The Marketplace


What is really happening inside the industries you sell to the most? Industry insiders from medical, retail, restaurants, government, schools & colleges, and professional services reveal the technology behind the plan to buy now and in the next year. Explore the sessions and openly share ideas as you join roundtable discussions and networking lounges.


Cloud Conventions 2021
May 12-14

View the On Demand Sessions

Navigate the "Next Normal"

The Marketplace On Demand Sessions

The Recovery of the Restaurant Industry
2020 challenged the industry, but there is quite a bit to keep your eye on in 2021 as the industry recovers. Our panel of industry experts bring an interesting perspective on the trends to keep in mind as you work with your restaurant customers.

Using Cloud Services to Support Digital Health Transformation
Today we are delivering hospital-level, patient-centric, individualized care for patients at home via remote patient monitoring.

Technology that Drives Efficiency in Transportation and Logistics
The growth in the transportation and logistics industry has never been stronger as in the past year. Discover technology strategies that are the "next normal" in the industry

View the On Demand Sessions >>

Network & Connect

Ask the Experts

Speakers and panelists joined the Meet the Expert lounges, available after sessions for attendees to take a deeper dive and join the conversation.

The Networking Lounge

The Cloud Coffee Corner opened each morning and the day ended with a casual lounge & Comedy Night on Thursday.

The Latest from Cloud Conventions 2021:


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The Recovery of the Restaurant Industry The Recovery of the Restaurant Industry

After what is undeniably the most challenging year the restaurant industry faced in 2020 there is quite a bit to keep your eye on in 2021 ...

May 14, 2021 On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
0 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-restaurants jplist-topic-The-Marketplace 05/14/2021 0 508563 508563 After what is undeniably the most challenging year the restaurant industry faced in 2020 there is quite a bit to keep your eye on in 2021 as the industry recovers. Our panel of industry experts bring an interesting perspective on the trends to keep in mind as you work with your restaurant customers. Join panelists Robb McKerrow, CEO of r*development, a restaurant brand strategist, Efrem Cutler, the VP of R&D, Corporate Executive Chef for Bloomin' Brands, Michael Cala Head of Procurement and Category Management, for Cheetah Foodservice and Karen Bremer, CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association as they give you their insights on the restaurant industry in 2021 and beyond. Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

The Recovery of the Restaurant Industry

On Demand Sessions

After what is undeniably the most challenging year the restaurant industry faced in 2020 there is quite a bit to keep your eye on in 2021 as the ...

Technology that Drives Efficiency in... Technology that Drives Efficiency in...

The growth in the transportation and logistics industry has never been stronger as in the past year. As we stayed home and locked down, ...

May 14, 2021 On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
1 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-Transportation jplist-topic-Logistics 05/14/2021 0 508723 508723 The growth in the transportation and logistics industry has never been stronger as in the past year. As we stayed home and locked down, businesses and consumers moved to an online economy ordering everything from groceries to building supplies that needed to be shipped and delivered. With the explosion in demand, technology became the driver to increase efficiency and enable the industry to keep goods moving and deliveries on target. Join our panel to discover the technology strategies that evolved and accelerated during the pandemic that have now become the "next normal" in the transportation and logistics industry. Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Technology that Drives Efficiency in Transportation and Logistics

On Demand Sessions

The growth in the transportation and logistics industry has never been stronger as in the past year. As we stayed home and locked down, businesses ...

Inspiring Your Virtual Workforce Inspiring Your Virtual Workforce

Most of the workforce stayed home last year and many office workers will now be given the choice to work virtually long-term. Without the ...

May 12, 2021 On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
2 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-virtual jplist-topic-workforce 05/12/2021 0 509666 509666 Most of the workforce stayed home last year and many office workers will now be given the choice to work virtually long-term. Without the day-to-day connections that come from casual conversations in the office, going to lunch with coworkers, or just having that personal touch, a virtual worker can feel isolated and uninspired. Join Michelle Cummings, founder of the Big Wheel and Personify Leadership and Training Wheels, a known leader in the team building field to guide us through strategies to inspire a virtual workforce. Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Inspiring Your Virtual Workforce

On Demand Sessions

Most of the workforce stayed home last year and many office workers will now be given the choice to work virtually long-term. Without the day-to-day ...

Using cloud services to support digital health... Using cloud services to support digital health...

digital

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

May 19, 2021 On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
3 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions 05/19/2021 0 511642 511642 Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Using cloud services to support digital health transformation

On Demand Sessions

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

Using cloud services to support digital health... Using cloud services to support digital health...

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
4 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-cloud jplist-topic-health jplist-topic-services 0 511474 511474 Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Using cloud services to support digital health transformation

On Demand Sessions

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

Inspiring Your Virtual Workforce Inspiring Your Virtual Workforce

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
5 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-virtual jplist-topic-workforce 0 511476 511476 Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Inspiring Your Virtual Workforce

On Demand Sessions

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

Technology that Drives Efficiency in... Technology that Drives Efficiency in...

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
6 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-technology jplist-topic-Logistics jplist-topic-effi 0 511482 511482 Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Technology that Drives Efficiency in Transportation and Logistics

On Demand Sessions

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

The New Workplace Strategies for Professional... The New Workplace Strategies for Professional...

Senator John Albers, Adam Moleski, Kris Dobbins

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
7 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-marketplace jplist-topic-Insurance jplist-topic-legal jplist-topic-accounting 0 511458 511458 Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

The New Workplace Strategies for Professional Services Organizations

On Demand Sessions

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

Recovery of the Restaurant Industry Recovery of the Restaurant Industry

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
8 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-restaurants jplist-topic-The-Marketplace 0 511480 511480 Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals? Visit Convey Services »

Recovery of the Restaurant Industry

On Demand Sessions

Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events? Visit Cloud Conventions » ...

Trends in the Commercial Real Estate Marketplace... Trends in the Commercial Real Estate Marketplace...

Ronnie Cannon, the WM Leonard Company

Most businesses had to make the hard pivot to a virtual work environment as states imposed regulations and lockdowns during the Pandemic of ...

On Demand Sessions
On Demand Sessions
9 On-Demand-Sessions-On-Demand-Sessions jplist-topic-The-Marketplace jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate 0 511321 511321 Most businesses had to make the hard pivot to a virtual work environment as states imposed regulations and lockdowns during the Pandemic of 2020. Now that the workforce is getting vaccinated, companies are thinking about how to manage their workforce and office strategies. Ronnie Cannon, Managing Director of the William Leonard Company, leads a commercial real estate team focused on high technology clients. Join Ronnie and his panel for a discussion on what companies are likely to do as they return to the office. Ronnie explores the migration plans of companies to regional offices, what industry segments are likely to come back to the office or stay virtual, and what you should know about the return to the office.

Trends in the Commercial Real Estate Marketplace for 2021 and Beyond

On Demand Sessions

Most businesses had to make the hard pivot to a virtual work environment as states imposed regulations and lockdowns during the Pandemic of 2020. Now ...

Justin Moritz-Pahde Justin Moritz-Pahde

Director of Sales Strategy at The FSL Group

Click here to request a meetingI am passionate about integrating creative, innovative techniques with proven processes to produce ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
10 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Justin-Moritz-Pahde jplist-topic-FSL-Group 0 509357 509357 Click here to request a meetingI am passionate about integrating creative, innovative techniques with proven processes to produce evolutionary & effective results. This hybrid approach allows me to address all aspects of day to day freight and logistics operations as well as the "bigger picture" of how your supply chain affects you, your company, and business-to-business relationships. I want to hear about YOU, your current experiences and processes, and have a conversation to determine how we can come together to tailor your freight program to be cost and time efficient, well-organized, and dependable

Justin Moritz-Pahde

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingI am passionate about integrating creative, innovative techniques with proven processes to produce evolutionary & ...

Jeffrey Fischer Jeffrey Fischer

Owner, The Whole Business, LLC LLC (Logistics, Process Improvement, and ...

Click here to request a meetingJeff Fischer has over 35 years of experience in the Global Supply industry with the final 25 at UPS. During ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
11 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-UPS 0 508581 508581 Click here to request a meetingJeff Fischer has over 35 years of experience in the Global Supply industry with the final 25 at UPS. During his UPS career, Jeff developed innovative and integrated logistics solutions for the world's largest Fortune 100 companies. During his tenure he also was a member of the Mailboxes Etc. (MBE) acquisition team that converted the 3,200+ shipping retail network into today's UPS Stores. Jeff also led management teams within UPS's sales training, business development, operations, product development, and customer experience divisions. Prior to joining UPS, Jeff worked for Fuji Photo Film and Lever Brothers in New York City. Jeff has written and published dozens of articles within a variety of trade magazines and has been a guest columnist to the Cambridge Information Network and the Global Business Network. He was an adjunct professor in New York and Georgia colleges teaching logistics, international management, thesis research and writing, and organizational management. After retiring from UPS in 2018, Jeff started a consulting service, The Whole Business, that takes a holistic approach examining for profit and non-profit organization's order-to-cash cycle to determine the root causes that create unnecessary cost, impede growth, and inhibit a positive customer experience. He has expanded his support, due to the pandemic, with non-profits seeking fundraising assistance and guidance by leveraging his communication, writing, and teaching skills; aligned with his co-ownership of a Roswell, Georgia restaurant.

Jeffrey Fischer

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingJeff Fischer has over 35 years of experience in the Global Supply industry with the final 25 at UPS. During his UPS ...

John Albers John Albers

State Senator, Georgia

Click here to request a meetingJohn Albers background spans roles as a CIO, CISO, CMO and COO. John has a proven record of leading large ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
12 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-John-Albers 0 508590 508590 Click here to request a meetingJohn Albers background spans roles as a CIO, CISO, CMO and COO. John has a proven record of leading large teams, growing and managing clients from SMBs to Fortune 500 companies. As a current Georgia State Senate, John Albers was first elected in 2011. He represents the 56th District, which includes portions of Fulton and Cherokee County. He serves as Chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee. Senator Albers also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations, Rules, Regulated Industries and Utilities, and the Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committees. Senator Albers is a fourth-generation firefighter serving as a volunteer in Alpharetta and member of the Georgia Firefighters Association. Albers earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Louisville. Albers also completed graduate programs from the University of Georgia and Harvard University. When not attending to state business, Senator Albers is an executive, business owner and entrepreneur.

John Albers

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingJohn Albers background spans roles as a CIO, CISO, CMO and COO. John has a proven record of leading large teams, ...

Ronnie Cannon Ronnie Cannon

Managing Director, Wm. Leonard & Co.

Click here to request a meetingRonnie Cannon has been active in the commercial real estate advisory industry since 1997 and has significant ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
13 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate jplist-topic-WM-Leonard---Co 0 506619 506619 Click here to request a meetingRonnie Cannon has been active in the commercial real estate advisory industry since 1997 and has significant expertise in the development and implementation of real estate and workplace strategies that helps organizations drive greater profitability and avoid the unforeseen risks associated with real estate decisions and agreements. For the last 6 years, Ronnie has served as the Managing Director of the William Leonard & Co, an Atlanta-based commercial real estate firm specializing in representing hundreds of tenants over the years align their real estate strategy with their company's business plan. Prior to joining the Wm. Leonard & Co team, Ronnie was a principal for 15 years at Cresa, headquartered in Washington, DC, an occupier-centric commercial real estate firm with over 80 offices serving 2,000 clients nationwide.

Ronnie Cannon

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingRonnie Cannon has been active in the commercial real estate advisory industry since 1997 and has significant expertise ...

Kris Dobbins Kris Dobbins

CPCU, Marketing, SecureRisk, LLC

Click here to request a meetingKris Dobbins directs the marketing activities for SecureRisk the 4th largest insurance agency partnership in ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
14 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-SecureRisk 0 506621 506621 Click here to request a meetingKris Dobbins directs the marketing activities for SecureRisk the 4th largest insurance agency partnership in the United States with over 100 agency members across the Southeast. Kris focuses on bringing value to the owner-member agencies by providing various tools and resources to help agencies streamline their sales process, market their solutions and grow their agency revenue. Kris helps bridge the relationships between the agency members and over 85 partner carriers and service providers endorsed by the SecureRisk network to ensure that the producers and owners have a full view of the insurance products available for commercial and personal lines as well as technology and services needed to run the agency. Prior to joining SecureRisk eleven years ago, Kris had first-hand experience in the insurance carrier world in various roles within the property and casualty insurance industry as a commercial lines specialist, senior marketing underwriter and commercial lines broker.

Kris Dobbins

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingKris Dobbins directs the marketing activities for SecureRisk the 4th largest insurance agency partnership in the ...

Gene Theslof Gene Theslof

Chairman & CEO, My Health Connection, Inc

Click here to request a meetingTheslof is the founder of My Health Connection, Inc. (MHC), a global telehealth services provider. Theslof ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
15 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Gene-Theslof jplist-topic-My-Health-Connection jplist-topic-Inc 0 509346 509346 Click here to request a meetingTheslof is the founder of My Health Connection, Inc. (MHC), a global telehealth services provider. Theslof previously built and sold the nation's first large telehealth company and sold it to Stryker, now Stryker Communications, currently a $400M business. Mr. Theslof is one of the fathers of telehealth having built a national hospital network prior to the Internet's existence. Mr. Theslof built an integrated set of SMARTCOM Telehealth Platforms for MHC that are being used by hospitals, practices and health care companies today. Theslof included eight modules to the HIPAA complaint Platform including a multiplicity of remote patient monitoring tools and portals including a game changing noninvasive FDA and CE approved cardiovascular monitor known as, MyNICaS. This portable device tests a patient's hemodynamics and provides17 actionable data items to physicians enabling them to titrate the patient wherever they may be. Using this portable device has dramatically cut readmissions for skilled nursing facilities and HCAs. MHC currently has systems in 23 states. MHC's tools enable any participating medical provider to treat their patients in place (for example at home or in a skilled nursing facility ) without admitting them back into emergency rooms or hospitals

Gene Theslof

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingTheslof is the founder of My Health Connection, Inc. (MHC), a global telehealth services provider. Theslof previously ...

Gary Yates Gary Yates

Principal, Hickey & Associates

Click here to request a meetingGary Yates is a Principal in Hickey & Associations, a global leader in site selection, location ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
16 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Gary-Yates jplist-topic-Hickey---Associates 0 509663 509663 Click here to request a meetingGary Yates is a Principal in Hickey & Associations, a global leader in site selection, location strategy, credits & incentives advisory, and labor analytics with active projects in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. HICKEY assists businesses with the critical data capture and strategic vision to navigate a global real estate footprint. Gary is a highly accomplished and enterprising location selection executive and has both domestic and international experience in project management, sales, analysis, and strategy. In his position at HICKEY, Gary ensures that his clients have optimal geographic locations for their businesses across varied industries, with focus on workforce issues and demographic trends. Prior to Hickey & Associates, Gary served as Vice President of Consulting for JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management and as Director of Site Selection for the Staubach Company

Gary Yates

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingGary Yates is a Principal in Hickey & Associations, a global leader in site selection, location strategy, credits ...

Chef Efrem Cutler Chef Efrem Cutler

VP of R&D, Bloomin' Brands International

Click here to request a meetingChef Cutler develops and engineers the core menu recipes for Bloomin' Brands International, Fleming's Prime ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
17 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Bloomin--Brands-International 0 504898 504898 Click here to request a meetingChef Cutler develops and engineers the core menu recipes for Bloomin' Brands International, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Aussie Grill. He also populates a pipeline of products for future markets, collaborating with manufacturers on formulas and recipes that differentiate the brands. He has over 35 years of culinary experience, including training and product development for companies such as Ritz-Carlton, Occidental Grand Hotel's Chef for Café Opera, and Rochester Meat Company. He also owned a successful café and bakery in Roswell, Georgia and served as a Chef Instructor for the Art Institute of Atlanta, where he pioneered a new curriculum for the graduating class of International Food and History. Chef Cutler holds a degree from Baltimore International Culinary College and has traveled the world promoting and teaching the cooking techniques of his Southern heritage.

Chef Efrem Cutler

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingChef Cutler develops and engineers the core menu recipes for Bloomin' Brands International, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse ...

Michael Cala Michael Cala

Head of Procurement and Category Management, Cheetah Foodservice

Click here to request a meetingMichael Cala directs the procurement and category management for Cheetah Foodservice, an e-commerce platform ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
18 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-procurement jplist-topic-category-management jplist-topic-Cheetah-Foodservice jplist-topic-e-commerce jplist-topic-restaurants 0 504899 504899

Michael Cala

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingMichael Cala directs the procurement and category management for Cheetah Foodservice, an e-commerce platform designed ...

Rick Strobridge Rick Strobridge

CEO, Rx.Health

Click here to request a meeting Rick is an award-winning digital health CEO and successful inventor with proven expertise in start-up ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
19 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-rick-strobridge 0 504655 504655

Rick Strobridge

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meeting Rick is an award-winning digital health CEO and successful inventor with proven expertise in start-up development and ...

Phillip Hancock Phillip Hancock

Technology Leader and Enterprise Architect, Shred-it

Click here to request a meetingShred-it is the largest document destruction provider in the world. In 14 countries and in 170 markets, ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
20 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Phillip-Hancock jplist-topic-Shred-it 0 509361 509361 Click here to request a meetingShred-it is the largest document destruction provider in the world. In 14 countries and in 170 markets, we've become the world-standard and industry best-practice for information security and workplace privacy. In the more than 30 years since our inception, we have developed proprietary technologies, exclusive protocols and practices, and innovative products and services, designed exclusively to protect businesses of any size from the ongoing threats and risks of workplace privacy breaches. As the trusted choice of both small businesses and large organizations, you will find Shred-it is the preferred partner across almost every sector - from government and healthcare, universities and colleges, banks and financial institutions, to police forces, military, and intelligence agencies.

Phillip Hancock

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingShred-it is the largest document destruction provider in the world. In 14 countries and in 170 markets, we've become ...

Mike Evans Mike Evans

Founder of Box Line Box, Inc.

Click here to request a meetingMike is the founder of Box Line Box, Inc., he brings his expertise in telecommunications, healthcare ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
21 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Mike-Evans jplist-topic-Box-Line-Box jplist-topic-Inc- 0 509347 509347 Click here to request a meetingMike is the founder of Box Line Box, Inc., he brings his expertise in telecommunications, healthcare information technology, medical imaging systems, and integration to the stage. Michael has spent over 20 years dedicating himself to enhancing the world of medical education with technology. He is a pioneer in the development of the integrated operating room. He was a co-foundeder of InfoMedix Communications Corporation, which was acquired by Stryker Corporation (NYSE: SYK) in 1999 and is now the Stryker Communications Division. After working with Stryker for several years Mike founded Box Line Box, Inc. to continue pushing the boundaries of live surgery as it is applied to medical education. He is an expert in clinical telecommunications and telemedicine with experience in remote locations and disaster zones. He brought the first-ever live surgeries from a forward operating hospital in Afghanistan as well as the rural countryside of Haiti.

Mike Evans

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingMike is the founder of Box Line Box, Inc., he brings his expertise in telecommunications, healthcare information ...

Karen Bremer Karen Bremer

CEO, Georgia Restaurant Association

Click here to request a meetingWith over 44 years in the hospitality industry, Bremer is the CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
22 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Georgia-Restaurant-Association jplist-topic-GRA jplist-topic-GRC 0 506616 506616 Click here to request a meetingWith over 44 years in the hospitality industry, Bremer is the CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA), representing one of the largest industries in the state. The GRA serves as the unified voice for over 18,500 foodservice and drinking places in the state of Georgia with total sales in excess of $20 billion which provides more than 476,000 jobs. Bremer was the former owner of Dailey's and City Grill restaurants and was a top executive with the Peasant Restaurant Group, starting out as a manager andultimately being named its president. Bremer is a founding member of the GRA and the past president of the GRA Board. She serves on the executive committee for the National Restaurant Association, board of directors for the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), and serves as vice president for the Council of State Restaurant Associations. She also sits on the Industry Advisory Board of Georgia State University's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration and is a trustee of the Arby's Foundation. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International and the International Women's Forum. Bremer has garnered numerous awards including the ACVB Member of the Year Award in 2002 for her role in founding Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week. In 2015, she was inducted in the ACVB Hospitality Hall of Fame. In 2009, Bremer received the Lifetime Achievement GRACE (Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence) Award for her outstanding contributions to Georgia's restaurant industry. In 2016, 2017 and 2018 Bremer was named one of Georgia Trend Magazine's "100 Most Influential Georgians of the Year" in addition to being listed as a notable Georgian by Georgia Trend Magazine in 2013, 2014 and 2015. She was also names as one of the Top Registered Female Lobbyists in 2017 by James Magazine.

Karen Bremer

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingWith over 44 years in the hospitality industry, Bremer is the CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA), ...

John Wichmann John Wichmann

Co-Founder and COO, Maptician

Click here to request a meeting John Wichmann is COO and co-founder of Maptician. Maptician is a cloud-based workplace enablement solution ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
23 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-John-Wichmann jplist-topic-Maptician 0 509360 509360 Click here to request a meeting John Wichmann is COO and co-founder of Maptician. Maptician is a cloud-based workplace enablement solution that helps companies streamline the return-to-office and a shift to a hybrid or other flexible work model.  Maptician provides companies with predictable cost savings related to their use of office space and equips them to use their space in a more intentional way; supporting their employees' desire to connect, collaborate, innovate, and help new team members feel connected sooner.  John has spent the past 20 years leveraging software solutions and consulting to help organizations gain new visibility, make better decisions, and unlock value.  Most recently, John led consulting practices at both Teradata (TDC) and Fiserv (FISV). At Teradata, John led a $25M consulting practice responsible for selling and delivering analytics software and consulting services to some of the largest and well-known companies in the world. At Fiserv, the practice area John led implemented and configured SaaS and installed software for hundreds of clients per year, including banks, credit unions, and mortgage providers, with implementation durations ranging from one week to over 6 months.  John received his degree from Georgia Tech in Industrial and Systems Engineering. John lives in Alpharetta and he and his wife have three sons ranging in age from 10 to 19. 

John Wichmann

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meeting John Wichmann is COO and co-founder of Maptician. Maptician is a cloud-based workplace enablement solution that helps ...

Robb McKerrow Robb McKerrow

Restaurant Design & Branding Expert, r*development

Click here to request a meetingFor the last 11 years Robb McKerrow has lead r*development, a design and branding consultancy with a strong ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
24 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-robb-mckerrow 0 504654 504654 Click here to request a meetingFor the last 11 years Robb McKerrow has lead r*development, a design and branding consultancy with a strong track record of developing concepts that resonate with the consumer and bring strong economic returns for the ownership. By understanding the competitive landscape and trends in consumer behavior, they create branded designs that are operationally sound and lay a foundation for concept success, as well as a strong visual appeal. A particular specialty and focus is on retooling existing brands that have lost their relevance and competitive edge bringing them back to life. Robb's design work is distinctive yet budget-driven and very "cool". Robb has overseen the design and development of over 1000 restaurant locations for regional and national chains, as well as creating many strong local independent locations such as Cabernet, Pampas Steakhouse, Frankie's Steakhouse, Fresh to Order, Tara Humata, Del Frisco's, Canoe, Giorgio's Family Kitchen, Taffer's Tavern, Twisted Fork and Nick & Jake's. Branded restaurant & retail prototypes developed by Robb over the years have included Longhorn Steakhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse, Tanner's, Arby's, Mrs Winners, Shane's, PJ's Coffee, Doc Green's, Bonehead's, Planet Smoothie, Flying Biscuit, Flip Flop Shops, Appleton Learning, Twin Peaks, 5 & Diner, Buffalo's Café, Ted's Montana Grill, Golden Rule BBQ, Shoney's, Atlanta Bread Co., The Grape, Miller's Ale House, O'Charley's & Surchero's Fresh Mex. On the boards is a new high-end Steakhouse to be named H&W in Peachtree Corners, GA being operated by The Norsan Group. From 1989 to 2000, Robb owned and operated RDM Design, an Award-winning A&D firm focused on the multi-unit restaurant industry. Robb headed a 25-man team of designers, architects and engineers for 10 years designing prototypes and rolling out hundreds of locations across the US and Puerto Rico for national brands in QSR and Casual Dining.

Robb McKerrow

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingFor the last 11 years Robb McKerrow has lead r*development, a design and branding consultancy with a strong track ...

Ryan Crandall Ryan Crandall

Director of IoT & Mobile Solutions, MetTel

Click here to request a meetingRyan Crandall directs the IoT and Mobile Solutions for MetTel, a leading provider of customized, integrated ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
25 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Ryan-Crandall 0 509665 509665 Click here to request a meetingRyan Crandall directs the IoT and Mobile Solutions for MetTel, a leading provider of customized, integrated and managed communications solutions for enterprise customers. MetTel offers IoT [Internet of Things] fleet management technology to help customers automate their fleets for greater efficiency, insight and control. In addition to developing the transportation and logistics industry and offerings for MetTel, Ryan has also served as the VP of Sales for North America for Retriever Communications, a provider of field service management software, Director of Sales for LoJack Corporation and Director of Enterprise Sales & Strategy for Navtrack, now a Verizon company. MetTel's fleet management automation technology provides visibility and helps organizations manage their entire fleet and mobile workforce providing "one pane of glass" that helps eliminate paperwork so that mobile workers have the tools at hand to do their work more efficiently. Connecting the vehicle and the workforce automation mobile applications using the SingleSIM solution, assuring coverage at any time for the field worker, equipment and vehicles, enables real-time access to information regardless of the cellular coverage in known dark areas of the city by enabling the best carrier signal is used at any time for data transmission.

Ryan Crandall

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingRyan Crandall directs the IoT and Mobile Solutions for MetTel, a leading provider of customized, integrated and ...

Adam Moleski Adam Moleski

Chief Information Officer, Frazier & Deeter, LLC

Click here to request a meetingAdam is the Chief Information Officer for Frazier & Deeter, LLC, a top 50 accounting firm headquartered ...

Speaker Profile
Speaker Profile
26 Speaker-Profile-Speaker-Profile jplist-topic-Adam-Moleski jplist-topic-Frazier---Deeter 0 508510 508510 Click here to request a meetingAdam is the Chief Information Officer for Frazier & Deeter, LLC, a top 50 accounting firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA with offices in Charlotte, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, and London. Prior to his time at Frazier & Deeter, Adam was a Snr Citrix architect for Cenveo, Inc. (CVO), a leading global provider of print supply chain solutions for mid to large sized enterprises.

Adam Moleski

Speaker Profile

Click here to request a meetingAdam is the Chief Information Officer for Frazier & Deeter, LLC, a top 50 accounting firm headquartered in ...

The New Workplace Strategies for Professional... The New Workplace Strategies for Professional...

Senator John Albers, Adam Moleski, Kris Dobbins

Professional services organizations are traditionally an office-bound workforce, but in 2020 they had to go against tradition and field a ...

