As an IoT solution vendor, we find ourselves telling our story all the time. With so much buzz around IoT, it’s no surprise that a lot of companies want to increase their knowledge of the potential benefits the technology can deliver. But, every once in a while, I have a few conversations in a row where our story simply falls on deaf ears. And when something you are excited about doesn’t resonate with your target audience, it can get a little discouraging.

Logically, I know that every company will not embrace IoT the second they learn about it. Some have a laundry list of other priorities, while at others senior leadership is just too busy fighting short-term fires to lay out a vision for the future. Nonetheless, when I run into to people who aren’t interested, it sometimes leaves me second guessing the value of IoT.

But often, somehow on cue, my next conversation will yield the exact opposite response, and I feel reenergized all over again. I had one such interaction recently: following a few lackluster discussions with prospective customers, I had the privilege of doing a Q&A session with the editor of Offshore Engineer. It was a great conversation. She not only understood how IoT can help increase the operational efficiency of oil and gas companies in general, but also immediately applied these concepts to specific problems identified by her readership.

Our conversation focused on condition based maintenance (CBM); which is highly relevant for any industry with capital intensive equipment. But it really hits home for oil and gas companies with sites in remote areas, as the logistics involved in getting technicians and spare parts to the equipment are not easy or cheap. CBM can help limit that cost and effort so that companies are only expending resources on maintenance when it’s absolutely necessary.

The overall experience left me energized once again – confident that IoT can materially improve the business operations of companies ready to embrace it, and even some that don’t know they are ready.