Hi there,
When talking to machine builders, I often hear they struggle to convince their (potential) customers to connect their machines to the internet.
One of the reasons for this “disconnect dilemma” are concerns about cybersecurity. There is a way to minimize these concerns, we have set up 3 steps to help you.
Step 1: Understand the hesitation
There are several factors your customers are concerned about:
- Cybersecurity threats: The fear of unauthorized access that could lead to operational disruptions, theft of sensitive data or even sabotage.
- Data privacy: Concerns over confidential data being transmitted and how it's being used or potentially misused.
- Lack of trust: A general mistrust in the security measures and protocols put in place by technology providers.
These fears are not unfounded. ‘The increasing frequency of cyber attacks and the fact that the manufacturing industry is currently the biggest target, underscores the critical need for robust security measures (IBM X-force, 2023)’.
Step 2: Explain the value
To convince customers on why machine connectivity is so important, it’s crucial to highlight the value it brings for them. Think of faster response times thanks to the ability to access the machine remotely for diagnostics, leading to decreased downtime. This not only improves operational efficiency, but also leads to cost savings because less field trips are needed.
Step 3: Build trust
To overcome your customer’s reluctance to connect, it's crucial for you to highlight the importance of security as early as possible in the conversations with your customer. If you don’t, it can cause situations where your customer’s IT department will reject the connectivity solutions during commissioning.
Clearly communicating the security measures in place and/or providing your customer with extensive security documentation like a Security Guide or information for the IT department can help build trust.
Want a deeper dive into (cyber)security? Watch the webinar on how to comply with security requirements here.
Thanks for reading. I hope it inspired you.
- Stefan
PS. Reading tip: Why manufacturer Heiploeg makes connectivity with IXON mandatory for machine builders. Read more.