The world of remote monitoring is featuring its latest upgrade yet, through the integration of Internet of Things, better known as IoT technology. Across the globe, almost all businesses are looking for credible and cost-effective solutions to help increase their operational efficiency, profitability, and productivity rates. Thanks to the revolutionary advancement of connectivity and real-time data that is found within IoT systems, these goals and objectives can be met in good time, helping to ensure continued, sustained growth.  

So, how does IoT technology help ensure that the average business can meet these objectives in a quick and precise manner? 

The results have been numerous and are continuing to grow in volume. From ensuring the safe storage of medical equipment, providing indicators of mould and damp within homes, and even making construction sites more efficient (yes, you read that right), IoT technology is an effective tool for many businesses to allow for the quick visualisation of their business’ processes in order to draw conclusions about the overall effectiveness of the operations, thanks to its ability to process huge amounts of data and make it easy for those who are making decisions about to direction to consume. 

Virtually every business has now made the transition to integrating many aspects of modern technology such as computers into running their day-to-day functions, many of our current systems and ways of doing things heavily rely on manual processes and a certain degree of assumption in order to finalise tasks and decide about where to take the business next. The IoT method now has a capable solution that can allow for the automation of many day-to-day to tasks, and even offer insights about what this data means for a business, featuring the sort of capabilities, you may have only expected to see in AI (Artificial Intelligence) programmes. 

The Uses of IoT Monitors in Working Facilities 

When it comes to large, complex spaces such as offices or public buildings, IoT systems have proved to be a hugely effective part of a businesses’ monitoring capabilities. As these buildings host huge amounts of people coming and going from various places, making accurate predictions of important information is made simple with an effective IoT system. This could include tracking aspects such as energy usage, occupancy rates or even security functions. Previous ways of doing these things could prove to be difficult without including a human element to collect these pieces data, and summarising the numbers could be prone to errors, such as miscalculations or missing chunks of data. Furthermore, automating these processes were not viable, due to a lack of technological advancement, or the fact that these systems were costly, due to the extensive networks and components that made up the systems. Luckily, IoT systems are cost-effective, and easy to install and maintain, making them the ideal solution to tracking complex organisations. 

This is how IoT has quickly become the newest member of many companies’ team. Its versatile nature allows it to adapt to new environments, making it the swift solution to problems that once seemed extensive and couldn’t necessarily ensure progress in the long-term – like finding inefficiencies in an office’s energy usage patterns. Remote monitoring means consistent, accurate, data-led information over energy usage, area utilisation and indoor conditions, such as humidity levels or temperature. 

Asides from the obvious problems any business will face from high energy costs, the implementation of these remote monitors also provides solutions to further problems found within these spaces. A number of reports now indicates a direct link between inadequate air quality and staff productivity in working environments such as offices; that can result from a number of conditions including a lack of cleanliness, chemicals, excessive CO2 levels, high temperatures and excessive humidity. Finding a valuable solution allows companies to act and improve the overall quality air, which will have significant benefits such as boosted staff morale, increased productivity and a healthier working environment. 

Other sectors have been able to reap the benefits of implementing the power of IoT technology into their operations. Take manufacturing, for example. IoT systems have proved a hugely effective part of a businesses’ capabilities to accurately monitor the huge amounts of energy that they use, whilst also having an independent variable in identifying the status of their equipment’s health, as well as indefinite readings into the conditions of their storage facilities, including fridges, freezers and warehouses. 

As energy prices have faced significant hikes, the highest consumers of our energy sources are the ones who have had to take the swiftest action to minimise the consequences of the knock-on effects that come with a bigger bottom line. Manual collation of their energy consumption is an outdated, time consuming and potentially risk-prone process - due to the huge numbers that are needed to be accurately combined. IoT systems mitigate the amount of risk associated with energy consumption monitoring. 

When it comes to temperature-sensitive products or ensuring the safe storage of large quantities of items, IoT systems also holds the key to ensuring the correct conditions of these products. In the realm of food manufacturing, many food items are legally required to be stored below 8 degrees Celsius, but above freezing (0 degrees). If these temperatures are breached, then these items risk being spoiled, which can have a significant effect on human health if consumed but are also subject to being thrown out and wasted. Not only does this decrease profitability from a loss in exports, but will likely subject a business to increased imports, too. 

The construction industry has been another beneficiary of IoT technology and its potential to improve the efficiency of daily operations. As yet another huge consumer of energy, including non-meter-based sources such as diesel generators that power lighting, security apparatus and cabins that are used for operating office spaces, canteens as well as hosting workers overnight. Unlike vehicles and heavy machinery that do not use power once turned off, these areas are able to begin using electrical energy as quickly as in our own homes. This means that to save on energy, construction businesses require an effective energy management system. IoT technology has already provided the solution required to tackle this problem and has already wielded valuable figures that prove its effectiveness. 

For instance, monitoring fuel levels against consumption provides decision-makers within construction companies into the overall efficiency of their equipment such as diesel generators. These machines do not always make it clear when they’re not working at their best capacity, and maintenance work can be costly, and done at a guess rather than a precise indication. As fuel costs rise in line with traditional energy sources, this causes a significant amount of fiscal strain on a company's ability to squeeze its bottom line without affecting staff morale or productivity. This problem couples with additional pressures, such as the ban on red diesel, and a slump in the economy, which has reduced demand. 

Furthermore, IoT technology has enabled construction businesses with the ability to automate their electrical usage. IoT-based energy management systems allow for a more efficient approach to energy usage in remote areas, such as portable cabins, which can be used as housing, offices, canteens and security areas. Appliances such as radiators, lighting and computers are just some of the things that are easily left on during out-of-hours, which only increases the amount of diesel being consumed in order to fuel these. Automatically switching these areas off after a certain amount of inactivity allows these companies to take comfort in knowing that their energy problems are being consolidated on their behalf, whilst they divert their attention to other areas in need. 

All in all, IoT monitoring is a cost-effective, easy to use system which allows businesses of various different backgrounds to improve their efficiency and reap the benefits of data-led results quickly, so they can adapt to a world of fast change and overarching uncertainty over their bottom lines. By trialling your own IoT system, you can quickly figure out where you may have underlying inefficiencies in your operations and resolve them in a quick manner. Whether it’s reducing energy, improving efficiency or making your workplace a healthy space, an IoT solution is a precise one to make best use of.