Mann+Hummel is a global leader in the field of filtration devices. With decades of experience and offices in over 80 locations worldwide, the company is synonymous with enhancing the purity of air and water. They had a portfolio of solid legacy products which enjoyed the support of millions of patrons. However, as the era of digital transformation dawned on enterprises around the globe, Mann+Hummel discovered an opportunity to engage their customers with the technology of tomorrow.
They approached [x]cube to discuss a connected products strategy that would augment their devices with new abilities, making them easier to monitor and simpler for customers to maintain and take necessary actions.
With over 700 digital solutions in their portfolio and a proven track record of helping enterprises achieve digital transformation, [x]cube sprang to the task and quickly detailed a list of features that would enable Mann+Hummel’s filters to provide extensive diagnostics data. Additionally, the interface and technology to track and act upon the data was also arrived at.
THE SOLUTION WE DELIVERED
We worked closely with the Mann+Hummel team to understand their products, variety, the technology powering them and specific complaints and suggestions the customers had. The company was facing major overheads having to track each device they were selling, their warranty information, service intervals and history. The goal was to find a way to enable the devices to generate key reports which would reduce significant effort and expenses.
Once the requirements were sorted, we sat down with the team to put a strategy together which would be comprehensive, quick to implement and designed with the highest standards of testing and security in mind. The features were green-lit and the development team took over. Getting the device schematics from the team, we got started on installing the required sensors and writing various conditions which would make the machines think, analyse and report.
From the technical architecture to the eventual logic and tie-ins with Mann+Hummel’s back-end, every milestone was planned in close consultation with their team who provided great support and feedback throughout.
WHAT MADE THE PROJECT SPECIAL
From the outset, we knew we were doing something pretty unique. The regular air and water filters that customers were used to, would be elevated to a level where they’d now be intelligent machines helping the manufacturer as well as the customer solve a lot of problems. Additionally, the mobile app would let people know the quality of air around them and help commercial establishments determine specific areas where air filtration is urgently required. It was a step towards a cleaner environment and helping consumers enjoy a hassle-free ownership experience. It was a testament to what a digital world is capable of and how smart powers can be harnessed to improve experiences.
At the same time, we were also working on the dashboard which enabled Mann+Hummel get a variety of reports on the devices and helped them understand the ways customers are engaging with their products. It involved translating all the new capabilities we were adding to the machines to detailed facts and figures which would open up new dimensions to the workings of the systems which, previously, could only be understood by laborious manual checkup. Overall, it was pretty satisfying to see the vision of the company come alive and our role in helping it materialize, acting as the pivot.
