Businesses are getting more and more data from existing and potential customers. Whenever we click on a website, for example, it can be recorded in the vendor’s database, and whenever we use electronic ID cards to access public transportation or other services, our movements across the city may be analyzed.

In the very near future, connected objects such as cars and electrical appliances will continuously generate data that will provide useful insights regarding user preferences, personal habits, and more. Companies will learn a lot from users and the way their products are being used. This learning process will help them focus on particular niches and improve their products according to customer expectations and profiles.

For example, insurance companies will monitor how motorists are driving connected cars to adjust insurance premiums according to perceived risks, or to analyze driving behaviors so they can advise motorists how to boost fuel efficiency. No formal survey will be needed because customers will be continuously surveyed.

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