Category: Technology

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Business Culture Economics Lifestyle Regulations & Security Technology

AM Best to sponsor, exhibit and speak at Vermont Captive Insurance Association’s Annual Conference

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — AM Best will participate in a number of sessions at the 2023 Vermont Captive Insurance Association’s (VCIA) Annual Conference, including a discussion on the potential opportunities parametric coverage presents for the captive insurance industry and a presentation on the rising use of captives to cover cyber exposures. The VCIA conference takes place Aug. 7-10, 2023.

Fred Eslami, associate director, AM Best, will participate in a panel session on Tuesday, Aug. 8, titled, “Parametric Coverage in Captives – Nuts and Bolts.” The discussion will cover the basic concept of parametric solutions in insurance and possible uses of parametric solutions in the captive industry, including a real-world case study. The panel discussion is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. (EDT).

 

Later that day, at 1:30 p.m. (EDT), AM Best Managing Director John Andre and Eslami will deliver a presentation, titled, “Cyber Market Likely to Attract More Captives,” which will look at the growing role captives are playing in providing capacity and a line of protection against captive attacks, as well as the rise in cyber specialist companies that in some cases form their own captive.

 

In a pre-conference “Captive Immersion Workshop,” scheduled for Monday, Aug. 7, Daniel Giunta, account manager, Business Development, AM Best, will join a number of captive insurance experts and participants to discuss basics surrounding captive formations and a look at the space of captive service providers and partners. The workshop runs from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

AM Best is a platinum sponsor of the VCIA conference, and this year marks the 23rd year that the credit rating agency has sponsored the annual event. The VCIA conference, which will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Burlington, VT, offers a multitude of seminars focused on captive insurance trends and networking opportunities. AM Best will be on site exhibiting at booth No. 32 at the DoubleTree Exhibition Hall.

 

In addition, AM BestTV be conducting executive interviews from the VCIA conference. Look for the VCIA-related playlist during the conference under the “Event Coverage 2023” tab at www.ambest.tv.

 

For more information about the VCIA event, please visit the conference overview and agenda.

 

AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated in the United States and throughout the world. For current Best’s Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

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Business Lifestyle Technology

Majesco congratulates Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual on inclusion in Datos’ Insurance Technology Impact Awards Case Study Compendium 2023: Digital Initiatives as award candidate

Recognition for their Customer Risk Management App Using Majesco Loss Control

 

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Majesco, a global leader of cloud insurance software solutions for insurance business transformation, on Thursday announced that a long-time customer, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual (PLM), a mid-sized mutual insurance company, was featured in the Datos Insurance Technology Impact Awards Case Study Compendium 2023: Digital Initiatives. In its 12th annual year, the Insurance Technology Impact Awards program reviewed and selected 65 examples of insurer technology initiatives that delivered real business impact.

 

PLM is featured in the Mid-Sized P/C Insurer category highlighting their business goals, challenges, success factors and business impact delivered for the implementation of a virtual loss control inspection process that enables insureds to complete surveys on their own and conference with a loss control engineer using a mobile device.

PLM is proud to be the oldest and largest mutual insurance company dedicated to the wood products and building materials industries. With 125+ years of insuring the wood industry, PLM and its employees provide specialized coverage to fit the unique needs of the wood industry and help policyholders better manage their everyday risk to ensure business thrives. PLM needed to increase the frequency of loss control inspection and manage their risk. They searched for a solution that could provide timely risk visitations to maintain insurance to value, expand coverage to lower premium classes, and reduce long commutes to remote locations.

 

“We’d like to congratulate Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual on this recognition, and their commitment to investing in a successful digital transformation strategy,” says Jim Miller, Chief Revenue Officer at Majesco. “Majesco’s Loss Control digital self-survey technology helps leading organizations like PLM transform underwriting, improve profitability, stay ahead of the competition, and improve overall customer experiences.”

