Industry 4.0 - An Enabler for Digital Sales Processes
von Alexander, Grohmann
Why should and how can the instruments of Industry 4.0 be applied to the sales process in order to automatically take customer needs and market knowledge into account? After briefly analysing the key technologies of Industry 4.0, this article focuses on two instruments: Integrating sales data into an ecosystem of new kinds of Digital Twins enhances the simulation of the manufacturing process as well as enables the description of the entire customer journey and eventually ―co-creation‖ with customers. Secondly, Platform Architectures establish dynamic symbiotic networks between Industry 4.0 producers, suppliers and customers which create more value for individuals, companies and society.