SigmaWay Blog

SigmaWay Blog tries to aggregate original and third party content for the site users. It caters to articles on Process Improvement, Lean Six Sigma, Analytics, Market Intelligence, Training ,IT Services and industries which SigmaWay caters to

As a Six Sigma exponent who is an IT engineer with a MBA in services and certifications in risk management (FRM,GARP), project management (PMP,PMI-USA) and process improvement (Master Black Belt and Black Belt certifications from ASQ-USA) , I can leverage my cross functional expertise and exposure to multiple domains to provide innovative...

As a Six Sigma exponent who is an IT engineer with a MBA in services and certifications in risk management (FRM,GARP), project management (PMP,PMI-USA) and process improvement (Master Black Belt and Black Belt certifications from ASQ-USA) , I can leverage my cross functional expertise and exposure to multiple domains to provide innovative solutions to my clients.

Currently I work as a Director at SigmaWay LLC , a boutique solutions provider in the Process Consulting, Analytics ,Market Intelligence, Training and niche IT Services with offices in US and India.

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Conduct market research on a tight budget

 

When a product is newly launched in the market, product marketing attempts may fail for different reasons. Marketing research is often the first thing cut due to time or resource restrictions when companies develop an idea, whether it's a new product or a redesigned website. Working with marketing research firms can be expensive and time consuming. Some low budget ways to factor a research stage into a project and give the product, idea, or designs much better footing. Firstly conduct an interview for Prospects and Customers. Secondly, run a Content Strategy Survey. Thirdly, Run User Testing on the Website. There are a number of tools that can be used to get feedback on your designs or positioning. In short, market research doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming -- with the right tools, one can have get great insights in a short amount of time. Read more at: 

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Tactics to build customer loyalty

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First imitation generates outlook, and potential die hard. Forecast building their first contact with the company should immediately decide that they are in the right place. 2. All consumers are not shaped alike: Some clients price relationships and personal interactions. Others value effectiveness, charge and time savings, soothe and avoid ache. 3. Express company’s price plan in the lot we do. All of our communications with clients must respond two questions: What do they actually purchase from my brand, and why should they procure it from my business? Patrons who are reminding of our business’s rate remain devoted. 4. Do extra than produce our point: We must also speak in traditions to which our buyer is attracted.Supply several channel for consumers to express their opinion. 5. Recognize why clients abscond. Superior CRM shines a limelight on client leaves, probing for ways to advance and evils to repair

 

Read more at:

http://www.crm-guru.com/

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Create and implement a mobile testing approach

Mobile or portable application testing is both a decisive and a intricate component of mobile function development. It is essential to have a clearly defined and intense mobile testing strategy and structure. The chief mechanism of a mobile application test approach has safety; presentation; usability; and practical and nonfunctional testing across numerous strategy, browsers and platforms. A whole mobile test strategy must include testing across differing system connection speeds and physical areas, as well as tackle the exercise of Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G links. Testing has to tackle such issues as OS optimization, screen brightness and CPU, memory .  Read more at:

http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/tip/Creating-and-implementing-a-mobile-testing-strategy?asrc=EM_ERU_31171427&utm_medium=EM&utm_source=ERU&utm_campaign=20140704_ERU%20Transmission%20for%2007/04/2014%20(UserUniverse:%20943652)_myka-reports@techtarget.com&src=5268354

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Personalization Driven by Data

One of the most promising trends in IT is the use of data to deliver to individuals- the decade old promise of personalization, which includes delivering the individuals the exact product and services as and when they need them. Nowadays we have a rapidly growing number of choices. Companies and other providers can help us sort these choices by analyzing data on our personal tastes and circumstances combined with analysis of mass data. Personalization increases the prospect of customer loyalty. The time lag between product innovation and commoditization has become shorter.  It establishes a more personal and binding relationship with customers. There are of course dangers. Companies and other data manipulators can use information to harm and some of the information they are gathering is highly private. Although individuals are concerned about their privacy, they are willing to share the most intimate data, if they think that doing so will improve their lives. Many problems need to be sorted out before data driven personalization becomes the norm, but the long term impact of this trend will be better products and services for individuals. Read more at:

http://www.informationweek.in/informationweek/news-analysis/297140/-driven-personalization

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Social media marketing for small business

Social media is successfully a stage for discussion and sharing, motorized by services. One chief use of social media is observance of friends and connections around the world; it is also a platform for clients, investor and workers to speak with one another. We will refer to social media marketing as SMM.SMM is about being present and engaging our target audience directly, but the medium is largely unorganized. In order to prosper we will need a sketch which helps to reach out to the true spectators . Social media gives huge chances to small businesses. The Social Media Examiner online magazine, reports 86% of marketers in 2013 measured social media to be critical for their business with 49% of marketers opting Facebook. As per the firm WebDAM Solutions, 43% of marketers establish clients through LinkedIn, while 52% of marketers originate patrons through Facebook in 2013.

