The Visionary's Guide to the Digital Future

How Rich Conversations are Reshaping Advertising and Brand Growth

This episode brings together Emerson Calegaretti, Google’s first employee in Latin America, and an expert in global advertising, agencies, and publisher ecosystems, and Dave Boddington, a leading innovator on rich, conversational messaging from a leading global Communications Platform, Infobip.  Together with Paul, they will explore practical tips for why and how brands are engaging customers using rich communications. As advertising costs rise, attribution efforts fail, and Return on Ad Spend plateaus across traditional channels, brands are increasingly looking beyond media buying toward owned, trusted, and conversational experiences that drive engagement and conversion.  This conversation connects Emerson’s deep understanding of the global advertising and agency landscape with Dave’s expertise in Rich Communication Services and conversational engagement.   The result is a forward looking discussion about how messaging channels such as RCS and WhatsApp are evolving into strategic customer experience platforms for the middle and lower stages of the funnel. Key Themes  * Why is the US and Canada so far behind in adopting Rich Media strategies relative to the rest of the world  * How rising media costs and declining attribution metrics are forcing brands to rethink growth strategies  * Why conversational channels such as RCS and WhatsApp are emerging as trusted environments for interaction, conversion, and retention  * How companies, agencies and publishers are using rich communications as a way to differentiate customer engagement   * How customer data platforms and first party intelligence change the role of messaging across the customer journey  * Where messaging delivers the most value across the middle and later stages of the funnel  * What this shift means for future budget allocation between advertising, customer experience, and lifecycle engagement  * How advances in agentic AI and autonomous orchestration will further accelerate conversational engagement at scale  * Key Takeaways  1. Faceted search and landing pages aren’t enough, we need to show up on LLMs in order to be recommended using AEO  2. Most websites are built with an inside-out mindset (company logic vs. user intent) and we need to expose Product Detail Pages in new ways  3. Customers don’t think in filters, they prefer to just explain their needs, their context, and engage in conversations about what they are looking for  4. AI and chat interfaces are shifting discovery toward intent-based interactions  5. The future of search is fluid, conversational, and personalized  6. What We Discuss  The Limits of Faceted Search  Traditional filtering systems help users narrow options. They assume users know what they’re looking for and understand how products are categorized. That’s often not the case.  Inside-Out vs Outside-In Thinking  Many websites are built around internal logic: “Filter, filter, filter… here are size 9 leather shoes with a heel.” But users think more like: “I need comfortable shoes for a wedding.” There’s a clear disconnect between how companies organize and how customers think.  The Rise of Intent-Driven Experiences  Search is shifting toward natural language, conversational interfaces, and AI-driven recommendations. Instead of navigating, users express intent.  Conversations are the new interface  Conversational AI enables contextual understanding, real-time personalization, and smarter discovery. This moves digital experiences from static filtering to dynamic engagements.  Quotes:  * “We’re watching the economics of marketing break in real time.”— Paul Lima (00:00:43) * “Brands are being pushed into a new reality where they can no longer rely on buying attention—they need to earn their relationships.”— Paul Lima (00:01:00) * “In emerging markets, it’s not mobile first—it’s mobile only.”— Emerson Calegaretti (00:25:10) * “The shift is from broadcasting messages to starting conversations—that’s the real transformation.”— Emerson Calegaretti (00:18:40) * “Rich communication gives you the voice, but AI gives you the brain behind that voice.”— Dave Boddington (00:32:15) * “The businesses that win won’t be the ones filling the top of the funnel—it’s those optimizing what happens after the click.”— Dave Boddington (00:40:05) ➡️ Check out our website [https://www.limaconsulting.com/]  🎧 Follow our podcast [https://fast.wistia.com/embed/channel/5o2la4au6v]  Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media: 👉 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/limaconsulting]  📧 Email me at paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com [paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com]

