On the Platform

Consumers love the convenience of connected lifestyles. But they value their privacy just as much. Platform companies need to get the balance right. Those that do, earn the biggest prize of all: trust. Listen as Mark Egner, Senior Manager, Accenture Security, and David Cooper, Accenture's North America Privacy Lead, examine some of the key privacy issues that companies must bear in mind as they develop new digital products, services and experiences. Privacy is often viewed primarily as a compliance issue. But its implications go far deeper. Software and platform companies need to shift the conversations they have about privacy. The focus needs to be on the wider impacts that protecting consumers' privacy has on product design and the wider business. Enabling consumers to manage and control their data is critical. That will gain their trust. And in the digital world, that's a must. Learn more: accntu.re/2rcahwW

Smart speakers are listening to 40 million Americans each day. But they don't always understand what they hear. That can open the door to cybercrime. Listen as Mark Egner, Senior Manager, Accenture Security, and Malek Ben Salam, Accenture's Cybersecurity R&D lead, examine some of the unexpected security issues that smart speakers can create. Voice-controlled devices are making our lives much easier – with the range of tasks they can address expanding all the time. But, depending how they're trained to recognize speech, they can misinterpret commands and generate the wrong outcomes. Different regional accents and patterns of speech, as well as skills that have very similar names, can lead to bad outcomes. Cyber criminals can often predict these and by "skill squatting" insert themselves in a conversation to access users' credentials. Platforms providing voice-related services must take a number of key steps to keep users secure and maintain that most precious commodity of all: trust. Read more about our capabilities here: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/software-and-platform-essentials

Often seen as one group, SMBs are anything but. To win their business, platform companies must understand SMBs' variety – and different digital needs. Listen as Jacqueline Morgan, Principal Director of Platform Adoption, Accenture Software & Platform and Growth Principal for Accenture and Shannon Kinney, founder and Client Success Officer, Dream Local Digital, unpack the hugely diverse SMB landscape and focus on how platform companies can provide the digital solutions these companies crave. In this podcast, you'll learn about the incredible nature of the SMB sector and characteristics of the different companies that make it up. These are essential insights for platform companies seeking to tap into the world of opportunity SMBs represent. It's a tough market to serve well. SMBs are inundated with sales pitches and they have increasingly limited time to respond. Platforms need to make sure that their signals can cut through the noise. And with 80% of SMBs yet to take advantage of digital tools, engaging with them effectively is essential. Read more about our capabilities here: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/software-and-platform-essentials

There's often a big gap between SMBs' digital dreams and reality. To bridge it, platform offerings must be hyper-relevant and ROI-focused. Listen as Jacqueline Morgan, Principal Director of Platform Adoption, Accenture Software & Platform and Growth Principal, Accenture and Shannon Kinney, Founder and Client Success Officer, Dream Local Digital, explore what SMBs want from new technology and how platforms can build engagement with this vital market. Too much choice, too complex and too little time. That's SMBs' verdict on platform offerings. They know they need them. But DIY implementations seldom work, integration's hard to handle and in-house resources are scarce. It's why 40% of SMBs abandon new tech soon after purchase. Platform companies that solve these challenges will build trust and grow revenues. The keys to success? Relevance, guidance, support – and keeping a laser focus on ROI from day one. Read more about our capabilities here: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/software-and-platform-essentials

Platform companies must reinvent how they sell to SMBs. That means replacing sales funnel approaches with continuous, human+ support. Listen as Jacqueline Morgan, Principal Director of Platform Adoption, Accenture Software & Platform and Growth Principal, and Danielle Moffat, Offering Lead, Growth Performance Services, explore how platform companies need to reinvent how they engage with SMBs – from sale to service and beyond. The old linear sales funnel is failing. SMBs are 70 percent through their decision process before they even engage with a sales agent. Platform companies need a new model. The key to success in this vital market? A new honeycomb approach, multi-layered, with continuous engagement across every channel – all built on new roles with human+ capabilities. And none of this stops when a sale is made. SMBs buy more than once and they'll reward platform companies that support them as they grow. Read more about our capabilities here: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/software-and-platform-essentials

Platform companies are under pressure to drive revenue growth in the SMB segment. Now there's a targeted solution that does exactly that. Listen as Jacqueline Morgan, Principal Director of Platform Adoption, Accenture Software & Platform and Growth Principal, and Danielle Moffat, Offering Lead, Growth Performance Services, reveal a new, connected approach to the SMB market that's delivering some exceptional results. Right now, many platform companies struggle to drive growth in the SMB market. The old sales funnel approach is failing. It's tough to convert leads. Talent's in short supply. And there's a disconnect between marketing, sales and service. The key to outperformance? Moving to a customer-led, integrated engagement approach that provides the best CX on the planet – continuously relevant, at every touchpoint, throughout the SMB customer lifecycle. The name of the solution? Growth Performance Services. Built on a human+ approach, with people augmented by smart machines, it's unleashing new growth – from lead generation and conversion to long-term customer retention. Read more about our capabilities here: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/software-and-platform-essentials