The Statistical Argument For Customer Advocacy

You may or may not have heard of the term “customer advocacy.” This is defined as a specialized form of customer service where companies focus on “what is best for their customers.” It seems like to should always be that way, right? Unfortunately, all too often that is not the way customer service is performed but rather the company’s own interests are priority over the customer.

In recent years however, more and more businesses have started to recognize the vital importance of customer advocacy and have started implementing strategies that focus more on the customer. I personally feel social media is a big factor in this move. because of social media, the customer has much greater power and leverage to influence others, whether for good or bad, than prior to the days of social media.

In the following infographic, App Data Room presents a statistical argument for customer advocacy.

Reducing risk by management of access privileges

May 04, 2014

Courion survey: 78 percent of IT security executives are anxious about the possibility of a data breach, but do other employees feel the same?

The role of the senior IT security executive is constantly changing,” said Christopher Zannetos, president and CEO of Courion. “Not only are they thought of as the front line defence for protecting sensitive company and customer information, they also feel responsible for brand image and customer satisfaction. IT security cannot tackle all this alone, however. We believe, and this survey confirmed, that better employee education and management of user access can provide much needed support for the security team.”

Indifference at the employee level, lack of knowledge and malicious acts by trusted insiders can present a challenge for IT security, as evidenced by the 2014 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, which included “insider misuse” as one of the nine basic patterns that all breaches can be described by. Within this pattern, “privilege abuse” was the top threat action observed in 88 percent of security incidents.

This is meaningful, since “Account Monitoring and Control”, “Controlled Access Based on the Need to Know” and “Controlled Use of Administrative Privileges”are three of the Top 20 Critical Security Controls recommended by the SANS Institute.

Reducing risk by management of access privileges

May 04, 2014

Courion survey: 78 percent of IT security executives are anxious about the possibility of a data breach, but do other employees feel the same?

The role of the senior IT security executive is constantly changing,” said Christopher Zannetos, president and CEO of Courion. “Not only are they thought of as the front line defence for protecting sensitive company and customer information, they also feel responsible for brand image and customer satisfaction. IT security cannot tackle all this alone, however. We believe, and this survey confirmed, that better employee education and management of user access can provide much needed support for the security team.”

Indifference at the employee level, lack of knowledge and malicious acts by trusted insiders can present a challenge for IT security, as evidenced by the 2014 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, which included “insider misuse” as one of the nine basic patterns that all breaches can be described by. Within this pattern, “privilege abuse” was the top threat action observed in 88 percent of security incidents.

This is meaningful, since “Account Monitoring and Control”, “Controlled Access Based on the Need to Know” and “Controlled Use of Administrative Privileges”are three of the Top 20 Critical Security Controls recommended by the SANS Institute.

How Semantic Search is Changing Insurance Industry Digital Marketing

Insurance industry digital marketing is changing. Gone are the days of paying an “SEO” to buy a bunch of links and stuff your website full of local keywords. These tactics are not only less effective, but in some cases, websites are being directly penalized by Google for “Black hat” SEO.

Using proper keywords and acquiring backlinks is still relevant strategy for ranking your insurance agency or carrier website in search engines, but the volume of keywords and accumulation of backlinks must look natural.

These changes are in part derived from Google’s dedication to the semantic search.

What is Semantic Search?

Don’t feel bad if you’re unfamiliar with the term, “Semantic Search.”

Search marketing expert Mark Traphagen, provides this definition;

“…semantic search is Google’s growing ability to make associations between things in ways that come closer to how we humans make such connections.”

Basically, Google is attempting to create search results which provide more relevant resources to our actual needs versus which company can play the technical SEO game best. The semantic Web creates an incredible revenue opportunity for insurance agents and carriers who are willing to take a long-view on digital marketing.

By focusing on building relationships, (what the insurance industry is built on), insurance agents and carriers can stand out in search without the mega marketing budgets of their direct and captive competitors.