 

The main drivers for the implementation were constrained face-to-face contact and the need to provide timely risk visitations to maintain insurance to value, expand coverage to lower premium classes, and reduce long commutes to remote locations. PLM successfully deployed Majesco’s Loss Control digital self-survey technology, along with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Customer Voice to measure Net Promoter Score (NPS), to enable fully remote inspections which supports 75% more digital surveys per month and has cleansed records for over 260 locations to benefit other projects on the digital roadmap. The project has reduced the average time for new surveys by more than 90 minutes, saving more than $56,000 in expenses and 757 hours of travel time. A new product rollout was recently released with this new capability to meet tight new business quote service levels.

 

Visit the website to learn more about Majesco’s Loss Control solution.

 

About Majesco

Majesco is the partner P&C and L&AH insurers choose to create and deliver outstanding experiences for customers. We combine our technology and insurance experience to anticipate what is next, without losing sight of what’s important now. Over 350 insurers, from greenfields and startups to some of the world’s largest insurers, rely on Majesco’s SaaS platforms solutions of core, data and analytics, digital, and rich ecosystem of partners to create their next now.

 

As an industry leader, we do not believe in managing risk by avoiding change. We embrace change, even cause it, to get and stay ahead of risk. With 900+ successful implementations we are uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between a traditional insurance industry approach and a pure digital mindset. We give customers the confidence to decide, the products to perform, and the follow-through to execute.

 

For more information, please visit www.majesco.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contacts

Laura Tillotson

Vice President, Marketing Communications and Creative Services

+ 201 230 0752

Laura.Tillotson@majesco.com

Categories
Business Culture Economics International & World Lifestyle Regulations & Security Technology Travel & Leisure

AM Best affirms credit ratings of The Travelers Companies, Inc. and most subsidiaries

OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#insurance—AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “aa+” (Superior) of the main subsidiaries of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV) (headquartered in New York, NY) [NYSE: TRV], collectively known as Travelers Group (Travelers). In addition, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term ICRs of “aa+” (Superior) of Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America (TCSA) (Hartford, CT) and Travelers Insurance Company of Canada (TICC) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of “a-” (Excellent) of First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company (First Floridian) (Tampa, FL).

AM Best also has affirmed the Long-Term ICRs and the Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings (Long-Term IR) of “a+” (Excellent) of TRV and its two wholly owned downstream holding companies, Travelers Property Casualty Corp. and Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc. (both headquartered in Hartford, CT). All outstanding securities issued by the two downstream holding companies are guaranteed by TRV. At the same time, AM Best has affirmed all other Long-Term IRs and Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings (Short-Term IR) guaranteed by TRV, as well as TRV’s indicative Long-Term IRs. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

 

Lastly, AM Best has revised the outlook to positive from stable for the Long-Term ICR and affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of “a” (Excellent) of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (Dominion) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). The outlook of the FSR is stable.

 

The ratings of Travelers reflect the group’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its very strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

 

Travelers’ risk-adjusted capitalization is strongly supportive of the group’s ratings and exceeds the threshold for the strongest assessment level by a wide margin, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The assessment of Travelers’ balance sheet strength reflects its strong loss reserve position, the benefits derived from the conservative investment portfolio, the use of a comprehensive reinsurance program, which utilizes high quality reinsurance partners, and the additional financial flexibility available through its ultimate parent, TRV.

 

Travelers’ very strong operating performance reflects consistently profitable results driven by strong underwriting and investment results. Travelers’ has reported positive underwriting income in each of the most recent 10 years.

 

Travelers is the second largest commercial lines insurer in the United States based on 2022 direct premiums written and one of the top 10 largest U.S. personal lines insurers. Overall, Travelers is the sixth largest property/casualty (P/C) writer in the United States. Travelers maintains a broad spread of risk in that it offers a wide array of P/C coverages spread geographically in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, England, Ireland, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.

 

The ratings of TCSA reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its very strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate ERM.