 

 . Read more at: 

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/introduction-social-media-marketing-guide-small-businesses

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Points to remember while choosing the best social collaboration platform

The Collaboration Software market has become a highly splitter ecosystem. Most of these collaboration platforms provide similar functionalities with features. Hence it often becomes a confusing matter for customers to decide which partnership platform to opt for. The right collaboration platform for business is one which provides influential social networking features and effortlessly integrates into our organization’s traditions, process and policy.1. Aligns with executive approach: to understand that partnership is not only deploying knowledge, but it’s about fixing a civilization within the institute. 2. Marks hurt Points: recognize the key business challenges we are trying to address and consequently continue to estimate the strength of the platform we shortlisted.3. Cost: A Teamwork solution follows diverse value mechanisms and is existing in a range of prices. On the basis of our financial plan and the quantity of user anticipated to use the result, we can prefer an appropriate means.

 .Read more at: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/how-choose-best-social-collaboration-platform-your-business

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Stages of marketing maturity

 

Marketers are now using advanced analytic to spend less and get better results. On average, marketers use four to seven operational systems to interact with customers in areas like social media, mobile, email, display, budgeting/spend planning and campaign planning. The first stage of marketing maturity is getting your data in one place. Next, you begin to develop segments to understand the profile of new customers and their preferred engagement channels. In stage three, then focus on marketing attribution. Then marketers understand what's happened in the past and what's likely to happen in the future. It offers marketers leading indicators of the base of customers, by segment, is about to do next. These answers change the game in retail by seeing customer data light up. Read more at: 

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Fast Data: an Emerging Approach

In today's world data is not only growing at a very fast rate but it is also being accessed and processed at unprecedented rate. So now, businesses have to focus on the velocity of Big Data, acting on it with precision for real-time results. This is where Fast Data comes in. Fast Data can provide real-time insights from events as and when they take place and help to make a decision at that place and point in time. Fast Data is complementary to Big Data for managing large quantities of real-time data. There are many examples of why Fast Data is becoming increasingly important. In a telecom industry, a Fast Data approach can help telecoms manage resources more effectively. In the financial services industry, Fast Data is using event correlation to contextualize available financial data. In retail industry, customer service centers are using Fast Data for click-stream analysis and customer experience management. Healthcare is another area where Fast Data holds huge potential. Read more at:

http://www.informationweek.in/informationweek/perspective/296992/speeding-business-transformation-fast

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Cloud based collaboration solutions for businesses

According to a new report from Constellation Research, companies are elaborating their cloud ecosystems, making the demand for regular integration more pressing. Cloud Integration should allow the accessibility of high level data which modern organizations require to operate their businesses. Constellation estimates that more than 2,300 cloud software applications are available for the enterprise, and recent surveys show that organization uses more than 23 enterprise cloud software applications on an average. The importance placed on having access to data rather than owning it also results to the prioritization of cloud integration. The report also cites the Internet of Things as a major driver for cloud integration. For enterprises that have recognized the need for more efficient integrations, have already started to handle their cloud integration challenges. Though a difficult task, cloud integration is the main requirement for digital business effectiveness. Understanding cloud integration is a key requirement for that success. Read more at: 

http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/CRM-News/CRM-Featured-News/Businesses-Must-Answer-the-Call-for-Cloud-Based-Integration-98027.aspx?CategoryID=531

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Can unstructured data launch a successful VOC program?

Companies take efforts to develop all-encompassing voice of the customer (VOC) programs. The success of these programs is dependent on the quality and variety of data gathered from customers. Increasingly, companies are gathering customer feedback from structured as well as unstructured data. For companies establishing a VOC program, unstructured data seems overwhelming. Because of this, companies may avoid analyzing it. Capturing and analyzing unstructured data can be daunting to VOC program managers. Automation is an important step in successfully optimizing the value of unstructured data in a VOC program. Unstructured data creates excellent insight into the underlying drivers of loyalty, and it's vital that organizations make use of their available information. The companies that listen in the right places, using unstructured data to destroy structured, solicited feedback, and taking action accordingly, will have a huge advantage over their competitors. Unlocking the capacity of unstructured data is manageable if taken one step at a time, and the results will be well worth the effort. Read more at: 

http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/Web-Exclusives/Viewpoints/Unlock-the-Potential-of-Unstructured-Data-for-a-Successful-VOC-Program-97918.aspx

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Will customers trade privacy for relevancy?

