Articles - Page 74

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/andycohen">Andy Cohen</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/deane"> </a>is the founding architect of Sitecore XM Cloud. He is VP/Chief Architect at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.altudo.co/">Altudo</a>, and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> When people talk about personalization, they often mean “the right content to the right person at the right time.” That idea is now past tense.I have watched this shift play out up close, from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore’s</a> early rules-based personalization, through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack’s</a> use of edge-based personalization in a composable architecture, to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely’s</a> launch of Opal, a system of marketing AI agents. Personalization no longer stops at swapping content on a page. It now reaches into the interaction itself, and soon, into the relationships agents form with one another.<h3 id="when-agents-adapt-to-us">When Agents Adapt to Us</h3>That shift, from “what” to “how,” is where the major CMS players are already moving, and you can see it in the different bets they're making:<ul><li>Contentstack has put its weight behind <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/livin-on-the-edge-contentstacks-new-adaptive-dxp-might-just-rock-your-world">EDGE</a>, which they call a hyper-personalization platform. It blends their headless CMS with a real-time CDP, AI, and automation. The goal is simple but ambitious: deliver one-to-one experiences in the moment and at scale. Because it is composable, brands can adapt interactions without locking themselves into rigid patterns. What strikes me about EDGE is that it reframes personalization as something continuous, not a campaign you set and forget.</li><li>Optimizely has taken another route with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/optimizely-opal-gets-supercharged-for-agentic-ai-powering-infinite-use-cases-for-marketers">Opal</a>. Instead of a single assistant, Opal is built as a collection of agents that act like members of a marketing team. There is a campaign manager agent, a personalization advisor, a market researcher, and more. With the 2.0 release, Optimizely put the emphasis on letting these agents collaborate and run multi-step workflows across content, data, and experimentation. I have seen teams spend weeks coordinating those same steps manually. Opal hints at a world where marketing execution is handled by an ensemble of digital teammates who can plan, act, and adjust together.</li><li>Sitecore has focused on bringing assistance directly into daily work. Through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sitecore.com/products/sitecore-stream">Stream</a>, they have introduced AI copilots that support authors and marketers in real time as they draft and optimize campaigns. On top of that, Sitecore’s partnership with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-sharpens-ai-focus-with-strategic-partnership-and-new-leadership-appointments">Gradial</a> shows how agentic workflows can extend into campaign execution. It is not just about smarter editors or quicker drafts. It is about agents that can carry intent through to delivery and adapt along the way. For a company that has lived for years in the world of static content publishing, that is a meaningful step forward.</li></ul>None of these approaches feels like a gimmick.They are different answers to the same problem: personalization is no longer about what content you are shown, it is about how the interaction unfolds. Whether that happens through hyper-personalization at the edge, through orchestrated marketing agents, or via copilots and execution partners, the shift is real and already in motion.<h3 id="what-nondeterminism-really-means">What Nondeterminism Really Means</h3>Most software behaves like math: 2 + 2 always equals 4. Generative AI does not. Ask it to draft a thank-you note and you will get three different answers, all plausible, none identical. That variability is what we call nondeterminism.It is the very thing that makes AI feel creative, but also the reason it needs personalization to stay useful. As <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://parivedasolutions.com/perspectives/managing-the-non-deterministic-nature-of-generative-ai/">Pariveda Solutions points out</a>, nondeterminism is what makes AI flexible and creative, but it also introduces governance challenges that remain unresolved. In my own work with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/getting-loud-with-xm-cloud-sitecore-reports-100-growth-of-its-ai-powered-cloud-based-cms">XM Cloud,</a> I have seen how unpredictable outcomes can be a feature if the system adapts well – and a liability if it does not.<h3 id="when-agents-adapt-to-each-other">When Agents Adapt to Each Other</h3>The next frontier is agents adapting not just to us but to each other. Nondeterminism multiplies when two autonomous systems interact. They need ways to converge on workable outcomes.Sometimes that looks like adjusting communication style, where one agent is structured and terse, another free-form and verbose. Sometimes, it means learning to accept differences in task style, such as fast approximation versus cautious step-by-step reasoning. Other times it's about role negotiation: who leads, who validates, who escalates.And sometimes it is memory. Agents do not just adapt in the moment; they remember. That memory can look like a grudge. A search agent that hallucinated last time will get fact-checked the next. A procurement agent that botched a deal may face stricter oversight. Even first impressions stick. If an agent’s very first hand-off is sloppy, the other agent may never fully trust it, no matter how good the later work becomes.Humans behave the same way. In corporate life, one bad kickoff meeting can color a partnership for months. Agents will carry those patterns too.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.deepset.ai/blog/ai-agents-and-deterministic-workflows-a-spectrum"> Deepset calls this the “spectrum of determinism to nondeterminism</a>.” I call it relationship management.<h3 id="everyday-illustrations">Everyday Illustrations</h3>Picture a grocery agent told to buy apples if they are $0.99 a pound. A deterministic system comes back empty because they are $1.09. An adaptive one checks with you, “They are a little higher today. Should I buy anyway?” That is useful, until the store’s own agent learns to nudge yours into paying even more.Or ride-hailing. You set a $20 target. The price surges to $23. Do you want your agent to decline, wait, or decide on its own? What happens when the ride-share’s agent starts upselling yours into priority pickup at $28?Or travel. You say, “Book me a flight under $500.” The system finds none. A flexible agent returns with, “There is one at $525 with better times. Should I grab it?” Helpful, but it shows how quickly rules can bend.In the enterprise, this gets thornier. Procurement policies might cap software licenses at $50 per seat. A deterministic agent halts the deal. A personalized one negotiates to $55 and closes it. That looks like a win until you realize the vendor’s agent deliberately anchored higher, knowing yours would flex upward.Healthcare raises the stakes even more. You ask for an appointment with your doctor next week. A rigid agent says none available. A personalized one offers a nurse practitioner tomorrow or a specialist in two weeks. That looks like a better experience, but it could also push you toward higher-margin services instead of the care you really wanted.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.salesforce.com/blog/deterministic-ai/">Salesforce has written about this exact problem</a> of when to script agents tightly and when to let them roam. I see it every day in delivery projects. Too rigid and you frustrate users. Too loose and you open the door to manipulation.<h3 id="agents-that-carry-“you”-with-them">Agents That Carry “You” With Them</h3>Now push it further. Imagine your agent not only executes tasks but carries your personality footprint into every interaction. If you are cost-sensitive, it pushes harder. If you are time-poor, it pays more for speed. If you are detail-driven, it double-checks everything.What if you could swap personas entirely?<ul><li>"Frugal Andy" does the grocery shopping</li><li>"Executive Andy" books the flights</li><li>"Playful Andy" explores games and hobbies.</li></ul>Your agent would not only personalize to you. It would personalize as you.But there is risk in this. If the other agent knows who you are or which persona you are using, it can adapt back. That can be powerful when aligned with your goals, but it can also be exploited. Imagine a vendor agent that recognizes executive mode and steers you toward premium packages.This is not hypothetical. Optimizely’s Opal agents already act like different team members depending on context. Contentstack’s Brand Kit lets you define voice profiles and store guidelines so that every AI-generated artifact reflects your identity. Sitecore’s Stream copilots are designed to guide content creators in real time, aligning their work with brand and role expectations.These are early signals of a future where agents carry pieces of us, including quirks, preferences, and even biases, into every exchange.<h3 id="why-this-matters">Why This Matters</h3>This is why nondeterminism is not a flaw but the feature. Deterministic systems did not need personalization. There was only one output. Nondeterministic systems can go in many directions, and personalization is what prevents chaos.The best metaphor I know is jazz. Musicians improvising do not know exactly where the others will go. They adapt, they respond, they personalize their playing to the group. The music works not because it is scripted but because the players trust each other enough to bend and flex.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/seizing-the-agentic-ai-advantage">McKinsey has argued</a> that this adaptability is the defining advantage of agentic AI. From what I have seen in publishing systems, SaaS cost optimization, and large-scale CMS migrations, I agree. The resilience comes not from rigid plans but from the ability to adapt in context.<h3 id="what-leaders-should-prepare-for">What Leaders Should Prepare For</h3>Leaders should focus on their readiness in key areas. For example, trust frameworks must extend beyond human-agent interactions into agent-to-agent ecosystems. Standards cannot stay as fixed APIs; they need flexibility built in. Identity management has to protect personality profiles and alter egos from misuse. And agents must be able to remember not just what they did for us, but how they worked with others.<h3 id="the-future-of-personalization">The Future of Personalization</h3>Personalization started with content. It evolved into experiences. Now, it is moving into interactions – first with humans and then with other agents.If we get this right, nondeterminism will not be something to suppress. It will be the source of resilience, adaptability, and creativity. The companies that thrive will not just personalize their websites. They will personalize their agents. Those agents will adapt to us, and to each other, in ways that reflect who we are or even who we choose to be.And like humans, they will remember. First impressions will matter. Grudges may form. And relationships between agents will start to look a lot like relationships between people. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.61%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/storyblok-joyconf-2025-logo.jpg" /><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Storyblok JoyConf 2025</a></h4>October 14-15, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands November 4, 2025 – New York, NY November 6, 2025 – Los Angeles, CAJoin us at JoyConf 2025, where the future of content meets the people shaping it. Built for developers, marketers, and digital innovators, this free conference goes way beyond product updates or yet another strategy playbook. It’s where you’ll get inspired, get real, and get connected – to ideas, to the community, and to what’s possible when you build joyfully. Whether you're building lightning-fast frontends or launching cross-channel campaigns, this is where content becomes connection and collaboration becomes second nature. Come for the talks. Stay for the community. Leave with joy. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Save your spot.</a> <img style="width:28.9%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/sitecore-symposium-2025.jpg" /><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2025</a></h4>November 3-5, 2025 – Orlando, FLAt Sitecore Symposium, you’ll learn how to meet your customers where they are – across channels, moments, and touchpoints that didn’t exist a year ago. You’ll hear how the boldest brands in the world are transforming content into outcomes and creating experiences that are fast, relevant, and human. Join 1,500 marketers, digital leaders, and technologists in Orlando to see what’s possible when personalization scales, AI accelerates creativity, and trust becomes your competitive edge. This is the Third Wave of the Internet. And this is your moment to lead in it. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Get your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FLMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

