We live in an era of #DigitalDarwinism. These are disruptive times and they challenge everyone…leaders and executives…employees, customers, and partners…and, you and me. AI, Crypto, Quantum Computing, Blockchain, AR/VR, facial recognition, wearables, IoT/IIoT, 5G, automation and 20 other disruptive technologies will only continue to change everything as we know it. Digital transformation, innovation, and new leadership are needed to survive and thrive. The future either happens to us or because of us. I’ve spent my entire career as a digital…
Marriott International Prioritizes Innovation in Guest Experience to Cultivate Brand Loyalty and Drive Growth
There’s an old adage in business: A happy customer is a loyal customer. Focus on driving loyalty, and you cultivate a customer relationship that is not only special, but also incredibly rewarding for the business over a longer period of time. By putting loyalty at the center of everything, loyal customers become proud stewards of the brand, advocating their experiences and going out of their way to spend more time and money with the brand. In any given category, their…
Riding the Next Wave of Digitally Driven Innovation
The cloud is a key enabler of business transformation. IT leaders, business executives and digital transformation architects are migrating to the cloud to modernize operations enterprise-wide. I was invited by IDG/CIO and Microsoft Azure to share my views on cloud-driven digital transformation across private and public-sector institutions. Some of the topics we discussed include: Big data/analytics – how companies can turn data into insights and revenue growth using the cloud, analytics and other tools Workplace transformation – how technology is…
Humanizing CX: Shifting from Customer Experience to the Customer’s Experience
Customer experience is powerful because it consists of two important ingredients, 1) people and 2) emotions. When we talk about CX as a matter of purpose and strategy, this is exactly where the phrases “put customers at the center of our business” and becoming “customer-centric” can and should come to life. But honestly, we don’t really design for people or emotions today. We design for what we think of as customer intent and in turn, invest in touchpoints, conversions, transactions…
Powering a clean future through innovative, sustainable and affordable electricity – #EnelFocusOn
When I’m not immersed in reverse-engineering (or trying to make sense of) the “future of” industries, I focus on the future of us. I seek-out unique partnerships to spotlight the important work of companies investing in the betterment, sustainability and well-being of our lives. During #ClimateWeek, I had the privilege of participating in a special #EnelFocusOn panel with Enel Group CEO Francesco Starace and Rachel Kyte, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. The conversation took place…
Can AI Save the Retail Industry?
Over the years, I’ve studied retail innovation and also retail stagnation. Among the white hot trends propelling retail startups and giving legacy brands hope are artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, Internet of Things (IoT), connected sensors and good old fashioned ingenuity. My friend Macy Bayern of TechRepublic recently wrote about the role AI is specifically playing in retail innovation. Her resulting article features insights from industry experts and innovators. I also wanted to share our unabridged conversation with you here……
All This Technology is Making Us More Human
Part 2 of 2 I once had the honor of giving a TEDx Talk in San Francisco. I’ll never forget it. Even though I speak for a living, speaking at TED honestly terrified me. There’s something about the TED stage, the big ideas and the iconic personalities who have graced it over the years that has a way of grounding and even intimidating you. The experience was so powerful and life-changing, I sought to subject myself to the jitters and butterflies…
Sorry not Sorry, Millennials and Centennials Don’t Want to Work for You
Part 1 of 2 I once had the honor of giving a TEDx Talk in San Francisco. I’ll never forget it. Even though I speak for a living, speaking at TED honestly terrified me. There’s something about the TED stage, the big ideas and the iconic personalities who have graced it over the years that has a way of grounding and even intimidating you. The experience was so powerful and life-changing, I sought to subject myself to the jitters and butterflies…
Legacy Models Shackle Digital Transformation and Strangle Innovation
Digital transformation has certainly achieved buzzword status. Yet, by its very nature, digital transformation can be among the most important catalysts for business modernization and innovation. The difference between where we are and where we need to be is separated by purpose and vision. If we can see and work beyond the “digital” in digital transformation, we can model the business of the future today. That’s the hard part. In the early phases of “The Six Stages of Digital Transformation,”…
Consumers Don’t Want Products And Services, They Want Experiences
Following my presentation at Adobe Summit, I sat down with CMO.com‘s Giselle Abramovich (also my dear friend) back stage to discuss the importance of experience design and the future of brand in a digital economy. I also got to share the inspiration behind, X: The Experience When Business Meets Design. In this in-depth interview, we also explored my research, work and ideas about how every company should re-imagine brand for an era of digital Darwinism. The questions and answers cover…
