Consumer wearables are commonplace, helping people sleep better, move more, track health, stay connected, and much more. But the applications for wearables don’t stop at the B2C market. With advanced technology—including AI, IoT, AR—more accessible to businesses of all sizes, creative thinkers are finding innovative ways to solve practical problems. As a result, the market for B2B wearables—such as smartwatches, smart glasses, wearable scanners, and more—is entering a new chapter.
A study performed by Salesforce reveals that business professionals who are currently using or planning to use wearable tech are optimistic about the future of wearables in the workplace. With 76% already seeing improved business performance due to wearables at work, they see this specific application as strategic to success and are increasing investments accordingly.[1]
Businesses using wearables experience improvements in:
Safety
Productivity
Communication
Customer experience
Employee onboarding and training programs
These benefits can lead to other valuable outcomes, such as increased employee satisfaction and staff retention.
Existing Business Use Cases In Wearable Tech
Wearables in the business setting are not just cool or trendy—they solve real-world challenges. The industries with the longest success record of wearable tech utilization are manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and field services.
This video from Google shows how their wearable device can be used in many different settings, enabling people to work smarter, faster, and better.
Since 2014, DHL warehouse staff have been wearing Google Glass Enterprise Edition to work faster and safer. The wearables use augmented reality (AR) technology to enhance logistics quality and productivity. The company has reported a 15% increase in productivity, and training time has decreased by 50%.[2]
In healthcare, Sutter Health uses wearables to reduce time spend on documenting, charting, and referencing—saving approximately 2 hours per day.[3] Physicians are better able to focus on patient care, increasing satisfaction.
Smartwatches aren’t just for monitoring activity and heart rate—they are also improving employee safety. Samsung produces a line of smartwatches that helps workers achieve safe social distancing. This solution is getting employees back to work safely and providing peace of mind.
Innovation Areas for Wearables for Business
What applications can you think of for wearable technology in the workplace? This is where your customer relationships and understanding of your client’s industry are your greatest assets. Through strategic conversations and thoughtful questions, you can uncover areas, jobs, or tasks that can be revolutionized through the use of wearables and custom apps.
Your Opportunity As A Value-Added Reseller
While wearables can capture data and provide instant, pertinent data to the wearer, another significant component is the software powering the device and the data processing that makes the data actionable. Working with Stellr and the technology vendors we support (like Google, Microsoft, Samsung, and more), you can build a proprietary app that drives new, recurring revenue for your business.
Contact us at stellr@synnex.com for help transforming your customers’ businesses.
