digital disruption

Retailers are slowly moving beyond omnichannel fulfillment capabilities in stores to invest in digital store technologies that empower store associates, improve customers’ engagement, and enhance store operations. There is no single formula for great execution on digital store technologies, and the varied performance of the retailers assessed shows that many are still figuring out the […]

Luxury brands have gone from relative inertia over digital strategies to a flurry of activity, including technology upgrades, partnerships, and even acquisitions. Back in the summer of 2017, we warned that luxury brands were out of time when it came to improving their digital customer experiences and internal operations. Digitally mature and savvy luxury consumers […]

The origin of the term “moonshot” — used to describe the most advanced, disruptive innovations — has returned again as an innovation focus of its own. Last week, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) disrupted its competitors, such as NASA, by landing its Chang’e-4 spacecraft on the dark side of the moon.   The CNSA’s own “moon shot” […]

Recently, Forrester published our CX predictions for 2019. Our first prediction was that stagnating CX quality will cause short, destructive price wars. We cited Fidelity’s two new zero-fee investment funds as an example of how this is already starting to play out. We also noted that Vanguard responded to Fidelity by highlighting its many funds […]

With GE establishing a new standalone software business, we examine what it means for existing and potential customers of GE Digital and for GE. What we know: On December 13, 2018, GE announced the formation of a new industrial IoT (or IIoT) software business, with $1.2 billion in revenue (based on GE Digital sales combined with sales […]

How will the “whats” of insurance — underwriting, claims, and compliance — translate into new “hows” in 2019? Watch the video below for more information on what’s driving changes in insurance business strategy and the tech that enables it. Do you need more help? Forrester clients can set up an inquiry with us.

In the spirit of Halloween, I’m going to write about the bogeyman of almost every industry out there: GAFA. In the last few years, I have answered many versions of the same question: what will Google (insert Apple/Facebook/Amazon) do to us (insert financial services/healthcare/retail/media)? This fear is grounded in some reality. All four firms are […]

Context And Timing Is Critical For Robots And Humans To Work Well Together

When your CEO asks you for your digital strategy, you could go away and huddle up with your team for a month and produce some voluminous document full of TLAs, only to have it sit on the shelf for the next two years. Instead, simply give your CEO a copy of your business strategy. After […]

You’re an executive, an employer, or maybe an up-and-comer in your organization, but either way, you have surveyed the moment and you know that big things are poised to happen. Unlike the big things of the past — the internet or mobile — the change won’t be the result of consumers embracing a shiny new object or buying into a […]

Do you see the chief digital officer (CDO) as some kind of digital superhero, swooping in to rescue a dysfunctional business and transform it into a digital powerhouse? The truth is that chief digital officers can be very effective with strong CEO backing, but they are not always necessary. A business-savvy, customer-obsessed CIO can be […]

Disrupt or be disrupted. That’s the name of the game when it comes to market leadership today. It’s also what Levi’s did by using innovation to create its Bluetooth-enabled jean jacket designed for the growing community of commuter bicyclists. This jacket gives commuters hands-free control over their electronic devices by integrating Google’s Jacquard technology into […]

JPMorgan enters the retail investing price war.

“Insurance is sold, not bought.” This industrywide perception has gone unchallenged for decades, reaffirming agent- and advisor-based distribution models. But now a plethora of insurtech startups such as Brolly in the UK, Gabi in the US, and PolicyPal in Singapore aim to help customers find suitable cover. A newcomer among the firms digitalizing insurance distribution […]

Financial services firms are on the hunt. They’re hunting unicorns. As firms like Revolut and TransferWise attain valuations of $1 billion or more, the pressure to find the Stripes of this world before their value skyrockets has never been stronger. But it’s not just the unicorns that firms are hunting. They’re also chasing the wolpertinger. […]

Best Buy has made yet another startup acquisition that enriches its customer value with innovative digital products: GreatCall, a San Diego-based startup offering health and medical alert devices and services. Most retailers’ “innovations” have been incremental digital tech investments that extend their retail value proposition and customer value. It’s great to see Best Buy investing […]

Since I first wrote about digital transformation back at the end of 2012, the term has become wildly overhyped. Since CEOs are now at least asking about digital transformation, and every technology vendor now claims expertise in digital transformation, it’s time to burst a few of the myths surrounding digital transformation. But first, let’s recap […]

Are you future-ready? Your body contains the secrets to your behavior, including future readiness. Though obvious, most of us fail to recognize this day to day. We think that our brains — our minds — make decisions about how we should feel and what we should do. But the decision of what to wear to work today, […]

The internet has enabled brands to sell more of their products to an ever-expanding universe of shoppers, but digital distribution has also added complexity to the relationship between brands and retailers and other channel partners. All brands need to set parameters around the digital sales of their goods, regardless of the type of brand or […]