Didier Dessens

January 14, 2022

Study shows that 4 factors help firms grow 4X faster than most while staying highly profitable

Food for thought. A 2022 High Growth study by Hinge Research Institute shows that 4 key factors explain how some B2B services firms grew 4x faster and were twice more likely to be highly profitable than their slower growing peers: 1. greater use of expert talent,2. highly automated core, general business, and functional business processes,3. advanced marketing techniques,4. data-driven strategies. It is […]

December 27, 2021

Trends in CRM #3: CRM systems are increasingly powered with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

It should be no surprise to anyone if I add Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the top list of trends impacting the CRM world. AI systems have become a reality and are maturing quickly. For most of us, as consumers, Artificial Intelligence is synonym of Amazon Alexa, Google Nest or Apple Siri: Smart devices that provide varying levels of expert assistance. […]

December 8, 2021

Trends in CRM #2: Voice Interfaces are on the rise!

Voice User Interfaces will integrate with front office and CRM systems. This is a fact. They have the potential to become the next killer application. This is my belief. In my previous article, I was sharing my view on one of the key trends in CRM today: the move towards Cloud. Now I am commenting the second big trend I […]

December 7, 2021

5 key insights from the Mulesoft Transform event

Integration across systems and organisations has been the trajectory for more than 5 decades now. In the recent past, I was fortunate to be involved in some Open Banking initiatives where I could learn more about APIs on the field. Yesterday I attended the Mulesoft Transform event. I wanted to learn about the latest developments around integration, API management, and […]

November 30, 2021

Trends in CRM #1: Everything is cloud

People often ask me what trends I see today in the CRM and digital transformation fields. It is a kind of legitimate to try to understand what is happening today and foresee how the future will be. In this series of articles, I am sharing some of my views on the trends that are causing this digital transformation and shaping […]

November 3, 2021

TechArenan summit 2021

FYI i will attend the TechArenan summit on Novermber 12, 2021. Link to register if you like: TechArenan summit 2021

July 29, 2021

Digital Strategy: Coordination vs Fragmentation

Sharing: Interesting report from IMD Business School discussing why organisations are struggling with their digital strategy, highlighting that the problem is within the structure of organisations itself. Read more on IMD’s website: https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/reports/digital-vortex-report-2021/

April 20, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 15

The best articles from the web that came on my table this week 15. Highlighted: Embedded finance by Nordea, the future of bancassurance by McKinsey, the interesting story of Dixa, a convervational engagement firm, and foreseeing the future with the “Gen Z” generation. Empowering businesses with Embedded Finance (By Nordea)First words: “The growth of embedded finance has seen an increasing number […]

April 9, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 13

The best articles from the web that came on my table this week 13: Transitioning from matrix to agile, KPIs, banking and mortgages, customer service, and the impacts of digital transformation. The Fundamentals of Transforming from Matrix to Agile (By Insead Business School)First words: “Although it remains a common way to structure an organisation, the matrix is increasingly showing its […]

March 30, 2021

Don’t Confuse Platforms with Ecosystems

I have been involved in many projects or discussion around Open Banking, ecosystems, and platform thinking in recent years. I have often seen some confusion in the terminology when talking to participants. Here is a contribution by Insead Business School to explain the differences. Link: Don’t Confuse Platforms with Ecosystems

March 29, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 12

The best articles from the web that came on my table this week 12: A great review on Jeff Bezos and Amazon, Natwest’s strategy for retail banking, some good tips for designing for sales, and the future of CX according to McKinsey. I Read 23 Years Worth of Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Shareholder Letters — Here’s What I LearnedFirst words: “the early […]

March 26, 2021

Why bridging the business-technology gap is critical

It is clear that becoming digital “by default” requires most organisations to rethink the way they work. Best-in-Class bring together business and IT to work together to both develop strategy and deliver technology. It seems obvious from this survey by McKinsey that some still do not unfortunately! Link: Seven lessons on how technology transformations can deliver value

March 22, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 11

My best picks from the web this week 11: The subscription model, digital marketing, continuous experimentation, innovation, life insurance and gamification, trends in CRM and retail. Today’s Business Environment Requires Continuous ExperimentationFirst words: “The world has changed, and marketers must reinvent how they reach customers, breaking down silos and increasing agility and experimentation with fewer resources.” Exploring subscription management in […]