How the Insurance Industry Capitalizes on Semantic Search

Semantic search is built on relationships. This means we can focus less on growing counting numbers, (i.e. followers, Web traffic, “likes,” etc.), and more on the quality and relevancy of the people we connect with.

This is networking 101 and should ultimately swing digital marketing success into the wheelhouse of insurance professionals. For the last 100 plus years, insurance agents and carriers have grown their business on relationships and referrals. Inevitably, more quality relationships leads to even more referrals and business growth.

Instead of focusing on the technical aspects of digital marketing, build human relationships, one at a time. This may seem counterintuitive to the mass marketing opportunity digital marketing is supposed to provide.

It’s time we look at Web visitors for what they are, not just units pushing the line graph higher in your Google Analytics account - human beings.

In order for human beings to take an action, such as filling out a contact form or picking up the phone for an insurance proposal, some sort of relationship must be established.

3 Ways to Build Human Relationships Online

Focus on Niche Product Offerings

Insurance consumers do not use Google Search looking for the best generalist in insurance. As an example, restaurant owners want to work with an insurance agent well versed in coverages such as spoilage, workers compensation, and liquor liability. They don’t care if you also write retail, construction and higher education insurance.

Be Geographically Specific

Insurance consumers want to know you understand the obstacles impacting their specific market. Speaking in geographically relevant terminology comes naturally to local and regional insurance professionals. However, most national carriers do a terrible job of creating a sense of geographic understanding in their marketing.

Use Native Advertising

Native advertising is a term used to describe digital marketing in a way that fits the platform and experience of the consumer. This means fitting your message and marketing to the platform, not shoving one message onto every platform regardless of it’s relevancy. Adhering to native advertising as a marketing principle shows consumers that: 1) you care about their experience and 2) you’re part of their online community.

Takeaway

By focusing on specific products, in specific locations using the digital marketing methods appropriate for each platform, insurance industry professionals are filling the semantic Web with data points feeding search engines the information they need.

The “Spray and Pray” method of marketing online no longer works (if it ever did). Insurance industry marketing must create relationships with human beings while providing search engines with the data to send more insurance consumers their way.

Marketing Photo via Shutterstock

PCs easily compromised, poorly patched

May 04, 2014

Secunia publishes vulnerability profile of the average PC user.

A report, published by Secunia, provider of IT security solutions for vulnerability management, reveals that as cybercrimes grow in complexity and frequency, infrequent patching and security maintenance is leaving users' systems open to exploits.

According to the report, the average PC user in the UK has 76 different programmes installed from 26 different vendors. Of these, 31 are Microsoft programs and 45 are from third party (non-Microsoft) sources. This means that on a typical PC the user is required to master 26 different update mechanisms to address vulnerabilities. 58 percent of the identified vulnerabilities originated from third party programs, 29 percent from Microsoft programs and 13 percent from operating systems.

 “Good security management means removing programs that aren't used and regularly patching those that are. However, cybercriminals know that most private users in the UK consider regular security maintenance hard work,” said Morten Stengaard, CTO at Secunia.

The report also reveals that private individuals respond to the single update mechanism for the 31 Microsoft programs but struggle to master the 25 other update mechanisms required for the remaining 45 programmes.

“It's imperative that businesses and private individuals take simple steps to make their computer as secure as possible. The best way for private users to stay secure is to make sure the software on their PCs is always updated with the latest software security updates.”

Monitoring the modern network environment

May 04, 2014

Importance of network visibility increases as complexity of modern enterprise networks increases: Enterprise Strategy Group survey.

A recent study, conducted by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), surveyed 150 IT professionals from multiple industries (including financial, business services, manufacturing, and retail) on network performance and security challenges. The results confirm that the complexity of modern enterprise networks is increasing due to data centre consolidation, server virtualisation/private cloud, compute layer virtualisation, new application architectures, and the shift to dense 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE) or higher network speeds, and that these factors necessitate deeper levels of network visibility to aid in the management and troubleshooting of these networks. Of particular note, more than two-thirds (69 percent) of respondents stated that they expect the number of requests to capture network data (including metadata and packet-level data) to increase dramatically, driven by the needs of a variety of IT groups including network architecture, security, compliance, applications, and IT audit teams.

