As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Joe Greenspan, the VP of Commercial Operations at Act!, outlines three ways CRM can help businesses streamline the customer journey.

The evolving economic landscape compels smart businesses to get closer to their customers and to outshine their competitors by out-servicing them. Regardless of the industry, providing a meaningful, memorable (and consistent) customer experience is one of the most critical factors in ensuring long-term success. In fact, research from PwC revealed that 73 percent of customers say their experiences directly influenced their purchasing decisions. 

Developing and delivering world-class customer experience begins with delving into needs and priorities to unearth opportunities: 

• What topic areas are driving genuine interest in prospects and customers?  
• What communication tactics drive measurable engagement? 
• What tools/processes exist to meet these needs effectively? 

Technology solutions like CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software can help to centralize data, customize outreach, and craft experiences. Meet customers where they are to forge stronger relationships. Automate personalized campaigns to ‘speak to every client’ at scale and ensure that every touchpoint is targeted. Here are three specific ways a CRM platform improves the customer journey, fosters greater loyalty, and yields actual returns.

Leverage Technology 

Whether your business is just starting out and needs to mount prospecting campaigns to attract new business or is swamped with multitudes of client activities to juggle, centralizing, organizing, and categorizing customers is a critical function.  

Simple, affordable technology allows businesses to benefit from modern marketing tools like landing pages, automated email campaigns, and workflows. Leveraging this framework, a company can simplify prospect approach, selling activities, and client follow-ups—no more losing contact data, missing opportunities, or losing sleep.    

Take the next step and start to segment leads to add context to their targeting, ensuring relevant information is sent to the right prospects at the right time. Customers can be segmented into different groups based on demographics, purchase history, and customer lifecycle to drive highly personalized email campaigns that elevate the customer experience, engendering brand affinity and ultimately unearthing upsell opportunities to increase CLTV and revenue.  

Keep Everything Straight 

Not every organization enjoys excellent data integrity, with every customer record complete and correct, shared but secured. For most of us, data doesn’t live in one place, forcing several stops in any attempt to get the whole story. For older companies, data might be recorded in several disparate (and outdated) systems or, worse, stored in file folders and Post-it() notes. CRM brings data organization to every organization. When integrated with customer records, customer interactions provide real-time reporting and long-term trend analysis. Learn when clients might be leaving by examining the ten lost clients; leverage business data to make better decisions.  

By integrating other business systems into a CRM solution, brands can save valuable time and enable more productive workflows. For example, some common small business integrations include platforms like QuickBooks and DocuSign. Consolidating these workflows ensures vital information flows seamlessly, saves time, and informs action. 

​​​Réal Thibault, a hairdresser, and stylist, found a more personalized approach to improve customer service with his CRM platform. For years, he recorded customer details by hand, either on paper or in books, until he decided to computerize his business to optimize his customer experience. As a result, he can work more efficiently and integrate his other applications so his business “appears bigger than it is.” 

Streamline the Customer Journey 

Building a better on-ramp for interested prospects to become lifelong customers is the first job of any business seeking growth. Ironing out any obstacles along that entire customer journey provides a more impactful customer experience and speeds up time to revenue. From the first contact point, every prospect needs to be tracked.   CRM users can monitor these engagements across various channels, including every human interaction. This provides a holistic view of the buyer journey, enabling businesses to maximize every touch point, optimize internal workflows to use resources best, and nurture more prospects. 

Selecting the right CRM platform for your business is critical to maximizing the potential this technology can bring. For example, startups might prioritize an affordable platform that can grow with them, while larger organizations might prize broad functionality or deep integrations with other systems. Each business should seek solutions that match their needs but without a bevy of irrelevant features.

The most impactful CRM solutions are customized to save time, boost productivity, and reduce costs. CRM solutions can bring affordability, scalability, and flexibility to any business with customers and can be leveraged to smooth the customer journey for more prospects to become customers. Set your business apart from competitors using canned responses and cookie-cutter templates by using personalized automation to influence more prospects and win more business. 

The post Three Ways Businesses Can Smooth the Customer Journey with CRM appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed columns written by industry experts in maturing software categories—Sajid Mohamedy, EVP of Growth and Delivery at Nisum, delves into the ways retailers can use artificial intelligence (AI) to keep up with big tech companies.

Amazon appears to be joining the AI race with a recent announcement stating they had developed a 10-week program catering to generative AI startups worldwide. This comes from the mounting pressure that numerous big tech companies are experiencing to elucidate their strategies for leveraging the swiftly progressing AI product market. 

Founders of these startups participating in Amazon’s program will gain valuable access to AI models, tools, and optimization for their machine learning stack. Additionally, they can expect to receive personalized guidance on go-to-market strategies. Following the public launch of ChatGPT in late November, big tech industry giants such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have also enthusiastically proclaimed their increasing emphasis on generative AI technology.  

Retailers worth their salt will note that AI has the potential to enhance the effectiveness and performance of sales operations by automating numerous repetitive tasks, enabling sales teams to allocate more time to interact with customers and potential buyers. This has a two-pronged effect—increasing customer engagement and reducing the cost of service. By leveraging AI coupled with organization-specific data and contextual information, businesses can obtain consumer insights at a much more detailed level.  