Agent-to-Agent Personalization: Trust, First Impressions, and the 'Grudge' Factor

andycohen

KDE Neon, the newly popular distribution produced by KDE and Kubuntu developer Jonathan Riddell and based on Ubuntu is now available in version 5.8. The best part of this latest release? It includes the latest long term stable release of Plasma 5.8. You can get additional details about this release from <a href="http://jriddell.org/2016/10/04/plasma-5-8-lts-now-in-kde-neon-time-to-look-again-at-comprehensive-features-gwenview-plugins-install/" target="_blank">Jonathan Riddell's blog</a>.
Speaking of Plasma 5.8, for those who weren't aware of the release, the details are below.
Plasma 5.8 proves how far along the desktop environment is coming by further polishing the user experience from start to finish. Some changes in Plasma 5.8 include:
<ul>
<li>Unified Boot to Shutdown Artwork</li>
<li>Right-to-Left Language Support</li>
<li>Improved Applets</li>
<li>Simplified Global Shortcuts &amp; More.</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://www.kde.org/announcements/plasma-5.7.5-5.8.0-changelog.php" target="_blank">Read the full changelog for the Plasma 5.8 release</a>. Here's a screenshot below:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/plasma-5_8-wee.png" />
To get a more in-depth lowdown on what you can expect from Plasma 5.8, check out the video here:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LgH1Clgr-uE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
You can get the latest release by downloading the <a href="http://files.kde.org/neon/images/neon-useredition/current/" target="_blank">User Edition ISO</a>.