What Agentic AI Advances Spell for the Future of CX

In this episode of The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future, we sit down with Eric Matisoff, Adobe’s Global Evangelist for Data & AI, and Ervin Jagatić, Product Director and owner for all things AI at Infobip to explore how Agentic AI is transforming customer experience orchestration.   From orchestrating billions of conversations across channels to making real-time, autonomous decisions about when, how, and why to engage, Agentic AI represents the next leap forward in CX. Everyone is trying to get their arms around it and adopt it as fast as they can within the context of responsible and ethical concerns.  We’ll unpack how Adobe’s data and decisioning capabilities combine with Infobip’s global communications reach to create customer experiences that are not only personalized but adaptive, predictive, and self-optimizing.    Both companies have launched Agentic AI solutions and when put together, there are synergies that you can use to create winning customer experiences.   You’ll hear:   1. How are platform companies thinking about Agentic AI and what questions CX professionals should be using to evaluate which Agentic AI solution to leverage among all of their vendors   2. Real examples of data-driven orchestration where AI agents are shaping journeys across messaging, apps, and beyond.   3. The role of data and decisioning engines in enabling personalized, adaptive customer experiences.   4. How MCP (Model Context Protocol) acts as the middleware for Agentic AI, connecting models to enterprise systems and allowing agents to take secure, contextual actions.   5. Lessons from early, global deployments and what enterprises can learn as telco and platform readiness now makes these innovations possible.   6. What are the risks, ethics and upside and how to balance each while adopting AI-driven customer-experience orchestration.   7. Why Agentic AI is more than chatbots, and how it sets the stage for autonomous CX that is proactive, predictive, and human-centric.   QUOTES   “Keep these two words in your hip pocket: identity and intent, they form the basis for customer experience and the data that you’ll need.” — Paul Lima Host, The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future (08:55 ) “Value Creation is a function of relationship fidelity.” — Paul Lima,  (23:43)  “The future of customer experience is conversational, not interface-driven.” — Ervin Jagatić, Infobip (55:49)  “Every customer should have their own representative — even if that representative is an AI agent.” — Ervin Jagatić, Infobip (57:57) "In the future, all of us will have personal banking agents, it won’t just be for the wealthy.” — Ervin Jagatić, Infobip (58:31)  “If you haven’t documented it, you can’t digitize it.” — Paul Lima, Host (01:04:41)  “Human-in-the-loop isn’t optional. It’s how AI stays safe, compliant, and trustworthy.” — Ervin Jagatić, Infobip (01:43:30 ) “Consumers are already there. They’re using AI. Our job is to meet them there — or we get left behind.” — Eric Matisoff, Adobe (01:45:00) ➡️ Check out our website [https://www.limaconsulting.com/]  🎧 Follow our podcast [https://fast.wistia.com/embed/channel/5o2la4au6v]  Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media: 👉 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/limaconsulting]  📧 Email me at paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com [paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com]

The Role of data in transforming customer experiences w/Kirk Materne

Welcome back to The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future, which features Paul Lima interviewing Kirk Materne, Senior Managing Director of Software Equity Research at Evercore. The conversation revolves around the evolving role of data, innovation in software, and the challenges organizations face in adopting new technologies such as generative AI (Gen AI). Key Takeaways 1. Evercore's Role: - Evercore specializes in mergers and acquisitions and equity research. Materne leads software research, covering major tech firms like Salesforce, Adobe, and Microsoft. - They focus on providing strategic insights by analyzing both quantitative financial data and qualitative elements like earnings call transcripts. 2. The Role of Data: - Data is seen as a strategic asset driving business decisions. Organizations need to leverage first-party data to improve customer engagement, efficiency, and innovation. - The increasing availability and analysis of data have changed the pace of decision-making, with financial markets demanding near-instant insights post-earnings reports. 3. Gen AI and Business Transformation: - Companies are in the early stages of integrating generative AI into operations. The key challenges are balancing innovation with data security, privacy, and clear ROI. - There’s a need for scalable, industry-specific Gen AI solutions, with broader adoption expected by 2025-2026. 4. Software Industry Trends: - Larger companies are well-positioned to capitalize on trends like Gen AI due to their scale, resources, and ability to invest heavily. But opportunities for smaller companies are readily available and may lead to more innovation. - Consolidation is increasing, with companies seeking fewer but more comprehensive vendor solutions. 5. Innovation vs. Operational Excellence: - Organizations face a tension between optimizing current processes and pursuing transformative business model innovation. Materne highlights the importance of empowering teams while maintaining compliance and governance. 6. Emerging Business Models: - Many industries, including traditional ones like manufacturing, are adopting software-like recurring revenue models, showcasing how data and digital tools are reshaping business strategies. The discussion emphasizes the interplay between data, software, and hardware innovations, as well as the leadership required to navigate these changes effectively. Materne concludes with insights on the importance of curiosity and the evolving landscape of enterprise software. Quotes 20:13 "The democratization of data and the insights it provides enables smaller businesses to compete with larger players, leveling the playing field in customer engagement." 36:42 "The companies that succeed are the ones empowering their employees with tools that let them better understand and serve customers, leveraging data to drive these improvements." 45:40 "The importance of first-party data is pretty apparent to most companies at this point in time. Understanding what your customers want and need is critical for better interactions and outcomes." 48:02 "A small business could ask, 'Who are the 10 customers I should send an email to with a 10% discount?' That’s an example of how data can drive personalized engagement and business growth." - - - ➡️ Check out our website https://www.limaconsulting.com/ [https://www.limaconsulting.com/] 🎧 Follow our podcast [https://link.chtbl.com/TheVisionarysGuide] Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media: 👉 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvAS4gtglbkwu2lVMaAo6Lg] 👉 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/limaconsulting] 📧 Email me at paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com

