Maximize Client Experience with IoT: 4 Essential Strategies

By 2020, around 10 billion IoT devices were connected worldwide—a figure expected to grow to 22 billion by 2025. We already rely on these devices daily, from smart thermostats and lighting to security cameras and even smart fridges, according to Manish Choudhary, senior vice president of Global SMB Products & Strategy and chairman India at Pitney Bowes Inc.

We use these devices without pausing to consider the technology that powers them. As Bill Gates once observed, the true measure of progress is when technology becomes so seamlessly integrated that it goes unnoticed.

In the enterprise, IoT is projected to add $14.2 trillion to the global economy by 2020, accelerating speed, boosting productivity, and enhancing safety. McKinsey’s 'Taking the Pulse of Enterprise IoT' study identified operational optimization and increased visibility as the primary motivators for adoption.

Beyond efficiency, IoT offers an unprecedented opportunity to transform the customer experience. Across retail, healthcare, utilities, and financial services, brands are discovering new ways to engage consumers. For enterprises, this technology can elevate vendor–client interactions, creating a sustainable, growth‑driven relationship.

In sales, differentiation often hinges on service quality. IoT unlocks the ability to deliver a connected, personalized experience that sets organizations apart. However, success depends on cultivating a customer‑centric culture that embraces data and fuels innovation.

1. Secure, yet Accessible Data

IoT sensors generate vast volumes of information across diverse equipment—from manufacturing lines to vehicles, aircraft, and shipping systems. Storing this data in a centralized, secure data lake, rather than siloed repositories, enables teams to access and analyze it efficiently.

At Pitney Bowes, we operate 300,000 IoT devices that produce 2 billion events annually—over 5 million each day. By centralizing this data, cross‑functional teams can uncover insights that shape product roadmaps and drive customer‑centric decisions.

2. Leverage Data to Deepen Client Insight and Reimagine Engagement

Analytics on IoT data reveal behavior patterns, trends, and predictive signals. When integrated with data from surveys, account managers, and social media, brands can craft richer customer profiles and deliver contextual, personalized messages at the right moments in the journey.

For example, predictive maintenance can schedule software updates during low‑usage periods, minimizing disruption for clients.

3. Deliver Tangible, Client‑Focused Service Improvements

IoT can provide service enhancements that are markedly distinct from legacy systems, including:

• New capabilities that streamline operations and fuel growth
• Real‑time downtime detection and proactive maintenance alerts
• Automated updates that eliminate manual intervention
• Highly personalized interactions that boost engagement

These improvements must be clearly observable by clients to reinforce the value proposition.

4. Accelerate Product Innovation through Insight

Beyond customer feedback, IoT usage data exposes underutilized features, error patterns, and peak performance windows. In a design‑thinking environment, this intelligence informs product development and drives continuous innovation.

During the beta testing of SendPro, our SaaS shipping solution, user feedback combined with real‑time usage data guided the final product design—ensuring it met the specific pain points of our clients.

When IoT delivers measurable, positive outcomes for customers, it becomes a catalyst for transformative change.

The author is Manish Choudhary, SVP, Global SMB Products & Strategy and chairman India at Pitney Bowes Inc.