 “The results of this survey point to exactly why enterprises need the ability to collect and monitor all network traffic - to improve network performance, security, and availability and to maintain regulatory compliance,” said Mike Riley, senior vice president and general manager, Endace division of Emulex. “The impact on the enterprise bottom line of network outages and security events is very large, and will only continue to grow. By implementing comprehensive network visibility architectures, organisations will be better prepared to ensure network performance, security, and compliance, and to dramatically reduce the time to find and fix critical problems.”

See infographic.

Islands of identity hard to track

May 04, 2014

New poll shows 94 percent of IT security professionals use third party apps on their mobile devices making it harder for IT to track and manage.

A flash poll conducted at Infosecurity Europe by Centrify Corporation found that 94 percent of IT security professionals use third party applications on their mobile devices for work, with 82 percent using up to 10 apps.

Applications are now at the heart of corporate IT and have become vital to employees, both in the office and on the move. Removing access to applications isn't an option, but the risk for organisations is that they create islands of identity, and are therefore harder for IT to track and manage says Darren Gross, EMEA Director at Centrify.

The poll also revealed that of the 169 people surveyed, seven percent of security professionals do not believe it is their responsibility to protect corporate information held on their personal device. Surprisingly, despite repeated warnings about the risks posed by WiFi networks, 52 percent of respondents said that they have accessed sensitive corporate information over unsecure networks at locations such as a coffee shop or airport.

Gross concluded, “As the poll shows, the majority of employees are now leveraging more and more applications on their mobile devices. Identity and access can often be overlooked, but unless enterprises can find a unified way to securely identify individuals, they risk their business coming to a shuddering halt.”

London\'s poor wireless security exposed

More than half of businesses own up to sensitive information being 'readable' when stored in the cloud, says Thales study.

New poll shows 94 percent of IT security professionals use third party apps on their mobile devices making it harder for IT to track and manage.

Robert Hannigan is to replace Sir Ian Lobban as the director general of the UK's GCHQ.

Cloud confidence grows, but at what cost?

May 04, 2014

More than half of businesses own up to sensitive information being 'readable' when stored in the cloud, says Thales study.

A recent report by Thales e-Security, a global provider of financial data encryption and cyber security solutions, entitled “Encryption in the cloud,” reveals that more and more organisations are transferring sensitive or confidential information to public cloud services even though more than a third expect a negative impact on security posture. In response, the use of encryption is increasing but more than half of respondents still admit their sensitive data goes unprotected when it is stored in the cloud, despite data security topping the global news agenda.

Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder, Ponemon Institute, which conducted the independent study of more than 4,000 organisations, says that there are still concerns that many organisations continue to believe that their cloud providers are solely responsible for protecting their sensitive data even though the majority of respondents claim not to know what specific security measures their cloud provider is taking.

The good news is that visibility into the security practices of cloud providers is increasing, as is the use of encryption to protect sensitive or confidential data stored in the cloud. Still, when it comes to key management there is a clear recognition of the importance of retaining ownership of encryption keys with 34 percent of respondents reporting that their own organisation is in control of encryption keys when data is encrypted in the cloud. Only 18 percent of respondents report that the cloud provider has full control over keys. The need to share keys between organisations and the cloud highlights the growing interest in key management standards - in particular OASIS Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) - where 54 percent of respondents identify cloud based applications and storage encryption as the area to be most impacted by the adoption of the KMIP standard.

10 New Chromebooks From Acer Focus on Cloud Users

10 new Chromebooks from Acer will appeal to entrepreneurs and others who place a high value on mobility and favor cloud services over pre-loaded software. The new devices were introduced recently at an international press event in New York City. Small Business Trends was on hand for the unveiling. The event included a sneak peak ...

