Starting during the dotcom era of the mid 1990s, we’ve seen a vast shift in the traditional corporate hierarchy. Whereas the CEO used to make every decision unilaterally, he or she must now consider the perspectives from leaders of other key departments. That’s especially true for the CIO, which is why tech leaders and CEOs need a special type of collaborative relationship. And that’s the way it must be for success. Every single organization’s fortunes…  MORE

Leaders always focus on the success and growth of their organizations. Vendors are there to help with those endeavors. But what happens if a partner, like your IT provider, all of a sudden shuts its doors? Perhaps there’s been a bankruptcy or dissolution process. Just like that, you’re scrambling to find a replacement that’s essential to daily operations. Dealing with this unfortunate scenario requires the same thinking you apply to internal what-ifs, such as security…  MORE

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to gain more traction, the technology is dramatically impacting the workforce. Like it or not, AI is replacing many job functions, especially among lower-level IT workers. And we all know why: manual, respective tasks can be performed by AI quicker and cheaper. But we have to be aware that no role is immune to being made obsolete. Even CIOs. This is not a scare tactic, or a fear-driven campaign created…  MORE

Confidence is a key attribute for any IT leader. To be successful, they must firmly believe in their vision and ability to execute. Yet based on a recent survey, over 70% of technology executives believe there’s a chance their projects will fail. This brutally honest opinion is why tech leaders carry out pilot projects before committing to a full-scale initiative. Small projects determine the feasibility of a major project, and can shed light on both…  MORE

As technology evolves, so does the world of commerce. And as business evolves, so does the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). People with that executive-level job title used to be, for the most part, in charge of a team of order-takers. Install a network, provide more laptops, onboard new employees with email addresses. Those sort of tactical to-dos. But the “information” aspect of the CIO role has run its course. CIOs are now…  MORE

Ever since the pandemic of 2020, retailers have been challenged with both hiring and retaining frontline workers. Employees had concerns about safety and wages. But it turns out they also left their jobs for another significant reason: Not enough technology to able to adequately perform their work. This notion came through in a global survey by Scandit, a barcode scanning platform for mobile enterprise apps. Of many key findings, the survey showed that 40% of retail…  MORE

Today’s retail consumers want more than the best product at the best price. According to the prevailing thinking, if they’re going to spend their hard-earned money, whatever they buy better be environmentally-friendly. Along with that mindset, shoppers also have access to information about a brand’s sustainability record. They can no longer be fooled by feel-good corporate slogans about their “commitment to protecting the planet”. So if retailers want to appeal to consumers who care about…  MORE

Retailers are all-in with the latest technology. They’re automating pricing, inventory management, checkout, and other tasks. And by definition, they’re also reducing the amount of workers on the floor. At the same time, store operations have become more complicated. Online fulfillment and pickup and delivery are now common aspects of retail. It’s all well and good. That is, until both small and large stores see a rise in theft, poor customer service, and lackluster brand…  MORE