TECHNOLOGY

IBM is taking the next step in its IoT journey.   The technology provider has opened the doors of its new $200 million global headquarters for its Watson Internet of Things (IoT) business in Munich, Germany. The space will also serve as an innovation space for the European IoT standards organization, EEBus.   "We have reached a tipping point with IoT innovation,” said Harriet Green, general manager, IBM Watson IoT, cognitive engagement and education.   

T-Mobile’s digital loyalty program just got more valuable.   The company’s “T-Mobile Tuesdays” app delivers free gifts and dis-counts to its users each week. Through its partnership with Excentus, the wireless provider now features a 25-cent-per-gallon “Fuel Rewards” discount code within its weekly rewards rotation.   

Google Home is giving Amazon’s Echo a run for its (shopping) money.   On Thursday, Google announced that shoppers can use Google Home to order everyday basics from Google Express retailers, including Costco, Whole Foods Market, Walgreens, PetSmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and others, reported GeekWire.   

Recently, I was in my kitchen making Veal Provençal for my kids. As I reached for the can of peeled tomatoes, my worn out can opener broke in my hand. I turned to my Alexa device and told it to order a new can opener from Edlund. Two days later, the package awaited me when I got home.  

Driving conversion in a digital landscape requires a new level of engagement.   Pacific Sunwear of California has found a way to reconnect with its digital shoppers, as well as improve its click performance, drive conversion, and thus, sales. Using Rakuten Marketing Search, a solution available through Kenshoo’s advertising platform, the retailer is refining its strategic marketing approach, focusing on consumer engagement (click performance) and automating its ad spend management processes.  

Disappointing shopping experiences are costing brick-and-mortar retailers serious money.   Stores left about $150 billion in potential revenue on the table in 2016 by failing to offer shoppers personalized in-store shopping experiences. Shoppers would increase their in-store spending by 4.7% — if they received better, more personalized service from retailers.   

Organizations are throwing away billions of dollars annually on customer loyalty programs that just don’t work like they used to.   This was revealed in the Accenture report, “Seeing Beyond the Loyalty Illusion: It’s Time You Invest More Wisely.” The study gauges the experiences and attitudes of 25,426 consumers around the world about their current loyalty relationship with brands and organizations.  

Remember the memory-erasing Neuralyzer in "Men in Black"? Or more recently, "Ex Machina," the Oscar-winning story of a humanoid robot that uses emotional persuasion to outsmart humans and escape from the secluded home of its creator?