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As part of our Women Making Waves in Technology special podcast series, I had the chance to talk to Jayme Beck, Vice President of Global Marketing & Customer Experience at Experian Decision Analytics about how innovation translates into tech marketing and customer experience. In this 20-minute conversation, Jayme shares her passion for connecting with people and reminds us of the importance of looking for that human element, as behind every screen, behind every algorithm, decision, email, there is a person. Innovation comes in all sizes, also in marketing This podcast also explores topics such as managing innovation from a marketing standpoint, especially nowadays that everyone is talking about omni-channel experiences. In this day and age, it’s all about embracing a growth mindset and bearing in mind that innovation comes in all sizes. The pandemic has resurfaced the importance of communication, and while communications practice and discipline isn’t something that comes naturally to everybody, this is a great time for communications and marketing professionals to grip their place in the innovation cycle. For Jayme, this starts with letting go of the idea of perfection and overthinking. Adopting a ‘try & learn’ mindset is the next step. “I like to revisit a talk from this baseball coach I know, where he encourages everyone to let go of the idea of perfect and put one foot in front of the other, and see where that takes us to.” Discover other stories from the Women Making Waves in Tech podcast series Access all episodes of Insights in Action on Soundcloud, Spotify, Google Podcasts

Digital interactions have been the norm for some time, and have recently accelerated due to the pandemic, surfacing digital identity as a fundamental focal point for businesses. A shift from analog identity to digital is happening organically due to digital demand, but the necessity of safeguards from businesses and policymakers, and an understanding of what it means to have a digital identity from consumers, make this a complex and increasingly important topic. "Sometimes it's easier to think about analog and how that might relate to digital. Our analog life, our identity, is pretty straightforward. We're all used to showing a driver's license, an identity card, or a passport. It's been authenticated by somebody that we trust like the government. It's something that we use as an entry point to open up our first checking account at the bank or when we go to the doctor's office and we provide insurance and our identity. In the digital world, it's very similar. If you think about that provenance or that trusted source of identity, it often starts with some things that we don't even see. That digital footprint is growing and expanding into a lot of pieces of information that most of us aren't familiar with or think about. That data becomes the gateway to how we access goods and services in a digital environment." Eric Haller In this CXO Talk, Michael Krigsman asks Eric Haller, Executive Vice President and Group Head of Experian DataLabs, what it means to have a digital identity and why it's important. They take a look at the following topics: What is digital identity? How do you establish digital identity? How to improve digital identity? How can we protect against AI-generated deep fakes? What is the intersection of digital identity and GPT-3? Blockchain and digital identity Societal implications of digital identity Advice to businesses and policymakers on digital identity

There's been lots of discussion about what a return to normal will look like as we transition out of the global pandemic—and much remains up the air. However, our recent consumer and business surveys paint a picture that merits the attention of financial service and credit companies. The big takeaway: The Covid-19 crisis has bifurcated consumers, created extremes on both sides. On the one hand, many individuals coming out of the pandemic have more cash than they had going in. The crisis didn't impact their income, and instead, they've spent the year spending less than they usually would due to work-from-home mandates and local lock-downs. Our consumer survey from January 2021 shows that financial challenges have eased for younger consumers and higher-income households. Yet, at the same time, there's also a contingent of consumers who continue to struggle. One in three of our survey respondents reported that they still have financial concerns and a similar percentage are worried about their employment. We anticipate that the demand for support, service, and credit will be high from each side. So how can companies respond to the heightened need for credit products while continuing to service consumers who may need support? This is where digital solutions make all the difference. By employing digital onboarding and decision automation tools, you can rapidly increase your capabilities while also improving the online customer experience for all. A return to spending The U.K. provides a glimpse of what a staggered return to normalcy may look like. When shops and restaurants re-opened for business in mid-April, lines of people streamed out the doors and flooded the streets. With the country's re-opening culminating in June, many consumers will be looking to resume spending on items and projects that they've neglected since the pandemic's start. For example, our survey data reveals that consumers are becoming less cautious with their finances in general. Fewer people report that they're cutting back on discretionary spending and there's a decline in consumers putting money toward emergency funds and drawing funds from savings accounts. These consumers may be gearing up to spend more. And companies