APOLLO FIRE Detectors, itself an innovator in the field of fire detection and safety solutions, is sponsoring the largest Fire, Emergency and Security Systems apprenticeship training suite in the UK.

The company has generously donated over 1,000 products to Hopwood Hall College to support the new training suite. Those products will be used by the next generation of fire alarm engineers as they undertake the industry-leading Fire, Emergency and Security Systems Apprenticeship training.

Located in Rochdale, Hopwood Hall College is on a stated mission to cultivate high-quality engineers by providing students with exposure to the best available equipment. The project aligns perfectly with Apollo’s own desire to train both current and future fire safety professionals.

The all-new training suite features 23 engineer bays, each of them equipped with conventional and addressable loops. Apollo has suppled a variety of products, including detectors, manual Call Points, bases and modules, intelligent test sets and the hybrid REACH Wireless range.

Strong foundation

Jess Mann, customer journey manager at Apollo, informed Fire Safety Matters: “We recognise that the safety of people and property relies on the knowledge and skills of both existing and future fire safety professionals. We are honoured to sponsor Hopwood Hall College’s training suite and help to provide the next generation with a strong foundation for their careers in the fire safety arena.”

Billy Gillchrist, apprenticeship lead at Hopwood Hall College, has expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. “I’m thrilled that we have partnered with Apollo. Together, we’re transforming the learning experience for our apprentices here at Hopwood Hall College. We’re now equipped with state-of-the-art products and technology and, as a result, can position our learners at the forefront of industry knowledge and expertise.”

Gillchrist continued: “In addition to the equipment supplied by the company, Apollo’s commitment to education extends to the delivery of Continuing Professional Development courses here at Hopwood Hall College. Several times each year, their experts will be on-site, enriching the learning experiences of our students and employers throughout the Greater Manchester area.”

Setting new standards

Looking ahead, Gillchrist is incredibly optimistic about the future of the ongoing partnership and sponsorship involving Apollo.

“With Apollo by our side,” affirmed Gillchrist, “we are poised to set new standards in fire safety education, empowering our learners to excel in their chosen careers. Jess has been instrumental in facilitating this collaboration and we cannot thank Apollo enough.”

*Additional detail on training courses run by Apollo, and information for training provider seeking support, can be accessed by sending an e-mail to: apollo.training@apollo-fire.com

**Further information is available online at www.apollo-fire.co.uk

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Introduction

In today’s fast-paced digital world, customer service is undergoing a significant transformation, and chatbot builders are at the forefront of this revolution. These innovative tools are changing the way businesses interact with their customers, offering a host of benefits that improve efficiency, enhance user experiences, and drive business growth. In this article, we will explore the remarkable impact of chatbot builders and how they are reshaping the customer service landscape.

1. The Rise of Chatbots in Customer Service

Chatbots have emerged as indispensable tools in the realm of customer service. These AI-powered virtual assistants are designed to engage with customers in real time, answering queries, providing information, and even resolving issues. The use of chatbots has become increasingly prevalent across various industries, from e-commerce to healthcare, as businesses recognize the potential for enhancing customer interactions.

Chatbot builders play a pivotal role in this transformation. They empower businesses, large and small, to create customized chatbots tailored to their unique needs. This accessibility means that even organizations with limited resources can harness the power of AI-driven customer service, leveling the playing field in the competitive business landscape.

2. Improving Efficiency and Responsiveness

One of the standout advantages of chatbot builders is their ability to streamline customer service operations. Unlike human agents who are bound by time constraints and resource limitations, chatbots are available 24/7, providing round-the-clock support to customers. This unprecedented availability ensures that customers can receive assistance and information whenever they need it, regardless of the time of day.

Moreover, chatbot builders enable businesses to automate routine tasks and processes. Chatbots can handle frequently asked questions, guide users through troubleshooting steps, and even initiate order processing, all in a matter of seconds. This not only frees up human agents to focus on more complex issues but also reduces response times, leading to higher customer satisfaction rates.

3. Personalized and Contextual Interactions

Modern consumers expect a personalized experience when interacting with businesses. Chatbot builders incorporate advanced algorithms that allow chatbots to deliver tailored responses based on user behavior, preferences, and past interactions. This personalization creates a sense of connection and makes customers feel valued.

For example, a chatbot can remember a customer’s previous purchase history and recommend products or services that align with their interests. It can also understand context within a conversation, providing relevant answers that demonstrate an understanding of the customer’s needs. These personalized and contextual interactions not only enhance the customer experience but also increase the likelihood of upselling or cross-selling opportunities.

4. Data-Driven Insights for Business Growth

Chatbot builders often come equipped with robust analytics and reporting capabilities. These tools provide businesses with invaluable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and pain points. By analyzing chatbot interactions and user feedback, organizations can make data-driven decisions to optimize their customer service strategies.

For instance, businesses can identify frequently asked questions and proactively address them on their websites or in their product documentation. They can also uncover patterns in customer complaints or concerns, enabling them to make improvements to their products or services. In essence, chatbot-generated data empowers businesses to continuously refine their customer service processes, leading to increased customer loyalty and business growth. 

5. Future-Proofing Customer Service

As technology continues to advance, the role of chatbots and chatbot builders in customer service will only become more significant. Businesses that embrace these tools today are positioning themselves for future success by staying ahead of customer service trends and expectations. 

Chatbot builders are revolutionizing customer service by enhancing efficiency, personalizing interactions, and providing data-driven insights for business growth. Embracing these innovative tools is not just a smart move for businesses; it’s a strategic imperative in an increasingly competitive marketplace. As customer service continues to evolve, chatbot builders will remain a cornerstone of successful customer engagement strategies. 

The Future of Customer Service: Chatbot Builders Unleashed

As businesses navigate the ever-evolving landscape of customer service, chatbot builders have emerged as powerful allies in delivering exceptional customer experiences. These versatile tools empower organizations to automate tasks, provide real-time support, and collect valuable data, all while personalizing interactions and improving efficiency. With chatbot builders at the helm, the future of customer service holds immense promise and potential. 

