Home > Companies > Thought Leaders > IDC fosters an action-oriented 'Let's try it attitude,' says Ronita Bhattacharjee

IDC fosters an action-oriented 'Let's try it attitude,' says Ronita Bhattacharjee

Ronita Bhattacharjee, Vice President, META Region, Conferences at IDC in this insightful conversation shares with us the vision, mission and principles which IDC stands for. She also throws light on the importance of market research, and the varied changes, and challenges of marketing resulting from digitalization. Read on to find out about the most-awaited IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2022.

Today every enterprise is becoming a digital innovation factory.

MEDIA 7: You have been with IDC for over 16 years. How does IDC foster an innovative culture within the organization?
RONITA BHATTACHARJEE: International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. Founded in 1964, it has grown into a worldwide organization with a presence across 110 countries. IDC cares about its employees and the community, and we are dedicated to making life at IDC a rewarding experience for everyone who joins our team. Words that our employees most frequently use to describe working at IDC include "innovative," "friendly," "entrepreneurial," and "supportive." As the market fluctuates and businesses reorganize, it's up to us to focus, follow, and forecast.

Our employees have a significant role to play in being responsive to changes in the marketplace, and this helps to foster an action-oriented, "Let’s try it attitude." We also encourage autonomy through a decentralized management style that leaves plenty of room for ideas, collaboration, and sharing of best practices. At IDC, we also have a strong diversity and inclusion (D&I) policy. Diversity increases our ability to think critically and innovatively, because the diversity of our teams means that each person’s unique background, experience, personality, and problem-solving approach will come into play, increasing our ability to approach a project from different angles and perspectives.


M7: One of the most sought-after events in the Middle Eastern region is the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2022 which will take place in February 2022. Can you please tell us about some of the developments that you are excited about?
RB: The annual IDC Middle East CIO Summit is the place to come for thought-provoking, in-depth discussions about cutting-edge tech solutions, emerging use cases, and proven strategies for driving success. For 15 straight years, it has served as the ICT world's premier source of learning about the industry's latest developments. The 2022 edition will run under the theme, 'Accelerating Your Journey to a Digital-First World,' with an in-person event taking place in Dubai on February 22 to 23, 2022, to be followed by a digital installment for the wider GCC region on February 24. After a gap of one year, we are returning to the in-person format, and we are very excited to meet the ICT ecosystem face-to-face once again.

Senior business leaders, influential IT heads, and respected industry analysts will share their collective expertise on how best to meet the unique challenges of these unprecedented times. Following the immense success of last year's event, the 2022 edition will see the return of the CIO Masterclass Arena that attendees can access throughout the event. This section of the virtual platform will showcase a series of exclusive CXO best-practice presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions with more than 50 international and regional industry pioneers. Aside from the power-packed content, the Summit will also incorporate fun and interactive elements, including celebrity speakers, VR & robotics-based activities, gamification & wellness kiosks, and peer-to-peer networking zones.

Read More: Q&A with Francisco Jeronimo, Associate Vice President, Devices at IDC


Organizations across the region are increasingly embracing a digital-first approach to building resilience into their operations as the pandemic has changed markets dramatically.



M7: Speaking of IDC events, the Women Transformation Technology Summit 2021 was also held recently. Could you please share some of the key takeaways and your experience with the event?
RB: This was the inaugural edition of IDC’s Women Transforming Technology Summit, with two separate events taking place — one for the Middle East and one for Africa. With a focus on diversity and inclusion (D&I), the event series hosted each region's most inspirational female tech pioneers as they detailed their own journeys and the invaluable contributions they have made to their organizations. At IDC, we are committed to setting new benchmarks for the industry, and through the IDC Women Transforming Technology Summit, we were aiming to provide a platform that will help accelerate the implementation of D&I best practices across the region.

We believe that diverse organizations perform better, hire better talent, have more engaged employees, and retain workers better than those that do not focus on D&I. D&I today is about driving change in organizational and managerial processes to develop an environment that maximizes the potential of all employees — particularly in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields where organizations are often viewed as being male-dominated.  We were overwhelmed by the support we received for these two groundbreaking events, with more than 800 delegates taking part. Combining interactive workshops with first-hand CEO insights and more than 70 internationally and regionally renowned speakers, the events were appreciated by all who participated in them.


M7: Pandemic and the subsequent economic fallout have accelerated digital transformation across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. What do you believe are the top challenges for the industry in general and IDC as you start moving into the next year?
RB: Organizations across the region are increasingly embracing a digital-first approach to building resilience into their operations as the pandemic has changed markets dramatically. The era of the 'Future Enterprise' is upon us and the challenge that organizations face today is the need to introduce new customer experiences, digital ecosystem business models, digital supply chains, and 'Future of Work' models. However, the META region in general — and the Middle East in particular — has achieved a quite noticeable improvement in these areas. As the COVID-19 global pandemic gained momentum in early 2020, we at IDC acted with agility and speed to seamlessly transition to a fully digital platform.

Our Digital Outreach Programs were introduced as pandemic-containment efforts continued to grow, reaching full quarantine measures in almost every country around the world. Since their launch, we have hosted more than 200 digital events across META, providing multiple benefits and value adds for our partners at a time of extreme uncertainty. Building on last year's success, we are continuing to evolve our portfolio of digital outreach solutions to help our partners seize new opportunities, leverage the current landscape, and embark on their recovery journeys as a return to normality is insight. Our upcoming series of hybrid events will enable both physical and virtual interactions for attendees and partners through carefully designed agenda formats backed by IDC's research-based content and respected analyst insights.

Read More: Q&A with Monica Ho, CMO at SOCi


D&I today is about driving change in organizational and managerial processes to develop an environment that maximizes the potential of all employees.