May 13, 2021 Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
27 Panel-Discussion-Panel-Discussion jplist-topic-Insurance jplist-topic-legal jplist-topic-accounting jplist-topic-The-Marketplace 05/13/2021 0 508556 508556 Professional services organizations are traditionally an office-bound workforce, but in 2020 they had to go against tradition and field a virtual workforce. Lockdowns restricted staff to their homes, slowed down client projects and impacted billable work. Economic uncertainty impacted client budgets leading to the need for cost and operational efficiencies. Join our expert panel from the accounting, legal and insurance industries to navigate how changes they were forced to make in 2020 are impacting their workforce strategy for 2021.

The New Workplace Strategies for Professional Services Organizations

Panel Discussion

Professional services organizations are traditionally an office-bound workforce, but in 2020 they had to go against tradition and field a virtual ...

Trends in the Commercial Real Estate Marketplace... Trends in the Commercial Real Estate Marketplace...

Ronnie Cannon, the WM Leonard Company

Most businesses had to make the hard pivot to a virtual work environment as states imposed regulations and lockdowns during the Pandemic of ...

May 12, 2021 Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
28 Panel-Discussion-Panel-Discussion jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate jplist-topic-The-Marketplace 05/12/2021 0 508554 508554 Most businesses had to make the hard pivot to a virtual work environment as states imposed regulations and lockdowns during the Pandemic of 2020. Now that the workforce is getting vaccinated, companies are thinking about how to manage their workforce and office strategies. Ronnie Cannon, Managing Director of the William Leonard Company, leads a commercial real estate team focused on high technology clients. Join Ronnie and his panel for a discussion on what companies are likely to do as they return to the office. Ronnie explores the migration plans of companies to regional offices, what industry segments are likely to come back to the office or stay virtual, and what you should know about the return to the office.

Trends in the Commercial Real Estate Marketplace for 2021 and Beyond

Panel Discussion

Most businesses had to make the hard pivot to a virtual work environment as states imposed regulations and lockdowns during the Pandemic of 2020. Now ...

Legal Technology Trends to Watch in 2021 Legal Technology Trends to Watch in 2021

What will it take to be a successful lawyer in 2021? With the world becoming increasingly digital in response to the COVID-19 pandemic-and ...

Professional Services Trends
29 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-legal jplist-topic-services jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 0 503960 503960 What will it take to be a successful lawyer in 2021? With the world becoming increasingly digital in response to the COVID-19 pandemic-and with that change expected to continue even after a vaccine is distributed-it's now more crucial than ever to stay up to date with legal technology trends. To find the most useful legal tech trends that lawyers need to know, we reached out to top industry technologists, lawyers, legal professionals, and consultants. We asked them  this question: "What will be the most important legal technology trend for lawyers and legal professionals to follow in 2021?" Read their answers below to set your law firm up for success in 2021 and beyond.Click here to view the article

Legal Technology Trends to Watch in 2021

Professional Services Trends

What will it take to be a successful lawyer in 2021? With the world becoming increasingly digital in response to the COVID-19 pandemic-and with that ...

THE FUTURE OF FINANCIAL CLOSE IS HERE: 2021... THE FUTURE OF FINANCIAL CLOSE IS HERE: 2021...

There are some people that think that COVID-19 changed the accounting world forever. In reality, it's not so much that it changed the way ...

Professional Services Trends
30 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-finance jplist-topic-accounting jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 0 503969 503969 There are some people that think that COVID-19 changed the accounting world forever. In reality, it's not so much that it changed the way we do things.  We still balance the books, reconcile transactions and put a lot of effort into our month-end close. It did, however, thrust us into the future, pushing us further along the path we were already on.  We're a few years ahead of schedule so instead of predictions for 2025, here are the upcoming accounting trends for 2021:Click here to view the article

THE FUTURE OF FINANCIAL CLOSE IS HERE: 2021 ACCOUNTING TRENDS

Professional Services Trends

There are some people that think that COVID-19 changed the accounting world forever. In reality, it's not so much that it changed the way we do ...

30+ Key Real Estate Statistics for 2021 30+ Key Real Estate Statistics for 2021

April 8, 2021 by Smiljanic Stasha

Report posted on PolicyAdvice.net homepage. Written by Smiljanic Stasha and last updated April 8, 2021. Billions of dollars are invested ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
31 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends jplist-topic-real-estate jplist-topic-cre jplist-topic-commercial jplist-topic-rent jplist-topic-lease jplist-topic-city jplist-topic-building jplist-topic-office jplist-topic-WFH jplist-topic-remote 0 506518 506518 Report posted on PolicyAdvice.net homepage. Written by Smiljanic Stasha and last updated April 8, 2021. Billions of dollars are invested into real estate annually - this article facilitates a deeper understanding of the market, through key real estate statistics, concerning housing market values, price trends, house prices by state, and more. Real estate generally entails several types of properties, including land, buildings, houses, apartments, alongside natural resources such as water, mineral deposits, and flora and fauna. From an investment perspective, real estate is a tangible asset usually worth a considerable sum of money, according to real estate statistics.Due to the sheer size of the housing market, this article will focus on highlighting several key stats, concerning an array of topics, such as the current size of the real estate market, housing prices in the US (and around the globe), real estate trends, statistics about realtors, etc.Want to find out more? Just keep on reading!5 Most Fascinating Housing Statistics - Editor's Choice:According to Zillow, the value of all US-based homes and real estate was estimated at $31.8 trillion in 2017.The average sale price for US-based homes was approximately $323,100.In 2018, at least 44% of US-based home buyers used the internet to look up potential properties, whereas 90% of real estate businesses list their properties online.The US Census Bureau estimates that around 561,000 houses were sold in 2016, followed by 617,000 in 2018.Approximately 87.9% of housing units available on the market were occupied during the first quarter of 2019.Current Real Estate Market Size1. In 2020, it is estimated that more than 1 out of every 5 commercial drone shoots will be for real estate purposes.According to the National Association of Realtors, real estate properties with drone photography or video shoots as part of their marketing plan sell on average 68% sooner than properties that don't. Based on those statistics it is predicted that 1 of every 5 commercial drone shoots in 2020 would be for real estate purposes. Source: National Association of Realtors 2. On average June is considered the month when homes sell the fastest in the US. Real estate numbers for 2020 show that home trades in the US. mid-June typically stay on the market for only 22 days - the fastest pace in the US since June 2018. Thus, June is considered the peak for home selling activity, whereas January has the lowest sales. Source: PR Newswire3. According to Zillow, the value of all US-based homes was estimated at $31.8 trillion in 2017This stat deals solely with housing units; office space and business complexes are not included. In 2018, the value of US homes reached a whopping $33.3 trillion. Currently, there is no accurate data on the size of the global housing market since numerous states do not track housing market values.Source: Zillow 4. According to MSCI, the global real estate investment market was worth $8.9 trillion in 2018This data entails properties that are professionally-managed and are part of the worldwide real estate investment market. Thus, personal properties such as housing units are not included in this estimate. A $0.4 trillion increase was recorded between 2017 and 2018; meaning, the market has surely surpassed the $9-10 trillion threshold by now, according to housing statistics.Source: MSCI5. The US has the largest global real estate market shareNations with a significant real estate market value include Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and France. Nevertheless, the US market remains considerably larger when compared to other nations - according to the MSCI, the US real estate market size was at least 3.5 times bigger than that of Japan, which currently takes second place.Source: MSCIReal Estate Statistics in the US6. According to the University of Michigan, the number of housing units increased by 13.6% between 2000 and 2010 Since then, massive real estate investments have likely led to an even higher increase in the number of new housing units.Source: University of Michigan 7. In a recently-published report, the US Census Bureau estimated that there were 138.53 million housing units available during 2018, according to real estate statsIt's worth pointing out that the overall US population (as of November 2020) was estimated at 330,6 million, which roughly translates to about 2.3 people living in each housing unit on average.Source: US Census Bureau 8. Between 2013 and 2017, approximately 63.8% of housing units were occupied by their lawful owner, as reported by a vast number of recent real estate market statistics In other words, this means that as much as 36% of all housing units are either left empty, are being rented, or are occupied by friends and relatives.Source: US Census Bureau 9. Approximately 2.4% of housing units located in the US are available for rent, as reported by the US Census BureauThis refers to residential renting only and is quite surprising judging how it is generally believed that considerably more people go on to rent their homes. Of course, this real estate data percentage is based on the number of people who actually reported that they were renting out their properties; meaning, the actual figures could be a lot higher.Source: US Census Bureau 10. The commercial real estate vacancy rates have actively dropped between 2010 and 2018Both office and business space are in high demand. As a result, the national economy is flourishing. Of course, vacancies still exist, yet increased demand also leads to higher rental prices, as pointed out by real estate market reports.Source: National Association of Realtors11. In 2018, hotel vacancies ranked highest (14.7%) of all commercial real estate properties, according to the following table:Office vacancyIndustrial vacancyRetail vacancyMultifamily vacancyHotel vacancy12.9%6.8%12.6%6.2%14.7%Source: National Association of Realtors12. A research effort has concluded that, since the first quarter of 2010, industrial property prices have increased by at least 75%This NAR statistic once again suggests that the US economy is prospering, seeing how real estate investors can afford to charge higher prices for industrial spaces, thanks to the increased demand.Source: National Association of Realtors13. When purchasing a commercial property, the average loan rate fluctuated between 5% and 7%, with a term of 10 years Thus, commercial property buyers can afford considerably shorter loan terms, as opposed to individuals who purchase residential homes.Source: National Association of RealtorsTechnology-Related Real Estate Stats14. In 2018, at least 44% of US-based home buyers used the internet to look up potential properties This illustrates that the real estate market is not lagging behind when it comes to digitalization; back in 1981, roughly 22% of US homebuyers relied on newspapers to look for available properties.Source: NAR15. Over 90% of US-based real estate businesses own a website where properties are listed, as reported by US housing statisticsIn general, property listings include details such as the size, structure, capacity, location, and price of the home. Pictures are also a must to ensure a successful purchase. Essentially, it's the same case throughout the world, as digital advertising provides a solid boost when it comes to the interest of a specific property.Source: NAR16. The digitalization of the real estate industry will bring around $12.89 billion to management software companies by 2025, as reported by housing market dataThis makes perfect sense as the number of properties being sold or rented is bound to increase over the next few years. In short, real estate management software can make renting, selling, and purchasing housing units a lot simpler (and faster).Source: Adroit17. 58% of Millennials and 46% of Gen Xers who recently purchased a home found one via a mobile device, recent real estate market data showsThis just goes on to show that mobile devices now play an important role in the process of searching, identifying, and selecting properties of interest. Real estate agencies and individual sellers should make sure that their listings are available online, on multiple platforms. Hence, it's no surprise that around 85% of residential companies use more than one listing software.Source: NARUS Housing Statistics18. An average of 650,000 housing units were sold every year, between 1963 and 2019The record for the highest number of homes sold in one year was back in 2005 when 1.3 million housing units were sold.Source: Trading Economics19. The US Census Bureau estimates that around 561,000 houses were sold in 2016, followed by 617,000 in 2018 according to housing dataReal estate sales numbers tend to vary from year to year. Predicting how well this market will perform is a difficult endeavor - hence why many real estate investors focus on low-risk and long-term investments, rather than high-risk or short-term ones.Source: US Census Bureau20. According to the US Census Bureau, non-Hispanic whites are topping the charts when it comes to homeownershipRecent housing sales data shows that 64.2% of non-Hispanic whites own a home in the US, followed by 56.9% of native Hawaiians and Asian Americans, 47.4% of Hispanics, and just 41.1% of African-Americans. Source: US Census Bureau21. Roughly 87.9% of housing units available on the market were occupied during the first quarter of 2019In fact, this is an exceptional occupancy rate, especially when considering housing sales prices. Thus, the rate indicates that real estate investments remain fairly safe. What's more, occupation rates may have further increased since Q1 2019, considering the upward trend.Source: US Census Bureau22. Between 1970 and 2017, the average size of the US-based house has increased by 73%This also led to an overall increase in housing prices, making it more difficult for US citizens to pay their mortgage. Similarly, this led to an increase in energy consumption.Source: US Census BureauHousing Price Trends23. In 2017, the average sale price for US-based homes was approximately $323,100, according to the US Census Bureau It's worth noting that US-based houses are costlier when compared to housing units in other parts of the world. Some estimates even suggest that the average US price is 3 times higher when compared to prices in Europe, for example. Of course, we are not referring to municipality-downtown housing units, which cost significantly higher, according to housing reports.Source: US Census Bureau24. Back in 2016, the average US home was sold for roughly $307,800These rising trends will affect many an American, particularly in the sphere of mortgages, which will become more difficult to pay off. Similarly, many people will have to settle for less in terms of house size, finishes, and available land. At the moment, current housing prices by state show that the average cost has risen above the $310,000 mark in most regions of the US.Source: US Census Bureau25. Overall, the selling price for apartments has increased by approximately 147% when compared to the first quarter of 2010Therefore, housing prices are not only increasing for full-sized homes, but rather for building-based apartments as well. This has also led to an increase in monthly rent figures, as revealed by housing market trends by zip code.Source: NAR26. Currently, the highest median rent average for one-bedroom apartments is reported in San Mateo, CaliforniaIn this city, renters can expect to pay $3,551 for one-bedroom apartments and $4,461 for two-bedroom apartments. Honorary mentions include Ladera Ranch, Pacifica, Coronado, San Ramon, and Fremont. State-wise, California and New York feature the highest rent prices out of all US states, according to median home prices by state.Source: Apartment List Rentonomics27. Speaking of rent, renters should expect to pay a monthly average of $959 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,190 for two-bedroom apartments This stat refers to the national median; therefore, it is not a mean average. Therefore, in bigger cities (especially those with densely populated areas and large commercial centers), the monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment can easily exceed $3,000 monthly, illustrating that real estate statistics by city can vary quite a lot actually.Source: Apartment List Rentonomics28. The fastest yearly rent growth has occurred in Phoenix and Las Vegas, with an increase of 5.1% in monthly rent pricesOther cities with rising rental prices include Austin, Dallas, Henderson, Mesa, and Colorado Springs. On the other hand, in regions with historically high costs of rent, the prices have fluctuated far less.Source: Apartment List Rentonomics29. In terms of home sales by month, in 2019, statistics indicate that the highest number of existing home sales was reported in February, August, and DecemberUp to 5.54 million units were sold during the month of December when the highest number of sales was recorded. Likewise, the lowest number of homes was sold in March and April.Source: Trading Economics 30. In 2016, reports indicate that fewer than 5,000 homes were sold for a price under the $125,000 mark Therefore, Americans can, in fact, pay around $125,000 for a house; yet, at this price tag, you will most likely be located in a less ideal location and may even have to dish out several repairs.Source: US Census BureauRealtor Statistics 31. More than 63% of realtors are women.Real estate agent facts show that the majority (63%) of realtors in the United States are women. After being shut out from all real-estate boards, female property agents started their own 'Women's Council of Realtors' in 1938. Today, this council has approximately 12,000 members. Source: National Association of Realtors Member Profile32. The average age of realtors in the United States is 54. The average age of a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) is 54. Moreover, the realtor demographics provided by the National Association of Realtors show that the typical American property agent is a 53-year-old white woman who attended college and owns a home.Source: National Association of Realtors 33. 45% of brokers report that "keeping up with technology" is their agents' biggest challenge.According to a National Association of Realtors study, it is found that 94% of realtors prefer communicating with their clients via emails and  90% prefer communicating via text messaging. Though realtors take advantage of available technology, it is still the biggest challenge faced by agents. Source: National Association of Realtors34. The average income of real estate agents who have been full-time in the real estate business for between 4 and 10 years is $63,595.The first year is the hardest in terms of revenue in the real estate profession. However, a McKissock study reveals that real estate income doubles after the first year. A breakdown below shows the average income of real-estate agents over 26 years:Under 1 year: $15,0001 to 3 years: $38,1414 to 10 years: $63,59511 to 25 years: $101,663Over 26 years: $108,849Source: McKissock35. Currently, it is estimated that around 93% of realtors prefer to communicate either via email or mobile phone Fewer and fewer realtors enjoy meeting potential customers in person; to no great surprise as such meetings can take up a considerable amount of time. Face-to-face meetings are mostly done when viewing potential properties and signing contracts. 92% of realtors on the current real estate market exclusively prefer text messages.Source: NAR36. Despite the rising popularity of instant messaging platforms, only 37% of realtors prefer using instant messaging apps to speak to their customers This is likely due to the fact that instant messaging apps generally entail that users respond quickly and accurately.Source: NAR37. Currently, market reports indicate that there are over 86,000 active and licensed real estate brokerage firms in the USThis housing market statistic tells us that, from an employment standpoint, real estate-related jobs are still available and in demand, whereas the pay is above-average - paid in the form of commissions offered to brokers. This statement is based on the fact that millions of properties are sold and rented yearly.Source: NAR38. As of July 2019, there were 1.38 million members in the National Association of RealtorsSimilarly, a total of 1,148 local associations were reported in January 2019. Most of these realtors are sales agents (68%), whereas 20% are brokers and 14% are associate brokers.Source: NARBottom LineThe real estate market continues to offer considerable investment opportunities for people throughout the world, as our real estate statistics reveal. In the US, the market shows no signs of slowing down (anytime soon), despite the growing rental and purchase prices affecting the life quality of thousands of Americans.Last but not least, we hope that we managed to paint a clearer picture of the market and its sheer size. Our belief is that most real estate investments are generally safe at this point in time. 

30+ Key Real Estate Statistics for 2021

Commercial Real Estate Trends

Report posted on PolicyAdvice.net homepage. Written by Smiljanic Stasha and last updated April 8, 2021. Billions of dollars are invested into real ...

State of the Restaurant Industry report measures... State of the Restaurant Industry report measures...

January 25, 2021

Report published by Restaurant.org on January 25, 2021The National Restaurant Association's 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry report ...

Restaurant Trends
32 Restaurant-Trends-Restaurant-Trends 0 506523 506523 Report published by Restaurant.org on January 25, 2021The National Restaurant Association's 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry report addresses the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry, documents the altered operational landscape, and captures consumer sentiment, influences and intentions for the coming months. It also explores several crucial areas in which the pandemic forced restaurateurs to pivot and adapt, quickly adopting contactless technology, shifting most service to off-premises and outdoor dining, and adjusting labor levels and menus. Based on data from responses to the Association's survey of 6,000 restaurant operators across all industry segments, and a survey of 1,000 adult consumers, the report delivers impact data on sales and traffic, operational trends, food and menu trends, and workforce trends along with consumer purchase preferences and intentions. The report offers a comprehensive and sobering look at the damage the pandemic caused the industry and millions of its employees nationwide. Several key findings: The restaurant industry ended 2020 with total sales that were $240 billion below the Association's pre-pandemic forecast for the year As of Dec. 1, 2020, more than 110,000 eating and drinking places were closed for business temporarily, or for good The eating and drinking place sector finished 2020 nearly 2.5 million jobs below its pre-coronavirus level. At the peak of initial closures, the Association estimates up to 8 million employees were laid off or furloughed The report offers extensive analysis on trends in several areas: Operations. Restaurants looked at a number of different ways to retain traffic and generate revenues. Operators focused on building off-premises business, especially in the fullservice segment, with roughly half of restaurateurs devoting more resources to expanding that side of their business since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in March.Adding curbside pick-up, inhouse and 3rd party delivery and if possible, drive-thru capacity, and upgrading takeout and delivery packaging were just a few of means they used to sustain business. Service styles also changed. In addition to the off-premises focus, a big portion of on-premises dining moved outdoors for as long as the weather permitted. Tech adoption accelerated. Contactless and mobile payment options became crucial. Across all 6 segments-quickservice, fast casual, casual, family, fine dining, and coffee and snack-some 40% of operators said they added tech solutions to their businesses. Food & Menu. With a slowdown in business, and on-premises dining restrictions, many operators reduced inventories, streamlining menus and developing menu items they could make well with smaller crews. Operators also began selling meal kits, bundled meals and even groceries-whatever customers needed and were willing to buy. Customers sought out comfort foods, including burgers, pizza, pasta and Mexican specialties. The report lists best-selling items by fullservice and limited service venues. Workforce. Before the pandemic, the restaurant and foodservice industry projected it would provide 15.6 million jobs in 2020, or 10% of all payroll jobs in the economy. But the impact of the coronavirus caused staffing levels to fall across all restaurant and foodservice segments, with restaurant employment below pre-pandemic levels in 47 states and D.C. The report emphasizes these three key findings: 62% of fine dining operators and 54% of both family dining and casual dining operators say staffing levels are more than 20% below normal. There are nearly 2 million fewer 16-to-34-year-olds in the labor force, the most prominent age group employed in the restaurant industry workforce. Restaurants got hit harder than any other industry during the pandemic, and still have the longest climb back to pre-coronavirus employment levels. Consumer sentiment and intentions. Despite the pandemic, pent-up demand for restaurants remains strong. Customers have become used to ordering takeout, but indicate they really crave in-restaurant dining experiences. Nearly 8 in 10 adult consumers said their favorite restaurant foods delivered flavor and taste sensations that couldn't be duplicated at home, and 6 in 10 said restaurants are an essential part of their lifestyles. "Our research shows a clear desire among consumers to enjoy more on-premises dining at restaurants than they have been able to get during the pandemic," says Hudson Riehle, the Association's senior vice president of Research. "We've also found that even as the vaccine becomes more available and more customers can return to restaurants, they'll continue to want the expanded off-premises options going forward. Both will continue to be key for industry growth."

State of the Restaurant Industry report measures virus' impact on business

Restaurant Trends

Report published by Restaurant.org on January 25, 2021The National Restaurant Association's 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry report addresses ...

Advice for the 'New Restaurateurs' of a... Advice for the 'New Restaurateurs' of a...

April 1, 2021 by Marlo Fogelman

Report authored by Marlo Fogelman. Published to QSR Magazine on April 1, 2021. Just as the dot-com bubble burst of the early 2000s ushered ...

Restaurant Trends
33 Restaurant-Trends-Restaurant-Trends jplist-topic-commercial jplist-topic-restaurant jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 jplist-topic-new jplist-topic-entrepreneur jplist-topic-dining jplist-topic-coronavirus jplist-topic-pandemic 0 506521 506521 Report authored by Marlo Fogelman. Published to QSR Magazine on April 1, 2021. Just as the dot-com bubble burst of the early 2000s ushered in more streamlined and consolidated technology companies (like Google and Amazon), the downturn of the restaurant industry at the hands of COVID-19 could look much the same. Though COVID-19 has impacted restaurants of all sizes, it is the small, locally owned, independent restaurants that have suffered most-already functioning on shoestring budgets with small teams and even smaller support networks, and without sizeable "rainy day" funds to keep them afloat. Unfortunately, it is those small, locally owned independents that bring unique character to a community or neighborhood. While some will weather this storm to come back stronger and more resilient than before, it is inevitable that many will give way to more corporate and financially stable restaurant groups. It's likely many of these new restaurant concepts will be financed and operated by entrepreneurs, flush with cash, from other industries and disciplines. Who will these "new restaurateurs" be? How can they retain the culture and character of independent restaurants? And, most importantly, will they truly understand how to build a sustainable restaurant brand that will be successful in a post-COVID world? With those questions in mind, we offer some advice for the "new restaurateur:" Understand the Guest One of the advantages of locally owned restaurants is their firsthand knowledge of their guest demographics, likes and dislikes, interests, and concerns. Not only are independent restaurant owners more likely to be connecting with guests in their dining room, but also standing alongside their guests at community events or even living in the same community. These ties allow for a deeper, more personal and organic relationship to be established. To achieve this same guest connection, new restaurateurs should look to their on-site teams. Developing a community outreach program, even prior to opening, will enable a restaurant to build a foundation of goodwill with future patrons. Once open, manager KPIs should integrate metrics that tie back to community engagement and guest relations. Creating ongoing partnerships with other local businesses and organizations can help entrench a restaurant into the local conversation, as well as give the restaurant team a more holistic understanding of its guests. Hire Local Talent Just as community involvement can help reinforce a new restaurant's brand recognition and connection to its guests, so too can employing talented hospitality professionals that are already ingrained in a city. Coronavirus upended the restaurant industry and thousands of talented hospitality workers are looking for steady jobs. By hiring local, a restaurant's impact is twofold: One, it helps to reinvigorate the local economy by bringing back jobs, and two, the restaurant staff will have an intimate understanding of the market and target customer. Additionally, many restaurant employees have developed their personal brands and local followers, which can be incredibly helpful to draw new guests, generate ideas, and create opportunities within a restaurant space. Focus Your Energy The pivoting we have seen across the industry throughout the pandemic has been, in one word, impressive. From selling groceries, to prepping cook at home meal kits, to cocktails to-go, the hospitality industry has stepped up to the challenges presented by responding with creativity and resourcefulness. But guests are looking for consistency in offerings. There are a lot of businesses vying for their attention, and it can be confusing to weed through the noise and have any clarity on what exactly a restaurant is offering and when. So, keep it simple. Whether it is carefully curating menu items, fine tuning hours of operation to optimize traffic/sales, or more heavily investing in fewer marketing efforts, now is the time to go deep, not wide. Restaurants need to be critical in evaluating "must haves" versus "nice to haves" and use the data and metrics to determine what should stay or go. Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help COVID's impact on restaurants has had a ripple effect through the innumerable suppliers, vendors, and contractors that service them. Knowledgeable, creative, and strategic restaurant-adjacent professionals abound in every city across the U.S. and are eager to be a part of the post-pandemic restaurant revival. New restaurateurs can tap into these resources and build up an external team of support staff with varied hospitality experience from before and during COVID, that can be invaluable in the post-COVID era. As restaurateurs look to establish a marketing strategy, one option to consider is an outsourced marketing solution. In this trying time for operations, growth, and planning, it's easy to quantify the benefits that come from hiring outside marketing experts with a broad skillset and lower overhead than creating and managing an in-house team. Similar to outsourcing IT, finance, or human resources, bringing in an external team of diverse experts under one roof who can cover the roles of CMO, internal team and agency partner(s) all in one, lessens both the cost and time required to recruit, manage and retain an internal team. There are many lessons to be learned from the pre-pandemic restaurant and hospitality model, and new restaurateurs will have the advantage of entering the industry at a time of rebuilding and reinvention. They can shape the trajectory of the industry and the communities where they reside. Heart, soul, perseverance, and ingenuity are the foundation upon which restaurants are built, and by engaging with the community, hiring local, focusing efforts, and bringing on talented support teams, the new wave of post-pandemic restaurants can continue to uplift and enhance that spirit.

Advice for the 'New Restaurateurs' of a Post-Pandemic World

Restaurant Trends

Report authored by Marlo Fogelman. Published to QSR Magazine on April 1, 2021. Just as the dot-com bubble burst of the early 2000s ushered in more ...

