predictions 2019
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Enable Marketing’s CX Ambitions With Real-Time Interaction Management
One of our 2019 B2C marketing predictions is that enterprise marketing technology will meld with customer experience (CX) investments to deliver the relevancy and consistency that consumers crave from brands. Real-time interaction management (RTIM) provides critical capabilities that enable marketers to realize their CX ambitions. Forrester defines RTIM as: Enterprise marketing technology that delivers contextually […]
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Align Martech Investments With Your Digital Transformation Strategy
Customers demand that marketing coordinate with sales, service, and commerce to deliver better experiences. That’s why enterprise marketing technology (martech) is melding with customer experience (CX) to deliver consistency and relevance (see Forrester’s “Predictions 2019: B2C Marketing” report). Martech is a direct line to consumer touchpoints, and marketers should embrace and leverage it to drive […]
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Predictions 2019: Software Innovation Builds Upon Cloud, Collaboration, AI, And More
As we move into 2019, Forrester sees digital transformation as a continued driving force for the software industry, pushing teams to accelerate their innovative efforts. Last year, Forrester predicted that a host of enabling technologies, such as serverless computing, integrated DevOps tools, AI+ML, and low-code platforms, would enable digital transformation efforts. We also predicted the […]
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Predictions 2019: This Is The Year To Invest In Humans, As Backlash Against Chatbots And AI Begins
For some time, the burning question has been: Will robots replace humans? While the proliferation of robotic process automation (RPA) has reduced headcount in the back office, it’s a different story for customer service and sales. In a Forrester survey, 46% of companies said sales and marketing are leading the investment in and adoption of […]
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Predictions 2019: Cloud Computing Comes Of Age As The Foundation For Enterprise Digital Transformation
Last year, Forrester predicted that cloud computing would radically accelerate enterprise transformation everywhere. After a decade of powering small and medium business success — and giving disruptive companies the tools and technologies they needed to compete head on with the world’s largest firms — cloud was poised to drive significant enterprise change in the very firms being […]
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Predictions 2019: Consumer Power Pushes Marketers To Better Data And Experiences
“I get knocked down, but I get up again.” — Chumbawamba Halfway through the 20-year-long age of the customer, empowered consumers are more informed about their purchases, demand data privacy, and dictate the experiences that they want. Brands have been beaten down with every misstep, many of which snowballed into broad PR crises: United Airlines, Wells Fargo, Starbucks, […]
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Predictions 2019: Media — What’s On Tap?
Media Acquisition Growth Explodes By any standard, 2018 will be remembered as a blockbuster year for media. On June 14, 2018, AT&T completed its acquisition of Time Warner for $85.4 billion, despite an appeal by the Department of Justice. A week later, Disney won the battle against Comcast to acquire 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion. These […]
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Predictions 2019: Digital Leaders Reboot To Hedge Against A Downturn
Forrester predicted in 2018 that digital would reach the hard stuff, the core of business: organization structure, operating models, and endless discussion of platforms. These themes are far from done; however, 2019 sees a distinct shift in emphasis — winter is coming. In 2019, economic uncertainty stalks the halls, and budgets will see pressure. Many firms […]
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Predictions 2019: Steady Evolution In Blockchain Will Continue, Unless Disillusionment Causes A “Winter”
“The visionaries will forge ahead; those hoping for immediate industry and process transformation will give up.” This was the opening sentence of my blog post accompanying Forrester’s DLT/blockchain predictions for 2018. I’m repeating it here, because it’ll continue to hold true for 2019 — with one proviso: There’s a real risk that we’ll experience the beginning […]
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Predictions 2019: In Healthcare, CX Measurement Frameworks, Virtual Care, And AI Come To The Fore
The US population is growing and aging. The volume of patients and the prevalence of chronic conditions are rising. Payers and providers alike are feeling the strain of healthcare’s antiquated system and the damaging effects it has on quality of care and revenue. As a result, the US healthcare market is going through a much-needed […]
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Predictions 2019: Retailers Must Invest In Digital To Navigate Change And Foster Loyalty
Digital is the rocket fuel for retail’s growth. But that growth requires retailers and brands to keep up — and step up — how quickly they evolve in terms of people, processes, products, and more. On top of all that, in 2019 we’ll see factors such as global economies, trade barriers, rising wages, and marketplaces pack a […]
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Predictions 2019: Expect A Pragmatic Vision Of AI
Last year, Forrester predicted that firms would struggle with new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. This prediction came true: Firms continued with AI experiments that lacked meaningful results. Adoption has now slowed (51% adoption in 2017; 53% adoption in 2018). And budgets remain low in contrast to the ROI and transformation expectations for AI (under $2M […]
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Predictions 2019: The Internet Of Things
Business stakeholders and CIOs in both B2B and B2C environments are planning and deploying IoT solutions to power digital transformation initiatives to revolutionize customer relationships, enhance operations, and differentiate products. IoT deployment momentum brings challenges. Firms must identify strategies and methods to secure, manage, and support the rapidly growing number of smart, connected IoT devices […]
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Predictions 2019: Business Insights Are A Many-Splendored Thing — Data Is Meant For More
Enterprise Mindsets About Data Are Changing Give me a dashboard. Give me a report. Give me better insights. If that’s your approach, it’s old-school and you’re falling behind. Leading enterprises have shifted their data sensibilities to action-oriented insights. “Interesting” is no longer the standard for business insights efforts. Instead, insights projects must draw a straight […]
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Predictions 2019: Automation Will Become Central To Business Strategy And Operations
Automation will be central to the next phase of digital transformation, driving new levels of customer value such as faster delivery of products, higher quality and dependability, deeper personalization, and greater convenience. Last year, Forrester predicted that automation would reach a tipping point — altering the workforce, augmenting employees, and driving new levels of customer value. Since then, […]
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Predictions 2019: The Ebb And Flow Of VC Dough
Marc Andreessen once said, “Raising venture capital is the easiest thing a startup founder is ever going to do.” That’s a bit of hyperbole from Marc, but there’s a lot of truth to it if one’s timing is right. Technology startup markets can go through periods of irrational exuberance in which money seems to grow on trees. Those […]
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Predictions 2019: Employee Experience Moves To Center Stage
Companies and executives are paying attention to employee experience as never before. There are good reasons for this attention. Chief among them is the historically low unemployment rate, which gives employees options that they are taking advantage of. Employees are quitting their jobs at the fastest rate since 2001.[i] What’s more, companies that care about […]
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Predictions 2019: Cybersecurity Faces Old Familiar Foes, Costly New Attacks, And Welcome Leadership Changes
Next year, the biggest challenges to the cybersecurity industry will come from outside forces. In 2019, geopolitical trends will reintroduce old enemies and escalate issues of cyberespionage and sabotage. As criminals follow the money — as they are wont to do — they will use emerging technologies to go after commerce in a BIG way. […]
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Predictions 2019: Ethics And Consumer Action Transform Privacy Practices
2018 was a tumultuous year for privacy: The GDPR went into effect, California passed its Consumer Privacy Act, Equifax revealed the largest consumer data breach to date, and Facebook disclosed separate incidents of data misuse and a massive data breach. Amidst this whirlwind, consumers aren’t waiting on the sidelines — Forrester data shows that 79% of […]
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Predictions 2019: CIOs, Don’t Put The Cart Before The Horse
While playing the role of parent, I find that I trot out old tropes like “apply the rules,” “start with the basics,” and “don’t get ahead of yourself” when helping my kids with their homework. And I find that I get into some of the same conversations when I have the opportunity to engage with […]