M7: What sets IDC apart from other market research companies?
RB: IDC employs a number of assets that set us apart from other market research firms. Our comprehensive coverage promotes understanding of multiple industries. Additionally, our 'global' research model, which is our study of both local and regional markets 'on the ground,' helps us to understand the nuances of local country markets while improving our global coverage. In addition, IDC employees are committed to supporting the highest standards of ethics in every aspect of the operation and conduct business in a manner that is fair, honest, and lawful. IDC has developed a set of standards that incorporate full and transparent documentation of all research methodologies used. Our forecast assumptions and projections are based on surveys that are statistically sound to ensure only objective and accurate data is used. We engage in extensive validation and "sanity checks" to provide boundary conditions for our major forecasts. And we have implemented standard definitions across geographies and coverage areas, and used common analytical tools to ensure consistency.


M7: Lastly, what do you think is essential to stay competitive in a market that is going through constant digitalization?
RB: Today every enterprise is becoming a digital innovation factory. With a rapidly growing digital economy, today’s business leaders are currently in the middle of a seismic shift in the way businesses view and use technology. While companies will still follow legacy operational processes, the need to innovate will become increasingly essential to the success of their businesses.

By 2023, IDC predicts that an enterprise's ability to rapidly develop its own digital innovations will be a core competitive requirement, as more than half of the worldwide economy will be digitally driven. This transition to a "new normal" requires a strong and carefully thought-out strategy and execution plan, along with strong skills and substantial agility. When organizations understand they can fully change their operating models, creating more customer value and optimize for success, it completely shifts the strategy and dynamics of an organization's business plan and future vision. This change can be daunting, but it can also pave the way for a future of success in the digital economy.

ABOUT IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 100 countries.

More THOUGHT LEADERS

'Marketing has become multi-dimensional,' says Anirudh Sharma Marketing Director at Trantor

Media 7 | July 7, 2022

In this interview with Anirudh Sharma, Marketing Director at Trantor, we had the opportunity to explore how the marketing landscape has evolved. Read on to learn more about the importance of market attribution, audience building, specialized marketing, conversion funnel optimization, and more....

Read More

Q&A with Bibhakar Pandey, Vice President & Leader of Customer Experience, Marketing Services at Capgemini

Media 7 | August 26, 2021

Bibhakar Pandey, Vice President & Leader of Customer Experience, Marketing Services at Capgemini, is a dynamic leader with more than 25 years of industry experience leading global, multi-cultural experience teams across North America, Europe, and APAC. Bibhakar has built a career on achieving year-on-year success in driving business-growth objectives and empowering organizations to address challenging business needs through the application of cloud, mobile, content, commerce, analytics, and social technologies. He has built teams with lean and agile cultures and employed new and emerging digital technologies. He has been an enterprising leader, mentor, and coach, driving continuous performance excellence within his team. He has successfully incubated and scaled businesses including marketing services and interactive and digital engineering....

