TechBytes with Ross Freedman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Rightpoint

What common ground of operation and market expansion did you both (Rightpoint and Genpact) discuss before the acquisition deal?

We are both companies that put people and culture first. This was the common ground we found from day 1. Additionally, we both saw a unique opportunity to own the Digital Transformation market but we were coming at it from different ends of the spectrum. Rightpoint historically focused on front-office customer experience. Genpact historically focused on back-office Operational processes and Automation. Together, we saw a unique opportunity to bring these capabilities together to create an end-to-end value proposition for the largest companies in the world.

Google acquired Looker; Salesforce acquired Tableau this year. How do you see the whole ecosystem of Digital Transformation space further disrupted with you two coming together as one Genpact family?

There will be continued consolidation in both the software and services industry. Software companies are all competing to have a “best-in-class” platform. Salesforce, Google, Microsoft, etc. are all competing to be the platform of choice for Digital Transformation. Similarly, service companies like Accenture, Infosys, and Deloitte Digital are all competing to be the Digital Transformation partner of the future. Genpact, with its acquisition of Rightpoint, will lead the service provider market because we are one of the only companies uniquely combining world-class experience capabilities with deep domain knowledge and process experience as scale.

How would your customers benefit jointly from this acquisition? Which new markets are you exploring and why?

No other service provider on the planet is combing Process Innovation with Experience Innovation like we are to create an end-to-end Digital Transformation capability. Our reach now spans from the front to the back-office.

Digital Transformation journeys are getting complex and advanced with new technologies. Which technologies do you keenly follow and work with?

Our focus over the past 2-3 years has been on leading technology platforms such as:

• Microsoft – both Azure and Office 365 – especially for employee-facing journeys. We create modern workplaces to empower employees as brand ambassadors.
• Salesforce – Sales, Marketing, Service and Community Clouds for Salesforce Automation (SFA), Call Center and Marketing Automation.
• iOS and Android – for mobile and IoT use cases and journeys.

How does all the buzz around AI ML and Marketing Automation help acquire customers and grow revenue in new markets?

In our experience, consumers spend 48% more when their experience is personalized and tailored to their buying preferences. We help brands engage in ongoing fluid dialogs with their customers and prospects, so at the moment there is a considered purchase, they can optimize that revenue opportunity. The ability to leverage AI/ML and rich data sets along with smart customer segmentation rules is enabling Rightpoint to create rich customer-centric digital experiences that are highly personalized to the end-user.

How do you prepare for an AI-centric world as a Business Leader?

Three ways:

• Look at every system and process as a data opportunity. Data is being generated every second of every day. Constantly look for ways to monetize it and use it for other unintended purposes.
• Constantly learn about the power and capability of ML by seeing how other organizations are taking advantage of it. See what works and what does not work.
• Testing and learning – look for specific use cases where AI/ML can optimize an experience for a consumer or an employee. Think big, but start small.