Internet of Behavior (IoB) is a relatively new concept that was made possible largely by the Internet of Things (IoT) – the network of physical devices that make people’s lives easier and collect and share their data to enable proper functioning.
There is a lot of buzz around IoB lately, and Gartner even named the Internet of Behavior as one of the key strategic tech trends back in 2021. We believe it is a powerful tool for many startups to grow and scale faster, which is why today we want to tell you more about IoB to help you start working with it immediately.
What is the Internet of Behavior exactly?
The IoB is a technology and science that focuses on understanding human behavior through analysing data with the goal of influencing one's behavior. By reviewing how people use their devices and what they do online, companies get a unique insight into what their customers want and like, and how they interact both with their devices and the company’s mobile apps and websites.
More importantly, IoB makes it possible to predict and even affect human behavior, encouraging customers to purchase more, try out new products, and pay more attention to what the company is offering in general.
The concept of various data being collected by technology is not exactly new to us. However, IoB looks at customer data from a different angle and focuses on things like:
- How long you’ve been scrolling on a page.
- The sequence of pages opened (i.e., what page triggered interest in a different page).
- How many times have you repeated certain actions online.
- Social network consumption and activities.
- Location of the user and their actions.
There are many benefits to IoB, but the key ones are:
- Better understanding and resolution of customer issues.
- More accurate insight into existing customer data.
- Higher customer satisfaction rates.
- Stronger UX/UI design and, consequently, higher loyalty and sales.
- Better relationships with customers through added value.
This technology is already widespread, and we can find multiple examples of IoB in real life.
IoB in Logistics
Solutions for fleet management that gather driver behavior (sudden braking or turns) and technical data (speed, fuel consumption) are used by companies to improve logistics, safety, and workload balance for drivers. The data can also be shared with insurance companies if an accident or a breakdown occurs.
IoB in Travel
Based on users’ online activity, IoB can understand their plans, such as going on vacation over Christmas break, and help them make a decision on location or accommodation by providing the most relevant targeted ads based on data like search history and social status.
IoB in Health
Customers are used to tracking their health metrics with smart devices and the Internet of Things has done a lot in the field. IoB takes it one step further as it can notify patients of potential health issues and track their habits, such as outdoor activities (or lack thereof) and shopping patterns (how much junk food the person is purchasing).
Challenges of Internet of Behavior
Like any other technology, IoB is not perfect and presents several challenges that we must consider and work on.
Ethical and legal implications of IoB
It is vital to maintain a balance between wanting to optimise the company’s processes and promote solutions with respecting human privacy. The symbiosis of technology enables us to gather unprecedentedly detailed data on individuals. This allows private companies to collect, link, and analyse all that data can present a risk of misuse, so it has to be regulated and closely watched by governments to ensure privacy and exclude abuse.
Data security
When we talk about data, it is impossible to avoid the topic of security. Data leaks, intended or not, continue to happen and become more dangerous the more data we collect. Because IoB requires a vast range of personal data to reach the best results, it’s critical that companies that utilise this technology work with regulators on ensuring maximum security and protection.
Complexity of use
A well-meaning startup with no malicious intent can still struggle with IoB because it is, after all, a complex technology that requires a lot of integrations with different software and physical devices to provide comprehensive data, which then has to be systemised and analysed before it becomes useful to the company. Someone with limited resources will be disadvantaged compared to larger enterprises.
Internet of Behavior for startups: where to start
If you’ve decided to use IoB for your startup – congratulations. You are about to engage in one of the hottest trends and make use of this powerful instrument to provide better services to your clients.
IoB technology has great potential to influence behaviors through data and feedback loops, but it requires experience to achieve that. Because the concept is still new, a lot is unknown in the process. A smart way to make the most of IoB is to partner with a trusted technology provider that can guide your startup through each step and ensure there is no time wasted, and typical mistakes are avoided.
Emphasoft began working on IoB projects shortly after the concept emerged. Our professionals share expertise in IoT, big data, full-stack development, and more. We’ll be happy to join you on the road towards excellent customer products and help make the most of Internet of Behavior technology.
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