 

The ratings of TICC reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate ERM. The ratings also reflect the implicit support it receives from its ultimate parent, TRV.

 

The ratings of First Floridian reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate ERM. The ratings also reflect the implicit support it receives from its ultimate parent, TRV.

 

The ratings of Dominion reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its marginal operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate ERM. The ratings also reflect the implicit support it receives from its ultimate parent, TRV. The positive outlook on Dominion’s Long-Term ICR reflects the company’s profitable operating performance in recent periods, as evidenced by positive net income in each of the most recent three years with loss ratios that compare favorably with those of the industry. Results have been influenced by favorable underwriting performance, as reflected by a five-year average combined ratio below 100, relatively in line with industry peers.

 

The ratings of TRV and its two wholly owned downstream holding companies are reflective of its modest financial leverage ratios, strong coverage ratios, ample liquidity and overall financial flexibility.

 

A complete listing of The Travelers Companies, Inc.’s FSRs, Long-Term ICRs and Long- and Short-Term IRs also is available.

 

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Elizabeth Blamble
Senior Financial Analyst
+1 908 882 1661
elizabeth.blamble@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Michael Lagomarsino, CFA, FRM
Senior Director
+1 908 882 1993
michael.lagomarsino@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

Categories
Business International & World Lifestyle Technology

SHI International and Casey Murphy Goalkeeping Academy announce brand ambassador partnership

Global IT solution provider and USWNT goalkeeper join forces to teach, inspire and challenge young soccer players while also promoting effective enterprise cybersecurity solutions

 

SOMERSET, N.J. & AUCKLAND, New Zealand — (BUSINESS WIRE) — SHI International, one of the world’s largest IT solutions providers, and top National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) goalkeeper Casey Murphy, today announced a mutual brand ambassador partnership. Officially an agreement between SHI and Casey Murphy Goalkeeping Academy (CMGK), the partnership will help fortify the resources available to CMGK coaches and players while making one of the world’s best defenders the face of SHI’s cybersecurity practice.

 

Starting 13 games as goalkeeper for the North Carolina Courage this season, Murphy led the NWSL with seven clean sheets before becoming one of three goalkeepers named to the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) set to compete in the FIFA Women’s World Cup later this month. Playing for the national team at various levels, Murphy (27), has 10 shutouts in 14 caps with the USWNT senior team, making her the quickest goalkeeper to achieve double-digit clean sheets.

 

In the 2022 off-season, Murphy established CMGK with the goal of inspiring players ages 7–18 to take ownership of their own player development and build confidence by focusing on consistent, incremental improvement. First introduced at CMGK’s inaugural clinic in Murphy’s hometown of Bridgewater, NJ in January, CMGK’s core values stress an honest reflection of one’s skills combined with a growth mindset and open communication with other players and coaches. This combination helps CMGK players pave the path that others want to follow.

 

“Casey is not just a world-class athlete, but also an inspiring business owner who is committed to nurturing the next generation of soccer players,” said Thai Lee, President and CEO of SHI International. “We began this partnership with a small sponsorship of their first clinic and after witnessing the positive effect Casey has on young players, we wanted to expand our support. On the pitch, Casey’s ability to anticipate and defend against attacks also aligns perfectly with our own cybersecurity approach. There’s no better partner to help inform customers of SHI’s cybersecurity practice than our new Minister of Defense!”

 

A native of Bridgewater, New Jersey, Murphy closed an exceptional amateur career by playing three years for Rutgers University where she was twice named Big 10 Goalkeeper of the Year. Between SHI’s long-standing partnership with Rutgers, including naming rights to the stadium since 2019, and with Bridgewater serving as home to scores of SHI’s 2,000+ New Jersey-based employees, the partnership was a natural fit.

 

“This partnership will make a significant difference in the lives of young soccer players and I am proud to represent a company that is so committed to providing and supporting robust defensive strategies and execution,” said Murphy. “Teaming up with a fellow business owner who turned a small IT company into one of the largest woman-owned businesses in America, right in my own backyard, made this partnership a no-brainer.”

