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Customer Experience Revenue in the Travel & Hospitality Industry Declined by 33% Between 2019 and 2021, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

While all industry sectors have needed to pivot and flex to address the global pandemic, few other industries have had to reinvent their processes and solutions the way the travel & hospitality market has needed to. Constantly changing restrictions and regulations have made any sort of market recovery in this sector lumpy, at best. The travel & hospitality sector has always needed to walk the line between internal operational and cost efficiencies and personal attention to the guest or traveler. According to a recent report from Dash Research, the global COVID-19 pandemic caused many travel & hospitality companies to reassess their priorities and current technology status, focusing on those that will result in even greater efficiencies as they navigate the upcoming recovery, and provide a smooth, friction-free, and positive customer experience for those traveling. Dash Research estimates that the global market for customer experience (CX)/customer engagement (CE) software and services totaled $3.5 billion in 2021, a 32.7% decline from 2019 when revenue for the sector was $5.2 billion. The market intelligence firm does not anticipate revenue returning to 2019 levels within the duration of its forecast period (2019 to 2026). Worldwide CX/CE revenue is forecast to rise moderately over the next several years, reaching $4.3 billion in 2026. “The customer journey of a traveler can be complicated and leverages many disparate technologies,” says senior analyst Sherril Hanson. “The process of researching a trip via the wide variety of channels and third-party providers, booking, paying, moving through a transportation hub, and arriving at a destination of choice has a lot of opportunities to rise to the occasion to provide outstanding CX or fall short of expectations.” Hanson adds that each touchpoint in that journey is an opportunity to build brand loyalty, trust, and positive emotions. Dash Research concludes that this is both a challenge and an opportunity for implementing CX technologies and services. While the industry will take some time to fully rebound, an exploration of CX in this sector demonstrates that it is a market primed to reap the benefits of implementing CX technologies. Dash Research analysis indicates that the key market drivers spurring the purchase of CX software platforms, applications, and ancillary services in the travel & hospitality market include the following: Demand for omnichannel interactions and self-service along the various touchpoints Changes in the nature of the travel experience and a desire for personalization Acceleration of contactless and convenience technologies Increased communication needs However, a multi-year global pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for the travel & hospitality industry, and several key related market barriers that are tempering the growth of CX software and services include the following: Market uncertainty and budget constraints Fragmented and sometimes outdated technology stacks Labor shortages and employee burnout Consumer concern over health and safety issues Opportunities abound for the growth of CX solutions in travel & hospitality, but amidst all the current challenges, these solutions must be implemented with a keen eye toward evolving consumer behavior and attitudes, greater efficiency and convenience for travelers, timely and personalized communications, and a strong and sustained focus on employee experience (EX) in an environment of scarce labor resources. Dash Research’s report, “CX in the Travel & Hospitality Industry”, focuses on the software platforms, applications, and services that are offered to travel & hospitality companies to help them achieve excellent CX that leaves travelers feeling safe, satisfied, and eager for a return trip via all the companies that eased their journey. The report examines the current and future market issues, market drivers and barriers, and case studies within the travel & hospitality CX/CE industry. Market sizing and forecasts include segmentations by geography, functional area, product offering, and visibility to the customer. Discussion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the industry is responding, is also included. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

February 09, 2022 06:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Velocity Global becomes Official Partner of the DP World Tour