Given that 90 percent of commercial leaders are expected to utilize generative AI solutions regularly over the next two years. Let’s dive into how retailers can use the blueprint of Amazon—and other big tech players—to improve customer experience and unlock all kinds of other benefits. 

Real-Life Examples of How Retailers Can Utilize Generative AI 

Senior thought leaders in the retail industry have highlighted the potential of generative AI in enhancing product descriptions. The recent introduction of an AI tool by Shopify aims to assist vendors and merchants in improving their product descriptions. Retailers possessing extensive proprietary data enjoy a significant competitive edge over their counterparts. Consequently, this could motivate retailers to acquire additional first-party or zero-party data. The larger and higher quality data sets provide an expanded scope for creative endeavors. 

The application of generative AI in product recommendation is another possible area for retailers to engage in. Although retailers have yet to embrace generative AI for this purpose, many industries have already started experimenting with its recommendation capabilities. For example, Expedia has revealed its beta testing of ChatGPT within its mobile app, aiming to provide personalized travel recommendations and planning assistance to users. 

These are just a couple of current use cases, but experts anticipate the emergence of additional use cases for retailers regarding generative AI. Despite the challenging venture capital environment, funding for startups driving the growth of generative AI and other AI tools remains robust. VCs have steadily renewed their interest in generative AI, from $408 million in 2018 to a whopping $4.5 billion last year. 

Factors to Bear in Mind for Success 

By now, it is clear that retailers should prioritize and implement advanced sales technologies, establish hybrid teams, and embrace hyper-personalization. However, there are some key strategies to consider when implementing generative AI into operations. Maximizing the utilization of e-commerce platforms and third-party marketplaces through analytics and AI can significantly benefit. Based on successful companies’ practices, the following recommendations can be made: 

• Have a well-defined vision and strategy for integrating AI into operations. 
• Allocate more than 15 percent of digital budgets towards AI-related technologies. 
• Consider employing teams of data scientists to leverage algorithms for rapid pricing strategies and optimize marketing and sales efforts. 
• Focus on identifying and implementing practical use cases for AI. 
• Recognize the potential of generative AI to enhance overall operations.

By adopting these approaches, retailers can position themselves as trailblazers in their industry, harness AI to drive success, and compete with their big tech competitors.

Risk Mitigation 

Naturally, retailers need to be aware of the potential risks of generative AI. Firstly, there is a significant risk concerning the unintentional disclosure of confidential or proprietary information. As AI may use user conversations to enhance future results, there exists a possibility that confidential data might become accessible to the public or, worse yet, to competitors. Additionally, compliance with a comprehensive set of regulations outlined in the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act is another factor for retailers to consider. These measures are crucial to maintaining the confidentiality and security of sensitive information. 

Another critical concern regarding generative AI systems focuses on the issue of bias and fairness, particularly regarding data sets. This issue can pose significant reputational challenges for brands heavily dependent on this technology. For instance, if an image-generating tool is used with an advertising campaign containing inappropriate or offensive images that are subsequently shared globally, it could potentially damage the brand’s reputation. In these cases, attributing responsibility solely to the company’s AI system as a damage control measure might not be sufficient to appease consumer backlash. Consequently, addressing the biases and ensuring fairness within generative AI systems becomes crucial to safeguard the brand reputation and maintain positive consumer sentiment. 

Final Thoughts 

Generative AI—often accessible through cloud-based platforms and with future possibilities on the horizon—offers abundant opportunities for transformative breakthroughs for retailers. That being said, retail executives must maintain a vigilant understanding of the inherent risks present during this nascent phase of generative AI technology. By striking a balance between embracing the thrilling potential and exercising caution, retailers of all sizes and varying degrees of technological expertise can confidently navigate this evolving landscape.

The post Big Tech Companies Are Heavily Investing in AI: What Can Retailers Do to Keep Up? appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.

Solutions Review’s Expert Insights Series is a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories. Larissa Gaston of Exabeam examines the nuances of updating your business’s messaging in an ever-changing cybersecurity landscape.

In today’s highly competitive cybersecurity landscape, everything can change in the blink of an eye. The cloud, which powers most modern business operations today, is continuously evolving and introducing new complexities– and cyber threats.

According to Check Point’s 2022 Cloud Security Report, 27 percent of organizations have experienced a security incident in their public cloud infrastructure within the last 12 months. Of these, nearly a quarter (23 percent) were caused by security misconfigurations in cloud infrastructure. Additionally, Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report reveals ransomware has continued its upward trend with an almost 13 percent rise– an increase as big as the last five years combined.

In turn, the demand for security services is continuing to increase, making the market more competitive than ever. Gone are the days when organizations can sit on their messaging for three to five years. To stay relevant in the sea of competitors, cybersecurity organizations need to be continuously analyzing their messaging and structure to understand what is and isn’t resonating with end-users. The most important thing your messaging must do is quickly, clearly, and concisely be able to explain exactly what you do and the value that you provide in the market.

How often have you gone to a technology or cybersecurity website and left still not knowing what the company actually does? You’re not alone. If you’re in the hot seat to help refine messaging for your organization, know that it will require a nuanced approach. Also, roll up your sleeves and don’t give up— it’s not for the faint of heart.