Conclusion: Charting a New Course in Customer Service with Chatbot Builders

In the dynamic world of customer service, chatbot builders have ushered in a new era of efficiency, personalization, and data-driven decision-making. These AI-powered virtual assistants are revolutionizing the way businesses engage with customers, offering 24/7 support and invaluable insights. As organizations continue to harness the capabilities of chatbot builders, they are not just meeting customer expectations but exceeding them, shaping the future of customer service for years to come.

Originally Appeared Here:

While worldwide IT spending continues to grow, where and what that money is being spent on is shifting. Device/product spending is down, and it’s not expected to climb back up anytime soon. In fact, Gartner forecasts a drop in devices spending of 8.6% this year. What we’re seeing is a move toward less product spending and more spending on SaaS and cloud investments.

For channel partners, this indicates that their customers are increasingly favoring services over products. Partners must ensure they are meeting their customers’ demands in this way. The good news is that today it’s easier than ever for partners to broaden their service-level capabilities to ensure they’re delivering the security solutions that today’s organizations need the most.

Shifting Away From Products

Cloud and SaaS spending are on the upswing, with global spending on public cloud services forecast to grow 21.7% this year, rising to almost $600 billion, an increase of over $1 billion from last year. As Gartner analysis found, “As CIOs continue to lose the competition for IT talent, they are shifting spending to technologies that enable automation and efficiency to drive growth at scale with fewer employees.”

In fact, the ongoing talent shortage in IT and security is one of the major factors for this increased demand in services. For channel partners, a major opportunity here is finding ways to take the solution from their enterprise partners and then wrapping their services around it; that’s a win-win. It establishes a “sticky” relationship with their customers, who will be able to breathe a little easier knowing that their security bases will be covered even if they don’t have a full slate of security professionals on staff.

Aligning Offerings With Demands

Ensuring that your offerings are really matching what your customers are looking for starts with listening. It’s one thing to follow trends and anticipate the market; it’s another to hear what your customers need. It’s all about being able to understand the customer’s environment and where they are trying to go. What are their pain points? How do you solve for that? Listening to the customer leads to the right solutions and services that drive customer satisfaction.

Time to market is another important component. When your customer buys that solution and makes that investment, how long is it going to take them to get that particular solution in their environment? Partners who are technically enabled and very strong on the services side can decrease time to value and make sure that the solution is not sitting on the shelf.

Reducing Solution Sprawl

In addition to the shift from products to services, another aspect we’re seeing changing is that more organizations are looking to reduce security solution sprawl. They’re looking to consolidate their use of point products and shift to fewer, but more effective, strategic solutions. A recent survey found that 99% participants believe platforms or integrated solutions are required to thwart ransomware attacks.

For partners, this means focusing on being able to offer a complete solution and service set. Partners have to think carefully about what solutions you’re putting into your customer’s environment to make sure that they actually do work together and that they optimize the customer’s experience.

For far too long, vendors have made claims that their product integrates with X, Y and Z, but when the customer implements the product, it doesn’t integrate. Customers need to make sure that the solutions that you introduce into their environment do work together. This is an opportunity for managed services and managed security services partners because they can show they’ve vetted the solutions, they know they integrate well, and they can help their customers.

Listen and Serve

Product spending is down for many end-user organizations, but they’re doubling down on SaaS and cloud investments. There is a real opportunity for partners here to ensure they’re truly bringing value to their customers. Look at the services you offer and see how they can be applied to meet this new focus. Take time to market and solution sprawl reduction into account as important factors, too.

Those channel organizations that will be most successful are those who can deliver on the “anything as a service” model. This involves not only understanding the market in general but your customer’s needs specifically. Especially when it comes to something as critical as cybersecurity, your customers want to know that you’ve heard them, understand their needs and are in it for the long haul. Make it clear that your relationship matters, that their business matters to you, and that you’re not just here to make a quick sale and move on. Rather, you’re here to help protect them.

Author Ken McCray is vice president of Channel Sales, US, Fortinet. Read more Fortinet blogs and news here. Regularly contributed guest blogs are part of MSSP Alert’s sponsorship program.

Originally Appeared Here

By pivoting the focus toward fostering customer loyalty, accumulating first-party data, and crafting personalized experiences, retailers can not only navigate a transition to a cookie-less future but emerge more resilient.

Sept. 28, 2023 | by Randi Amorusi — VP of Client Success and Marketing, Whereoware

The holiday season — a make-or-break period for retailers — has consistently been a lucrative time for businesses.

In 2022, holiday sales revenue soared to $936.3 billion, with the National Retail Federation reporting an unprecedented increase of 7% for the entire year.

Retailers spend the months leading up to the holidays in a marketing frenzy, combining email, digital ads, social media, in-store engagements, and more to maximize the busy shopping season.

However, with Google and other technology giants gradually phasing out third-party cookie tracking and other privacy-related tracking data, this holiday season warrants a fresh approach.

So how can businesses adapt? The answer lies in focusing on customer loyalty.

Understanding the impact of cookie tracking

Cookies have been instrumental in advertising and marketing, facilitating audience targeting and personalized experiences for online users. However, rising data privacy concerns and stringent regulations have put them under scrutiny.

It comes as no surprise that technology companies are increasingly imposing restrictions on the use of cookies and other tracking data. A 2019 Pew Research study revealed 81% of individuals felt powerless when it came to controlling the collection of their personal information, while 79% expressed significant concerns regarding its utilization. Privacy is increasingly becoming a mainstream legal issue, with laws like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CAN-SPAM regulating how businesses can capture, manage, and use personal data.

Retailers have historically leveraged cookie tracking for holiday marketing to grow their audience, deliver personalized messages, measure campaign performance, and enhance user engagement.

However, this shift towards a cookie-less future may create challenges for those reliant on third-party cookies for targeted campaign strategies.

The power of customer loyalty

While the absence of cookies might seem daunting, focusing on customer loyalty is the key to overcoming this hurdle. It not only fosters consistent customer engagement, but also facilitates the collection of zero- and first-party data — data directly provided by the customers.

Zero- and first-party data (collected from customers through owned properties, like your website or a survey) provides businesses with a reliable and thorough understanding of their customer base, enabling them to develop personalized experiences and successful holiday campaigns for their users and drive conversions.