What The Future Of Restaurants Will Look Like... What The Future Of Restaurants Will Look Like...

April 12, 2021 by Garin Pirnia

HuffPost report posted on April 12, 2021 and written by Garin Pirnia.It's been a year since the coronavirus pandemic upended the U.S. ...

Restaurant Trends
34 Restaurant-Trends-Restaurant-Trends jplist-topic-restaurant jplist-topic-food jplist-topic-beverage jplist-topic-2021 jplist-topic-covid jplist-topic-coronavirus jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-adapt 0 506520 506520 HuffPost report posted on April 12, 2021 and written by Garin Pirnia.It's been a year since the coronavirus pandemic upended the U.S. restaurant industry, necessitating innovations in takeout, carry-out cocktails, expanding outdoor dining and contactless technology. Trends that weren't supposed to take hold for years have occurred at an accelerated rate. "Looking at 2020, obviously it was the worst year in history for the United States restaurant industry," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the research and knowledge group for the National Restaurant Association. "In all the industries in America, the restaurant industry was the most impacted in terms of employment and sales decline." Riehle said 2020 ended with an estimated $240 billion less sales than 2019 - a 19.2% decrease - and that 2 million restaurant workers remain out of work, even though the country is staring to reopen. HuffPost spoke with industry experts on what restaurants will look like after the pandemic. One thing everyone agreed upon: Recovery will take time. "It's going to be very hard to have a thriving independent restaurant business when you're basically trying to climb out of debt," said Edward Lee, chef, restaurateur and co-founder of the philanthropic The Lee Initiative. "I think it's going to be very challenging and no one ultimately knows what's going to happen. Will restaurants have the money to support the small, independent farms? Will small, independent restaurants be able to do all the cool things they used to do before, with the decorations and the meaningful menus? All that stuff costs money." "The restaurant crisis is still going to be with us for a while," Lee added, noting that it's currently challenging for restaurant owners to get money from both banks and private investors. Riehle said business should pick up as the vaccine rollout continues and it gets warmer around the country. "But it's still a huge abyss to overcome," he said. Sluggish Indoor Dining With vaccines in high gear - including inoculations of restaurant workers - and dining rooms reopening across the country, it should be safe to eat indoors again if you've been fully vaccinated. However, Lee said consumers are reluctant to do so. "There's been a lot of damage done to restaurants. Not just financially, but also from a public standpoint," he said. "There was a lot of restaurant-bashing that was being done during the pandemic, and a lot of people created this unfair narrative where restaurants were reopening simply out of profit, and that just wasn't the case." Lee kept most of his restaurants operating - and even opened the brand-new Cincinnati restaurant Khora in October - so his employees could keep their health insurance during the pandemic. "There's a romance to restaurants, and I am fighting so hard not to lose that."- EDWARD LEE, CHEF It may take some time, but industry experts say people will probably become increasingly comfortable returning to pre-pandemic dining situations. "There's a romance to restaurants, and I am fighting so hard not to lose that," Lee said. Caroline Styne, a co-owner of the Los Angeles-based Lucques Group who managed to keep A.O.C Wine Bar open with partner Suzanne Goin, agreed. "As people get vaccinated, they're feeling more and more comfortable about being out," said Styne, who is also on the advisory board of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, which worked with Congress to pass the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. "I know I am. Actually, I ate indoors at a restaurant last night, a very small restaurant. My family and I all looked at each other going, 'We're all vaccinated, so I guess it's OK.'" Styne is a fan of communal tables and hopes the seating option, along with general conviviality, returns to restaurants. "I think people will be inching closer and closer together," she said. "People want to sit at a bar and have a drink. I think that in general, human beings want to be near other human beings, really closely. I think the year is going to see a very slow moment of tables getting closer and closer. But I'm not sure if by the end of the year that we will be back to our original seating arrangements." Justin Hill, principal at Seattle-based architecture firm MG2, said his organization's research showed that 75% of people plan to continue using curbside pickup after the pandemic and that 31% were less willing to use communal seating. Off-Premises Options Are Here To Stay Riehle said off-premises sales - meaning takeout, curbside pickup and delivery - accounted for 60% of all restaurant traffic before the pandemic, but increased to 90% during the second quarter of last year. And he doesn't see takeout sales returning to pre-pandemic levels. For Elaine Townsend, co-owner of the newly opened Cincinnati-based Asian-inspired pastry and ramen shop Mochiko, said she lucked out and found a brick-and-mortar with a takeout window. "It was a very big selling point for us when we chose this spot," she said. "With how unpredictable things have been during the pandemic, the ability to provide both quick service and dine-in service, when it became an option again, was something we knew we needed to have." "Human beings want to be near other human beings, really closely. I think the year is going to see a very slow moment of tables getting closer and closer."- CAROLINE STYNE, CO-OWNER OF THE LOS ANGELES-BASED LUCQUES GROUP Another sector that has seen pandemic-era ubiquity is ghost kitchens, or delivery-only kitchens - which Riehle called "a long-term trend and not a fad," even though less than 5% of operators have added delivery from a virtual or ghost kitchen since the beginning of the pandemic Townsend explained the appeal of ghost kitchens: "It allows a chef or owner of a small business to be able to sell their food without the same costs involved in a full restaurant like designing and building out a space, as well as hiring a large front-of-house staff." The Return Of Automats Automats, which allow people to put a coin into a vending machine and purchased a pre-packaged meal, arrived in the U.S. in 1902. They practically went extinct 30 years ago, then experienced a brief revival in the aughts. "Automats originally disappeared because of shifts in culture and eating habits that [automats] didn't adapt to," said Joe Scutellaro, the principal owner of Automat Kitchen in Jersey City. "People were moving away from cities to suburbs. Fast food chains were popping up on every corner, and taste preferences were changing quickly. People were looking for healthier, fresh options." But between his establishment, New York's Brooklyn Dumpling Shop and Portland's Pix Pâtisserie, the pandemic-ready option is back. They work a little differently now, though. At Automat Kitchen, for example, customers can order global-inspired food online (it's all made fresh) and pick it up from a food locker inside the restaurant. Customers unlock the locker with their phone and only touch the food bag. (The restaurant also has indoor and outdoor dining options.) Will automats replace human employees? Probably not. "The future of food service and technology needs to be human-centric and focused on customer benefits," Scutellaro said. "It all falls apart without the passion, perspective and empathy that technology just can't deliver. And it also means that the digital, mobile and physical footprint of restaurants will need to become more blended and customized too." Smaller Staffs Styne said restaurant staffs will probably shrink, especially initially. "We've all gotten by with less," she said. "Everyone has had to dig in and change the way they work and maybe change the way they operate to accommodate lower staffing levels, and I'm sure some people will keep it that way. It's a shame because you don't want the jobs to be lost." She mentioned some people have also been reluctant to return to work out of fear, which affects staffing. "I think people have been stuck at home for a year and haven't been out and haven't changed their habits and are afraid," she said. "It's just going to take time for people to get used to the idea that, 'Oh, I can be around people again. That's right. I'm not going to die the minute I walk out the front door.'" A Focus On Fixing Inequalities "Although I'm tired of the phrase 'the new normal,' it is an accurate description of our next future-state," Hill said. "We can't unlearn or erase the emotional memory of what we've all just experienced." "What the pandemic did was give everyone time to reflect. I do hope that the other side of this is a restaurant industry that's kinder, more activist, more worker-friendly, more sympathetic, and more about truly a community."- LEE Both Lee and Styne would like to use the lessons of past year to correct the wrongs of the industry. "My fear is that humans have very short memories," Styne said, noting that the past year has made people pay attention to important issues such as Black Lives Matter, anti-Asian violence, mistreatment of women and other forms of inequality. "If we can keep shining a light on these things that have come out in the pandemic, then that would be a godsend, because we need to be a more tolerant, understanding and a tighter community than we are," she said. "What the pandemic did was give everyone time to reflect," Lee said. "You don't fix the system overnight. It's not going to happen with a snap of a finger. I do hope that the other side of this is a restaurant industry that's kinder, more activist, more worker-friendly, more sympathetic, and more about truly a community. At the end of the day, it's made up of good people. We hear change. We want change. We see it. It's just how to get to that finish line. It's going to be challenging, but the restaurant industry is always met with challenges. We'll meet this one, too."

What The Future Of Restaurants Will Look Like Post-Pandemic

Restaurant Trends

HuffPost report posted on April 12, 2021 and written by Garin Pirnia.It's been a year since the coronavirus pandemic upended the U.S. restaurant ...

6 restaurant trends that will shape 2021 6 restaurant trends that will shape 2021

Review from January 4, 2021 - Restaurant Dive

Article written by Restaurant Dive staff members, Emma Liem Beckett and Julie Littman. Published on January 4, 2021.Though 2020 has been a ...

Restaurant Trends
35 Restaurant-Trends-Restaurant-Trends jplist-topic-restaurant jplist-topic-food jplist-topic-beverage jplist-topic-take-out jplist-topic-diners jplist-topic-cafe jplist-topic-delivery jplist-topic-carry-out 0 504145 504145 Article written by Restaurant Dive staff members, Emma Liem Beckett and Julie Littman. Published on January 4, 2021.Though 2020 has been a year of incredible disruption and instability, the trends that dominated the restaurant space were already in motion long before the pandemic struck. With no end in sight for widespread dining room restrictions or consumer wariness of traditional restaurant experiences, analysts expect these trends to further crystallize in 2021. Unsurprisingly, all of these movements are rooted in digital technology, reflecting diner demand for contactless and mobile-enabled restaurant engagement. "Digital technology is really what's going to drive value creation going forward," Lauren Silberman, senior analyst at Credit Suisse, said. "It's really the combination of consumer-facing technology with ... curbside, drive-thru, delivery, and also plays into the real estate and labor piece as well, because it's all interrelated. What you're seeing is this permeation of a holistic digital infrastructure."That value creation is crucial as the pandemic wanes on, especially for restaurants without deep pockets. "COVID is a liquidity event, in a sense," Bill Fahy, senior analyst at Moody's, said. "There's not a competitive response to what's happening. If you're a small business, you only have six weeks of liquidity. We're going to see a lot of them go bankrupt."Analysts predict some of these trends could help restaurants grow sales even in a tumultuous market environment. Curbside will become a powerful digital tool for restaurants without drive-thrus. Restaurants are increasingly interested in white label deals with third-party aggregators as a way to retain customer data while some are eyeing smaller locations and ghost kitchens to cater to off-premise demand. Even with these opportunities, restaurants will continue to juggle labor costs and rising minimum wage, which will only become more of a challenge. Learn more about the six trends predicted to define the restaurant world in 2021:Diners will seek out digitally integrated curbside channels as a faster, cheaper alternative to deliveryCurbside has proliferated because it is a relatively low-cost way for restaurants without drive-thrus to launch their own off-premise channel. It also offers a key benefit to diners and restaurants: unlike third-party delivery, it provides convenience at no extra cost per order. Curbside is a powerful option for restaurants that don't have drive-thrus, Silberman said. This is part of the reason fast casuals had higher digital mixes even going into the pandemic, she said. Generally, consumers are willing to pay $4 in delivery fees, Jean Chick, principal and U.S. restaurant & food service leader at Deloitte, said. Diners are also more interested in curbside pickup if the restaurant is within a 10-mile radius of the home because it could potentially be faster than having their food delivered, she said. The category is still much smaller than drive-thru, and analysts agree that it is unlikely to ever drive the same volumes as that channel - and especially not in 2021, because diners haven't fully acclimated to the experience yet. Customers are more familiar with queuing up in a drive-thru and ordering on the spot, Andrew Charles, a director at Cowen focused on the restaurant segment, said. Some diners may even see designated curbside parking spots, assume they are 15-minute parking spots and then order takeout inside the restaurant, he said. But as curbside becomes more widely adopted, there will be opportunity to make it a solid percentage of sales. For example, Target makes about 4% to 5% of its sales from curbside. The channel also comes with the added benefit of being a digital transaction, which tends to be 20% to 25% higher than an in-store purchase, Charles said. "You're going to have a much bigger focus on takeaway," Fahy said. But because COVID-19 has also accelerated consumer adoption of mobile apps and technology for reservations, menus, payments and tipping, diners will expect curbside to be digitally integrated as well. "We're seeing a huge investment in digital on the restaurant side for 2021 to enhance that customer experience, because if that is the only experience that they get, they want it to be a positive one because they can't control the third-party deliveries," Chick said. "If it's a curbside pickup, it's a very quick interaction [for] customer experience and so they want the digital experience to be far and above the best experience that customers have so they'll have a repeat customer."Chains will more easily adopt the curbside channel as a result of the technology investment required to make the channel as efficient and polished as possible, Charles said. Legacy brands like Dunkin' and Starbucks offer sophisticated technology that allows customers to click on their mobile device to alert the restaurant that they have arrived. Panera, for example, adopted geofencing technology during the early days of the pandemic. Chains can integrate curbside pickup with their loyalty programs as well, he said. Independent restaurants will likely have customers call to have their orders brought out to them since they may not have the budgets for similarly robust technology, Charles said. Curbside could also prove to be disruptive when it comes to competition between fast casual and QSR chains, though analysts are split on how much of a threat a fast casual with a digitally enabled curbside offering could pose to a restaurant with a drive-thru. Chick believes that curbside capabilities can "absolutely" help fast casuals challenge fast food rivals if the customer experience is digitized, whether through QR codes for menus or contactless payments, to compete with QSR convenience. "Customers want convenience, they want an enhanced digital experience, they want contactless payments," Chick said.But Silberman is skeptical because these segments attract different consumer types. And QSR investment in new double-drive thrus, personalization at the digital menu screen and other efficiencies will keep the channel a step ahead of curbside growth, Chick said. "QSRs have focused on getting their drive-thru times down. ... If that happens, your curbside pickup is not going to be growing at the same rate that it has in 2020 because if you're going to drive to the restaurant anyway, you might as well just go through the drive-thru," Chick said. Despite high unemployment, labor costs will rise amid wage hikes and changing labor poolsLabor and rising minimum wage costs will be a challenge for restaurants in 2021. Before the pandemic, labor inflation was 3% to 5% per year, Fahy said. Florida recently approved a $15 minimum wage, and Chick thinks the restaurant industry will be looking to see how Florida restaurants react and how they manage those new labor costs. In late 2020, Starbucks committed to providing at least $15 an hour within three years, further illustrating the momentum to increase wages. But a $15 minimum wage wouldn't necessarily work in all states, especially ones like Alabama where the cost of living is much lower than places like New York and California, where wages have been going up, Fahy said. A lot of QSRs are still struggling to staff their restaurants as well, Chick said. Historically, restaurants would draw from a labor pool made up of high school and college students, and that has dried up over the years. So restaurants are struggling to adapt to that labor drought and this will be even more challenging if a $15 minimum wage comes to other states. Restaurants are also having to pay more for personal protective equipment, health insurance and wages that would retain good employees, Fahy said. Chains will shift their focus from urban markets to suburbs and seek smaller footprintsWith over 110,000 restaurants closed, real estate site selection and leases will experience changes in 2021. The restaurant industry will also continue to see new prototype expansion as restaurants try to optimize their portfolios after closing underperforming locations during the pandemic, Silberman said. Taco Bell, McDonald's, Arby's, Del Taco and Burger King have all said they are looking into restaurants with smaller dining rooms and larger drive-thrus. Pre-pandemic, rent was 95% fixed with a 5% variable cost, but landlords are more willing to increase the variable percentage based on revenue, which has been limited with dining room closures, Fahy said. Landlords have also been favorable to deferrals, but not necessarily abatements. This means rent that might not have been paid from April to June is just tacked onto the end of a lease with the addition of three months, for example, or spread the costs over time, Fahy said. Some landlords may be incentivized to keep current tenants instead of trying to fill an empty space during a down economy, Fahy said. But experience overall will depend on how many properties a landlord owns. Landlords are less likely to be accommodating if they own one or two properties and this is their only source of income, Fahy said. At the same time, restaurants that are looking into new locations are shifting their appetites. Chick believes there will be a decrease in demand for restaurant real estate overall, especially in urban areas around offices. Chick predicts those workplaces won't ever return to 100% capacity after the pandemic, and hybrid work models that offer virtual work will hurt foot traffic. "We're seeing almost all of our restaurant clients look at different real estate footprints for any new location ... and whether they'll have any dine-in or whether it will be only takeout and delivery or it will be a very small, limited dine-in experience," Chick said. "We're seeing that cross QSR and fast casual, not as much in fine dining because fine dining is a [premium] experience."While many chains and restaurants have generally slowed down building new sites, access to Class-A sites will likely get easier, especially for bigger brands, Fahy said, because restaurants in prime locations are going out of business. Many casual chains are looking for better sites, many of which weren't available until now. Brands are now focusing on suburbs and lifestyle centers, Fahy said. Third-party partnerships are here to stay, but white label deals will rise amid fight for diner dataPrior to the pandemic, delivery only made up around 8% of sales for the industry, so there is plenty of opportunity to grow this channel on the other side of COVID-19, Charles said. "We're going to enter 2021 with dire restrictions," Charles said. "So delivery is going to be a critical component in a quarantining world."Free delivery promotions will likely continue to be a tool to market these offerings, especially since sales tend to be higher even after the promotion ends as awareness grows and people stick to the behavior of ordering delivery, Charles said. "The question that ultimately comes into what we're looking at in 2021 and 2022 is about the stickiness of the consumer because you are seeing delivery menu prices inflate," Silberman said. In many places, delivery and service fees are increasing, brought on by restaurants and third-party companies, Silberman said. But for QSRs and many public restaurants that appeal to customers' desire for value, delivery can undermine that offering because of the extra fees, Silberman said.The number of restaurants that have traditionally done their own delivery, with some like Jimmy John's vowing to never team with a third-party platform, now partnering with aggregators also reflects the growing power of this segment, Silberman said. Self-delivery is expensive and operationally taxing, and it makes sense for a restaurant to outsource that part of their business, she said. But restaurants will still want to keep control of the brand experience and of consumer data, so she predicts that 2021 will see an increase in white label partnerships where customers journey through the restaurant's website to access delivery. Using that data can provide restaurants the means to better incentivize customers to keep coming back, which has been a challenge for many restaurants since they don't necessarily have the infrastructure in place to do that, Silberman said.  "How will these restaurant companies get a delivery transaction and try to ultimately convert that to a more creative pickup transaction or otherwise? Maybe that's not 2021, maybe that's 2022, but I certainly think that that's going to be an important part of the story and to do that they really need to integrate delivery in their apps in order to get the customer information," Silberman said.White label relationships offer the best of both worlds, Silberman said, allowing restaurants to retain customer data while outsourcing delivery. Shake Shack began testing app-based delivery late in 2020 at three locations in the Miami area. "So that's the first step and then the second step of that is, okay we now have a digital customer, how do we then decide where that customer actually ... makes the transaction," Silberman said.Virtual brands will benefit chains that have the bandwidth to balance brandsBased on the success companies like Brinker International - which expects It's Just Wings to generate $150 million in annual sales - have seen from their virtual brand concepts, Silberman predicts that major chains will continue to experiment with online-only offerings. While there will be more virtual brands popping up over the next year, the biggest challenge for restaurants will be making both a virtual brand and a regular restaurant co-exist, Charles said. This will be especially true five years from now, when the market recovers to pre-COVID-19 volumes, Charles said. Restaurants are already reaping the benefits of increased sales from adding virtual brands, so they won't likely want to remove that channel when dining rooms go back to full capacity, he said. But restaurants will have to balance maintaining a high level of customer service expected from dine-in guests with their virtual brand, Charles said. That could mean that restaurants will have to increase labor in the back of the kitchen when dine-in business picks back up. "If you're juggling balls, you can juggle two balls pretty easily," Charles said. "By the time you get to four and five balls, you're going to need another hand to help you do that."Ghost kitchens will benefit brands that are mature enough to have robust delivery channelsGhost kitchens have become an increasingly popular model for chains to expand their footprints and offer new menus without investing in more brick-and-mortar real estate.  These concepts also require less labor than a traditional restaurant, often requiring only two to three employees, Charles said. Benefits like this will continue to drive restaurants big and small to the channel in 2021 as operators look to grow their digital sales and reach new customers online, and the trend will likely take hold in cities. "The explosion of ghost kitchens in more urban areas [is] going to happen first and then potentially spread out to the lower-cost real estate areas that are more suburban and more rural," Chick said. "Ghost kitchens really kind of generated their first concepts in the San Francisco area because the real estate cost is so high."There is some concern over how consumers will react to a spike in restaurant brands that only exist online or via third-party delivery marketplaces, Chick said. "The business model is there, it's just a question of whether or not the consumer will accept it. ... For a new brand ... something that's not as well-established that just opened a ghost kitchen and has not created a digital presence or [digital customer base] and is trying to do that in a ghost kitchen, I think it will be harder," she said. Restaurants that already have robust delivery sales and a strong digital presence will perform well at ghost kitchen outposts, Silberman said, but it would be a challenging environment for an independent or a chain that isn't digitally savvy to put down roots and grow. It's unlikely that ghost kitchens will "take over the entire restaurant industry in 2021," Chick said, but she expects to see strong growth in the market based on 2020 investment in the space and diner demand for delivery and digital accessibility.

6 restaurant trends that will shape 2021

Restaurant Trends

Article written by Restaurant Dive staff members, Emma Liem Beckett and Julie Littman. Published on January 4, 2021.Though 2020 has been a year of ...

Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will... Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will...

Article posted in The-Future-of-Commerce.com on December 16, 2021

From the article: Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how we shop Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how ...

Retail Trends
36 Retail-Trends-Retail-Trends jplist-topic-retail 0 503871 503871 From the article: Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how we shop Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how we shop The idea of customer purchases being limited to brick-and-mortar stores faded long ago. Digital technologies, such as the Internet and mobile devices, and evolving shopping channels have made it difficult to distinguish what is and is not a "store." While the role of the traditional store is evolving, it is likely that brick-and-mortar will remain a significant channel of retail commerce in the future. The customers' desire to shop anytime anywhere is not only impacting retail adoption of various technologies, but also forcing retailers to adopt new store formats. Stores afford customers sensory advantages, the ability to try out products, and immediate gratification. Stores also can provide an enriching entertainment and social experience. Finally, retail associates can provide meaningful personalized service. On the other hand, pure digital shopping channels are viewed as providing immediate access to more information than may be found inside a store. We envision that, in the future, a specific retailer may adopt various formats, while ensuring a level of brand cohesiveness across these formats. Future Retail Formats Some stores will serve purely as drive-through pick-up locations, as some shoppers will move away from large stock-up shopping trips to more targeted, time-efficient, needs-based trips. Other stores will serve as product showrooms that enable the customer to interact with or try out products, as well as interact with sales associates and other customers (both physically and remotely). Some stores will serve as immersive experiential centers, as technology will enable shoppers to control their shopping experience. These stores will be venues for collaboration and experiences that cannot be provided online. Brand stores will be created that focus more on promoting the brand than on selling merchandise. The purpose of these stores will be to communicate the brand's values, social and community involvement, to convey customer stories, as well as to provide product/service information and ordering. Stores that offer community services as well as retail will provide services that local communities can no longer afford, and locate stores within or near those spaces. For example, a retailer that also integrates digital technology and physical merchandise into the space may operate the local library. Small, specialty stores will continue to fill certain niches, as well as evolve. For example, the corner butcher will continue to serve a vital function for customers desiring a high level of service and unique products not available at a chain supermarket. Finally, not all of today's store formats will go the way of the dinosaur, as certain customer segments will prefer to shop at more traditional stores. Yet these store formats will continue to advance, incorporating newer technologies or appealing to specific customer segments. Within these various formats, emerging technologies that customers will interface with also will continue to mature, including: advanced mobile device use with store and product interface; Big Data applications; mobile and integrated POS; cashless payment (mobile wallet); digital assistants; etc. Customer Interface Technology Perhaps the most pervasive advances envisioned are related to an in-depth understanding of individual customers and their product/service desires. Customer insights, collaboration, and choice will be major trends. While each retail vertical and format will evolve differently, the following are some general abstractions regarding how retailers will interface with their customers: Customer access to information will be unlimited.Big Data will provide retailers with unlimited amounts of information about customers.Certain classes of merchandise will become less standardized and more customized to fit a specific customer's desires.The concept of pricing will change as retailers respond to supply and demand factors as well as customer-desired customization.Products themselves will directly communicate with the customer, as merchandise on the shelf will be more interactive with the shopper.The Internet of Things will lead retailers to connect the dots and use this information for the benefit of the customer.Technologies that allow specific customers to be identified will be adopted and used actively. Read more about this topic in the Platt Retail Institute Research Article, "The Future of Retail: A Perspective on Emerging Technology and Store Formats." Margot Myers is Director, Global Marketing and Communications, at Platt Retail Institute, an international consulting and research firm that focuses on the use of technology to impact the customer experience. She manages strategic marketing and communications programs and serves as the managing editor for PRI's publications and website.

Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how we shop

Retail Trends

From the article: Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how we shop Future stores: Emerging tech and trends will change how we shop The ...

14 examples of digital technology in retail stores 14 examples of digital technology in retail stores

Article posted in Econsultancy.com on March 4, 2021

From the article: 14 examples of digital technology in retail stores 14 examples of digital technology in retail stores After the shock of ...

Retail Trends
37 Retail-Trends-Retail-Trends jplist-topic-retail 0 503859 503859

14 examples of digital technology in retail stores

Retail Trends

From the article: 14 examples of digital technology in retail stores 14 examples of digital technology in retail stores After the shock of the ...

Retail technology: The path forward Retail technology: The path forward

Article posted in Retailcustomerexperience.com on February 15 , 2021

From the article: Retail technology: The path forward Retail technology: The path forward Andre Hordagoda, co founder of Go Instore, shares ...

Retail Trends
38 Retail-Trends-Retail-Trends jplist-topic-retail 0 503850 503850

Retail technology: The path forward

Retail Trends

From the article: Retail technology: The path forward Retail technology: The path forward Andre Hordagoda, co founder of Go Instore, shares insight ...

Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail

Article posted in Mytotalretail.com on March 8, 2021

From the article: Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail Credit: LightspeedWhile we've ...

Retail Trends
39 Retail-Trends-Retail-Trends jplist-topic-retail 0 503824 503824

Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail

Retail Trends

From the article: Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail Credit: LightspeedWhile we've entered a new ...

7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021 7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021

Article posted in Risnews.com on March 8, 2021

From the article: 7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021 7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021Justin HonamanJustin Honaman is a ...