Plasma 5.8 LTS now available in KDE Neon

mike-johnston

Unless you’re one of a handful of IT executives at Fortune 500 tech companies, ‘Big Data’ and ‘CMS' platforms do not work together. You're managing a majority of your online presence through your CMS which stores immense amounts of realtime data. You're sitting on millions of dollars worth of oil but you lack the rig to access the value that is Business Intelligence gleaned from Big Data.
So what is ‘Big Data’ and why is it so valuable? By aggregating and analyzing large sets of data included but not limited to product data, site usage, financial transactions, inventory, locations, customer behavior and more, unprecedented insights can be leveraged to enable businesses to make data-driven decisions. Big Data companies make a fortune by building ways to display that data in an intuitive and interactive dashboard, totally customizable by you and built to make sense of all the data. The question is, how do you connect the two together?
Some solutions have emerged that involve too much manual work. Everything in your CMS is in a database that you’d need to analyze so connect your database(s) to a tool like Periscope and utilize their API to keep the data flowing? Sounds easy but it's not. If you have a fortune and the manpower to set up and manage that process, you wouldn't be reading this. The connection between Big Data and Content Management Systems is the next step in the evolution of the enterprise. Something has to give.
Thus far, no one has come up with an efficient way to leverage the tremendous amount of data that most CMS instances store. It is our opinion that the CMS provider(s) that find the way to leverage Big Data sitting in CMS databases in the most efficient and useful way possible will become the next giant in the CMS space.
Big Data has become a buzz word but unlike most buzz words it actually means exactly what it’s called, there is so much data about humans, earth, commerce, an endless web of transactions and information that can be analyzed to find patterns that provide unparalleled insight into our respective interests. As a species, we can avert crises — even war, natural disasters, and economic collapse — and make global advancements in the realms of science, technology, government, energy, and business.
In the world of business, critical decisions can be made based off of intelligence gleaned from pattern analysis and data mining of large data sets in their organization. Imagine leveraging all of your data using Business Intelligence to make the most informed decisions in brand awareness, marketing, sales, product development, strategic positioning, vendor selection, and content authoring, all tied into your CMS platform. Wouldn't it be nice?

How Can Big Data and CMS Platforms Work Together?

It was a mild yet sunny October day in Paris, and just a short distance from the world famous L’arc de Triomphe, the eZ Conference 2016 was about to kick off.
Before I get into the conference itself, let me just take a moment to comment on the superb venue.
The Châteauform' City Le Cnit is a relatively small building in comparison to the stunning skyscrapers that surround it, but its architecture is remarkable nonetheless – both inside and out. Kudos to the eZ Systems team for their venue selection.
<h2>“CMS Is Not Dead”</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_6465733x0-is.jpg" />
The opening keynote was delivered by the founders of eZ Systems, Bard Farstad and Aleksander Farstad. Together, they shed light on the vision of eZ Systems, hammering home their content-centric approach.
Interestingly, they saw it fit to also mention that:
<blockquote>
.<a href="https://twitter.com/eZSystems">@eZSystems</a> founders <a href="https://twitter.com/bardfarstad">@BardFarstad</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/AleksFarstad">@AleksFarstad</a>:
“CMS is not dead, it's just not the CMS you knew from the past.” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/eZConf2016?src=hash">#eZConf2016</a>
— CMS Critic (@cmscritic) <a href="https://twitter.com/cmscritic/status/783643953530798080">October 5, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
What they meant of course, was that the way in which consumers consume content has changed drastically over the last ten years – and eZ Systems is prepared to help brands take their content to audiences through every available channel in a way that's consistent.
It was a solid opening keynote which settled everybody in for the day ahead. There was a business and technical track running simutaneously, so every attendee would have felt catered to.
Mark Brincat from The Economist was next up, and he showcased some of the benefits that eZ Systems had afforded the global publishing company. At one point, he walked us through the astonishing array of channels that The Economist's content can be found through.
<blockquote>
From Amazon Echo to Apple TV; thanks to some help from <a href="https://twitter.com/eZSystems">@eZSystems</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEconomist">@TheEconomist</a> has a seriously long list of distribution channels.
<a href="https://t.co/QUJMhJZJ8f">pic.twitter.com/QUJMhJZJ8f</a>
— CMS Critic (@cmscritic) <a href="https://twitter.com/cmscritic/status/783658710577061888">October 5, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
Coffee and snacks were available throughout the day, and there was some fun to be had, too.
A wacky photo competition was in full flow during break time, and an interactive table made it possible for attendees to squeeze in a quick game of Candy Crush before the next presentation.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_64622482x2448-cropx458y0-is384x0-is.jpg" />
Kieron Sambrook-Smith from <a href="https://platform.sh/" target="_blank">Platform.sh</a> also presented, and he used his time to walk us through the benefits of Platform, which enables enterprise-grade software to embrace the power of the cloud. So far, they have partnered with large brands such as Orange, Magento, Microsoft, and most recently, eZ Systems
<a href="/ez-systems-partners-with-platform.sh-to-accelerate-development-of-content-rich-websites-and-applications/" target="_blank">Platform's partnership with eZ Systems was only recently announced</a>, and naturally, that announcement came as the eZ team unveiled their plans to offer a cloud based PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) solution.
<h2>The Pitfalls of Digital Transformation</h2>
Dietmar Schantin from OwnWay Media capped the day off by taking us through his personally selected, ‘7 Pitfalls of Digital Transformation (And how to Avoid Them)'.
He touched on the lack of resources, poor management, and lack of efficiency that so often plagues the digital transformation process of a brand or organization. He also offered some sound advice on how to combat each issue.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_64712048x1335-cropx0y223-is580x0-is.jpg" />
It was an insightful and highly relevant presentation which I thoroughly enjoyed, and the live Q&amp;A session that came afterwards went down a treat, too.
To polish off the day, eZ hosted their annual awards ceremony later in the evening. There was plenty of pre-award food, hype, and entertainment (the master of ceremonies was seriously good at his job), and the awards themselves were handed out with a few jokes. It was effortlessly casual, and that felt perfect after a day of formalities.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_64842048x1344-cropx0y404-is576x0-is.jpg" />
Now that I'm back in my hotel room, I can safely say that day one of the eZ Conference 2016 was a success. The atmosphere was jovial, the food was good, and the presentations were useful. Plus, the awards ceremony was pretty damn entertaining.
Here’s to an even better day two!

