company Ocado as an example. By analyzing data from orders, vehicles, and routes, they have mapped each journey down to the smallest detail, from load weight to the amount of water in their windscreen washer bottles. Every piece of their process has been specifically engineered to be efficient, timely, and low cost. 

Are you being Ubered?
The term “being Ubered” means someone implemented a cyber-physical system first, dominated the marketplace, and you’re now playing catchup. Uber completely changed the way we get cabs, Amazon the way we shop, and AirBnB the way we book hotels. They have competitors, but still hold the primary position in their respective markets.

UK manufacturers simply cannot afford to be Ubered. So how do you prepare to prevent it from happening to you? You have to take control of your data, 80% of which is currently dark and untouched. Your data is the key to understanding your customers on a deeper level, enabling you to anticipate, predict, and solve their needs, wants, and pain points. 

People are no longer buying a product, they’re buying an outcome—an experience. Manufacturers now have to think beyond product design to the entire customer journey and adjust systems and processes accordingly. With tomorrow’s buyers heading online in droves to purchase products, you need to take control of your digital space and understand the customer. The company that does this best wins. 

What can you do now?
In our latest The State of Salesforce report, over half of all companies surveyed described their most essential applications as intelligent, able to anticipate and take or suggest the next action. Not only that, but 75% of companies increasing investment in analytics can cite revenue gains as a measurable business outcome attributable to their use of Salesforce.

Having a great CRM system in place to centralize, manage, and analyze your data could make the difference between success and failure. The most successful companies are focused on translating overwhelming collections of data into intuitive, automated employee experiences that can power incredible customer moments.

We have industry experts with years of experience helping companies integrate their data and connect with customers. Talk to us about Watson IoT, Salesforce Wave Analytics, and how to use your data to join Industry 4.0 and achieve your business outcomes.