Encouraging a mutually beneficial exchange of value between consumers and businesses results in richer, more reliable data and nurtures a trust-based relationship with consumers.

Thriving in a cookie-less holiday season

Maximize First-Party Data

Navigating a cookie-less future begins with collecting zero- and first-party data by offering customers value in return.

When customers willingly share their information, it empowers you to tailor your products or services to meet their specific preferences. The more personalized the experience, the more you can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. It’s win-win, customers receive a more compelling and efficient experience, boosting their loyalty, while brands gain accurate and detailed information to drive data-driven decision-making and business improvement.

One of the most effective ways to gain critical data is by encouraging customers to create accounts on your platforms. This not only enhances the user experience by enabling you to deliver self-serve features, but also provides invaluable insights into individual customer behavior and preferences.

Similarly, conducting interactive quizzes or customer surveys can capture a wealth of information about your customer base, including their demographics, likes, dislikes, and areas where your business can improve. Make the surveys as engaging and straightforward as possible and offer incentives to increase participation.

Did you also know that preference centers have become a proven strategy for collecting first-party data? When you allow customers to set their preferences for things like communication frequency and content types, you can gather data directly from the source, ensuring that the insights you gain are accurate and applicable.

Don’t forget about other activities that can contribute to data collection. For example, running contests or promotions that require users to provide information can be a fun and engaging way to collect data. In-store questionnaires, website analytics, purchase behavior, and more are all ways to capture and leverage zero- and first-party data to fuel holiday marketing campaigns.

Once you’ve collected this data, it’s time to put it to work.

Implement personalized marketing strategies

By leveraging the first-party data collected from your customers, you can curate experiences in marketing campaigns that are uniquely tailored to each individual’s preferences, browsing behavior, and purchase history. Your business thrives on this valuable insight.

Personalization stands as a powerful tool for resonating with your audience, strengthening customer loyalty, and ultimately driving conversions.

Personalized marketing strategies could involve:

• Deploying AI technologies: Utilize artificial intelligence to enhance the customer experience, such as providing personalized product and content recommendations or refining search functionalities.
• Email Segmentation: Tailor your email marketing strategy based on customers’ preferences and previous order history to provide a more personalized touch.
• Contextual Advertising: Utilize contextual advertising to target customers with relevant ads based on their search intent. With the right strategy, you can ensure your brand stays top-of-mind for customers.
• Embracing personalized marketing strategies in a cookie-less era is not just a pivot, but a leap towards a more customer-centric marketing approach.

Optimize user experience

In an era where customer-centricity reigns supreme, optimizing user eperience is essential.

A well-optimized UX turns the journey on your website into a smooth sail, fostering customer loyalty, increasing retention rate, and ultimately, boosting your sales. It involves removing friction to make your website intuitive, responsive, and convenient.

To foster customer loyalty with improved user experience, you can implement the following strategies:

• Shopping cart optimization: Simplify your cart process by minimizing the steps and providing clear messaging. This can include prominent product imagery, visual cues, security seals, and messages to guide the user through the cart process.
• Customer service improvement: Make sure your FAQ section is comprehensive returns and shipping information is transparent, and that contact information is easily accessible. By ensuring customers can answer their own questions easily, you’ll improve their experience and lessen the burden on customer service reps.
• Out-of-stock alerts: If an item is out of stock, allow customers to sign up for alerts when the item is back. This not only improves their experience, but also provides an opportunity for future engagement.
• Website fundamentals: Pay attention to the basics, such as mobile optimization, site speed, and ensuring the protection of customer data and payments.

Every element on your website plays a role in enhancing customer interaction, making them feel valued, and ensuring their journey on your site is as seamless as possible.

Turning challenges into opportunities

The transition to a cookie-less future may initially seem like a daunting challenge to retailers, particularly during the high-stakes holiday season. However, by pivoting the focus toward fostering customer loyalty, accumulating first-party data, and crafting personalized experiences, businesses can not only navigate this transition but emerge more resilient.

This shift presents an opportunity for businesses to truly understand and connect with their customers on a deeper level. This is not just about overcoming a hurdle — it is about seizing an opportunity to redefine the way we connect with our customers, and therein lies the true spirit of the holiday season.

Originally Appeared Here

With the rapid rise of digital payment methods, businesses and consumers are left pondering the future of cash in our society. The cash vs. card debate rages on, with proponents of both sides adding their perspectives to the discussion.

When we emerged from the 2020 pandemic, a resurgence of cash occurred as public health fears were allayed. 

However, more recent data suggests the cash comeback has waned, especially as more Gen Zers open their first bank accounts and ditch their physical wallets for the mobile equivalent. 

With that in mind, we speak to FreedomPay SVP Kevin Carson, about the steps businesses can take to boost customer retention.

Is providing more payment options the key to success for businesses?

Yes. Our research with Retail Economics found people aged between 25 and 35 are spending six hours per week searching for the best deals, amid continued pressures on personal finances. 

As customer loyalty across all age groups becomes harder to acquire, businesses need to get on top of increasing card usage to get ahead.

It’s imperative that businesses provide a diverse range of payment options. It’s no secret that customers nowadays expect the very best, which means catering to a varying range of wants and needs. 

From BNPL to QR codes, as well as Apple Pay, Google Pay and prepaid cards, offering customers the choice in a sea of seemingly endless options can give your business a competitive edge. 

By upgrading PMS and POS systems capabilities to offer more choices, business intelligence can be enhanced. 

These new data systems securely aggregate transactions and consumer insights, and, in turn, facilitate effective personalisation of the customer journey. 

Customers are thus offered deals, discounts and replacements for products that are aligned with their preferences, and companies are rewarded with customers’ loyalty.

The demand for card payments highlights the need for merchants to invest in new and improved tech capabilities. 

Embracing payment optionality will only lead to good things: a personalised customer experience, a seamless purchasing journey, and greater success for you as a business in the long run. 

Can you see digital payments continue its exponential rise? 

Digital payments offer a new way to pay, and the UK is on board—in recent years, reports have predicted that just 7% of purchases will be made with cash by 2024.  