Messaging: Navigating the Nuances

Copycat Vs. Original

There are a variety of ways an organization can approach a messaging overhaul. One way is through an in-depth competitor analysis and then simply copying what you think they are doing well. While that strategy may work for some organizations in the short term, it will not help them continue to stand out in the long term. After all, you want to communicate with your differentiators. That being said, we have seen a handful of competitors over the years steal messaging verbatim from companies we’ve served. While it’s flattering, it’s also disappointing. If you’re going to steal messaging, at the very least, steal like an artist.

To forge a new and unique path, point of view, and perspective, you have to talk differently. Challenge your organization to take a risk, be brave, and do something no one else is doing. Yes, you may not be successful, but at least you know that you stayed true to your organization, your people, and its mission. If you do succeed, the end result will feel that much more rewarding. It pays to be brave.

Crafting Company Messaging — It’s A Lot like Couples Therapy

Arriving at your organization’s truth at the heart of your messaging is a delicate exercise. All departments with a stake in messaging, and even individuals within those departments have their own version of the truth. Interestingly a recent report found only 35 percent of organizations have a dedicated person or team that works on content marketing full time. This is especially true for smaller companies that have one to 99 employees, while 50 percent of small companies have no dedicated content marketing personnel.

This is all the more reason organizations are turning to third parties for help. And when your end goal is creating a holistic message that the majority agree to, it can also be helpful to hire bipartisan professionals. The process of arriving at a consensus can almost feel like couple’s therapy. I know that might sound weird, but stay with us on this.

When you are trying to fix something internally, you can get stuck. People can become so fixated on their version of the truth, what happened or worked in the past, what is not working now, and how they envision things can work better in the future that they can’t open their minds to new information and perspectives. When we began to revisit our messaging at Exabeam, we tried to work at it for five to six months before we realized that we had hit a wall. We knew that we needed to hire help.

At its core, creating messaging is an exercise in trying to figure out who you are as an organization and how you want people to view your brand, clearly position what you do and how you’re differentiated from the competition, and how you authentically and transparently talk to your customers and partners. Similar to a relationship, a messaging exercise is a commitment; just like couple’s counseling is a commitment. When a third party is involved, it can serve as a source of accountability that encourages people to show up and be engaged.

Third parties are there to build consensus and ensure a level playing field. While they may or may not be the people who come up with the actual words or message themselves, they will work a process and encourage participation from everyone involved to negotiate which ideas work best. If organizations handle a messaging exercise internally, there will be bias, period.

Messaging Matchmaking

Before even consulting with a third party, the first and most important step is internal buy-in. It is critical to have the right people on the messaging team, which needs to include stakeholders from every facet of an organization. It is also critical that the C-suite takes a firm stance behind the messaging, which will foster buy-in from all key stakeholders including engineering and technical teams, HR, and more.

Once that is in place and you are ready to hire outside help, it is important that the people you hire are aligned with your niche market and audience. Knowing your needs as an organization and what your end goal is with the messaging exercise can help you find the right fit. Find a third party that speaks the same language and can easily grasp what sets your product, services, and organization apart. If your end goal is sales, then find a third party that understands the sales process specifically in your industry.

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

Timing is critical for a messaging roll-out. There are pros and cons to this, but try to avoid doing it during a major product launch since the risk of creating market confusion could increase. In our most recent messaging overhaul we renamed our products and fit them under the new message. If we did not do this, then we could have been stuck with products and platforms with the older name and potentially created more confusion. In the end, it was great we had previously messaged ourselves with XDR, because we got into the right conversations and started the XDR Alliance, but I do still feel we created some market confusion as a result. We emerged with New-Scale SIEM, clarifying our market and differentiators.

Live. Learn. Hire Help When It Makes Strategic Sense

Throughout the process, try to step back, breathe, and have a holistic view. It is a very interesting experience to watch how people interact, make decisions, and share perspectives. You can learn a lot about your people, yourself, and the shared passion you all have for your work.

Back to the counseling analogy, it’s like “Are we staying together or getting divorced?” The people who commit to working through the tough stuff together in a healthy way, especially when the tough stuff may be very difficult to work through, make all the difference in whether you will sink or swim.

The post Messaging: Navigating Nuances in an Ever-Changing Cybersecurity Landscape appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.

Solutions Review’s Expert Insights Series is a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories. In this feature, IKASI co-founder and CEO Anthony Chong offers a comparson between business intelligence vs. personalization.

Over the last 20 years, business intelligence (BI) software has become ubiquitous in enterprises, as it provides great ways for organizations to visualize their data, track key performance indicators, and find compelling insights. However, this technology is becoming increasingly outdated, as more enterprises are moving away from traditional BI tools in favor of those that offer high levels of personalization.

The major drawback of BI was that it promised to improve business performance through insights, which are broad conclusions or takeaways garnered from aggregating data and understanding the so-called “average” customer. Like early online clickbait ads promised to reveal “one simple trick,” these insights were supposed to provide key information that could determine whether a customer was profitable or not. For instance, BI software might produce an insight that tells you if a customer buys three products in a row, then they’re your customer for life. Or, if customers under 40 years old spend twice as much as customers over the age of 40. Unfortunately, this approach was incapable of describing what was really going on.

Business Intelligence vs. Personalization

Why Business Insights Alone Are Ill-equipped

The insights produced by BI tools (and generated from a single variable) are incapable of recognizing the complexity of individuals, making them functionally useless for a business. Not every person will behave the exact same way and not every customer will be described by these generalized statements. There’s usually a more complex story, and many more caveats needed to describe what’s really going on.

