User friendly

Analytics, cloud, and other digital technologies are nothing new. But how might startups use these existing capabilities to drive innovation in 2019? We headed to Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to get a glimpse of some of these potential disruptors.

The UK is scheduled to leave the EU in just a few short months. And there are still a lot of unanswered questions. From supply chain to talent, which changes from Brexit could have the biggest impact on the TMT industry?

More than $1 trillion is up for grabs this holiday shopping season. But there isn’t just one factor that influences where consumers will spend the most. How can retailers better use technology to understand shoppers’ preferences?  In this episode, Rod Sides and Kevin Westcott join us to discuss the findings from Deloitte’s 2018 holiday retail survey, technology’s role in shopping, trends in mobile advertising, and more.

Get a sneak peek of our next episode, coming out later this month.

Blockchain interest has been steadily growing across industries as organizations explore its potential value through experimental use cases and proofs-of-concept. Many are now looking at fully deployed production solutions. In this episode, host Hanish Patel, Nakul Lele, a leader in Deloitte’s blockchain consulting practice, and Eric Piscini, CEO of Citizens Reserve, discuss how TMT companies can convert blockchain investments into transformational change.

Data security could be the difference between survival and failure for most companies. As customer data becomes a critical resource for organizations, how should TMT companies shape their strategies to protect this information, stay competitive, and keep consumers happy? In this episode, David Cutbill and Mark Casey share their perspectives on data privacy concerns and what media companies can do to make consumers feel more secure and encourage them to share personal data.

eSports are drawing huge audiences. And now companies across media and entertainment are betting big on this growing industry. What can they do to attract even more players? In this episode, Doug Van Dyke and Domenic Vermillion explore the history of eSports, how franchising trends in traditional sports could translate to gaming, and global advertising opportunities for media companies.

The 2017 Tax Act was one of the most transformative changes to the corporate US tax code in decades. And many of its benefits are clear. But it also brings a lot of new challenges to US companies. How will the technology, media, and telecom sectors be impacted? In this episode, Brian Pinto, Janet Moran, and Jim Nason share their perspectives on the 2017 Tax Act; how it could impact the tech, media, and telecom sectors; and potential benefits for the industry and consumers.

We live in an era of choices. And TV is no exception. Not only do consumers have endless options when it comes to what they watch, they can also decide where and how they watch it. Which has a lot of consumers questioning why they’re paying for cable and satellite TV subscriptions. So what does the future hold in store for pay TV? In this episode, Kevin Westcott and Jeff Loucks weigh in on this shift in media consumption, changing consumer preferences, and long-term opportunities for providers.

Coming up in season two…

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After years of enjoying easy one-click-shopping and personalized service from the tech giants, it’s no surprise that consumers expect similar treatment from government entities through technology. But is that a realistic request? We asked Steve Hurst, managing director in Deloitte Consulting LLP’s US Public Sector practice. He leads Deloitte’s Digital Government market offering and is responsible for helping state and local governments adopt and expand their digital capabilities.

Ready or not, 5G is coming for you and it’s positioned to be the most radical technology upgrade yet. 5G will make our lives even more connected and allow users to access greater digital data. So far we have an idea what the future of connectivity could like from a consumer and use case perspective. In this episode of User Friendly, Dave Couture and Jack Fritz from Deloitte will help us separate the hype from the substance as we explore the future of connectivity.

In 2017, the tech, media and telecom (TMT) industry recorded an all-time high of 3,389 M&A transactions globally, worth a total of nearly $500 billion. While these transactions can yield big dividends−accelerating product roadmaps, gaining access to new technologies and markets, and fending off competitors−many are doomed from the start. In this episode of User Friendly, Marco Sguazzin and Joost Krikhaar discuss the main culprits for why so many M&A deals fail.

Is pay as you go the way to go? One of the most profound business model developments in the technology, media and telecommunications industry is the shift away from outright purchase or licensing to an “as-a-service” model. Learn more about flexible consumption in our latest podcast. In this episode, Mark Litwin and Faruk Muratovic explain how to determine if a flexible consumption model is a fit for your organization.