Retail Trends
40 Retail-Trends-Retail-Trends jplist-topic-retail 0 503818 503818 From the article: 7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021  7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021Justin HonamanJustin Honaman is a member of the RIS/CGT executive council.At the start of 2020, as I put pen to paper for my 7th annual "Retail Trends to Watch," I wrote:"...the overall consumer 'vibe' is positive - in fact, very positive. The consumer feels good. The consumer is eating out. Shopping. Traveling. Investing. Smiling. Spending. Unemployment is low. Inflation is low. Trade agreements with China (and others) seem to be heading in a positive direction. The stock market is up (way up). There are many jobs - new and different kinds of jobs - in the market. Exciting, and yet makes me wary given the last time it all felt 'this good.'"Then, we were all asked to "work from home for two weeks."And, of course, the rest of 2020 played out amidst a global pandemic. "Vision 2020" will be unforgettable for reasons no one ever expected.The coronavirus outbreak caused most retailers to temporarily shutter, keeping shoppers away, and forcing retailers to negotiate with landlords and suppliers to tackle unplanned inventory and liquidity issues. On top of that, the forces that pushed dozens of retailers into bankruptcy over the last several years remained present. We all have seen the shutdown and reopen charts and trends so no need to rehash. And, while many said they "couldn't wait to say goodbye to 2020," there are some that had a good, and even a great, year.Looking ahead, we'll call this Vision 2021. For those that survive and thrive, technology will be at the heart of all parts of the business. Not that technology wasn't a priority in the past, but with the tensions fueled in 2020, technology investments will be a must for every retailer that didn't already accelerate investments during the pandemic - from supply chain, e-commerce and store operations, to merchandising, marketing and shopper engagement.  Last year, I defined two types of priorities, timely and timeless. Timely includes today's priorities given reopening priorities, shifts in consumer preferences, technology available now, and technology efforts that "must" be accelerated to give the business a chance to grow. Timeless are new ways of working that, once implemented, become part of the ongoing fabric of running the operation: new solutions that modernize how we do business and enable long-term value creation, new multi-year organizational staffing models, mergers and acquisitions.With this mental model in mind, let's review the retail tech trends to watch in 2021.SUPPLY CHAIN & FULFILLMENTRE-THINKTimeless. Seventy-one percent of retailers name "lack of real-time inventory visibility" as a top supply chain obstacle that reduces efficiency and productivity. For a retailer to be truly effective and successful, they must have a clear and accurate understanding of inventory. What product do they have on hand and where is it located in the supply chain (warehouse, retail outlets, in-transit, manufacturer)? And, most importantly, is this information accurately reflected in the inventory management system?The shutdown and re-openings of 2020 exacerbated already faulty supply chain systems and processes for many retailers. Some turned stores into micro-fulfillment centers for e-commerce orders, leaving the shelves bare. Many stores had limited to zero visibility to available SKUs and locations during reopening. Overseas manufacturers shut down and reopened while the seasons changed, leaving gaps in inventory. In addition, inventory for Winter went unsold during lockdown, allowing no time for clearance. With Spring and Summer fast approaching, many retailers were impacted by supply chain issues with limited available inventory during reopening. To top it off, many retailers traditionally place holiday orders during this same period of time. Inaccurate inventory counts led to consumer frustration after orders were accepted, not filled, and ultimately refunded or canceled. When a retailer doesn't have a product, has the wrong product, or even worse, doesn't know if they have a product, they can't sell it - and their shopper will go elsewhere to find it.Another area that accelerated in 2020 and will continue in 2021 is the delivery experience, including the expectation of free shipping, same-day delivery, and hassle-free returns. Consumers are increasingly looking for fast and free delivery - and, increasingly, that means same day. And, they don't want to deal with issues when not having a receipt, disputes over shipping costs, or the retailer having to "mail" a store credit vs email or stored value card in store. While same-day delivery is far from a new concept, expect retailers to find ways to make it work via fulfillment technology and new route to market options.Bottom Line: Retailers will invest in the back and front office as related to supply chain, inventory management, distribution, track/trace, and delivery/fulfillment.SOCIAL COMMERCETimely. Facebook and Instagram accelerated the deployment of social media platform shop capabilities in 2020 as shopping shifted more significantly online. Shops are custom storefronts for businesses on Instagram and Facebook and allow social media users to easily buy products they see in social ads. Retailers and brands can build virtual shelves of products, run sales, and link ads on both platforms to their e-commerce site. With shops, Facebook is catering more directly to brands, and brands are shifting marketing spend away from traditional outlets such as TV, radio, and billboard to meet their shoppers where they are spending a significant amount of time each day.This is similar to brands selling their products on other e-commerce platforms and marketplaces. Facebook and Instagram are creating a closed loop environment for the retail brand (or agency), enabling shopper insights, customized ad campaign elements, and targeted product placement in end-user feeds. Facebook and Instagram users can customize what content they see, and retailers can target their content to shoppers that have previously converted.The business operations challenge that retailers face is how to integrate this data with their store and e-commerce data, as well as data from other third-party platforms. This is a back-office data challenge to be addressed in 2021! More on this below.BOTTOM LINE:  Social shops (and ad platforms) are an opportunity to engage with shoppers, build relationships, and drive sales.DATA & ANALYTICSTimeless. Data and analytics are still hot and more important than ever, not only in the supply chain and demand forecasting space, but also in using customer insights to predict behavior. A good friend of mine leads retail analytics for one of the top global luxury retailers with locations in most major metropolitan cities around the world. As she shared with me last week, "Our executives are eager to know volume, store performance, and shopper trends in locations that are open. I am having to pull together data from multiple back-end operational systems because our North America data is separate from multiple other global back-end operational systems. And we are still largely on-premise vs. cloud. I then have to use BI tools to do light analytics and drop data into Excel and Access to run analytics, etc." This is a retailer that is doing well financially, but has not yet invested in back-office analytics modernization. My friend's scenario may sound familiar, as not every retailer has invested in analytics platforms and integrated data capabilities or has chosen to make it a priority. But analytics is becoming part of the fabric of the retail organization and this skill set will be part of every team - not its own disparate team in IT. For retailers with scale, a centralized data analytics team could be useful in fueling traditional BI, AI/ML, automation, and advanced analytics methods in the business.What about IoT in stores or warehouses? Or even in-transit? Many IoT solutions rely on centralized, platform-based solutions to collect, store, and analyze sensor data from devices. Platform solutions built in the cloud require reliable, low-latency, high-bandwidth network connectivity and this is a challenge for businesses with assets in geographic locations that lack strong, reliable network connectivity. This is a bigger challenge when large data volumes must also be shared across the network. For edge analytics, a central cloud-based platform is critical to manage and develop the analytics applications and models based on populations of devices, which when deployed at the edge, are customized for the specific instance and scenario. Edge analytics allows for the ability to run a variety of machine learning, predictive and prescriptive models that require a more powerful compute environment. Many retailers are working through modernization efforts - migrating workloads to the cloud - and as such, edge analytics is a near-term real opportunity.Bottom Line: Expect analytics platforms, tool, and people upgrades as retailers look to play catch-up in more effectively using data that they have been only collecting and storing. Expect workloads to shift more quickly to the cloud vs. on-premises.CUSTOMER 360Timely. Having a full picture of the customer, or creating a shopper "golden record," enables retailers to more effectively market relevant products and services, personalize communications and rewards, and offer customized deals and benefits to build loyalty. While this has been a hot topic for a number of years, the challenge in bringing it to life is tracking a shopper throughout the entire customer journey - when they are navigating -ecommerce sites, shopping your site, walking your store, chatting with your virtual agent, etc.What has changed and evolved are the varying types of consumer/shopper data available to retailers to consume, harmonize, and use. No longer is it just syndicated data houses offering consumer insights, but now major ecommerce and social platforms are serving up shopper data that retailers can use to plan campaigns and ad spend, drive new customer growth, and plan for conversion across channels.I'm still surprised that, despite shopping at several retailers regularly, being part of their loyalty programs, shopping online and in store for several years, and registering for their credit card, many retailers do not market personally, intentionally, and directly to me. I receive the standard "twice-yearly sale" offers and "always on sale coupon codes" and I am never recognized, rewarded, or recognized in store. Even further, consider the grocery and drug category, where several of the major players have loyalty cards with troves of shopper data, presenting a huge opportunity to personalize the customer experience and improve the relationship.Bottom Line: While the phrase "customer 360" has been in the market for years, new definitions and ways of building a customer profile are evolving as data sources and cloud-based integrated data platforms evolve. Expect retailers to continue to test and learn.STORES FOR THE DIGITAL NATIVESTimely. Take a quick drive and check out your local legacy, monolithic mall or even the new outdoor walking entertainment communities (live, work, play) and you'll notice the many empty storefronts. In the near-term, this is an opportunity for digitally native, direct-to-consumer retailers like Warby Parker, Bombas, Glossier, and Bonobos to take advantage of lower rents and engage in store with their traditionally digital shoppers. Going into the pandemic, real estate experts predicted 1,000-plus stores would be opened by digitally native brands in twelve months.In 2021, look for retailers to take advantage of lower rents to engage in store with their traditionally digital shoppers.Bottom Line:  Digitally native brands have a unique opportunity to test physical stores in 2021 with plentiful and prime commercial real estate options available globally.CORE MODERNIZATION AND SECURITYTimeless. As retail organizations shift workloads from on-premises to the cloud, security of data, applications, and other elements managed by the retailer will continue to be a priority and in focus. The rapid expansion of emerging technologies that enable new capabilities and provide on-demand services adds to the security risks that threaten retailers' businesses. Rapid business expansion can mean retail organizations struggle to identify who has responsibility for an individual process when it is threatened.As attack surfaces continue to widen across systems, devices, people, partners and infrastructure, it's evident that embracing technology as a key driver of growth can amplify opportunities for complex cyber-attacks. As the industry has seen over the last two-three years, retail business and security leaders are increasingly focused on interlocking security strategy and cyber defense capabilities to strengthen business resilience and brand trust that are essential in today's retail environment. Retailers must establish comprehensive threat protection that takes into account customers, employees, contractors, partners, applications and systems. Think beyond the perimeter firewall to secure cloud, mobile, and IoT operations and data wherever it resides. And, keep in mind that while the cloud providers secure the cloud, it is up to the retailer to secure data and applications in the cloud.Bottom Line:  To enable all of the above and more, modernizing the core, pursuing a journey to cloud, and deploying resilient security protocols will be a priority in 2021.CLOSET RESUPPLYTimely. With reopening comes the return to the office. Return to meetings. Return to the airport and travel. Return to conferences. Return to new ways of working together in new venues. Return to gatherings. Return to parties and social events. The list goes on. While we may not need a closet full of new clothes, this presents an opportunity for retailers looking to ensure their shoppers "look great" in returning to work and play. Most of us haven't worn our business and play attire in nearly a year and will be excited to shop for a new wardrobe and work essentials. Watch for retailers to jump into this unique, timely marketing and sales opportunity as the COVID-19 trend lines improve.Bottom Line:  Shoppers will be eager to renew and restock as the economy opens up - especially when retailers "visioncast" (aka train) shoppers that it's time to reopen the wardrobe for business and get out of the yoga pants and golf shirts.BUZZWORD BINGO FOR 2021Each year, I highlight the "hot" buzzwords across the technology and consulting-vendor-partner-sphere. This year's highlights are: digital transformation, digital core, modernization, AI and Machine Learning, cloud migration, chatbots, Intelligent Automation/RPA, microservices, customer 360, control tower, agile, store of the future, and scaling.And, for the work-from-home crowd, I bring you these buzzwords and phrases that made their way into Buzzword Bingo in 2020/2021: "Can you see my screen?" "My Wi-Fi is not working ... weak signal b/c my spouse is working and my kids are doing online school," "Every week is four Mondays and a Friday," "I think you are on mute," "Sorry, I was on mute," "Sorry, my dogs are barking," "Let's give everyone a few minutes to join," "Your screen froze," and of course, "Smile everyone so I can grab a screen shot for social media!"Bingo.

7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021

Retail Trends

From the article: 7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021 7 Retail Technology Trends to Watch in 2021Justin HonamanJustin Honaman is a member of ...

15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching with... 15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching with...

Article from campustechnology.com published on April 5, 2021

15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching with Technology in the Pandemic From the article published in: 15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made ...

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15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching with Technology in the Pandemic

School and College Trends

15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching with Technology in the Pandemic From the article published in: 15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching ...

Hybrid Helpers: School Districts Successfully... Hybrid Helpers: School Districts Successfully...

Article from edtechmagazine.com published on March 24, 2021

From the article published in: Hybrid Helpers: School Districts Successfully Navigate the New Normal Hybrid Helpers: School Districts ...

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Hybrid Helpers: School Districts Successfully Navigate the New Normal

School and College Trends

From the article published in: Hybrid Helpers: School Districts Successfully Navigate the New Normal Hybrid Helpers: School Districts Successfully ...

4 Ways Institutions Can Meet Students'... 4 Ways Institutions Can Meet Students'...

Article from campustechology.com published on April 5, 2021

From the article published in : 4 Ways Institutions Can Meet Students' Connectivity and Technology Needs 4 Ways Institutions Can Meet ...

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4 Ways Institutions Can Meet Students' Connectivity and Technology Needs

School and College Trends

From the article published in : 4 Ways Institutions Can Meet Students' Connectivity and Technology Needs 4 Ways Institutions Can Meet Students' ...

Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12

Article from edtechmagazine.com published on February 17, 2021

From the article published in: Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Infrastructure as a ...

School and College Trends
44 School-and-College-Trends-School-and-College-Trends jplist-topic-School-and-College 0 503793 503793 From the article published in: Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Infrastructure as a Service is a cost-efficient and secure solution for districts managing hybrid learning. Even if every school around the nation reopened classroom doors tomorrow, remote learning - in some form or fashion - seems likely to remain a permanent fixture in education. Knowing this, school systems increasingly recognize a need for cloud infrastructure that can support the evolving demand for distance education technology. Choosing the right solution, however, may seem intimidating and, in some cases, cost-prohibitive, especially for school districts that aren't yet ready to invest in a full overhaul of their network environment. This is where the benefits of Infrastructure as a Service come into play. IaaS uses a cost-efficient, pay-as-you-go model. Schools can access their data wherever there's an internet connection, eliminating the need for complex hardware or a full data center. Customers benefit from a cloud-based data center with the highest security capabilities, impressive efficiency and flexible, on-demand services. Is Your School Ready for IaaS? When it comes to adopting cloud solutions, not all school districts are ready to invest. There's a significant knowledge gap surrounding the concept of IaaS, including how it affects a school's existing IT workforce. School systems typically have established teams to maintain their physical infrastructure and data center. Moving to the cloud can potentially change how their IT teams operate. Steps must be taken to ensure the district's existing IT staff is ready to function in a cloud environment. With the right approach, IT staff can work more closely with students and support their increased technology needs in the classroom. Additionally, staff can become cloud certified to expand their skill base and eliminate knowledge gaps. READ MORE: How to create an infrastructure for a remote-ready school. Significant Advantages Offered by IaaS In districts that are ready, Iaas could prove incredibly valuable for K-12 administrators, educators and students alike. Here are the top three benefits of Infrastructure as a Service in K-12 education. 1. PAY-AS-YOU-GO SYSTEM PROMISES COST SAVINGS With a traditional data center, the school bears the responsibility of building and maintaining physical infrastructure. Hundreds of thousands - in some cases, even millions - of dollars are invested into robust equipment to support the maximum capacity needed, yet it's often used at only 10 to 20 percent of its capability. With IaaS, customers pay only for what they use. The pay-as-you-go model ensures schools get the most out of their investment without sacrificing their budget. 2. CLOUD-BASED DATA CENTERS ARE SECURE AND EFFICIENT Security is a major advantage of IaaS offerings. These cloud-based data centers are designed to uphold the highest level of security for organizations of all types. School districts benefit from premium security and robust efficiency at a lower cost compared with traditional options. 3. ON-DEMAND, VERSATILE SERVICES GIVE EDUCATORS ENHANCED FLEXIBILITY In the cloud, schools have access to a series of comprehensive, on-demand services. If teachers want to try out new software in their remote classroom, their IT departments don't have to invest in new equipment or build out additional infrastructure. Instead, IaaS gives educators the flexibility to try new services with the click of a few buttons. This article is part of the "ConnectIT: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Technology" series. .

Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12

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From the article published in: Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Why Cloud Infrastructure Matters to K-12 Infrastructure as a Service is a ...

8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021

Article from edtechmagazine.com published on February 01, 2021

From the article published in 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 Technology is ...

School and College Trends
45 School-and-College-Trends-School-and-College-Trends jplist-topic-School-and-College 0 503789 503789 From the article published in 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 Technology is shaping the future of education in many ways. With the shift to remote learning - and the increasing reliance on technology to ensure student health and safety - tech adoption is rapidly accelerating in higher education. "With the pandemic, technology came in through the front door. We all recognized that technology was critically important to keeping teaching, learning, research and administration going," says Susan Grajek, vice president for partnerships, communities and research at EDUCAUSE. "That has brought technology up into leadership-level conversations." So, where are those conversations heading? To better prepare for the post-pandemic future of higher education, here are eight trends that leaders and IT teams are watching this year. 1. Get Used to More Advanced Learning Management Systems At Virginia Tech, the Canvas learning management system (LMS) was critical for coordinating synchronous and asynchronous learning. Such systems will only become more sophisticated moving forward, says Randy Marchany, the university's IT security officer. "With COVID, instructors have become more video savvy," he says. "We're all getting smarter about how we use these tools." 2. A Rise in Sophisticated Videoconferencing Platforms Even after the pandemic, educators might continue lecturing over Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms. However, they'll be doing it in more sophisticated ways. "People will be making these experiences more collaborative, more authentic - with much richer interactions and conversations," Grajek says. "We are all becoming more experienced consumers, and we will see a lot of innovation in this area." MORE ON EDTECH: Here's 5 videoconferencing tools for student group projects. 3. A Proliferation of Clean Air and Healthy Building TechMaintaining clean air and sustainable buildings will remain a high priority for institutions moving forward. Universities will continue to invest in smart technologies and infrastructures that support wellness, says Anjali Joseph, director of the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing at Clemson University. Schools are experimenting with various healthy building tech initiatives - from enhanced HVAC systems to UV lighting that eliminates viruses from air ducts.MORE ON EDTECH: See which social distancing tech can help campuses reopen safely.4. Increasing Use of Augmented and Virtual RealityFrom virtual tours to immersive learning experiences, AR and VR technologies will likely continue to transform higher education. These technologies "will push further and faster into college campuses, leveraging physical infrastructure to provide different learning options," says Joanna Bauer, vice president of academic affairs at Claremont Lincoln University. "For instance, institutions will bolt on AR and VR to simple learning platforms to enable basic levels of simulations and integration of gaming technologies."6. More Robust Networks to ComeHigher education institutions should prepare for an increasing number of students who rely on laptops and mobile devices to do coursework. As a result, universities and colleges must beef up networks. "They need to look at the network infrastructure: What is the backbone speed? Are the network pipes big enough and fast enough to handle all this additional traffic?" Marchany says.In tandem with the rise of network optimization tools and services, universities and colleges should do more to ensure broadband equity for their communities, Grajek says. "If post-secondary education is a public good, then broadband has to be more widely available. That is something that needs to become part of the national agenda," she says.6. Outdoor Wi-Fi Is Here to StayProviding Wi-Fi in parking lots and other outdoor locations is now a common practice on campuses across the nation. This trend will only grow from here. Even after the pandemic subsides, outdoor wireless access will remain a popular feature for students and faculty alike. "We have benches in the courtyards. When faculty take classes outside in the spring, everyone sits on the grass," Marchany says. "People ought to be able to connect to the network from anywhere on campus. We are not 100 percent outside yet, but we are getting there."MORE ON EDTECH: See how colleges are designing their outdoor learning spaces.7. New Ways to Give Remote ExamsCOVID-19 has created many challenges for remote assessments. Online proctoring services have raised serious privacy concerns; on the other hand, not having strategies for preventing remote academic dishonesty is unwise as well. With experts such as Cornell University economist Robert H. Frank predicting that online learning is here to stay, we will likely see a rise in alternatives to virtual exams. "Instructors can create assessments that require students to interact with the material more, and use resources for further research, resulting in deeper learning," says Joshua C. Elliott, director of educational technology at Fairfield University.8. Esports Investments to Rise in Years to ComeWith conventional sports on pause, digital competitions are a socially distanced way to increase school spirit as well as engagement. "The pandemic has expedited changes that were already happening in business and society. Esports and gaming have surged in part due to their virtual nature, but also because they provide a social outlet people are desperate for," says Armand Buzzelli, who oversees club sports at Robert Morris University. "That need will continue even after the pandemic."

8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021

School and College Trends

From the article published in 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 8 Higher Education IT Trends to Watch in 2021 Technology is shaping the ...

School Support During The Pandemic With The Help... School Support During The Pandemic With The Help...

Article from elearningindustry.com published on April 4, 2021

From the article published in: School Support During The Pandemic With The Help Of EdTech In the pandemic world, it is highly important to ...

School and College Trends
46 School-and-College-Trends-School-and-College-Trends jplist-topic-schools-and-college 0 503781 503781 From the article published in: School Support During The Pandemic With The Help Of EdTech  In the pandemic world, it is highly important to do everything to help children receive qualitative education. One of the ways to help is the integration of EdTech. VectorMine/Shutterstock.com Impact Of The Pandemic On Education The number of children and adults not attending schools or universities due to the COVID-19 outbreak is skyrocketing. Governments around the world have decided to close educational institutions to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 countries have implemented nationwide school closings, affecting more than half of the students, according to UNESCO. Several other countries have implemented local school closings, and if those countries also order the closure of schools and universities nationwide, it would disrupt the learning process for millions of other students around the world. It is also worth noting some other aspects of the negative impact of the pandemic on the learning process. Needless to say, school is an important institution of socialization for children. The process of self-isolation and separation from society negatively affects not only the physical but also the psychological state and development of children. It is also important to note that the remote learning process is not available to everyone. Children from low-income families studying at schools not only had food benefits, which positively influenced their state of life, but also access to computers and the internet to complete their homework. During a pandemic, access to technologies became difficult and, as a result, the quality of their education has deteriorated. Don't forget about the disadvantages of distance learning for teachers. The inability to effectively measure the learning process leads to the fact that teachers cannot fully tell whether their students have mastered the material and how effective the distance education process is. What Is EdTech And Why Is It important? According to Investopedia, EdTech (a combination of "education" and "technology") refers to hardware and software designed to enhance teacher-led learning in classrooms and improve students' education outcomes. EdTech is most commonly associated with online education. But in reality, this concept is much broader, it unites all ways of using technology in the educational process, from interactive blackboards to Virtual Reality simulators for modeling surgical operations. But studying via the internet is the most popular EdTech direction, which has already firmly won its place in the market.The scope of EdTech includes a large number of applications that perform various functions to improve and speed up the learning process. Here are several examples of such functions:Creating And Completing TasksThese kinds of programs can be used to create interactive learning tasks. Software suppliers can also partner with schools to provide their users with lesson templates that relate to the assessment criteria that most teachers use. These types of tasks are updated online, which is very useful because when teachers assign them to students to complete, they can get updates on how each person is doing.Video CommunicationWith the help of such applications, it becomes possible to conduct lessons online. If schools don't use this method of teaching lessons but only send materials by email with regular checking of homework, then video calls will become an indispensable assistant if a student needs individual lessons.Tools For InteractionEdTech apps, like Classroom.Cloud, provide teachers with tools to collaborate in the classroom, monitor interactions with their students, and provide support. It also means that every student in the class still has an opportunity to express their thoughts. Moreover, this software has a "poll" feature, which means that students can vote whether they understand something or not.Help In Maintaining Attention And Improving BehaviorThe remote learning process can be difficult for students because it is tempting to be distracted during the lesson since the teacher's control weakens a lot. For example, they can look at something in other tabs on the computer. For such purposes, some programs are able to not only monitor but also control what is happening on the computers of their students during the lesson. Also, such tools are capable of blocking certain websites or the mouse cursor during the lesson, which undoubtedly helps teachers.Why EdTech Is Responsible For SchoolsIn a pandemic, in order not to threaten the health of either children or their families, schools are forced to operate in remote conditions. eLearning is the most successful solution in this case. That is why many EdTech service providers have greatly benefited from the situation, as the market for this kind of software has grown significantly and rapidly. That's why it is very important for EdTech service providers to understand the importance of their contribution to education and do their best to help schools in ways that are not aimed at making a profit for themselves. By acting in such a way, they may even solve some other problems caused by the pandemic.How EdTech Service Providers Can HelpSo how can EdTech developers help the education sector? Let's look at some options:Help With Software ImplementationInitially, EdTech service providers can help schools successfully implement eLearning techniques. Without any help, it is difficult for schools to independently adapt to a new way of teaching. It is also worth noting that most older teachers are not as tech-savvy as the younger generation, so it is important to have instructions be as detailed as possible for them. Also, a big plus is the ability to conduct webinars on working with learning platforms, which will allow teachers to interact with them more effectively.Help For Students In NeedAs mentioned earlier, there is a category of students who cannot access the internet or do not have computers at all. In such cases, EdTech service providers can provide technical support to students with financial problems for free or for a nominal fee.AccessibilityWe all understand that everything cannot be free. However, if the applications developed by EdTech service providers have a free set of features that will allow you to perform basic actions to enable remote learning, this would help to reach more schools. Of course, everyone who has the desire and ability can connect additional functions to get the benefits that are not possible with the basic service package. However, this base should be enough to study in remote conditions successfully, given the pandemic.ConclusionNo one can overestimate the meaning of education in the lives of children, especially in the world of a pandemic. At this time, it is highly important to think about the ways of improving teaching methodologies and adapting to remote conditions. One of the ways to help the education industry is to hire educational software developers for designing a custom solution. Qualified professionals can help you to make a product that will perfectly suit your needs and advise how to do it even better. Given the situation in the world, this solution wouldn't be excessive. Keep in mind that it may happen that your innovative solution will change the game one day. Distance Learning

School Support During The Pandemic With The Help Of EdTech

School and College Trends

From the article published in: School Support During The Pandemic With The Help Of EdTech In the pandemic world, it is highly important to do ...

Speeding Towards Transformation: 2021 Trends In... Speeding Towards Transformation: 2021 Trends In...

We are approaching the end of 2020, a year unlike any other in the history of finance and accounting. The Covid-19 pandemic and its ...

Professional Services Trends
47 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-finance jplist-topic-accounting jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 0 503968 503968

Speeding Towards Transformation: 2021 Trends In Finance And Accounting

Professional Services Trends

We are approaching the end of 2020, a year unlike any other in the history of finance and accounting. The Covid-19 pandemic and its economic, social ...

Predictions For The Accounting Industry For 2021... Predictions For The Accounting Industry For 2021...

There's not a single industry that hasn't experienced dramatic change in 2020, and that very much includes accounting. We count thousands ...