Read More

Q&A with Ginger Shimp, Senior Marketing Director at SAP

Media 7 | January 29, 2021

Ginger Shimp, Senior Marketing Director at SAP, is an award-winning marketer with 25+ years’ B2B experience. Since 2004, she has helped companies in myriad industries run better by telling, not only the SAP story but the stories of her customers and their customers. Developing content, engaging channels, deploying tactics to educate, stimulate interest and drive demand: Marketing isn’t just what she does, but defines who she is! MEDIA 7: You have been associated with SAP for more than 17 years. How has the journey been like? GINGER SHIMP: I love where I work. SAP employs some of the most phenomenal marketers, and the opportunity to work with them on a daily basis is energizing and inspiring. When we’re young and just beginning our careers, it can be soul-crushing to hear a potential supervisor say we’re not a good “fit”. We don’t fully appreciate the implication of that sentiment. But as we mature and have the experience working in a variety of roles for myriad employers, we realize how crucial “fit” is. We spend one-third of our lives, one-half of our waking hours, five days per week at work. It’s very important that we like where we work. I have learned to approach my work with a philosophy that I want others to want to work with me. Of course, I don’t get this right 100% of the time, but it’s what I aim for. Even if I don’t care for them personally or really dislike working with them, I try to keep in mind that I don’t want them to have that impression of me. Fortunately, at SAP, those times are extremely rare. Our people, our culture, and of course our customers, are simply extraordinary. I believe in our products and services. I have faith in, and respect for, and admiration for our customers. At SAP, we don’t just sell software, we improve people’s lives. SAP customers represent 98% of the top 100 most valued brands in the world. Did you know that SAP customers: -produce more than 78% of the world’s food, more than 85% of the world’s pet food, and more than 62% of the world’s movies; -represent 100% of the world’s top 20 greenest automotive companies and 100% of the world’s top 15 greenest IT software and services providers; -distribute more than 76% of the world’s healthcare products? That’s an awesome responsibility, a humbling privilege, and one heck of an exciting journey. I love my job! M7: In all these years, what are some of the most effective marketing strategies that you have put in place, which have helped you to drive revenue? GS: Definitely an integrated strategy will win out over a random act of marketing every time. That’s not to say we shouldn’t experiment with tactics. For example, I worked with a colleague, Jeff Janiszewski, several years ago to develop an audio drama called Searching for Salaì as a means of using real storytelling techniques to gain the attention of a business audience who perhaps hadn’t really paid attention to SAP previously. We had tremendous success with that. So last year another colleague, Julie Stoughton, and I asked ourselves how we could use that tactic and build upon the prior success. What we wound up with was another audio drama but one that had even more business structure to it, The Retrofuturist Chronicles. Listeners who enjoy the show head over to our landing site — www.inspirethefuture.com — and read the blogs, which not only continue the experience but also build an elegant bridge to SAP products and solutions. They get immersed with everything from animated videos that talk about business pains through the eyes of a child to in-depth white papers. My colleague Aswin Mannepalli did a masterful job concepting and scripting the 30-second videos which allow visitors to determine which business pains are a fit for them. (There’s that word “fit” again.) In fact, the whole team has poured their hearts and souls into the effort, which all began with one of our VP’s, Michelle Schooff, thinking about how her little nephews approached the pandemic versus the messages that were flooding our inboxes. I love how we were able to take previous tactics that had worked well, experiment with new ideas, and blend them all to create a solidly integrated and extraordinarily compelling campaign. We launched this campaign for six industries and our results exceeded not only our stated expectations but also our most fervent hopes. We’re currently developing season two and not only will we add another eight industries, but we’ll also look to see what else we can do to rise above the noise in the marketplace while delivering value to our customers and prospects. Another tactic I am using on a different campaign also came about from brainstorming with Jeff at around the same time we developed the audio drama. This one was far more untried; in fact, we couldn’t find any other example of it. While Searching for Salaì involved our taking an existing tactic — the audio drama — and tuning it for a business purpose, this other tactic came about from our own experiences. We call them audio whitepapers. We were researching how whitepapers are still one of the most valued offers in a B2B marketer’s arsenal yet how difficult it is to get senior executives to read one. We asked ourselves about our reading habits and somewhere in the conversation, Jeff and I got to talking about the types of books we read versus the ones we listen to. Turned out we both listen to non-fiction. We talked about how we listen on our phones while traveling and/or exercising. We talked about smart speakers. And suddenly, we had this crazy idea. So back we went to researching. We discovered (at that time): -CEG research found 49% of the nearly 500 CEOs surveyed say they download white papers. -An IDG survey of IT professionals found that 72% of respondents stated that they found that white papers were extremely useful in their decision-making process. -A Harvard Business Review study confirmed that senior executives are incredibly time-crunched. -Edison Research revealed that Americans spend nearly four hours per day consuming audio and 44% of them have listened to an audiobook. -18% of Americans own a smart speaker, and 71% listen to more audio once they purchase one. So, we asked ourselves: How can we use this audio trend to increase our total market AND increase our hit rate with senior executives? We started to connect the dots among the points above and the thought hit us ? audio white papers … white papers delivered in audiobook format. First, we engaged an analyst firm to position our message to 15 industries via white papers, framing the unique benefits including use cases and customer stories. Next, we hired a professional voice-over artist to record the papers in the form of an audiobook. Finally, since this had never been done before, we blazed our trail by posting them as videos on YouTube (unlisted so they wouldn’t come up in search results) with chapter indexes to allow listeners to skip around. Then we promoted them on a landing page which required registration. We knew that registered listeners could distribute the link to others who could subsequently access them sans registration, but it was a good start. Overall, we overshot our goal, delivering 144% of the plan by the end of the year. Results: -21% of listeners were C-Suite level -55% of listeners were VP level -24% of listeners were Director level -34% of listeners were from companies with revenue -19% of listeners were from companies with revenue between $500M and $1B -47% of listeners were from companies with revenue >$1B To emphasize the point I made at the beginning, you have to have an integrated strategy. These audio whitepapers were a significant contributor to an overall integrated campaign: -9.16% average open rate on whitepaper emails ->18.8K total whitepaper downloads on a goal of 10,000 ->33K total engagements on a goal of 20K ->234K blog views on a goal of 100K 28% cross-industry share of voice on a goal of 21% -~4.5K blog referrals -Lead volume %YoY = an increase of 630% -Marketing new pipe value %YoY = an increase of 65%...

Read More

'Marketing has become multi-dimensional,' says Anirudh Sharma Marketing Director at Trantor

Media 7 | July 7, 2022

In this interview with Anirudh Sharma, Marketing Director at Trantor, we had the opportunity to explore how the marketing landscape has evolved. Read on to learn more about the importance of market attribution, audience building, specialized marketing, conversion funnel optimization, and more....

Read More

Q&A with Bibhakar Pandey, Vice President & Leader of Customer Experience, Marketing Services at Capgemini

Media 7 | August 26, 2021

Bibhakar Pandey, Vice President & Leader of Customer Experience, Marketing Services at Capgemini, is a dynamic leader with more than 25 years of industry experience leading global, multi-cultural experience teams across North America, Europe, and APAC. Bibhakar has built a career on achieving year-on-year success in driving business-growth objectives and empowering organizations to address challenging business needs through the application of cloud, mobile, content, commerce, analytics, and social technologies. He has built teams with lean and agile cultures and employed new and emerging digital technologies. He has been an enterprising leader, mentor, and coach, driving continuous performance excellence within his team. He has successfully incubated and scaled businesses including marketing services and interactive and digital engineering....

