Gary Vincent

Exciting to see Kohl's implementing a smart strategy to drive customer engagement! The innovative return drop service not only enhances the shopping experience but also offers substantial coupons, enticing customers to return for more. A cost-effective marketing approach that yields impressive results. Investing in shopper traffic analytics tools is key to measuring campaign success effectively. #kohls #retail #sensormatic #returns #shopperanalytics Read more: https://lnkd.in/eTmrMmPq

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This weekend, I had architecture and weather on my mind - and found some interesting parallels. Bear with me through my train of thought. A few weeks ago while driving home from my daughter's camp, I passed through rain, hail and sunny skies, all within 5 miles. This week, we had hot, cold and rainy weather over 3 consecutive days. All during the beautiful Bay Area Spring. And on both these occasions, I was pondering over Generative AI, RPA, Edge Computing and Cyber Resiliency. And that got me thinking ... Imagine your technology infrastructure as weather patterns and your architecture as climate trends. Just like weather impacts your day-to-day, technology choices affect your business's immediate operations. Climate, on the other hand, sets the long-term tone — like how your architecture shapes your organization's technology and business future. I know, it's a quirky comparison, but stick with me. Weather changes fast, just like technology. And every day you have to be prepared to react to a fast-changing landscape of opportunities and threats. But climate? That's the big picture — the foundation. Understanding both helps you navigate storms and sunshine in your business journey. A strong Enterprise Architecture practice helps you navigate the changing and unpredictable weather of technology - building a strong technology foundation, developing operational efficiencies and adapting to rapidly emerging technologies. But a mature EA practice helps you understand the climate of technology - analyze technology and business trends, design flexible and extensible foundations and establish processes and governance to react quickly to (and benefit from) known and unknown changes. So, next time you're puzzling over Technology choices and the role of #EnterpriseArchitecture, think meteorologist meets climate scientist. It might just give you a fresh perspective.

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The attached article shows some basic but impactful examples of integrating technology within the physical store layout; real time pricing and product communications updates - hands free changes. #shoppermarketing #consumerbehavior #consumerinsights #omnichannelretail #innovation #consumergoods #shopperinsights #shopperexperience #futuremarketing #retail #retailmarketing #retailexperience #brandbuilding #branddesign #branddevelopment #brandidentity #brandimage #retailexperience #retailmarketing #shoppingexperience https://lnkd.in/e6FC6AGy

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The best leaders I ever had were also some of the best story tellers I have encountered. Many people believe leaders are born and not made. Others believe leaders are made and not born. The ole nature vs nurture debate. I firmly believe some people have the innate potential to become better leaders than others, but I also believe anyone can learn to be a leader, especially if they learn how to tell good stories. During the pandemic, I had a leader who tried to keep morale from going into the dumps. He would have remote town halls with different groups in the organization to keep us engaged as possible throughout that time. One story in particular resonated with me. Since then I have theorized on why that particular story spoke to me. Here it is (not verbatim but to the best of memory): When I was a young engineer working on a startup of a new process, An older engineer was assigned to the project and was there during the startup as well. This was not the first time I worked with this engineer on a startup. As typical with startups a lot of problems occur and emotions would flare. I would react by raising my voice and stressing about all the problems that were occurring. He sat thee in his chair calm and cool as a cucumber. It infuriated me. I couldn't understand how he could just sit there as the process startup was failing miserably. I kept watching and I couldn't take it anymore, so I forcefully asked "How can you just sit there so calmly like that while this startup is going to crap?!?!" He simply responded "Because I choose to" What makes a good story? Do you have a strategy on how and when to use a story? Do you have an inventory of stories ready to go to help coach or address a challenging situation? Thoughts? Ema Roloff Summer Challenge Week 3 Target 6 Actual 3 Variance from Goal -3 #Leadership #DigitalTransformation https://lnkd.in/e4EGFwKn

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Go see Grant Ecker at Tech Showcase | Chicago! I know that's why I'm going! If you happen to be there 30 minutes earlier, though, I've got some time on stage to talk about "Why asking the right questions matters more than having all the answers." And if that's successful, in theory it'll sound something like this: "We're often fixated on answers - whether it's getting to them first or ensuring they're right. In this keynote, Neal is flipping the script and revealing why asking the right question is the true game-changer. We'll dive into real-world scenarios in technology where the power of inquiry has led to unparalleled breakthroughs, unlocked new possibilities, and reshaped the tech landscape. Forget the race to solutions - join us as we explore how the questions you ask can become the catalyst for overcoming limitations and navigating complexity." https://lnkd.in/ghfG7AQu