Velocity Global

Velocity Global becomes first global technology company to sponsor the DP World Tour, PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour DP World Tour to utilise the Global Work Platform from Velocity Global to enable employees to work anywhere in the world Multi-year agreement with elevated partnership status at three additional tournaments The DP World Tour today announces that Velocity Global, the world’s leading provider of global talent solutions, has become an Official Tour Partner in a multi-year agreement. Velocity Global serves as the Official Global Work Platform of the DP World Tour. Speaking about the partnership Rob Wellner, Chief Revenue Officer of Velocity Global said; “We are excited to become an Official Tour Partner and the Official Global Work Platform for the DP World Tour. Golf is truly a global game that spans national boundaries, leading to increased competition in an effort to find the best golf talent wherever it is. Finding and hiring top talent - anyone, anywhere - is at the heart of what Velocity Global provides to our customers. We give a competitive edge to leading companies to get ahead in the global marketplace. This partnership is a perfect embodiment of that work." Max Hamilton, Commercial Director of the European Tour group, added; “The DP World Tour has a truly global footprint, with 45 tournaments across 25 countries in our 2022 schedule - and in Velocity Global, we have found a partner who matches that globality. As an ever-expanding Tour, their Global Work Platform will support our business operations for DP World Tour personnel working abroad. Their footprint in golf is substantial and given our close ties to the PGA TOUR and both the LPGA and Ladies European Tour with our mixed events, Velocity Global can create synergies through its deep partnerships across golf’s biggest tours. We look forward to supporting each other in the years ahead.” As an Official Tour Partner, Velocity Global benefits from a range of marketing opportunities to grow its brand, including on-course signage and live television branding during DP World Tour events, bespoke social media content and access to tournament hospitality services. Throughout the partnership Velocity Global and the DP World Tour will develop a multi-channel content series to showcase some of the top players in the world and share their Work from Anywhere story. Velocity Global also enjoys elevated partnership status at three of the DP World Tour’s premier tournaments each season. These are two Rolex Series tournaments - the BMW PGA Championship and the DP World Tour Championship - plus the ISPS Handa World Invitational, which is an innovative mixed gender tournament run in partnership with the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour. The company’s Global Work Platform TM enables employers to grow compliant distributed workforces in more than 185 countries. Serving as the Official Global Work Platform for the DP World Tour, this partnership will see the Tour use Velocity Global’s services to help its employees work anywhere in the world. With this announcement, Velocity Global is now a partner of the four leading Tours in the men’s and women’s professional game – the first global tech company to have such a presence in elite golf. The company is already the Official Global Workforce Solutions Platform of the PGA TOUR, as well as the presenting sponsor of the PGA TOUR University. Last month, Velocity Global also announced a new agreement as the Official Global Work Platform of the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour. In addition, Billy Horschel, the winner of the 2021 BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour and a six-time PGA TOUR winner, is a Velocity Global brand ambassador, along with 12th-ranked Lexi Thompson and Albane Valenzuela on the LPGA Tour. Kevin Hall, a four-time APGA Tour champion, is also a Velocity Global brand ambassador. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work for anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Its Global Work Platform simplifies the employer and talent experience through its proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. With talent solutions in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States, the platform combines global Employer of Record and Contractor Management to onboard, manage, and pay talent worldwide. More than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. Velocity Global was named a "Leader" in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. About the DP World Tour The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group, with a global schedule featuring a minimum of 45 tournaments in 25 different countries across the 2022 season. Formerly known as the European Tour, which was established in 1972, the 2022 DP World Tour schedule includes five Rolex Series events, along with four Major Championships, two World Golf Championship events and three tournaments co-sanctioned with the PGA TOUR, as well as tournaments staged around the world with a minimum prize of $2million for all events solely sanctioned by the DP World Tour. The season concludes with the final Rolex Series event, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, where the winner of the Tour’s season-long competition, the DP World Tour Rankings, will be crowned. DP World, the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions, is the title partner of the DP World Tour, which is administered by the European Tour group. Contact Details Velocity Global Chris McGrath +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

February 08, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

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Osmo From BYJU’s Names Kar-Han Tan, Ph.D., Head of Computer Vision and Machine Learning

