Newsbyte: New Independent Research Commissioned by SAP Finds Early Adopters of IoT Still Scratching the Surface of Business Transformation

News provided by

Sep 10, 2015, 12:20 ET

WALLDORF, Germany, Sept. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- SAP NEWSBYTE -- Most companies see the Internet of Things (IoT) as a means for operational efficiency, yet many have not tapped into the potential for IoT solutions to transform their business models, according to a recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by SAP SE (NYSE: SAP). The study, entitled, "The Internet of Things Has the Potential to Connect and Transform Businesses," evaluated the capacity for enterprises empowered with IoT solutions to achieve efficiency in their processes, deliver increased value to customers and create new business models. It found that even early adopters have only scratched the surface of IoT benefits in current use cases.

IoT solutions and applications are gaining momentum. Eighty-three percent of survey respondents rated "improve the experience of our customers" as critical or high priority, and 71 percent of companies noted that improving the use of data and analytics to make better business decisions and outcomes was a critical/high priority in the next 12 months. In addition, more than two-thirds of companies surveyed believe their use of IoT will make these imperatives easier to address.

Yet, as companies create IoT roadmaps, implementing relevant solutions can bring up new and unfamiliar challenges as operational systems get connected to business systems across organizational boundaries. Furthermore, most organizations have not yet defined clear ownership of the IoT life cycle, with survey respondents reporting IoT fragmentation among three or more executive sponsors at 75 percent of the companies surveyed.

Despite these challenges, companies continue to embrace IoT because of its potential to transform business processes and open new revenue streams. The study found that the majority of business leaders see greater operational efficiencies as the strongest benefit of IoT, while fewer are only just beginning to imagine new business models. When prompted, the majority of executives surveyed can envision new service offerings, but only 31 percent can envision new products enabled by IoT.

"The Internet of Things allows companies to transform into digital enterprises, create previously unimaginable operational efficiencies and digital experiences for customers," said Steve Lucas, president, Platform Solutions at SAP. "SAP is committed to helping companies realize those benefits and collaborating with them to identify how IoT can enable their business in the long term. SAP is a leader in the market in IoT-enabled solutions across industries, and we are well-prepared to help customers achieve tangible benefits such as real-time business insights and beautiful visualizations."

The full study can be accessed here. For more information, visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews.

Methodology

In May 2015, Forrester, commissioned by SAP and Intel, conducted an online global survey with 366 organizations in the UK, U.S., France, Germany, China, India, Brazil and Mexico that had implemented or were planning to implement IoT solutions. Survey participants included decision-makers from several departments (IT, operations, engineering, marketing/sales, and finance) with knowledge of and/or responsibility for IoT at their companies. These decision-makers were evenly split between those in an IT role and those in line-of-business roles. Questions provided to the participants asked about the impact that IoT solutions have had on their business operations and business models.

Media Contact:
Samantha Finnegan, +1 (415) 377-0475, [email protected], ET

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110126/AQ34470LOGO

SOURCE SAP SE