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Get on the boat, Wednesday June 19! Explore how modern marketing organizations are revolutionizing their business models and unlocking new revenue streams through data and privileged insights. Learn about responsible data monetization, customer insights that drive value, and the strategic advantage of leveraging AI. https://pwc.to/3KUfnqG

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Statista reported that in 2023, 41% of Americans were using "wearables." That's right. 41% of us were sharing our biometric data. And yet Target, Rite Aid, Best Buy, Walmart and several others have come under fire for their use of biometric data. Why? Is it because they didn't tell us they were using it? It can't be because we don't want to share our personal information (including biometric data). After all, wearables, social media and TSA/Clear would suggest otherwise (to name a few). How should businesses use biometric data and is it worth the trouble? Read RetailWire's article and see what the BrainTrust had to say. https://lnkd.in/gXk4Yt9C

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We published a #RetailTech report today titled, "RFID Is the Technology That Keeps on Giving to Retailers (and Associates and Consumers)." It has three main points: 1. RFID-Driven Inventory Accuracy Opens the Door to a Slew of Other Benefits for Retailers 2. RFID Can Improve the Associate Experience 3. RFID Enables the Services that Make Customers Happy The report also discusses implications for retailers, brands and technology vendors. https://lnkd.in/eCAPNu5t Take a look here: https://lnkd.in/eCAPNu5t #rfid #retailtechnology

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Struggling to balance inventory levels and meet customer demand? Dive into RELEX Solutions latest blog where we sketch out how an inventory analyst creates a new optimization strategy. Learn how to optimize inventory, boost profitability, and enhance customer satisfaction. #InventoryOptimization #SupplyChain #Blog 

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Talking about early adoptors of technology, well, The Home Depot technology team did it again! We have Glean Ai as our personalized work assistant now, streamlining information retrieval across various platforms like Confluence and Slack. Glean simplifies and condenses vast amounts of data into concise summaries, enhancing productivity and comprehension. This tool has become invaluable, empowering me to access organizational insights efficiently and fostering my intellectual curiosity. Glean even simplifies and explains me complex architectures of micro services making it easier for me to understand the application flow. Looking ahead, I anticipate the integration of Glean with ServiceNow, which will be a game changer for my team. I'm curious to hear about your experiences with personalized AI tools in your organization. Share your insights in the comments below! #GleanAi #Ai #Technology

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Let's talk "Pay Ranges" All too often, I see extremely broad ranges of pay advertised for a specific role. For example, I recently saw a role for a director level in IT that stated the range as $135K to $185K. However, the maximum the company was actually willing to offer was $150K for the highest qualified individual for the role. As someone who has hired dozens of IT professionals, I understand the concept of equity of pay and recognize that the 'midpoint' is often the actual ceiling of the pay band. However, when you have an exceptional candidate, how do you get past the HR challenges and pursue a salary higher in the pay range? Is it equitable to pay someone with dramatically more experience more money than a person in a similar role with less experience? I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips!

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How do you stay connected? Every Wednesday many folks in the Best Buy office wear their "blue shirts" to show their connection to the company as a whole. Since I am not in the Minnesota office every day I thought it would be good today to do the same. I also brought back from my last trip a banner advertising the data strategy we are developing called the "Data Store". As a visual person these reminders give me perspective, connecting the dots between the many meetings I lead/attend and the vision of my work to help Best Buy grow. However, I believe the challenge of staying connected to the vision is not just one for "remote workers". When I was at Ford I went to the office every day, and was in a building surrounded by people working only in data and analytics. To keep my perspective, I would regularly visit the World Headquarters where you were greeted by a historic Model A and many other cars from Ford's great legacy. At McDonald's Headquarters we regularly ate lunch at the restaurant downstairs. In the world of data and analytics we can get so focused on the minutiae of the numbers and challenges in data quality, pipelines, analyses or models that we forget the point of what we do - to help our companies improve their performance (whether it is making cars, selling electronics, or marketing the "best burgers"). Whether you are remote, hybrid, or full-time in the office what are some ways you help yourself remember the main purpose of why you do what you do? #remotework #vision #dataanalytics #ford #bestbuy #mcdonalds #cdo #career #datascience #datagovernance #datastrategy