Osmo

Award-winning STEAM brand, Osmo from BYJU’S, announces Kar-Han Tan’s appointment as Head of Computer Vision and Machine Learning, effective immediately. With three decades leading teams in robotics and AI research and development, Tan will further the development of a world-class computer vision and AI platform that aids in the creation of new products, games, and devices incorporating gains made in deep learning technology. In addition, he will lead a growing global team to research, develop, and optimize new algorithms for computer vision and AI-enabled features such as object detection, object recognition, hand tracking, pattern matching, and hand-drawing analysis, among others, all in an effort to create the best learning tools and outcomes.. “We were impressed by Kar-Han’s extensive experience leading R&D teams in robotics, AI, and deep learning,” says Mark Solomon, Senior Vice President of Products and Platform at BYJU’S. “His background will help Osmo expand the usage of computer vision technology across BYJU’S various products and platforms, further meeting the needs of learners of all ages everywhere.” Tan, who was born and educated in Singapore, most recently founded Helpful Robotics LLC, which designed and built an AI-enabled autonomous assistive robot from the ground up, and fostered a collaboration between scientists and engineers located in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the University of California San Francisco, and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “It’s an important moment for Osmo to capitalize on the explosive breakthroughs in computer vision technology driven by advances in deep learning in recent years,” says Tan, a father of two school-aged children who is passionate about kids’ at-home learning utilizing game-based play. “When combined with advances in neural engines and discoveries of new algorithms for devices, it offers a realm of new capabilities for all devices. Osmo is part of a new ‘space age,’ transforming what was previously imagined as sci-fi fantasy into a concrete reality within the realm of gamified learning and tools.” Between 2017 and 2019, Tan was Head of Product Research and Development at Singapore Telecommunications in Singapore, where he built and led an end-to-end research and development organization and led a number of engineering teams. He helped form the Singtel Cognitive and Artificial Intelligence Lab for Enterprise (SCALE) including a collaboration between Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), which focused on resolving various challenges faced by cities in keeping their infrastructure facilities in top working condition, through the use of smart sensors embedded with AI. Tan was also involved in product launches for a cloud-based open robotic fleet management platform, an AI-powered IoT platform, a smart camera system using Edge intelligence, and an immersive 3D physical security management system. Prior to this, Tan was Vice President of Engineering at NovuMind in Silicon Valley, where he formed and led the software and deep learning algorithms team, in addition to leading the development of a proprietary system for deep learning-based, real-time, unconstrained face recognition system that was installed in an office building in China, to monitor times of entries and exits. Before NovuMind, he was Principal Engineer at Hewlett Packard Personal Systems and later promoted to Head of Advanced Development. He served as technical lead for the computer vision software team for Sprout by HP, the first consumer product to integrate a 3D camera and incorporate 3D scanning capability. Tan’s research and development career also includes working for HP Labs, Epson, and Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab. Tan earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science specializing in computer vision technology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a M.S. in Computer Science specializing in robotics from UCLA, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from National University of Singapore. Tan holds over 60 patents, and his research has been published and cited in numerous academic and trade journals. About Osmo From BYJU’S Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand, wholly owned by BYJU’S, the leading global edtech company. Osmo and Osmo Education products are used in over 2.5 million homes and 50,000 classrooms, respectively. Osmo builds a universe of hands-on, curriculum-based learning experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The brand brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Learn more at PlayOsmo.com and Osmo Education. About BYJU’S Launched in 2011, BYJU’S is the world’s leading education technology company for students Pre K-12 and is beloved by 100 million students around the world. By making learning contextual and visual, not just theoretical, BYJU’S is paving the way for new-age, geography-agnostic learning tools that sit at the cross-section of mobile, interactive content and personalized learning methodologies. To learn more, go to: byjus.com/us. Contact Details Osmo Lisa Fujioka lisa@tangibleplay.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

February 03, 2022 05:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

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Eco-friendly Brands That Put the Planet First

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/5r2Klr0EZi4 There’s never been a more important time to collectively become more aware of how we—as individuals, corporations, and businesses—are affecting the planet. What we buy, where we shop, how those items are made. After years of working and traveling internationally, International sustainable brand consultant and fashion stylist, Cassandra Dittmer has witnessed the increase of negative impacts that the fashion industry has on both the environment and its labor force that make everything possible. Cassandra immersed herself in eco-conscious living practices, products, brands that challenge the way sustainability is currently defined. One brand that Cassandra has identified as meeting the eco-friendly challenge is Citizen. Invented over 45 years ago, Citizen’s proprietary Eco-Drive is the light-powered, eco-mindful technology that eliminates the need for watch battery replacement and at the heart of almost all of Citizen’s timepieces In 1970, in response to an environmental crisis, Citizen pioneered the world’s first light-powered watch: Eco-Drive. Eco-Drive enables Citizen watches to be powered by any light source, continuously and sustainably, eliminating the need to replace watch batteries. A standard in renewable energy for timepieces, Eco-Drive simultaneously respects and preserves the environment by preventing millions of watch batteries from entering landfills each year. Citizen has pledged to donate 1% of its website sales in the US to support a host of nonprofit organizations focused on the environment. Citizen partners with 1% of the Planet – who represents an alliance of businesses and individuals who are committed to enacting change to protect and restore the Earth. For more information, visit citizenwatch.com Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 02, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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EBY - the Authority in Seamless Underwear - Welcomes Rosario Dawson As Latest Investor

