What It Means: A Forrester podcast
Each week, the What It Means podcast invites Forrester analysts to discuss the latest trends and challenges to help business and technology leaders make bold decisions and become truly customer-obsessed. Topics range from tech-driven innovation and CX design to B2B buying trends and marketing planning. Listen now and subscribe to get a new episode each week. Got a comment or question? Email our team at podcast@forrester.com.
Latest Episodes
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Marketers’ Data Deprecation Denial
Despite Google’s recent reversal on third-party cookies, marketers need to prepare for data deprecation. Yet many aren’t. This week on What It Means, Senior Analyst Stephanie Liu and Principal Analyst Brett Kahnke discuss how B2C and B2B marketers can adapt their data strategies to maintain consumer trust and compliance.
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Unleashing Innovation Through Creativity
Is creativity the hidden spark behind innovation? VP and Research Director Pascal Matzke and Principal Analyst Bernhard Schaffrik unpack why creativity is often undervalued and share strategies for leaders to foster it within their organizations.
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It’s Time To Think Beyond Marketing-Sales Alignment
Is alignment between B2B marketing and sales teams overrated? The concept may be in need of a rethink, say Principal Analysts John Arnold and Rick Bradberry. This week on What It Means, they describe what more productive marketing-sales relationships might look like.
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B2B Buying In The Age Of GenAI
Just as B2B companies are adopting generative AI (genAI) to gain efficiencies, so are their buyers. This week on What It Means, Principal Analyst John Buten looks at how buyers are using genAI in the purchasing process and what marketers and sellers should do in response.
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Get Your AI Aligned
The big challenge with AI for business is risk. How can an organization minimize the risk while maximizing the benefit of AI? In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Brandon Purcell proposes a solution to this challenge — AI alignment — and outlines how an “align by design” approach can help.
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When Will AI Change Our World?
With so much investment and attention, there’s growing impatience around AI. In this episode, VP of Emerging Technology and Principal Analyst Brian Hopkins and VP and Principal Analyst Ted Schadler take a longer view and discuss how AI will change the world in the next 20 years.
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What Retailers Should Plan For This Holiday Season
The holiday season is here. How do consumers feel about spending? This week on What It Means, VP and Principal Analyst Sucharita Kodali and VP and Research Director Emily Collins dive into Forrester’s latest research on holiday spending trends and share advice for retailers.
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Are We Nearing The End Of The Google Era?
Two major antitrust lawsuits could loosen Google’s grip on online search and advertising. What are the potential implications, and how should brands and advertisers prepare? Senior Analysts Nikhil Lai and Mo Allibhai discuss the cases and the broader shifts ahead for search marketing and advertising on this week’s What It Means episode.
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A Fresh Look At The Future Of The CISO
The role of the chief information security officer (CISO) is more vital than ever. But how are CISOs holding up under the spotlight, and how is the role changing? VP and Principal Analyst Jeff Pollard and Principal Analyst Jess Burn share some new research on the future of the CISO.
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Lessons Learned From The CrowdStrike Outage
On July 19, an update from security software vendor CrowdStrike took down 8.5 million Windows endpoints and caused widespread chaos. In this episode, VP and Research Director Amy DeMartine and Principal Analyst Allie Mellen discuss the lessons learned from the outage and what steps security and business leaders should take as a result.
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Assessing AI’s Impact On The Environment
The rapid growth of AI will have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Thomas Husson delves into both AI’s environmental downsides and its potential to help solve the climate crisis.
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Unravelling The AI-HR Paradox
AI has the potential to make the work of human resources more streamlined — and more complicated. How is that possible? Find out as Principal Analyst Betsy Summers explains the AI-HR paradox and sheds some light on the benefits and risks that AI poses to the HR function.
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The CMO Role Is Alive And Well
Reports of the demise of the CMO role have been greatly exaggerated, say VP and Principal Analyst Ian Bruce and VP and Research Director Mike Proulx. On this week’s What It Means episode, they dive into new research that paints a highly nuanced picture of the prevalence and tenure of CMOs.
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AI’s Role In The Public Sector
What are the most compelling AI use cases in the public sector, and what are some of the challenges? Find out as Principal Analyst Sam Higgins shares insights on the current state and future outlook for AI in the public sector globally.
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How Close Are We To Killing Passwords?
Are passwords obsolete or still a necessary evil? In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Andras Cser and Principal Analyst Geoff Cairns describe where we are on the path to passwordless authentication for both enterprise and consumer users.
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Digital Doubles Vs. Digital Twins: Unraveling The Distinctions
There are digital doubles and digital twins. How can you tell the two apart? And more importantly, are either (or both) right for your organization? Vice President and Principal Analyst Paul Miller and Senior Analyst Stephanie Liu provide clarity in this episode.
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How GenAI Will Transform The Contact Center
Generative AI (genAI) holds tantalizing potential for contact centers, but turning that potential into reality will require overcoming some hurdles. How should contact center leaders get started? Senior Analyst Christina McAllister provides insight on What It Means.
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What Will It Take To Eliminate Medical Deserts?
Medical deserts — geographic areas that lack essential healthcare services — encompass over 80% of counties in the US. How did we get here, and what will it take to reverse the trend? Principal Analysts Arielle Trzcinski and Judy Weader discuss on What It Means.
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How Should Business And Tech Leaders Spend In 2025?
Business and tech leaders expect (slightly) bigger budgets next year. How should they use them? On this episode of What It Means, VPs and Group Research Directors Stephanie Balaouras, Keith Johnston, and Srividya Sridharan dive into Forrester’s Budget Planning Guides’ recommendations for tech, marketing and sales, and customer experience (CX) leaders.
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What’s Behind The Decline In CX?
Customer experience (CX) quality in the US has dropped for three consecutive years and sits at an all-time low. What’s behind the decline, and how can brands turn things around? VP and Principal Analyst David Truog and Principal Analyst Pete Jacques weigh in on this week’s What It Means.