that can anticipate their needs and meet them proactively will be positioned to win and keep their business. Solutions for pent-up demand Many businesses are already preparing for this new wave of demand. Consider that eight out of 10 businesses report that they're turning to cloud-based decisioning applications to improve the customer journey. In doing so, companies are giving themselves much-needed flexibility right when it's needed most. They can dial up their online capabilities based on demand and then dial down if it drops. At the same time, these automated solutions enable companies to deploy their staff to customers who do require personal attention. It's a divide-and-conquer model that keeps the customer at the center. In addition to utilizing the cloud, more than 40% of companies say they leverage AI to improve the customer experience. The AI component enables companies to provide personalized options for consumers and create customer journeys that are far more relevant. The timing for such personalization couldn't be better. In our research, a growing percentage of consumers indicate they're willing to share more personal data about themselves in exchange for improved experiences and added value. Building solutions that work—for everyone The pending volume creates a significant growth opportunity and highlights why digital solutions are a must. Companies that provide the best digital service to customers will garner their trust, loyalty, and even referrals. This yields more demand, increasing the need for scalable, cloud-based onboarding and decisioning even more. Amid this activity, you'll want to focus on getting the most from your digital tools. To do so, consider: Leveraging data for improved credit outcomes Evaluate your end-to-end customer journey, looking for ways to utilize data and increase personalization at every juncture. You'll improve the customer experience and provide more relevant offers. The right data also provides a holistic picture of customer credit risk and ensures you're not creating problems for the future. Utilizing low-code solutions so employees can dive in Digital onboarding and decision automation can be game-changing for the customer experience. But if it's hard for employees to use, then that effectiveness takes a hit. Look for solutions that your employees can use off the shelf. The ability to generate customizable reports and execute on ideas and strategies without involving IT at every turn is essential. Recognizing limitations and potential bias Evaluate your analytics models and look for areas of limitation or potential bias. You want to ensure that you're providing access to credit to all eligible customers and not inadvertently excluding specific demographics. Building capabilities that put you ahead of the market The pandemic provided many lessons—and the value of anticipating demand or potential problems was one of the most important. The crisis is waning, but the financial consequences will continue to reverberate, especially as various government aid programs come to an end. Focus on improving your analytics so that they can better describe what's happening now and predict pending changes in demand and shifts in your portfolio. By and large, consumers are moving forward after a challenging year. Prioritize your digital solutions to make sure you can meet their needs regardless of what the future holds. Stay in the know with our latest insights:

In our first episode of the Women Making Waves in Tech podcast series, we hear from Shobana Balasundaram, Director of Product Management at Experian Global Decision Analytics. Shobana leads the product roadmap for PowerCurve Suite, Experian’s award-winning decisioning software platform. Shobana’s passion for introducing new solutions and product features is contagious: “During my time managing this collection of software solutions, I have had the chance to bring some advanced analytics and machine learning features to market. Indeed, some of the new product features that I have launched have driven nearly half of our revenue growth in the past few years, which confirms that decisioning software is a growing area. And I love my job!” Blending business strategy and tech advancements Shobana discusses what it takes to bring business strategy to life by applying the latest tech advancements. “It’s all about transforming an idea into a product and putting it in the hands of a client so they can deliver value to their customers,” explains Shobana. In her current role with the global product management team for decisioning software, Shobana is responsible for thinking about what kind of features to build into the product and forecasting the level of growth it will generate. That also involves addressing the market’s and competition’s reactions. But for her, the part she enjoys the most is “taking an idea, thinking about what is the possible problem you're solving and turning that into a product feature. Getting that idea-turned-into-a-solution in the hands of a client is a very satisfying experience, end-to-end.” Access all episodes of Insights in Action on Soundcloud, Spotify, Google Podcasts

At Experian, we have a long history of driving positive change in society. For example, our founder Si Ramo was one of the original thinkers around a cashless society much like the one that we are headed to today.   Indeed, everything we do today as a company is built upon a foundation of data and information technology and anchored on the mission of giving consumers access to the financial products and financial information that they deserve. All of that while enabling consumers to protect their identities and to help businesses achieve their outcomes.   Experian Decision Analytics’ mission is taking the complexity out of decision-making, enabling businesses to drive meaningful outcomes for consumers in moments that matter. We achieve that by making sense of that data, by applying advanced analytics and technology in ways that help businesses better serve their customers.   Cloud-based technology helps make smarter, quicker customer decisions  We are committed to extending our expertise and capabilities to businesses of all sizes so they can take advantage of a range of simple, affordable, and configurable solutions. That means that what was once only available to very large businesses is available to all, and that’s better for consumers.    For us, helping businesses serve the needs of more customer segments, with confidence, is paramount. Leveraging decisioning software, rich data sets, advanced analytics, and cloud-based technology, we empower customers to make great risk-based decisions quickly, easily, and safely. That translates into innovation at scale, a lower total cost of ownership for clients, and greater access to the most effective fraud protection methods.  We do this to help businesses lend more effectively, minimize and detect fraud losses, and comply with regulatory and privacy requirements. But, more importantly, we do this to help them deliver great experiences to their customers. Ultimately, all of that work helps society to flourish.   More resources on digital transformation and automated decision management:  Fair and explainable artificial intelligence is accelerating industry transformation How digital transformation is defining a new way to do business Automating Fairness: Using Analytics to Help Consumers in Pandemic Era

As consumers shop, bank, and pay online during the global pandemic, steps are being taken to return to more business as usual. But, what should businesses expect around consumer digital preferences post-pandemic? Steven Wagner, Global Managing Director of Decision Analytics, recently spoke with Jill Malandrino of Nasdaq Trade Talks about recent survey findings and overall trends to watch out for. Here are highlights of that discussion: Research trends indicate a continued and persistent surge in online transactions and digital payment mechanisms The current environment has been a tipping point for consumer trust in online transactions A secure environment through continuous and passive authentication is key to meeting online consumer demand There is a direct correlation between consumer trust in their online environment and their willingness to provide data to secure a transaction Businesses need to invest in AI that provides a good consumer experience -- from chatbots to machine-learning models that impact consumer treatment in real-time Watch the full episode now: Related stories: New research available: 2021 Global Insights Report Parting ways with old forms of managing credit risk online Why the new era of customer experience includes passive authentication

At a time when the digital transition is in full swing, accelerated by the rapid change brought by the pandemic, the role of technology architecture seems to gain a renewed importance. This discipline is all about finding solutions to the challenge at hand by bridging the gap between business needs and technological enablement. In the latest Insights in Action podcast series ‘Women Making Waves in Tech’, we hear from Aruna Chalasani, senior software architect at Experian Global Decision Analytics. In this 20-minute conversation, she talks us through her experience driving innovation in highly diversified, geo-distributed teams and shares key learnings and takeaways about driving product vision with the customer front and center. It’s all about customer enablement Aruna highlights how, over the past year, the lifespan of innovation has continued to shorten. That means a shrinking timeframe to enact innovation from a technology perspective, whether that’s migrating to the cloud, leveraging machine learning, refining the customer experience, boosting data integration, or infusing automation at scale into the business. This fast-tracked drive into the digital world has also brought an increased digital risk. Security remains paramount, and they must look at it from a holistic perspective. These new innovation parameters call for robust customer enablement – self-service keeps gaining traction as a proven way to enable organizations to meet consumer demands at the speed of change, while more and more organizations seek the benefits of cloud-based solutions and automated decision management. For technology architects, driving innovation these days is about responding to customers’ needs even quicker, yet without losing sight of security, scalability, usability, and efficiency gains. Listen to the full podcast Access all episodes of Insights in Action on Soundcloud, Spotify, Google Podcasts

  In honor of International Women's Day, we've curated a list of our top stories from over the past year authored by women leading change in the data, analytics, and technology industry. Right offer, right time: What organizations really need from digital decisioning software By Donna DePasquale, executive vice president, Global Decisioning Software The true potential of digital decisioning brings to mind the intrinsic reward of talking with someone that really gets you. It’s that “aha” moment when they say just what you needed to hear or offer the help you wanted—without you having to ask. The rise of digital decisioning software enables organizations to scale a similar level of personalization, offering customers what they need at the exact right time. And organizations that do it well dramatically improve the customer experience and drive loyalty and revenue in the process. But realizing this promise takes the right tools. The most effective decisioning platforms include a powerful combination of data, analytics, and technology. Equally important, the software must allow non-technical users to update and change strategies to better meet customer and organization needs without burdening IT.  …Read more   Consumer demand for digital will persist and the customer journey will be redefined By Stacy Schulman, senior director of marketing, Global Decision Analytics With the turn of a new year, there’s positive news that a vaccine is making its way to local communities. As businesses set their goals and strategic agendas, a top question comes to mind: what consumer trends are here to stay post-pandemic. While it’s difficult to predict the future, we believe many of the digital behaviors and expectations observed in the past year will persist, calling upon businesses to do more with their data, analytics, and technology to bridge online and offline customer experiences. For over the past year of the pandemic, we’ve conducted a study that looks at the impact of Covid-19 on consumer digital banking and shopping behaviors and businesses’ strategies and priorities to support their customers. …Read more   Insights into Action podcast: Present and future of digital identity with Nick Maynard and David Britton By Angela Gonzalez-Rodrigues, podcast host and marketing manager, Global Decision Analytics The concept of digital identity and the ways it can be applied has been discussed for many years. While this has traditionally been more of a philosophical discussion, this notion has beginning to shape over the past twelve months, making waves across markets and driving, making many in the industry wonder what has changed to prompt that shift. In a recent episode of the Insights in Action series, Nick Maynard from Juniper Research and David Britton from Experian Decision Analytics explored the pandemic’s transformative effect on the prospects of digital identity. Over the past year, reliance on e-commerce has increased significantly increased globally, boosted by new consumer and business needs and efforts to observe social distancing and cope with the side-effects of lockdowns. …Have a listen   Has my data lake turned into a data swamp? By Andrea Nighswander, senior manager of solution strategy, Global Identity & Fraud In many respects, the explosion in the type and volume of customer data businesses gather to facilitate security, ensure a convenient, user-friendly approach to customer interactions, and personalize interactions is a double-edged sword. In an era when businesses are awash in data, customers’ expectations regarding its use continue to grow. Nonetheless, when it comes time to recognize a consumer by utilizing the data, there is a disconnect between how confident businesses are in their ability to recognize the consumer and the consumer’s confidence in businesses’ ability to do the same. According to our global research, 95% of businesses say they can recognize their customers yet 45% of consumers don’t feel recognized. …Read more   Biometrics as the catalyst for trust in a socially distanced world By Gena Boutin, vice president platform go-to-market success, Global Identity & Fraud According to our global research, 81% of consumers view physical biometrics as the more secure form of identity verification Conversely, as user IDs and passwords become more exposed to fraudsters, various organizations across industries are using biometrics to develop next-generation identification controls that combat fraud, make transactions more secure, and create trusted enhanced customer experiences. Driving adoption is certainly key to effect change. The good news is that biometric authentication is already part of our daily lives. Facial recognition to unlock mobile devices and fingerprint scanners to facilitate purchases are only a couple of examples of how engrained biometrics already are in our daily lives.  …Read more   Other related stories: Women Making Waves in Tech, a podcast series Game changers: Women in AI Video interview of Marika Vilen at Experian on identity verification 

As the demand for digital exploded over the past year, companies responded in kind. Those who were prepared rapidly scaled their digital capabilities to accommodate the sudden influx of customers. And those who were caught off guard? Many found themselves scrambling to meet the moment. For both parties, the result has been an accelerated digital transformation that's benefiting businesses and customers alike. The focus has been primarily on improving the front-facing customer experience. But as we look ahead, the dramatic shift toward digital has also opened up opportunities to enhance the security and authentication experience too. By weaving authentication into the customer micro journey—the subsets of tasks that comprise the customer journey—we can strengthen security and decrease fraud. And the data collected along the way creates wholly new opportunities for personalization that improve the experience that much more. A brittle solution   The most common authentication approach requires customers to create usernames and passwords and provide personal information to verify their identities. Customers increasingly expect that companies will require them to provide this personal information to secure their accounts. In fact, in a recent Experian survey, 45% of customers said they'd be willing to share more personal data with companies. However, as long as passwords serve as the primary security tool, the approach remains vulnerable. First, it's unlikely that companies would (or should) continuously ask customers to provide passwords and verify their identity at various stages in the customer journey. This means that there's one big gate for fraudsters to scale and limited hurdles once they've gained access to an account. Certainly, passwords are unique to an individual, which is a positive. But they're also brittle, so they're easily broken or compromised. They don't flex with the user or the customer experience, nor do they offer security beyond a specific juncture. As we look to improve the customer experience continuously, we also need to provide end-to-end authentication. Doing so ensures you can recognize customers at every point of their journey, whether they're logging in or checking out. Securing the micro journey An end-to-end approach requires an understanding of customer micro journeys. It's not enough to provide a great digital experience, say via your account onboarding, but then have a completely different experience when a customer needs access to payment support. Considering micro journeys allows you to dive deeper into each component of the consumer lifecycle, and to understand the nuanced interactions that occur within each of those stages. Rather than just focusing on general approaches across Onboarding, Login Access, Transactions, etc., each one of these stages can be broken into smaller discrete steps (micro journeys), where opportunities exist to simultaneously delight the customer, and to create a much more nuanced risk management strategy. Then you can ensure that each task is seamless, easy, and personalized to the individual. Such a strategy can create deep and lasting customer loyalty. And identification remains a crucial part of every micro journey. No one likes to be at a party and have the host ask them their name repeatedly. The concept applies to security as well. Passive or invisible approaches to authentication eliminate this friction. For example, companies can continually authenticate the customer by employing physical or behavioral biometrics as they progress through the journey. The technology considers: How does the customer hold their device? What time are they usually active? How much pressure do they apply to the screen? Such data paints a much more nuanced picture of an individual—and one that's exceptionally hard to impersonate. And while privacy concerns arise, the type of data required to authenticate customers in this way is far less intrusive than asking for personal information. Customers are increasingly amenable as well. In our research, consumers cited physical biometrics, OTP, and behavioral biometrics as their preferred authentication methods. Passwords didn't even make the top 5. A holistic approach We're at a point in which forward-looking companies can rethink the complicated security dance they've been asking customers to do and move toward a more passive approach. It's an evolution that doesn't just improve the security experience; it also opens up massive opportunities for increased personalization. The data gathered across these micro journeys enables you to design experiences that truly meet customers' individual needs. That capability can become a significant differentiator and driver of growth. Getting there, however, requires a holistic view of your customer experience—one that includes security as a critical element. Our past three research waves show organizations are starting to deprioritize fraud prevention in favor of customer care and online offerings. This is a concerning trend: companies cannot forgo one for the other. Instead, organizations will need to consider both security and customer experience and creatively explore how to bring them together. It's a long-term strategy for customer retention and growth, one that requires a deep understanding of your audience as well as the solutions needed to enable passive authentication. For organizations, the journey toward passive authentication as part of the customer experience is more of a marathon than a sprint. But by focusing now on melding recognition and the customer experience together, organizations can ensure they're ready to deliver high-quality, less intrusive, and more secure experiences that customers are beginning to demand. Related stories: The evolution of digital identities What your customers say about opening new accounts online during Covid-19 and impacts on how you handle customer authentication 2021 Predictions: Consumer demand for digital will persist and the customer journey will be redefined  

Did you miss these February business headlines? We’ve compiled the top global news stories that you need to stay in-the-know on the latest hot topics and insights from our experts. Experian launches new anti-fraud platform for digitally accelerated world Financial IT covers the latest on tools to help businesses safely meet the rapid increase in demand for digital services and online accounts. Eduardo Castro, Head of Identity & Fraud, speaks to gaining confidence in preventing fraud while meeting these new business challenges. Experian helps Atlas Credit double approval rates while reducing credit losses by up to 20 percent This Global FinTech Series article provides insights on efforts to make the power of artificial intelligence accessible for lenders of all sizes. Shri Santhanam, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Global Analytics and AI, shares background on constantly-changing economic conditions impacting credit models and how to rapidly develop and deploy models to keep up. 60 percent of consumers are using a universal mobile wallet New research shows a continuing trend toward digital transactions and mobile wallet payments. Steve Wagner, Global Managing Director of Decision Analytics, speaks to consumer and business insights on the increased demand and what businesses need to consider to ensure positive customer journeys that support these shifts. Why digital identity and the customer journey is crucial for today’s businesses Steve Pulley, Managing Director of Data Analytics, explores business opportunities stemming from the massive increase in consumers accessing services online. Taking the right steps not only helps ensure business survival but sustainable success. The key is fundamentals including the customer journey and digital identity. How modern data strategies underpin the digital identity and authentication practices critical to digital transformation In this Datanami article covering our progression toward a 'contactless world,' modern fraud prevention is explored. Dealing with a tremendous amount of data to offer security, while bearing in mind customer convenience, requires sophisticated technology. Holistic approaches both improve operations and helps keep pace with fraudsters to protect customers. Stay in the know with our latest insights:

If the past year revealed the rising demand for everything digital—it also highlighted key aspects of the online customer journey that organizations have neglected. Until now, most companies have prioritized their digital investments around the revenue-generating aspects of the customer experience. Online account onboarding, e-commerce, and credit lending are prime examples. However, when consumers require different outcomes such as payment support, the interactions are often still handled by call centers. We saw the consequences of this play out during the pandemic. As stay-at-home orders left call centers closed or understaffed, customers who needed help found themselves spending hours on the phone—or worse, were left without guidance. This digital disconnect may be common, but hopefully not for long. Forward-looking companies are creating end-to-end digital customer experiences that benefit customers and the business. From improved customer LTV (Life Time Value) to cost savings, the results reveal that prioritizing customers at every turn pays. The future of digital experiences revealed The last year yielded many insights into how, why, and when customers engage with a business digitally. Faced with few options, customers turned to online resources in droves. And unlike years past, when younger generations have driven digital adoption, the crisis forced customers of all ages to engage with businesses online. Around the world, companies rose to the challenge. According to Experian research, nine out of 10 businesses currently have a strategy for serving their digital customers, with 47% implementing their strategies since Covid-19 began. The rapid shift to digital uncovered opportunities to reach new markets. For example, online grocer Instacart™ launched support services specifically for seniors interested in grocery delivery. However, the sudden spike in consumer demand for engaging with businesses online also revealed significant gaps in the digital customer journey. Consider that only one in four consumers report that they can get help when they need it from a customer representative while online. We saw this play out in real-time after a global bank reached out because it needed a digital solution for payment support. The company had traditionally routed customers to a call center for help. But during the crisis, it was overwhelmed by demand. While working with this bank on a self-serve solution that enabled customers to address their payment concerns online, the experience revealed something important about the future of digital experiences: Regardless of where they are in their journey, customers expect—and deserve—the same experience. True digital yields a true value   Investing in a seamless digital customer journey is a long game, but it's one that can pay off exponentially. As we’ve seen, organizations have prioritized digital investment that brings in near-term revenue. These include mobile capabilities that increase customer conversions or personalized offerings that boost the average spend. And make no mistake, digital solutions that meet these needs are essential. But the customer who applies for a vacation loan may be the same one who later needs a payment holiday. Meeting these needs digitally, no matter what they are, engenders deep loyalty. Companies that support their customers during downtimes will gain customers for life and reap the benefits when those individuals are inevitably back on their feet again. The happy result is not only increased financial stability for customers but also improved advocacy scores and customer lifetime value. Additionally, an end-to-end digital customer experience can yield unexpected cost savings. For instance, an organization we recently worked with was spending an average of $35 per customer interaction. Their customers accessed customer service representatives via many independent channels, incurring costs each time they connected. We provided them with a multi-channel digital solution that reduced the cost to between $5 and $7 that allowed several interactions and provided consistent experience in the process. In the end, the company was able to deliver better service at a much lower cost point. From here to there The goal of building an end-to-end digital experience is a worthy one, and there are a few components of a forward-looking digital strategy that will help ensure success. First, companies need to create systems and cultures that allow them to respond to changing customer demands. No one predicted that a pandemic would rapidly accelerate our digital shift. But the companies improved their digital capabilities to meet the need came out ahead. Also, while customers experience the technology's front-end, orchestrating and supporting that journey across a range of consumer touchpoints driven by different events is equally as important. Implementing decisioning tools that leverage data across systems allows you to create advanced analytical models that predict customer behavior, potential problems, and more. Organizations can then make decisions in real-time to support customers and the business when they need help, be it a global pandemic or an environmental event. Lastly, taking advantage of emerging technologies can ensure your company keeps pace with the rapidly evolving expectations customers have for their digital experience. For example, AI-powered virtual assistants learn from every interaction and provide more personalized service than a standard chatbot that uses decision trees. These virtual assistants won't replace humans but leveraging them to augment customer experiences offers additional support to customers and creates continuity across the experience. The shift we've seen is about more than meeting the digital demand. At the core, it's about leveraging digital capabilities to see, understand and prioritize customers at all points of their journey. Then we can offer them proactive solutions that make their lives better and strengthen our businesses along the way. Related stories: New research available: Global Insights Report, February 2021  The role of the virtual assistant: Meet consumer demand for the digital experience Cloud-based decision management software is a must for re-imagining the customer journey

Since the Pandemic began consumers have been scammed more than ever before. From phishing emails, fake websites, and other scams intended to steal personal and financial information, to fake pharmaceutical goods or goods that never arrived, to account takeovers, multiple ways to defraud people have emerged or re-emerged at an alarming rate. It's an understatement to say that now more than ever customers need to be protected and it's the right time for businesses to improve some of their capabilities and offer their clients the secure experience that they expect. The results from our recent  global research study of changing behaviors and priorities throughout the pandemic show us just how important online security has become for consumers: Half of the consumers surveyed say they are very/somewhat concerned about conducting activities online; with the concern being most significant in India (69%) 4-in-10 consumers express increased levels of concern about online activities since C-19. The level of concern about consumer online activities and transactions has increased significantly since C-19 in India (61%), Brazil (57%), Singapore (53%), and US (44%) – one-fifth of consumers in the US and Brazil say that their level of concern has increased significantly. 42% feel that they are more of a target for online fraud now than before COVID-19, while only 25% feel safer about sharing personal information now than they did before COVID19 The largest sources of concern among consumers are credit card information being stolen (36%), online privacy (34%), identity theft (33%), and phishing email (32%). Consumers in India, Singapore, the US, and Brazil show generally more concern. Consumers have become increasingly positive towards more security measures One positive tendency that's been observed due to the increased security concerns is that consumers have become more comfortable with security measures being added online in order to protect them better: 55% percent of consumers expect more security steps when they are online and 49% want to have more visible security measures in place while on websites 47% of all consumers are expecting business to place strong security measures that they cannot see with another 40% expecting integration of features that recognize them during online purchasing without requiring them to share their personal data In fact, US consumers have increasing expectations on strong invisible securities (increased from 50% to 59% from June 2020 to January 2021) as well as identity authentication without sharing personal data (increased from 33% to 40% from June 2020 to January 2021) Consumers are accepting of biometrics and businesses should consider using it  It is not a surprise that fraud prevention methodologies such as physical biometrics (which is visible) and behavioral biometrics (which is invisible) have become more popular with the public. Both can be added as an extra layer in order to improve the authentication process by increasing its trustworthiness and efficacy. What’s also vital is that none of the two is compromising the user experience too much when compared with other more traditional authentication methodologies such as passwords or knowledge-based authentication: 74% of consumers are feeling very secure while using physical biometrics with another 16% feeling somewhat secure 66% of consumers are feeling very secure when being protected by behavioral biometrics with another 24% feeling somewhat secure So, as over half of businesses (55%) expect to increase their fraud management budgets in the next 6 months, it's recommended that they take notice of these trends and act now. What's even more important is that companies that invest in advanced customer authentication methods benefit from improved customer opinion, which feels like a win-win scenario for both parties involved: When physical biometrics are used, 57% of global consumers indicate that this enhances (somewhat/very much) their opinion of the organization When behavioral biometrics are used, 53% of global consumers say that they have a better opinion (somewhat/very much) about the organization implementing them Related stories: Global Insights Report Wave 3 (February 2021)  Global Insights Report Wave 1 (June/July 2020) What your customers say about opening new accounts online during Covid-19