March 16, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 10

My best picks from the web this week: e-Commerce, banking and mortgages, conversational AI, and the companion model… The Trillion Dollar Opportunity in B2B2C paymentsFirst words: “Payments is an attractive and fast-growing business. Since 2016, payment companies have attracted superior valuation and traded at a significant premium versus banks, largely thanks to underlying fundamentals from low capital to high growth.” […]

February 25, 2021

Joining the Movement with Stadium

Today, I am “joining the Movement” and I am speaking with Pino Roscigno, who is the Commercial & Brand Director at Stadium, the leading sporting goods retailer in the Nordics. I would like to understand how market and technological dynamics are rewriting the rules of competition in one of the most competitive industry in the world, forcing brands to rethink […]

February 15, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 6

My best picks from the web this week 6: Artificial Intelligence and automation, agility and frontline, digital interactions and customer data generation, and customer service and excellence. Einstein Automate is just the beginning: Salesforce shares vision for future of AI and automation(Video) How agile can power frontline excellenceFirst words: “An agile transformation can release the full potential of frontline staff, […]

February 2, 2021

My Top 5 Reads – Week 5

My best picks from the web this week 5. This week: Facebook and CRM, Voice UI with Speechly, banking, and Marketing Automation. I wish you a pleasant reading! What Do 2020’s Acquisition Trends Mean For CRM?First words: “Looking back at the CRM world in 2020, it’s easy to forget this year was filled with high-profile mergers and acquisitions. Major players like […]

December 28, 2020

The Best of 2020: Most Popular Articles on Dessens.se

2020 has been a surrealistic year. With Covid-19, thousands of people and companies quickly adjusted to a new way of working that we all called WFH. Some moved quicker than others. For some, it was business as usual, for others, the experience was more painful. New lessons were learned. Flexibility was key. The diversity in digital maturity was striking. During […]

December 7, 2020

New insights on Digital Banking in Europe

I’m sharing a brand new analysis of the digital banking market done by D-Rating. A really interesting finding is that it shows that out of the 58 major retail banks in Europe, only 14 of them actually compete with the top neo-banks. For us in the Nordics, it shows that Nordea and Swedbank outperform with a digital proposition that is both […]

November 24, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 47

My best picks from the web this week 47. This week: The new elements of digital transformation, data partnerships, integrating marketing and IT, and customer service is having a moment. The New Elements of Digital TransformationFirst words: “Since 2014, when our article “The Nine Elements of Digital Transformation” appeared in these pages, executive awareness of the powerful and ever-evolving ways in […]

November 18, 2020

Big data projects in Marketing are surprising. Constantly (Part 2)

I recently posted Big data projects in Marketing are surprising. Constantly (Part 1) explaining that, from my experience, big data projects in Marketing were a do & learn approach. I was highlighting the importance of aligning stakeholders on a common definition of big data. In part 2, I am still referring to the same project: Marketing campaign effectiveness in a […]

November 9, 2020

Big data projects in Marketing are surprising. Constantly (Part 1)

Working in a Big data project in Marketing is constantly surprising. Essentially. When I first got involved in a big data project, it was in marketing. I knew marketers had struggled for ages to really understand who their customers were in a holistic way. They had tried to reach them across several channels. They had built datalakes. They had implemented […]

November 2, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 44

My best picks from the web this week 44. This week: Salesforce, customer experience, social listening, and marketing. The committed innovator: An interview with Salesforce’s Simon MulcahyFirst words: “The cloud software provider’s executive vice president and chief innovation officer discusses how Salesforce’s innovation process creates distinctive buying experiences.” Why data is the life force of customer experienceFirst words: “To retain […]

October 26, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 43

My best picks from the web this week 43. Today: multicloud, Salesforce and Microsoft, Retail, insurance, and a very interesting article on Apple and 5G by Pr. Howard Yu from IMD Business School. Don’t miss it! Not Excited About The New iPhone 12? Apple Is Prepared.First words: “Apple brought all its usual glamour to the unveiling of its latest iPhones 12 yesterday. There […]

October 21, 2020

Takeaways from Fluido’s webinar on e-Commerce

I just attended Fluido’s webinar on e-Commerce. The topic was about the things to consider when selecting a platform. Great topic! I like Antti Katajamäki’s final takeaways: 1. Customers’ and Businesses’ digital requirements have dramatically changed in 2020. 2. What if 100% of your customer or business partner interactions were digital, how would your digital commerce services stand up? Map the […]