The Visionary's GenAI Starter Kit w/ AI Authority Dr. Lorien Pratt

Welcome back to The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future, where today we explore the innovative world of Decision Intelligence (DI). DI has long been recognized as a leading technology trend, with reports indicating that over a third of large organizations have embraced it. Some experts even consider DI as the next evolutionary phase of AI. Numerous software vendors now offer DI solutions, enabling organizations to implement evidence-based and data-driven decision strategies. However, practical guidance on formalizing decision-making and integrating decisions with data has been limited until now. In our podcast, we have the pleasure of hosting Lorien Pratt, Ph.D., the inventor of decision intelligence and author of The Decision Intelligence Handbook, set to release in August.  This comprehensive guide presents a step-by-step method for integrating new technologies into decision-making and bridging the connected series of decisions with desired outcomes.  Lorien is the esteemed author of Link, a groundbreaking book that illuminates the profound connections between data, actions, and outcomes with a vision for a better world. With four decades of experience in developing machine learning models, Lorien's expertise has been instrumental in major applications, including ChatGPT. Her insights have been featured in two TED talks, and she is a sought-after speaker for national radio and television appearances, keynotes, webinars, and videos. What truly sets Lorien apart is her remarkable talent for simplifying complex concepts.  Discover how decision-makers can leverage data to achieve specific business outcomes, inform policy decisions, and even address societal issues like diseases by mapping the cause-and-effect relationships within data. Tune in to see Lorien unveil the magic of decision intelligence. Key Takeaways: * Who is Lorien Pratt (00:00) * Lorien’s experience with the Human Genome Project (05:18) * Digital transformation and the role of machine learning (07:45) * What is Decision Intelligence? (14:13) * What is a causal decision diagram? (20:43) * The process of creating a causal diagram (26:52) * The first thing senior executives should do to leverage tech (32:46) * How to engage with Lorien to take advantage of decision intelligence (44:41) * Top-of-mind episode wrap-up - Lorien’s 5 immediate thoughts (45:45) Quotes: “Decision intelligence is about taking this giant tech stack and fitting it into your business outcomes in your business actions.” - Lorien Pratt (16:27 - 17:00) “If we think of design thinking as starting with the end user in mind, and understanding their reality and their context, then decision intelligence is design thinking methodology and technology that allows you to work better with data and AI.” - Lorien Pratt (18:00 - 18:33) “If you're a data person or technologist or a consultant, you need to meet people where they are. Through years of interviews and experience, I've discovered that senior executives are driven by outcomes and incentives. By understanding their strategic goals and speaking their language, we can empathize and connect with them in a meaningful way.” - Lorien Pratt (29:34 - 30:15) “People make like 10,000 decisions a day, and only a tiny fraction of them will ever be informed by tech or informed by decision intelligence. So simply having a crisp and clear alignment of where you're aiming for is so foundational… And in my world, so rarely done.” - Lorien Pratt (29:34 - 30:15) Additional resources: Check out Lorien‘s books: 👉 The Decision Intelligence Handbook [https://dihandbook.com/]  👉 Link | How Decision Intelligence Connects Data, Actions, and Outcomes for a Better World [https://www.lorienpratt.com/linkthebook/]  👉 Sign up for Lorien‘s course [https://gettingstartedwithdi.com/]  - - -  ➡️ Check out our website [https://www.limaconsulting.com/]  🎧 Follow our podcast [https://link.chtbl.com/TheVisionarysGuide]  Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media: 👉 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@LimaConsultingGroup]  👉 Twitter [https://twitter.com/LimaConsulting]  👉 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/limaconsulting]  👉 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LimaConsulting]  📧 Email me at paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com [paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com]

What Do Espionage, ChatGPT, and Digital Strategy Have in Common?

