With fully connected equipment managed in real-time networks, the boundary between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) has virtually disappeared in Industry 4.0. Industrial automation and IT must work together, as this convergence is key to achieving the highest performance and functionality in modern operations. In this context, the IT department, especially internal tech support, needs to strategically align with operational areas since any failure in digital systems or equipment can halt entire production lines.
In connected industrial environments, unplanned downtime has severe financial impacts. A 2022 Siemens study titled ‘The True Cost of Downtime’ indicates that companies lose an average of 11% of annual revenue due to unplanned downtime (approximately $1.5 trillion). A single hour of machine downtime can cost anywhere from $39k in consumer goods to $2 million in the automotive industry, depending on the sector.
These numbers explain why maintaining operational continuity is critical: minutes count, and rapid IT response to incidents makes the difference between a minor scare and major losses. However, industrial digital transformation delivers measurable gains when properly implemented. Brazilian companies that have adopted Industry 4.0 technologies reported average productivity increases of 22% and 17% reductions in operational costs, according to a Fiesp study.
Part of these gains comes from reduced failures and downtime thanks to predictive maintenance and remote asset monitoring. In other words, integrating IT and industrial operations results in more efficient factories with fewer interruptions and waste.
Convergence between service desk and industrial operations
To enable this integration between IT support and industrial management, companies are investing in modern service desk platforms offering multi-service and end-to-end automation. With cross-department integration and workflow establishment, technical tickets can move seamlessly between IT, engineering, and operations teams following predefined business rules.
For example, IoT sensors on machines can detect anomalies and automatically create service tickets, alerting IT or maintenance teams before breakdowns occur. Similarly, factory floor systems (MES, SCADA, etc.) integrated with support centers provide real-time incident visibility, enabling agile decisions to prevent bottlenecks.
Automation and intelligent workflows play a central role in this convergence. With well-defined workflows, a logged incident triggers notifications, escalations, and standardized procedures without human delay, ensuring faster and more accurate responses.
This preventive and coordinated approach drastically reduces mean time to resolution for critical issues—a vital factor when ‘time is money’ in industrial production. Companies themselves have recognized the importance of enhancing IT support to keep pace with digital transformation. Recent research shows 97% of Brazilian executives plan to improve IT service management (ITSM) in the next 12 months, with 68% intending to implement new support software and 43% seeking to automate processes.
These numbers reinforce the perception that efficient, automated IT support is a pillar of Industry 4.0, ensuring innovations like IoT and analytics operate without interruption.
As Industry 4.0 evolves, companies unifying their IT and operational processes are a step ahead in competitiveness. Integrating IT support with industrial management isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about survival in a market where zero downtime is ideal and rapid incident response is a differentiator.
Beyond this, investing in tools and processes that break silos between IT and production yields tangible returns: less downtime, higher productivity, and data-driven real-time decisions. In Brazil, this shift is already underway—and those who successfully integrate IT support with industrial management will reap the benefits of more efficient, resilient operations ready for Industry 4.0 challenges.
By Luciano Costa, co-founder of Setrion and MilldeskBy Luciano Costa, co-founder of Setrion and Milldesk.