October 19, 2020

Exploring Customer Experience and Business Agility with PostNord

Customer Experience and business agility is the topic I am exploring today. In a recent post, I was discussing some of the options organisations have today to address the changing customer engagement paradigm across their value chain. I was arguing that, even though the aim of creating experiences that customers desire and want might sound easy, it often brings new […]

October 15, 2020

Starting soon: Exploring Customer Experience, a new interview series with leaders

Launching a new interview series on Customer Experience. On Tuesday 20th, October, I am meeting with Anne-Christine Lane, Vice-President and Head of Analytics & Automation at PostNord, the Nordic Postal Services company. Our conversation? Customer Experience and Business Agility. How can organisations regain a long-term vision and a sense of direction, while being agile and flexible to changes in the […]

October 15, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 42

My best picks from the web this week 42. Lots of announcements this week. Also we discuss banking and fintech partnerships, and then Big data analytics in healthcare. 5 Bank And Fintech Partnership Ideas To Generate RevenueFirst words: “Today’s realities in the banking industry:1. Banks and credit unions need new sources of non-interest income.2. Fintech startups need to start generating […]

October 14, 2020

What’s New in Pega’s Customer Engagement & CRM 8.5

Pega introduces its new 8.5 release. Here are the links to Pega’s site detailing the new enhancements: What’s New in Pega Platform What’s New in Customer Engagement & CRM Pega Sales Automation Pega Sales Automation 8.5 Release Notes Pega Customer Service Pega Customer Service 8.5 Release Notes Financial Services 8.5 enhancements Healthcare 8.5 enhancements Insurance 8.5 enhancements Communications 8.5 enhancements Pega Customer […]

October 8, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 41

My best picks from the web this week 41. Here are my 5 favourite articles worth reading on CRM, CX and digital transformation. On the agenda: Ford and Volvo, success and failures, and a view on the Chief Digital Officer’s role. How Ford And Volvo Are Embracing Next-Gen Experience ManagementFirst words: “If there is one thing I’ve learned through the […]

September 30, 2020

My Top 5 reads – Week 40

Best picks from the web this week 40. Here are my 5 favourite articles published on CRM, CX and digital transformation. On the agenda: Agility within organisation, the CRM market for 2020-2030, customer retention, and some new releases by Microsoft and Salesforce. How to Unstructure Your Organization for the Future?First words: “Multi-layered bureaucratic organizations with centralized decision making and endless […]

September 25, 2020

What’s new in Salesforce? Check out the Winter 21 releases

Salesforce’s Winter 21 releases are now online. Check out the new features: Multi-factor authentication, Einstein Search Personalization, Salesforce Anywhere (Beta)Work.comService: Service Cloud Voice Streamlined Setup, Omni-Channel Supervisor for Calls, Einstein Bots Templates, and MoreSales: Sales Cadence Improvements for High Velocity Sales, Global Models for Einstein Lead Scoring, Opportunity Deal Change Highlights, and Multi-Cloud Support for BillingIndustries: Document Management, Forecasting, Public […]

September 23, 2020

My Top 5 reads – Week 39

Best picks from the web this week 39. Here are my 5 favourite articles published on CRM, CX and digital transformation. On the agenda: Salesforce, banking, automotive, and APIs to support the customer experience. Salesforce announces Meetings, Einstein Video Call Coaching and more tools aimed at improving virtual salesFirst words: “As sales organizations shift to handling most, if not all, […]

September 17, 2020

My Top 5 reads – Week 38

Best picks from the web. Here are my 5 favourite articles published on CRM, CX and digital transformation I would recommend you to read this week. On the agenda: Stockholm’s Fintech scene, data and analytics, content strategy, and customer onboarding. Data and analytics are propelling organisations into the futureFirst words: “In the Leadership Series EDGE Webinar titled ‘Embracing Data and Analytics […]

September 11, 2020

Online event: CX Transformation Nordics, 2020

Who is joining the CX transformation Nordics this year? It is an online event covering topics as customer centricity, how to lead successful CX initiatives, or customer service. I will especially attend the session “Transformational customer centricity: How CX is being used as a measurable KPI across the organisation” by Kati Packalen, Head of Customer experience at Postnord. This is […]

August 31, 2020

Is your organization ambitious enough to deal with the new customer engagement narrative?