Welcome back to The Visionary's Guide to the Digital Future, where we delve into the most recent insights on data leveraging, emerging technologies, and predictions for the digital future.  In this episode's three segments, we explore the realm of generative models such as ChatGPT, discuss how to utilize the potential of data, break down the data maturity model, and offer real-life examples to assist senior leaders in harnessing its value. ChatGPT and other generative models have revolutionized the way we access information from vast libraries of data, but determining the source of information and its accuracy is becoming a pressing issue. While some debate who should be allowed to use these tools, the more important question is how we can trust the information generated by them. In our Quick Hit segment, we dive deep into the data maturity model and its five stages. We explore how organizations can progress through the continuum of data maturity to unlock the power and potential of their data. Finally, in our Decision Makers' Advantage part, we'll be exploring a case study on how one company monetized the data readiness maturity model to create winning customer experiences.  During the journey of a fictitious company called Tech X, you’ll see how investing in digital fitness can advance the customer experience at scale. Join us for this insightful and informative episode. Don't miss out on the opportunity to stay up-to-date with the latest digital strategy trends and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. Key Takeaways: * Intro (00:00) * The Digital Pulse: Why ChatGPT is turning digital future upside down - vital stats (01:21) * What GPT stands for (03:56) * The digital card catalog model vs. a tool that provides THE answer (08:06) * The ability to ask a question - more important than ever (13:12) * What is the next stage of maturity for machine learning? (15:41) * How can educators use ChatGPT and apply countermeasures? (22:26) * The Quick Hit: The five stages of the data maturity model (31:22) * #1 The descriptive stage (33:13) * #2 The diagnostic stage (37:37) * #3 The predictive stage (42:22) * #4 The prescriptive (50:42) * #5 The cognitive (54:36) * The Decision-Makers Advantage: Digital maturity - a real-life example (01:00:04) * A comedy of errors that could have been avoided (01:01:42) * When a company doesn’t understand the value of its data (01:08:17) * CRM solution - the power of digital transformation (01:10:25) * Marketing’s contribution to sales (01:16:00) * Data powers decisions - summary (01:19:43) Quotes: “The superpower that educators should teach, innovators should aspire to, and leaders should inspire is encouraging us to ask better questions.” - Paul Lima (13:37 - 14:21) “Innovation doesn't mean the same thing as invention ... It's essentially the difference between creation and application. A similar analogy could be set of knowledge and wisdom - to know and to do.” - Paul Lima (16:59 - 17:24) “The next phase of maturity will happen when the machine intelligence begins to develop answers and research questions that have yet to be asked by us.” - Paul Lima (17:25 - 18:19) “Generative models are here to stay - everybody will be using them soon. However, just as in the craft of espionage, the question is how receivers of the information can determine its source and whether they can trust what it says.” - Paul Lima (25:02-26:00) “We shouldn't be modeling behavior that we fear innovation (such as ChatGPT and other AI tools). To make a better digital future, we shouldn't arrest change. … The change is happening anyway, so let's make sure that we're not on the wrong side of history on this one.” - Paul Lima (30:19 - 31:24) “Data has to be processed to give it context. And with that context, it's no longer a raw commodity. It becomes something more valuable - information.” - Paul Lima (44:03 - 44:13) “The most powerful weapon on an Abrams tank isn't the 120-millimeter smoothbore cannon. It's the engine. And it's the same thing with data - it's not about all the features in these tools. It's about the data that goes into it. That's the secret sauce of all these programmatic tools.” - Paul Lima (52:26 - 52:44) “Data maturity isn't just dashboards and analytics. It powers winning customer experiences.” - Paul Lima (01:20:15 - 01:21:11) Additional resources: ➡️ Check out Ray Kurzweil's 1965 appearance on “I’ve Got a Secret” [https://youtu.be/X4Neivqp2K4] ➡️ Share the market capitalization infographic [https://youtu.be/TiGNTXV4ooA] ➡️ Check out our website [https://www.limaconsulting.com/]  🎧 Follow our podcast [https://fast.wistia.com/embed/channel/5o2la4au6v]  Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media: 👉 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@LimaConsultingGroup]  👉 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/limaconsulting]  📧 Email me at paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com [paul@digitalfuturepodcast.com]