Read More

Q&A with Ginger Shimp, Senior Marketing Director at SAP

Media 7 | January 29, 2021

Ginger Shimp, Senior Marketing Director at SAP, is an award-winning marketer with 25+ years’ B2B experience. Since 2004, she has helped companies in myriad industries run better by telling, not only the SAP story but the stories of her customers and their customers. Developing content, engaging channels, deploying tactics to educate, stimulate interest and drive demand: Marketing isn’t just what she does, but defines who she is! MEDIA 7: You have been associated with SAP for more than 17 years. How has the journey been like? GINGER SHIMP: I love where I work. SAP employs some of the most phenomenal marketers, and the opportunity to work with them on a daily basis is energizing and inspiring. When we’re young and just beginning our careers, it can be soul-crushing to hear a potential supervisor say we’re not a good “fit”. We don’t fully appreciate the implication of that sentiment. But as we mature and have the experience working in a variety of roles for myriad employers, we realize how crucial “fit” is. We spend one-third of our lives, one-half of our waking hours, five days per week at work. It’s very important that we like where we work. I have learned to approach my work with a philosophy that I want others to want to work with me. Of course, I don’t get this right 100% of the time, but it’s what I aim for. Even if I don’t care for them personally or really dislike working with them, I try to keep in mind that I don’t want them to have that impression of me. Fortunately, at SAP, those times are extremely rare. Our people, our culture, and of course our customers, are simply extraordinary. I believe in our products and services. I have faith in, and respect for, and admiration for our customers. At SAP, we don’t just sell software, we improve people’s lives. SAP customers represent 98% of the top 100 most valued brands in the world. Did you know that SAP customers: -produce more than 78% of the world’s food, more than 85% of the world’s pet food, and more than 62% of the world’s movies; -represent 100% of the world’s top 20 greenest automotive companies and 100% of the world’s top 15 greenest IT software and services providers; -distribute more than 76% of the world’s healthcare products? That’s an awesome responsibility, a humbling privilege, and one heck of an exciting journey. I love my job! M7: In all these years, what are some of the most effective marketing strategies that you have put in place, which have helped you to drive revenue? GS: Definitely an integrated strategy will win out over a random act of marketing every time. That’s not to say we shouldn’t experiment with tactics. For example, I worked with a colleague, Jeff Janiszewski, several years ago to develop an audio drama called Searching for Salaì as a means of using real storytelling techniques to gain the attention of a business audience who perhaps hadn’t really paid attention to SAP previously. We had tremendous success with that. So last year another colleague, Julie Stoughton, and I asked ourselves how we could use that tactic and build upon the prior success. What we wound up with was another audio drama but one that had even more business structure to it, The Retrofuturist Chronicles. Listeners who enjoy the show head over to our landing site — www.inspirethefuture.com — and read the blogs, which not only continue the experience but also build an elegant bridge to SAP products and solutions. They get immersed with everything from animated videos that talk about business pains through the eyes of a child to in-depth white papers. My colleague Aswin Mannepalli did a masterful job concepting and scripting the 30-second videos which allow visitors to determine which business pains are a fit for them. (There’s that word “fit” again.) In fact, the whole team has poured their hearts and souls into the effort, which all began with one of our VP’s, Michelle Schooff, thinking about how her little nephews approached the pandemic versus the messages that were flooding our inboxes. I love how we were able to take previous tactics that had worked well, experiment with new ideas, and blend them all to create a solidly integrated and extraordinarily compelling campaign. We launched this campaign for six industries and our results exceeded not only our stated expectations but also our most fervent hopes. We’re currently developing season two and not only will we add another eight industries, but we’ll also look to see what else we can do to rise above the noise in the marketplace while delivering value to our customers and prospects. Another tactic I am using on a different campaign also came about from brainstorming with Jeff at around the same time we developed the audio drama. This one was far more untried; in fact, we couldn’t find any other example of it. While Searching for Salaì involved our taking an existing tactic — the audio drama — and tuning it for a business purpose, this other tactic came about from our own experiences. We call them audio whitepapers. We were researching how whitepapers are still one of the most valued offers in a B2B marketer’s arsenal yet how difficult it is to get senior executives to read one. We asked ourselves about our reading habits and somewhere in the conversation, Jeff and I got to talking about the types of books we read versus the ones we listen to. Turned out we both listen to non-fiction. We talked about how we listen on our phones while traveling and/or exercising. We talked about smart speakers. And suddenly, we had this crazy idea. So back we went to researching. We discovered (at that time): -CEG research found 49% of the nearly 500 CEOs surveyed say they download white papers. -An IDG survey of IT professionals found that 72% of respondents stated that they found that white papers were extremely useful in their decision-making process. -A Harvard Business Review study confirmed that senior executives are incredibly time-crunched. -Edison Research revealed that Americans spend nearly four hours per day consuming audio and 44% of them have listened to an audiobook. -18% of Americans own a smart speaker, and 71% listen to more audio once they purchase one. So, we asked ourselves: How can we use this audio trend to increase our total market AND increase our hit rate with senior executives? We started to connect the dots among the points above and the thought hit us ? audio white papers … white papers delivered in audiobook format. First, we engaged an analyst firm to position our message to 15 industries via white papers, framing the unique benefits including use cases and customer stories. Next, we hired a professional voice-over artist to record the papers in the form of an audiobook. Finally, since this had never been done before, we blazed our trail by posting them as videos on YouTube (unlisted so they wouldn’t come up in search results) with chapter indexes to allow listeners to skip around. Then we promoted them on a landing page which required registration. We knew that registered listeners could distribute the link to others who could subsequently access them sans registration, but it was a good start. Overall, we overshot our goal, delivering 144% of the plan by the end of the year. Results: -21% of listeners were C-Suite level -55% of listeners were VP level -24% of listeners were Director level -34% of listeners were from companies with revenue -19% of listeners were from companies with revenue between $500M and $1B -47% of listeners were from companies with revenue >$1B To emphasize the point I made at the beginning, you have to have an integrated strategy. These audio whitepapers were a significant contributor to an overall integrated campaign: -9.16% average open rate on whitepaper emails ->18.8K total whitepaper downloads on a goal of 10,000 ->33K total engagements on a goal of 20K ->234K blog views on a goal of 100K 28% cross-industry share of voice on a goal of 21% -~4.5K blog referrals -Lead volume %YoY = an increase of 630% -Marketing new pipe value %YoY = an increase of 65%...

Read More

Related News

AI Tech

PSPDFKit Leads the AI Revolution in Intelligent Document Processing with Release of XtractFlow