 

The announcement of SHI’s latest brand partnership comes on the eve of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and just over a week after second-year professional golfer and SHI brand ambassador Allisen Corpuz won her first professional tournament, becoming the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open Champion.

 

ABOUT SHI

SHI International Corp. is a $14 billion transformational technology solutions provider serving the needs of more than 17,000 corporate, enterprise, public sector and academic customer organizations around the world. It helps companies achieve business goals through the use of technologies ranging from software licensing and end user computing devices to innovative cloud and edge solutions. With over 6,000 employees worldwide, SHI is the largest Minority and Woman Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the U.S.

 

About Casey Murphy Goalkeeper Academy

CMGK is dedicated to helping young soccer players own their dreams and achieve greatness. Our focus is on inspiring players to improve rather than prove themselves. We believe embracing challenges and reflecting on their craft helps players take ownership of their development and build confidence. We value how each player responds to mistakes, fostering pride in personal growth. Through open dialogue with our coaches, we support the players through their journey, providing opportunities to learn, gain self-belief, and enjoy the process of improvement.

 

For more information, visit https://www.SHI.com and https://cmgksoccer.com/

 

Press Resources

SHI Blog: http://blog.SHI.com
SHI Twitter Handle: @SHI_Intl

CMGK Instagram: caseymurphy_goalkeeping
CMGK Facebook: Casey Murphy Goalkeeping

Contacts

Gregory FCA for SHI International

Matt McLoughlin

610.228.2123

Matt@GregoryFCA.com

Categories
Business Education Lifestyle Technology

From college drop-out to owning multiple seven-figure businesses: serial entrepreneur weighs in

Jordan Lintz has an extraordinary journey of dropping out of college to owning three seven-figure businesses at 26, and this is why it is important to question traditional life paths.

 

Lintz stepped out of his economics class with an idea. From dropping out of college in his second year to owning three highly successful companies: HighKey Holdings Inc., which includes HighKey Technology Inc., HighKey Agency Inc., and HighKey Clout Inc., Jordan has demonstrated his exceptional entrepreneurial prowess.

His journey began three years ago with establishing HighKey Technology, an e-commerce brand specializing in consumer electronics. Within its second year of operation, HighKey Technology surpassed seven figures in revenue, paving the way for the launch of his social media marketing agency, HighKey Agency.

 

Jordan’s expertise in networking and sales has led to the establishment of his third company, HighKey Clout. Within just six months, HighKey Clout reached seven figures in revenue, capitalizing on an identified market gap and seizing the opportunity to work with celebrities like Lil Yachty, Bhad Bhabie, Trippie Redd, Rich The Kid, and Snoop Dog.

 

With his firsthand experience and deep understanding of the entrepreneur landscape, Jordan and his 23-year-old brother and partner Luke Lintz are well-positioned to discuss the significance of alternative life paths and deconstruct the myth that college is the end-all guarantee to success.

 

Jordan is available for immediate interviews to discuss the following:

 

  • Why young people should consider alternatives to College

  • How many societal expectations keep you from achieving your full potential

  • The long-term vision required for entrepreneurial success

 

His experiences establishing and scaling multiple businesses from the ground up and his extensive network of high-level clients and celebrity collaborations further enrich his insights.

Categories
Energy Government International & World Regulations & Security Science Technology

EMP expert shares message of hope, advises about impact of strikes and attacks

For nearly two decades, William R. Forstchen, Ph.D., a military historian and renowned expert on nuclear energy (electromagnetic pulse) EMP strikes, has been spreading the word about the importance of updating America’s aging power grid to not only protect our population in the event of an EMP attack, but to also make our opponents think twice about launching one in the first place. Dr. Forstchen is also a New York Times bestselling author who has written extensively about EMP weapons.