eZ Conference 2016 Day One: CMS Is Alive & Digital Transformation Is Tricky

<a href="https://lemonstand.com/" target="_blank">LemonStand</a>, the eCommerce solution for medium, large, and enterprise-grade brands, has revamped its content management system with a flurry of new features.
Now, it's more than just a sofware that can sell – it's a software that can be leveraged to design, create and publish content to grow website traffic and engage customers.
<h2>Content Marketing Meets Commerce</h2>
LemonStand has made this move in recognition of the power of content marketing. They cited a Demand Metric study which shows that content marketing – like blogging – is three times as powerful as traditional marketing.
With that in mind, introducing the following features were a no brainer for LemonStand.
<h3>Content Publishing</h3>

LemonStand's new straightforward publishing tools make it easy for store operators to create and manage different types of content themselves. Here's a breakdown of the new publishing features on offer:
<ul>
<li>Publish multiple content types including web pages, blog posts, and announcements (with more content types on the way)</li>
<li>Built-in beautiful and easy to use WYSIWYG editor</li>
<li>Define categories to organize and present content in a way that makes sense to your customers</li>
<li>Clear content publishing workflow and simple bulk editing</li>
<li>Easily upload images and set your featured image</li>
</ul>
<h3>Design Flexibility</h3>
The new <a href="https://lemonstand.com/features/ecommerce-cms">eCommerce CMS</a> gives web designers complete flexibility over content presentation and the user experience. Here's how:
<ul>
<li>Create and customize design templates with your favorite front-end tech and the powerful Twig theming language</li>
<li>Design content archive templates and apply advanced filters by content type, category, date, page or combined filters</li>
<li>Develop any format of content feed, as well as many feed customizations by defining your feeds using Twig</li>
<li>Download the free LemonSync tool for fast local theme development and workflow</li>
</ul>
<h3>SEO Optimization &amp; Traffic Growth</h3>
LemonStand now lets users take full control over URL structure, metadata, and all aspects of search engine optimization to grow organic traffic. There are a few ways to make that happen:
<ul>
<li>Customize and tune URL slugs for improved search ranking</li>
<li>Create hand-crafted excerpts that summarize your content for use in archive pages</li>
<li>Increase search engine discoverability with custom title tags</li>
<li>Generate backlinks and social shares by easily publishing quality content</li>
</ul>
<h3>Integrate Products Into Content</h3>

Most interestingly, LemonStand has made it simple to <a href="http://blog.lemonstand.com/how-to-promote-products-in-your-ecommerce-content/">embed products into content</a> like blog posts and pages using shortcodes. This naturally makes it far easier for customers to find, learn about, and buy products. Here's how it works:
<ul>
<li>Include products as inline links with your text in any web page, blog post or announcement</li>
<li>Embed rich product blocks that include product details, an image and even a “Buy Now” button</li>
<li>Easily integrate reusable custom text and html widget blocks into a page or post to promote store sales, email opt-ins and more</li>
</ul>
Just like this move was a no brainer for LemonStand, I imagine many other eCommerce software vendors are working hard on improving their CMS capabilities.
If that is indeed the case, they would do well to mimic the features introduced by <a href="https://lemonstand.com/" target="_blank">LemonStand</a> – because they're pretty much spot on.
Read the <a href="http://blog.lemonstand.com/new-cms-combines-content-commerce-online-retailers/" target="_blank">full story here</a>.

