Articles by Jack M. Germain

In the ever-crowded CRM market, vendors must differentiate themselves to stand out from competitors. Pipeliner CRM founder and CEO Nikolaus Kimla tested that principle when he was forced to rebuild his CRM platform around open source to create a modern and agile new system Through that four-year process, Kimla demonstrated that agile CRM is more su...

A new approach to product discovery for online shopping may soon be available in an advanced chat box on your favorite retail website. The goal is to duplicate the comfort level of in-store conversation between shoppers and sales representatives Retail product discovery platform GroupBy is testing this conversational chat agent approach with Google...

Making better use of educational technology is a goal that both software and hardware companies are aggressively pursuing Keeping students engaged in today’s distraction-filled world is no easy feat. Teachers often have to contend with competing gadgets like tablets and smartphones distracting students from group instruction....

The pre-built Linux Kubuntu Focus Iridium laptop line is an unexpectedly good alternative to running any Linux operating system on converted Windows PCs Born almost five years ago, Focus Computers targeted developers, power users, and productivity enthusiasts as an alternative to Mac and Windows computers. Both the Ir16 and the Ir14 combine Carbon ...

Governments seek to create security safeguards around artificial intelligence, but roadblocks and indecision are delaying cross-nation agreements on priorities and obstacles to avoid In November 2023, Great Britain published its Bletchley Declaration, agreeing to boost global efforts to cooperate on artificial intelligence safety with 28 countries,...

Customer inclusiveness and website accessibility are essential to building the most up-to-date user experience (UX) frameworks According to marketing agency 829 Studios, inclusivity in web design is not just a trend; it is a necessity. Seventy percent of web users say they would leave a website that is not built for accessibility....

A new approach to personalized computer instruction could help mitigate the impact of teacher shortages, understaffed classrooms, and lackluster self-learning, issues that have worsened since the pandemic The EdYOU solution is built around an AI-powered learning tool that uses a visionary approach to enhance learning experiences for students and ca...

Ransomware attacks have shown signs of decreasing in recent months. Yet they still pose enough threat for organizations to rethink whether a successful breach of their computers justifies paying a ransom demand in hopes attackers will not divulge their stolen content According to the NCC Group Threat Pulse Report released in May, the ransomware lan...

The field of database administration is far from glamorous. Even within the uncompromisingly geeky domain of information technology, database administration would be among the last fields picked for a game of proverbial kickball However, the future employment landscape for tech jobs remains uncertain in these changing times. Despite its somewhat un...

Red101, a network for retailers based on a new concept of AI-powered open commerce, is scheduled to go live in U.S. markets this fall Developed by RedCloud Technology, a U.K.-headquartered company, Red101 could revolutionize e-commerce for millions of distributors and other small businesses across the U.S. According to Justin Floyd, the firm's CEO,...

Artificial intelligence is the new linchpin driving innovation that enhances customer relationship management and e-commerce. Once a concept for science fiction, AI is now a reality transforming sales, marketing, and many other business functions In CRM, AI revolutionizes how businesses store and analyze contact information, track customers through...

E-commerce retailers face a trend impacting their summer sales profit margins as more shoppers buy into abusing transaction policies to commit friendly fraud The shift to dishonest buying behaviors is significant. In a recent Consumer Pulse Survey, nearly 70% of merchants in the U.S. and U.K. told fraud and risk intelligence firm Riskified that the...

A new CRM tool enhances lead management and accelerates response times to increase conversion rates CallRail released its latest expansion of AI-powered features to its lead intelligence platform on July 17. The new products combine generative and conversational AI for lead conversion solutions for SMBs....

The growing use of artificial intelligence in the workplace is fueling a rapid increase in data consumption, challenging the corporate ability to safeguard sensitive data A report released in May from data security firm Cyberhaven, titled “The Cubicle Culprits,” sheds light on AI adoption trends and their correlation to heightened risk. Cyberha...

Artificial intelligence innovation is revolutionizing search's role in providing better-connected customer experiences (CX) on CRM platforms The latest research on consumer behavior shows that one of computing's most basic functions for users -- the search window -- paired with generative AI is becoming a new tool for creating more connected CX dur...

One of the most important technology trends in higher education is the growing use of 4K visual displays, which transform an ordinary classroom, student center, or e-sports arena into a fully immersive student experience According to a 2023 survey by WGU Labs and the College Innovation Network, two-thirds of higher education instructors anticipate ...

Wolfi, from fortified software delivery firm Chainguard, is a young Linux "un-distro," that is improving the cloud’s software supply chain. Can its innovative design launch a new solution for fortifying desktop distros, too? In September 2022, developers announced Wolfi, the first community Linux un-distro designed for minimalism, rapid updates, ...

A key pain point for e-commerce merchants expanding their sales to cross-border markets is dealing with international customer returns However, handling unwanted products from foreign customers does not have to be a deal breaker for expanding sales. E-commerce marketing platforms can help retailers solve fulfillment and manage returned products....

Chatbots and virtual assistants with advanced natural language processing (NLP) are transforming customer care and how businesses engage with their customers NLP enables marketers and advertisers to process and understand text strings, applying sentiment scores. This data is derived from various sources, including chat and voice logs, as well as au...

The upgraded Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is one of the largest screen laptops with the latest AI-included features available in the ChromeOS lineup Released in May, this unit replaces the first-gen Acer Chromebook 516 GE. I had my eye on that earlier model -- primarily because of its 16-inch viewing field. But I held off buying the non-Plus predece...