And contactless is fast becoming the preferred method for a whole new generation of customers, with Gen Z proving to be the biggest users of these payments, especially when it comes to digital wallets. 

While cash still has its place for some customers and smaller retailers in particular, in today’s fast-paced world, offering a plurality of payment options and getting to grips with digital is essential; if you don’t, you’ll be left behind. 

How can FreedomPay help businesses expand their payments options?

Finding success in a new era of payments can only be achieved by partnering with a platform that can help businesses unleash the power of pay and provide the kind of hyper-personalised purchasing experience that customers need – one that utilises the latest technologies such as tokenisation and biometric authentication, as well as adapting existing payment infrastructure, both in-store and online. 

Payment trends are turning firmly towards digital, and so should you if you want to stay on top and drive loyalty among the UK’s youngest spenders.

The very speed at which the payments landscape is evolving makes this all the more important. 

A single ‘open’, fully agnostic, and flexible payment platform will enable you to go above and beyond in delivering a top-tier payments experience and ensure your customers keep coming back. 

With the UK on the brink of a cashless society, businesses should be ready to embrace the card revolution—or prepare to lose out.

Originally Appeared Here

Customer 360 is a business idea dealing with how SMBs understand their target markets. Generally, it’s all about putting together customer data so you can reach out to them effectively.

Customer 360

Small Business Trends talked with Brent Leary Co-founder and Partner of CRM Essentials. He supplied an overview of why this is important to your SMB success.

“It seems like the idea has been around forever,” he says. “It’s like the Holy Grail of business. It’s about collecting data to find out everything that you can about a customer.”

Customer Data Ocean

He says there’s quite a few different tributaries feeding the customer data ocean so you can get insights.

“Customer 360 can start before they’re a customer. You’re looking at things like how they interact with you and what kind of things they’re looking for.”

Then SMBs need to add in other factors including how customers like to be engaged with and what their reactions are to your goods and services. And those are just a few more of the ingredients that go into the mix.

“It includes everything that you need to know about a customer from a sales, marketing and service perspective,” he says.

The Digital Age

Sound like a confusing hodgepodge for a busy entrepreneur? Leary supplies focus and a path forward. There’s lots more information to sort through in the digital age too.

One of the big tools used for Customer 360 is CRM. But early on it was only a place to store contact information.  Now Leary says the cloud and the latest CRM companies like Zoho and Salesforce are front and center.   They are able to help small businesses leverage and makes sense of this information.

“These companies make these applications affordable to use. They take out all the complexity of trying to turn the data into insights,” he says.

The Steps

Leary breaks the process down into steps highlighting how these tools work.  Look for a company that can do all of the following.

“The first thing is being able to find the data,” he says adding it can come from several different sources. These sources include social media, messaging apps and even website activity to name just a few. Statistics and numbers from any one source can give you some insights. The first idea on the road to  Customer 360 is to get all this information in one place.

Get Insights

The next step is to be able to find insights and patterns that you can’t see on your own.

“You also need to get these insights at the right time to make a connection with the customer or prospect,” Leary says. There’s more. After you get insights and make connections you need to analyze them to see what works and what doesn’t.

If that sounds confusing it shouldn’t. He isn’t suggesting small business owners go it alone. For one thing, you can use automation to pull all the information together in one central place. Here’s some tools that you can use.

Leary supplies a good tip when you’re trying to sort through all of your options here.

“You can set up your profile with some of these and they’ll start adding information about the folks that are already in your system,” he says.   “These tools are out there to make the process of data entry easier.”

You’re building a Customer 360 foundation when you’re integrating data into your CRM system. But there are other new innovations you can’t afford to ignore. The latest digital tools that point you to customers most likely to buy.

 

How Artificial Intelligence Fits In

“Over the last couple of years, you’ve been hearing a lot about AI and Machine Learning,” Leary says. He adds this is the latest piece of the puzzle and one you can’t do without.  “AI and Machine Learning analyze the data in a way the human brain just can’t.”

These systems can take huge amounts of data and continually analyze it for the insights your SMB needs. One of the best things is the system is continually working for you. You tell them what works and what doesn’t and Machine Learning builds on that.

He also stresses that these new digital ‘brains’ aren’t really a threat. They free us up to build customer relationships based on the analytics they provide. To do what we’re best at—the human part.

“Artificial intelligence might provide the insight,” Leary says, “but we take that insight and deliver it in a human way to a potential customer. That’s the whole Customer 360 thing.”

Enhancing Customer Engagement

In addition to the concept of Customer 360, small businesses can benefit from strategies and technologies that focus on enhancing customer engagement. This involves creating meaningful interactions and relationships with customers to drive loyalty and sales. Here are some key considerations and tactics for boosting customer engagement:

• Personalization: Tailor your interactions and communication to the specific needs and preferences of individual customers. Use data collected through Customer 360 efforts to offer personalized product recommendations, discounts, or content.
• Multi-Channel Engagement: Engage with customers through various channels, including social media, email, chat, and phone. Ensure consistency in your messaging and branding across these channels.
• Feedback and Surveys: Collect feedback from customers regularly. Use surveys, feedback forms, or online reviews to understand their opinions and areas for improvement. Act on this feedback to show that you value their input.
• Customer Support: Provide excellent customer support. Respond promptly to inquiries and resolve issues efficiently. Consider implementing chatbots or automated support systems to handle common queries.
• Content Marketing: Create valuable and informative content that addresses your customers’ pain points and interests. This can include blog posts, videos, webinars, or downloadable resources.
• Loyalty Programs: Implement loyalty programs that reward repeat customers. Offer incentives such as discounts, exclusive access, or rewards points to encourage continued engagement.
• Community Building: Foster a sense of community among your customers. Encourage them to connect with each other through forums, social media groups, or events related to your products or services.
• Email Marketing: Utilize email marketing campaigns to keep customers informed about new products, promotions, and company updates. Segment your email list to send targeted messages.
• Data Analytics: Continually analyze customer data to identify trends and behaviors. Use this information to refine your engagement strategies and make data-driven decisions.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website and communication channels are mobile-friendly. Many customers engage with businesses through smartphones and tablets.
• Embrace Automation: Invest in marketing automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks and nurture leads. Automation can help you maintain consistent engagement even when resources are limited.
• Social Responsibility: Show your commitment to social and environmental causes. Many customers appreciate businesses that support positive initiatives, which can enhance their perception of your brand.

