Emerging ICT benefits for smart, safe, and sustainable industrial systems
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) encompasses the various technologies that are used to deploy wireless networks, telecommunication and transmission systems, intelligent building automation, robotics, and network-based control and monitoring systems.
The evolution of industry 4.0 has created an economy that is progressively interconnected, and information-based. The contribution of ICT to the growth of businesses is significantly important for sustainable development and to remain competitive in the market.
The implementation of ICT enables users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate data in several forms. The value of using this technology can help businesses worldwide to leverage workplace productivity, boost efficiency, reduce operational costs and improve the management of information.
This article highlights some of
the benefits of applying ICT in your operations.
Top 5 ways in which ICT can benefit your business:
1.
Leverage workplace productivity
By automating repetitive and monotonous processes, and providing employees with the correct tools, your business can improve its overall productivity. For example, in production, automation can help reduce set-up times and improve accuracy. Access to data allows for better planning, enhancing the use of resources, and reducing lead times.
2.
Boost efficiency
Different technological solutions such as using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Project Management systems can significantly improve communication across the business, increase connectivity of employees, especially those working remotely, and help you analyse progress towards goal completion.
3.
Reduce operational costs
When initially implemented, ICT may seem expensive but in the long run, it computes to be cost-effective by streamlining a company's operational and managerial processes. Cloud technologies can be used to migrate high-cost functions into an online environment. Offering remote working alternatives can reduce day-to-day office expenses and the pressures of obtaining larger offices.
4. Improve
information management
Information management is crucial for the storage, preservation, and maintenance of data. In addition, it enables the ability to analyse and share this data, back up files, and protect information from unauthorised people. Communication networks can help employees from different locations to seamlessly work together.
5.
Better decision-making
Analytical data helps employees to make decisions so that they can efficiently manage operations and respond rapidly to business opportunities or threats. Directors and managers can make effective business decisions that contribute to the growth and profitability of the business.
Investing in a modern ICT infrastructure can help you to streamline your services and operations, giving greater value to clients and customers at less cost to your business. While being essential, planning and implementing an ICT infrastructure can be a large logistical job. This is where Industrial Data Xchange (IDX) can create a tailored ICT solution for your business.
IDX specialises in industrial applications, everything from process control systems, sensor technology, and systems engineering to custom development, data acquisition, logging, monitoring, and alerting. After your infrastructure has been implemented, our ICT team can provide support, in the form of call outs and audits to improve your system, and we can facilitate training so that your employees are adequately equipped with the knowledge and skills to optimise your networks.