PSPDFKit | January 23, 2024

PSPDFKit, a leading document processing and manipulation platform, announces the release of XtractFlow – a groundbreaking intelligent document processing (IDP) engine powered by generative AI. XtractFlow provides advanced automation for large-scale document classification and data extraction across a broad range of formats, with human-level accuracy. Due to the vast and varied document landscape, traditional IDP platforms are inefficient to run, requiring more resources, time and complex processes. Developers and automation project managers may require several days for setup and deployment of document classification, as well as face complexities with data extraction workflows when working with a broad range of formats in order to achieve high levels of accuracy. This is exacerbated by the limitation of using templates and pre-set patterns to extract data. XtractFlow addresses these challenges by simplifying setup and deployment to a single day and using generative AI from OpenAI and Azure in the first release to intelligently identify the document format, classify the types of documents co-mingled in unstructured storage, and consistently extract data, regardless of its location in the document, with human-level accuracy. AI-Powered Features Supports Hundreds of Formats XtractFlow efficiently extracts data from hundreds of document formats, including PDF, JPEG, Office and CAD files, regardless of document complexity. Automate Document Classification With minimal setup, XtractFlow automatically categorizes documents including contracts, legal filings, lab reports, bank statements and more, in high-volume workflows. Developers can easily customize deployment with either the XtractFlow SDK or API. Extract Data Accurately and Effortlessly XtractFlow effortlessly interprets and retrieves the data users need, avoiding extensive coding and the strict rules for data extraction with a no-code approach, and enables a natural-language experience for the end users. "We've always felt we could go far beyond traditional IDP technology — more accuracy and more intelligence — along with less work spent setting and tuning it for specific workflows," says Miloš Đekić, Vice President of Product Management at PSPDFKit. "Generative AI has enabled us to deliver XtractFlow and bring human-level accuracy to document classification and data extraction in a way that significantly accelerates time to value for our customers." XtractFlow supports PSPDFKit customer data security standards with a strict non-storage policy and aligns with global data retention standards, ensuring integrity and security at every step of your applications and business processes. About PSPDFKit PSPDFKit is helping the world innovate beyond paper with its developer tools, API services, and low-code solutions covering the entire document lifecycle from creation, manipulation, real-time collaboration, signing and markup. The company's products cover all major platforms and support a wide range of programming languages and can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud with ease and at any scale. PSPDFKit has earned its developer first reputation by pioneering products that are easily integrated, completely customizable to fit any deployment and workflow, and trusted by startups, SMBs and some of the largest multinational enterprises.

Read More

Software

Lynx Software Technologies Announces Acquisition of Thompson Software Solutions

Lynx Software Technologies | January 10, 2024

Lynx Software Technologies (Lynx), a leader in the development of foundational, open architecture software solutions for the Mission Critical Edge, today announced the acquisition of Thompson Software Solutions, LLC. (TSS), a provider of software development, engineering, and integration solutions to mission-critical aerospace and defense (A&D) platforms, spanning military and commercial fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, commercial space flight, hypersonic platforms, and command-and-control systems. Its customers include the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), prime integrators, A&D original equipment manufacturers, and commercial space companies. Since its founding in 2004, TSS has delivered technical capabilities and strategic insights to enable innovative software products requiring the highest reliability, security, and performance standards. With expertise spanning high-integrity software architecture and development, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, airworthiness certifications, open systems architecture, simulation and training, and AI and machine learning, customers across the A&D end-markets rely upon TSS to provide strategic guidance, differentiated technical capabilities, and a deep understanding of mission requirements. TSS’s Chief Executive Officer, Les Thompson, and Chief Strategy Officer, Patrick McClellen, have taken on senior roles within Lynx following the close of the transaction. The combination of Lynx and TSS creates a scaled provider of mission-critical software solutions for customers with complex interoperability, safety, and security challenges. Lynx’s foundational software products, open-source expertise, productivity- and security-enhancing development tools, highly technical software engineering services, delivered via both professional and managed services business models, and its highly skilled and security-cleared employee base combine to create a platform company uniquely positioned to support the full software development lifecycle for clients in aerospace, defense, and other heavily regulated end-markets. “The TSS team has built the company on a solid foundation of trusted customer relationships, innovative and cutting-edge technical capabilities, and flawless execution. With TSS’s high-value and differentiated software development and integration capabilities, we will be better equipped to enable aerospace and defense OEMs and prime integrators to accelerate the design, development, and deployment of their products and platforms,” commented Tim Reed, Chief Executive Officer of Lynx. “As we end 2023, Lynx’s portfolio of solutions spans from the operating system to the application layer, certifiable real-time, to general purpose and open-source, and from commercial-off-the-shelf (“COTS”) to government-off-the-shelf (“GOTS”) software products. I’m thrilled to work with Les and the TSS team as we continue delivering comprehensive and unique software-enabled solutions to customers whose needs extend from the development pipeline to the Mission Critical Edge.” “Throughout my twenty years leading TSS, we’ve been consistently committed to delivering robust software solutions that meet the stringent requirements of our customers while ensuring they can stay on schedule and budget,” commented Les Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of TSS. “From our first discussions with Tim and the Lynx team, it became clear that Lynx is not just a vendor looking to push products but a committed, mission-oriented partner with the same objectives we have here at TSS, which includes continuing to deliver on our shared goal of providing resilient, secure, and performant software solutions targeted at the most demanding mission-critical environments.” “The combination of Lynx and TSS creates a software solutions platform placed at the center of priority aerospace and defense investment areas, notably open standards, modularity, and security. Like TSS, Lynx has an established track record of exceeding customer expectations with its innovation, performance, and value proposition. As a combined company, Lynx and TSS are well-positioned to grow as our clients continue to execute on the software modernization, integration, and development priorities,” commented Patrick McClellen, Chief Strategy Officer of TSS. About Lynx Software Technologies Lynx Software Technologies is on a mission to improve the economics of developing, deploying, and maintaining high-assurance Mission Critical Edge platforms with modular software solutions based on open standards. Our proven technology leadership, extensive system certification expertise, and commitment to open standards have consistently saved our customers millions of dollars in development costs while delivering desired system performance, security, and reliability on schedule. Lynx is committed to enabling customers to build and manage orchestrated, cloud-connected platforms that harness a broad array of modern technologies and unique design methodologies to enable accurate, deterministic decisions at the Mission Critical Edge without compromising safety or cybersecurity requirements. For more information, visit www.lynx.com. About Thompson Software Solutions Founded in 2004 with locations in Atlanta, GA and Fort Worth, TX, the Thompson Software Solutions team understands what is required to develop, integrate, test, and deploy software with a safety-critical pedigree while meeting the challenges of modernization and digital transformation. Our team of proven and dedicated employees takes pride in our ability to react quickly and produce quality solutions to difficult technical challenges. We work with partners to find the right path to meet operational needs while future-proofing systems with portability and sustainment considerations to ensure next-generation success. For more information, visit https://www.thompsonsoftwaresolutions.com. About OceanSound Partners OceanSound Partners is a New York-based private equity firm that pursues control investments in technology and technology-enabled services companies serving government and enterprise end markets. OceanSound employs a partnership approach, working closely with founders, entrepreneurs, and executives of middle market businesses to drive transformational growth. For more information, visit www.oceansoundpartners.com.

