We all know that investing in digital updating is key to maintaining a competitive business in the current environment. However, what makes the difference is choosing the tools to install along with technological visualization processes that few companies allow themselves to carry out.
Most business leaders are aware of the importance of integrating fast and reliable Internet connectivity to streamline their operations and keep their digital infrastructure up to date, not only about their competitors but with their partners, buyers, and suppliers.
We arrived at the race… a little late
Although the deployment of 5G has been slower than in the United States and Canada, in Mexico, the adoption of the fifth generation continues to advance in all sectors along with cellular broadband, and it is predicted that by 2025, the country will have 16.9 million mobile connections with 5G, according to the Global Mobile Communications System Association.
Mexican companies, especially those participating in North American value chains, may begin to feel pressure to learn how to apply 5G connectivity in their processes to keep up with their international counterparts, or to gain an advantage. against its domestic competitors. The technological race has already begun and it seems that Mexican companies started a moment late.
Faced with this technological rush, decision-makers and business strategists are in an ideal moment to take a moment, breathe, and evaluate what technological investment makes sense in the field of their businesses and how to get the most out of the latest generation. of connectivity.
Technology visualization is a powerful ‘ groupthink ‘ technique
The first step is to examine the organization from a “visionary” perspective, that is, we have to push our imagination to visualize the possibilities of doing things differently, where physical distance and the volume of information are no longer a limiting obstacle. for real-time connectivity. Companies of all sizes can benefit from this exercise.
To help entrepreneurs and managers in this imagination process, at Cradlepoint we developed a technique inspired by meditation practices and invited entrepreneurs to take a relaxed afternoon or morning together with their collaborators for a “technological visualization” exercise. In groups of between 5 and 7 people in a pleasant outdoor place, we propose asking triggering questions in a not-too-formal environment, where people feel invited to share spontaneous and not-too-structured ideas. Some questions we recommend are:
What part of your operational processes do you imagine could be automated in the future? Or, what would our company’s processes look like if we were in an episode of “The Jetsons”?
Can you imagine what the customer and employee experience would be like if you had access to virtual reality applications or HD video streaming in your facilities?
What would futuristic mobile points of sale or displays look like, such as interactive kiosks with immersive experiences?
It is highly likely that, thanks to 5G and IoT technologies, “futuristic” processes can be put into operation today, and we can unlock the possibility of scaling the volume and efficiency of operations in ways that would not have been obvious from the perspective of how we normally do things.
Temporary or ‘surprise’ sites
Installing temporary locations of our business in unexpected places is a fun idea and one that can attract the interest of consumers, partners, and even the media. However, launching a pop-up location in an unexpected location can have complicated logistics, especially when time is limited.
Mobile 5G technologies such as wireless adapters or routers can provide organizations with an overnight solution, allowing them to spend less time troubleshooting network issues and more time getting down to business.
Interconnected vehicle services
There are a variety of services linked to vehicle fleets that depend on effective communication between each other, or between each vehicle and an operations center. From fleets of transport vehicles to patrol cars (public and private), autonomous agriculture vehicles, or ambulances linked in real-time to the emergency room that will receive a patient.
The bandwidth and security of a 5G network gives emergency response vehicles uninterrupted access to life-saving applications, while public vehicles take advantage of those same advantages to offer passengers Wi-Fi and accurate telemetry.
Macro-scale automation thanks to IoT
The incredible capacity of 5G allows you to connect a huge number of devices at once, up to one million per square kilometer. This opens the possibility of implementing automated and intelligent operational processes for many industries. Although some devices require large amounts of bandwidth to perform their designated functions, 5G networks can transform the way work is done in different sectors, especially in logistics-related issues, such as warehouses, ports or distribution centers, and even mines and other jobs in different types of industries, such as security, first aid, retail, among others.
When it comes to innovation, frequently the main limitations are not technological but correspond to the mental blocks that we can all fall prey to as a result of years of inertia following the same processes, routine worries, and stress to achieve short-term results. term, which takes away our imaginative capacity.