OEMs, machine and plant manufacturers are using IoT technology to expand their service portfolios to include digital services that can guarantee machine operators high availability of their machines and therefore help to increase productivity.
The license of digital services between the machine manufacturer and the machine operator can now be prolonged through a webshop that will be connected to the IoT platform via an API interface.
The webshop function is integrated into the manufacturer’s website which can be easily accessed by the manufacturer’s customers. The webshop communicates directly with the IoT platform, making it much easier for the manufacturer to manage IoT licenses. If the useful life of an subscription should expire, the machine operator can renew the license independently in the webshop. The online store automatically transmits the information to the IoT platform, which then releases the IoT services again. This results in major benefits for the OEM, as license renewals or cancellations no longer have to be monitored and managed manually; instead, the system handles these tasks and also sends e-mail reminders to renew the subscription.
How the solution works:
The customer logs in directly to the online store on the OEM website using the same login credentials they already use for the IoT portal or mobile app. In the webshop, the customer can see all his plants, machines and assets at a glance, including their respective useful life, and can renew his subscriptions independently as required. When the customer extends the period of use, the end date of the subscription is updated, the IoT services are activated for the period of use, and the amount paid is automatically transferred to the manufacturer via a payment provider.
The webshop solution thus provides an automated process for the renewal of usage fees and thus leads to recurring revenues from the service area as well as savings in terms of billing expenses.