Worse, drawing sweeping insights from averages of data can lead organizations to conclusions that are the opposite of reality. BI software was, and is, not equipped to handle the messy realities of customer behavior.

Enter the Age of AI-powered “Hyper Personalization”

Instead of using BI tools to analyze customers in groups based on one particular bucket or antidote, modern artificial intelligence (AI) solutions enable organizations to draw conclusions based on each individual person.

These AI-driven approaches allow organizations to take into account a multitude of variables to create a personalized analysis and a more accurate reading of that customer’s individual behavior. AI provides the ability to collect multidimensional data on each customer, and understand individuals’ unique stories at the scale of hundreds of thousands of customers. Instead of flattening all that data to glean broad insights, businesses are conducting personalized analyses for individuals and are capitalizing on the insights all the way down to their unique behavioral data. Looking at what they’ve interacted with, for example, organizations can see how often a person is coming into a store or engaging with a brand. Rather than trying to pattern-match by comparing their behavior with that of other customers, they can be much more responsive to the individual and other changes in their specific behaviors.

By looking at each individual as the fundamental unit of analysis, businesses are drawing conclusions from deeply personalized experiences, and can individualize customer journeys. As opposed to earlier BI offerings, AI is unveiling an unprecedented level of understanding that helps to allocate internal resources and budgets more efficiently, because decision making is based on that person’s preferences and behaviors. Rather than relying on single-variable-based insights on a broad group, businesses and customers now understand that to truly appeal to customers, they need to undergo a mentality shift, and focus on the multifaceted variables that contribute to the specific individual’s behavior.

The post Business Intelligence vs. Personalization: Why the Time Has Come to Get Hyper Personal appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Uri Haramati, the founder and CEO of Torii, outlines some of the factors that keep IT leaders up at night.

While it may be true that as many as 99 percent of IT professionals are happy with their jobs, that doesn’t mean it’s a field devoid of work stress and pressing concerns. The specific reasons may change, but the underlying issues facing IT departments have not—security, costs, efficiency, and staying ahead of the tech curve. (Or, at the very least, remaining up to date).

The truth is, with greater technological power comes greater responsibility—on the part of IT. An excellent example of this applies to the proliferation of cloud-based software, or SaaS. While these tools have become indispensable, especially in our modern workplace, which has become increasingly digital and siloed, the drawbacks are well known. 

For one, the more apps that trickle through your organization, the larger the attack surface for malicious actors. When you consider the average desk employee is using 11 apps (up from six in 2019), it’s no surprise that IT leaders have a lot to stress over regarding SaaS management, spending, user authorizations, security keys, and the like.  

The SaaS proliferation at your organization may not even fully account for shadow IT—the unsanctioned apps that employees purchase or license for free outside of the tech team’s purview. The emergence of shadow IT, or distributed SaaS adoption, across departments is fueled by a younger, tech-savvy workforce that knows what software they need to succeed and how to get it. With that, let’s delve into three SaaS-related issues keeping IT departments up at night. 

62% of IT leaders: Cybersecurity threats pose a danger to long-term success 

Still top of the list, but just barely (we’ll get to that later), IT leaders remain vigilant about security threats across the board. Regarding remote, cloud-based workplaces born out of the pandemic, IT leaders are especially conscious of the increased threat that shadow IT brings and the lack of preparedness to combat its risks.

As noted above, the broader the attack surface, the more susceptible businesses are to cyber threats. This may be why 68 percent of survey respondents said they prefer a centralized IT department to obtain full transparency and control of SaaS management. Gartner reported organizations that fail to centrally manage SaaS lifecycles are five times more susceptible to a cyber incident or data loss. However, it’s important to remember that centralized models can hinder scalability for IT teams that are stretched thin and can’t assess and manage their SaaS ecosystem effectively.  

75% of CIOs: Inability to identify wasted spend is a threat to company success 

Hot on the trail of cybersecurity threats (essentially tied with it) is spending concern: 61 percent of survey respondents cited the inability to identify wasted cloud app spending. More telling, though, is that 75 percent of CIOs recognized this concern, compared to 66 percent of VPs, 53 percent of directors, and just 35 percent of managers.  

The data clearly indicates that the higher you are on the IT food chain, the more worried you are about wasted spend. While that may seem obvious, it’s a stark difference from other IT concerns we surveyed (security, outdated technology), where alignment was much tighter across roles. Notably, CIOs are aware of the blind spots created by shadow IT and have read enough reports about how much it is affecting their company’s bottom line.  

According to Gartner, SaaS apps cost businesses $1,040 annually per employee, compounded by app providers gradually raising prices against a challenging macroeconomic climate (IT departments stand to overspend on SaaS by at least 25 percent through 2027.)  As a result, IT leaders understand the importance of overseeing and streamlining their total SaaS stack, particularly about two key indicators—software redundancy and underutilization.  

73% of CIOs: Lack a strategic framework for app rationalization and license usage 

While distributed SaaS adoption across business units is difficult to corral, the benefits of building self-sufficiency and workplace culture are real. The question then becomes, if employees continue to acquire apps that count toward a company’s SaaS stack, what is the best method to ensure costs, security, and anything else keeping IT folks up at night, are kept in check?  