LemonStand's New CMS Combines Content with Commerce

Customers are people.
Whether you’re in B2B or B2C sales it is people who make the decisions be it individuals or groups of people and they all share on thing in common: personas.
<h2>What is a Customer Persona?</h2>
A customer persona is a thorough understanding of who you are selling to so you can deliver the proper digital experience. It consists of a customer’s job title, department, product knowledge, education, experience, likes, dislikes, where they trust information from, who influences them and who they influence, their goals, challenges, responsibilities and skills.
Understanding the mass of customer personas out there — and the ones you’d like to target — enables you to ensure your marketing stack is built to maximize your return on investment. So how exactly do you go about tracking down the customer personas you want to target? It’s quite easy actually. I’ll start with some heavy tech speak and then translate it into English for the sake of waxing intellectual.
<h2>The K Nearest Neighbors Algorithm</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/neighbor662x0-is.jpeg" style="-webkit-user-select:auto" />
The K Nearest Neighbors algorithm is used by Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, Facebook, LinkedIn and pretty much any company that has a “You might also like…” function.
But how does it know that?
The answer is the K Nearest Neighbors algorithm which is exactly what it sounds like. It looks for users who are most similar to you and then recommends what they watched, read, listened to, befriended, connected with, etc. Now apply this algorithm to your existing customer base — not literally — just conceptually.
Look for patterns that are consistent in your customers and you’ll likely find a few sets of patterns consistent across clusters of your customers. Example: You look in your customer database and see that your customers who:
<ul>
<li>Spend the most are typically well off stay at home mothers in their mid-30's-40’s from the suburbs who are active online yet typically have little product knowledge</li>
<li>Make the most amount of purchases are men in their mid-20’s from the inner city who are more active online and seem to have more product knowledge than the big spenders</li>
<li>Are the most loyal are men and women in their 50’s and 60’s from the outskirts of cities, have the most product knowledge, a strong dislike for all things “online” and typically make rare yet consistent in-store purchases</li>
</ul>
Bam! So with a little research using the K-Nearest Neighbors algorithm in your brain — or perhaps you’re a high tech company that runs the algorithm on your customer database — you have three customer personas. So how can this help you? I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark and assume you have one website, one TV ad, one PPC campaign, perhaps a radio campaign, and some social media accounts that have a bit of traction.
<h2>Targeting Customer Personas</h2>
Ok — so let’s assume that’s your marketing stack. Now you have to connect the two — how can you pivot your marketing stack to target your three main customer personas?
First, you’ll probably want to go after the big spenders — the stay at home moms who are active online and live in the suburbs. Your radio ads probably won’t do you much good here so tailor your reach to avoid the suburbs altogether in the radio department. Focus on PPC, Social Media, Landing Pages on your Website, Commercials and create new ad content specifically aimed at this customer persona. Your sales will skyrocket because their digital experience won’t just be generic, all about the product and company, it’ll also be about how it benefits them specifically. Allocate your marketing dollars accordingly.
Let’s go after your second customer persona, the ones that make the most amount of purchases but don’t necessarily bring in the most revenue. For this customer persona, I’d recommend in-store marketing since they’re in your store so much. Create a rewards program and get them to come back more. Tailor your online ads and landing pages to focus less on product knowledge and more on the benefits they provide to this customer persona — they already know what they need to know about the product. These people don’t listen to the radio so scale back on the inner city radio spend.
And lastly, the loyal customer persona. These are important because if sales from the other personas drop off, you’ll always have this persona so treat them accordingly. If you’re going to spend money on radio and TV, here’s where to do it. Just keep in mind this persona typically lives on the close outskirts of cities. They also aren’t online so no need to create ads for them online or spend ad money online here. Tailor your TV and Radio ads to this persona. Believe it or not — some customer personas still buy things based off TV and Radio Advertisements.
So now, instead of an amazing one size fits all digital experience, tailor the digital experiences you deliver to the right customer personas. As your company and products/services evolve, you’ll notice the customer personas change, then you’ll need to change your digital experiences and tailor them to the new customer personas. Always keep in mind that you have multiple customer personas and create different digital experiences for all of them to get the most bang for your advertising buck.

A Guide to Understanding Customer Personas

A document management system (DMS) should – first and foremost – manage your documents. But a genuinely valuable DMS will do so much more.
In this rapidly evolving world of technology, businesses need to be as agile as possible in order to keep up with the competition, and in order to meet the demands of their customers and clients.
So, what features should a stellar document management software have?
<h2>1. Powerful Search Functionality</h2>
There’s not much point digitizing your filing system if it just makes it harder to find documents. In fact, a DMS should – almost by definition – decrease the time wasted retrieving information.
<a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">eFileCabinet</a> utilizes a powerful search function that can find any document from any device very, very quickly. Plus, the search tool extends to words within documents, so you can find a file even if you forgot what you named it.
<h2>2. File Versioning</h2>
Accidentally overwriting files with older versions is easily done. With file versioning, you can keep a draft version in addition to a new version, so you’ll never lose any information.
Plus, it prevents you from mislabeling files and ensures that you’re using the most recent version of each document. eFileCabinet facilitates all this.
<h2>3. Mobile Readiness</h2>
Accessing all your data without leaving your desk is great. But being able to access it from anywhere in the world with an internet connection? That’s even better.
Thankfully, eFileCabinet provides free iOS and Android apps so that lets you do exactly that.
<h2>4. Role-based User Permissions</h2>
Large organizations have lots of employees and lots of data. Sometimes, some of that data needs to be protected by restricted access so only a select few employees can see it.
With eFileCabinet, users can be created with different permissions to account for what they can and cannot view within the system.
<h2>5. Secure File Sharing</h2>
Quick and easy sharing should also be part of the package.
SecureDrawer, which is built into eFileCabinet, provides a secure sharing portal which allows you to share data with just a few simple clicks, all with the same high-level security and encryption found elsewhere within eFileCabinet. Say goodbye to email attachments.
<h2>6. Useful Integrations</h2>
Your business almost certainly makes use of existing software to produce documents, manage client relationships, and so forth. So, when you bring a DMS into the mix, you want it to work with your existing system, not against it.
eFileCabinet meets this requirement by integrating with popular software such as Salesforce and Microsoft Office.
<h2>Ticking All the Boxes</h2>
If you’re evaluating document management systems for your company, be sure to check that your chosen platform ticks all the boxes above before you reach for your wallet.
Long story short, EfileCabinet makes work life and life in general easier.
To learn more about eFileCabinet, check out their <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">website</a>. Or, check out our entire set of articles from our <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/?s=efilecabinet">eFileCabinet Featured Week</a>.