EBY

Women’s empowerment & tech apparel company EBY welcomes actress & entrepreneur Rosario Dawson as the brand’s latest investor. In September, EBY announced that they raised $6M in Series A funding, led by Dallas based investment firm Colt Ventures. The brand is pleased to complete their Series A financing with Dawson, joining past investors like venture capitalist firm Azure Capital (which boasts a portfolio that comprises of Native Deodorants, Bouqs and Sleep 8), Robert DiRomualdo (Chairman of Ulta Beauty), Ken Goldman (former CFO of Yahoo), Duncan Neiderauer (former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange) and Venus Williams. An entrepreneur herself, Rosario Dawson’s commitment to EBY is not her first venture into the lifestyle space - she is also the Co-Founder of female-artisan-produced, CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative-winning fashion brand Studio189. EBY Co-Founder Renata M. Black and Dawson have been friends for years, establishing a resilient bond over their life-long unwavering dedication to the empowerment of women, and being fellow co-owners of Latinx founded businesses. EBY and Studio 189 have also partnered in the past in a product capacity - collaborating on a limited-edition release of special Studio 189 prints on EBY’s signature seamless undies. "I’ve long admired Renata’s strength as an innovative leader and very much believe in her mission of empowering women through microfinance. I’m excited to now be a part of this brand’s incredible growth and help Renata’s vision come to life.”- Rosario Dawson. EBY is utilizing the funding to introduce innovative products and adding real value at every touch point of the customer journey - continuing to honor the brand’s foundational mission of the empowerment of women through microfinance, small loans that enable an underprivileged woman to start or grow her own business. In turn, the woman becomes self-sufficient, breaking the cycle of poverty for herself and her children. By the end of 2022, EBY will have empowered 40,000 women and children out of poverty and into impact with close to 2 million dollars in microfinance funding. EBY repositions underwear as a tool for empowerment rather than one of seduction - as represented in their latest marketing campaign, ‘Feels Like This.’ The ‘Feels Like This’ Campaign is a post-pandemic social movement to ‘stop the scroll’ with a breath of emotion. ‘Feels Like This’ presents the sentiment people are scrolling for - encouraging them to embrace their ‘naked’emotions, enabling themselves to be ‘intimate’ again. The campaign features EBY’s innovative new Invisible Cotton 2.0 Collection - the first ever truly seamless cotton underwear that’s unlike any underwear on the market. The collection features cotton panties & bralettes that utilize EBY’s uniquely applied, no-slip-grip flocking technology. An upgraded fabric category for the brand, EBY spent the last year finding, testing and developing the best cotton blend fabric that they could apply their signature flocking to, in order to re-launch truly Invisible Cotton - an almost impossible feat for the fabric. EBY cotton seamless undies have a clean finish edge with no elastic, allowing for a seamless finish with no digging and no panty lines. The unique cotton-blend stretches with the wearer and never loses its shape. In addition to the Seamless Cotton Collection, EBY is launching additional premium collections, a period underwear, and a mesh collection throughout the rest of next year. “Throughout the years, Rosario and I have been in lock-step with our relentless and unapologetic pursuit of leaving this world better because we were here. What is so special about now, is that our paths have crossed - making us that much stronger and that much more unstoppable. I have had the fortune of calling her a friend, and have witnessed first-hand that she is a ride or die kind of lady. From the roles she plays, to the epic mother and entrepreneur she has become, everything she does has a transformative impact. With EBY it is no different. I am beyond thrilled to have her on side.” - Renata M. Black, Co-Founder Prices for the Seamless Cotton Collection range from $15-$45 For more information on EBY, please visit https://shop.join-eby.com. Co-founded by entrepreneur Renata M. Black in 2018, EBY is the ‘authority in seamless underwear’ - utilizing uniquely applied, no-slip-grip flocking technology to their seamless panties and bralettes. Body-inclusive EBY offers seamless underwear in sizes XS-4XL, servicing over 100 million plus-size customers who cannot shop at some of the largest retail stores in the U.S. EBY’s membership program also offers consumers an underwear subscription box with exclusive product and members-only pricing. The direct-to-consumer company’s core mission is female empowerment - not only through their offerings to their loyal subscribers and shoppers, but also by supporting women in poverty through the power of microfinance. 10% of proceeds from EBY underwear sales go to the Seven Bar Foundation to empower women through microfinance: small business loans to women in poverty that lead to incredible outcomes. By the end 2021, EBY will have impacted over 15,000 women and children out of poverty into business. Contact Details OGAKI Amber Cardullo acardullo@ogakidigital.com Company Website https://shop.join-eby.com