Read More

General AI

New SysAid Copilot counters ineffective chatbot deployments with next-gen, generative AI-powered IT Service Management

SysAid | January 12, 2024

SysAid, a leading provider of IT and Enterprise Service Management solutions, proudly announces the commencement of an exciting new chapter with the commercial release of SysAid Copilot, designed to liberate organizations by putting AI to work, for them and their people. At the core of SysAid Copilot is the AI Chatbot for End Users delivering always-on, 24/7 service. This conversational self-service experience uses generative AI to help employees work through issues by delivering answers, utilizing the organization's data, from knowledge base articles through ticket resolution history – as well as verified external data sources, links, and documents. Combating ineffective virtual agent deployment According to Gartner, "Staffing an IT service desk is difficult and a considerable expense. Long phone queues and abandoned calls are not uncommon. Yet, many I&O leaders have experienced issues with the implementation and adoption of virtual support agents, which are aimed at alleviating some of these challenges." One of the main factors attributed to these issues is that initial deployments of chatbots were ineffective[1]. With no code zero setup required, SysAid Copilot comes with a feature set designed to counter the potential pitfalls arising from sub-optimal deployment of traditional virtual support agents. The AI Usage Dashboard clearly reflects the value provided to both admins and end users through usage of SysAid Copilot features. For example, adoption of the AI Chatbot for End Users and Assistive AI features for admins. It also offers insights into AI-contained issues, indicating the rate at which problems were automatically resolved by SysAid Copilot using the organization's data and averting the need for ticket creation. In parallel, admins maintain ultimate control over the quality of responses with the ability to monitor, edit, and fine-tune answers provided by the AI Chatbot enabled by a Monitor and Fine-Tune feature. AI Author enables the provision of consistently professional service by rephrasing replies, elaborating on answers, and breaking down information into simple steps with responses that are comprehensible and accessible for employees. This also exempts admins from the need to grapple with wording and grammar. Embedded into the channels that employees already use, SysAid Copilot facilitates quick adoption within the organization. For example, employees get service in a single click from the AI Chatbot (one-click ticket creation) or automatically via the AI Emailbot, delivering an immediate response even before an admin sees the ticket. Increasing productivity SysAid Copilot leverages cutting-edge generative AI technology, elevating admins to play a strategic role in the organization and improving IT productivity by over 20%. "The release of SysAid Copilot is a momentous milestone in our quest to lead organizations on a transformative journey toward AI-driven organizational processes and excellence," said Avi Kedmi, SysAid CEO. "Tapping into specialized data accumulated from thousands of customers and millions of users, SysAid Copilot enables employees to enjoy a fully conversational experience, freeing up admins to focus on more strategic work and become the catalyst for organizational productivity. SysAid Copilot orchestrates service management across the organization, embodying our commitment to infusing intelligence and ease into the workday, reshaping the landscape of service management. And this is only the beginning, as our dynamic roadmap promises a steady stream of groundbreaking features and capabilities ahead, ensuring the success of our customers." The General Availability of SysAid Copilot follows a 5-month design partner and beta program in which a diverse and engaged group of active customers played a pivotal role in refining and enhancing the product. The dedication and enthusiasm of the beta partners have been instrumental in shaping the product and ensuring that it is finely tuned to address the unique needs of SysAid's customer community, not only meeting but exceeding their expectations. Enhancing CSAT scores and slashing MTTR SysAid Copilot includes AI Intelligent Categorization automatically categorizing tickets submitted via the AI Chatbot for End Users and routes to the right people while making suggestions for more appropriate categories for tickets that come in through other channels, reducing human error in ticket categorizations by ~40%. In parallel, AI Case Summarization provides admins with a real-time summarization of the ticket content and employee sentiment (AI Emotion) so admins can understand the context, history, and end-user sentiment at a glance. "SysAid Copilot has helped our organization a great deal in providing support quicker. Since our department is oftentimes understaffed, wait times are higher than normal, and with SysAid Copilot we've witnessed those wait times plummeting," said Nathan Gleed, IT at the City of St George. "One of the most amazing aspects of this new technology is its continual learning, consistently improving performance and generating more accurate and sophisticated output." About SysAid SysAid is on a mission to liberate organizations by putting AI to work for them and their people. We orchestrate service management across organizations with generative AI that taps into specialized data accumulated from thousands of customers and millions of users. With zero setup requirements, our conversational AI manages employees' requests, assists with queries, and accelerates the resolution of issues. With intelligence and ease infused into the workday, productivity thrives so that employees can focus on what they're meant to do, and organizations are free to fulfill their purpose. With over 5,000 customers, SysAid partners with organizations ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises across 140 countries. For more information, please visit www.sysaid.com

Read More

AI Tech

PSPDFKit Leads the AI Revolution in Intelligent Document Processing with Release of XtractFlow