 

EMP expert shares message of hope, and says working together as a community is key

 

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Military historian William R. Forstchen, Ph.D., considers himself an optimist by nature, even though he has written extensively about the catastrophic impact of an EMP strike and has spent nearly two decades urging national and local governments to heed his warnings.

 

“In the first hours, people will be relatively civil to each other … but at what point does that start changing?” he said in a recent interview. “Within about 24 hours, it’s going to start to get squirrely, and the big factor right at the start is water.”

 

Widely considered one of the foremost experts on EMP attacks, Forstchen is the New York Times bestselling author of the One Second After series, a fictional exploration rooted in the cold, solid facts of how an EMP strike above U.S. soil would impact society. There are now four books in the series, which should give people hope that survival is possible, with the right measures and mindset in place.

 

“The component of my [first] book that was so important … is the realization that the only way we’re going to get through this as a community is by working together as a community, helping those who need help … and then planning realistically for how we’re going to get through the next six months, the next year, and still have food on hand, water supply, medication, etc.,” Forstchen added.

 

The latest book in the series, Five Years After, follows protagonist John Matherson as he contends with new threats to the fragile civilization that he helped rebuild.

 

In Five Years After, the Republic of New America has all but collapsed into regional powers, and the world at large is struggling to remain stable as regional conflicts ravage the post-EMP landscape. After several years attempting to lead a quiet life, John receives word that the President is terminal with cancer, and John is asked to take over the reins of government.

 

Pulled back into the fray, John struggles to hold the tottering Republic together. Facing threats on multiple fronts, he races against time to stop another EMP attack on the former United States and China, putting years of progress at risk. With so much of his work under threat, John must find the strength within to start over, so that he can save the country and the people that he holds dear from even greater calamity.

 

Forstchen’s depiction of a post-EMP society throughout his One Second After series is rooted in years of extensive research, and he has long been advocating for greater awareness and preparation against an EMP strike, which he considers a very real threat. His goal is not to alarm, but to prompt proactive measures to protect the American public.

 

“We’ve got to live our lives; we’ve got to enjoy ourselves … don’t make this the obsession,” Forstchen said of the topic of EMPs. “But it should be out there. You should be thinking about this and doing some basic planning.”

 

About the Author

William R. Forstchen is a New York Times bestselling author and a Professor of History at Montreat College, in Montreat, North Carolina. He holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is the author of more than 50 books, including the One Second After series that details the realistic effects of an EMP strike.

 

He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN and many others on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats.

 

For more information about the One Second After series, please visit https://www.onesecondafter.com/.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Years-After-Matherson-Novel/dp/1250854563/

Categories
Business Environment Lifestyle Technology

Entrepreneur introduces Truly Office – A privacy-first, budget-friendly, user-centric office suite

Visionary entrepreneur and business strategist Ronnie Teja announces the launch of Truly Office, a trailblazing, privacy-centric office suite set to redefine the intersection of productivity, affordability, and data sovereignty. The upcoming launch in August 2023 has already sparked intrigue and anticipation across the industry.
PHOTO:  Truly Office embodies the ethos, “Your Data. Your Rules.” To that end, privacy is not merely an add-on but the foundational bedrock of this revolutionary platform. “We believe in an uncompromising commitment to privacy and data sovereignty in today’s digital world. Truly Office ensures that your data stays yours,” asserts Ronnie Teja.

 

Our digital landscape has become a fertile breeding ground for tools that double as silent observers, prying into user data without permission. Office suite solutions are at the epicenter of this invasion of privacy, a situation further compounded by the labyrinthine web of subscriptions, upgrades, and hidden costs that customers are forced to navigate. In this backdrop, Truly Office emerges as a beacon of change, marrying simplicity, affordability, and functionality without compromising user data sovereignty.

 

Truly Office harnesses cutting-edge technology to create an office suite that respects user choice, catalyzes collaboration, and bolsters productivity. The suite’s customizable packages represent a seismic shift from the one-size-fits-all model prevalent in today’s office software solutions.

