Lagging In HR AI And Automation

There are lots of great ways companies can use AI within HR to drive improvements in EX. Did you know, for example, that 54% of respondents to one survey said they had given up on applying for a job they wanted due to poor communication from the employer?

Other opportunities include providing personalized onboarding, reducing administrative work by automating repetitive tasks, engagement tracking and improving many aspects of performance management.

Over-Automating Employee Experience

On the other hand, AI still presents a huge number of challenges, particularly when it’s mixed with humans! And while many companies will make the error of under-investing, just as many will, unfortunately, end up using it in ways that are potentially damaging.

Failing To Offer Personal Development Opportunities

This is critical for both retaining existing employees and attracting new talent. Technology is quickly reshaping industries, but workforces need trained and skilled employees to take advantage of this. Offering career progression planning, upskilling and retraining aimed at empowering them to use technology helps people feel they are investing in their own futures by sticking with a business.

Failing To Measure EX ROI

Investing in EX initiatives without a clear plan or milestones in place for measuring success risks wasting money without delivering tangible benefits.

Neglecting Employee Mental Health And Wellness

Workplace stress and burnout are at an all-time high. In fact, the World Health Organization reports that the US economy loses $1 trillion every year thanks to lost productivity caused by depression and anxiety.

Final Thoughts

Employees are a company’s most important resource, and neglecting EX in 2025 means they will quickly start looking elsewhere. This can be a disaster when business success is more dependent than ever on attracting and retaining the right people!

Conclusion

The message I want to get across is that every business should take a strategic approach to EX, taking care to understand how success or failure will impact goals and overall performance. Invest in staff through training, professional development and wellbeing initiatives, and they will pay you back with loyalty, growth and business success!

FAQs

• What is employee experience (EX)?
  • EX is the sum of all experiences an employee has in a company, including their interactions with colleagues, supervisors, and the organization itself.
• Why is EX important?
  • EX is important because it can directly impact employee productivity, retention, and overall job satisfaction.
• What are some common pitfalls companies make when it comes to EX?
  • Some common pitfalls include lagging in HR AI and automation, over-automating employee experience, failing to offer personal development opportunities, failing to measure EX ROI, and neglecting employee mental health and wellness.
• How can companies improve EX?
  • Companies can improve EX by providing personalized onboarding, reducing administrative work, offering career progression planning, and prioritizing employee mental health and wellness.

How To Unlock Growth Through Enhanced Customer Retention

Prove Value So That Growth Becomes Inevitable

Whether or not you have a distinct function called customer success, some part of your company must be responsible for ensuring that what customers signed up to get is going to give them value for their business so that they then will continue to pay you for that value and more.

The problem today is less with the “what” and more about the “how.” Common questions we hear today are “How do we scale CS efficiently?” “How should we measure CS’s impact on the business?” and “How do we justify further investment?”

Is My Strategy Setting My Customers Up To Succeed?

Of course, the answer to questions about strategy will depend on where you are and how you are doing. At Forrester, we believe that a successful CS strategy has six main components:

1. Purpose or charter. Is CS’s role to manage the account, resolve issues, and advocate internally? Or are you helping customers achieve their goals through a differentiated customer experience that drives retention, growth, and advocacy?
2. Alignment. To what degree does CS work in a highly collaborative manner — and share metrics — with all customer-facing teams to help ensure that customers achieve their goals?
3. Performance metrics. How does CS show that it improves customers’ business outcomes — through periodic reviews and success plans or by continuously reporting on and managing results through a digital experience personalized to each account?
4. Technology and data. Do your data and technology practices increase CS productivity and enhance insights? Or are you also creating a distinctive digital experience that supports a seamless journey and enhances their realized value?
5. Customer lifecycle management. Do you actively work to define your customers’ journeys and ensure that they reflect the key milestones they must achieve to adopt your offering successfully and shorten time to value? Is the ultimate stage of that journey an activated advocate who differentiates your brand?
6. Budget and capacity. To what extent is CS run as a self-funded P&L? Does it use a tiered coverage model with pricing that ranges from free to customer-funded? Is the business case for budgets based on a multiyear cost-benefit analysis that includes provisions for risk and future expansion/flexibility?

Conclusion

Enhancing customer retention should be a top priority on every B2B firm’s 2025 goal list. By proving value and setting your customers up for success, you can unlock growth and ensure long-term success.

FAQs

• How do I scale customer success efficiently?
• How do I measure the impact of customer success on my business?
• How do I justify further investment in customer success?
• What are the key components of a successful customer success strategy?
• How do I ensure that my customer success strategy is aligned with my overall business goals?

Register to attend Forrester B2B Summit North America from March 31– April 3 in Phoenix or online to learn more about CS strategy.

The Rise of Converged Threats

From ransomware campaigns that shut down building access systems, to IoT vulnerabilities that bridge physical and digital entry points, organizations are dealing with the reality that treating physical and cyber security as separate disciplines leaves dangerous gaps. That’s a core theme threading through ISC West 2025’s expanded educational tracks, keynote lineups, and panel sessions.

Identity as the New Security Perimeter

A major theme emerging from ISC West is the redefinition of "perimeter." In a world where physical and digital access points are increasingly interwoven, identity becomes the critical link. Gill believes the convergence of physical and cybersecurity is being driven by the need to secure identity, context, and intent—not just assets.

Cultural Hurdles and Strategic Shifts

But while the technology is advancing rapidly, many organizations still struggle with cultural inertia.

ISC West: The Industry’s New Convergence Hub

To support this vision, ISC West has expanded its cybersecurity and connected IoT pavilion, introduced a cyber hub sponsored by ZeroFox, and integrated RSA-curated educational tracks. Shaughnessy told me the SIA New Products and Solutions Showcase will highlight over 100 debut technologies—many blurring the line between physical and cyber applications.

Conclusion

As the attack surface grows more complex, ISC West is rising to meet the moment by reshaping how the industry thinks about defense. Threats don’t respect borders, so security can’t either. The future is converged—and it’s already underway.

FAQs

Q: What is the convergence of physical and cyber security?
A: The convergence of physical and cyber security refers to the merging of the two previously separate worlds of physical security (managing gates, guards, and surveillance systems) and cybersecurity (handling firewalls, malware, and identity threats).

Q: Why is convergence important?
A: Convergence is important because it allows organizations to address the increasingly interconnected threats that were previously handled separately.

Q: What are some key takeaways from ISC West 2025?
A: Some key takeaways from ISC West 2025 include the need for a unified approach to security, the importance of identity in securing access points, and the need for AI and machine learning to optimize security strategies.