What's Up with Tech?

• Tariffs, Tech, and Transformations: A Retail Reality Check

  Interested in being a guest? Email us at [email protected] is in an age of perpetual reinvention. From navigating online strategies in the early 2000s to mobile adoption in the mid-2000s and now grappling with tariffs and supply chain disruptions, retailers must continuously evolve to survive and thrive. According to Dominick Miserandino, CEO of Retail Tech Media Nexus, the fundamental truth remains constant amid this change: "You are selling an emotion, the emotion of that thing."Dominick brings a unique perspective to retail, having transitioned from mainstream media to mentoring over 200 e-commerce startups before creating his current venture connecting tech companies, retailers, and media partners. His insights reveal a fascinating dichotomy in today's retail landscape. While giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Apple leverage their vast resources to create seamless digital experiences, nimble small businesses find success through authentic personal connections – like the retailer who phoned every customer to thank them, inadvertently creating a viral marketing strategy that cost nothing but time.The conversation explores how retailers are adapting to economic challenges, particularly the impact of tariffs on supply chains. For some small businesses with tight margins, these disruptions represent an existential threat: "I do not have the margin. I cannot cover these tariffs in any way. Period, I'm dead." Yet others find ways to innovate through efficiency, implementing solutions like virtual shopping experiences that reduce costs while enhancing customer convenience.As digital transformation continues reshaping retail, Dominick cautions against getting caught in technology hype cycles without clear implementation strategies. Many retailers collect vast amounts of data without effectively analyzing it, while others struggle to balance personalization with authenticity. "We personalize to the point of almost numbness," he notes, suggesting that consumers increasingly value genuine connections over algorithmic recommendations.Connect with Dominick on LinkedIn, where he maintains over 30,000 professional connections, to learn more about navigating retail's ever-changing landscape and to discover how businesses of all sizes can build meaningful customer relationships in an increasingly digital world.Real Talk About MarketingAn Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showMore at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

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• Beyond Connectivity: Reimagining Wi-Fi as Customer Intelligence

  Interested in being a guest? Email us at [email protected] has transformed from a luxury into a necessity. But what if your venue's Wi-Fi could do more than just provide internet access? What if it could become a powerful revenue generator and customer intelligence platform?Sean Bossons, Chief Revenue Officer at Purple, reveals how smart guest Wi-Fi is revolutionizing customer engagement across industries. From sports venues identifying returning fans to promote playoff tickets, to airports guiding passenger traffic away from congested gates toward retail opportunities, businesses are discovering the untapped potential of their connectivity infrastructure.The magic happens when anonymous connections become meaningful customer interactions. By capturing first-party data including demographics, visiting patterns, and preferences, venues gain unprecedented insight into their customers. This creates opportunities for hyper-personalized marketing at exactly the right moment - when customers are physically present and most receptive to relevant offers."Research suggests you're willing to share data if you get something in return and you don't want generic rewards," explains Bossons, highlighting the value exchange at the heart of successful implementation. This approach drives measurable results across three key metrics: visit frequency, average spend, and customer lifetime value.Privacy remains paramount in this data-driven approach. Having grown under Europe's stringent GDPR regulations, Purple emphasizes consent and confidentiality as foundational principles, ensuring compliance with regional regulations worldwide while building the consumer trust necessary for willing participation.As we look toward the future of venue technology, AI-driven personalization and mobile-first engagement will continue transforming how businesses connect with customers in physical spaces. The old paradigm of investing heavily to attract visitors without effectively engaging them once they arrive is being replaced by sophisticated, real-time interaction strategies powered by intelligent Wi-Fi.Ready to transform your venue's connectivity from cost center to profit driver? Discover how your Wi-Fi network could become your most valuable customer intelligence platform.Support the showMore at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

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• AI-Powered Workflows: How Zebra Technologies is Transforming Frontline Operations