 

Beyond privacy, Truly Office seeks to democratize the digital workspace by providing an intuitive, high-performing user experience that doesn’t strain your budget. It’s not just about getting work done; it’s about empowering users to be their most productive selves, on their own terms. The suite is offered on a lifetime purchase basis, eschewing the need for expensive upgrades or recurring subscription fees. In line with this, Truly Office users will receive biannual updates, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve without added financial burden.

 

The Truly Office suite is a holistic amalgamation of productivity applications, each designed with the end-user in mind. It includes an advanced word processor, a spreadsheet editor, a presentation builder, an email client, and collaborative tools. As such, Truly Office positions itself as the go-to alternative for businesses seeking to optimize productivity affordably and securely.

 

As he unveiled Truly Office at the recent press conference, Ronnie Teja shared, “The creation of Truly Office signifies the dawn of a new era in business operations. This journey has been thrilling, and we’re confident our product encapsulates this energy. We’re committed to positively impacting a billion lives through secure, straightforward, and affordable tech solutions, with Truly Office serving as our flagship offering.”

 

 

Visit https://trulyoffice.com/ for the latest updates and further information on the launch.

Categories
Business Economics Healthcare Lifestyle Perks Technology

COVID-19 accelerates omnichannel shopping trend

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend towards omnichannel shopping, with consumers utilizing multiple channels and devices before making a purchase decision.

 

Businesses must understand the importance of creating a seamless and personalized experience that respects the consumers’ buying cycle with the help of technology or they may lose big on their revenue.

 

 

With the integration of omnichannel strategies, e-commerce businesses are now expected to account for 22.3% of all retail sales, with online retail sales projected to reach $6.51 trillion in 2023.

 

“Omnichannel is more than just multiple purchasing options. It’s a personalized journey that respects the consumer’s buying cycle and immerses them in a tailored experience through harmonious channels,” says Mikel Lindsaar, CEO and Founder of StoreConnect.

 

To succeed in an omnichannel world, businesses need a customer-centric focus.

 

Technology should reduce complexity and allow businesses to build an immersive unified experience for their customers. They need to choose an e-commerce platform that connects workflows, integrates with third-party solutions, and offers automation tools to scale faster across channels. The technology should incorporate:

  • One-click channel integration – One-click channel integration eliminates technical barriers to selling on popular platforms and helps in focusing on growing that channel rather than the development work behind it.
  • Cross-channel automation – Cross-channel automation helps in automating workflows to save time and reduce the manual work necessary to manage multiple channels.
  • Multi-channel payment gateways and POS – A robust POS system is needed to connect pop-up or brick-and-mortar sales with online sales through a centralized reporting hub.

 

For e-commerce businesses, it’s crucial to assess various channels and integrate them effectively into their ecosystem. Failure to do so can result in missed opportunities for growth, reduced customer satisfaction, and ultimately, decreased revenue. By carefully evaluating and optimizing their channels, businesses can ensure they are reaching their target audience and providing a seamless customer experience across all touchpoints.

 

Mikel Lindsaar, CEO and Founder of StoreConnect can speak on the following:

  1. What specific benefits can businesses expect to gain from the seamless integration, in terms of time savings and increased data accuracy?
  2. Are there any limitations or considerations that businesses should be aware of when integrating their existing systems with your e-commerce platform?
  3. What level of technical expertise is required for businesses to implement and manage the integration with the leading payment gateways, ERP platforms, and other software packages?
  4. Any examples or case studies of businesses that have successfully implemented the integration and experienced significant improvements in their operations?
  5. What are the leading payment gateways and ERP platforms that your ecommerce platform seamlessly integrates with?