February 01, 2022 10:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

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iTradeNetwork Introduces Next-Gen Freight Solution for a Smarter, Faster, Fresher Supply Chain

iTradeNetwork

iTradeNetwork, the industry’s largest perishables network with over 8,000 food and beverage trading partners, proudly announces its next-generation transportation solution Freight —a streamlined way to combat the chaos of the present landscape, improve delivery performance, and maximize margins on every order moving through the supply chain. The pandemic radically altered consumer food spending habits, with an extraordinary rise in e-commerce sales and omni-channel experiences. This demand shock, combined with labor and equipment shocks in the logistics sector, has left fresh suppliers, buyers, and carriers reeling from unprecedented capacity and rate pressures when moving food across the supply chain. For consumers, this has resulted in empty shelves and substitutions. With 33 percent more consumers cooking more at home, pressure on buyers to prevent out-of-stock situations will only grow and companies that plan procurement and freight together have an advantage over those looking at them separately. Meeting demand and maintaining customer loyalty starts with building smarter supply chains and solutions that help businesses make smarter decisions, like iTradeNetwork’s new Freight solution. Freight is designed to help growers, shippers and buyers make the best margin-saving decisions in a chaotic environment by providing complete route planning, cost visibility, load building and load optimization prior to sending a purchase order so logistics can be a part of the overall purchasing decision. Its intuitive look and feel powers a simplified experience that makes decision-making easier, faster and smarter. With Freight: Build more profitable loads: combine purchase orders to optimize loads with automatic recommendations and safeguards to prevent costly product loss, using a best-in-class, intuitive look and feel. Build loads faster: smarter optimization–predictive loads, automatic recommendations for the best carriers, and real-time updates. Maintain constant visibility: leverage Freight’s bird’s eye view of every aspect of a product’s journey. “In today’s environment, Wayne Gretzky’s advice comes to mind: ‘Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.’ We believe a lesson companies in the food supply chain can take from the pandemic is that logistics needs to be as proactive and strategic as possible instead of reactive. Our Freight solution moves it in that direction. Built on our industry-leading procurement platform, it simplifies combining purchase orders into loads, recommends optimal loads, and helps procurement and freight planners make the best decisions possible to secure the maximum margin on every purchase order,” said Nathan Romney, chief product officer for iTradeNetwork. To learn more about Freight, visit itradenetwork.com/itradefreight/ or contact sales@itradnetwork.com. ABOUT ITRADENETWORK iTradeNetwork, Inc. (ITN) is the leading global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Built upon deep industry expertise, a rich data foundation and the industry’s most extensive trading partner network, iTradeNetwork’s collaborative solutions allow distributors, manufacturers, operators, retailers, suppliers, and wholesalers of all sizes to reduce cost, grow revenue and strengthen trading partner relationships. Today, iTradeNetwork’s growing customer list includes thousands of global companies. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com. Contact Details Landis Communications Inc. Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 itn@landispr.com Company Website https://www.itradenetwork.com/