According to a recent survey by the International Data Corporation's program director, Greg Girard, just 14 percent of consumers could be considered "privacy spenders”, 47 percent are "privacy hoarders" and 39 percent of consumers are "privacy value seekers,". Both privacy hoarders and privacy spenders are comfortable with retailers using online purchase data for serving them better. They become cautious when it comes to retailers managing their online behavior via social media or other Web activity. Since different retailers attract different demographics, retailers need to know how their customers feel about privacy. Consumers will protest if they feel that the information they are sharing to retailers is not protected. “Trust is not just individually built with a retailer, but affected by these more "external drivers," Girard explains. The challenge will be "how well retailers individually, and as an industry, exercise the responsibility they have to safeguard their customers' data and to use it correctly to deliver value," Girard underscores. Read more at: 

http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/Columns-Departments/Insight/Are-Consumers-Willing-to-Share-Private-Data-97716.aspx

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How can the intertwining of business intelligence and online marketing create waves in today’s world?

In today's highly competitive online marketplace, marketers must utilize every advantage they can get. Business intelligence (BI) software can help you look at your data in different ways, and draw actionable insights to allow allocating resources more effectively. BI software can use large amount of datasets, so you can execute successful strategies on the basis of information. By controlling the right key performance indicators (KPIs), businesses can look at trends that would otherwise be hidden. Online marketers have different indicators which are : 1)The Basics  2)Return On Investment 3)Incremental Sales 4)Conversions by Campaign 5)Cost per Lead 6)Visitor to Buyer Ratio 7)Sales by Lead Source 8)Social Media 9)Tracking Keywords. By visualizing sales funnel with business intelligence software, you can get a good view of how your customers move through the sales process from an initial lead to a sale. Having the correct data displayed in a dashboard format can enable your company be proactive instead of reactive.Read more about this aspect at Jayson DeMers (Founder and CEO, AudienceBloom)'s article link: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayson-demers/how-business-intelligence_b_3507510.html

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Digital marketing analytics: Insights for success in 2014

Research Company Gartner suggests that there will be 4.4 million big data jobs available in the next two years. Everything is moving towards data: big data, mobile datasets.  Creating and implementing an analytics program requires four steps: 1) Defining your metrics and developing a plan 2) Collecting the data 3) Developing reporting features and capabilities 4) Ongoing analysis and implementation. Understanding each of these core components enables a company to make the right investments at the right time. Corporate data culture is a spectrum that can often be classified as follows: 1)No or limited data 2)Basic data 3)Deeper data that's soiled or controlled 4)Democratic data access. The idea is that your strategy should take the following points into account: 1) Data collection and reporting. 2) Analyzing the data, articulating the implications for business. Useful data tracking comes down to evaluating: 1) who is coming to your site, and what are those people doing once they get there. 2) What channels are driving buying customers? 3)Who is converting 4)What conversions are deepening relationships 5)What conversions are driving revenue 6)Who is buying multiple times 7)What's your lifetime customer value 8)What are your churn rates. Any solid analytics plan will take your business model into account and develop a set of metrics that maps to your unique needs and buying funnel. Read more at:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/02/10/2014-is-the-year-of-digital-marketing-analytics-what-it-means-for-your-company/

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Strategies of Analytics in 2014

Successful companies in 2014 are expected to take Big Data Analytics and utilize it for growth and competitive advantage. Experts discussed how to use data strategically for a strong analytics culture at the webinar "Fine-tune your analytics strategy for 2014". According to Stephen Sharpe, Director of Global Strategic Analytics of Johnson & Johnson, companies need to start working on a cloud based system to integrate and broader integration and training across the various sectors to share best practices. According to Larry Seligman, VP, Advanced Consumer Analytics, Inter-Continental Hotels group, companies need a new definition of data integration and they need to learn how to value projects and programs and quantify the things which were previously not quantifiable. According to Mazhar Hussain, Leader Big Data Practices, HP, gives insight on the importance of analytics as a service. Mid-sized and small customers will take great advantage of analytics as a service which is going to take up big stream and it is important to have the right kind of strategy implemented in the company. Read more at:

http://www.modernanalyst.com/Resources/News/tabid/177/ID/2915/6-things-to-focus-on-in-2014-analytics-strategy.aspx

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Top three big data trends

 

Big Data analytic has the ability to improve business strategy leading to the identification, provide unprecedented insights and utilize untapped profit sources. The top Big Data trends that emerged in 2013 are Open Source, Convergence and Cloud Data. Companies have to synthesize analytic results across domains and work to produce holistic insights in order to achieve the maximum benefits. A variety of new and complex sources of data, extracting tools and new data mining have been introduced specifically designed to handle disparate sources of data. These systems can interact intelligently; minimize data movement and share data and/or analytic results between components. Overall analysis efficiency has been given a boost and producing better returns. Big Data analytic is based on the open source revolution and the adoption rate of open source technologies. Companies are increasing their overall spend on cloud infrastructure. The intersection of analytic and cloud is creating new value and means for Big Data exploitation. Read more at: 