About StoreConnect

Mikel Lindsaar, CEO and Founder of StoreConnect, is an experienced technology entrepreneur whose mission is to infuse small and medium-sized businesses with the power to be successful in eCommerce 3.0 and scale to meet growing demand. Small businesses can’t waste time setting up their business on a platform only to repeat the process by changing platforms when they want to scale, nor do they want to waste time figuring out how to integrate multiple platforms. StoreConnect (built on the World’s Number 1 CRM, Salesforce) gives clients a complete, powerful, configurable eCommerce and CRM solution where they can manage their website, online and in-store sales, provide amazing customer service, run all their digital marketing campaigns and have up-to-date detailed metrics, reporting and full understanding of their customer. They were awarded Salesforce’s 2021 International Partner Innovation Award of the year for the Retail sector. They are changing the ease with which small businesses are run — with a manageable price tag. StoreConnect is Time. Well Spent. For more information, visit https://getStoreConnect.com/

Categories
Business Culture Education Lifestyle Programs & Events Technology

Disruptive digital marketing agencies harness power of PR affiliate program for client success

TAMPA, Fla. — In terms of establishing their organization’s position and showcasing their subject matter expertise through thought-leadership and content marketing, business leaders possess a clear vision.

 

However, the issue lies in the fact that a majority of individuals, including marketing agencies, lack a proper understanding of public relations (PR) and frequently misinterpret it when attempting to employ it.

 

 

There is a misinterpretation of the concept of thought leadership; often failing to recognize that it must be earned. The remedy lies in a strategy unveiled by crisis management expert Karla Jo Helms of JOTO PR Disruptors, which “ignites the marketing plan by harnessing the influence of public relations to attain third-party credibility and establish thought leadership.”

 

Helms notes that by using powerful targeted communication channels to communicate your story to thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions of people—before and while marketing is promoting a client’s goods and services ─ trust and credibility are established so people are more interested and comfortable in doing business with the client.

 

So, WHAT does PR offer to a marketing strategy? “Marketing is driven by four ‘p’s: product, price, place, and promotion. (2) What is missing? A FIFTH ‘p’; public perception,” notes Helms.

  • Third-party endorsement gains goodwill and trust for your brand, increasing gross
    income
  • Marketing sign-up and conversion rates increase, also increasing ROI
  • Friction during shorter sales conversions is reduced
  • Complete metrics showing how much press is needed to make an impact is the bridge for marketing and public relations
  • In short, customer acquisition costs (CAC) are reduced

 

 

The Great Consolidation 

Outside of selling products and services, every business has a story to tell – and the court of public opinion has an insatiable appetite for information. To gain exposure for a client, think of yourself as an ‘internal reporter’ and open your eyes and ears to what is going on in your client’s company, their industry or community. Look for:

  • Introduction of a new product or service – or a new business
  • Newsjacking a recent breaking news event
  • Speaking or exhibiting at a conference or event
  • Releasing findings of a new study or research
  • Developing a new technology or unique procedure for an industry
  • Rebranding a business
  • Financial news such as the addition of a new investor

 

Each of these has the potential to be exploited into real, NEW news through a blitz campaign. How does real news factor into exposure? As an example, key industry media usually attend a convention. Getting interest before, during and after the event can increase the success at the convention. Also, big breaking headlines regarding such news as an economic issue, new legislation or story of harm to a population segment that has far-reaching effects on which a client’s technology, product or service will have significant positive impact can create a firestorm of media interest.

 

Professional Affiliation

Marketing agencies interested in learning how to amplify their client’s exposure and marketing campaigns by 10X as a professional affiliate of JOTO PR Disruptors should reach out to the veterans at JOTO PR. Thus far, the organization has enlisted the participation of four digital marketing agencies across the technology industry, and intends to support the collaboration of 18 agencies by 2024.