With the rise of digital business models, ecosystems, and the greater maturity in technologies such as AI, most organisations are forced to revisit their business models and the way they engage with customers. In this paper, I am exploring some of the options business units managing customer experience have to adapt in order to address the many challenges they are […]

August 31, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 35

My 5 favourite articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation to read this week. On the agenda: B2B Fintech, Amazon, Salesforce, retail and AI. What Amazon is Doing in Financial Services like Fintech“From payments to lending to insurance to checking accounts, Amazon is attacking financial services from every angle without applying to be a conventional bank. Salesforce Positioned by Gartner as […]

August 18, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 33

Hi everyone! Lots of good articles on CRM and DX this week. Here is my selection of the ones I like best. All with a great smile because it is still summer! On the agenda: AI, Conversational analytics, retail, and customer journey map. Lack of Skills Threatens Digital Transformation“As the COVID-19 response accelerates the speed and scale of digital transformation, […]

August 11, 2020

Free webinar: 4 things to consider when selecting a new eCommerce platform, by Fluido

Every business has unique needs, and your eCommerce platform should also reflect that. Choosing a new eCommerce platform to support your online business can be a challenging task. E-commerce is often a long term commitment involving a significant investment of time, money, and efforts in development, customization, deployment, and maintenance. The way you approach and prepare the selection process, ensure […]

July 3, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 27

I am sharing the 5 articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation I liked best this week. On the agenda: Retail, Financial Services, mobile, and customer sentiment… Why Some Retailers Are Thriving Amid Disruption“Retailers that successfully adapt to the pandemic’s social-distancing requirements offer a model for making a quick digital pivot.” McKinsey Survey Reveals Consumer Sentiment Improving But Shifting Brands And […]

June 25, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 26

Lots of good articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation this week! Here are the ones I liked best. On the agenda: Banking, Salesforce, Employee Experience, and digital transformation more generally. With human nature – not against it: How Jan Wallander made Handelsbanken unique“Handelsbanken has no sales or product targets, doesn’t believe in bonuses and empowers branch managers to make […]

June 18, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 25

My 5 favourite articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation to read this week. On the agenda: Banking, Salesforce, Omnichannel marketing, and Temenos. Now Is The Time For A Conversational Approach To Customer Experience“In a recent session at Pegaworld iNspire, Paul Greenberg, best-selling author of CRM at the Speed of Light and The Commonwealth of Self Interest was talking with Pega’s Vice President, CRM Product Marketing, […]

June 4, 2020

Mulesoft Connect Digital, 2020

I’m at the MuleSoft CONNECT Digital today. All online of course! On my agenda: keynotes and breakout sessions to discuss APis and integration. There are very good whitepapers, webinars and materials: API strategy essentialsConnectivity benchmark reportHow to articulate the value of integrationUnleash the full power of Salesforceetc…

June 3, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 23

Hi everyone! I’m sharing the 5 best articles I have read this week. On my table: cross border data, data policies, Open Banking, marketing, and manufacturing. Importance of cross-border data flow“Passing digital information between countries, even though code requires no passport or transportation beyond the internet superhighway, is regulated as if it is a physical commodity. This movement (exchange) of […]

May 28, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 22

I am sharing the 5 articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation I liked best this week. On the agenda: AI, Insurance, networking tools, and marketing. AI Devours Data!“Those who have worked on Machine Learning (ML) projects know that ML requires a large amount of data to train the resulting algorithms.” Inside the NSA’s Secret Tool for Mapping Your Social Network“Edward […]

May 22, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 21

My 5 favourite articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation to read this week. On the agenda: B2B selling, video, CX, and retail… 5 data-driven principles for the Chief Data Officer to reshape CX strategy“Customer data platforms (CDPs), data-driven projects, big data, analytics centers of excellence, digital transformation – popular concepts these days.” Video Innovation Will Change Society“Our forced reliance on […]

May 13, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – week 20

My 5 favourite articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation to read this week. On the agenda: Steve Jobs, CX, and digital strategies. Steve Jobs VS Reid Hoffman: Which Philosophy is the right one?“Founder of LinkedIn and former PayPal executive vice president, Reid Hoffman famously said: If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve shipped too late”.“ […]

May 7, 2020

What benefits do you see from working with ecosystems of partners? – Quick survey

Quick poll – I would like to ask you about your views on the major drivers for a firm to develop an ecosystem of partners. Could you please jump into this poll and share? That would be great!