  Interested in being a guest? Email us at [email protected] frontline workforce revolution is happening right now, and Zebra Technologies is leading the charge. In this enlightening conversation with Joe White, Chief Product and Solution Officer at Zebra Technologies, we explore how decades of operational digitization are culminating in an AI-powered transformation that's redefining what's possible for businesses worldwide.Joe, a 25-year veteran at Zebra, takes us on a journey from the company's barcode origins to today's sophisticated AI implementations. He articulates how modern enterprises face critical challenges around what he calls "the three R's" – resiliency, reliability, and real-time visibilityThe conversation reveals how AI is transforming frontline operations across industries. In retail, where shelf inventory accuracy typically hovers at a shocking 50-60%, AI-powered systems can now automatically identify stockouts, pricing errors, and misplaced items while generating immediate action plans. In manufacturing, companies like Bosch have reduced reject rates by 5% across 7,000 daily parts using machine vision technology. Yet Joe emphasizes that successful AI implementation requires first digitizing operational workflows – a crucial insight for any business beginning this journey.Perhaps most compelling is Joe's customer-centric philosophy: every product in Zebra's portfolio traces back to a specific lighthouse customer who helped drive its development. This collaborative approach ensures solutions directly address real-world challenges with enterprise-grade reliability and scalability. As Joe puts it, "While I'm proud of the last 20 years of technology developed at Zebra, the next 5-10 years will be the most transformational, led by AI technologies applied to customer workflows."Ready to see what's possible when frontline workers are truly empowered with intelligent technology? Listen now and discover how the convergence of digitization, automation, and AI is creating unprecedented opportunities for operational excellence.Support the showMore at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

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• Why Your Marketing and Sales Outreach Sucks

  Interested in being a guest? Email us at [email protected] wonder why nobody picks up your calls or reads your emails anymore? In this eye-opening conversation, Aaron Christopher "AC" Evans, founder of DRIPS, reveals why traditional outreach methods are increasingly ineffective in our distraction-filled world.AC explains how our evolution into an "on-demand society" has fundamentally changed consumer psychology. When everyone is constantly engaged with content they actively choose – from social media to streaming services – traditional push messaging tactics that demand immediate attention are doomed to fail. The stark reality: about 80% of people simply won't answer calls from unknown numbers anymore.DRIPS has pioneered a different approach through asynchronous, humanized AI conversations. Rather than forcing consumers to stop what they're doing, this technology allows meaningful interactions to unfold over days or even weeks, respecting people's time while still accomplishing business objectives. AC walks us through how their system differs from standard chatbots by interpreting natural language with sophisticated AI while maintaining tight compliance with complex regulatory requirements across healthcare and insurance industries.The results speak for themselves. One national health insurance provider improved their star ratings from 3 to 4 across all contracts through DRIPS' technology. Another saw a tenfold increase in health risk assessment responses. For businesses struggling with diminishing returns from traditional outreach, AC offers practical advice on getting started – from simple text message "priming" before phone calls to implementing more sophisticated conversational AI. The key insight: when you give consumers a voice and meet them where they are, engagement dramatically improves.Ready to stop annoying your customers and start having meaningful conversations that drive results? This episode reveals how the future of customer engagement is evolving beyond interruption marketing into thoughtful, AI-powered dialogue that respects consumers while delivering exceptional business outcomes.Support the showMore at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

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• Intelligence meets empathy in the future of health

  Interested in being a guest? Email us at [email protected] happens when cutting-edge artificial intelligence meets humanistic healthcare? Aurora Martinez of Keralty unveils a revolutionary approach that's redefining what's possible in global health systems. Unlike conventional healthcare AI applications that focus primarily on efficiency and diagnostics, Keralty's innovative "CHI" ecosystem puts human well-being at the center of technological advancement.Martinez introduces us to Keralty (operating as Sanitas in the US), a healthcare organization spanning ten countries that has built what she calls a "living lab" – an extraordinarily diverse ecosystem encompassing insurance companies, hospitals, clinics, medical centers, and even a university. This diversity serves as both the foundation and catalyst for their AI innovations. With 50 years of accumulated wisdom, they're transforming knowledge into actionable healthcare solutions that address not just physical health, but loneliness, mental health challenges, and community connection.What truly distinguishes their approach is the philosophy Martinez eloquently summarizes as "intelligence with a soul." This isn't about replacing healthcare professionals with algorithms, but rather empowering doctors and nurses with AI tools that enhance their ability to deliver personalized, preventative care. The focus remains steadfastly on human connections while using technology to make better, more informed decisions. By combining their extensive living lab with a holistic healthcare model centered on prevention and risk management, Keralty is positioning themselves as agents of change in an industry ripe for transformation. Ready to explore how artificial intelligence might actually make healthcare more human, not less? Visit keraltycom to learn more about this fascinating intersection of technology and compassionate care, and discover how purpose-driven innovation is reshaping the future of health.Support the showMore at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

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