Professional Services Trends
48 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-accounting jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 0 503966 503966 There's not a single industry that hasn't experienced dramatic change in 2020, and that very much includes accounting. We count thousands of accounting practices as clients, and thus have had a front-row seat to these changes. Based on what we've seen and heard from our clients, these are the most important trends the accounting industry will experience in 2021. Clients will increasingly expect accounting and tax professionals to become 'holistic advisers' rather than simply being transactional accountants.Click here to view the article

Predictions For The Accounting Industry For 2021 And Beyond

Professional Services Trends

There's not a single industry that hasn't experienced dramatic change in 2020, and that very much includes accounting. We count thousands of ...

2021 professional services trends 2021 professional services trends

Lori Rubin, Partner at Odgers Interim US, discusses the five key trends expected to play out in the professional services space in 2021 ...

Professional Services Trends
49 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-professional jplist-topic-services jplist-topic-2021 0 503963 503963 Lori Rubin, Partner at Odgers Interim US, discusses the five key trends expected to play out in the professional services space in 2021  Last year was a momentous year globally. Although the disruption faced was a great challenge for many, it has propelled professional service firms forward and driven great change in the sector - far beyond what was ever expected in the space of just a few months. Over the course of the next 12 months, we will continue to see the sector reshape and take on a new lease of life, focused on the areas of growth highlighted by the pandemic crisis and driven by technology.  Here is a review of the expected trends and forces set to shape the professional services industry in 2021: Click here to view the article

2021 professional services trends

Professional Services Trends

Lori Rubin, Partner at Odgers Interim US, discusses the five key trends expected to play out in the professional services space in 2021 Last year ...

What will be the Legal Tech Trends of 2021 (and... What will be the Legal Tech Trends of 2021 (and...

As our CEO recently stated in an op-ed in Forbes, the future looks bright for the legal tech industry. After two record-years for legal ...

Professional Services Trends
50 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-legal jplist-topic-tech jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 0 503961 503961 As our CEO recently stated in an op-ed in Forbes, the future looks bright for the legal tech industry. After two record-years for legal tech investments, 2020 dropped a bit in total but ended well. With new vaccines on the market and an economic boost expected just around the corner, 2021 is set to be another record year.Because what 2020 lacked in investments (which wasn't a lot), it definitely had in legal tech adoption. As we have also described elsewhere, the pandemic has forced a digital transformation across all industries, and the legal industry was no exception. Legal tech seems to have reached the slope of enlightenment on Gartner's hype cycle. There is less focus on over-hyped technologies such as robot lawyers, blockchain-enabled smart contracts and fancy AI-tools that never really works.Click here to view the article

What will be the Legal Tech Trends of 2021 (and what will definitely not!)

Professional Services Trends

As our CEO recently stated in an op-ed in Forbes, the future looks bright for the legal tech industry. After two record-years for legal tech ...

Four BIG Professional Services Trends to Look Out... Four BIG Professional Services Trends to Look Out...

A lot has changed for businesses in the last year. The same is true of professional services organizations that were already reeling in the ...

Professional Services Trends
51 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-professional jplist-topic-services jplist-topic-trends jplist-topic-2021 jplist-topic-it jplist-topic-engineering jplist-topic-consulting jplist-topic-media jplist-topic-marketing 0 503957 503957

Four BIG Professional Services Trends to Look Out for in 2021

Professional Services Trends

A lot has changed for businesses in the last year. The same is true of professional services organizations that were already reeling in the tech and ...

3 Trends Impacting Revenue Growth at Professional... 3 Trends Impacting Revenue Growth at Professional...

Biz dev took a hit earlier this year, but these firms learned to adapt and ...

When 7Summits, a firm that helps customers digitally transform their business using Salesforce, tried to land a substantial deal with a ...

Professional Services Trends
52 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-revenue jplist-topic-growth jplist-topic-professional-services 0 503856 503856 When 7Summits, a firm that helps customers digitally transform their business using Salesforce, tried to land a substantial deal with a global media conglomerate, they didn't hop on a plane to wine and dine decision makers as many professional services firms have done in the past.  Instead, they turned to their existing private Salesforce community known within the company as The Peak.  "These potential clients opened up the content right away and started posting questions about our proposal on The Peak," said Paul Stillmank, CEO of 7Summits. "That virtual collaboration automatically provided data and insights that aren't available in more traditional media and in-person meetings." For example, Stillmank could see who downloaded a document and posted questions on a forum attached to that document. Those actions signaled an engaged buyer, which informed how they prioritized their next steps and further customized the proposal. 7Summits was ahead of the curve with its virtual business development, but since the pandemic hit in March, other firms have pivoted in this direction. Seventy-eight percent of those working in business development at professional services firms say they've had to adapt quickly to new ways of selling, according to data from the recent State of Sales research, which surveyed nearly 6,000 sales and business development professionals worldwide. That finding was among several major trends transforming business development in the professional services industry uncovered in the research.Click here to view the article

3 Trends Impacting Revenue Growth at Professional Services Firms

Professional Services Trends

When 7Summits, a firm that helps customers digitally transform their business using Salesforce, tried to land a substantial deal with a global media ...

The Future of the Professional Services Industry The Future of the Professional Services Industry

An Age of Disruption

The traditional professional services industry will likely be radically different in ten years. Changing clients' demands, employee ...

Professional Services Trends
53 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-professional-services 0 503854 503854 The traditional professional services industry will likely be radically different in ten years. Changing clients' demands, employee expectations, rapid technology developments, and other external factors will change the nature of jobs and skills required in the future.  Ultimately, these factors, with technology in the lead, may even challenge the very nature of the "practical expertise" that professionals deliver.Click here to view the article

The Future of the Professional Services Industry

Professional Services Trends

The traditional professional services industry will likely be radically different in ten years. Changing clients' demands, employee expectations, ...

Office real estate back to normal, in 2025 Office real estate back to normal, in 2025

Published to CNBC.com on September 20, 2020

The article, "Office real estate back to normal, in 2025," is published by CNBC and authored by Korey Matthews.The coronavirus remote work ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
54 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends 0 503817 503817 The article, "Office real estate back to normal, in 2025," is published by CNBC and authored by Korey Matthews.The coronavirus remote work experiment will become a permanent trend, but at some point, employees will return to the office in numbers that match the past. When? It could take five years, according to a new forecast from Cushman & Wakefield.Global office vacancies will not return to their pre-Covid peak levels until 2025 and, in all, a net 215 million square feet of office vacancy will have been lost due to the pandemic, according to the outlook from one of the largest real estate services firms in the world. Between Q2 2020, when Covid-19 hit the U.S., and Q3 2021, the net negative office square feet damage will reach 95 million square feet, roughly 10 million square feet more than the financial crisis trough.  The situation will be the worst in the West. During the financial crisis, Canada, Europe and the U.S. recorded a combined loss of 120.5 million of square feet occupancy from peak-to-trough. Including Q2 2020, that will reach over 200 million square feet of "negative absorption" peak-to-trough in the Covid recession, according to Cushman & Wakefield's analysis. Work from home is 'very real' "We know this work from home trend is very real," Kevin Thorpe, the firm's chief economist, recently told CNBC.For the study, Cushman & Wakefield surveyed some of largest companies around the world about the future of the office, and attempted to measure both the cyclical impacts of the Covid recession and structural impacts assuming a higher increase in work from home. Thorpe said two key findings emerged. First, office leasing fundamentals will be significantly impacted and vacancies reach an all-time high. But the second find is more encouraging: the office real estate market will fully recover, according to Cushman & Wakefield, largely due to employment growth and the ongoing shift in the U.S. economy's concentration in certain types of professional jobs.  Synchrony is among the major U.S. corporations moving away from traditional offices to a "hub" model that will enable employees to work from home when they want (or full time) and visit a hub - e.g. a co-working space, Synchrony office, university space or other gathering spots - when they need to meet face-to-face.Thomas Barwick | Getty Images In all, the real estate firm estimates that 82% of the damage will be related to cyclical factors: permanent office job losses and the rise of coworking, while 18% is related to structural factors: primarily assumptions about permanent remote workers and hybrid workers - those who work remotely some of the time.Work from home will double, and hybrid workers will increase. The study estimates that the share of people working permanently from home in the U.S. and Europe will increase from roughly 5-6% pre-Covid-19 to between 10% and 11% post-Covid, while the share of hybrid - also referred to as agile workers - will increase from between 32% to 36% to just under half of all workers.Levi Strauss & Co. CFO Harmit Singh recently told a CNBC @Work virtual event that it pulled the plug on any new commercial real estate during the crisis. "The myth that work from home is not productive has been busted," the Levi Strauss CFO said. "I believe we will settle into a culture where working from anywhere will be the new norm, with work from home or office or a hybrid arrangement."Google recently announced it will try a hybrid model of work as most of its employees do not want to be in the office every day.Many younger workers are taking advantage of the Covid remote working shift to travel, embracing a "digital nomadic" lifestyle, a shift which could become permanent for a new generation of labor.Over time, as economy shifts to a knowledge-based, professional services economy, it will offset the flexible workforce trend, Cushman & Wakefield's study concludes. "But in the near-term, there will be significant challenges for the office sector," Thorpe said. Many workers still do not feel safe enough to return to office. One study found that only 14% of workers said that they trust their CEOs and senior managers to safely lead them back to work. Global office vacancy will rise from 10.9% pre-Covid crisis to 15.6% by Q2 2022, the study forecasts.Some of the largest companies in the world have been expanding office space in major cities, such as New York, during the crisis.Facebook, which has been acquiring New York real estate for years, agreed last month to a major lease at the old James A. Farley post office building in Manhattan. Amazon has also purchased the Lord & Taylor building on 5th Avenue, and that is even though Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said as much as half of the company's workers may be remote in the future. In March, just as the Covid crisis hit the U.S., Amazon paid over $1 billion to acquire tha Lord & Taylor building in New York, which includes over 600,000 square feet of space.

Office real estate back to normal, in 2025

Commercial Real Estate Trends

The article, "Office real estate back to normal, in 2025," is published by CNBC and authored by Korey Matthews.The coronavirus remote work experiment ...

How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the... How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the...

Published in State Tech Magazine on December 10, 2020

From the article, How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide published in the State Tech online magazine by author ...

Government Trends
55 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503803 503803 From the article, How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide published in the State Tech online magazine by author Phil GoldsteinThe coronavirus pandemic has shined a light on the digital divide, exposing a wide gap between those who have access to broadband internet and those who do not. It's something that smart city leaders are keenly aware of across the country, and they say it has become clearer than ever that equitable access to connectivity is essential for productivity, economic development, education and public health. A report released in February from the company BroadbandNow found the Federal Communications Commission's estimate that 21 million Americans lack access to broadband actually undercounts the figure by 20 million. This has a cascading effect on students, and an October report from the National Education Association estimates that a quarter of all school-aged children - about 13.5 million in the U.S. - live in households without broadband access or a computer or tablet. Amid the pandemic, cities and counties have continued their efforts to close the digital divide by partnering with nonprofit groups, vendors and schools. They have also used data analytics tools to ensure they are actually achieving equity in their efforts to expand connectivity.Cities Take Steps to Address Digital Equity Cities and counties are taking a variety of measures to help address the digital divide, recognizing the urgency of the issue. The pandemic "pulled back the curtain" on the digital divide in San Antonio, city council member Manny Pelaez said in November during a National League of Cities webinar, StateScoop reports. The city had only really started to look into its digital divide in the months before the pandemic started, he said, and had "launched a survey last December, asking residents whether they had connectivity, digital literacy skills and devices to access government services, schoolwork or health care," according to StateScoop. As the pandemic unfolded, it became clear in San Antonio that the poorest households needed access to connectivity the most. "We discovered that the determining factor here was income," Pelaez said. "In very low-income households where the income falls below $20,000, we had 48% of people report they have no internet in their homes." The city collected its data in an "Equity Atlas" that "visualizes the aggregated education level, income and primary language of different census tracts in the city," StateScoop reports. The data revealed that when household incomes rose above $60,000 per year, the digital divide started to close; it also showed a sharp divide in digital equity along racial lines. In June, San Antonio announced plans to spend $27 million to connect 20,000 school children via existing network infrastructure and personal Wi-Fi hotspots, as StateScoop notes. "You cannot begin to peel the onion on the problem of digital literacy without having to peel off that layer of race," Pelaez said. "And it's an uncomfortable layer to peel off in some places, but you're not being intellectually honest, you're not going to solve the problem unless you're prepared to be comfortable with the discomfort of talking about race."Meanwhile, in Phoenix, the city is looking to build on emergency efforts put in place earlier this year to make a more lasting impact on closing the digital divide. The city is starting a public-private partnership with schools, technology companies and other city agencies, according to The Arizona Republic. Th plan is currently in the pilot phase and will be rolled out soon "to apartment complexes where there are high numbers of students who don't have internet connections," the newspaper reports. The aim is to eventually bring expanded access to connectivity to the entire 250-square-mile Phoenix Union High School District. Students in all districts in Phoenix would eventually be connected to their schools. Christine Mackay, director of the city's community and economic development department, says the goal is to close the digital divide, give workforce training to residents to maintain new wireless infrastructure and help students prepare for jobs in the new economy, the newspaper reports. "Those students are our workforce of the future ... we really succeeded in changing Phoenix into this high-performing, moving economy and we don't want to go back to the time of low-end call centers as our primary source of economic development," she said during an October meeting. In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, home to Cleveland, the county in late November issued a request for information for projects and partnerships to help close the digital divide. Specifically, the county is seeking to identify "ready-to-deploy ideas or projects" for expanded access to broadband that range from "new products and pricing, new service options with discounted rates, free Wi-Fi solutions that residents can reach from their homes, or other innovative approaches employing established or emerging technologies." "While a lack of internet connectivity can be seen in all areas of the County, the County recognizes there are specific cities and neighborhoods where a lack of an internet connection is concentrated," the request reads. "The goal of this RFI is to identify solutions for all County residents, therefore proposed solutions must address underserved areas and avoid 'cherry picking,' or building only to the most affluent areas of the County. If possible, the network should also address problems with service and cost in areas that are currently served."Cisco Partners with Michigan School Districts Another project to close the digital divide is getting underway in southeastern Michigan. Cisco Systems is partnering with Merit Network's Michigan Moonshot initiative to provide Wi-Fi hotspots that will extend connectivity outside of schools and public libraries, with 50 sites identified. The goal is to allow students and parents to access the networks in cars and in a socially distant manner during the pandemic. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau cited by Cisco, Detroit's public schools have the highes number of households in Michigan without internet access, at 82,894, and the Flint City School District has the second highest, with 14,221 households without internet access. Fifty-seven percent of K-12 students in the state's Washtenaw County do not have high speed Wi-Fi access at home. The project is supported through Cisco's Country Digital Acceleration program, which works with governments and academic institutions around the world to expand broadband access. Guy Diedrich, a Cisco vice president and global innovation officer for the company, tells StateTech that as governments look to close digital divides around the globe and across the U.S., they need to focus less on turf battles and more on delivering outcomes for those in need. Local and state governments have a clear role to play, he says, because they are closest to the problem and the people. "The government is uniquely suited as - in the best terms - the servant of the people," he says. "The people of that community are the direct customers of that government. That isn't necessarily the case for Cisco or academia." Cisco believes that being connected is "a fundamental human right. Period, full stop," Diedrich says.The novel coronavirus is not likely going to be the last infectious disease that will spread around the world, Diedrich says, and "this isn't the last time when being connected will be critical to one's health, one's security, one's safety, one's education." "To deny connectivity, to deny access, is at this point immoral," Diedrich says. Expanded connectivity also should not benefit those who already have a higher place on the socioeconomic ladder, he says, because that will make the have-nots become "invisible." Expanding access to those who are not connected to broadband will spur a faster economic recovery in the U.S., Diedrich argues. "If nothing else comes out of COVID, what needs to come out of it is an inclusive future," Diedrich says. "That has got to be the mantra. Not just for every single government, but every single company and every single academic institution throughout the world. CIOs of cities and counties and states should have that as the No. 1 priority of their missions moving forward for at least the next decade."

How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide

Government Trends

From the article, How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide published in the State Tech online magazine by author Phil ...

How Governments Can Work with Schools to Bridge... How Governments Can Work with Schools to Bridge...

Published in State Tech Magazine on April 1, 2021

From the article, How Governments Can Work with Schools to Bridge the Digital Divide for Students published in the State Tech online ...

Government Trends
56 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503801 503801 From the article, How Governments Can Work with Schools to Bridge the Digital Divide for Students published in the State Tech online magazine by author Kevin Cucuel The coronavirus pandemic has uncovered large gaps in access to affordable broadband internet, something that local governments have been trying to address for much of the past year. When the pandemic forced schools across the country to quickly transition to remote learning last spring, it also exposed the degree to which students and their families are dependent on reliable broadband connections for their education and well-being. State, county and city governments have been working hand in hand with school districts to deliver funding and get students access to the devices and connectivity they need. Yet what all of those efforts have made clear is that there is no single model that works in every municipality and every school district. State and local government IT leaders, along with their counterparts in school systems, have been working collaboratively in ways they previously hadn't to solve digital equity challenges.Partnerships with Nonprofits, Vendors and Schools Aid Digital Equity Initially, local governments and school districts set up Wi-Fi hotspots in parking lots at schools and other public buildings. However, that proved to be a stopgap solution in many areas. County governments have been able to use emergency federal funding to help school districts procure devices such as Google Chromebooks, mobile access routers and other devices. As StateTech has reported, in Minneapolis, the city government partnered with the nonprofit PCs for People to obtain 540 computers, including Dell laptops and desktops along with Apple iPad devices, for students in Minneapolis. The city also brokered discussions with internet service providers, and the local provider, U.S. Internet, eventually offered free internet for the school year for families who needed it. In California's Santa Clara County, the local government was able to allocate $7.1 million in county funding to "help address digital equity issues for the most vulnerable families," StateTech reports. Ultimately, which entity pays for such devices and connectivity - a government agency or a school district - is not as important as the goal of getting students and their families access to badly needed broadband. Once school districts were able to get devices into students' hands, where the funding came from didn't really matter, in many cases. Partners such as CDW•G have helped school districts with managed services for these devices, including setup and cybersecurity protections.How to Close the Digital Divide for the Long Term The pandemic has offered many lessons for government IT leaders, especially at the county and city level, when it comes to the digital divide. The more these leaders are involved in their local communities and connected to their school district leaders, the better off such partnerships will be. Going to school board meetings and fostering regular communication will make the work of expanding digital equity an ongoing, collaborative partnership, and not just an ad hoc initiative needed for emergencies. That will help students and residents in general in the long term. Schools may also be able to take advantage of the resources cities and counties have to offer. For example, schools can leverage Wi-Fi hotspots deployed on public infrastructure and buildings. Public libraries can become destinations for accessing both free Wi-Fi and broadband-enabled devices. Each community will need to determine the best solutions to meet its needs, but knowing what each side of a partnership is doing will help make them more productive. Memorandums of understanding can help delineate responsibilities for each party. The pandemic has made clear that government has a large role to play in providing and fostering access to connectivity. Broadband is the lifeblood of education and the modern economy in the 21st century. Government IT leaders can be instrumental in making sure there is equitable access to such a vital resource.

How Governments Can Work with Schools to Bridge the Digital Divide for Students

Government Trends

From the article, How Governments Can Work with Schools to Bridge the Digital Divide for Students published in the State Tech online magazine by ...

After Covid-19, Office Leases Largely Come with... After Covid-19, Office Leases Largely Come with...

Published April 6, 2021 on the Wall Street Journal website.

"After Covid-19, Office Leases Largely Come with Bargain Rates" is written by Peter Grant, Editor for the Wall Street Journal. Updated ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
57 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends jplist-topic-commercial jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate jplist-topic-convey jplist-topic-covid-19 jplist-topic-covid jplist-topic-businesses jplist-topic-rent jplist-topic-lease 0 503802 503802 "After Covid-19, Office Leases Largely Come with Bargain Rates" is written by Peter Grant, Editor for the Wall Street Journal. Updated April 6, 2021Big companies are making plans to stick with city-center office buildings, but they are cutting back on space and driving down rent prices for years to come, according to an analysis of U.S. office leasing trends prepared for The Wall Street Journal. The Journal's leasing information comes from the data firm VTS, which tracks tens of thousands of negotiations across the U.S. between landlords and tenants. Landlord and tenant discussions in seven of the largest office markets offer an early glimpse into the evolving workplace strategies for hundreds of companies after a year of largely remote work. Rent proposals made during the first quarter suggest that many companies in the biggest markets-including New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles-are embracing an emerging hybrid model: maintaining a shrunken office presence while allowing employees to work remotely at least part-time. The terms under negotiation show landlords are offering long-term leases of four and more years at discounts up to 13% below rent rates reached in the first quarter of 2020 when factoring in concessions like periods of free rent, according to VTS. Companies are also seeking on average about 10% less space than they were looking for in the first quarter of 2020. As Covid-19 vaccine rollouts accelerate and more workers feel that it is safe to go back to the office, more companies might look to add office space. But if the current tenor of negotiations persists, it would be setting up building owners for a challenging period.

After Covid-19, Office Leases Largely Come with Bargain Rates

Commercial Real Estate Trends

"After Covid-19, Office Leases Largely Come with Bargain Rates" is written by Peter Grant, Editor for the Wall Street Journal. Updated April 6, ...

Here's the Technology Government Needs in 2021 Here's the Technology Government Needs in 2021

Published in govtech.com on March 2, 2021

From the article: Here's the Technology Government Needs in 2021 published on govtech.comTech executives from around the country met online ...

Government Trends
58 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503800 503800 From the article: Here's the Technology Government Needs in 2021 published on govtech.comTech executives from around the country met online last week during the annual Beyond the Beltway event to get a market forecast from industry experts about the IT spending challenges and opportunities facing state and local governments in 2021.  One of the challenges at the forefront of the discussion was the impact of COVID-19 and how the pandemic contributed to state and local budget shortfalls last year. Despite these challenges, data shared during the event by the Center for Digital Government* suggests that an increase in IT spending is likely to occur over the course of the next few months.  "The most likely scenario is a 7 percent growth in IT spending, topping out at $118.7 billion," Joe Morris, e.Republic's vice president of research said.  Based on these figures, Morris broke down specific IT spending projections for different verticals within the state and local government market.  Education: $31.8 billionHealth and Human Services: $31.5 billionTransportation: $14 billionJustice and Public Safety: $10.8 billionFinance and Administration: $10.5 billionUtilities: $9.8 billionEnvironment and Housing: $8.4 billion "The worst of the financial impacts have been felt by economies heavily supported by tourism, hospitality and low-income earners," Morris said. "If your revenue is primarily coming through sales tax, hospitality or tourism, you could be looking toward a much longer road to recovery."However, funding for education and public health has grown exponentially due to federal relief funds.  Since March 2020, states and localities have received over $360 billion in federal funds via several relief packages, including the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.  Other federal relief packages, such as the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that is currently being reviewed by the Senate, could provide another $350 million in federal funding to state and local governments. But what does all of this mean for government IT? For state government CIOs, the pandemic has put a spotlight on IT priorities like cybersecurity, budget and cost control, citizen experience, cloud computing and infrastructure modernization, governance, broadband connectivity and process automation, according to Morris.  Whereas county CIOs' have shifted their IT priorities to include the hiring and retaining of IT personnel, business intelligence and analytics, disaster recovery and continuity of operations, e-services, and so on.  As for what to expect moving forward, Morris said, "We expect the worst of the economic climate to hit local government over the next two years, probably over the next 18 to 36 months." "The silver lining," he said, "is that it gives local government officials a little bit more time to plan and prepare, whereas state governments are bouncing back a little bit quicker." 

Here's the Technology Government Needs in 2021

Government Trends

From the article: Here's the Technology Government Needs in 2021 published on govtech.comTech executives from around the country met online last week ...

Gartner Identifies Top 10 Government Technology... Gartner Identifies Top 10 Government Technology...

Published on gartner.com on March 29, 2021

From the article: Gartner Identifies Top 10 Government Technology Trends for 2021 published on gartner.comGartner, Inc. has identified the ...

Government Trends
59 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503799 503799 From the article: Gartner Identifies Top 10 Government Technology Trends for 2021 published on gartner.comGartner, Inc. has identified the top 10 government technology trends for 2021 that have the potential to accelerate digital innovation and optimize or transform public services. Gartner's top 10 strategic technology trends for government this year arise from the challenges wrought from the pandemic and the need for flexible operating models that support significant disruptions. "The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the acceleration of digital innovation across the government sector around the world, presenting government leaders with new opportunities to use data and technologies to build trust, agility and resilience in public institutions," said Rick Howard, research vice president at Gartner. "While pandemic-related challenges will continue for some time, technology trends have emerged that address critical challenges in areas such as security, cost containment and citizen experience." Gartner's list of strategic technology trends is directly linked to public administration and policy issues that government leaders must address. Government CIOs can use this list to identify technology trends that best address their post-pandemic recovery priorities and establish the rationale, timing and priority of technology investments. Accelerated Legacy Modernization Governments have experienced the limitations and risks posed by decades-old legacy infrastructure and core systems. To be better equipped to deal with the next disruption, government CIOs are accelerating the move to modern, modular architectures. While the need for legacy modernization is not new to government CIOs, the challenges related to the pandemic have only served to heighten the awareness of the resulting risks and the need for it. Gartner predicts that by 2025, over 50% of government agencies will have modernized critical core legacy applications to improve resilience and agility. Adaptive Security An adaptive security approach treats risk, trust and security as a continuous and adaptive process that anticipates and mitigates constantly evolving cyber threats. This approach features components for prediction, prevention, detection and response. It forgoes traditional notions of perimeter, assuming there is no boundary for safe and unsafe, a necessary conceptual shift given the migration to cloud services. Gartner predicts that 75% of government CIOs will be directly responsible for security outside of IT by 2025, to include operational and mission-critical technology environments. Anything as a Service (XaaS) XaaS is a cloud-only sourcing strategy that embraces acquiring the full range of business and IT services on a subscription basis. Pandemic response and the critical need for digital service delivery have exacerbated pressures to modernize legacy applications and infrastructure. XaaS offers an alternative to legacy infrastructure modernization, provides scalability and reduces time to deliver digital services. Gartner predicts that 95% of new IT investments made by government agencies will be made as a service solution by 2025. Case Management as a Service (CMaaS) Case work is the predominant workstyle of government, with the entire legacy-heavy portfolio of monolithic case management point solutions found in many departments. CMaaS is a new way to build institutional agility by applying composable business principles and practices, to replace legacy case management systems with modular products that can be rapidly assembled, disassembled and recomposed in response to changing business needs. Gartner predicts that by 2024, government organizations with a composable case management application architecture will implement new features at least 80% faster than those without. Citizen Digital Identity Digital identity is the ability to prove an individual's identity via any government digital channel that is available to citizens, which is critical for inclusion and access to government services. Digital identity ecosystems are quickly evolving and leading governments to assume new roles and responsibilities. The topic is high on political agendas, so government CIOs must link digital identity to salient use cases. Gartner predicts that a true global, portable, decentralized identity standard will emerge in the market by 2024, to address business, personal, social and societal, and identity-invisible use cases. Composable Government Enterprise The composable government enterprise is any government organization that adopts composable design principles. This enables them to extend the reuse of capabilities and continuously adapt to changing regulatory, legislative and public expectations. CIOs are embracing composable government to overcome existing, siloed approaches to managing services, systems and data that limit the ability of governments to adapt to the rapidly evolving needs of the emerging digital society. Gartner predicts that 50% of technology companies that provide products and services to the government will offer packaged business capabilities to support composable applications by 2023. Data Sharing as a Program Data sharing is often ad hoc in government, driven by high-profile use cases such as child protection incidents or gender violence that cannot easily be generalized. Data sharing as a program moves it into being a scalable service, with multiple reusable capabilities, supporting the drive toward more composable approaches in government service delivery. Gartner predicts by 2023, 50% of government organizations will establish formal accountability structures for data sharing, including standards for data structure, quality and timeliness. Hyperconnected Public Services Hyperconnected public services is the whole-of-government use of multiple technologies, tools or platforms to automate as many business and IT processes as possible. Government CIOs can use hyperautomation principles and practices to develop hyperconnected, highly automated end-to-end business processes and public services that require minimal human intervention. Gartner predicts that by 2024, 75% of governments will have at least three enterprise-wide hyperautomation initiatives launched or underway. Multichannel Citizen Engagement Citizen direct participation with governments reached new heights in 2020 as communities dealt with the pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes and other events. Multichannel citizen engagement is a seamless, bidirectional engagement with constituents across organizational boundaries, while delivering a personalized experience using the preferred and most effective channels to reach them. Gartner predicts that over 30% of governments will use engagement metrics to track quantity and quality of citizen participation in policy and budget decisions by 2024. Operationalized Analytics Operationalized analytics is the strategic and systematic adoption of data-driven technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and advanced analytics, at each stage of government activity to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and consistency of decision making. Decision makers can make better context-based operational decisions in real-time to improve the quality of the citizen experience. Gartner predicts that by 2024, 60% of government AI and data analytics investments aim to directly impact real-time operational decisions and outcomes. Gartner clients can learn more in the report "Top Technology Trends in Government for 2021" and in the companion report "Top Business Trends in Government for 2021." Learn more about emerging trends, expected challenges and next steps for CIOs and IT leaders in the free Gartner E-Book "Top Priorities for IT: Leadership Vision for 2021." About the Gartner Information Technology Practice The Gartner IT practice provides CIOs and IT leaders with the insights and tools to drive the organization through digital transformation to lead business growth. Additional information is available at https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology. Follow news and updates from the Gartner IT practice on Twitter and LinkedIn using #GartnerIT.

Gartner Identifies Top 10 Government Technology Trends for 2021

Government Trends

From the article: Gartner Identifies Top 10 Government Technology Trends for 2021 published on gartner.comGartner, Inc. has identified the top 10 ...

Is Blockchain the Answer for COVID Vaccine... Is Blockchain the Answer for COVID Vaccine...

Published in govtech.com on April 6, 2021

From the article: Is Blockchain the Answer for COVID Vaccine Passports? published on govtech.comThe public and private sectors are both ...

Government Trends
60 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503796 503796 From the article: Is Blockchain the Answer for COVID Vaccine Passports? published on govtech.comThe public and private sectors are both moving at record speed to gain ground in the fight against COVID-19, embracing every strategy and solution that could help people get back to "normal." We're ramping up testing, building momentum with vaccinations and setting up registries that enable people to prove their vaccination status. Recent headlines have covered different "vaccine passport" models being piloted in the U.S. and internationally.  However, a mobile app-based certification system, by itself, is incomplete and will prove to be ineffective on a global scale as much of the world's population still doesn't own a smartphone. To be honest, it might not even work on a national level here in the U.S., which is technologically dense, simply because not all vaccine administration sites are set up to certify vaccinations using a mobile app. Many Americans still receive a physical vaccine certificate as their only proof of inoculation. But handwritten, paper-based documentation is often illegible or incorrect. It's also easy to lose and counterfeit.  That's why the public and private sectors must work together to create a single, standardized vaccine verification system framework more akin to the traditional passport data exchange that border agents, airlines, hotels, educators and others trust to be authentic and true. However, it must be based on globally accepted and adopted interoperability standards if we are to restore both regional economies and the global travel and tourism industry, which employed 330 million people and contributed 10.3 percent of the global GDP before the pandemic.We shouldn't restrict people's rights to board a plane, train or boat simply because they don't have access to technology. Yet, we can't rely solely on physical cards - in their current form - to grant permission to travel, visit with loved ones, or return to work and school.  RETHINKING OUR USE OF TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP US GET FURTHER, FASTER If we want to help people safely re-enter the (whole) world and restore some societal normalcy, we must think about what it will take to build trust in vaccine certificates, whether it's a piece of paper, a secure card, or a barcode or QR code on a mobile device.  Conversations with government, transportation, education and health-care leaders are confirming that we need to stand up a universally accessible vaccine verification system that enables all interested parties to reliably confirm:  which authority issued the person's vaccine certificate credential;that the credential is being presented by the person to whom it was issued;that the credential is authentic;that the credential has not been revoked. That's why we must bring blockchain and digital ledger technologies (DLT) to the forefront of every vaccine verification system framework. Properly done, digital ledgers cannot be falsified and can reliably prove that a person has been vaccinated.  All a health-care provider would need to do is create an electronic record of an individual's vaccination using a mobile device such as a clinical smartphone or tablet, which are already used by many administering organizations around the world today, including pharmacists and retailers. The difference in this case is that the data would also be sent to the vaccine verification DLT in addition to the administering organization's internal health-care information system or a regional electronic health record (EHR) system.  Either a secure smartcard or tamper-proof label that can be affixed to a passport or other ID card could then be printed and given to the patient as physical proof of vaccination. It would be encoded with personal vaccination data that's easily verified via the DLT with a simple barcode or QR scan. That's the one key piece missing from most physical vaccine certificates today: the secure barcode or QR code that enables sensitive vaccination information to be stored digitally within the card or label versus on the front of it. Such secure encoding protects the security of the data and the privacy of the card holder. Of course, if the patient does have a smartphone and wants a digital vaccine certificate (in addition to the physical certificate), it can be simultaneously issued using a mobile app on the patient's device. Both the physical and digital formats allow vaccination data to be backed up to the DLT record should authenticity or ownership ever be questioned or a replacement certificate ever need to be issued.  With this system framework, all it takes to validate a person's vaccination status is a barcode or QR code scan on the individual's card, label or personal smartphone. Depending on permission settings, the verifier will either see the full set of encoded data (name, vaccine manufacturer, batch number, vaccination date, etc.) or simply a "tick" confirming vaccination or a "cross" indicating that requirements have not been met.  WHAT DLT CAN DO FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC RECOVERY THAT NO OTHER TECHNOLOGY CAN Several governments around the world have already been actively exploring blockchain and DLT for vaccination certification. Both technologies are used in support of border trade to verify shipment information and by supply chains to increase accountability. This application isn't much different in principle.  However, DLT offers a unique advantage over blockchain - and every other type of digital record system - in that it's built around open source technology, completely decentralized and dependent on a cryptographically secure trust protocol between authorities, organizations and individuals to prevent unauthorized access to stored patient data. In other words, a DLT-based framework is key to developing the scalable, efficient and tamper-proof global electronic record system we need to share extensive patient vaccination data in a way that's optimized for intensive privacy protection.  If we want to open the world economy and enable everyone to move forward with their lives, including consumers who don't have access to mobile technology, we must work together to stand up this technology framework. 

Is Blockchain the Answer for COVID Vaccine Passports?

Government Trends

From the article: Is Blockchain the Answer for COVID Vaccine Passports? published on govtech.comThe public and private sectors are both moving at ...

How a Local Government IT Strategy can Benefit... How a Local Government IT Strategy can Benefit...

Published in govtech.com on November 5, 2020

From the article: How a Local Government IT Strategy can Benefit from Managed Services published in govtech.comAcross the United States, ...

Government Trends
61 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503795 503795 From the article: How a Local Government IT Strategy can Benefit from Managed Services published in govtech.comAcross the United States, smart city initiatives and digital transformation trends are shaping local governments' approaches to information technology (IT). Meanwhile, state and local government technology is being heavily influenced by connectivity and faster networking, including the adoption of 5G. However, building out a much-needed networking infrastructure can prove difficult for the public sector. Local governments must meet strict requirements with limited budgets. When it comes to local government IT strategy and technology adoption, government leaders should consider tapping into managed services so they can build from a foundation of reliability and robust security. Here's why taking advantage of managed services can be the best option for ensuring network stability and actively identifying and defending against threats while accommodating the budget constraints of the public sector. SMART CITIES AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION DRIVE NETWORKING NEEDS The challenge for those driving municipal government IT strategy is how to transition to a networking infrastructure that can not only provide a foundation for the transformation of existing service delivery but also accommodate emerging use cases. The infrastructure must be supported by strong business continuity planning and capabilities to guarantee service delivery to citizens, especially as systems become more intertwined and automated. Digital transformation is a driving force behind smart city development, which demands reliable connectivity to applications and resources. But as state and local government technology trends also encompass emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G to support smart buildings and autonomous vehicles, there's even more opportunity for threat actors to compromise security. For municipal governments grappling with budget constraints, being innovative and staying secure at the same time is a tall order. Just as the key to smart city development is identifying specific goals and projects with metrics that can be measured, building a network infrastructure should be based on a needs assessment that is tied to desired capabilities and services. The smart cities movement involves a great deal of digitization. This includes the use of sensors and data collection and analysis to better manage a whole host of services, from online portals for paying taxes and applying for permits for water and power delivery as well as traffic management. In parallel, digital transformation is data-dependent, which means it requires a network infrastructure that can support transferring large volumes of information at high speeds. In addition to a strong networking infrastructure, a local government IT strategy that involves significant digitization means a migration from on-premises to cloud-based solutions in remote data centers as well as smaller hubs to support edge computing. Though cloud computing offers many benefits, including better uptime and compliance, building out the infrastructure can be an expensive proposition for a municipality to undertake on its own. Digital transformation involves breaking down silos between departments so that they are no longer maintaining different applications and can communicate seamlessly. This results in better overall efficiency and improved service delivery for citizens. However, assessing and building out a robust networking infrastructure to connect remote data centers, edge computing and IoT devices is not for the faint of heart. Add to that the migration to cloud computing and unifying applications and platforms across the entire municipality, and IT leaders face a daunting task that may not be feasible without outside help. COLLABORATE TO CONSTRUCT A MODERN IT INFRASTRUCTURE Not only is it difficult for a budget-constrained municipality to build its own IT infrastructure, but keeping up with advances in technology while staying compliant is also a challenge, especially as citizens expect the same user experience they receive from private sector companies. Because it can help to quickly establish the secure networking and computing infrastructure necessary to support digital transformation and a smart city agenda, enlisting the help of a managed services provider should be a high priority for any local government IT strategy. A managed service provider is in a strong position to address issues and vulnerabilities before they become a crisis by proactively securing your network and data with strong cyber security policies and procedures. Robust security is enabled by the modernization of a municipality's current IT infrastructure, something a managed service provider can do efficiently and at scale, whether it's providing and managing end-user workstations or upgrading your networking so it's faster and more secure. They don't replace your technology team so much as augment it by making sure your infrastructure is current and compliant. This allows you to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as your smart city agenda-which your managed service provider can also support. From a budget perspective, a provider enables you to pay a predictable monthly fee for your network, computing and data storage needs, without having to make huge capital investments. You can scale up or down as your needs change. A third party can even provide targeted managed services, such as managed security services or managed network services, including wide area network optimization services that can help support the performance of even the most intensive apps, whether in-house, externally hosted or in the cloud. If your local government IT team plans to take the lead on most initiatives, a managed services provider can ensure network redundancy and uptime through business continuity services, including supporting remote collaboration through secure connections in the event of a sudden need to shift to working off-site. State and local government technology trends, including smart city development that leverages IoT and 5G, can be difficult to incorporate into a local government IT strategy. As a collaborative partner, a managed services provider can help maintain regular operations while modernizing infrastructure in a scalable, cost-effective manner.

How a Local Government IT Strategy can Benefit from Managed Services

Government Trends

From the article: How a Local Government IT Strategy can Benefit from Managed Services published in govtech.comAcross the United States, smart city ...

2021 Commercial Real Estate Industry Outlook 2021 Commercial Real Estate Industry Outlook

Article posted on Dec 3, 2020 to Deloitte.com/us

Written by Jim Berry and Kathy Feucht on Deloitte's outlook for 2021 Commercial Real Estate Breaking inertia, gaining momentum THE impact ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
62 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends jplist-topic-deloitte jplist-topic-industry-outlook jplist-topic-forecast jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate jplist-topic-covid-19 jplist-topic-impact 0 503794 503794 Written by Jim Berry and Kathy Feucht on Deloitte's outlook for 2021 Commercial Real Estate Breaking inertia, gaining momentum THE impact of COVID-19 on the global economy and the CRE industry has made 2020 the most memorable year in recent history. CRE companies have needed to digitize operations, close physical facilities due to extensive lockdowns, and prepare for reopening, while ensuring the health and safety of employees and occupiers and considering the financial health of tenants and end users. With economic recovery heavily dependent on a vaccine, the length of this downturn remains uncertain. As we write this outlook, economic activity is contracting due to a fresh resurgence of the virus in Europe.1 Large Asia-Pacific (APAC) economies such as Japan and Australia haven't yet turned the corner to growth, India is facing a severe downturn, and strained relationships between the United States and China are creating significant geopolitical tensions.2 According to Deloitte's economic forecast, in the United States, it is expected that "a vaccine and/or treatment will allow normal economic activity to begin to resume in mid-2021."3 As it will take time to deploy the vaccine, our economists expect growth to remain somewhat constrained for a period of time.4 (Click here to read Deloitte's latest US Economic Forecast.) The CRE macro environment is being impacted similarly. But there is a dichotomy in operating fundamentals among property types-industrial real estate, health care, data centers, and cell towers have been positively disrupted, while offices, hotels, and retail have felt the negative effects. Global CRE deal volume declined 36% year over year (YoY) to US$306B in 2Q20 due to economic stagnation and an uncertain pricing environment.5 Prices are showing early signs of stress across the more negatively impacted property types. 6 For instance, US retail and office price indices declined 4.1% and 0.5% YoY in August. In contrast, industrial property index rose 7.4% YoY.7 Unlike the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), CRE companies had generally strong financials at the start of the pandemic and debt markets remain sufficiently liquid. Yet, troubled loans are rising; banks, fearing higher delinquencies, are tightening lending standards.8 In several sectors, rent collections have remained healthy, but largely because of higher tenant incentives and leasing concessions. Along with the evolving financial landscape, the pandemic has resulted in tectonic shifts in the way people live, work, and play, which has put unique pressures on certain property sectors. With this as the backdrop, we wanted to understand how well-equipped CRE leaders were to weather the current economic situation, how they are planning to recover over the next 12 months, and how they are preparing to remain competitive and thrive in the long term. To do this, we surveyed 200 CRE senior executives-owners/operators, developers, brokers, and investors-in 10 countries during the summer of 2020. (See sidebar, "Methodology," for more details about the survey.) Overall, most survey respondents felt their companies were unprepared in certain important areas and that the industry continues to struggle to adapt their long-term strategies (figure 1). Some key challenges: Only one-third of respondents agree or strongly agree that they have the resources and skills required to operate a digitally transformed business.Less than 50% of respondents consider digital tenant experience a core competency of their organization.Only 41% of respondents said their company has stepped up efforts to redefine business processes, job roles, and skill requirements to include the use of technology and tools. CRE company leaders have their work cut out. To position their companies to thrive long term, they need to break inertia to move into rapid recovery. As monumental as 2020 has been, 2021 could be even more so; the critical decisions and investments leaders make now could come to fruition over the next 12 months. They should strive to be digital-optimizing business, operating, and customer models for a digital environment. Rapid digital transformation will likely be needed to build operational resilience, maintain a strong financial position, develop and retain talent, and create an enabling culture. Mastering the tightrope For many CRE industry leaders, the pandemic has been an eye-opener. It has tested the resilience of every single leader across the globe, and likely will for many months to come. COVID-19 has forced companies to focus on cost containment and for many, heightened the need for-and pace of-digital transformation. Yet, the importance of empathy and human connection is also coming to the fore. People are increasingly missing human interaction, which was vastly reduced or eliminated due to shelter-in-place orders for a long period of time, and in some regions continues. And people remain anxious about their health and well-being and the health and well-being of their families and friends, which is compounded by growing concerns about climate change and political unrest in many parts of the world.37 Leaders should therefore master the art of walking on a tightrope-balancing business recovery, seizing new opportunities, and tenant and employee engagement. This will likely require a combination of elements: breaking down functional silos, enhancing leadership and organizational agility, increasing levels of collaboration and communication, and engaging in transparent and ethical decision-making. Traversing the tightrope effectively in these ways could differentiate organizations from their less successful competitors in the not-too-distant future.

2021 Commercial Real Estate Industry Outlook

Commercial Real Estate Trends

Written by Jim Berry and Kathy Feucht on Deloitte's outlook for 2021 Commercial Real Estate Breaking inertia, gaining momentum THE impact of COVID-19 ...

Local Officials Harness Cloud Capabilities for... Local Officials Harness Cloud Capabilities for...

Published in State Tech Magazine on April 8, 2021

From the article, Local Officials Harness Cloud Capabilities for Emergency Management published in the State Tech online magazine by author ...

Government Trends
63 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503790 503790

Local Officials Harness Cloud Capabilities for Emergency Management

Government Trends

From the article, Local Officials Harness Cloud Capabilities for Emergency Management published in the State Tech online magazine by author Tommy ...

What 2021 Looks Like for the Commercial Real... What 2021 Looks Like for the Commercial Real...

Forbes.com; Published on March 19, 2021

Galit Ventura- Rozen for Forbes.com, writes on What 2021 Looks Like for the Commercial Real Estate Market. Published March 19, 2021.The ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
64 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends 0 503791 503791

What 2021 Looks Like for the Commercial Real Estate Market

Commercial Real Estate Trends

Galit Ventura- Rozen for Forbes.com, writes on What 2021 Looks Like for the Commercial Real Estate Market. Published March 19, 2021.The pandemic has ...

What Impact has COVID-19 had on Commercial Real... What Impact has COVID-19 had on Commercial Real...

A report from the World Economic Forum published April 6, 2021

The article on The Economic Impact of COVID-19 is from the World Economic Forum website and is written by Andrea Deghi, Financial Sector ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
65 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends jplist-topic-covid-19 jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate jplist-topic-real-estate jplist-topic-economics jplist-topic-reports 0 503782 503782 The article on The Economic Impact of COVID-19 is from the World Economic Forum website and is written by  Andrea Deghi, Financial Sector Expert, IMFFabio M. Natalucci, Deputy Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF Empty office buildings. Reduced store hours. Unbelievably low hotel room rates. All are signs of the times. The containment measures put in place last year in response to the pandemic shuttered businesses and offices, and dealt a severe blow to the demand for commercial real estate-especially, in the retail, hotel, and office segments. The commercial real estate sector has the potential to affect broader financial stability.- Andrea Deghi, Fabio Natalucci Beyond its immediate impact, the pandemic has also clouded the outlook for commercial real estate, given the advent of trends such as the decline in demand for traditional brick-and-mortar retail in favor of e-commerce, or for offices as work-from-home policies gain traction. Recent IMF analysis finds these trends could disrupt the market for commercial real estate and potentially threaten financial stability. Most regions and sectors have seen a reduction in the volume of transactions.Image: Real Capital Analytics, IMF The financial stability connection The commercial real estate sector has the potential to affect broader financial stability: the sector is large; its price movements tend to reflect the broader macro-financial picture; and, it relies heavily on debt funding. In many economies, commercial real estate loans constitute a significant part of banks' lending portfolios. In some jurisdictions, nonbank financial intermediaries (e.g., insurance firms, pension funds, or investment funds) also play an important role despite the fact that banks remain the largest providers of debt funding to the commercial real estate sector globally. An adverse shock to the sector can put downward pressure on commercial real estate prices, adversely affecting the credit quality of borrowers and weighing on the balance sheets of lenders. The risk of a fall in prices grows when we can observe large price misalignments-that is, when prices in the commercial real estate market deviate from those implied by economic fundamentals, or "fair values." Our recent analysis shows that these price misalignments magnify downside risks to future GDP growth. For instance, a 50-basis-point drop in the capitalization rate from its historical trend-a commonly used measure of misalignment-could raise downside risks to GDP growth by 1.4 percentage points in the short term (cumulatively over 4 quarters) and 2.5 percentage points in the medium term (cumulatively over 12 quarters). Price misalignment amplify downside risks to GDP growth.Image: Haver Analytics; MSCI Real estate; IMF COVID-19's heavy toll Looking at the impact of the pandemic, our analysis also shows that price misalignments have increased. Unlike previous episodes, however, this time around the misalignment does not stem from excessive leverage buildup, but rather from a sharp drop in both operating revenues and the overall demand for commercial real estate. As the economy gains momentum, the misalignment is likely to diminish. Nevertheless, the potential structural changes in the commercial real estate market due to evolving preferences in our society will challenge the sector. For example, a permanent increase in commercial property vacancy rates of 5 percentage points (due to a change in consumer and corporate preferences) could lead to a drop in fair values by 15 percent after five years. Potential structural shifts in commercial real estate demand could significantly lower the fair value of commercial real estate.Image: Haver Analytics; MSCI Real estate; IMF One must keep in mind, however, that there is huge uncertainty about the outlook for commercial real estate, making a definitive assessment of price misalignments extremely difficult. Policymakers' role in countering financial stability risks Low rates and easy money will help nonfinancial firms continue to be able to access credit, thereby helping the nascent recovery in the commercial real estate sector. However, if these easy financial conditions encourage too much risk-taking and contribute to the pricing misalignments, then policymakers could turn to their macroprudential policy toolkit. Tools like limits on the loan-to-value or debt service coverage ratios could be used to address these vulnerabilities. Moreover, policymakers could look to broaden the reach of macroprudential policy to cover nonbank financial institutions, which are increasingly important players in commercial real estate funding markets. Finally, to ensure the banking sector stays strong, stress testing exercises could help inform decisions on whether adequate capital has been set aside to cover commercial real estate exposures.

What Impact has COVID-19 had on Commercial Real Estate?

Commercial Real Estate Trends

The article on The Economic Impact of COVID-19 is from the World Economic Forum website and is written by Andrea Deghi, Financial Sector Expert, ...

Foreign Investment Update: Where Capital will... Foreign Investment Update: Where Capital will...

Published by Commercial Property Executive on March 12, 2021

Published on March 12, 2021 for the Commercial Property Executive; Gail Kalinoski writes on the Foreign Investment Update: Where Capital ...

Commercial Real Estate Trends
66 Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends-Commercial-Real-Estate-Trends jplist-topic-commercial-real-estate jplist-topic-commercial-property jplist-topic-covid-19 jplist-topic-2021 0 503787 503787 Published on March 12, 2021 for the Commercial Property Executive; Gail Kalinoski writes on the Foreign Investment Update: Where Capital will Travel in 2021 Foreign investment in U.S. commercial real estate declined 31 percent in 2020-a seven-year low-to $28 billion, as COVID-19 restrictions impacted cross-border capital flows across the globe. Worldwide, cross-border investment dropped 19 percent to $217 billion, according to CBRE. The decline in U.S. inbound investments is likely even deeper, noted Richard Kleinman, head of U.S. research and strategy & Co-CIO Americas at LaSalle Investment Management, who said data on cross-border activity in the U.S. can often miss the amount of investments that flow through funds. "Many foreign investors don't buy direct properties that Real Capital Analytics and others are able to pick up. Rather they're going into co-mingled funds whether they are open-ended or closed-ended funds and investing that way alongside domestic investors," Kleinman said. "We did see a slowdown in that similar to the direct transaction market." 2020 U.S. Inbound Investment by Sector. Chart by CBRE That may not be surprising because JLL noted in a February global real estate report the "fundraising environment was still challenging, with closed-end fundraising in 2020 declining 35 percent year-over-year." But JLL also reported the average fund size had reached an all-time high and that despite market volatility, commercial real estate allocations were generally stable or growing, with logistics and multifamily sectors showing the most strength, while there was a moderate recovery in the office sector, as investor interest expanded in global gateway markets. A new CBRE report on U.S. inbound investment trends for the second half of 2020 found EMEA-based investors accounted for the biggest decline in foreign investments-63 percent of the total volume decline. Canada retained its position as the top cross-border investor in U.S. commercial real estate, with $10.5 billion in investments, or 36.6 percent of total 2020 investments. "Canadian capital is always pretty dominant in U.S. markets. They know the U.S. market well," said Richard Barkham, CBRE global chief economist & head of Americas research, noting the geographic closeness and Canada's well-funded pensions that are major institutional investors. Both Barkham and Kleinman highlighted the growth of Singapore and South Korea investors in 2020. Capital inflows from Singapore and South Korea increased by 48 percent over 2019, Barkham said. South Korea was the second-highest cross-border investor in the U.S. in 2020, with $3.4 billion in investments, representing 11.7 percent of the total cross-border investments in 2020. Singapore placed fourth with $2.5 billion invested, or 8.8 percent of the overall total. Germany, with $3.2 billion in investments and the U.K. with $1.5 billion, rounded out the top five sources of inbound capital in the U.S., according to CBRE. Lower currency hedging costs caused by low short-term interest rates in the U.S. and depreciation of the U.S. dollar likely played a role in the increased activity by Singapore, South Korea and other foreign investors, including the U.K. "Often the cost of a hedge is dependent on the difference between the short-term interest in the U.S. versus whatever country their currency is in. So pre-pandemic short-term interest rates in markets like Japan and in Europe were close to zero. U.S. short-term interest rates were climbing above 1 percent. With the onset of the pandemic, the Fed cut short-term interest rates close to zero and so there's less cost with those hedges now," Kleinman said. Barkham said he expects investments from South Korea and Singapore to continue to grow. Last week, Singapore-based Mapletree Investments acquired Uptown Station, a 397,000-square-foot Class A creative office and retail building in Oakland, Calif., reportedly for more than $400 million. In December, the National Pension Service of Korea formed a joint venture with Stockbridge to acquire core logistics properties across the U.S. and purchased a 23-asset, 14.3 million-square-foot Class A logistics portfolio as its first transaction. London-based Knight Frank does expect Singapore to be a major player in global cross-border activity in 2021 along with the U.S., Germany and the U.K. Knight Frank expects COVID-19 will continue to impact real estate investment and mobility and so predicts cross-border flows will happen more frequently in 2021 between "near-neighbors" and to safe-haven locations led by Canada to the U.S. and from the U.S. to the U.K. In its "Where Will Capital Flow in 2021?" report, Knight Frank projects cross-border investments from Canada to the U.S. will reach $13.3 billion this year, the largest amount of foreign investment in its Top 10 list. The firm lists Germany in the sixth position with a prediction of $4.2 billion in investments into the U.S. in 2021 and South Korea in ninth position with about $3 billion projected to be invested in the U.S. this year. Overall, Knight Frank expects the U.S. to receive the most amount of cross-border capital investments in 2021 followed by the U.K., Germany, Australia, France, Japan, Netherlands, Mainland China, Canada and Finland. LOGISTICS LEADS Foreign investments in U.S. industrial and logistics properties rose 36 percent between 2019 and 2020, reaching $8.5 billion last year, according to CBRE. "One of the key findings was how strong industrial fundamentals were. Some of the areas that foreign capital targeted in the U.S. (for industrial acquisitions) were Atlanta, Indianapolis and the Inland Empire," Barkham said. Barkham noted overseas investors are also very interested in U.S. multifamily, which saw transactions in markets like San Diego and Sacramento, Calif. While logistics is the most-active space for investments currently, Kleinman said foreign investors are also beginning to focus on niche property types including medical office, life sciences, self storage and data centers. "Often cross-border investors may not be as familiar with those but we have seen activity from them in those sectors in 2020," Kleinman said. "They are working side by side with domestic institutions to better understand these property types that may be more prevalent in the U.S. market than their home markets and getting comfortable with them as part of diversified real estate portfolios."

Foreign Investment Update: Where Capital will Travel in 2021

Commercial Real Estate Trends

Published on March 12, 2021 for the Commercial Property Executive; Gail Kalinoski writes on the Foreign Investment Update: Where Capital will Travel ...

The Value of Virtual Care: The Advantages of... The Value of Virtual Care: The Advantages of...

Article from HealthTechZone.com published on March 11, 2021

From the article: The Value of Virtual Care: The Advantages of Telemedicine published in healthtechzone.com:Virtual care became a valuable ...

Healthcare Trends
67 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503786 503786 From the article: The Value of Virtual Care: The Advantages of Telemedicine published in healthtechzone.com:Virtual care became a valuable resource in the fight to deliver efficient and effective healthcare services even as the first wave of COVID-19 tore across the country. One year later, telehealth initiatives have become common features of care infrastructure nationwide. But what happens next? With ongoing vaccination efforts now offering a slow and steady solution to pandemic pressures, what role does virtual care play? Is remote healthcare here to stay, or are the days numbered for connected care initiatives?How Telehealth Allows for Diverse Care Options According to the American Medical Association, there's little doubt that virtual care will remain in some form even after crisis conditions ease. Although approximately 50 percent of healthcare providers deployed virtual health services for the first time during this pandemic, the likely future of these frameworks is optimization, not obsolescence. That projection stems in part from the opportunity presented by crisis-driven care challenges. "What we found, in being forced to pivot, was that we can better identify which type of visit - in person, telephone or virtual - is best for each patient," says Steph Willding, CEO of Chicago's CommunityHealth, the nation's largest free, volunteer-based healthcare organization. "While you don't usually think about a free health center being a hub for innovation, 40 percent of our visits are now by video or phone." At Tucson Medical Center, virtual healthcare technology innovation started with a new approach to patient visits, says Susan Snedaker, information security officer and interim CIO for TMC HealthCare. "In our hospital, we had virtual visits within the walls of the building to reduce the need for PPE use," she says. "With limited supplies and time needed for doctors to put on required PPE - sometimes up to 20 minutes - we found a lot of value in real-time text, video and chat solutions." Telemedicine Places Care Where It's Most Needed In traditional healthcare settings, space and place are critical. Care facilities need enough space for doctors, patients, administrative staff and equipment, and all the necessary parties must be in the same place at the same time. From Willding's perspective, the pandemic offered healthcare enterprises the chance to "rethink space and place for patient-centered care." CommunityHealth's approach is to create a hybrid model by establishing telehealth hubs - or "microsites" - throughout Chicago. "These hubs are colocated in existing community organizations, making them incredibly sustainable," says Willding. "Patients can come to a site in their own community and receive an assisted medical visit. Medical assistants are onsite to help with vital statistics and basic care, and to set up patients in rooms for virtual visits with an expert." CommunityHealth plans to open its first microsite in April, with the goal of opening a new one each quarter. In practice, solutions like this highlight the need for healthcare agencies to understand where they can make best use of telemedicine's advantages. For CommunityHealth, creating a hybrid in-person/telemedicine model made the most sense for their client base.Remote Care Technology Empowers Patients with Greater ChoiceOrganizations must also account for the changing nature of the healthcare market at large."Thanks to the consumerization of healthcare technologies, the balance of power has shifted," says Snedaker. "Providers still have a schedule, but they're effectively on-demand for patients. As a result, both the provider and the patient benefit, and this drives critical mass for adoption."In effect, this disconnect between care and location - much like the emerging shift in space and place - creates an opportunity for asynchronous assistance. It's no longer necessary that patients and providers be in same place at the same time. Payment policies and regulations are also changing in response to evolving virtual care deployments. For example, in December, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its list of covered telehealth services for the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly expanded providers' ability to deliver on-demand care without breaking budgets. In effect, the broader coverage allowed them to remain profitable while offering patient-centric services. Although there's no guarantee that CMS' coverage schedule will remain the same as pandemic pressures ease, it represents a significant step forward in the recognition that asynchronous service has the same fundamental value as in-person visits. Compliance will also play a critical role in the ongoing impact of virtual health services. It makes sense: The more patient data is collected and stored by healthcare agencies on local servers and in the cloud, the more that oversight around data transmission, use and eventual erasure will increase. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has noted that it "will not impose penalties for noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency." Even so, that suspension won't last forever, and healthcare organizations must deploy effective identity, access and security management controls to ensure that, as normalcy returns, risk remains under control.Post-Pandemic Care Reflects the Momentum of Change For Snedaker, hybrid models form the future of telemedicine. "We'll continue to see both telehealth and face-to-face services," she predicts. "While a lot of people like the convenience of telehealth, they're missing that connection with providers. Virtual health services will get dialed back to some degree, but they will stay." Ultimately, she makes a compelling case for the evolving value of virtual care. "Never waste a crisis," she says. "The most impactful thing about this pandemic was breaking through the barriers that kept us from thoughtful technology adoption. Over time, we will end up in a much better place."

The Value of Virtual Care: The Advantages of Telemedicine

Healthcare Trends

From the article: The Value of Virtual Care: The Advantages of Telemedicine published in healthtechzone.com:Virtual care became a valuable resource ...

Digital, Omnichannel Platforms Modernize Patient... Digital, Omnichannel Platforms Modernize Patient...

Article from HealthTechZone.com published on March 11, 2021

From the article: Digital, Omnichannel Platforms Modernize Patient Access published in healthtechzone.com:When it comes to communicating ...

Healthcare Trends
68 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503784 503784

Digital, Omnichannel Platforms Modernize Patient Access

Healthcare Trends

From the article: Digital, Omnichannel Platforms Modernize Patient Access published in healthtechzone.com:When it comes to communicating with ...

How Surgeons Use VR Technology to Train and Adapt How Surgeons Use VR Technology to Train and Adapt

Article from HealthTechZone.com published on November 25, 2020

From the article: How Surgeons Use VR Technology to Train and Adapt published in healthtechzone.com:Surgical training platforms that ...

Healthcare Trends
69 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503783 503783

How Surgeons Use VR Technology to Train and Adapt

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From the article: How Surgeons Use VR Technology to Train and Adapt published in healthtechzone.com:Surgical training platforms that leverage virtual ...

VA, Air Force Test Out 5G in Hospital Settings VA, Air Force Test Out 5G in Hospital Settings

Article from HealthTechZone.com published on March 4, 2021

From the article: VA, Air Force Test Out 5G in Hospital Settings published in healthtechzone.com: In February 2020, the VA Palo Alto Health ...

Healthcare Trends
70 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503779 503779 From the article: VA, Air Force Test Out 5G in Hospital Settings published in healthtechzone.com: In February 2020, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California became the first Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, and one of the first hospitals in the world, to establish 5G connectivity. The VA, along with agencies such as the Department of Defense, is testing 5G to develop and validate healthcare applications that could improve patient care. In the U.S. healthcare sector, says Dr. Thomas Osborne, director of the VA's National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovation, costs are growing, the population is aging, and there are not enough providers to deliver the same care as in the past. "It is a very dramatic time in healthcare where we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to solve these challenges," he says. "However, if we don't, there could be far-reaching negative consequences." The solution, Osborne believes, lies in technology: in particular, 5G, which carriers have continued to roll out in small-scale launches since the spring of 2019. The technology supports diverse radio-frequency spectrum bands that have very high available bandwidth, and speeds between 10 and 100 times faster than those of 4G LTE, with latency cut to milliseconds. "In healthcare, we are producing a ton of data, which is really important. However, we haven't realized the potential of this resource that requires advanced analytics and the ability to efficiently transmit data in a way that is actionable at the point of care," Osborne says. "If 4G is like driving on a narrow dirt road, 5G is like cruising on a five-lane superhighway without any traffic. It allows you to move more data, faster and more efficiently. All kinds of important and exciting opportunities open up as a result." 5G Networking Drives Wide-Ranging Healthcare Applications Leo Gergs, 5G markets research analyst at ABI Research, says he sees it not only powering clinical use cases, but also improving healthcare operations. "One of the interesting revelations I came across during my research is that a nurse spends only 18 percent of the day performing patient-facing duties," he says. "The rest is spent filling out forms, personnel management or even doing trivial things like searching for equipment. Deploying 5G doesn't eradicate all of that workload, but it reduces it substantially." "If we're reducing that to the point where a nurse would spend just half of the day doing administrative tasks," he says, "that would obviously increase patient-facing time and decrease personnel costs, while also increasing the quality of the healthcare system as a whole." Osborne has a long list of use cases for 5G, including augmented reality (AR) applications such as medical education; pre-surgical planning; operative guidance; remote surgical consults; and remote, real-time training. His VA team is collaborating with partners such as Verizon for the 5G infrastructure and Microsoft for its HoloLens headsets. "Recently, we connected teams in New York and in Palo Alto, all interacting with the same holographic model of human anatomy, at the same time," Osborne says. "It felt like we were all in the same physical room. I don't think anyone's ever done distant medical training like that before, and it's particularly important in the time of COVID." "You have these 3D, holographic human anatomy models that are real size, but you can also expand them so that they're larger than life," Osborne adds. "To be able to virtually enlarge and walk inside structures such as the human heart, that takes learning to a whole other level." Osborne's team is also collaborating with partners on applications that would project MRIs and other scans directly onto a patient's body, he says, giving physicians virtual X-ray vision to guide surgeries and other interventions. "A CT scan of someone's body may contain hundreds and sometimes thousands of images, and each can be several megabytes in size," he notes. "In addition, the technology needs to merge 2D images together to create an interactive 3D model image, and those are big files. "You need the superior bandwidth to allow the efficient relay of large amounts of data to make the whole process effective without lag time or jittering images. This is particularly important in surgery because it has to be flawless." A major 5G experimentation initiative is also underway at Joint Base San Antonio, which was one of 12 DOD sites selected in June 2020 to test the technology. Michael Lovell, Electromagnetic Defense Initiative executive director and leader of the 5G efforts at JBSA, says the technology could "collapse time and space" between field medics and medical experts anywhere in the world, improving trauma care in battle. "What 5G offers is low latency, high speed and great throughput," Lovell says. "You can enable a medical corpsman in the field to access the expertise of a trauma surgeon halfway around the world, in real time." Col. Sean Hipp, director of the virtual medical center at Brooke Army Medical Center, which is housed at JBSA, says the 5G testing program has many goals. "We really want to support medical training, telehealth, telerobotic surgery, AR and also medics in the field," he says. "One key component is making sure we are empowering our airmen, medics and corpsmen who are far-forward." Federal Programs Are Moving 5G Forward in Healthcare Although commercial 5G rollouts began two years ago, they have proceeded slowly, with manpower and other logistical concerns limiting their speed. So, while agencies may develop cutting-edge applications in the coming months, it will likely be several years before 5G is pervasive across federal healthcare. Gergs anticipates a wait of at least two years for a mature market to develop for devices reliable enough to fully utilize 5G in healthcare settings. "I hope we'll be doing more testing and moving this program forward by the summer and fall of 2021," says Hipp. "The big thing for me is the collaboration. We work in siloes constantly, and this program is trying to break down those siloes. I'm really excited about the future." The 5G initiative at JBSA acquired a 24,000-square-foot testing facility last year, and Lovell says he's excited to start testing out Internet of Things applications, among other use cases, at the site. "It makes my mind spin to think of the opportunities we have," he says. "It's not like you have to push fiber through a wall anymore. The technology is leapfrogging itself at a very rapid rate."

VA, Air Force Test Out 5G in Hospital Settings

Healthcare Trends

From the article: VA, Air Force Test Out 5G in Hospital Settings published in healthtechzone.com: In February 2020, the VA Palo Alto Health Care ...

During the Pandemic, Remote Patient Monitoring... During the Pandemic, Remote Patient Monitoring...

Article from HealthTechZone.com published on April 5, 2021

From the article: During the Pandemic, Remote Patient Monitoring Took on New Meaning for Doctors published in healthtechzone.com: When the ...

Healthcare Trends
71 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503736 503736 From the article: During the Pandemic, Remote Patient Monitoring Took on New Meaning for Doctors published in healthtechzone.com: When the COVID-19 pandemic began, no industry was hit more drastically than the healthcare industry. Experts and organizations across the industry had to manage both the enormous volume of COVID patients, while also having to make sure patients with other medical issues could be treated and monitored in a socially distant fashion. As the pandemic continued, the adoption of telehealth by the industry quickly became the solution healthcare experts were looking for, leading to an increased use of devices that specialize in remote patient monitoring that allow patients and physicians to be more connected than ever. Now, even with an end to the pandemic in sight, telehealth isn't going anywhere anytime soon, with devices such as the Link+ from LiveCare becoming more commonly used across the healthcare industry every day. The Link+ is the very first Smart Home Medical Gateway. It is uniquely designed to connect the elderly population with their HealthCare providers. The Link+ collects vital data automatically from all the home medical devices & other home sensors.  A 34G-enabled smart home gateway that integrates key medical devices in a patient's home through a proprietary, touch-free device, the Link+ overcomes the challenges of remote patient monitoring deployment through a simple, user-friendly interface that allows chronic care patients and their providers to easily and safely exchange information. The Link+ does not need to be connected to a WiFi network to fully operate, as it is always connected to the cellular network. Once the patient or physician activates the Link+, it will automatically start to transmit data to the LiveCare's HIPAA-compliant cloud, where physicians can access the data whenever necessary. The Link+ can also automatically send an alert or start a video call to a provider or healthcare center in the case of a decline in a patient's health.  LiveCare Founder&CEO, Peri Avitan, who has spent 18 years in the remote patient monitoring industry, developed the Link+ when he recognized the shortcomings of current telehealth technology, and wanted to ease some of the burden carried by healthcare professionals. "Whether you're a doctor, nurse, specialist, healthcare navigator, a visiting nurse, or a professional caregiver, having this data at your fingertips saves an enormous amount of time," Peri said. "Ultimately this is a productivity tool that also collects incredibly valuable data that the healthcare technology industry can use to analyze and understand trends in the aggregate." While the Link+ has a vast amount of potential for the future of healthcare, many experts already found the device extremely effective, adopting the technology during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor patients safely and remotely. "Our patients love the fact that we are now continuously monitoring their vital signs as opposed to episodic, in-person evaluations," said Dr. Ilyayev, CEO and founder of MyHouseVisit, a healthcare organization that specializes in House-call for elderly home-bound patients. "They also love the fact that we use the Link+ device to talk to them via video when needed. If we see an abnormal value from one of our patients, it is so easy to dial out, speak to the patient through the Link+ video interface, and provide them with instructions on what they need to do." Ilyayev also stated that Link+, specifically the pulse oximeter, has been extra valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some research has found that a drop in blood oxygen levels is an early marker of potential COVID-19 infection, so Ilyayev and the MyHouseVisit.com team has been more closely monitoring its patients' blood oxygen levels to proactively identify those patients who require immediate check-ins and potentially be tested for COVID-19. "The data that we get from the Link+ is extremely well organized and presented clearly," noted Ilyayev. "This saves us time in trying to figure out the trends in a patient's blood pressure, weight, or oxygen saturation levels, all of which are normally crucial, and even more so during the pandemic." Dr. Charles Saha, who is board-certified and licensed in the State of New York in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopies, and the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Physicians, also made use of the Link+ during the pandemic.  "Especially with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Link+ has been extremely valuable for our practice," said Saha when asked if using the Link+ has had a positive impact on his practice. "Our patients feel like they are still a part of our practice. Even though they may not be able to physically come into our office, they know that we are watching and monitoring their health in case a serious issue arises. It's been a real sense of comfort for our patients." Dr. Saha has noted how the data collected by the Link+ gives him access to health trends he may have never been able to notice before. "One interesting thing we've found is that we've had some patients whose blood pressure may be high during their visit to our office when they are nervous or tense, but it becomes normal when they get back home and stays that way when they are more relaxed in their own setting. That has allowed us to pull back on some medications." Today, even as vaccines start to roll out and become available to larger portions of the population, LiveCare is leading the way for remote patient monitoring into the 21st century with the Link+. Having made such a positive, lasting impact in such a quick time, the Link+ will continue to be used by healthcare experts even once the pandemic officially comes to a close. "With a remote monitoring process in place, our expectation is that some of our frail, elderly, Medicare patients won't need to come into our office as frequently as they used to," Saha said. "The Covid-19 pandemic has made things a little more challenging in figuring out how we're going to incorporate the data we collect during the course of a normal week, but based upon our current experience, we certainly plan to expand the use of the system to include all of our Medicare patients in the near future."

During the Pandemic, Remote Patient Monitoring Took on New Meaning for Doctors

Healthcare Trends

From the article: During the Pandemic, Remote Patient Monitoring Took on New Meaning for Doctors published in healthtechzone.com: When the COVID-19 ...

Kentucky hospital 1st in US to implant Bluetooth... Kentucky hospital 1st in US to implant Bluetooth...

Article from BeckersHospitalReview.com published on October 15, 2020

From the article: Kentucky hospital 1st in US to implant Bluetooth heart device from beckershospitalreview.com: A surgical team at St. ...

Healthcare Trends
72 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503738 503738 From the article: Kentucky hospital 1st in US to implant Bluetooth heart device from beckershospitalreview.com: A surgical team at St. Elizabeth Edgewood (Ky.) Hospital recently performed the first implantation of a Bluetooth-connected cardiac defibrillator in the U.S. The device, called the Abbott Gallant, is a biventricular implantable cardiac defibrillator that earned FDA approval in July and is the first to wirelessly pair with a smartphone app for patients.  Mohamad Sinno, MD, a cardiac electrophysiology specialist at St. Elizabeth Edgewood, led the procedure. Learn more here.

Kentucky hospital 1st in US to implant Bluetooth heart device

Healthcare Trends

From the article: Kentucky hospital 1st in US to implant Bluetooth heart device from beckershospitalreview.com: A surgical team at St. Elizabeth ...

4 Healthcare Technology Trends Expected to Boom... 4 Healthcare Technology Trends Expected to Boom...

Article from healthtechmagazine.net published March 8, 2021

From the article: 4 Healthcare Technology Trends Expected to Boom During COVID-19 published in healthtechmagazine.net: When the pandemic ...

Healthcare Trends
73 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503773 503773 From the article: 4 Healthcare Technology Trends Expected to Boom During COVID-19 published in healthtechmagazine.net: When the pandemic hit in full force last March, healthcare organizations had to pivot overnight. What was once impossible became necessary, and what was once unlikely became an everyday occurrence. While this disruption came with growing pains - health organizations faced supply, staff and support shortages for months on end - the World Economic Forum notes that "the industry's response has vividly demonstrated its resilience and ability to bring innovations to market quickly." In other words, the proverbial cat is out of the bag - and there's no putting healthcare innovation back once pandemic pressures ease. Here's a look at four key technology trends healthcare enterprises can expect in 2021 as COVID-19 comes under control.1. Predictive Analytics in Healthcare Although the first few months of the pandemic came with unparalleled uncertainty, ongoing work into the causes, mechanisms and mortality of the disease have yielded valuable healthcare data. By the beginning of December, researchers from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health had developed a COVID-19 mortality risk calculator to estimate the potential of severe outcomes for individuals and inform vaccine rollouts. According Susan Snedaker, information security officer at Tucson Medical Center and interim CIO for TMC HealthCare, this is just the beginning for predictive analytics. "There's a lot of opportunity here," she says. "Teams have improved their disease tracking and risk management. As information evolved, a lot of people were digging into the data to see if they could predict outcomes for patients or treatment plans that were being created on the fly. They saw the value of quick-moving data." She anticipates that after the pandemic passes, the value around predictive analytics in healthcare will remain, but adoption "will be slower and more thoughtful."2. IoMT: Connected Medical Devices Support Proactive Health Care The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) also gained significant ground during the pandemic, allowing providers to deliver proactive care at a distance. Applications have ranged widely, from connected wearables that report critical patient data to the deployment of "smart beds" in hospital settings to improve patient comfort. The uptake of connected devices and digital health technologies went better than expected, says Snedaker. "There was a widespread notion that people would be resistant to digital communication, but what healthcare pros realized was that families and patients liked brief, more frequent updates," she says. For TMC, this was reflected in the adoption of a connected device initiative that allowed operating room staff to quickly send patient status updates via group chat to a set of selected family members. These texts were prewritten, brief and one-way; information, not conversation, was the goal. According to Snedaker, it worked. "We found these brief, frequent updates brought comfort to families, and we found the patient experience was better overall."3. Future Telehealth Advances Will Deliver the Best of Both Worlds Together, many of the shifts that have taken place have moved the needle toward a more patient-focused experience of healthcare delivery. "The pandemic pointed to the need for patient-centered healthcare," says Stephanie Willding, CEO of CommunityHealth, the nation's largest volunteer-based free medical facility. "Before the pandemic, there were many ways the industry wasn't operating in a patient-centered way." One challenge that CommunityHealth had to overcome was pivoting operational approaches on the fly to account for the recall of volunteer providers to their primary care facilities. However, says Willding, the adoption of virtual visits has proved advantageous. "Our no-show rate has gone from 18 percent to 5 percent," she says. "This approach is now core to our model of care, with 40 percent of visits by video or phone." Although many providers expect the expansion of telehealth to persist even after patients and providers can safely meet in person, they also expect this technology-driven approach to undergo its own evolution. For Willding and CommunityHealth, this means combining low-tech solutions such as standard blood pressure cuffs with video tutorials, allowing patients to self-report key data. Such solutions will be essential for healthcare organizations serving distributed, disparate populations who may lack access to unlimited smartphone data or high-speed broadband internet.4. New Cybersecurity Concerns Increase Cloud Adoption in Healthcare Changes in care delivery models also have implications for associated IT infrastructure, with cybersecurity concerns pushing some organizations to the cloud. At TMC, a major transition to the cloud is underway, says Snedaker. "We're seeing articles about security gaps, and it's because healthcare has primarily kept data on-premises," she says. "As we deploy telehealth, infrastructure security becomes more important and more elusive. There's no edge anymore - infrastructure is very porous." To solve for evolving cybersecurity issues in healthcare, Snedaker recommends that organizations shift both their technology and mindset. "Not all organizations can keep up with the security learning curve," she notes. "Moving to the cloud is no different than buying brand new technology for your on-premises data center and not knowing how to use it." In other words, simply deploying the scope and scale of cloud resources necessary to support tech-driven healthcare initiatives isn't enough by itself. IT staff must be prepared to address common challenges, such as distributed denial of service attacks and ransomware, along with more targeted threat vectors such as COVID-19 vaccination scams. For healthcare organizations, the new normal that's on the horizon will come with an increased focus on technology-driven solutions to help better predict patient outcomes, increase consumer connectivity, embrace evolving telehealth expectations and defend the next generation of medical IT infrastructure. Willding puts it simply: "It's time to rethink space and place to deliver improved, patient-centered care."

4 Healthcare Technology Trends Expected to Boom During COVID-19

Healthcare Trends

From the article: 4 Healthcare Technology Trends Expected to Boom During COVID-19 published in healthtechmagazine.net: When the pandemic hit in full ...

10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021 10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021

Article from BeckersHospitalReview.com published December 28th, 2020

From the article: 10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021 published in beckershospitalreview.com:Health IT adoption skyrocketed in 2020 as ...

Healthcare Trends
74 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503735 503735 From the article: 10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021 published in beckershospitalreview.com:Health IT adoption skyrocketed in 2020 as hospitals, health systems and patients increasingly relied on digital health technologies for care delivery during the pandemic, setting the stage for continued growth and innovation in 2021. Becker's health IT team has compiled 10 of the top health IT trends on CIOs' radars for next year, from telehealth to cybersecurity and big data. 1. The CIO and IT teams evolution. Health systems relied on technology to swiftly move to virtual care, remote work and more coordinated communication and data management during the pandemic. Cybersecurity was also a new priority as ransomware attackers hit hospitals and health systems. As a result, the CIO's expertise was in high demand in 2020, and that will likely continue in the new year. "At Providence we are seeing firsthand the expansion of the CIO role and its elevated value in the health system," said B.J. Moore, executive vice president and CIO of Renton, Wash.-based Providence. "I now report to our CEO, Rod Hochman, MD, and my role has expanded to include our real estate and operations function. This is in recognition of the future of a modern digital workforce and the evolution of our facilities in the future of modern digitally enabled care delivery." Organizations will continue accelerated digital transformation next year, and the CIO's role will evolve to look more like that of a COO's, overseeing the organization's strategy and risk management. IT teams also are evolving to include more people with clinical backgrounds, data scientists and senior security professionals. 2. A new age of cybersecurity. Hackers stepped up their efforts to attack healthcare providers in 2020 to go beyond phishing attacks and stealing information to sell on the dark web. Ransomware attacks, especially during the second half of the year, shut down IT systems and slowed operations at hospitals and healthcare facilities across the U.S. As a preemptive measure, even organizations that didn't have a security incident cut off external emails and increased screening of incoming emails in October after hackers hit six hospitals with ransomware in 24 hours. The attacks emphasized the importance of strong cybersecurity and investment in secure data storage. IT teams will need to effectively communicate good cyber hygiene to staff members to prevent attacks and troubleshoot vulnerabilities as more work goes permanently remote. In 2021, it won't be surprising to see more health systems investing in cybersecurity technology and talent as a top priority and planning for cyberattacks as a "when" and not "if" scenario. 3. Telehealth and remote care expansion. While CMS and big payers relaxed regulations on telehealth to help providers continue safely offering care during the pandemic, hospitals and health systems will continue addressing how to incorporate virtual care as part of their long-term care strategy after the public health emergency ends. The pandemic also has accelerated advances in remote managed care both for patients with chronic conditions as well as those who have COVID-19 but don't need to be hospitalized. These developments have signaled a shift to a hybrid care model, which will replace mostly in-person visits with a combination of both telehealth and in-person visits for services ranging from follow-ups to urgent care. 4. EHRs evolving with new capabilities. As digital voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home have secured a place in consumers' living rooms, hospitals and health systems are inviting similar technologies into patient rooms. With tech developments increasingly focused on natural language processing and ambient listening capabilities, EHR vendors Epic and Cerner both inked deals to integrate Nuance's virtual assistant in their software this year, and Epic is working on its own ambient voice tech called Hey Epic! AI startup Saykara launched a new voice assistant this year that operates both ambiently and autonomously, so it can listen to and understand the context of a patient-physician conversation without being prompted by voice commands. The company counts New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian's innovation arm as an investor, and Seattle-based Swedish Medical Group is a customer. 5. Blossoming of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare. AI is not new in healthcare. Organizations have used artificial intelligence and machine learning in hospital administration and operations for years, specifically in the revenue cycle process. Before the pandemic, researchers began testing AI models to read medical images, yielding mixed results and leaving some wondering whether AI and machine learning would live up to the hype. But in the last year AI became crucial in developing predictive models for COVID-19 cases spreading across the country. Academic institutions and health systems, including New York City-based Mount Sinai; Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins; Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic; and University of California-Irvine developed predictive tools and models to track the virus and estimate the risk of COVID-19 patients developing severe symptoms. The field will continue to evolve and become more integrated with clinical care in the coming years. "A combination of wearables and other biomedical devices, combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence will continue to transform clinical research, treatment protocols and increase the virtual care capabilities of health providers," Eric Yablanka, CIO and associate dean of technology and digital solutions at Stanford Health Care and School of Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif., told Becker's in a September interview. "This will challenge traditional healthcare organizations to compete with emerging retail and virtual providers in ways we have not experienced before. It will also enable healthcare delivery science and bring data scientists to the forefront of improving patient care outcomes." 6. Big data management becomes a need. The digital transformation among health systems was well underway when 2020 began, and the pandemic underscored the need for centralized and efficient data management. Data-gathering and reporting efforts sped up during the pandemic, and even small organizations are eyeing cloud implementations to securely store and coordinate data. Microsoft, Amazon and Google all have healthcare-specific clouds. For academic medical centers, the stakes are higher, as secure research becomes a larger priority. "I really think investment in our cloud-based research platforms around high performance computing, artificial intelligence and the machine learning toolkits and integrating them back into our EHR is really key," said Michael Pfeffer, MD, assistant vice chancellor and CIO of UCLA Health during an interview on the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. "We are continuing to invest heavily in that, from a cost and resource standpoint. We are incorporating our EHR data with genomics data and other kinds of data, such as real-time wait forms and radiological images. "All of these things are so critical to our research mission and improving patient care - that translational aspect of taking research-derived algorithms or other type of technologies and applying that into the operations and patient care-delivery aspects of what we do - that is a real area of investment for 2021." 7. Predictive analytics moves to the forefront. The accelerated digital transformation in 2020 means more health systems now have the technical capabilities to practice precision medicine and inch closer to predictive analytics. Mount Sinai Health System in New York City created machine learning-powered models to identify high risk and likelihood of mortality among COVID-19 patients for more efficient patient management. Pittsburgh-based UPMC has been on the forefront of using data analytics with its clinical data warehouse that provides insights to clinicians and patients. The health system continuously improves upon their system by layering on new tools, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, bringing them closer to predictive analytics. "The use of analytical insights in the healthcare industry is very reactive," said Ed McCallister, senior vice president and CIO of UPMC in an interview with Becker's. "In the future, we envision that the analytic insights will evolve to be used at the bedside during the point of care. We also envision that analytics will enable us to proactively manage care and our patient population to keep them out of the hospital and healthy. We are already doing this today in some parts of UPMC and hope to expand this to all clinical departments and service lines." 8. EHR advances: Interoperability, standardization and the cloud. This year helped pave the way for advancements in EHR interoperability and standardization, with HHS' finalization of its interoperability rules to innovations spurred by the need for record sharing during the pandemic. With the federal government's new regulations, which aim to help patients gain better control of their health data via smartphone apps, interoperability is expected to increase between providers, payers and health tech developers. In November, Google launched its new healthcare interoperability readiness program to help healthcare organizations navigate and prepare for the new changes, and EHR giant Epic reported a sharp uptick in the number of patient records transferred between providers using its Care Everywhere interoperability platform; more than 221 million patient records were shared in November - a 40 percent increase year over year. More hospitals and health systems are also making the transition to cloud platforms and partnering with big tech giants, including Microsoft, Amazon and Google, to host their EHRs and information systems to offer real-time data insights and more storage solutions. 9. Digital front door and the digitization of the consumer experience. The pandemic ushered in a newfound era of social distancing, which has forced healthcare organizations to ramp up their digital presence and capabilities to stay connected to patients. With the "digital front door," serving as the first impression potential patients have of a health system, online experience has become a critical component of their overall reputation. As hospitals and health systems look to the future, many, such as Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health and SCL Health in Broomfield, Colo., are investing in a digital front door, which includes the organization's website and mobile apps that host the online patient portal, scheduling, telehealth visits and educational resources. 10. Clinical IT advancements. Augmented reality, wearable technologies and IoT devices in clinical care are steadily advancing within the hospital's four walls. With COVID-19 limiting direct contact, health systems have turned to robotics for tasks from facilitating video chat communications for patients to virtual reality headsets that display a clinician's first-person point of view from inside patient rooms remotely to the rest of the care team. Robotic surgery developments are expected to continue across the healthcare system, in areas including spine, cardiology and oncology. In October, a surgical team at St. Elizabeth Edgewood (Ky.) Hospital became the first hospital in the U.S. to implant a Bluetooth-connected cardiac defibrillator, which can wirelessly pair with a smartphone app for patients to control. By 2025, the global medical robots market is expected to reach $12.7 billion, up from about $5.9 billion in 2020.

10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021

Healthcare Trends

From the article: 10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021 published in beckershospitalreview.com:Health IT adoption skyrocketed in 2020 as ...

5 Professional Services trends to watch out for 5 Professional Services trends to watch out for

Article Published in Saxiom.com and updated on March 18, 2021

From the article, "5 Professional Services Trends to Watch Out for" published in Saxom.com:The technology-tycoon Bill Gates has once said, ...

Professional Services Trends
75 Professional-Services-Trends-Professional-Services-Trends jplist-topic-professional-services 0 503732 503732 From the article, "5 Professional Services Trends to Watch Out for" published in Saxom.com:The technology-tycoon Bill Gates has once said, 'IT and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think one can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other.'The business industry has seen a massive transformation in terms of work culture, management practices, skill requirements, and so on over the past decade. Technology is the major propeller behind these reinventions. It has empowered and enabled businesses to expand their horizons.For example, telepresence has facilitated employers to recruit from beyond geographical peripheries. The second major example is Automation. It has eliminated the need to spend countless hours on mundane admin work. Employees can now focus and spend time on human-specific business work that demands critical thinking. The list of these instances is endless.One of the major industries that have seen a paradigm shift is the Professional Services Industry.With ever-evolving market trends, there is a radical shift in customer demands, business models, and the way services are delivered to the clients.It's time for decision-makers to accept and adopt these trends to stay relevant in the long haul.1. What are professional services?Professional services encompass a plethora of occupations that extend support to businesses in the form of consulting, advice, or by performing other tertiary roles.Some of the key services include:Law- Providing legal assistance to the firms to ensure they adhere to the current laws and regulations.Audit & Accounting- Reviewing and assessing financial accounts to ascertain the legality of their financial records.Consulting- Working coherently with the organization to help them maximize their operational efficiencyFinancial advisory- Helping the decision-makers to make sound investments and secure their financesActuarial Science- Predicting and evaluating future financial risks using statistical modelsThe reason behind taking external help from these services is their professional expertise, business acumen, and years of experience. Thus, to keep serving the organizations to the best of their abilities, every professional services firm has to keep up with the trends and adopt a core strategy that aligns with the ever-evolving market.2. Re-evaluate the core strategy to align with the new normsThe two paramount characteristics that set the professional service firm apart from other business are:The bespoke service they offer to every client regardless of the tools and models used.The underlying nature of cultivating and fostering long-lasting client relationships.In order to maintain the competitive edge, it's imperative to walk along with the new norms that are redefining your industry. For instance, you cannot compete in a technology-driven market with silos of data and legacy tools. You need to equip the advanced and robust software to provide automated delivery and more-accurate insights to the clients.The new norms that are driven by technology and other factors demand a more agile, value-driven, and tech-enabled firm. Thus one has to focus on the proactive and targeted transformation of their core strategy to increase sustainability.These innovative trends that are compelling you to redefine your strategy can be categorized into two sections:Business-centricThe emergence of Automation and Artificial IntelligenceIncrease in globalization and virtual officesA value-driven revenue modelEmployee-centricRecruitment of hybrid talent to fill the skill gapsA tech-enabled work-culture to enhance team engagementHere is a description of each one of these in detail:The trends that will transform the PS industryBusiness-centric trendsAccording to a report by Mckinsey, a leading bank automated about 900 of its back-end operations to relieve 50% of its full-time employees from their admin tasks. Some of these employees were successfully deployed in other meaningful activities within the bank to increase overall productivity.3.3 A value-driven revenue modelProfessional services like Audit & Accounting charge the client on an hourly basis. This billing model does not consider the value generated out of each task. For example, an hour of billable work is leading to 10% of tax savings for the client. However, you are still invoicing the client based on the employee's charge out rate rather than on the task's value.This reduces the profit margins for professional services firms and the clients fail to see the benefits of the overall project. To change this, firms are now opting for a value-driven revenue model that will bill the client based on the benefits and profits they make during the course of the project.A client will now pay for the overall gains such as tax savings, ROIs, insurance claims, and so on. This shift from time-driven to the value-driven model allows PS firms to get more clients and increase their profitability. Furthermore, these tools provide real-time visibility of resource schedules and their utilization levels. Managers can leverage this and optimize resource allocation thereby preventing employee burnout.3.5 A tech-enabled work-culture to enhance team engagementTeam engagement is critical to driving business to success. According to Forbes, highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability. Encouraging team engagement is easy when you are working in co-located offices. However, it becomes a challenge when your team is distributed across different locations.With the advent of highly-advanced collaboration tools and companies investing to foster a tech-enabled work culture, employees can communicate and share important information in real-time. This enhances team engagement and allows quick problem-solving.Moreover, when teams are connected, their productivity increases and gives better results. Professional services firms are therefore indulging in building a tech-enabled work environment that will strengthen their employee's morale and improve performance.Conclusion- The future of Professional Services The growing trends and technology have provided a historic opportunity for the professional services industry to pivot and change the nature of business. If the firms adapt to these evolutions, how will the future face of PS look like? The project-delivery will be more efficient, accurate, and data-driven. The client-engagement will grow leaps and bounds in the presence of advanced collaboration tools. The ease of sharing real-time data will escalate and simplify performance tracking. Business Intelligence will provide comprehensive reports on varied project metrics that will allow you to predict and plan in advance. In addition to this, automation will improve the productive utilization of resources to a great extent. Overall, the ever-evolving trends will disrupt and change the face of the professional services industry. Are you ready to evolve and grow along with them?

5 Professional Services trends to watch out for

Professional Services Trends

From the article, "5 Professional Services Trends to Watch Out for" published in Saxom.com:The technology-tycoon Bill Gates has once said, 'IT and ...

13 Big Retail Tech Trends To Watch For In 2021 13 Big Retail Tech Trends To Watch For In 2021

Article posted in Forbes.com on March 8, 2021

From the Forbes Technology Council post in Forbes.com entitled: 13 Big Retail Tech Trends to Watch For in 2021While e-commerce has been on ...

Retail Trends
76 Retail-Trends-Retail-Trends jplist-topic-retail 0 503725 503725 From the Forbes Technology Council post in Forbes.com entitled: 13 Big Retail Tech Trends to Watch For in 2021While e-commerce has been on the rise since its inception, the unprecedented events of 2020 caused it to skyrocket as consumers avoided the risks of in-person shopping. As people continue to work and shop online in 2021, retail tech shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.With that in mind, those in the e-commerce sphere should keep an eye on new and emerging industry trends to stay competitive. Below, the members of Forbes Technology Council share 13 retail tech trends to watch for in 2021.1. AI-Based Inventory Management SystemsThe traditional approach to customer satisfaction focuses on increasing inventory rather than increasing product availability. There is a rising interest in strengthening inventory management systems with AI-based tools that not only make demand forecasts more accurate but also improve a retailer's ability to satisfy a customer who walks in the door, whether physically or online. - Taresh Grover, mySupplier2. E-Commerce MarketplacesMarketplaces are the natural evolution of the stand-alone Web store. They benefit all parties engaged in e-commerce. Buyers are getting overwhelmed with too many stores and options, and sellers are struggling to get their customers' attention. With marketplaces, buyers can find and compare products and check out, all while staying within a single platform. Sellers gain access to buyers they might otherwise miss. - Yoav Kutner, Oro Inc.3. Data Analytics For Cost And Safety ManagementStore operations are now a C-suite concern for retailers, from cleanliness to reconfiguring layouts for customer and employee safety. This requires financial discipline, and in 2021 we'll see a focus on using data to manage and predict costs. Whether it's maximizing contractor value or documenting sanitation for compliance purposes, data analytics will define store management in the year ahead. - Tom Buiocchi, ServiceChannelMORE FOR YOUUlta Beauty Optimistic About Physical Retail As New CEO Is AnnouncedRetail's Future: Open-Air, Curbside, And Data-DrivenThe 5 Biggest Retail Trends In 20214. Agile Marketing StrategiesAs some stores remain closed, retailers need to examine how they can enhance the digital customer experience. Multichannel retailers need to convince people to shop both online and in-store. They also must stand out from the competition, especially online-only retailers, which is essential for survival. To do this, retailers must quickly respond to market developments and apply agile marketing strategies. - Mirko Holzer, BrandMaker5. Pop-Up Shops And In-Store ExperiencesPeople are hungry for real-life experiences. Physical retail stores should not be thought of as the primary way to sell or even as a location to warehouse things; instead, they are marketing opportunities. With this in mind, pop-up shops and in-store experiences-tactile, scent and sound-based as well as those featuring expensive tech-will be showcased to drive sales and awareness online. - Joaquin Lippincott, Metal Toad6. Collaborative Analytics E-commerce businesses must contend with Amazon, which has much more information about consumers, enabling them to better serve customers with personalization. To compete, e-commerce companies need to build collaborative analytics systems that rely on data sets across multiple companies to gain insight into the complete customer journey, thereby enabling them to activate personalized customer journeys themselves. - Anneka Gupta, LiveRamp7. AI-Driven OperationsRetailers will begin to discover more ways to use AI to support their e-commerce efforts and provide better online experiences for their customers. We're going to start seeing AI-driven customization of product descriptions and marketing copy-even crowdsourced product design enabled by AI technology. - Divyabh Mishra, CrowdANALYTIX8. Shopping And Payment AppsRetailers are enabling in-store customers to scan their items and check out using an app, without the need for going through a checkout line. Sam's Club has already achieved this across all their stores, and Walmart is implementing it in phases. This will provide a safe and contactless experience for those who shop in the store. Consumers will also be able to buy online, schedule pick-up and then collect their purchases in the store or through curbside delivery-all powered by a mobile app. - Selva Pandian, DemandBlue9. In-House Robotic DeliveryWith in-house robotic delivery, retailers will deliver products anywhere, not just to houses or official addresses. You will snap a picture and the delivery service (humans first, then robotics) will deliver your order to the location the picture shows. The standard is no longer last-mile delivery but last-meter delivery. - Ayman Shoukry, Specright Inc.10. Grocery DeliveryOnline grocery ordering, along with instant delivery of fresh food, will explode in 2021. This will lead to more opportunities in logistics, gamification and security regarding the timing of deliveries and ensuring the fresh food gets delivered in a reasonable time to the correct person. - WaiJe Coler, InfoTracer11. Payment Card Cybersecurity SoftwarePayment card cybersecurity software-particularly using AI-is one trend that is already exploding. The surge in e-commerce is also leading to an uptick in hackers trying to steal credit and debit card information via phishing, malware and a variety of other methods. The use of AI cybersecurity software will augment human infosec teams to help combat payment data fraud and theft. - John Shin, RSI Security12. More Retail Mobile AppsI believe we will see more retailers creating mobile apps for their customers in 2021. There are plenty of unique benefits business owners can offer through an app. You can give out exclusive discounts, allow access to beta features and provide exclusive content. Companies across all industries can bring more value to their customers with this strategy. - Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster13. Local E-Commerce2021 will see the rise and acceleration of local e-commerce, as more small businesses "close to home" will shift to platforms such as Shopify. Ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft may introduce courier services that enable these businesses to offer fast delivery. The toolsets of big e-commerce players such as Amazon will finally reach the hands of small, local businesses-and we'll all benefit from it. - Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC

13 Big Retail Tech Trends To Watch For In 2021

Retail Trends

From the Forbes Technology Council post in Forbes.com entitled: 13 Big Retail Tech Trends to Watch For in 2021While e-commerce has been on the rise ...

5 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch... 5 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch...

Published in State Tech Magazine on December 17, 2020

From the article, 5 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch in 2021 published in the State Tech online magazine by author Phil ...

Government Trends
77 Government-Trends-Government-Trends jplist-topic-government 0 503682 503682 From the article, 5 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch in 2021 published in the State Tech online magazine by author Phil GoldsteinModernization, expanding digital services and improving access to broadband will be high on IT leaders' agendas next year.As in almost every sector, 2020 proved to be an unprecedented year for state and local governments, which were often on the front lines of combating the coronavirus pandemic and its resulting fallout on the economy, public health and government services. State and local government budgets have been battered by falling tax revenues and they face a daunting 2021, when they will be asked to do more with less. However, there are clear avenues for innovation and opportunities for IT leaders to take the lessons they learned from 2020 into next year, experts and industry analysts say. The modernization of legacy IT systems will likely get a jolt, as will the push into digital services, which the pandemic accelerated. IT leaders at various levels of government have underscored the importance of expanding access to broadband and making it a utility. These are some of the key IT trends in state and local government to watch in 2021.1. Modernization of Legacy IT Will Get a BoostThe pandemic exposed many state governments' legacy IT systems, which are still used to manage critical systems such as the distribution of unemployment insurance. States had to move these systems to the cloud on the fly in the spring amid a crush of claims, and such migrations are ongoing."While the pandemic brought these issues to light, many of these states' legacy systems were problems waiting to happen," Brandon Edenfield, the managing director of app modernization at Modern Systems, an Advanced company, writes in StateTech. "It is vital that all states find solutions to these challenges before the next disruption knocks their systems offline when they're needed most."Most often, Edenfield says, government agencies will choose to rehost applications, conduct automated refactoring, rewrite legacy applications or replace an entire system."Many policymakers at the state level had no idea what this even meant until this year," says Meredith Ward, director of policy and research for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, referring to legacy modernization. "While states won't be able to fund every modernization effort, the issue is likely to get more attention in 2021."NASCIO Executive Director Doug Robinson tells StateScoop he was surprised that legacy modernization dropped off the organization's list of top 10 state CIO priorities for 2021, after being ranked seventh in the 2020 edition of the list."Another challenge that was clearly exposed was the fragility of the legacy environment and a lack of scalability from the states," he says. "I made an assumption that legacy would be on the list."Edenfield notes that the right approach to modernization will vary from state to state, "so it's important that state IT leaders look inward to determine the strategy that best fits their needs.""Even though these strategies can take significant time and financial investment to complete, the payoff is leagues better than continuing to build upon aging technologies and systems that are essentially held together by duct tape - and run the risk of crashing altogether," he adds.LEARN MORE: How have counties modernized the tech they use to provide public benefits?2. The Shift to Digital Government Will AccelerateThe pandemic highlighted not only the multitude of services that citizens rely on government to deliver but also the fact that, when offices are closed or people are discouraged from being in close proximity to one another, those services still need to run.That led to a significant shift to digital services, as state and local governments have enabled digital signatures for documents and for driver's license renewals, among many other applications. Experts say that trend is likely to accelerate in 2021.Alan Shark, executive director of the Public Technology Institute, says there is even more of a citizen-centric focus in government service delivery than normal. He also expects that "digital infrastructure will replace physical infrastructure.""Now, as never before, there is a recognition that we wouldn't be operating the way we are today without recognizing the importance and significance of digital infrastructure," he says.That extends from the complex down to basic government services, Shawn McCarthy, IDC's research director for government infrastructure and systems optimization strategies, says. "Being able to support online connections for education, town meetings, etc. will be important for small to midsize towns. Some already do this well. Some are laggards."Many citizens interacted with their state government online for the first time this year, Ward notes."The increased demand and necessity for socially distant service delivery did two things," Ward says. "First, it showed that many services that haven't traditionally been offered online can be, and largely successfully. It also shed light on the importance of expanded online digital services, especially for those who couldn't travel to a state office because it was closed or had a hard time doing so even pre-pandemic. Expanded digital government is here to stay." 3. Expanded Access to Broadband Will Become an ImperativeThe pandemic also put into stark relief how critical access to high-speed affordable broadband is in so many communities across the country. It's needed for remote work and school and is seen by state and city leaders as a necessary ingredient for economic recovery.Smart city leaders across the country say that expanding broadband access is at the center of their agendas. Aurora, Ill., CIO Michael Pegues notes that the city already has 120 miles of fiber-optic cable in the ground but wants to expand that to 645 miles. That will help close the digital divide in the city and attract business investment, according to Pegues."We need to start looking at fiber connectivity and broadband accessibility the same way we look at gas, water and electricity - and then you've got fiber as a fourth utility," he says.NASCIO places it fourth on its IT priority list, shooting up five spots from last year, according to StateScoop. Expanding broadband encompasses strengthening statewide connectivity, implementing rural broadband expansion and embarking on 5G deployments, according to the NASCIO list."Broadband access and affordability became a huge area of emphasis this year due to the dramatic shift to remote work and remote learning. Expanding broadband access will be a big issue in 2021," Ward says.EXPLORE: How can tech-fluent leaders make the case for investment?4. RPA, Chatbots Will Dominate Emerging Tech DiscussionThe emerging technologies that states embraced this year to respond to huge demands, including robotic process automation and chatbots to answer citizen queries, will likely see more investment in 2021.That's despite the fact that many states will see their IT budgets shrink. "Some of those that are innovative, and creating a huge ROI or making it easier for the citizens to interact with the state, those things still have a lot of momentum behind them," Utah CIO Mike Hussey tells StateTech.Hussey notes that chatbots were a technology the state had been eyeing, but the pandemic spurred Utah to roll them out to answer questions related to unemployment claims."The use of chatbots exploded in state government this year to respond to the pandemic, and those chatbots (in at least 75% of states) are here to stay," says Amy Hille Glasscock, a senior policy analyst at NASCIO. "IT offices will be expanding their chatbots to additional state websites, making them more sophisticated and including them in their service offerings to agencies. States will also be looking at using emerging technologies for fraud detection, cybersecurity and citizen-facing digital services."The rollout of chatbots and virtual assistants "was rather rushed in 2020 for obvious reasons," Glasscock says, adding that in 2021 there "will be a returned focus on putting the governance of emerging technology ahead of deployment."Shark says that RPA will also likely increase in local governments by necessity as agencies are asked to do more with less and potentially cut staff. Automating workloads and processes can help states control costs.Any process that is business rule-driven, occurs in high volume and is repeatable would be well suited for state and local governments. RPA can be used for tasks carried out by human resources, financial services and procurement.Shark says that he thinks mayors are pushing for RPA deployments. "They see they will be facing big budget cuts," he says, "and they're asking, 'How do I continue providing services?'" 5. Zero-Trust Security Will Look More AttractiveWith many government users working remotely, some for the foreseeable future, securing remote users' endpoints is critical. Cybersecurity and risk management is the No. 1 priority on NASCIO's top 10 list.One way that agencies may try to keep remote workers and their networks secure is through adopting zero-trust cybersecurity principles. Zero trust represents a mindset shift in cybersecurity in which every transaction is verified before access is granted to users and devices."With current state-sponsored international hacking efforts, we are clearly headed for zero trust for most connections," McCarthy says. "But agencies also need better security software and tools. They need better visibility into all types of devices and packet traffic and they need to be able to see where hackers manage to gain entrance into a network and where they go."Ward notes that, as NASCIO stated in the 2020 Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity Study, COVID-19 amplified everything: "the pandemic forced state governments to act quickly in response to public health and safety concerns, in many cases taking the lead to protect their citizens from the spread of the virus."This will hold true in 2021, Ward says "especially in the first quarter and the vaccine rollout to our most vulnerable populations. We have already seen misinformation and disinformation campaigns surrounding the vaccine rollout as well as fraud - bad actors never let a crisis go to waste and will exploit a sensitive situation for their own benefit."Ward notes that some major cities have recently rolled out zero-trust frameworks, and she expects "states to follow suit where possible. The state cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing and evolving and continues to be a No. 1 priority for our state CIOs and CISOs."

5 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch in 2021

Government Trends

From the article, 5 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch in 2021 published in the State Tech online magazine by author Phil ...

Technology Trends in Healthcare Today Technology Trends in Healthcare Today

Article from HealthTechZone.com published on October 20, 2020

From the article: Technology Trends in Healthcare Today published in healthtechzone.com:Rapid technological progress has created new tools ...

Healthcare Trends
78 Healthcare-Trends-Healthcare-Trends jplist-topic-Healthcare jplist-topic-medical 0 503681 503681

Technology Trends in Healthcare Today

Healthcare Trends

From the article: Technology Trends in Healthcare Today published in healthtechzone.com:Rapid technological progress has created new tools for ...

Top Educational Technology Trends In 2020-2021 Top Educational Technology Trends In 2020-2021

Article from elearningindustry.com published on November 19, 2020

From the article published in elearningindustry.com: Top Educational Technology Trends in 2020-2021 COVID-19 has changed the way we teach ...

School and College Trends
79 School-and-College-Trends-School-and-College-Trends jplist-topic-School-and-College 0 503678 503678