February 01, 2022 06:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

Customer Experience Equally Important as Price for Today’s Modern Consumer

imimobile

Good customer service is a key driver of repeat business, according to 75% of respondents 61% are willing to pay more for a better experience and 55% would change brands to receive better customer service Different generations have varying levels of comfort for different service needs, such as 19% of both Gen Z and young millennials would use social media to ask questions about a product/service compared to 4% of Baby Boomers, and 71% of Gen Z respondents would use a digital channel to manage orders, reservations and appointments compared to only 32% of Baby Boomers 47% of respondents say they believe good customer service is more important now than it was 12 months ago, pointing to integrated paths of communication in the physical and digital worlds being critical.To learn more about the findings, download the full report here. Customer experience (CX) has become as pivotal as price when it comes to purchasing decisions, demonstrating its importance to business success and a conversation that must break into the boardroom, according to research published today by global cloud communications software and solutions provider, imi mobile, part of Webex. The findings indicated a growing challenge for brands to balance and deliver three customer experience elements across all customer touchpoints – resolution, customer rapport and relevance, which imi mobile has designated the “CX Trilemma” and points to CX as a major business imperative. The inaugural “ 2022 CX Trilemma Report,” surveyed 2,000-plus U.S. and U.K consumers about qualities for good customer experience and presents findings that uncover shifting consumer preferences. Specifically, the report reveals preferences for how and when respondents want to engage and communicate with their favorite brands and businesses. Some key highlights: “Customers expect brands to meet them through their preferred channel, at their desired time with the information they require, and businesses who aren’t scaling to deliver against this increasing customer expectation will fade away,” said Jay Patel, VP & GM, Webex CPaaS. “The good news is that world-class CX can now be delivered by cloud-based technology. There are easy-to-use, multi-channel cloud communication platforms that enable businesses to orchestrate and automate their customer interactions on one, central platform, enabling the ability to resolve issues quickly, build rapport with customers and drive relevant experiences. Improving customer experience is the key business priority for 2022 that can directly impact the bottom line.” The CX Trilemma Report reveals that organizations truly committed to solving the CX challenge must support multiple channels and navigate new technology and innovation to not only meet but exceed customer expectations, especially for the Gen Z and millennials who are increasingly using more digital channels. For organizations serving multiple demographics or offering a diverse set of services, one channel simply can’t give every customer a satisfying journey. Resolution: Resolving customer problems, queries, and complaints, while being proactive with updates on products and services remain a cornerstone of a great customer experience. Respondents identified simplicity (79%), consistency (78%), speed (76%) and convenience (73%) as fundamental to resolution. Furthermore, 75% of respondents said quick resolutions influence repeat transactions. Rapport: Those surveyed called out brands for displaying a lack of empathy, transparency, and honesty as well as an inability to understand frustrations as reasons for a poor customer experience and dissuades them from using a brand or business altogether. Of this, 64% cited repeating information to different teams and having to proactively chase agents as leading factors for poor customer experience, which can also lead to negative word-of-mouth, reviews, and a tarnished reputation. Relevance: In a post-pandemic era, relevance is becoming an increasingly important part of the customer experience mix – communicating with customers on the channels they want to use, meeting them where they are and at the most convenient time (67%) while also delivering relevant, personalized communications are key for successful customer engagement (60%). What’s more, the findings unveil that every generation, industry, and region have varying preferences in regard to channels, when to be contacted and personalization of communications. “Finding the right communications mix for your customers requires a deep, nuanced understanding of them and your processes, and they are very different to those of just two years ago. To reach them in the right way, businesses need communications that work best for everyone, and this requires technical capabilities and expertise to orchestrate end-to-end customer journeys across multiple channels.” stated Patel. While you can support multiple communications channels manually, technologies such as Enterprise CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) make it easier to manage multiple channels, comply with regulations, and deliver a consistent, connected customer experience. About imimobile imimobile, part of Webex, provides cloud communications software and services that manage business-critical customer interactions at scale. We believe that customer experience is the key competitive advantage for consumer businesses. So, we’re creating a world where enterprises can stay constantly connected to their customers. A world where every touchpoint, on every channel, is an opportunity to deliver rich, engaging, intuitive experiences. Our API and low-code Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) offering enables large enterprises to automate, orchestrate and monitor their customer interactions all on one platform. This helps businesses to lower costs, reduce complexity and accelerate IT roadmaps. Our innovative platform and applications are being used at scale today by blue-chip global enterprises and leading public-sector organizations to deliver smarter customer interactions, such as AA, Best Buy, BT, Capitec Bank, Centrica, EE, IHG, Mercedes, Orange, O2, Vodafone and Walgreens. The business was acquired by Cisco Systems in February 2021 and has global offices across the UK, USA, Canada, India, and South Africa. www.imimobile.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Michael Kocher +1 704-960-2295 michael@kitehillpr.com

February 01, 2022 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Winter Park, FL Celebrates 25 Years and Shares Secrets to Longevity and Growth