PSPDFKit | January 23, 2024

PSPDFKit, a leading document processing and manipulation platform, announces the release of XtractFlow – a groundbreaking intelligent document processing (IDP) engine powered by generative AI. XtractFlow provides advanced automation for large-scale document classification and data extraction across a broad range of formats, with human-level accuracy. Due to the vast and varied document landscape, traditional IDP platforms are inefficient to run, requiring more resources, time and complex processes. Developers and automation project managers may require several days for setup and deployment of document classification, as well as face complexities with data extraction workflows when working with a broad range of formats in order to achieve high levels of accuracy. This is exacerbated by the limitation of using templates and pre-set patterns to extract data. XtractFlow addresses these challenges by simplifying setup and deployment to a single day and using generative AI from OpenAI and Azure in the first release to intelligently identify the document format, classify the types of documents co-mingled in unstructured storage, and consistently extract data, regardless of its location in the document, with human-level accuracy. AI-Powered Features Supports Hundreds of Formats XtractFlow efficiently extracts data from hundreds of document formats, including PDF, JPEG, Office and CAD files, regardless of document complexity. Automate Document Classification With minimal setup, XtractFlow automatically categorizes documents including contracts, legal filings, lab reports, bank statements and more, in high-volume workflows. Developers can easily customize deployment with either the XtractFlow SDK or API. Extract Data Accurately and Effortlessly XtractFlow effortlessly interprets and retrieves the data users need, avoiding extensive coding and the strict rules for data extraction with a no-code approach, and enables a natural-language experience for the end users. "We've always felt we could go far beyond traditional IDP technology — more accuracy and more intelligence — along with less work spent setting and tuning it for specific workflows," says Miloš Đekić, Vice President of Product Management at PSPDFKit. "Generative AI has enabled us to deliver XtractFlow and bring human-level accuracy to document classification and data extraction in a way that significantly accelerates time to value for our customers." XtractFlow supports PSPDFKit customer data security standards with a strict non-storage policy and aligns with global data retention standards, ensuring integrity and security at every step of your applications and business processes. About PSPDFKit PSPDFKit is helping the world innovate beyond paper with its developer tools, API services, and low-code solutions covering the entire document lifecycle from creation, manipulation, real-time collaboration, signing and markup. The company's products cover all major platforms and support a wide range of programming languages and can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud with ease and at any scale. PSPDFKit has earned its developer first reputation by pioneering products that are easily integrated, completely customizable to fit any deployment and workflow, and trusted by startups, SMBs and some of the largest multinational enterprises.

Read More

Software

Lynx Software Technologies Announces Acquisition of Thompson Software Solutions

Lynx Software Technologies | January 10, 2024

Lynx Software Technologies (Lynx), a leader in the development of foundational, open architecture software solutions for the Mission Critical Edge, today announced the acquisition of Thompson Software Solutions, LLC. (TSS), a provider of software development, engineering, and integration solutions to mission-critical aerospace and defense (A&D) platforms, spanning military and commercial fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, commercial space flight, hypersonic platforms, and command-and-control systems. Its customers include the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), prime integrators, A&D original equipment manufacturers, and commercial space companies. Since its founding in 2004, TSS has delivered technical capabilities and strategic insights to enable innovative software products requiring the highest reliability, security, and performance standards. With expertise spanning high-integrity software architecture and development, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, airworthiness certifications, open systems architecture, simulation and training, and AI and machine learning, customers across the A&D end-markets rely upon TSS to provide strategic guidance, differentiated technical capabilities, and a deep understanding of mission requirements. TSS’s Chief Executive Officer, Les Thompson, and Chief Strategy Officer, Patrick McClellen, have taken on senior roles within Lynx following the close of the transaction. The combination of Lynx and TSS creates a scaled provider of mission-critical software solutions for customers with complex interoperability, safety, and security challenges. Lynx’s foundational software products, open-source expertise, productivity- and security-enhancing development tools, highly technical software engineering services, delivered via both professional and managed services business models, and its highly skilled and security-cleared employee base combine to create a platform company uniquely positioned to support the full software development lifecycle for clients in aerospace, defense, and other heavily regulated end-markets. “The TSS team has built the company on a solid foundation of trusted customer relationships, innovative and cutting-edge technical capabilities, and flawless execution. With TSS’s high-value and differentiated software development and integration capabilities, we will be better equipped to enable aerospace and defense OEMs and prime integrators to accelerate the design, development, and deployment of their products and platforms,” commented Tim Reed, Chief Executive Officer of Lynx. “As we end 2023, Lynx’s portfolio of solutions spans from the operating system to the application layer, certifiable real-time, to general purpose and open-source, and from commercial-off-the-shelf (“COTS”) to government-off-the-shelf (“GOTS”) software products. I’m thrilled to work with Les and the TSS team as we continue delivering comprehensive and unique software-enabled solutions to customers whose needs extend from the development pipeline to the Mission Critical Edge.” “Throughout my twenty years leading TSS, we’ve been consistently committed to delivering robust software solutions that meet the stringent requirements of our customers while ensuring they can stay on schedule and budget,” commented Les Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of TSS. “From our first discussions with Tim and the Lynx team, it became clear that Lynx is not just a vendor looking to push products but a committed, mission-oriented partner with the same objectives we have here at TSS, which includes continuing to deliver on our shared goal of providing resilient, secure, and performant software solutions targeted at the most demanding mission-critical environments.” “The combination of Lynx and TSS creates a software solutions platform placed at the center of priority aerospace and defense investment areas, notably open standards, modularity, and security. Like TSS, Lynx has an established track record of exceeding customer expectations with its innovation, performance, and value proposition. As a combined company, Lynx and TSS are well-positioned to grow as our clients continue to execute on the software modernization, integration, and development priorities,” commented Patrick McClellen, Chief Strategy Officer of TSS. About Lynx Software Technologies Lynx Software Technologies is on a mission to improve the economics of developing, deploying, and maintaining high-assurance Mission Critical Edge platforms with modular software solutions based on open standards. Our proven technology leadership, extensive system certification expertise, and commitment to open standards have consistently saved our customers millions of dollars in development costs while delivering desired system performance, security, and reliability on schedule. Lynx is committed to enabling customers to build and manage orchestrated, cloud-connected platforms that harness a broad array of modern technologies and unique design methodologies to enable accurate, deterministic decisions at the Mission Critical Edge without compromising safety or cybersecurity requirements. For more information, visit www.lynx.com. About Thompson Software Solutions Founded in 2004 with locations in Atlanta, GA and Fort Worth, TX, the Thompson Software Solutions team understands what is required to develop, integrate, test, and deploy software with a safety-critical pedigree while meeting the challenges of modernization and digital transformation. Our team of proven and dedicated employees takes pride in our ability to react quickly and produce quality solutions to difficult technical challenges. We work with partners to find the right path to meet operational needs while future-proofing systems with portability and sustainment considerations to ensure next-generation success. For more information, visit https://www.thompsonsoftwaresolutions.com. About OceanSound Partners OceanSound Partners is a New York-based private equity firm that pursues control investments in technology and technology-enabled services companies serving government and enterprise end markets. OceanSound employs a partnership approach, working closely with founders, entrepreneurs, and executives of middle market businesses to drive transformational growth. For more information, visit www.oceansoundpartners.com.