May 5, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 19

My 5 favourite articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation to read this week. On the agenda: Salesforce, AI, Supply chain, and B2B sales Salesforce Summer ’20 Release Notes (By Salesforce)“The Summer ’20 release delivers innovations across the entire Customer 360 Platform to support you in times of change.” How The “Amazon Effect” Is Impacting B2B Sales (By SAP)“In the consumer space, we’ve […]

May 2, 2020

#Open Banking by Didier (on Flipboard)

I have been asked several times for the link to my magazine dedicated to Open Banking on Flipboard. I’m quickly sharing the link: https://flipboard.com/@ddessens/openbanking-by-didier-semut4k4z?from=share I’m also sharing the figures to date: Over 1100 readers and 132 subscribers. Number of articles: 2500Number of flips: 7100

April 28, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 18

5 new great articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation to read this week. On the agenda: Salesforce vs Pega, supplemented with Gartner’s and ISG’s analyses. We are also speaking about 3D. Magic Quadrant for CRM and Customer Experience Implementation Services (Gartner)“Decade-high demand for CRM and CX implementation services including design, UX and e-commerce saw providers in this study grow […]

April 22, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 17

Hi everyone! I’ve just released my selection of Top 5 Reads for this week 17! It includes interesting insights from Thomas Siebel on AI in the Oil & Gas industry (remember Siebel CRM?). Also featuring Retail, Salesforce and Microsoft. How to be more strategic? MSDW Podcast: Frieda Maher on the challenges of the sales back office Salesforce’s Rise to the […]

April 20, 2020

The call for urgent action in Customer Services

According to a recent PEGA study, employees facing customers are often frustrated with the level of service they can provide to customers. They denounce inadequate technology and processes that limit their effectiveness. The survey shows that 81% of respondents mentioned fast resolution among the four most important factors for quality of customer service. Speed is however not the only consideration. 72% also […]

April 17, 2020

Focus on business ecosystems: Leveraging partners in disruptive times

Commentary – We were around 350 people and prof. Mark Greeven shared some great insights and practical examples on why and how organisations should leverage partners to build sustainable businesses. On ecosystems – Have you listened to IMD’s webinar on “leveraging partners in disruptive times” last Tuesday? (The one I was talking about in a previous post). Working with partners […]

April 16, 2020

One quick comment on Gartner’s 2020 Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms

Commentary – Gartner has just released a 2020 quadrant for Digital Experience platforms (DXP), basically revamping the classical Web Content Management MQ with a new terminology and enlarged scope. It is true all WCM solutions now include enough features to encompass a digital experience. It is also true that, from a functional aspect, there is little differences between solutions. At […]

April 16, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 16

Hi everyone! Lots of good articles on CRM and DX this week. Here is my selection of the ones I like best. All with a new layout because it is spring, and we are all moving towards a sunnier and warmer time with a smile. 7 Ways to Analyse a Customer Journey Map A Startup Guide to Creating an Ideal […]

April 15, 2020

Focus on getting support from local expertise in turbulent times

Opinion – I have received a good number of reactions and messages after my post last week on the impacts of the current crisis on projects in Sweden. A project manager confessed the decision had been made to postpone some of the activities to further undefined notice. This will impact both costs and timeline, he said. My first reaction was […]

April 14, 2020

One quick comment on Gartner’s 2020 Magic Quadrant for Analytics

Commentary – Any new Gartner Magic Quadrant release is a kind of milestone in my life as a CRM consultant. I have just reviewed the recent (2020) MQ for Analytics and Business Intelligence platforms. Sounds fun? Well, this year, Microsoft is in the lead, closely followed by Tableau while Salesforce is a clear visionary player. Now, that said, we know […]

April 11, 2020

Free webinar: Leveraging partners in disruptive times, by IMD Business School

Agenda – There is a webinar on “leveraging partners in disruptive times” at IMD Business School on April 14 (11-12 CET) by Mark Greeven, professor of Innovation and strategy. Working with ecosystems of partners requires thinking and I’m eager to listen to Mark Greeven‘s view on this interesting topic. Ecosystems have been on the agenda for some years, boosted by […]

April 9, 2020

Perspective on Covid-19 crisis and digital maturity

Opinion – The Covid-19 crisis is revealing flaws in business continuity plans and weaknesses in value chains, exposing business and people alike. Most business continuity plans were based on a few number of key employees performing critical functions. They were not made for a large number of employees suddenly working from home. As a result, bits and pieces were missing: […]