Consideration/Tactic	Description
Personalization	Tailor interactions and communication to individual customer needs and preferences.
Multi-Channel Engagement	Engage customers through various channels like social media, email, chat, and phone while maintaining consistency.
Feedback and Surveys	Collect and act on customer feedback through surveys, forms, and online reviews.
Customer Support	Provide prompt and efficient customer support, potentially using chatbots or automated systems.
Content Marketing	Create valuable content addressing customer pain points and interests, such as blog posts, videos, and webinars.
Loyalty Programs	Implement programs rewarding repeat customers with incentives like discounts and exclusive access.
Community Building	Foster a sense of community among customers through forums, social groups, and related events.
Email Marketing	Utilize email campaigns to inform customers about new products, promotions, and updates with targeted messages.
Data Analytics	Continuously analyze customer data to identify trends and behaviors for data-driven decision-making.
Mobile Optimization	Ensure mobile-friendly websites and channels, as many customers engage through smartphones and tablets.
Embrace Automation	Invest in marketing automation tools for streamlined tasks and consistent engagement, even with limited resources.
Social Responsibility	Showcase commitment to social and environmental causes, enhancing your brand’s perception.

Data Security and Compliance

While the collection and utilization of customer data are essential for Customer 360 and effective engagement, it’s equally crucial for small businesses to prioritize data security and compliance with privacy regulations. Protecting customer information not only builds trust but also safeguards your business from potential legal and reputational risks. Here are key considerations in this regard:

• Data Encryption: Implement strong encryption protocols to protect customer data both in transit and at rest. This ensures that sensitive information remains confidential, even in the event of a security breach.
• Access Controls: Restrict access to customer data on a need-to-know basis. Only authorized personnel should have access to sensitive information, and their permissions should be regularly reviewed and updated.
• Data Backup and Recovery: Maintain regular data backups to prevent data loss due to system failures or cyberattacks. Establish a robust recovery plan to minimize downtime in case of a data breach.
• Privacy Policies: Clearly communicate your data handling practices to customers through privacy policies. Ensure that customers are informed about how their data is used, and obtain their consent for data collection when necessary.
• Compliance with Regulations: Stay informed about data protection regulations applicable to your industry and location. GDPR, CCPA, and other regional laws may impose specific requirements on data handling and disclosure.
• Employee Training: Train your employees on data security best practices. Human error is a common cause of data breaches, so educating your staff can significantly reduce risks.
• Vendor Security: If you use third-party vendors or cloud services, ensure they have robust security measures in place and comply with relevant data protection regulations. Review contracts to clarify data ownership and responsibilities.
• Incident Response Plan: Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to address data breaches promptly and effectively. This should include steps for notifying affected customers and relevant authorities as required by law.
• Customer Data Portability: Be prepared to provide customers with their data upon request. Many privacy regulations grant individuals the right to access and transfer their data, so have processes in place to facilitate this.
• Regular Audits: Conduct regular security audits and assessments to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your data protection measures. Address any issues promptly to maintain data integrity.

Consideration	Description
Data Encryption	Implement strong encryption protocols to protect customer data during transmission and while at rest.
Access Controls	Restrict access to customer data, allowing only authorized personnel to view sensitive information.
Data Backup and Recovery	Maintain regular data backups to prevent data loss and establish a recovery plan to minimize downtime.
Privacy Policies	Clearly communicate data handling practices to customers through privacy policies, ensuring transparency.
Compliance with Regulations	Stay informed about data protection regulations applicable to your industry and location and comply with them.
Employee Training	Train employees on data security best practices to reduce the risk of human error leading to data breaches.
Vendor Security	Ensure third-party vendors and cloud services have robust security measures and comply with data regulations.
Incident Response Plan	Develop a comprehensive plan to address data breaches promptly, including customer and authority notifications.
Customer Data Portability	Be prepared to provide customers with their data upon request, in line with privacy regulations.
Regular Audits	Conduct periodic security audits to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses and promptly address them.

Conclusion

The concept of Customer 360 presents small businesses with a powerful framework for understanding and engaging with their target markets comprehensively. By collecting and analyzing customer data from various sources, businesses can gain invaluable insights into customer behaviors, preferences, and needs. Furthermore, with the aid of modern CRM systems and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, this data can be transformed into actionable strategies that drive customer satisfaction and loyalty.

However, it’s essential to recognize that the journey towards Customer 360 doesn’t end with data collection and analysis alone. Small businesses must also prioritize customer engagement as a complementary strategy. Personalization, multi-channel communication, excellent customer support, and community building are among the key tactics that foster meaningful interactions and long-term relationships with customers.

In this digital age, where customers have more choices than ever, the combination of Customer 360 and effective engagement strategies can set small businesses apart. By leveraging technology and human touch in harmony, businesses can not only understand their customers but also deliver the personalized experiences and value that today’s consumers expect. Ultimately, this holistic approach to customer management can drive growth, loyalty, and success for SMBs in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Image: Depositphotos.com

More in: Customer Satisfaction

Originally Appeared Here:

LAS VEGAS – Customer service plays a pivotal role in the success or failure of a business. Recognizing the significance of this most of the enterprises experience, Oracle has unveiled Generative AI-powered capabilities to optimize customer service delivery, improve productivity, and help organizations enhance the customer experience within Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience (CX). This addition of generative AI-powered capabilities within Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience (CX) was announced at Oracle CloudWorld 2023 in Las Vegas.

“To create outstanding customer experiences, CX professionals—and customers they engage with—need quick access to accurate information. With the ability to summarize, author, and recommend content, generative AI has the potential to significantly enhance customer service engagements,” says Rob Tarkoff, executive vice president and general manager, Oracle Cloud CX.  “The new capabilities in Oracle Cloud CX will help organizations resolve customer service issues quicker and more efficiently by increasing service agent and field technician productivity, optimizing self-service, and automating traditional tasks that are manual and time-consuming.”