6 Features Your Document Management System Must Have

When paper was invented by the Chinese back in 105 AD, the possibilities seemed endless.
Today, paper is still used by companies across the world to physically archive important information, personal data, records, accounts, and so forth. For so long, it all seemed like a great idea.
But as we advance further into the digital age, it’s clear that brands everywhere are beginning to feel the drawbacks of a paper-filled office more than ever before. <a href="https://www.bedrockdata.com/blog/90-percent-of-all-the-worlds-data-has-been-produced-in-the-past-two-years-ibm">90 percent of the world’s data </a>has been produced within the past 2 years, and a dependence on paper to document this data has resulted in a backlog of unmanageable, paper-based information. Resultantly, the adoption of document management software has soared.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/apple-desk-office-technology_11280x743-cropx0y0-is574x0-is.jpg" />
<a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">eFileCabinet</a> for example, has helped over 10,000 businesses and more than 160,000 users worldwide to make the switch.
But just how does a DMS like eFileCabinet simplify life in the office?
<h2>More Space</h2>
Just how much office space does your organization lend to filing cabinets and shelving? The answer is likely way too much.
With eFileCabinet, you can scan existing files into the system to keep them secure, and possibly <a href="/commercial-real-estate-costs-document-management-software/">scale back on commercial real estate costs</a> with the technology. Thus, there’s no more paper, which equals a lot more space.
Don Services Inc., for example, <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/customer-success-numbers-infographic/">reported freeing up 700 square feet of floorspace after implementing eFileCabinet</a>. That’s a lot of extra room for staff leisure, meeting rooms, or extra desk space.
<h2>Reduced Administrative Costs</h2>
Administrators are commonplace in most working environments. Somebody needs to arrange meetings, handle orders and invoices, and of course, manage the filing system.
But by bringing in eFileCabinet, an administrator’s job goes through a massive streamlining process. Suddenly, two administrators are able to handle the same office space that previously required four.
It’s no wonder that Alexis Benne – who works for a youth and family services company using eFileCabinet – <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/customer-success-numbers-infographic/">managed to keep administration costs below 12%</a>.
<h2>A Smoother Workflow</h2>
Taking a project from start to finish is a process that typically involved multiple steps.
Documents need to be found, specific details then need to be located, and team members need to see who’s working on what. And that’s just for starters.
eFileCabinet simplifies many of those steps by providing powerful search functionality that applies to finding folders and files, as well as finding specific words within documents. Plus, team members can see who digitally checked out which file, keeping everybody on the same page and preventing files from being needlessly duplicated.
In fact, some eFileCabinet customers have reported <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/customer-success-numbers-infographic/">removing 20 steps from their workflow</a> process, simply by implementing the DMS. Now that’s impressive.
<h2>No More File Room Visits</h2>
Office jobs have their perks and disadvantages, but I think we can all agree that leaving your desk in order to check out or file away a document falls under the latter category.
But with eFileCabinet, your company’s filing system is only ever a few clicks away. There’s no more sifting through cabinets to find files, ensuring you don’t misplace folders, or filing things away before home time. Instead, it’s all quickly and easily accessible from your desk.
<h2>Your Office In Your Pocket</h2>
Last but not least, is the ability to take your newly simplified office life out and about.
The <a href="/efilecabinet-app-mobile-document-management-system/">eFileCabinet iOS and Android apps</a> make it easy to take your data with you wherever you go. So, it’s no longer about forgetting documents back at the office when you go for a meeting. Plus, working from home has never been easier.
To learn more about eFileCabinet, check out their <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">website</a>. Plus, stay tuned for more coverage during this eFileCabinet Featured Week.

Paperless Office Software: How eFileCabinet Simplifies Office Life

Call Tracking + AI 

Call Tracking + AI that Turns Calls into Leads

#ffffff

Document management software does exactly what it says on the tin; it manages your documents.
But when you opt for a DMS (Document Management Software) that goes above and beyond just standard file management, you’ll find that it can fulfill a wider range of needs than your company currently has.
Here’s precisely why you need a DMS.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shutterstock_83971048993x586-cropx6y67-is565x0-is.jpg" />
<h2>1. Physical Filing Is A Pain</h2>
First things first, in the year 2016, should companies really be tasking their employees with hours upon hours worth of physical filing tasks?
Not only is paper filing inefficient in terms of time and organization, it’s also a colossal waste of physical space.
With a DMS, those physical files can be stored securely in digital format, freeing up that cramped filing room for extra office or leisure space.
How it Happens: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hROB-eP7VLU&amp;index=8&amp;list=PLPS4u4Pkt0ztGn3MI-XnD935UbWZU1ESy">Watch How a Non-profit Organization Benefits from a DMS</a>
<h2>2. Your Data is Sensitive</h2>
If your company deals with sensitive data, the act of paper filing becomes more complicated.
Not only do files have to be physically updated and organized, but they also have to be physically guarded. Rooms need to be sealed, cabinets need to have locks, and only certain team members are allowed to handle the keys.
A DMS though, streamlines that security process through features like password protection, secure cloud servers, and role-based user permissions.
How it Happens: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCoQ5blhmJs">Watch how a contract nurse uses DMS to organize her files and drastically reduce clutter.</a>
<h2>3. You Struggle to Find Your Files</h2>
Even if your company has the time to implement an exquisite filing system, it’s usually a chore and a time-waster to have to leave your desk and physically find a folder or document.
When you finally do find what you’re looking for, you have to check it out, bring it to your desk, and then file it back once again before the end of the day. Talk about a waste of energy and time.
A DMS once again makes that whole process seamless, allowing you to search for files from your desk, preview them, check them out digitally, and then get back to whatever it is you needed to do. It’s that easy.
How it Happens: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0rWQQXBdGI&amp;index=5&amp;list=PLPS4u4Pkt0ztGn3MI-XnD935UbWZU1ESy">Watch How an HR Department Benefits From a DMS</a>
<h2>4. Your Media Assets Are Unorganized</h2>
Documents are one thing, but if your company deals with media assets like photographs and videos, your filing system may already be digital. But that doesn’t mean it’s organized.
By relying on the files and folders of your office’s operating system, your media assets will easily get lost, deleted, needlessly duplicated, or seen by employees who shouldn’t have access to them.
Document management software once again remedies this by providing a structured system that can handle documents, images, videos, and other file formats.
How it Happens: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIMORIGmPQs&amp;index=2&amp;list=PLPS4u4Pkt0ztGn3MI-XnD935UbWZU1ESy">Watch How a Recordkeeping Company Uses a DMS</a>
<h2>5. You Need Secure Access to Your Files Outside The Office</h2>
The biggest problem with a physical filing system, is that it can’t be accessed from anywhere but the filing room. Similarly, digitally stored media assets can only be accessed from the computers within the office.
But with a document management system, you can access all your data from any computer with an internet connection. Plus, if your <a href="/efilecabinet-app-mobile-document-management-system/">DMS has an iOS and Android app</a>, you can view your files from absolutely anywhere in the world, so long as you have your smartphone or tablet handy.
How it Happens: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS4W5atEzTQ&amp;index=4&amp;list=PLPS4u4Pkt0ztGn3MI-XnD935UbWZU1ESy">Watch the City of Clovis, New Mexico Go Paperless</a>
<h2>Get a DMS That Counts</h2>
Not all DMS’ were created equal, so do yourself a favor, and opt for a system that can actually fulfill the five needs listed above. <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">eFileCabinet</a> for example, would do the trick.
If you still aren’t convinced, you should check out, ‘<a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/5-real-life-situations-where-cloud-document-management-saved-the-day/">5 Real-Life Situations Where Cloud Document Management Saved the Day</a>’
To learn more about eFileCabinet, check out their <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">website</a>. Plus, stay tuned for more coverage during this eFileCabinet Featured Week.