April 9, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 15

I’m sharing my favourite articles this week on CRM and Digital Transformation. Have a nice Easter break! The New Rules of Marketing Is COVID-19 Forcing Your Digital Transformation? 12 Steps To Move Faster Quantifying the value of UX Customer Offboarding: How to Deal With Churn Advanced Remote Selling

April 7, 2020

Spotlight on local CRM resources

Some of my contacts in Sweden are confessing to me that their CRM projects are now at risk. The reason is that some of the critical project resources from their integration partners have been stranded abroad for 2 weeks now and will still be for a while. I can see a general trend unfortunately. Often, integration partners rely a lot […]

April 2, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 14

I’m pleased to share some good articles I have read this week on CRM and Digital Transformation – #myTOP5reads How to Maintain Customer Relationships While Working Remote How to Provide Customer Support on Social Media Faster What Is Marketing Orchestration? Top 3 ways to increase engagement in e-commerce Gartner: Top-performing companies understand CX

March 25, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 13

MyTOP5reads for this Week 13 focuses on voice and AI in Marketing and customer engagement. Also an analysis of the CRM leading solutions Is Voice The Next Big Thing To Transform Consumer Behavior? 3 Powerful Ways AI is Changing the Sales and Marketing Experience Right Now Dreamforce 2019 Management Journal On CRM: From Salesforce To Zoho, Which Of These 10 […]

March 23, 2020

Focus on mitigating risks in pricing

I had this exciting discussion yesterday on the risks arising from having inconsistent pricing models and systems. The context was B2B commerce with sales people using multiple pricing tools. This is obviously leading to significant issues such as inconsistencies in prices, excessive tactical discountings, over-generous contracts, or jeopardizing margins. We all know that in some cases like in Asset Management […]

March 18, 2020

Insider’s view: On AI-powered advanced analytics

I have received a good number of questions about Advanced Analytics and more especially about Salesforce’s Einstein Analytics in the past few weeks. As there is an increasing interest in my network, I was thinking of sharing more broadly this Fluido Smart CRM series video about Einstein Analytics. It provides good insights on the actual solution in just 8.41 minutes

March 18, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 12

Here are myTOP5reads for this Week 12. 100% Corona-free. This week, my selection of the best articles on CRM and DX focuses on Marketing, Salesforce’s industry solutions, and agility in banking… Modern marketing: What it is, what it isn’t, and how to do it Why Gartner Thinks Most Marketers Will Abandon Personalization by 2025 Salesforce’s acquisition of vlocity may shake […]

March 11, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 11

Focus on Healthcare, contact centers and digital transformation this week. My TOP 5 reads (Week 11). As Salesforce builds up industry-specific focus, Health Cloud gets new features Managing the fallout from technology transformations How CIOs Can Embrace Customer Centricity and Lead Transformation The seven evolutionary stages of analytics in the contact centre: How evolved are you? 360 Perspectives: Embed Customer […]

March 4, 2020

Microsoft Envision Forum Financial Services, 2020

Agenda – Live from Microsoft Envision Forum Financial Services with Johannes Anderberg , Sara Öhrvall (SEB), Johanna Norberg (Danske bank), Sophia Wikander (Nordea) on stage. Awaiting for Luthon Hagvinprice (Swedbank) later today. Great insights on what is going on in FS in Sweden!

March 4, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 10

LinkedIn + CRM integration this week. A bit of AI. Also, because of the season, several recent surveys to understand where we all are in DX and CRM. On CRM: LinkedIn Takes Another Big Step Towards CRM Integration 50 Stats Showing The Power Of Personalization Infosys Digital Radar 2020: Breaking through the digital ceiling Salesforce CRM Review: The Complete Guide […]

February 26, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 9

“My TOP 5 reads”, Week 9 – with a focus on Next Best Action, AI, and the Nordic banking scene… Augmented Humanity: Creating A Human Context That Technology Can Enhance Next Best Action: High-performing operating model (By Pegasystems) Get Started with Einstein Next Best Action (By Salesforce) What’s going on in the Nordic challenger bank scene? Privacy And Personalization Clash […]

February 25, 2020

Useful insights for Chief Digital Officers

To my friends, Chief Digital Officers / CDOs. Please make sure you don’t miss this article. A must read for you, urgently. By Professor Michael R Wade from the IMD Business School: Link: The five stages of the Chief Digital Officer–and why they often fail