By acknowledging that shadow IT exists, as well as the financial ramifications that follow, IT leaders are in a position to address these concerns through the utilization of SaaS management tools. The issue is 73 percent of CIOs feel they lack the strategic framework to rationalize their organization’s app usage. Under this umbrella are many oversights, including redundancies (e.g., identifying and reducing apps that have duplicate functionality), unused and underutilized licenses, licenses belonging to former employees, the value of premium vs standard licenses, and so on.  

By utilizing tools such as SaaS management platforms that centralize visibility into all sanctioned and unsanctioned apps—as well as their users, usage, costs, and licenses—under one roof, IT leaders can make informed decisions and, most importantly, act on them expeditiously. Beyond just deleting unused apps and licenses or eliminating redundancies, the data provided by these tools can also help IT leaders better negotiate future license agreements based on real-time data.  

Solutions like these can also solve the scalability issue that plagues centralized IT models. With built-in automation, they can tackle repetitive yet crucial tasks (e.g., onboarding and offboarding employees from apps, identifying shadow IT usage) while allowing IT leaders to maintain a 360-degree view of their app ecosystem while freeing up their time. So, before you lose any more sleep, consider how your team can more easily get a grip on your SaaS management. If 99 percent of IT pros are, in fact, happy at work, let’s do everything we can to keep it that way.

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The editors at Solutions Review examine and debunk some common UEM myths that might be plaguing your workplace.

Myths and misconceptions around solutions such as Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) software can lead to misuse, underuse, and potentially catastrophic failure in successfully deploying such software. Enterprises must debunk myths surrounding UEM because misinformation can lead to misunderstandings and missed opportunities. By clarifying the realities of UEM, organizations can make informed decisions and fully leverage the benefits offered by this comprehensive endpoint management solution. Debunking common UEM myths enables organizations of all sizes to recognize that UEM is not limited to large enterprises. Smaller businesses may assume that UEM is beyond their scope or budget, missing out on its advantages. Understanding that UEM can be tailored to suit their needs allows smaller enterprises to adopt a holistic approach to endpoint management, enhancing efficiency, security, and scalability.

The editors at Solutions Review look at some of the more common UEM myths and break down how they can prove dangerous to you and your team.

7 Common UEM Myths That Hurt Businesses

Here are some common UEM myths:

1. UEM is only for large enterprises: This is a common myth that UEM solutions are only suitable for large organizations. In reality, UEM can be implemented by businesses of all sizes, including small and medium-sized enterprises. UEM offers scalability and flexibility to meet the needs of different organizations.
2. UEM is limited to mobile devices: While UEM originated as a mobile device management (MDM) solution, it has evolved to encompass all endpoint devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and even Internet of Things (IoT) devices. UEM provides a unified approach to managing and securing diverse endpoints.
3. UEM is complex and challenging to implement: UEM solutions have become more user-friendly and streamlined over time. They offer intuitive interfaces and centralized management consoles, making deployment and administration more accessible. UEM providers often provide comprehensive documentation and support to assist with implementation.
4. UEM is an unnecessary cost: Some organizations may consider UEM as an unnecessary expense. However, the cost of managing and securing endpoints individually can be higher in the long run. UEM provides a consolidated and efficient approach, reducing the complexity and cost of managing multiple tools and platforms.
5. UEM invades user privacy: One concern is that UEM solutions invade user privacy by allowing organizations to monitor and control devices. While UEM does offer management capabilities, including remote wipe and application management, it can be implemented with privacy considerations. Organizations can define policies that balance security needs with user privacy concerns.
6. UEM is only about device control: UEM goes beyond device control and management. It enables organizations to enforce security policies, manage application lifecycles, ensure compliance, and protect data across endpoints. UEM offers comprehensive endpoint security and management capabilities.
7. UEM eliminates the need for other security tools: UEM is a powerful tool for managing endpoints, but it does not replace the need for additional security tools. UEM can integrate with existing security solutions, such as antivirus software, firewalls, and threat detection systems, to provide a layered defense approach.

Debunking UEM myths is vital for enterprises to make informed decisions, embrace the full potential of UEM, and unlock its benefits. By dispelling misconceptions surrounding UEM, organizations can optimize endpoint management, improve security, enhance productivity, and position themselves for success in today’s digital landscape.

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This article on common UEM myths was AI-generated by ChatGPT and edited by Solutions Review editors.

The post Debunking 7 Common UEM Myths That Hurt Businesses appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.

Solutions Review Finds the best cybersecurity books available on Amazon right now. You need to add these to your collection today. 

Are you an IT professional who wants to brush up on your cybersecurity knowledge? Books, whether hardcover or digital, are an excellent source for people looking to learn about a specific field of technology, and security is no exception. We’ve listed the best cybersecurity books that you should add to your reading list. These books are intended for beginners and experts alike and are written by authors with proficiency and/or recognition in the field of cybersecurity.

The Best Cybersecurity Books on Amazon

Cybersecurity Ops with bash: Attack, Defend, and Analyze from the Command Line

Our Take: Carl Albing is a software engineer and teacher with a breadth of industry experience, with a Ph.D in Computer Science. Paul Troncone has over 15 years of experience in the cybersecurity and information technology fields. 