The newly embedded generative AI includes various capabilities. The first is Assisted Agent Responses that enables improved service agent productivity by helping author responses to service requests as it uses the history of the service interaction to draft an initial response that can be reviewed and edited before sending. Assisted Knowledge Articles helps improve the productivity of service teams by reducing the time spent creating new knowledge base content as these new AI capabilities assist in the development of articles for emerging service issues so service agents can quickly gain the knowledge needed to help customers. Search Augmentation enables service agents and end-customers to gain quick access to answers by integrating short-form responses to questions in search and chat. The new generative AI capabilities will augment results in the search bar and draft responses to questions in Oracle Digital Assistant. Customer Engagement Summaries will help improve service agent and administrator productivity by generating summaries of the key information in service requests. And Assisted Guidance Authoring will assist product and service experts create and update questions that guide service agents through a defined set of triage and troubleshooting steps. The new generative AI capabilities use the relevant subject matter within a guide to help an administrator quickly define a consistent process for agents to follow when attempting to solve customer issues. The last is the Field Service Recommendations that will help improve field service technician success by providing quick access to instructional content in the field as it will suggest contextually relevant content from trusted troubleshooting source material to improve the efficiency of technicians.

“Many organizations struggle to fill traditional customer service roles and are adding more automation, digital assistants, and self-service channels to keep up with customer expectations. With the latest updates to Oracle Cloud CX, organizations can take advantage of generative AI to rapidly solve issues and enhance the customer experience by increasing service agent, field technician, and customer self-service efficiency,” explains Aly Pinder, research vice president, IDC.

These AI-powered capabilities within Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience (CX) have been built on the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. In line with the security and privacy policies, which Oracle takes very seriously, the new capabilities are designed to respect customers’ enterprise data, privacy, and security. OCI hosts both prebuilt and custom models.

With Oracle’s generative AI service, no customer data is shared with LLM providers or seen by other customers or other third parties, claims Oracle. In addition, an individual customer is the only entity allowed to use custom models trained on its data. Role-based security embedded directly into Oracle Fusion Service workflows helps to protect sensitive information about customers and only recommends content that service agents are entitled to view.

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Dublin, Sept. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “CX Growth Opportunities in Travel & Hospitality: Global, 2023 – A Customer Perspective” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The Travel and hospitality (T&H) industry was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020. Strict shelter-at-home regulations and travel restrictions created havoc for customer experience (CX) organizations globally, generating loads of new and perpetually changing information that T&H agents needed to have at their fingertips.

During the early stages of the pandemic, T&H contact centers were bombarded with cancellations. In 2021 and 2022, travel plans accelerated as worries about the virus began to diminish. The year 2023 is seeing a tremendous rise in travel due to pent-up demand. This means the T&H industry is once again overwhelmed with customer interactions.

The extraordinarily long wait times to reach agents during the early period of the pandemic forced customers across generations to use self-service customer interaction channels. Preparing for a post-pandemic future is top of mind for T&H companies, as they must navigate cyclical demand for travel with an ever-changing balance of live agents and self-service.

Many companies have invested in contact center solutions that allow customers to choose to receive a callback when an agent is available without losing their place in line. Or even better, the system can automatically identify the caller with their phone number, quickly confirm their identity for security purposes, and then proactively ask the customer if the call is regarding an existing reservation departing from the XYZ airport.

The difference between these two experiences will be much more evident in 2023 as companies procure intelligent virtual agents that can complete some interactions entirely on their own. They can also support agents by providing the most relevant information at their fingertips, allowing them to better connect with customers and offer them personalized recommendations.

Sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) remain major executive priorities because consumers and investors demand them. In the publisher’s 2023 Global Contact Center Survey, conducted in January 2023, 63% of contact center stakeholders in travel and hospitality considered sustainability very important or crucial. Virtuoso polled about 300 affluent travelers in May 2022 and found that 80% of respondents felt that the pandemic made them want to travel more responsibly in the future.

Throughout the decade, new interaction channels emerged, including refreshed interactive voice response (IVR), bots, more intelligent virtual assistants (IVA), and branded mobile apps and websites.

In an industry that has suffered from meeting baseline expectations with long queues and bots and IVRs that do not understand or deliver what the customer needs, a minimum requirement and a significant step towards brand loyalty is to make the interactions effortless and seamless across channels. About 67% of T&H contact center stakeholders focus on managing the entire customer journey.

Key Features

• Understand the IT challenges contact center organizations face today
• Gauge remote/hybrid models
• Monitor the status of digital transformation in contact center organizations
• Assess the current and future use of contact center solutions
• Evaluate factors that drive investments in contact center solutions
• Gauge market and technology trends
• Appraise available IT budgets

Key Topics Covered:

1. The Changing Travel and Hospitality Contact Center Landscape

• State of the Travel and Hospitality Industry: Global – 2023
• Top Consumer Trends in Travel and Hospitality that Impact Contact Centers: Global – 2023
• Contact Center Trends in Travel & Hospitality: Global – 2023
• Technology Trends

2. Growth Environment

• Travel and Hospitality Swings from Loss to Recovery
• Digital Transformation and the Infusion of AI in Travel and Hospitality

3. 2023 Global Contact Center Survey Results/Methodology – Travel and Hospitality

• Customer Research Methodology & Respondent Profile

4. Key Findings

• Travel and Hospitality Decision Maker Feedback From the Publisher’s 2023 Global Contact Center Survey
• Corporate Objectives Align with CX Priorities

5. Investment Plans 2023 to 2024

• Most Travel & Hospitality Businesses will Increase Investments in Contact Center Solutions in 2023
• Live Agents Reign
• Top AI Technologies Acquired to Support Agents and Speed Up Interactions
• Proven Return on Investment (ROI) Compels Travel and Hospitality Businesses to Overhaul the Entire Contact Center

6. Agent Engagement Strategies

• Attrition Higher in Sectors that Require Agents to Have More Knowledge/Skills
• Organizations Keep Employees on Board by Empowering Them

7. Channel Trends and Customer Satisfaction

• Channel Dynamics – Last 12 Months
• The Travel and Hospitality Industry Performs Worse than Other Sectors in Each Channel

8. Companies to Action

• Teleperformance Provides Numerous Tools Designed for the T&H Industry
• Cathay Pacific Implements Genesys Cloud CX to Build Lifetime Relationships with Customers in Digital Channels
• Global Hospitality Group Partners with Foundever to Create Brand Ambassadors with the Social Media Channel
• Tripadvisor Implements NICE Cloud CX to Deliver Seamless Experiences Across Brands
• Top 5 Global Economic Highlights of 2022

9. Appendix

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes

• Cathay Pacific
• Foundever
• Global Hospitality Group
• Teleperformance
• Tripadvisor
• Virtuoso

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dcerpi

About ResearchAndMarkets.com
ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Like the name suggests, employee self service is the name given to software that allows workers to take care of items like changing banking and contact information without going through someone in the HR department. They can often access payroll, personal details and in some cases submit vacation requests too.

