We spoke with a number of IT leaders and industry experts about what to expect from IoT in the coming year and what could be the latest trends for IOT which will dominate 2018.

Following are the Internet of things trends to watch out for in 2018.

1.The IOT industry will bring a changed awareness around security and risk:

Security concerns will be high on the list. We have reached a point in the evolution of IoT when we need to re-think the types of security we are putting in place. Have we truly addressed the unique security challenges of IoT, or have we just patched existing security models into IoT with the hope that it is sufficient?

IOT presents a different kind of risk. Businesses need to understand that sensors and machine-to-machine communications are also stored in the cloud. In particular, facilities implementing devices connected to the IoT need to think about communication and the security protocols between devices: sensor-to-sensor communication, sensor-to-gateway communication, and updating and maintaining all on-premise equipment to better secure their data.

Tom Smith is a research analyst for DZone.com and he queried these IT professionals to get their insights on predictions for 2018. Here’s what IOT experts shared their thoughts on IoT trends for 2018.

IoT security will continue to dominate as a major concern, and I would expect the rise of several IoT-driven platforms to rise to the surface in an attempt to address and manage this. Says Lucas Vogel, Founder, Endpoint Systems

My hope is that there will be some adopted regulations around IoT security and compliance, otherwise, there will undoubtedly be more frequent and massive attacks. The fully-connected home will move closer to being a reality, and there will be unique solutions that address actual needs instead of just being “internet-connected”. Says Mike Kail, CTO, CYBRIC

2. Businesses will need to embrace the implementation of edge and cloud computing:

Edge computing, also known as fog computing, will continue to rise. The ability to run software at the edge is turning out to be one of the most promising accelerators of IoT adoption, given the cost savings and the ability to quickly achieve largescale systems.

3. Connectivity Management:

Another exciting new area involves the management of whole IoT systems or solutions. Device management and connectivity management has been around for several years already, but now that the pieces of IoT systems are coming together to form whole enterprise-scale solutions, management of these solutions has become higher up on the “tech wish list” for organizations.

4. IOT vs IIOT:

In addition, the separation between consumer IoT and Industrial IoT is becoming clearer all the time. One key distinction that is now apparent is that consumer IoT can often focus on greenfield installations but IIoT must enable brownfield installations. The investments in systems and equipment that were made by industrial firms over the last decades will continue to be in place and will need to be incorporated into IIoT solutions.

We’re seeing a trend towards a lot more IIoT use cases. As we move into 2018, we will see a much higher adoption of industrial IoT where sensors are making a big impact in the manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and engineering sectors. Other areas where we expect greater uptake of IoT systems include shipping, retail, agriculture, and healthcare. This expansion will trigger a need to hire many more IoT professionals and will likely see the rise of many new types of IoT specific roles within companies.

Many verticals still have business operations that involve manual observation of equipment status, inventory levels, and other key metrics. Where there is currently manual observation, there may be a great opportunity for a high-ROI project involving IoT. Some verticals that have a lot of manual observations are Oil & Gas, Energy Distribution, Supply Chain, and Telecommunications. The repeating theme is high-value infrastructure that is spread out geographically.

Thanks Kilton Hopkins, IoT Program Director forNortheastern University-Silicon Valley and the CEO of IOTRACKS, for providing your inputs to this article.

NPS in Insurance Claims: What Insurance Leaders Are Doing Differently

By : Divyanjali Gupta

Published on Jul 24, 2025

Customer Experience CX Insurance NPI In Insurance

Claims are the moment of truth. Are you turning them into moments of loyalty?

In insurance, your app interface might win you downloads. Your pricing might drive conversions.
But it’s the claims experience that decides whether a customer stays—or leaves for good.

According to a survey by NPS Prism, promoters are 2.3 times more likely to renew their insurance policies than passives or detractors—highlighting the strong link between customer advocacy and retention.

NPS in insurance industry is a strong predictor of customer retention. Many insurers are now prioritizing NPS to improve their claims experience.

So, what are today’s high-NPS insurers doing differently? Spoiler: it’s not just about faster payouts.

We’ve worked with claims teams that had best-in-class automation—but still had low NPS. Why? Because the process felt like a black box.
Customers didn’t know where their claim stood. They weren’t sure what to do next. And when money was at stake, silence created anxiety and dissatisfaction.

Great customer experience (CX) in claims isn’t just about speed—it’s about giving customers a sense of control through clear communication and clarity.

The Traditional Claims Journey

Forms → Uploads → Phone calls → Waiting
No real-time updates
No guidance after claim initiation
Paper documents and email ping-pong

The result? Frustrated customers and overwhelmed call centers.

The CX Gap: It’s Not Just Speed—It’s Transparency

Customers don’t always expect instant decisions. What they want:

To know what’s happening with their claim
To understand what’s expected of them
To feel heard and supported during the process

How NPS Leaders Are Winning Loyalty with CX-Driven Claims and High NPS

1. Real-Time Status Updates

Transparency to the customer via mobile app, email, or WhatsApp—keeping them in the loop with clear milestones.

2. Proactive Nudges

Auto-reminders, such as “upload your medical bill” or “submit police report,” help close matters much faster and avoid back-and-forth.

3. AI-Powered Document Uploads

Single-click scans with OCR + AI pull data instantly—no typing, no errors.

4. In-the-Moment Feedback Loops

Simple post-resolution surveys collect sentiment and alert on issues in real time.

For e.g., Lemonade uses emotional AI to detect customer sentiment during the claims process, enabling empathetic responses that boost satisfaction and trust.

Smart Nudges from Real-Time Journey Tracking

For a leading insurance firm, we mapped the entire in-app user journey—from buying or renewing a policy to initiating a claim or checking discounts. This helped identify exactly where users dropped off. Based on real-time activity, we triggered personalized notifications and offers—driving better engagement and claim completion rates.

Tech Enablement

Claims Orchestration Layer: Incorporates legacy systems, third-party tools, and front-end apps for a unified experience.

AI & ML Models: For document validation, fraud detection, and claim routing, sentiment analysis is used. Businesses utilizing emotional AI report a 25% increase in customer satisfaction and a 30% decrease in complaints, resulting in more personalized and empathetic interactions.

Self-Service Portals: Customers can check their status, update documents, and track payouts—all without making a phone call.

Business Impact

What do insurers gain from investing in CX?

A faster claim is good. But a fair, clear, and human one wins loyalty.

And companies that consistently track and act on CX metrics are better positioned to retain customers and build long-term loyalty.

At Mantra Labs, we help insurers build end-to-end, tech-enabled claims journeys that delight customers and drive operational efficiency.
From intelligent document processing to AI-led nudges, we design for empathy at scale.

Want a faster and more transparent claims experience?

Let’s design it together.
Talk to our insurance transformation team today.

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IOT Trends for 2018

1.The IOT industry will bring a changed awareness around security and risk: