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Mark Roberti, RFID Journal’s founder and former editor, has announced that he has set up a new consulting firm called RFID Strategies, which aims to help companies understand how they can use radio frequency identification (RFID) and other Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to improve their business operations. RFID Strategies will also assist solution providers in marketing their products and services more effectively.
Mark Roberti
“During the past 20 years, I have interviewed hundreds of executives at companies that have installed RFID and other IoT systems” Roberti says. “I have seen what works and what doesn’t, and I have gained unique insights into why. My goal now is to help companies avoid the common pitfalls and deploy a solution that can scale, integrate with other emerging technologies, and deliver strategic benefits.”
Roberti says he assisted many end-user companies throughout the years informally as the editor of RFID Journal. “The truth is, most companies don’t have a deep understanding of how RFID can be used across their operations,” he explains. “They know they want to use it to track some assets, but they miss out on much bigger benefits. I’d like to help them see the big picture. In some cases, that might mean steering them away from RFID and toward other technologies.”
Roberti says he will not be offering technical advice on which products to buy, as there are consultants and systems integrators already in the market who have the expertise to provide such services. Instead, he will focus on helping companies develop a strategy for how to use RFID technologies to achieve real business benefits.
When working with solution providers, Roberti’s focus will be on product development and marketing. During his 20 years running the world’s most important RFID news site and largest conference and exhibition, he witnessed which marketing strategies worked and which did not. Roberti says he now wants to use this knowledge to help RFID and IoT solution providers create products and services the market needs, and to use their marketing funds more effectively.
“Many people ask why RFID has not taken off more quickly,” Roberti explains, “and one of the reasons, which is not talked about much, is that solution providers have not delivered products that users want to buy. Millions of marketing dollars have been wasted trying to sell RFID to companies not interested in investing in the technology. I can help businesses do a better job of tailoring their products to the market and targeting those companies most likely to buy those products.”
One unique benefit Roberti offers clients is access to the right connections within the industry. While serving as RFID Journal’s editor, he interacted daily with end users, solution providers, researchers, government agencies and more. “If a client needs an introduction to someone,” he states, “I almost certainly will be able to provide it.”