| | April 201519CIOReviewIT complexity evidence and cost evidence, together with my business partners, has helped prioritize Supply Chain strategy as a top priority.In addition, IT is now moving to be more proactive into doing R&D on technology, and raising those opportunities to the Cummins Strategy Team on where IT can add value to the Cummins physical product offering. To date, we have been co-linked with the business on the Telematics strategy, and are beginning R&D work on how the Internet of Everything will affect our manufacturing processes.Having worked at FedEx for 15 years, IT is critical to business strategy. Historically, IT was a back office function for manufacturing companies. This is all changing, given the rapid impacts of technology. There is a huge convergence of Engineering and IT, enabling highly competitive solutions.Converging IT with the BusinessYou must speak business language first, technology language second. This can be difficult for technical CIOs, but to be a participant or enabler of business strategy, you must be able to explain your thoughts and ideas to business leaders in a way they understand.· Talk with facts. Facts are a tremendous way for driving change. · Build relationships. You must build relationships across the business, at all levels. · Build an IT scorecard. If you have one, you can manage your organization to it.· Leverage your vendors. They can help you with your visioning and strategy, and be a strong partner.Optimizing Operations through IoTThe Internet of Things allows automakers and manufacturers to incorporate major technology trends such as telematics, Machine-to Machine, and cloud computing to track and manage opportunities to optimize operations, productivity, service excellence and customer satisfaction. A great example of how important the Internet of Things is to Cummins can be illustrated with the introduction of our new Connected Diagnostics system. Cummins Connected Diagnostics provides customers with expert recommendations for the best action to take when a driver is alerted to an engine system fault. Connected Diagnostics is one of many examples of how Internet of Things is critical to the success of not only Cummins, but to all other manufacturing and automotive industries. Customer Satisfaction is EverythingIrrespective of the industry you are in, it is essential to build and effectively manage customer relationships in order to provide customers with the solutions they need to be successful. It is through consistent execution of customer focused actions that allows organizations to positively impact customers around the globe. At Cummins, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has been implemented to gauge customer satisfaction through a series of questions regarding the products we sell. Through this effort, we can track customer input and determine opportunities for improvement in our sales and marketing space. We are in the process, completinga global rollout of these tools, enabling an enterprise database of information. Innovation is Key There are a number of innovative technologies and processes that are critical to the success of manufacturing and automotive companies including: 1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning2. Knowledge Management3. Complex Event Processing4. Prescriptive Analytics5. Telematics, Internet of Things and Connected Products6. SMAC 7. Digital Manufacturing; Customer Centricity8. Advanced Engineering and Embedded Electronics9. 3D printingDigital Experience a Must for Automotive IndustryLooking ahead, I strongly believe manufacturing and automotive industries are in need of an enhanced digital experience program. At Cummins, this digital experience is known as the Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Program. UCC is designed to deliver an integrated platform for the business by introducing cohesive voice, video, and content capabilities. The UCC initiative empowers employees with the necessary tools to work more effectively and efficiently around the globe.It is important to note, however, that the digital experience must evolve and change as new and innovative technologies are rolled out. The introduction of new technology creates a new set of expectations from customers. This puts huge pressure on some of the largest corporations to keep up with the competition while trying to be innovative in the way they design and deliver their product line.
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