Description: Authors Paul Troncone, founder of Digadel Corporation, and Carl Albing, coauthor of bash Cookbook (O’Reilly), provide insight into command-line tools and techniques to help defensive operators collect data, analyze logs, and monitor networks. Penetration testers will learn how to leverage the enormous amount of functionality built into nearly every version of Linux to enable offensive operations.

Go To This Book

The Secret to Cybersecurity: A Simple Plan to Protect Your Family and Business from Cybercrime

Our Take: Scott Augenbaum built his career investigating cyber crimes for the FBI. He has a wealth of experience which small businesses could easily utilize.

Description: Cybercrime is on the increase internationally, and it’s up to you to protect yourself. But how? The Secret to Cybersecurity is the simple and straightforward plan to keep you, your family, and your business safe. Written by Scott Augenbaum, a 29-year veteran of the FBI who specialized in cybercrimes, it uses real-life examples to educate and inform readers, explaining who/why/how so you’ll have a specific takeaway to put into action for your family. Learn about the scams, methods, and ways that cyber criminals operate—and learn how to avoid being the next cyber victim.

Tribe of Hackers: Cybersecurity Advice from the Best Hackers in the World

Our Take: Marcus J. Carey is a cybersecurity community advocate and startup founder with over 25 years of experience. Jennifer Jin is a communications and marketing professional focused on the cybersecurity industry. 

Description: Tribe of Hackers: Cybersecurity Advice from the Best Hackers in the World is your guide to joining the ranks of hundreds of thousands of cybersecurity professionals around the world. Whether you’re just joining the industry, climbing the corporate ladder, or considering consulting, Tribe of Hackers offers the practical know-how, industry perspectives, and technical insight you need to succeed in the rapidly growing information security market. 

Cybersecurity Is Everybody’s Business: Solve the Security Puzzle for Your Small Business and Home

Our Take: Scott N. Schober is a cybersecurity expert presenter, inventor, author, and CEO of a top wireless tech & security firm. He has the knowledge your business can benefit from. 

Description: There are 30 million small businesses currently operating in the United States. Some of them are single-owner/operated while others collectively employ hundreds of millions. This book is for all of them and anyone who makes it their business to stay safe from phishing attacks, malware spying, ransomware, identity theft, major breaches, and hackers who would compromise their security. We are all in this together which is why cybersecurity is everybody’s business. Scott and Craig Schober examine a multitude of cybersecurity issues affecting all of us.

Hacking the Hacker: Learn From the Experts Who Take Down Hackers

Our Take: Roger A. Grimes has worked in the field of computer security for over 27 years as a professional penetration tester. He knows how hackers think. 

Description: Hacking the Hacker takes you inside the world of cybersecurity to show you what goes on behind the scenes and introduces you to the men and women on the front lines of this technological arms race. Twenty-six of the world’s top white hat hackers, security researchers, writers, and leaders, describe what they do and why, with each profile preceded by a no-experience-necessary explanation of the relevant technology. Light on jargon and heavy on intrigue, this book is designed to be an introduction to the field; final chapters include a guide for parents of young hackers, as well as the Code of Ethical Hacking to help you start your own journey to the top.

Solutions Review participates in affiliate programs. We may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.

Our Buyer’s Guide for SIEM helps you evaluate the best solutions for your business use case and features profiles of the leading profiles, as well as a category overview of the marketplace and a Bottom Line Analysis for each vendor profile.

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As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Jesse Liszka, the Senior Communications Specialist at Paylocity, explains how an employee experience can drive business performance growth.

Companies seldom consider employee experience vital when drafting strategies to drive business value. Instead, they tend to focus more on the customer-facing aspects. Admittedly, customer experience is a proven factor in a business’s growth. But employee experience is equally crucial to get the best results. The benefits of a great employee experience go beyond merely having a pleasant workspace.

There are numerous reasons why employee experience matters. For example, a Gallup study showed that work units with higher employee engagement had 21 percent higher profit. An engaged workforce comes from an excellent working experience. Here, we’ll examine how employee experience drives business performance and its impact on growth.

What is Employee Experience All About? 

Employee experience is a broad concept sharing several similarities with customer experience. But simply swapping “Customer” for “Employee” in the customer experience definition won’t fully explain what employee experience is all about. 

Generally, people think employee experience is only about concepts about workers and the execution of their responsibilities in the workplace. While true, the idea extends further to include everything an individual encounters when working for you.

Employee experience includes staff lifecycle, workplace, and identity management. It also involves integrating the organizational culture, engaging employees in what truly matters, and appreciating your staff’s efforts. Primarily, you should consider employee experience encompassing the worker’s role, job relationships, interactions, remunerations, communications, and job satisfaction.

Take care not to mistake employee engagement for employee experience. While both terms fundamentally point to the same concept, they aren’t the same. Employee experience is the total of the worker’s encounters, exposures, performance, and accrued knowledge throughout their work within a company. Conversely, employee engagement is an immediate or ongoing part of employee experience. It refers to the worker’s current perception of the company.

How Employee Experience Drives Business Performance

In today’s competitive business landscape, a shift has occurred toward understanding the importance of creating a positive employee experience. 