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Discipline + Patience = Success 🏆 Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the power of discipline and patience in both my personal and professional life! 🔵 Discipline: (Daily Action) - Whether in our professional or personal lives, discipline is the bedrock of achievement. It’s about setting clear goals and taking daily, consistent action towards them. This could mean honing our skills, nurturing our teams, or simply committing to lifelong learning.  It’s the small, consistent steps that lead to significant changes over time. 🟡 Patience: (Repeated Over Time) - Patience is the compass that guides us through the long journey of growth. It reminds us that true transformation is the result of sustained effort and the courage to face challenges with resilience. 🏆 Success: (Desired Outcome) - Success is the sweet fruit born from the seeds of discipline and patience. It’s not just about reaching our goals but also about the leader we become in the process—inspiring, motivating, and leading by example. In our personal journeys, these principles are equally vital. They help us cultivate the habits that lead to self-improvement and, ultimately, to becoming the leaders who make a difference. How have these values shaped your journey and led to meaningful achievements? FDE LLC, d/b/a Ashley Northeast #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #PersonalDevelopment #SuccessFormula #Motivation #Habits #AtomicHabits #Focus #CTOInsights #CIOInsights #DailyAction #Repetition #DesiredOutcomes

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A post-merger integration demands strategic coordination and meticulous planning, but an Integration Management Office can help! In this eBook, we share #CPG industry guidance for standing up an #IMO. https://lnkd.in/exePn2Nn

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After a couple down years for some key hardware segments, things are looking up for 2024 and beyond. The latest report from the Consumer Technology Association shows hardware representing $341B in value last year alone - and projecting growth in 2024. Everything related to hardware is also tracking UP - gaming, video, smart home, audio, health & fitness - which makes quality hardware more important. Personally, I think your TV is the most important piece of quality hardware you need for your home. Agree? I’m headed to the CTA CEO Summit in Sweden next week to talk to some amazing leaders about the future of tech – and I’m sure we’ll discuss what this growth means for innovation. Will report back!

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It's interesting how retailers are slowly landing on the same three options for Self Checkout refinement to solve shrink. 1. Adding employee assisted checkout, 2. Adding barriers to leaving the store without confirmation of purchase (mechanical or human) or as a last resort, 3. Completely eliminating the option. From the consumer perspective its slowly becoming a negative experience... Curious what other options might exist..

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I was unloading the dishwasher this morning when I noticed my nephew's coffee cup. The coffee cup is a beautiful nightmare before Christmas.  When I reached out and picked it up, it was not smooth, as if it had bubbles under the paint.  Under the coffee cup, it says microwave and dishwasher safe, but this is not the case.  So, in the long run, if I can put it in the dishwasher, I can't put it in the microwave.  It has beauty but no functionality or durability. It's much like cyber security with the business. We need a cyber security program to help run the company, as it is more profitable and secure. They don't need a security program that looks beautiful on paper or in theory, but it hurts the bottom line and makes the business operations a nightmare when deployed. They need a functionality-specific security program that can also change when the business grows and changes. Know your business and its many channels. Brick-and-mortar has gone away. We are more of a digital business now than ever. Even in clothing stores, you can order your items ahead or have them delivered to your home.   We live in a fast-paced world where it will lose if our business has less functionality. It's crucial to understand and adapt to the digital channels of our business, as it's the key to survival and growth in this fast-paced world. You don't have them to drive the boat when dealing with vendors.  You know your company better than they do.  Don't let them bully you into buying a product that could cause harm to how your company makes money.  You need to drive the boat and have a good resell partner who knows your vision to help you bring the right vendor to make it happen.  The partner should also know your business as you do. It takes time to educate them. Know how your applications work.  I know many companies with legacy applications hiding in the corner that are a significant part of the business.  If controls were to be implemented, they could break them beyond repair because nobody wants to work on them. That's when things are out of the box, and you figure out ways to protect them without causing damage to the company. So, make sure the security program is beautiful and functional. This will take time and effort, but it will all be worth it in the end.  #cybersecurity #ciso #cybersecurity #cybersecuritythreats #InformationSecurity #chiefinformationsecurityofficer #security #technology #leadership

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Had a great conversation with James Morris talking about the evolution of the CISO role, ways to identify talent and more. Understanding the personalities, culture and talents of people can be a better indicator of success in cybersecurity than pure technical ability. Too many people don't know they can be successful in cyber because they don't realize they already possess the knowledge and experiences. They just need some guidance on translating their experiences into the cyber world.

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