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Analytics |
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"Watson" |
Getting Ready for Watson
By Implementing
Shopper Analytics
Watson, the IBM computer that handily beat two Jeopardy! champs on the popular TV game show last year, has a Facebook page. IBM has moved past such cultural footnotes and is now expanding its Watson technology. In a recent virtual briefing, two IBM executives explained where the Watson technology is headed, and how retailers can use existing insights to "operationalize" customer analytics to create a more compelling shopping experience.
Cathy Lasser, IBM's vice president and chief technology officer for the distribution sector, explained that IBM is initially targeting other areas than retail, such as healthcare and technical support, to take advantage of Watson's natural language algorithms. Watson was designed to deal with unstructured data in a question-and-answer format (or answer-and-question in the case of Jeopardy!), so its use in the structured POS data-rich environment of retail and CPG is more limited. But the company is exploring how to enable retail customers with its deep analytics to more easily find what they are looking for and answer consumer questions, says Craig Silverman, business analytics leader. This could possibly happen by the end of the year...
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Digital Marketing |
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 Five Tips to Manage Smarter Internet Coupon Programs
Internet print-at-home coupons can increase retail sales and boost brand awareness. But coupons made available online also present unique challenges that must be addressed to avoid fraud and unanticipated expense.
There have been instances when fraudulent coupons have been unknowingly accepted by some supermarkets. While the Internet has become a viable coupon distribution method, with many manufacturers using proper print-controlled coupon technologies, there have also been occasional instances of certain retailers not accepting legitimate Internet coupons. This issue has left customers disgruntled and manufacturers frustrated, says the Association of Coupon Professionals (ACP), and the subsequent negative publicity has given Internet coupons a black eye...
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