My friend Nick Davis leads innovation and customer experience at Reaching the Future Faster and faculty chair for corporate innovation at Singularity University. Late in 2019, Nick and I were talking about his upcoming book, “Future Ready: A Changemaker’s Guide to the Exponential Revolution.” When I read the draft, I immediately had an idea for a foreword. We agreed. My request was that I could share it here with upon release. Future Ready is a how-to guide for changemakers who are…
The Humanization Of CX In An Era Of AI
AI is promising the automation of customer engagement to scale intelligent, real-time CX to survive digital Darwinism. The future has two possibilities however. We can automate and scale the standards and capabilities for CX as we’ve come to define and shape them over the decades. Or, we can use AI as a mechanism to deliver personalized, on-demand experiences that connected customers are learning to expect from their favorite digital-native apps and services. In this special session at PegaWorld 2019, I…
2020 Enterprise Technology Trends: Digital Transformation, AI, Cognitive Automation and Quantum Computing
Karen Roby is a veteran reporter for TechRepublic and ZDNet. Every so often, we get together to talk the latest tech trends and explore how organizations can successfully navigate their path forward. In our latest conversation, we talk about the state of digital transformation, quantum computing, customer experience, and enterprise innovation. Please watch the video here. Full article here. Analyst Brian Solis explains why he is also excited about quantum computing, cognitive automation, and robotic process automation. Karen Roby: You…
Google’s Meena Chatbot Could Humanize Conversational AI, But Are Enterprises Ready to Invest in More Intuitive Digital Customer Experiences
TechTarget’s Don Fluckinger is a friend and a highly regarded tech journalist. He recently rounded up dome of the industry’s leading CX and AI experts to explore Google Meena’s next-generation conversational AI. He always brings together a great group for a productive and thoughtful conversation! For context, chatbots today are largely used in rule-based engagements, sitting on top of structured data to perform a set of focused operations. They connect customers to common information or facilitate everyday transactions. In the more effective…
Top Digital Transformation Trends in the Enterprise
Frost & Sullivan released its latest analysis, “Top End User Priorities in Digital Transformation, Global, 2019.” Key findings include: The retail (44%) and transportation (43%) sectors are ahead of others in their digital transformation. More than two-thirds of companies feel that the sales and marketing department will be the most impacted department by their digital transformation. Enhancing customer experience, digital presence, and sales and marketing effectiveness are the three major drivers for IT/telecom investment over the next two years. Improving…
A Curated List of Interesting and Curious CES 2020 Highlights
The Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas is a spectacle I’ve experienced (in some cases, endured) for over 20 years. But this year was different. Why? It’s not just about consumer electronics anymore. We’re finally witnessing the convergence of physical and digital “things” and spaces in everything…and I mean everything. Following are some of the more promising, curious and also interesting takeaways from CES… TVs: There were OLED and 8k TVs that are better than what we can actually see,…
New Text-Based Conversation Platform Community Strives To Deliver What Social Media Promised, One-To-One Relationships
My friend Jefferson Graham of USA Today reached out to talk about Community, a new conversation platform that promises direct and instant communication at scale between a brand, celebrity, artist, personality and their ‘community’, via text messaging. Cue the record scratch. Text messaging? But we live in a world of social media…you know, “social” media? The great social experiment that is social is still evolving. Some might argue that in many ways, platforms have cultivated anti-social behaviors. Don’t get me wrong,…
The Role Boards of Directors and Shareholders Should Play in Guiding Business Innovation and Digital Transformation
My friend Raj Singh is the Chair of the Institute of Directors (IoD) in the UK. IoD has over 30,000 directors as members serving as board members for listed and unlisted companies. For one of its quarterly breakfast club meetings, I was asked to share my views on the role boards of directors need to play in guiding digital transformation and business innovation. Raj also asked for me to discuss the role of customer experience as a catalyst for change. I…
2020 Prediction Series: Digital Transformation Becomes a Strategic Enabler of Business Modernization and Innovation Strategies
Thinkers360 assembled B2B thought leaders to share their 2020 predictions for digital transformation as part of its annual prediction series. The series is intended to help provide actionable insights for business and technology executives. There are some great thoughts included. I wanted to share my contribution with you here. Digital Transformation = Business Modernization + Innovation In 2020, digital transformation will start to become synonymous with business modernization and innovation. Companies are still investing in the “digital” side of digital transformation,…
The 11 Digital Trends Shaping CX and Marketing in 2020
Each year, I help kick-off Brand Innovators Mega-Trends event during CES. In the opening keynote, I share the trends (and hopes) I would love brand executives to embrace in the new year. In 2020, the presentation focused on “11 Digital Trends Shaping CX and Marketing.” There are certainly more than 11 trends to follow, but in the context of this conversation, I focused on the convergence of AI, customer empathy, digital distractions and intentions, and the technology that connects the…
