By Evan Schuman The interplay between store associates and in-store technology has always been a delicate balancing act. When the tech helps the associate be an all-knowing partner to the shopper, it’s a great thing. But when the tech is deployed so that the associate seems to just get in the way, it can ultimately…
Category: IDG Contributor Network
IDG Contributor Network
IDG Contributor Network: Adidas figures out how to win with physical stores
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By Evan Schuman Physical retail chain executives routinely fret about their brick-and-mortar stores’ inability to effectively compete against e-commerce sites, including their own. They’re right to, even though no site can ever match brick-and-mortar’s many physical attributes, including touch, smell, taste, human interactions and true immediacy. Other than a few merchants here and there that…
IDG Contributor Network: Harnessing the power of diversity and inclusion for innovation
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By Christoph Schell When it comes to the topic of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workforce, there is no lack of conversation. And this is a good thing, because despite the best intentions of many corporations to create a diverse and inclusive workforce, the numbers tell a different story. As an example, a recent…
IDG Contributor Network: HelpSocial looks to broaden who ‘does’ an enterprise’s social media
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By Ben Kepes There have been many examples over the years of large enterprises doing a great job of customer service and social outreach. Going back three or four years, the blogosphere spent a short period of time obsessed with Comcast’s social persona, Comcast Cares. In my antipodean neck of the woods, my airline of…
IDG Contributor Network: Feds struggle with regulating banking’s use of big data
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By Evan Schuman When it comes to fintech, banking and payments, big data comes with some powerful pros and cons. The big advantage is that big data can make banking services useful and viable to a huge slice of the population that can’t access it today. The greatest drawback is that, in doing so, it…
IDG Contributor Network: How A.I. could affect the world of corporate training
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By Larry Alton Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is already being used by businesses to interpret data, learn from customers’ actions, and even communicate to their customers. But it’s being underutilized in the corporate training world. Corporate training takes time, both from your incoming workers and your trainers, and how you invest that time has a direct…
IDG Contributor Network: Microsoft announces a series of health care initiatives
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By Andy Patrizio Microsoft this week announced several new health care-related initiatives and solutions for industry partners and organizations to apply artificial intelligence in multiple areas of care, along with a new partnership with a major hospital. Healthcare NExT is a new initiative that will integrate health care partners and Microsoft’s A.I. and Research organization,…
IDG Contributor Network: We’re only human: Vulnerability, machines set to disrupt sales jobs
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By Bob Skelley Automation, and more specifically, robots, are coming for your sales job. And it’s not for any of the reasons you may have read or heard about. No way you say? Big league way. The intangible benefit of being human may no longer be an advantage regarding relationship building skills. These human capabilities…
IDG Contributor Network: Rapid7 demystifies penetration testing
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By Sandra Henry-Stocker In a surprisingly detailed 20+ page report titled “UNDER THE HOODIE: Actionable Research from Penetration Testing Engagements“, Rapid7 – provider of tools such as Metasploit and Nexpose – is sharing some very interesting insights into the choices being made by companies in their penetration testing and what the testers are uncovering. Released…
IDG Contributor Network: Amazon enjoys a very happy holiday season
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By Evan Schuman Although retailers know only too well how incredibly massive a rival Amazon has become — it’s annualized revenue last year hit $131 billion, which is almost pure online dollars — it’s scope is sometimes difficult to internalize. Holiday stats from Slice Intelligence, for example, gave Amazon an amazing 46% of all U.S.…