IN 1999, technology expert Kevin Ashton coined the phrase “the Internet of Things,” or IoT, to describe the network of objects and devices connected to the Internet. Twenty years later, the IoT network has expanded exponentially. From the GPS (global positioning system) in our watches to the thermostats in our homes, nearly everything we interact with in our daily lives is connected to the Internet, providing instant access to new opportunities and adding to the ease of our daily lives.
It can be easy to forget how far we’ve come in comparison to where we were only a few years ago.
“Think about the printer in your office,” says JP Guilbault, president and CEO of Community Brands Inc. “Not too long ago, someone would try to print something and realize that the toner was out. They would tell the facilities manager, and then the facilities manager would replace the cartridge and order a new one via key strokes and a Web browser. Today, your connected printer calculates when it will run out of toner and orders a replacement cartridge for you in advance.”
Guilbault, a thought leader on the future of work and technology, breaks down the following implications of a fully connected world and the advantages that IoT offer associations to innovate and thrive:
The power of connection. If you are an association focused on a manufacturing or agricultural segment, new technologies are leading to the era of machines and humans interacting; and the data produced is not just insightful, it’s a revenue stream and a new career. This power of connection is also changing the way associations connect. Not only are machines becoming connected, but we as human beings are becoming more intra-dependent and connected through technology each and every day. Associations are partnering with industry, with schools, and local governments to break down geographical and stereotypical barriers.
Connectivity yields results. “The American Academy of Pediatrics has a worldwide mission to improve the health and lives of children,” Guilbault explained. “Doctors and researchers now have the ability to quickly and effectively transfer medical knowledge and education to those doing work in Third World countries. They can teach and observe as though they’re right there on the ground and as a result of this connection, infant mortality rates have declined.”
Speed and personalization are true differentiators. “For associations, speed is a differentiator for members. Information is everywhere; it is ubiquitous. But only those that can get information to their members and adapt the experience the fastest, and in the simplest way possible will gain a competitive edge.”
The future of connectivity. “CRMs [customer relationship management] and AMS [association management system] platforms are going to be infused with artificial intelligence, which will have a direct impact on not just the speed but the focus of the information associations deliver to their members,” Guilbault said. “That data from social networks, news feeds and legislation will come together to allow associations to personalize every message to every member about every kind of offering—and it will all be done by machines while association workers continue to create new programs and benefits. That is what the future will bring, and it is amazing.”
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The column contributor, Octavio “Bobby” Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (Adfiap), and the CEO and founder of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives. The PCAAE is holding the Associations Summit 7 on November 27 and 28, 2019, at the Philippine International Convention Center, which is expected to draw over 200 association professionals here and abroad. The two-day event is supported by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the PICC. E-mail inquiries@adfiap.org for more details on AS7.