If you think your small business can get away with bypassing employee self service software without even a consideration, think again.

Gartner has predicted by 2020, 85% of customer interactions won’t involve a human and this wave of automation already includes employee self service portals.

Here’s what small businesses need to know about this cost saving technology.

Employee self-service is an emerging trend for small businesses that want to streamline or eliminate their HR departments. Beyond the features already mentioned, some of these portals allow employees to change their W-4 data as well as  direct deposit information. There are a host of other options like benefits information as well.

Employee Self Service Tips

User Friendliness  

There needs to be a lot of information in one of these portals but it needs to be easy to read and understand. Navigation is a very important aspect. Start planning the portal with the navigation bar on the landing page because that’s the launch point for your employees.

Since they’re more than likely familiar with websites, you should put your nav bar at the top where they expect it to be. To reduce clutter, consider a drop-down feature from there. Remember that you don’t need to clutter up the website with a lot of information that would just put your employees off.

These drop-down menus are a great way to hide folders behind the landing page. For example, clicking on a “Benefits” tab could lead to the drop-down menu to take employees to the dental or eyeglass benefit folders/pages.

There are a host of other features you need to look at this as a starting point and the one you should funnel all your choices through.

Other Features  

One of the other features that you need to consider for an employee self-service portal is compliance. It’s a good idea to reserve at least part of the website for employee handbooks and tools where they can report acts of discrimination or theft.

Keeping employee files online where you can see them 24/7 is another feature that you’ll probably want to take a serious look at.

Picking the Software

Picking the right software for your small business depends on sorting through several different options. Some, like EmpXTrack will charge a fee per employee per month.

Other models like Zoho People charge per user per month. The other option is for larger small businesses or medium sized companies. There is usually a one time payment here with some tiered options you’ll need to sort through.

Getting Started  

Like everything else when you’re moving from paper to digital records, you should plan a strategy when you’ve decided to set up one of these employee self service portals. You should plan to create an account for each individual employee and give them the login information. Tell them to go in and check what’s in there once you’ve got the software up and running and make any necessary changes.

You’ll need to walk your employees through the whole process. Having a team meeting is a good idea. Explain what can and cannot be done in the portal. It’s also important to answer any questions they might have.

The Advantages  

There are some advantages to digitizing the employee experience this way. If you sign up with a software program that has a mobile app option, everyone in your company will be able to organize the information they need on the go.

This software option also makes it easier for HR people to skip the mundane administrative parts of their job and concentrate on other things like onboarding new employees.

The Disadvantages  

Before you go all in with one of these employee self-service platforms, consider the downside. For example, errors have a way of showing up when there’s no one overseeing how the data gets entered and how accurate it is.

There are some upfront costs involved like ramping up your cyber security. Having employees personal information compromised can actually leave your small business accountable legally so you can’t skimp on this feature.

Topic	Tips and Recommendations
User Friendliness	– Ensure the portal is easy to read and understand.
– Place the navigation bar at the top for familiarity.
– Consider using drop-down menus to reduce clutter.
– Use drop-down menus to hide folders for organization.
Other Features	– Reserve part of the portal for employee handbooks.
– Provide tools for reporting acts of discrimination.
– Keep employee files accessible 24/7 online.
Picking the Software	– Choose software based on your business size.
– Some charge per employee per month (e.g., EmpXTrack).
– Others charge per user per month (e.g., Zoho People).
– Larger businesses may have one-time payment options.
Getting Started	– Plan a strategy for transitioning to digital records.
– Create accounts for individual employees.
– Provide login information and guide employees.
The Advantages	– Mobile app options allow easy access on the go.
– Streamline HR tasks, freeing up time for other duties.
The Disadvantages	– Errors may occur without oversight of data entry.
– Upfront costs for cybersecurity are necessary.
– Data breaches can have legal consequences.

Employee Self-Service Implementation

Implementing employee self-service software can greatly benefit your small business, but a successful implementation requires careful planning and execution. Here are some key steps to consider:

1. Needs Assessment

Before selecting and implementing employee self-service software, assess your company’s specific needs and goals. Consider what tasks and processes you want to automate or streamline. This will help you choose the right software solution.

2. Software Selection

Research and evaluate different employee self-service software options. Look for features that align with your company’s requirements, such as payroll management, benefits administration, and compliance tools. Compare pricing models to find one that fits your budget.

3. Customization

Once you’ve chosen a software solution, customize it to match your company’s branding and workflow. Ensure that the user interface is intuitive and user-friendly for your employees.

4. Data Migration

If you’re transitioning from paper records or another HR system, plan the migration of employee data carefully. Ensure that all existing information is accurately transferred to the new system to avoid data discrepancies.

5. Training and Onboarding

Provide comprehensive training to your employees on how to use the self-service portal effectively. Create user guides and conduct training sessions to help them navigate the system with ease. Address any questions or concerns they may have.

6. Security Measures

Implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive employee data. Regularly update and patch the software to prevent security breaches. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations to avoid legal consequences.

7. Continuous Improvement

Monitor the performance of the self-service portal and gather feedback from employees. Use this feedback to make necessary improvements and updates to enhance the user experience.

8. Support and Maintenance

Offer ongoing technical support to assist employees with any issues they encounter while using the self-service portal. Regularly update the software to add new features and improve functionality.

