In all of these cases, companies have created a new or an improved business and operating model, starting from the customer’s need.
“This is ‘outside-in’ or ‘customer-obsessed’ thinking,” Koen explains. “Industry 4.0 technologies have been introduced to both customize the customer experience and cutting out or automating tasks and assets that don’t create value.”
“Mass customization and outside-in thinking aren’t new, but new technologies make it accessible and profitable for many companies,” Merijn asserts. “Data analytics, digital factories, social media, 3D printing, intelligent configurators – these help businesses understand and anticipate customer journeys and deliver according to precise needs.”