“Having a connected product has been profitable from the very beginning”
Published: November 23, 2022, 3:28 p.mJohan Rogö is Product Manager Robot at Husqvarna. From traditional lawnmowers – to connected robots. Here are the Swedes who lead the technology development in the industry. – The possibility of being able to control the lawnmower remotely has been greatly appreciated from day one, says Johan Rogö, Product Manager Robot at Husqvarna.How IoT helps companies to be successful – read more Hundreds of thousands are sold each year. Today, it is almost standard that the robotic lawnmower takes care of the lawn in Swedish villa gardens. At its own pace, the grass is cut just the way you want it – without you having to leave the couch. – The robotic lawnmower responds to a clear need among customers. It lifts a yoke from the shoulders and takes care of a recurring and boring chore. It saves time and energy at the same time as the result is good, says Johan Rogö. Already in 2010, Husqvarna developed its first connected robotic lawnmowers. Then you could give commands via SMS. Five years later, Automower Connect was launched, an app where you can control the lawnmower in detail. It became very clear that the customers saw great value in the functionality, says Linda Lindqvist, Product Manager Robot.
In 2015, the possibility of remote app control was a premium accessory that customers could add at the time of purchase, nowadays all Husqvarna robotic lawnmowers are equipped with connected technology from the start: – We are the absolute leader in this segment, both when looking at the number of units sold or customer satisfaction and app use, says Johan Rogö. It is customer satisfaction that has become an extra bonus in Husqvarna’s own development: – The app has brought customers closer to us as a company. We learn how customers use the products and help us develop services that are in demand. The management has understood that this relationship building is very important, says Linda Lindqvist and adds: – The really interesting thing is that we increase the value of the customer offer at the same time that we as a company make money from it. We put on the customer’s glasses, look at the challenges and problems they face and try to solve them. Having a connected product has been profitable from the very beginning and has helped maintain a premium feel.
“Can ship clippers to the whole world”
The technology that keeps the robotic lawnmowers connected is provided by Telenor IoT, one of Europe’s largest IoT operators. The collaboration between Husqvarna and Telenor IoT has been going on since the app was launched seven years ago. – An important part of the whole thing is that they deliver a global solution for connectivity, which allows us to ship mowers all over the world. You connect the mower in the same way regardless of where on earth you are. They also have a knowledge of mobile networks and connectivity that we need, says Johan Rogö and continues: – For Husqvarna, technology development has also meant that the company has received a boost in sustainability work. Electrification is a cornerstone in the shift from gasoline to battery operation. Our robotic lawnmowers have as low energy consumption as a light bulb. Another effect of connected products is that they have gone from considering themselves a manufacturing company to something else: – Today we are more of a technology company, which focuses on solving the customer’s problems and meeting their needs using technology. The customer is at the center all the time, says Linda Lindqvist.Maximize your business with IoT – that’s how it works
TELENOR IoT
Telenor designs and delivers services for the Internet of Things (IoT). With global services and world-leading support from IoT specialists, companies can effectively connect their products and services worldwide. Together with a number of large customers, Telenor has for more than 20 years designed innovative solutions for some of the world’s most demanding international IoT projects. The article is produced by Brand Studio in collaboration with Telenor and not an article by Dagens industri
