Personalization, automation and digitalization have redefined the fundamentals of business across nearly every industry, yet as Deloitte explains, the utility industry is transforming on a great scale. Utilities are investing in information technology (IT) to not just accommodate evolving customer needs and expectations but also improve operational workflows throughout the organization, including in marketing. Advanced IT solutions in the utility industry aim to reduce redundancies and unify technology systems. But in order to justify the increase in spending on vertically-aligned cloud software, utility leaders should maximize ROI by optimizing and extending their existing IT stack to ensure it enhances efficiency utility-wide rather than in siloed units. As the CMO of a company that offers AI-powered solutions for utilities, I've found that one of the simplest ways for utility CMOs to expand the efficiency of IT resources is by working with a CRM partner to integrate existing customer data and energy insights into a singular platform.

Move over mobile marketing: A little voice is whispering that your time as "the next big thing" is almost up. Actually, that whisper is more of a shout, and it's "Echo"-ing across the digital landscape, as voice-response technology is rapidly emerging as the most disruptive force to hit the industry since the internet became a visual medium. Just how loud will this sonic boom be? If your brand is starting to hear Siri's siren-like call to action, here are some insights and considerations you might find helpful: Research from OC&C Strategy Consultants projects that voice shopping will jump to $40 billion in 2022 (up from $2 billion today). However, the last-touch voice commerce experience has yet to reach the mass adoption levels that retailers like Amazon initially envisioned.

Zenith has unveiled 10 trends that show how artificial intelligence will help to power the consumer journey in 2017, driving engagement opportunities and effectiveness for marketers. Artificial intelligence is the ability of machines or computers to emulate human thinking or decision making. A key area within AI is machine learning and Zenith's 2017 Trends build on the network's ground breaking automation of digital planning, unveiled earlier this year. Using bespoke algorithms, a team of data scientists and strategists from Zenith developed sophisticated machine learning technology that enabled the network to create an'automation loop': data collection, attribution and planning changes across multiple touchpoints – all done automatically. Our 10 trends assess how machine learning and other areas of AI will enhance the consumer experience along the journey to purchase and will create new marketing opportunities for brands.

Picture source: ThinkStock Zenith has unveiled 10 trends that show how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help to power the consumer journey in 2017, driving engagement opportunities and effectiveness for marketers. AI is the ability of machines or computers to emulate human thinking or decision making. A key area within AI is machine learning and Zenith's 2017 trends build on the network's groundbreaking automation of digital planning, unveiled earlier this year. Using bespoke algorithms, a team of data scientists and strategists from Zenith developed sophisticated machine learning technology that enabled the network to create an'automation loop': data collection, attribution and planning changes across multiple touchpoints – all done automatically. Tanmay Mohanty, Group CEO of Zenith India said that the year 2017 appears full of possibilities.

Artificial intelligence is the ability of machines or computers to emulate human thinking or decision making. A key area within AI is machine learning and Zenith's 2017 Trends build on the network's ground breaking automation of digital planning, unveiled earlier this year. Using bespoke algorithms, a team of data scientists and strategists from Zenith developed sophisticated machine learning technology that enabled the network to create an'automation loop': data collection, attribution and planning changes across multiple touchpoints – all done automatically. Our 10 trends assess how machine learning and other areas of AI will enhance the consumer experience along the journey to purchase and will create new marketing opportunities for brands. Search is becoming increasingly predictive, providing tailored recommendations throughout the consumer journey to drive both consideration and conversation.