5 Reasons Why You Need Document Management Software

Now that we have all been introduced to the <a href="/efilecabinet-dms-in-the-cloud-or-on-premise/">storing, searching, and sharing capabilities of eFileCabinet</a>, it’s time to check out just how useful this DMS can be outside the office.
Ranked as the top mobile document management software by <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8033-best-mobile-document-management-software.html">Business News Daily</a>, eFileCabinet boasts a native iOS and Android app that enables individual users to access their accounts – and therefore their data – from absolutely anywhere with an internet connection.
Not only is this app ideal for companies that regularly send out employees for client meetings, it’s also convenient for entrepreneurs who are constantly on the move, but need unobstructed and secure access to their vital documents.
Here’s an introductory video of the eFileCabinet app for you to get started.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6EDDW8Quk2I?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>The Benefits of the eFileCabinet App</h2>
The access of eFileCabinet through the mobile app is simple and quick. After your first time logging in to the app, you are prompted to choose a 4-digit pin, enabling even easier access in the future.
Once you are logged-in, you have access to any and all of the files or folders that you can access from a desktop.
The interface isn’t just responsive, it’s built for smartphone and tablet screens from the ground up.
The ‘Recents’ tab shows you a list of all the recent files and folders you have been working on, even if you were accessing them from your desktop back at work. Despite all these benefits, the mobile app is just one aspect of what makes digital document management great as a whole.
The ‘Favorites’ tab is self-explanatory, as it shows all the documents you have favorited so you never lose sight of your most most frequently used files. Favoriting new files on a mobile device is also easy, taking just two clicks.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/efco-mobile-med499x0-is.jpg" />
As for the ‘Checked Out’ tab, this allows you to view the files that you have checked out of your digital cabinet. From there, you can quickly view each document, and even search it for specific words, all from your phone or tablet.
You can also scan documents into eFileCabinet directly using your camera, so those new documents you receive at a meeting can go onto the system instantly – even before you head back to the office. This allows your colleagues to access and review those files before you return to the office.
The eFileCabinet app also lets you save files, photos, and videos received via email.
And finally, sharing documents from the app is just as easy as it is on the desktop version of eFileCabinet. You can select multiple files at once, including large file sets, and choose to send them to a colleague or client, all from within the eFileCabinet app via SecureDrawer — a secure client sharing portal with bank-grade encryption that overcomes breach-susceptible aspects of traditional email.
<h2>The Digital Wingman</h2>
To be frank, there’s not a lot the eFileCabinet app doesn’t do when it comes to file management.
Being able to access, scan, search through, favorite, and share company files from your smartphone or tablet – in a way that enables all your colleagues to also access it immediately – makes the eFileCabinet app the ultimate wingman during client meetings.
However, all this accessibility does not compromise the app’s security: all your data is backed up and kept secure via the pin access code and other features within the app, including role-based user permissions.
There’s no more fumbling through a bag for folders, or worse yet, forgetting them back at the office – because every single piece of data your company has is already with you, all the time.
To learn more about eFileCabinet, check out their <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/">website</a>. Plus, stay tuned for more coverage during this eFileCabinet Featured Week.