That’s why several companies invest in initiatives that enhance their workforce’s well-being, engagement, and satisfaction, such as implementing the best virtual assistant solutions. A virtual assistant improves employee experience by streamlining workflows, enhancing productivity, and fostering a seamless working environment. For instance, legal industry trends show investment in virtual legal assistants to facilitate a seamless working experience. 

Below are some ways employee experience directly impacts business performance and why it matters to organizations.

Better Experience Leads to Higher Productivity

Psychologists have studied employee attitudes for years to understand what motivates them and improve their job satisfaction. Initially, the widespread belief was that employees would do better if you paid them more. But, while the remuneration scale is a crucial element in the overall employee experience, it only contributes a part of it, while other factors make up what’s left. Nowadays, it’s not only about the paycheck; employees also desire other incentives. 

Therefore, it’s not enough to simply crank up your payroll processing and employee remuneration to improve their experience. Instead, look for other ways to motivate employees to take more interest in their jobs. For example, many want to work in an environment that prioritizes their mental and physical well-being. In other cases, the employees may want to work with friendly superiors and colleagues. Plus, some people simply want to work at their dream jobs.

Each of those factors contributes to the average employee’s experience and performance. The better the total, the happier they’ll be to do their jobs. And the more satisfied employees are when performing their roles, the better their outputs will be.

Good Employee Experience Creates an Attractive Workspace for Talent

It’s now commonplace for job seekers to consider potential work environments while picking employers. It’s no longer about the bigger paycheck; many now ask questions like: “Is the workplace toxic? What’s the boss like when they’re angry? What’s the cultural diversity in the workplace like?” And they may reject the job depending on the answers they get.

As the employer, you can’t satisfactorily answer these questions. Instead, it’ll fall to current employees based on their experiences. If they relay their bad experiences to potential employees, that may likely scare them off. The work environment setting is a crucial factor that contributes to the overall employee experience. That’s why more organizations are investing in employing remote staff. Potential employees may also demand remote or hybrid work considerations and will be more willing to join your company with such conditions available.

Creating a positive employee experience can also extend beyond the physical workspace. Embracing social media platforms like Instagram can effectively grow your home business and enhance the employee experience. Engaging with your employees and showcasing the company culture through captivating visuals and stories on Instagram can attract talented individuals who resonate with your brand and values.

Disengaged Employees Will Cost You More Money

Building an engaged workforce through a positive employee experience is vital to save costs. That’s because uninterested employees will take more money from you than they’ll make for your business. At a basic level, they’ll simply be earning pay from you without giving you the best value in return. Or the lack of a great working experience can lead to operational mistakes or workplace accidents that cost money to fix.

It’s challenging to drive business value with below-par employee performance. Plus, you may spend business funds to implement measures to bolster customer relationship management when all you need is a more engaged workforce.

Unhappy or Disgruntled Employees Lead to Higher Turnover 

Nobody wants to keep doing a job they aren’t happy with. It’s often frustrating, depressing, and unfulfilling. It’s often why people quit their jobs. Typically, unhappy employees take more sick leaves in a year and skip work as often as possible. Worse, they’re likelier to leave when they get a better opportunity.

Organizations can proactively identify and address issues that affect employee satisfaction and engagement by prioritizing employee experience and utilizing tools like employee feedback surveys and sentiment analysis. These insights help track employees to collect information about their sentiments and enable companies to implement targeted strategies to improve their experience, ultimately reducing turnover rates and retaining top talent.

The Gallup report cited earlier also showed that a positive employee experience resulted in 41 percent lower absenteeism and 59 percent less turnover. That means ensuring your employees feel good about their jobs increases their commitment.

Everybody Wins with Good Employee Experience

A great employee experience has numerous benefits to it. Happier, more satisfied employees will show more commitment, work better, and be more productive. That’ll improve the quality of goods or services they provide for customers. That’s how employee experience influences the customer experience.

Again, good experience means employees are happy, which makes them more productive and able to satisfy your customers better. That leads to increased productivity which will make you and your bottom line happier. Everybody wins!

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The editors at Solutions Review have compiled this example low-code automation platform RFP template to help your organization select the best enterprise software for its business needs.

The rapid evolution of technology has brought a new era of business automation. Gone are the days when businesses relied heavily on manual labor to conduct their day-to-day operations. Today, low-code automation solutions have emerged as a viable option for companies looking to streamline their processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. However, choosing the right low-code system for your business can be daunting. One way to simplify the process is by using a request for proposal (RFP) template to solicit proposals from potential vendors.

In addition to simplifying the vendor selection process, an RFP template can offer other benefits. For example, it can help you standardize your requirements and evaluation criteria, making comparing proposals from different vendors easier. It can also help ensure you don’t overlook critical requirements or considerations when evaluating solutions. With that in mind, the Solutions Review editors have compiled an example low-code automation platform RFP template to help you and your team get started.

A Low-Code Automation Platform RFP Template Example

The post A Low-Code Automation Platform RFP Template Example appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.

For each Solutions Review Finds post, our site editors shop for the best products, sift through the reviews, measure the top sellers, and report back with our picks. Here are the best cameras for video marketing. Solutions Review participates in affiliate programs and may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.

Canon EOS M6 Mark II

SUMMARY: The Canon EOS M6 Mark II is a notable improvement for Canon’s mirrorless cameras. This model blends consistently high-quality optics with a compact design, a 32.5 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, DIGIC 8 Image Processor, a high-resolution 3″ LCD tilting monitor, and 4K video recording. Videos shot with the camera will also use the camera’s face tracking, eye detection, and autofocus features so that users can track moving targets. 