Read More

General AI

New SysAid Copilot counters ineffective chatbot deployments with next-gen, generative AI-powered IT Service Management

SysAid | January 12, 2024

SysAid, a leading provider of IT and Enterprise Service Management solutions, proudly announces the commencement of an exciting new chapter with the commercial release of SysAid Copilot, designed to liberate organizations by putting AI to work, for them and their people. At the core of SysAid Copilot is the AI Chatbot for End Users delivering always-on, 24/7 service. This conversational self-service experience uses generative AI to help employees work through issues by delivering answers, utilizing the organization's data, from knowledge base articles through ticket resolution history – as well as verified external data sources, links, and documents. Combating ineffective virtual agent deployment According to Gartner, "Staffing an IT service desk is difficult and a considerable expense. Long phone queues and abandoned calls are not uncommon. Yet, many I&O leaders have experienced issues with the implementation and adoption of virtual support agents, which are aimed at alleviating some of these challenges." One of the main factors attributed to these issues is that initial deployments of chatbots were ineffective[1]. With no code zero setup required, SysAid Copilot comes with a feature set designed to counter the potential pitfalls arising from sub-optimal deployment of traditional virtual support agents. The AI Usage Dashboard clearly reflects the value provided to both admins and end users through usage of SysAid Copilot features. For example, adoption of the AI Chatbot for End Users and Assistive AI features for admins. It also offers insights into AI-contained issues, indicating the rate at which problems were automatically resolved by SysAid Copilot using the organization's data and averting the need for ticket creation. In parallel, admins maintain ultimate control over the quality of responses with the ability to monitor, edit, and fine-tune answers provided by the AI Chatbot enabled by a Monitor and Fine-Tune feature. AI Author enables the provision of consistently professional service by rephrasing replies, elaborating on answers, and breaking down information into simple steps with responses that are comprehensible and accessible for employees. This also exempts admins from the need to grapple with wording and grammar. Embedded into the channels that employees already use, SysAid Copilot facilitates quick adoption within the organization. For example, employees get service in a single click from the AI Chatbot (one-click ticket creation) or automatically via the AI Emailbot, delivering an immediate response even before an admin sees the ticket. Increasing productivity SysAid Copilot leverages cutting-edge generative AI technology, elevating admins to play a strategic role in the organization and improving IT productivity by over 20%. "The release of SysAid Copilot is a momentous milestone in our quest to lead organizations on a transformative journey toward AI-driven organizational processes and excellence," said Avi Kedmi, SysAid CEO. "Tapping into specialized data accumulated from thousands of customers and millions of users, SysAid Copilot enables employees to enjoy a fully conversational experience, freeing up admins to focus on more strategic work and become the catalyst for organizational productivity. SysAid Copilot orchestrates service management across the organization, embodying our commitment to infusing intelligence and ease into the workday, reshaping the landscape of service management. And this is only the beginning, as our dynamic roadmap promises a steady stream of groundbreaking features and capabilities ahead, ensuring the success of our customers." The General Availability of SysAid Copilot follows a 5-month design partner and beta program in which a diverse and engaged group of active customers played a pivotal role in refining and enhancing the product. The dedication and enthusiasm of the beta partners have been instrumental in shaping the product and ensuring that it is finely tuned to address the unique needs of SysAid's customer community, not only meeting but exceeding their expectations. Enhancing CSAT scores and slashing MTTR SysAid Copilot includes AI Intelligent Categorization automatically categorizing tickets submitted via the AI Chatbot for End Users and routes to the right people while making suggestions for more appropriate categories for tickets that come in through other channels, reducing human error in ticket categorizations by ~40%. In parallel, AI Case Summarization provides admins with a real-time summarization of the ticket content and employee sentiment (AI Emotion) so admins can understand the context, history, and end-user sentiment at a glance. "SysAid Copilot has helped our organization a great deal in providing support quicker. Since our department is oftentimes understaffed, wait times are higher than normal, and with SysAid Copilot we've witnessed those wait times plummeting," said Nathan Gleed, IT at the City of St George. "One of the most amazing aspects of this new technology is its continual learning, consistently improving performance and generating more accurate and sophisticated output." About SysAid SysAid is on a mission to liberate organizations by putting AI to work for them and their people. We orchestrate service management across organizations with generative AI that taps into specialized data accumulated from thousands of customers and millions of users. With zero setup requirements, our conversational AI manages employees' requests, assists with queries, and accelerates the resolution of issues. With intelligence and ease infused into the workday, productivity thrives so that employees can focus on what they're meant to do, and organizations are free to fulfill their purpose. With over 5,000 customers, SysAid partners with organizations ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises across 140 countries. For more information, please visit www.sysaid.com

Read More

Spotlight

IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportuniti...

Events

Resources

resource image

Software, Future Tech

The Business Value of the New Relic Observability Platform

Whitepaper

resource image

SD-WAN: Enhancing the Traditional WAN for the Future

Whitepaper

resource image

Software-Defined Storage Accelerates Storage Cost Reduction and Service-Level Optimization

Whitepaper

Events