The post 10 New Chromebooks From Acer Focus on Cloud Users appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Are You Ready to Step Up to Leadership?

Are You Ready to Step Up to Leadership?

I was talking to a friend of mine recently who shared that a client of hers was constantly changing her mind.  Her business was successful, but she was also involved in several coaching groups and whenever she received feedback from the coaches, she would change her mind about something. This prompted an entire conversation around …

Content

Usefulness

Freshness

89

Summary

Learn to spot “leadership moments” and develop the valuable skill of being the “observer” of your own behavior and that of others.

89

I was talking to a friend of mine recently who shared that a client of hers was constantly changing her mind.  Her business was successful, but she was also involved in several coaching groups and whenever she received feedback from the coaches, she would change her mind about something.

This prompted an entire conversation around leadership and what determines a leader:  Title, level of success, followers?

We went round and around in this conversation.  It’s too bad we didn’t have a copy of Step Up: Lead in Six Moments that Matter by Henry Evans (@HenryJEvans) and Colm Foster (@DrColmFoster).  If we had would have learned a few things that I’m going to share with you here.

What’s In It For The Small Business Owner Or Solopreneur

Every time I pick up a review copy of a book, I ask myself, what will a small business owner get from this book - especially if it seems like it’s written for a corporate audience.

Step Up is a book that is written for leaders at every level; corporate, small business and even for volunteers.  If you are working with at least one other person - this is a book that you’ll want to explore.

I give the authors kudos for sharing my belief that leadership isn’t for everyone.  As you’ll see in the book, being a leader requires some very specific behaviors and skills; most prominent in the book is the skill of being the “observer” of your own behavior and the behavior of others.

Some folks do this naturally, and the rest of us require a little bit of practice.  For those of us that require some practice, Step Up will give you the tools you’ll need to - at the very least - improve your leadership skills and maybe even change the world.  But that result depends on you.

The Key To Leadership Success Is Spotting Those Leadership Moments

The authors focus on helping you spot what they call “leadership moments” and the entire book is written around these very valuable skills.  Throughout the book, they’ve also included handy QR codes that lead you to additional content such as assessments and videos that will give you examples to help you integrate what they are teaching.

Here are the six moments that are included in Step Up:

1. Using anger intelligently:  Instead of viewing anger as something to be avoided, the authors ask you to notice when you’re feeling it and then notice that anger or upset is really what you feel when what’s happening is going against your commitment to a specific outcome.
2. Recognize and deal with “terminal politeness:”  We all want to be liked, the question is; are you letting terminal politeness undermine your ability to lead?
3. Make decisions when no one is making them:  A leader steps up to make difficult decisions and takes responsibility for them - that’s why you are the leader.  This chapter allows you to embrace the possibility of being wrong.
4. Take ownership when others are externalizing the problem:  Are you brave enough to own-up to being part of the problem?  Learn how to observe when you’re contributing to the problem and transform it into a leadership victory.
5. Identifying and leveraging pessimism:  If you see pessimism in your organization, turn it around and see where YOU are being pessimistic.  Once you understand yourself, you will understand those around you.
6. Inspiring others to action:  This is the traditional leadership role.  In this section of the book, you’ll learn how to recognize when you and others are stuck in unproductive conversations and actions.

About The Authors

The forward of this book is written by Marshall Goldsmith, management guru and author of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There  and he praises the authors for taking the complex topic of leadership and simplifying it in a way that leaders in all walks of life can embrace.

Henry Evans is the managing partner for Dynamic Results, a company that specializes in strategy execution, executive development and emotionally intelligent leadership.  Colm Foster specializes in working with executives and their teams to improve effectiveness.

What About YOU!

The question you have to ask yourself is, “Do I want to read another book about leadership?” Or maybe, “How is this leadership book any different?”

I can tell you, I wasn’t really into reading another book about leadership.  What you should really be asking yourself is, “Is this all I’m up to in the world?”

