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Grow Your Business by Adopting Personalized Technology
March 30, 2018
Have you ever wanted your devices to adapt to your individual workflows, conditions, and the time of day? You may soon get your wish, and your business will likely benefit. [1]
When it comes to technology, we rarely have the ability or budget to pursue solutions tailored to our particular needs or tasks. Like a bespoke suit, personalized technology might be the better fit, but it's also been the exclusive domain of governments and global enterprises—the only entities who can afford a custom-designed $100 million super computer cluster, or one-of-a-kind operating system.[2] That’s quickly changing.
Clothing startups are making custom-tailored garments almost as cheap as off-the-rack solutions. And advances in computer hardware and software are making customized tech solutions available to small- and medium-size businesses for the first time as well. That means unprecedented efficiency and specialization at a fraction of previous costs.
A new kind of tailor
Pre-made suits and bespoke custom options often rely on just a few measurements for the initial pattern, and then require multiple in-person sessions to hone in on a truly great fit. In contrast, new tech-fueled clothing startups take more measurements up front to get the fit right the first time. Some systems use 3D scanning make up to 200,000 individual measurements in less than a minute for a truly custom garment pattern. [3]
In the same way, technology’s ability to measure our use and sense the environment makes inexpensive personalization possible in the office. For example, the Nest learning thermostat learns your schedule and adapts its settings to changing circumstances like the time of year. It can even pair with a camera to automatically detect when you’re on vacation and turn down the heat, helping you save on utility bills without any extra effort on your part. [4]
The right fit
A bespoke suit is almost always the superior product. It fits better, allows better freedom of movement, and doesn't wear as quickly from being mismatched. Personalized technology can offer your business many of the same benefits.
Better fit: The right device and configuration for the right task means more efficient processes. For example, smartwatches and the increased use of tablets in healthcare are allowing more accurate, near continuous monitoring of patients. This automated monitoring helps improve quality of care and free up time for more personal attention. [5] In marketing, personalized emails—made possible by marketing automation systems—generate six times higher transaction rates. [6]
Freedom of movement: The right machine for the task, as well as custom hardware and software configurations, can now arrive almost as quickly as off-the-shelf solutions. And to match the increase in hardware choice, Windows 10 Continuum can automatically adjust your experience to your activity, device, and display so you can seamlessly work across different devices and modes.[7] With servers, automated provisioning can reduce time spent on server provisioning by 90%.[8]
Maximize your performance: Save money by making optimum use of your existing IT investments. Optimization software like HP Performance Advisor gets the most use out of your workstation computer and is a free download for any HP Z Workstation. It tracks hardware configuration, software, and performance to optimize settings and drivers. These configuration changes help maximize performance from your existing hardware investments, even as your workload changes.[9]
Your personalized future
We all want to look and work at our best—without busting our budgets. While automated custom clothing and technology is still somewhat rare, there are a number of projects quickly improving the cost and availability of personalized options. New 3D printing technology, for example, may soon allow for the printing of materials such as circuits to print custom robotics[10]—and has already made 3D printed shoes a reality.[11]
By beginning to adopt personalized devices now, you can better compete with even global enterprises by gaining efficiencies and better adapting to current needs. And extending personalization to your customers can provide further benefits. 80% of consumers prefer when retailers’ e-mails recommend products based on their previous purchases.[12] Once you try personalized technology on for size, you may find it awfully hard to go back.
[1] The New York Times, A View Emerges of Business Technology’s Future as the Personalization of the Machine, Oct. 4 2015.
[2] TheRichest, The 10 Most Expensive Super Computers, 2015.
[3] Acustom Apparel, The Technology, 2015.
[4] Nest Labs, Meet the Nest Thermostat, 2015.
[5] HP, Delivering the highest patient experience, 2015.
[6] Experian Marketing Services, Email Market Study, 2013.
[7] Microsoft, Windows 10 Continuum, 2015.
[8] Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Server Automation, 2015.
[9] HP, Meet your own personal workstation guru, 2014.
[10] HP, HP 3D printing with Multi Jet Fusion™ technology, 2015.
[11] Feetz, How It Works, 2015.
[12] Listrak, Shoppers want marketing e-mails tailored to their preferences, 2015.
Windows and Continuum are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
