TRAINING & EDUCATION


THE DIGITAL AGE Merje Shaw, Managing Director of digital innovation consultancy Path 59,


explains how embracing technology can help tiling professionals to improve the service that they provide.


Looking in from the outside, it appears that the main technological changes in the tiling industry seem to be focused around the products within the field. This is not unusual. A recent rapid innovation project we completed for a FTSE100 in the services industry showed that most traditional companies focus on innovating their products rather than improving their services.


Yet, as technology advances, manufacturing becomes easier and the availability of similar products increases, so consumers (and business buyers) start to focus more on the experience of the product as well as the service and brand values surrounding it. With this in mind, let’s look at the key innovations with potential to impact the industry.


— 26 — The Internet of Things and Operational


Efficiencies The Internet of Things refers to the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity enabling such objects to connect and exchange data.


For the tiling profession, the most interesting aspect of the increasing connectedness of devices would be the potential application for tllers. With machines and devices’ capability to relay information and intelligence, individual specialists who are equipped with wearable technology such as smart glasses will become much more self-


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