PROS

• Accurate autofocus
• 4K video supports the use of the full width of the frame
• Reliable face and eye detection

CONS

• Lack of weather sealing
• Higher price
• No IBIS

OUR TAKE: Whiit on the pricier side, the Canon EOS M6 Mark II is regarded as one of Canon’s best mirrorless cameras. The full-width 4K video recording capabilities (which are not as common as you may think) and autofocusing features make this an excellent tool for marketers breaking into the video marketing field. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is a popular option amongst consumers, especially those just getting started in the world of videography.

Nikon Z 30

SUMMARY: The Nikon Z 30 is the brand’s most compact, lightweight mirrorless video camera. The camera is equipped with fast, reliable autofocus, several AF Area Modes capable of adjusting to quick shifts in detail, eye-detection autofocus, image stabilization, a flip-out touchscreen selfie monitor, and more. And with its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, which can tilt up and down, users can easily shoot in high-quality resolution.

PROS

• Can record video for up to two hours straight
• Tilting LCD touchscreen
• Compatible with every NIKKOR Z lens

CONS

• No HDR recording
• Sometimes overheats
• Lack of EVF

OUR TAKE: The Nikon Z 30 may not be the camera for professional videographers who need all the newest and most dynamic features since it’s primarily geared toward content creators, vloggers, and streamers. However, it stands as a compelling option for marketers looking to get into video, as it’s an easy-to-use, reliably high-quality product that can scale with the user as their needs change. There’s even an affordable accessory package to help marketers get started!

Panasonic LUMIX G85

SUMMARY: The Panasonic LUMIX G85 is a DSLM camera equipped with the technologies and practical functionalities Panasonic users want and is paired with a compact body ideal for field use. The newly advanced 5-axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) suppresses blurring, so users can comfortably capture 4K video in 3840×2160 at 30p (60Hz) or 24p in MP4 formats. Other notable features include a 3″ touchscreen display with tilt and swivel capabilities, a weather-sealed body, dual image stabilization, and more.

PROS

• Sharp 4K (UHD) video
• Articulated LCD touchscreen
• Remote control capabilities via smartphone

CONS

• 4K videos are cropped by a factor of 1.10
• Underwhelming battery life
• Subpar low-light performance

OUR TAKE: This camera offers video marketers just about all the tools and features they need to shoot sharp, unique content for their audience. While it has its detractions, the 4K video—even with the 1.10 crop—and impressive image quality make this a compelling option in the mid-range pricing market. The camera’s remote control capabilities and overall durability are also big perks, as they make the Panasonic LUMIX G85 a unit you can take just about anywhere.

Sony a6400

SUMMARY: With the a6400, Sony has created a camera that strikes a successful balance between the needs of consumers and professional enthusiasts. The Sony a6400 is equipped with features like a 24.2 MP Exmor CMOS sensor, a 0.02-second autofocus speed, real-time autofocus and targeting functionalities empowered by machine learning technology, a 180-degree tiltable LCD touchscreen, and 4K video recording at 24, 25, or 30fps. The camera also supports Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi.

PROS

• 4K video without cropping or recording limitations
• Built-in pop-up flash, EVF, and hot shoe
• AI-enhanced tracking functionality

CONS

• Lack of in-body image stabilization (IBIS)
• No external battery charger
• The camera is not entirely weatherproof

OUR TAKE: The Sony a6400 is a great mid-market camera for marketers who want something more advanced than an entry-level product but without the cost of a professional-level unit. Its 4K video functionalities are reliably excellent. Unlike other cameras at this price point, you don’t have to worry about your footage being cropped or cut off after a certain amount of time has transpired—you’re free to film until the battery dies if you want. Some users may wish to upgrade the a6400 with a full-frame lens—the FE 24-105mm is a popular option—at some point, but the out-of-box capabilities should be more than enough for your video marketing needs.

Sony ZV-1

SUMMARY: Sony’s ZV-1 is a camera made with content creators and vloggers in mind. While it shares similar tech with Sony’s RX100 line, the ZV-1 branches out by focusing more on video-friendly capabilities and features. For example, ZV-1 includes image stabilization, face and eye detection, autofocus, and a metering system to maintain proper exposure in changing light conditions. Other features for videographers include a built-in microphone, 4K recording at 24 or 30fps, and a product showcase mode that automatically adjusts the focus when an object is centered.

PROS

• Sleek, compact form factor
• Terrific audio capture
• Impressive 4K video

CONS

• Disappointing battery life
• Narrow lens
• Touch functionalities are limited

OUR TAKE: If you’re looking for an accessible but reliable camera, the Sony ZV-1 is a fantastic option. It’s best suited for smaller marketing teams, especially ones focusing on more compact videos. The compact design, vlogger-friendly features, and reliable audio and video will quickly meet the needs of marketing video content. If you plan on taking the camera on the go, you will probably want to look into an accessory kit that includes a selfie stick or tripod, which will help compensate for the narrower lens.

NOW READ: The Best Video Marketing Courses Worth Taking

The post The 6 Best Cameras for Video Marketing to Consider Using appeared first on Solutions Review Technology News and Vendor Reviews.