TECH FEATURES

September 3, 2020 - Ross Rubin

Small staff, big benefits: How SMBs can make the most of IoT developer resources.

Lack of application development expertise or resources is the leading reason small and medium businesses (SMBs) don’t pursue Internet of Things (IoT) efficiencies. However, this needn’t be the case. SMBs can create affordable IoT projects and scale them over time.

For example, the majority of SMBs surveyed for a recently-released white paper, The IoT Opportunity for SMBs, implemented their IoT projects using in-house resources and manageable budgets. In fact, more than half created their solution for less than $50,000.

Executives in equipment-intensive industries like logistics, energy, manufacturing, and more often see a swift return on investment.

Here are four easy ways SMBs can make the most of their existing IoT developer resources.

  1. Start on the side. Many IoT projects begin as grassroots efforts to address longstanding process inefficiencies. Because of this, attacking IoT need not be an all-or-nothing pursuit. SMBs can use small projects to prove a concept. Developers who are able to leverage the same tools in their IoT efforts as they do in other development work also have a distinct advantage.
  2. Tap into the right development platform. For developers new to custom IoT applications, or using a platform not optimal for IoT integrations, consider a low-code development environment like Claris FileMaker. The Claris Platform allows users to build basic apps quickly, then extend a project’s usefulness with popular and more advanced development languages like JavaScript. Integration products like Claris Connect can dramatically reduce time spent connecting a company’s IoT devices to relevant everyday apps.
  3. Don’t be afraid to outsource or use new products. All parts of an IoT application do not require the same level of development expertise. Many SMBs successfully use in-house staff for their IoT projects. Using low-code, less experienced staff or interns might develop simple features like dashboards to visualize outputs such as temperature, humidity levels, pressure, and more. When a project reaches the limit of the skills or bandwidth of your in-house team, consider outsourcing to certified developers like the Claris Partners you’ll find at claris.com/partners.
  4. Adopt an agile approach. Agile development, defined by a team’s collaborative approach and short production cycles, is useful for IoT projects that often require rapid iteration in response to new business objectives. Agile methodology, coupled with a rapid development environment, allows for more predictable costs, better stakeholder engagement, and more of a focus on business value.

To learn more about how SMBs around the globe are using IoT to save money, increase productivity, and gain a competitive edge, download this white paper: The IoT opportunity for SMBs.