CapTech Trends

Given an automation mandate in 2021, MNX, a time-critical logistics company, started their AI journey with CapTech to focus on operational precision and efficiency. 

Tim Kutz, CIO of MNX Global Logistics, joins Managing Director Michelle Meyer, and Principal Vinnie Schoenfelder to discuss the swift adoption of AI over the past 15 months.

Tune in to hear:

• “If you don’t have good data you’re done.”
• The importance of having a tight team of business and IT folks on your team.
• Creating an adaptable culture when navigating the inevitable uncertainty of AI.
• Moving from operational AI goals to customer experience AI goals in 2024.

“People hear AI on the news and TV and think it’s this is a daunting thing. It’s not. It’s something new, like cloud or anything else you need to understand and get the right people to help you. But it is moving so fast.” – Tim Kutz, MNX CIO

In this episode, we are joined by leaders from rvatech/: 

• Nick Serfass,  rvatech/ CEO 
• Todd Dube, rvatech/ Data + AI Summit Co-Chair, Analytics and AI leader at CarMax
• Meghan Holt,  rvatech/ board member, CapTech Managing Director 

rvatech/ is a technology trade organization focused on igniting the growth of the technology sector and the technology community within the greater Richmond, Virginia region.

Tune in as we discuss the upcoming rvatech/ Data and AI conference, practical technology applications and career opportunities. 

Register for the rvatech/ Data + AI Summit on March 28, 2024 here. 

In this special edition episode of CapTech Trends, guest co-hosts and CapTech AI leaders Brian Bischoff and Jason Snook are joined by Ajit Mandgi, the Director of Analytics at Dominion Energy, and Paul Brooks, Professor and Chair in the Department of Information Systems at VCU School of Business.  

Tune in to learn how AI is impacting various industries and gain helpful insights to navigate the future as this technology continues to evolve. In this panel discussion we cover:  

• How ChatGPT has impacted higher education and how educators have quickly adapted their teaching strategies.
• The transformational impact generative AI has had on the energy and utilities industry.
• The responsibility of leaders to help organizations embrace and navigate AI - and keep up the momentum.
• What the AI transformation will look like in the next few years.

AI is a once-in-a-lifetime technology advancement and it's here to stay - so what does that mean for your business and how do you get started? Listen in as Vinnie chats with CapTech AI leads, Fellow Jason Snook, and CX Director LesLea Carey and we discuss: 

• Consumers are expecting AI, so how will you meet that need in 2024? 
• AI is more than ChatGPT - the endless AI use cases include dynamic pricing, personalization, automation, anomaly detection, and more. 
• Why you should move now and how to push past the analysis paralysis and unknowns. 
• Excellent AI examples from Walmart and Dominos.

Tune in to our latest episode as Principals Vinnie Schoenfelder, Bree Basham, and Brian Bischoff discuss the three key trends we see in the evolving landscape of technology and consumer interaction. 

• The use of Generative AI for authentic human-like interactions
• Creating winning customer experiences through immersive and frictionless technologies 
• The race to capture consumer loyalty by merging digital and physical elements of technology advancements 

Links:

Read the full article
CapTech AI Consumer Study

How do consumers really feel about AI? In this episode of CapTech Trends, CapTech CTO Vinnie Schoenfelder, discusses the findings of CapTech’s AI study, with CapTech Fellow Jason Snook and CapTech Manager Carrie Ryan. Tune in as we cover: 

• Surprising findings that challenged our hypothesis 
• How AI is deeply integrated into building brand loyalty 
• The future of AI and the consumer    

Read the full study here. 

A discussion with Dominion Energy. 

In this episode of CapTech Trends, we speak with Les Carter, Strategic Advisor for Grid Resiliency at Dominion Energy. Les, affectionately referred to as "The Godfather of Undergrounding" discusses how the new VISTAR(SM) app developed by CapTech is helping change how they approach undergrounding efforts and the adoption of emerging technologies. 

 Listen in as we discuss: 

• How the decision to introduce AR positively disrupted Dominion Energy's outlook on emerging technologies.
• Key advantages and challenges to using VISTAR for undergrounding.
• Advice for leaders who are incorporating AR and emerging tech into their companies. 
• How to increase tech adoption both internally and with customers. 

Learn more about VISTAR: https://www.captechconsulting.com/solutions/vistar 

 The VISTAR app is now available for download on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vistar-by-captech/id6449709614 

In this special edition episode of CapTech Trends, Vinnie Schoenfelder hosts a conversation about sports technology with two special guests: Armando Bacot, UNC-Chapel Hill basketball player, and Roberto Castro, a former PGA TOUR golfer and leader in CapTech's sports technology practice. 

Tune in as we discuss:  

• NIL: The impact of NIL (name, image, likeness) and how it can create opportunities to learn from business leaders. 
• Sports Technology: The intersection of sports, technology, and business, and how this data can enhance an athlete's performance and fan engagement. 
• Armando: Armando's plans for the future as he enters his fifth year at UNC and MBA program.

In this episode of CapTech Trends, CapTech CTO, Vinnie Schoenfelder discusses passkeys, the first step towards a frictionless password future, with Fellow, Mark Badger and Senior Consultant, Andrew Levy. 

Listen in as we discuss:

• The brand advantages to being a passkey early adaptor 
• How passkeys can both improve user experience and add security 
• The consumer expectations around the scalability of passkeys 

Resources referenced in this episode: 

• CapTech Passkey Article: The Password-less Future Is Closer Than You Think
• RIP, Passwords. Here’s What’s Coming Next.
• FIDO Alliance

Tune in to learn about our findings from our third annual Consumer Innovation survey. Bree Basham, Principal and CapTech’s Customer Experience (CX) lead, discusses the key takeaways for brands to consider as we move through 2023. 

• Brand loyalty: The race for customer loyalty is tight. How do brands find customers where they are, and best engage them?
• Emerging technologies: How can brands meet customer expectations around AR, VR, and the Metaverse?
• Gen Z: All eyes are on Gen Z, and this consumer group is looking to purchase from companies prioritizing innovation.

 Read the full survey findings: 2022 Consumer Innovation Survey