Minuteman Press International Inc

In 1996, Linda Sang decided to leave the corporate world and join the Minuteman Press franchise family, and she is now celebrating 25 years in business. Linda’s daughter Darcy has been along for the ride, saying in a recent newsletter, “It was a world that none of us knew anything about, but would quickly learn as every available hand was recruited to answer phones, hand collate and staple jobs and market the business for our intrepid leader. And we have been doing it ever since.” Being in business for over 25 years, Linda shares her biggest keys to longevity and growth. She says, “We keep pushing to get new customers in various methods. The pandemic initially cut down on the door-to-door marketing that has always been successful in the past for us. We currently do more social media, thanks to my daughter, Darcy, and some direct mail campaigns targeting local businesses and new businesses.” Linda continues, “We are also very attentive to our customers, keeping them informed and helping them find solutions/options for their needs. We respond to emails almost instantly and turn quotes around as quickly as possible, generally the same day if there isn’t a lot of research involved. When we make deliveries, each customer gets a ‘goody bag’ with notepads and other branded items. Many customers get excited about our deliveries, sometimes even more so for our giveaways rather than their finished jobs.” Over the past two years, Linda and her team have utilized various digital and print marketing tools available to them. She says, “We have gotten more into social media than in the past and have worked on getting high Google ratings, as customers do look at reviews. We do find that we are getting a lot of requests from Google and the Minuteman Press Internet Marketing program. We also test out the suggested methods from Minuteman Press corporate (such as the lumpy mailer and direct mail campaigns) and see what works best for us and our customer base. Otherwise, we are simply doing what we have always done through the years… provide solid customer relations.” What’s next for Minuteman Press in Winter Park? Linda says, “We hope to grow this year by reaching out to new prospective customers and generate more referrals.” Lastly, Linda reflects on the family business and says, “In our case, Darcy and I work together well and have the same goals and work ethic. My husband, Kelly, is semi-retired and helps out when we need him. When you have this situation, you don’t have to worry about someone showing up to work or leaving for other opportunities. There is always loyalty. We also find it key to treat our employees as if they are family as well. Not only does it create a pleasant working environment, but loyalty builds as well. We work lean and mean, which makes for some long days, but when you trust your employees and family, it is truly a joy.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Winter Park, FL, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/fl/winter-park. For Minuteman Press products and services, visit https://minuteman.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

January 31, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Personalization and Customization Are an Increasing Part of Customer Experience Strategies in Data-Rich Industries, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

Given the wide range of options for the digital and physical ordering, fulfillment, and after-service care available to both consumers and businesses, a one-size-fits-all approach to customer experience (CX) is not only outdated, but a recipe for driving customers away. According to a new report from Dash Research, that is why providing a personalized and optimized CX remains a widespread goal of both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) companies seeking to create deeper, more customer centric interactions that are the hallmark of driving customer loyalty and a higher amount of repeat business. Providing such a personalized and optimized experience requires a multifaceted approach, which involves understanding each customer’s specific preferences and desires, assessing their typical customer journey from initial contact through post-sales interactions, and ensuring that the organization has unfettered access to the data and software tools to create and nurture these one-to-one experiences. Dash Research’s analysis concludes that the systems and processes required to support this level of tailored experience will drive revenue growth in the global market for CX personalization and optimization software and services from $7.0 billion in 2020 to $11.6 billion by 2026, representing a 65% increase in market size during that forecast period. According to principal analyst Keith Kirkpatrick, “many companies are faced with challenges delivering on their personalization and optimization efforts, often due to the presence of data silos, which prevent applications and agents from easily accessing the information that can limit their ability to identify the preferences, triggers, and processes that are most preferred by customers. Further, an overuse of personalization can negatively impact the CX if customers are questioning how certain personal information was captured, and whether its use feels overly intrusive or even creepy.” Kirkpatrick adds that the growing use of personalization and optimization to improve CX is driven by several internal and external factors, including: A shift to digital sales and marketing efforts has increased the amount of data available for use in personalization Customers increasingly expect personalized and optimized experiences across all channels Personalized offers are driving revenue growth Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) allow more efficient optimization and personalization More organizations are shifting from a traditional sales model to a customer-centric loop approach But despite the demand for increasingly personalized and optimized CX, Dash Research finds that organizations often run into challenges that impact their ability to provide more individual and friction-free experiences, including: Balancing personalization and optimization against feelings of intrusion Data quality issues Data governance, privacy, and security concerns Challenges with shifting sales and marketing approaches from a sales loop to a customer engagement (CE) model Dash Research’s report, “CX Personalization and Optimization”, focuses on the market drivers and barriers to the adoption and use of platforms, applications, and services that enable greater personalization and optimization across all facets of CX. The report also details several B2C and B2B case studies and includes best practices for deploying personalization and optimization within an organization. Market forecasts covering the 2019 to 2026 period for software and services that provide personalization and optimization functionality are provided, covering 20 industries and 5 geographic regions. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Dash Research Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

January 31, 2022 07:10 AM Eastern Standard Time

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