February 19, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 8

“My TOP 5 reads”, Week 8 – Focus on digitization in retail this week + this great article on CDOs’ role and future by IMD (Not to miss) The five stages of the Chief Digital Officer–and why they often fail How H&M are shifting their focus from the high street to digital retail Why AI Adoption Starts with Psychology Why […]

February 12, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 7

AI and Cognitive, digital transformation, CRM trends, and Retail in “My TOP 5 reads” this week: 50 Coginitive Biases in the Moderrn World Salesforce Blog: CRM Trends to Watch for in 2020 Evolving digital transformation: McKinsey presents its ‘business building’ strategy (CxOTalk interview) How to launch an AR/VR-powered retail experience A.I., Machine Learning, and the Future of Marketing

February 5, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 6

“My TOP 5 reads” brings us this week to discuss AI, DX platforms, trends, social media, and (non-digital) must-read books on CX. Einstein discovery (AI) – Customer churn analysis for a lottery company Gartner: Digital experience platform providers face growing challenges (By CMO Australia) CRM Trends to Watch for in 2020 (By Salesforce) Why Encouraging Online Comments Could Grow Your […]

January 29, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 5

“My TOP 5 reads” brings this week spotlights on marketing technology, customer contact, mobile, and disruptive innovation. Alphabet Soup: Martech Systems Are Letting Retailers Down (By Mediapost) Radical reform – the new model for customer contact (By the Drum) The evolving role of the CIO and CMO in customer experience (By Zdnet.com) 3 Things You Can Learn From Starbucks About […]

January 22, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 4

Week 4 release of “My TOP 5 reads on CRM, CX and Digital Transformation”. This week, it’s about voice AI, conversational AI, customer engagement, customer service, and some lessons learned. The Dangers of Overpromising and Under-Delivering Einstein Voice: What’s Next for the ‘Alexa of Salesforce’ How conversational AI will boost CX this decade The Field Of Gold: Why It’s Time […]

January 16, 2020

My Top 5 weeks – Week 3

“My Top 5 reads”, Week 3, is on! Highlighted this week are speech recognition, platforms, AI, community fans and lessons learned… How decreasing time-to-cart can help retailers win more customers in grocery e-commerce? (By Speechly) A Study of More Than 250 Platforms Reveals Why Most Fail (By Harvard Business Review) How the Future of AI Will Impact Business (By Salesforce) […]

January 9, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 2

Week 2, 2020 of My Top 5 reads is now released! This week, my personal selection of articles on CRM, CX and digital transformation includes: AI vendors to watch in 2020 and beyond Why You Need To Consider IoT In Improving Customer Experience How to balance fraud prevention with great customer experience What’s Been Missing From Client Experience: Humans What […]

January 2, 2020

My Top 5 Reads – Week 1

Be inspired in 2020! My TOP 5 reads continues this year! My own personal selection from the best from the web on CX, CRM and digital transformation. The Power Of Purpose: How Salesforce Impact Labs Is Helping Innovation Scale How the Future of AI Will Impact Business Insurance Industry Headings Towards Marketplace Model Three Technologies That Are Transforming The Retail […]

December 24, 2019

My Top 5 Reads – Week 52

Last time for this year! My Top 5 reads on CRM, CX and Digital transformation this week (Week 52). Enjoy the festive days and see you next year! Customer data platform tools top priority list for big vendors AI Customer Service Will Save You Money, but it Might Cost You Customers The Next Decade of Data: Why Retail Marketers Will […]

December 18, 2019

My Top 5 Reads – Week 51

My Top 5 reads on CRM, CX and Digital transformation this week (Week 51): How The Salesforce Revolution Can Guide Marketing And Communications Firms’ Evolution Branding is dead, CX design is king An Overview of Artificial Intelligence in Salesforce Einstein How to find out if your CRM switch is a beneficial step for the organisation The applications of AI in […]

December 11, 2019

My Top 5 Reads – Week 50

FYI – Here are my Top 5 reads on CRM, CX and Digital transformation this week (Week 50, 2019): Three barriers holding back the next wave of female digital leaders Michael Machado of Salesforce: Voice is the Future of CRM Forget digital transformation: Companies must evaluate digital maturity instead How Netflix uses psychology to perfect their customer experience Cadillac Offers […]

December 5, 2019

Oracle Modern CX Summit 2019

FYI – I will be attending the Oracle Modern CX Summit on Dec 10 at the Epicenter in Stockholm. If you are going too, please PM me and let’s have a coffee alongside the conference. /Didier