Step	Description
Needs Assessment	Assess your company’s needs and goals for self-service software. Identify tasks and processes to automate or streamline.
Software Selection	Research and evaluate different self-service software options. Consider features aligned with your requirements and budget.
Customization	Customize the chosen software to match your company’s branding and workflow. Ensure a user-friendly interface.
Data Migration	Plan and execute the migration of employee data from existing systems or paper records to the new software.
Training & Onboarding	Provide comprehensive training and user guides to help employees navigate the self-service portal effectively.
Security Measures	Implement strong cybersecurity measures, update the software regularly, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
Continuous Improvement	Monitor portal performance, collect employee feedback, and make necessary improvements for a better user experience.
Support & Maintenance	Offer ongoing technical support and keep the software updated with new features and improvements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is employee self-service (ESS) software?

ESS software allows employees to manage various HR-related tasks independently, such as updating personal information, accessing payroll data, and submitting vacation requests, without HR department assistance.

Why should small businesses consider ESS software?

ESS software streamlines HR processes, reduces administrative overhead, and empowers employees to manage their information. It can lead to cost savings and improved efficiency.

How user-friendly should an ESS portal be?

An ESS portal should be highly user-friendly with intuitive navigation. The goal is to make it easy for employees to find and use the features they need. Start with a clear navigation bar.

What other features should an ESS portal have?

In addition to basic features, an ESS portal should include compliance tools, employee handbooks, and reporting mechanisms for issues like discrimination or theft. It can also store employee files securely.

How do I choose the right ESS software for my small business?

When selecting ESS software, consider your budget and the specific needs of your company. Compare pricing models (e.g., per employee, per user) and evaluate available features.

What steps are involved in implementing ESS software?

The implementation process includes assessing needs, selecting software, customization, data migration, employee training, security measures, continuous improvement, and ongoing support and maintenance.

How can I ensure the security of employee data in an ESS portal?

Implement robust cybersecurity measures, regularly update the software, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations to safeguard sensitive employee information.

What are the advantages of digitizing the employee experience with ESS software?

Digitizing employee processes can provide on-the-go access, streamline HR tasks, and allow HR personnel to focus on more strategic activities like onboarding.

What are the potential disadvantages of ESS platforms?

ESS platforms may introduce errors if data isn’t entered accurately. There can also be upfront costs associated with cybersecurity, and data breaches can have legal consequences.

How can I ensure a successful ESS software implementation?

Success requires careful planning, customization, training, data migration, ongoing support, and continuous improvement based on employee feedback. Tailor the implementation to your company’s unique needs.

Photo via Shutterstock

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Expanded Collaboration to Provide Expertise and Technology Needed to Drive Productivity Gains With Generative AI Applications and Solutions Across Industries; New Center of Excellence Will Train 50,000 Infosys Employees on NVIDIA AI Technology

Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) today announced that they have expanded their strategic collaboration with the aim to help enterprises worldwide drive productivity gains with generative AI applications and solutions.

The broadened alliance will bring the NVIDIA AI Enterprise ecosystem of models, tools, runtimes and GPU systems to Infosys Topaz — an AI-first set of services, solutions and platforms that use generative AI technologies. Through the integration, Infosys will create offerings customers can adopt to easily integrate generative AI into their businesses.

Additionally, Infosys plans to set up an NVIDIA Center of Excellence, where it will train and certify 50,000 of its employees on NVIDIA AI technology to provide generative AI expertise to its vast network of customers across industries.

“Infosys is transforming into an AI-first company to better provide AI-based services to our clients worldwide. Our clients are also looking at complex AI use cases that can drive significant business value across their entire value chain,” said Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and chairman, Infosys. “Infosys Topaz offerings and solutions are complementary to NVIDIA’s core stack. By combining our strengths and training 50,000 of our workforce on NVIDIA AI technology, we are creating end-to-end industry leading AI solutions that will help enterprises on their journey to become AI-first.” 

“Generative AI will drive the next wave of enterprise productivity gains,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO, NVIDIA. “The NVIDIA AI Enterprise ecosystem is ramping quickly to provide the platform for generative AI. Together, NVIDIA and Infosys will create an expert workforce to help businesses use this platform to build custom applications and solutions.” 

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang with Infosys co-founder and chairman Nandan Nilekani.

Full-Stack NVIDIA Integration Powers Advanced Infosys Solutions

Infosys uses the full-stack NVIDIA generative AI platform, including hardware and enterprise-grade software to innovate across its business operations, and it is helping customers create generative AI applications for business operations, sales and marketing. 

With NVIDIA AI Enterprise frameworks, pretrained models and toolkits — including the NVIDIA NeMo™ LLM framework, NVIDIA Metropolis for computer vision and NVIDIA Riva for speech AI — Infosys has already developed a number of offerings to multiple AI-first enterprise solutions across industries. These include:

• Integrating the Infosys Video Analytics platform with NVIDIA Metropolis, which brings the power of computer vision to address retail industry challenges, including creating frictionless shopping experiences, improving merchandising and planogram compliance, reducing shrinkage, monitoring inventory, extracting real-time intelligence, checking compliances for health, safety and more, as well as for logistics, manufacturing and utilities.

• Pairing Infosys Generative AI Labs with the NVIDIA NeMo framework, which enables organizations to fine-tune and fast-track deployments of large language models tailored for a wide range of enterprise use cases, providing a cost-effective and easily scalable platform. Using NVIDIA NeMo Guardrails, Infosys is augmenting its Responsible AI Toolkit to build powerful intelligent practices to safeguard against the potential risks of generative AI, such as IP infringement, bias and toxicity, hallucinations and security threats.

• Using Infosys Cortex with NVIDIA Riva speech and translation AI, Infosys is developing AI-driven next-generation contact center solutions. These include language neutralization features for seamless multilingual support, as well as equipping contact center representatives with real-time customer intent and sentiment analysis tools to enhance customer satisfaction and foster brand loyalty.

The collaboration extends to digitalization applications, with a focus on developing solutions for enterprise use cases across 3D workflows, design collaboration, digital twin, world simulation and others. 

Infosys and NVIDIA are also co-developing AI-powered solutions in areas like 5G, cybersecurity and energy transition.

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