APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, allow organizations to share information between two or more systems, and it appears that data sharing has dramatically increased in the transportation sector since the COVID-19 pandemic transformed day-to-day business. According to a recent blog post, telematics and fleet management provider Samsara has measured significant changes in how often its more than 20,000 customers have used its API and mobile apps during the pandemic.
From Jan. 2020 to March 2021 based on a sample size of thousands of its users, Samsara recorded in 80% uptick in API pings to its Connected Operations Cloud platform, which indicates more usage of its tools. These include dash cams, driver coaching, equipment performance and health monitoring, digital log keeping and more. Specifically, Samsara registered an 18% increase in usage of its Driver app and 45% rise in the digital Documents feature.
Samsara believes this “signal[ed] that organizations are looking for new ways to break down data silos, customize their tech stack, and boost productivity through automated workflows.”
Customers are also using Samsara’s cloud-based solutions across four or five areas of operation as opposed to one or two, the company noted. From Sept. 2020 to March 2021, 20% of Samsara’s transportation and warehousing customers spread their Connected Operations Cloud usage across three or more verticals.
This may hint at a firmer grasp overall of the “digital transformation” among Samsara users, as data is now not just being used to drive improvements in fleet safety and efficiency, but also to uncover insights into manufacturing, customer interactions and supply chain visibility.
The need for remote interactions and real-time data to adapt to changing customers demands have spurred the move to a digital-first mindset. According to McKinsey & Co., organizations have accelerated their digitized customer interactions, supply chain interactions, and core internal operations at a rate 20 to 25 times faster than expected. In real terms, this means an advance of three to four years.
The McKinsey survey of executives also revealed: "Respondents are three times likelier now than before the crisis to say that at least 80% of their customer interactions are digital in nature."
