With equipment fully connected in networks and managed in real time, the boundary between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) has virtually disappeared Industry 4.0. Industrial automation and IT need to work together, as this convergence is essential to achieve the highest performance and functionality in modern operations. In this sense, the IT department, especially internal technology support, needs to align strategically with the operational area, since any failure in systems or digital equipment can disrupt entire production lines.
In connected industrial environments, unplanned outages have a severe financial impact. A 2022 Siemens study titled "The True Cost of Downtime" indicates that companies lose an average of 11% of their annual revenue due to unplanned downtime (approximately $1.5 trillion). A single hour of machine downtime can cost from $39,000 in consumer goods to $2 million in the automotive industry, depending on the sector.
These numbers explain why maintaining operational continuity is critical: minutes matter, and quick IT response to resolve incidents makes the difference between a minor scare and significant losses. Meanwhile, industrial digital transformation brings measurable gains when well implemented. Brazilian companies that have already adopted Industry 4.0 technologies reported an average increase of 22% in productivity and a 17% reduction in operational costs, according to a study conducted by Fiesp.
Part of these gains comes from the reduction of failures and downtime thanks to resources such as predictive maintenance and remote asset monitoring. In other words, integrating IT and industrial operations results in more efficient factories, with fewer disruptions and waste.
Convergence between service desk and industrial operations
Para viabilizar essa integração entre atendimento de TI e gestão industrial, as empresas estão investindo em plataformas de service desk modernas que ofereçam multisserviços e automação de ponta a ponta. With the integration between departments and the establishment of workflows, technical calls can move between IT, engineering, and operations teams without getting lost, following predefined business rules.
For example, IoT sensors on machines can detect an anomaly and automatically open a service ticket, alerting the IT or maintenance team even before a failure occurs. Similarly, shop floor systems (MES, SCADA, etc.) integrated with the support center enable real-time visibility of incidents, facilitating agile decisions to avoid bottlenecks.
Automation and intelligent workflows play a central role in this convergence. With well-defined workflows, a registered incident triggers notifications, escalations, and standardized procedures without human delay, ensuring faster and more accurate responses.
This preventive and coordinated approach drastically reduces the average resolution time for critical issues, a vital factor when "time is money" in industrial production. The companies themselves have already mapped out the importance of enhancing IT support to keep up with digital transformation. A recent survey showed that 97% of Brazilian executives plan to improve IT service management (ITSM) in the next 12 months, and 68% intend to implement new support software, with 43% seeking to automate processes.
These numbers reinforce the perception that efficient and automated IT support is a pillar of Industry 4.0, ensuring that innovations such as IoT and analytics operate seamlessly.
As Industry 4.0 evolves, companies that unify their IT and operational processes are a step ahead in the competitiveness curve. The integration of IT support with industrial management is not just a matter of efficiency, but of survival in a market where zero downtime is ideal and quick incident response is a differentiator.
More than that, investing in tools and processes that break down silos between IT and production yields tangible returns: fewer outages, increased productivity, and real-time data-driven decisions. In Brazil, this movement is already underway – and those who successfully integrate IT support and industrial management will reap the benefits of a more efficient, resilient operation prepared for the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution.
By Luciano Costa, co-founder of Setrion and Milldesk.
