IoT Devices: What is IoT Button, and How Business Can Benefit from It?

Nowadays, IoT technologies are penetrating many industries and companies that aim to find new ways for automating and extending their business processes. According to Impact, more than 60% of organizations currently use IoT solutions. Impact also states that 83% of businesses that have implemented IoT technologies have increased their efficiency.

At the same time, a certain stereotype exists that only big enterprises with significant budgets can use modern IoT solutions. However, there are also devices available on the market that can help small and medium businesses carry-out different actions in several easy steps. One of such IoT devices is the IoT button that is relatively low-cost and programmable. But it can provide endless possibilities and benefits from the touch-of-a-button functionality.

So what is the IoT button, and how can your business benefit from implementing it? Read in our blog post.

What is the IoT Button?

The IoT button is a programmable, handheld input device that allows automating actions by pushing a button on a specific wireless dongle. It can work through Wi-Fi or other communication protocols such as Zigbee and Z-Wave. The device has three types of modes: single-click, double-click, and long-press. You can configure IoT button clicks logic, which allows sending associated notifications wirelessly and triggering actions depending on the press type. Also, the IoT button can transmit its status due to various LED colors or blinking patterns.

When choosing the appropriate IoT button to implement in your company, there is a wide range of brands to consider. Among the most popular ones, you can find the AWS IoT Button, Flic, Azure IoT Button, goButton.

Thus, we have prepared for you a few cases of implementing the IoT button that can be helpful for your business.

IoT Button Ideas: Use Case Examples in Business

Implementing the IoT button can help your company create new services for clients, offer new features for current ones, and automate operations to increase operational efficiency. This technology can enhance client engagement, expand applications, and provide innovations to customers as it simplifies the user experience. By using the power of IoT, companies can respond to client demand for products or services in real-time and maintain a direct line of communication with clients, all via the IoT button.

For businesses, there can be many use cases that will benefit from implementing the IoT button solution. Here you can find some ideas:

• capture product amounts for managing inventory systems efficiently;
• enhance reordering services and custom products like screws, nuts, or washers;
• allow customers to request a callback from a client service agent;
• provide a call-for-assistance button in cafes or stores to improve retail operations;
• promote healthcare applications for the disabled or elderly patients;
• integrate with smart systems for turning on/off different devices in the office;
• improve check-in/check-out systems for guests.

IoT Button in Logistics and Manufacturing

In the logistics and manufacturing industries, the IoT button is used for ordering replacement parts, retrieving full containers, or reporting technical malfunctions. The device can transmit data and work effectively, even from basements or underground production facilities. So all that your company should worry about is the replacement of regular batteries.

Here are some examples for the IoT button in particular industries and some benefits it can bring:

• Increasing speed of operations. Implementing the IoT button means reducing waiting and storage times to a minimum and creates value for the supply chain. For example, when the item is finished, an employee can press the button to send a notification to the company’s cloud platform. In turn, that automatically alerts its logistics departments.
  
  
• Reducing risks. The device promotes faster loading, clear communication, and better security. The IoT button in the loading zones of a transshipment center allows notifying when a track is full and avoiding misunderstandings about the loading status. Thus, the drivers always know when they should depart, which helps prevent accidents and damages during transshipment.
  
  
• Easy and fast re-ordering. The IoT button is a smart solution for your clients who can easily reorder different bulk goods by pushing a button. That starts the completely automatic delivery process, and there is no more need to log or scan missing items or make laborious orders with your ERP system.

Case Study: How IoT Button Helped to Reduce Organizational Friction

Another example we would like to share is the case of our customer, Nanoramic Laboratories. The company intended to improve some offline processes like setting up a TV in a meeting room, ordering raw materials, or even providing coffee pods in the kitchen. Creating tickets required too much time and effort of the teams that could be allocated to more valuable tasks. Thus, we cooperated with Nanoramic Laboratories to establish the cloud Nanoramic IoT Platform and a relevant IoT button. Now, it saves up to 99% of the time required for creating a support ticket. Read more about the case here.

The Bottomline

There were some examples of how companies could use the IoT button to provide efficient business solutions for clients. Soon, the connection between different devices and one-press functionality will become a usual thing. Therefore, small and medium businesses should consider the IoT button’s low price and simplicity. They allow incorporating the device into various applications with relative ease.

Are you already using the IoT button? What operations or tasks does it help you to deal with? Or how do you benefit from implementing such a device? Share with us in the comments below.

How AgileVision can help

Over the past several years, AgileVision has helped many businesses to implement new IoT solutions or improve the existing ones. Are you considering the increase in efficiency or need some advice on how to start using IoT in your company?