If the answer to that question is NO - then you’re ready to Step Up.

Are You Ready to Step Up to Leadership?

Are You Ready to Step Up to Leadership?

I was talking to a friend of mine recently who shared that a client of hers was constantly changing her mind.  Her business was successful, but she was also involved in several coaching groups and whenever she received feedback from the coaches, she would change her mind about something. This prompted an entire conversation around …

Content

Usefulness

Freshness

89

Summary

Learn to spot “leadership moments” and develop the valuable skill of being the “observer” of your own behavior and that of others.

89

I was talking to a friend of mine recently who shared that a client of hers was constantly changing her mind.  Her business was successful, but she was also involved in several coaching groups and whenever she received feedback from the coaches, she would change her mind about something.

This prompted an entire conversation around leadership and what determines a leader:  Title, level of success, followers?

We went round and around in this conversation.  It’s too bad we didn’t have a copy of Step Up: Lead in Six Moments that Matter by Henry Evans (@HenryJEvans) and Colm Foster (@DrColmFoster).  If we had would have learned a few things that I’m going to share with you here.

What’s In It For The Small Business Owner Or Solopreneur

Every time I pick up a review copy of a book, I ask myself, what will a small business owner get from this book - especially if it seems like it’s written for a corporate audience.

Step Up is a book that is written for leaders at every level; corporate, small business and even for volunteers.  If you are working with at least one other person - this is a book that you’ll want to explore.

I give the authors kudos for sharing my belief that leadership isn’t for everyone.  As you’ll see in the book, being a leader requires some very specific behaviors and skills; most prominent in the book is the skill of being the “observer” of your own behavior and the behavior of others.

Some folks do this naturally, and the rest of us require a little bit of practice.  For those of us that require some practice, Step Up will give you the tools you’ll need to - at the very least - improve your leadership skills and maybe even change the world.  But that result depends on you.

The Key To Leadership Success Is Spotting Those Leadership Moments

The authors focus on helping you spot what they call “leadership moments” and the entire book is written around these very valuable skills.  Throughout the book, they’ve also included handy QR codes that lead you to additional content such as assessments and videos that will give you examples to help you integrate what they are teaching.

Here are the six moments that are included in Step Up:

1. Using anger intelligently:  Instead of viewing anger as something to be avoided, the authors ask you to notice when you’re feeling it and then notice that anger or upset is really what you feel when what’s happening is going against your commitment to a specific outcome.
2. Recognize and deal with “terminal politeness:”  We all want to be liked, the question is; are you letting terminal politeness undermine your ability to lead?
3. Make decisions when no one is making them:  A leader steps up to make difficult decisions and takes responsibility for them - that’s why you are the leader.  This chapter allows you to embrace the possibility of being wrong.
4. Take ownership when others are externalizing the problem:  Are you brave enough to own-up to being part of the problem?  Learn how to observe when you’re contributing to the problem and transform it into a leadership victory.
5. Identifying and leveraging pessimism:  If you see pessimism in your organization, turn it around and see where YOU are being pessimistic.  Once you understand yourself, you will understand those around you.
6. Inspiring others to action:  This is the traditional leadership role.  In this section of the book, you’ll learn how to recognize when you and others are stuck in unproductive conversations and actions.

About The Authors

The forward of this book is written by Marshall Goldsmith, management guru and author of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There  and he praises the authors for taking the complex topic of leadership and simplifying it in a way that leaders in all walks of life can embrace.

Henry Evans is the managing partner for Dynamic Results, a company that specializes in strategy execution, executive development and emotionally intelligent leadership.  Colm Foster specializes in working with executives and their teams to improve effectiveness.

What About YOU!

The question you have to ask yourself is, “Do I want to read another book about leadership?” Or maybe, “How is this leadership book any different?”

I can tell you, I wasn’t really into reading another book about leadership.  What you should really be asking yourself is, “Is this all I’m up to in the world?”

If the answer to that question is NO - then you’re ready to Step Up.