 

About JOTO PR Disruptors™:  

After doing marketing research on a cross-section majority of 5,000 CEOs of fast-growth trajectory companies and finding out exactly how they used PR, how they measure it and how they wanted the PR industry to be different, PR veteran and innovator Karla Jo Helms created JoTo PR and established its entire business model on those research findings. Astute in recognizing industry changes since its launch in 2009, JoTo PR’s team utilizes newly established patterns to create timely Anti-PR® campaigns comprising the mathematical precision of crisis management techniques with the latest media algorithms. This unique skill enables them to continue to increase their market share and improve return on investment (ROI) for their clients, year after year—beating usual industry standards. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, JoTo PR is an established international public relations agency. Today, all processes of JoTo are streamlined Anti-PR services that have become the hallmark of the JoTo PR name. For more information, visit JoTo PR online at http://www.jotopr.com

 

About Karla Jo Helms:  

Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™.

Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line—and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected.

Being an alumni of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators and the media to help restore companies of goodwill back into the good graces of public opinion—Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel.

Karla Jo has patterned her agency on the perfect balance of crisis management, entrepreneurial insight and proven public relations experience. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.

 

References: 

  1. Mudd, Jason. “Thought Leadership and Content Marketing are the New Public Relations”, The Business Journals, 12 April 2023, bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/marketing/2023/04/thought-leadership-content-marketing-new-pr.html.
  2. Barone, Adam. “Marketing Strategy: What it is, How it Works, How to Create One”, Investopedia, 15 May 2023, investopedia.com/terms/m/marketing-strategy.asp#:~:text=A%20marketing%20strategy%20contains%20the,price%2C%20place%2C%20and%20promotion.
Categories
Digital - AI & Apps Healthcare Lifestyle Regulations & Security Technology

Hospitals fail to safeguard patient data, AI board governance essential

Hospital boards are suffering from not integrating AI into their board governance systems, leading to major data breaches and compromising patient safety.

 

Trinity Health is facing a class action lawsuit after a data breach compromised the protected information of an estimated 21,000 patients.

 

Hospital board members play an important role in safeguarding their organization’s care.

 

The relationship between hospital board oversight and patient safety is critical, and by integrating AI into the governance systems, hospital boards can aggregate data more effectively.

“Harnessing the power of AI, healthcare systems’ boards of directors can efficiently collect and analyze data, respond swiftly to data breaches, and in the future could even predict potential risks,” states Marion Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO of Govenda.

 

Govenda recently launched their Artificial Board Intelligence Innovation called ‘Gabii’, to address digital transformation and keep organizations sustainable.

 

With AI-driven analytics, anomaly detection in data reported, and predictive algorithms, these boards gain a comprehensive understanding of vulnerabilities, enabling them to take proactive measures to mitigate risks. AI has the potential to empower boards of healthcare organizations to protect patient data and uphold industry standards.

Marion Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO of Govenda can speak on the following:

  • How can the AI platform support Boards in helping healthcare systems respond to data breaches, including incident management and mitigating potential legal consequences?
  • Can you provide details about the specific features or mechanisms of the AI platform that can help Boards of Directors contribute to better protection of patient information in the future?
  • What kind of analytics or reporting tools does the platform offer to boards of directors for assessing and addressing data breach risks?
  • Can you provide information on the implementation process and integration of the AI platform with existing Boards of Directors in healthcare organizations?

 

About Govenda

Marion Lewis and Jeanette Thomas, two results-driven entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and business community leaders co-founded Govenda. Govenda is reimagining how board of directors convene to provide intentional, strategic governance ─ by being the bridge between the boardroom and a company’s strategic goals. The board management software accelerates stakeholder governance as a force for good in the world and empowers organizations to create sustainable value by equipping stakeholders with innovative tools that transform practices. It was designed to magnify security and compliance as board tools to handle sensitive and confidential information crucial to compliance and control of proprietary data. Portability of access with enhanced collaboration is no longer a plus – it is essential. GABII, the Govenda product integrating its AI-driven portal tools with Microsoft 365 and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software streamlines workflows and improves efficiency. For more information on the most innovative platform in board governance visit www.Govenda.com