How much 4.0 is your company?

While waiting for the Innovation Week - 4 meeting days dedicated to the product innovation, process , market  and human resources -  organized to spread the culture not only among entrepreneurs but even for us that we are employees and business managers – we wondered if ZCS is a 4.0 company that is an innovative company that adopts new technologies to use their full potentialities as drivers of growth and competitiveness. But research carried out by Federmeccanica on the condition of 4.0 industry stimulates a further analysis inside each company: how is the new innovation process managed?

Introduction of Smart technologies (product and process)

Connecting any object to the net through the Internet of Things and Cloud. The Cloud is the “place” where all data are stored, analyzed and made available through always more modern device of man-machine interface tools. The computer world is changing, intelligence is no longer on the machine (as it was during the Third Industrial Revolution) but on the Net. The robotic efficiency moves from machine to the cloud. The objects market with Rfid labels or QR Codes, acquire intelligence: they get coordinated, they exchange messages and access to shared information.

ZCS develops software & hardware that simplify the life of man and enterprise by automating processes in different fields: production, logistics, remote assistance, energy efficiency, environmental protection, new smart home automation, gardening. The first customer of ZCS is ZCS itself: integrated computer systems that guarantee complete accessibility to online and offline data, tracking, monitoring and safety. ZCS peculiarity is the integration of different technologies in new and revolutionary products. The heart of ZCS is “The Lab of Ideas”, the R&D area made up of 30 technicians, computer, electronic and mechanical engineers, designers who daily combine the strong creativity to the technical and professional know-how. Ideas and projects are developed in an autonomous way and are functional for all ZCS business divisions.

Reading of Big data and Customizing (market)

Knowing the history of a customer, building consolidated and collaborative relationships, personalize the communication and customizing the products. Reading the data, the information, being able to know how to reprocess and interpret to learn more about customers and leads. Even from a marketing point of view, today you can access to great deal of data, collecting them from several on-line channels: social media sites, blogs, forums, reviews and more. Trade relationships are getting “humanized” and customers are demanding more and more. The technologies implemented in the different solutions and skills acquired by the ZCS team create strong customization both in software and hardware for the customer who becomes a real partner.  A customization of the product and a fruitful collaboration in the development of solutions marked by the “innovation” factor are being carried out. It is all about customization and Big Data allow that all.

And even marketing becomes 4.0: processing data, personalizing communication, commenting and exciting customers in order to propose something new and anticipate a need.

Cultural transformation (Human resources)

The real challenge is not only technological but even a cultural one: embracing a truly innovative thought  that, starting from today’s problems, can invent solutions to live better tomorrow. Involving employees in business decisions promotes the free exchange of ideas and greater collaboration, as well as interest and participation of people. An innovative workforce is among the key factors that guarantee success for the company business. It becomes important to stimulate creativity and freedom of thought of each person by integrating the experience and know-how of senior people with creativity and enthusiasm of the young. In ZCS you think outside the conventional pattern: flexible and effective organizational structure, team work attitude, strong commitment and management approach to innovation to face the market with technological expertise. For years we have been organizing a competition inside the company where the best idea are rewarded. Enthusiasm, participate and responsible involvement of resources are fundamental: we have set up divisional CDA, plenary assembly, MBO assignments, strategic cross-divisional meetings, and training courses whose purpose is to enhance soft and technical skills.

At the end of this micro analysis, I can say that ZCS is very smart, very innovative and very future!

And what about you?? Have you ever tried to analyze the innovation level of your company?