December 4, 2019

My Top 5 Reads – Week 49

My Top 10 reads this week (Week 49, 2019): How shoppable video will change the way we buy things How Norrøna built a recommendation engine that increased conversions by 50% (with just one engineer) Headless Commerce: Why E-Commerce Is Losing Its Head Want More Conversions On Your E-Commerce Site? Live Chat Is The Way Forward Does AI Improve Retail And […]

December 3, 2019

Pega Community Meet-up Stockholm, 2019

Building a Next Best Action strategy at the Pega community event today. Awaiting for clients and integrators to share experiences. I’ve heard Swedish Public Employment Service, Swedbank, Folksam, SKANDIABANKEN ASA, Capgemini, and others are around… But hush… 😉

November 26, 2019

Next Gen Nordics 2019

Payments on the agenda today with P27. Lars Sjögren (P27) and Liz Oakes (Mastercard) on stage. All about payments and ecommerce in the Nordics. Also meeting clients, partners, old colleagues, and friends. From Grand Hotel in Stockholm. Exciting!

November 21, 2019

Dreamforce Sweden Preparty (26 Nov. 2019)

Hej! I will attend the Salesforce Sweden Preparty on Wednesday. If you are around, let’s connect! /Didier https://www.salesforce.com/eu/events/details/dreamforce-preparty-sweden-06112019/

October 30, 2019

Revisited: PEGA Business Architect course

Just revisiting the PEGA Business Architect course I attended last year to refresh my knowledge of the platform. Afterwards I will do the same with Salesforce and Dynamics… Life as a CRM consultant…

October 16, 2019

On AI and CRM

I’m sharing a very interesting article from Forbes on AI and CRM. Worth to read. It discusses ways to combine AI with CRM platforms to improve customer management. It also gives an overview on the kind of topics I’m dealing with on a daily basis. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2019/10/19/ai-and-crm-will-customer-management-get-easier/#2ea559243db9 Some quotes I have gathered: “If customer experience is the center of digital transformation, […]

October 9, 2019

Focus on Voice AI

At the last WCIT, Gary Vaynerchuk (the famous businessman) claimed that voice AI systems will be everywhere around us within the next decade, meaning we only have to speak to get what we want. At the same time, a recent survey from Gartner (June 2019) forecasts that, by 2023, customers will prefer to use speech interfaces to initiate 70% of […]

October 8, 2019

On revisiting old business classics and new inspiring books.

Preparing for the long Swedish winter, always a good time to revisit old business classics and new inspiring books. This year, my plan is: 1. Refresh my knowledge on Big Data analytics, through the IBM Big Data platform, 2. Revisit chapter 6 on Information Management and manipulation, in Frank Webster’s Theories of the Information Society, 3. Going into Steve Job’s […]

September 20, 2019

On Open Banking partnerships

Just sharing. Interesting PoV. I’m glad to see that we are eventually starting to talk actual partnerships. Are Open Banking Partnerships All They’re Cracked Up to Be?

September 11, 2019

KPMG’s Vision 2030

Bundling, unbundling and rebundling of financial services at KPMG’s Vision 2030 in Stockholm. Great insights from Gustav Baltscheffsky (Tink), Ebba Kraemer (Google), Ewan MacLeod (Nordea), Pekka Puustinen (OP), and Hanna Karolina Johansson (Revolut)! Super inspiring! Quick takeaways so far: 1. It is about owning the data 2. Money on autopilot, data-driven and automated with AI 3. Keywords: Control, convenience, innovation, […]

September 7, 2019

On Knowing Your Customer (KYC)

We all know that KYC is a big challenge to banks, both on the retail and commercial sides. There are interesting ongoing developments here in the Nordics. I am sharing an interesting article from Finextra that gives a good overview of where we are. Quick questions: How KYC will work in an Open Banking ecosystem? Will banks invoice fintechs or […]

June 17, 2019

On bias in AI

Hej! On my table this morning, Salesforce’s approach to tackle bias in AI. An interesting interview about analytics and AI. Worth reading. I am sharing it. /Didier Link: Salesforce talks about its Einstein Analytics product for financial services and new tools to combat AI bias

June 12, 2019

Recent questions on Open Banking.

Just summarising some of my recent questions on Open Banking. Do they make sense?

Hi! I'm Didier and I will shake up your digital strategy

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