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Use data for making Digital Strategy

Those in the managerial level want data to back up assumptions. We can’t formulate decisions on a raze sensation, or what we recognize our rivals are doing, or what we believe our consumers desire. A lot of time companies have no perception of their purchase. So to ignore taking bad decisions, data is used to back it up. Analytics is checked to see what public are doing. So what are business analytics and how do we acquire them? At this level of analytics we need to know our rivals, and what their digital outlets are. We require a digital fingerprint of the rivalry, and we should also have a good knowledge of our market. What people are wanting and giving the services we propose. Information of the industry is very important to make a plan to assess the true data, and then make an approach that originates our expedition  . Read more at:

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/whats-going-your-industry

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World Cup 2014: Tactical Analysis

The massive stress, the high expectation, nation’s passion and panic on the shoulders of an enthusiastic but defective Brazilian team. They trapped under the pressure, but there was more to this pressure, or faulty strategy and player’s selection, or inexpert positional play, or a first class German team filled with efficient passers. First-half goal storm saw Die Mannschaft 5-0 up, Miroslav Klose gave his record-breaking 16th goal at the finals and the brutality continued into the second period with Schürrle.  Mesut Özil missed to make it 8-0, moments before Oscar scored a goal in the final minute of the first semifinal of World Cup 2014. Germany place up in 4-1-4-1 changing from the 4-3-3 they begun with. David Luiz and Dante saw the ball early in deep areas, but with no one to pass and kept missing. Germans moved with instability, interchanges outside the box and played generously, passing football. Read more about this analysis at: 

http://outsideoftheboot.com/2014/07/09/world-cup-tactical-analysis-brazil-1-7-germany-germany-run-riot-to-trounce-brazil/

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Internet of Things: Driver of CRM

Cloud, social, mobile and big data technology have been primarily viewed as the drivers behind Customer Relationship Management (CRM). According to a Gartner report, they are now being joined by an emerging driver- the Internet of Things (IoT). According to Joanne M. Correia “CRM will be the heart of digital initiatives in the coming years”. In the report Gartner views that ioT, where sensors connect devices to the internet, create new services previously never considered. Gartner forecasts CRM market to reach $ 23.9 billion this year, with cloud revenue accounting for 49 percent. IoT joins cloud, social, mobile and big data to spur a critical need for more operational CRM, according to Correia. According to an article in Information Week, Gartner predicts that in 2020, there will be 7.3 billion smart phones, tablets and PCs in use- but about 26 billion IoT devices. IoT is driving CRM investments, because the use of cloud- connected intelligent devices is creating new business opportunities for marketing, sales and support executives. Read more at:

http://www.cio.com/article/2453781/big-data/big-data-as-a-driver-for-crm-investments.html

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Clinical Data Analytics: Next Upcoming Thing

The clinical data analytics market has shifted its focus on new payment models, electronic health records. As a result many healthcare groups are looking to analytics solutions to reduce the risk of the patient population. According to a recent Frost and Sullivan market analysis, clinical data analytics is poised to grow at a CAGR of 37.9 percent from 10 percent, in 2011 to 50 percent adoption by 2016. Despite strong market growth it is not smooth for data analytics. Managing such complex and extensive data is a difficult task. Such analytics can be very expensive. Claims based analytics is still very much a reality. Many analytics vendors have tried to align their brand with PHM by any means necessary, which has increased competition making it difficult for them to differentiate in the market. Also researchers have found a very immature buyers' market, which has raised the doubt as to how far the capabilities of analytics solutions will bear results. Read more at:

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/clinical-data-analytics-get-red-hot?page=0

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Growing Rage of Cloud Data Centers

Cloud data centers are capable of handling higher traffic loads whereas traditional data centers are facing various challenges in terms of confluence of capacity, performance and infrastructure complexity due to the data explosion and rising need for scalability. The traditional incremental approach will no longer offer the scalability to face the challenges that are unavoidable in cloud computing. To overcome the challenges, the transition of data centers involves end-to-end transformation of servers, storage and networks has become a necessity. Cloud data centers support greater degree of standardization, virtualization and automation resulting in high performance and cost optimization. Mid-sized and large data centers are growing considerably attributed to huge cloud storage deployments and build-out of public cloud offerings. Investments are pouring from various vendor segments into the data center markets due to these changes. There is an industry trend where almost all cloud service providers are establishing two or more data centers in high economic and advanced zones near major metropolitan cities. Consequently, cloud data centers are clustering around major internet hubs in the world. Read more at: 

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/the-enterprise-cloud/cloud-computing-and-the-evolution-of-the-data-center/

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