The eFileCabinet App: A Mobile Document Management System

We’re kicking off another featured week here on CMS Critic, and this time, we’re joined by one of the world’s most popular document management systems; <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/" target="_blank">eFileCabinet</a>.
In a market full of big players like Google and Microsoft, eFileCabinet has cornered a delectable slice of the DMS market by securing 160,000 customers.
Their success comes down to a number of features that make document management easy for all business types. But perhaps most interestingly, eFileCabinet leverages the power of being both <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/efilecabinet-online/">in the cloud</a> and <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/efilecabinet-desktop/">on-premise</a>, giving brands the option to choose between the two solutions for maximum flexibility and diverse deployment options.
But before we delve into eFileCabinet fully, let’s refresh our memories regarding document management systems for just a second.
<h2>What is a Document Management System?</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ipad-820272_1280_31274x679-cropx0y103-is625x0-is.jpg" />
Well, long story short, it’s a software that manages your documents.
Instead of a company storing all their files in physical cabinets and storage rooms, a document management system digitises the process and manages staff access so that anybody can find what they’re looking for.
Efficiency is a vital attribute for any successful contemporary brand, and physical filing is anything but that.
Aside from using a DMS to replace paper-filing tasks and save physical space, companies deploy DMS to manage things like:
<ul>
<li>
HR documents
</li>
<li>
Photos
</li>
<li>
Tax documents
</li>
<li>
Personal files
</li>
<li>
Video
</li>
<li>
PDF and PDF Editor files
</li>
<li>
Large file sets, which you can share within the system
</li>
<li>
Anything you can store on your computer, can be stored inside the DMS.
</li>
</ul>
Read more about <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/describing-dms/">document management systems</a>.
<h2>eFileCabinet: In The Cloud &amp; In the House</h2>
Like CMS, there are an array of document management systems to offer. But eFileCabinet offers hard-hitting features that empower a company to manage their data with agility.
<h3>Store</h3>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vCFcx9Xv_do?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
eFileCabinet works from the second you have a hard copy of a document in your hand. You can:
<ol>
<li>
Scan and save it into eFileCabinet to make it digital
</li>
<li>
Use a drag-and-drop interface to organize it within folders
</li>
<li>
Keep it on-site, or securely in the cloud
</li>
</ol>
<h3>Search</h3>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cdcLLGFS9i8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Filing things away is one thing, but what happens when you want to find a file that was processed months (or years) ago? A traditional system would have you sifting through mountains of paper and filing cabinets, but eFileCabinet lets you:
<ol>
<li>
Log into your own account
</li>
<li>
Find files within seconds using powerful search functions
</li>
<li>
Browse and view files quickly to find the right version
</li>
</ol>
<h3>Share</h3>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K8bFOnPJvVQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
eFileCabinet isn’t just about keeping files behind closed doors, though. With it, you can share your company's documents with those who require it (such as auditors) by:
<ol>
<li>
Emailing or sharing through SecureDrawer (an encrypted web sharing portal that overcomes breach-susceptible email)
</li>
<li>
Apply password protection when sharing
</li>
<li>
Sending large or small files, with HIPAA, FINRA and SEC compliance
</li>
</ol>
<h2>DMS Anywhere</h2>
Impressively, eFileCabinet also transcends the notion that files and folders should stay behind lock and key within a brand’s head office.
Instead, eFileCabinet offers an app that allows for data to be accessed from anywhere via mobile and tablet. Thus, employees can access their digital file cabinets from home, or even from a client’s office.
To learn more about eFileCabinet, check out their <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com">website</a>. Plus, stay tuned for more coverage during this eFileCabinet Featured Week.

eFileCabinet: DMS in the Cloud or On-Premise

phpFox is one of the most popular social networking software on the market but is the latest iteration of the software worth using for your social network? In this phpFox review, we'll let you know.With pricing ranging from $299 – $599, phpFox is definitely not a cheap investment so you'll want to make sure it's 100% the right tool for you before you get started.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_1542x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />Fortunately, there's a demo you can use to mess around with the software. The drawback, however, is that the demo does not allow you into the AdminCP (the back end of phpFox) to see what it's like to administer the software, something I find a bit odd.Luckily, I was given a test account so I could write this review, so let's take a look and see what the admin interface looks like. Once logged in, you'll be presented with the menu for a logged in user (top right) where you can select the small gear icon to enter the AdminCP.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_2889x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />Once you've entered the admin interface, you'll be greeted with the following screen:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_3879x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />From here, you can administer your phpFox instance. The dashboard link on the left menu gives you the screen you see above, which shows basic information about who is using your site, who is logged in, etc.Under the Apps menu, you can add new Apps to your phpFox instance, allowing you to expand the functionality for your members.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_4687x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />Keep in mind, of course, that a lot of these apps will have costs associated with them as most are commercial plugins and not free.On the Themes tab, you can choose to apply a free theme or purchase a new premium one from those available. <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_5765x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />From the languages link you can change the language of your installation to one of the many available translations. Unfortunately, I'm not versed in anything more than English so I'm not able to tell you how accurate the translations are but perhaps someone can leave a comment and let us know their experiences. Available languages include French, Dutch, Russian, Romanian and Polish.The user editor allows you to modify user profiles. One thing that I found slightly annoying (from an aesthetics point of view) is that everything is single column all the way down. I would think it would be easier (and make things look cleaner and more professional) if the fields weren't full width for everything like Zip Code, Gender, etc. It just makes it look a bit sloppy and I think some basic work to clean these up would make it look more professional as it currently does not.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_6-1753x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />I'm on a 1440×900 screen so seeing these fields stretched the whole width just looks sloppy. I realize this is a minor gripe but still something I felt necessary to point out.While on the topic of gripes, one thing I found rather distressing was the complete lack of help throughout the AdminCP. Not only are there no tooltips or even a “?” icon to click on for help with an area of the admin but there isn't even a help link in the menu system on the left, which I found rather disheartening. For a system this far along in the development cycle (phpFox has been around for many years) this simply is not acceptable.Moving on to the Pages component of the Admin, we're greeted with an editor that, sadly, only allows you to enter in HTML code.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_7894x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" /> I was personally hoping for something a bit more useful like a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor akin to WordPress or other CMS but that was not the case. I'm also a bit take aback by the way the interface seems to scale on my Macbook Pro. I'm at a screen resolution of 1440×900 as mentioned before and as you can see from the screenshot, things like even the “save” button seem cut off and not scaled appropriately. Even if I attempt to scroll, the button for Save still does not show fully which I consider unacceptable. (Note: phpFox claims that a proper editor will be present in the upcoming 4.5 release, so perhaps this will change)The Blocks interface within phpFox lets you control which components you wish to show on specific areas of the site. For instance, you can create custom HTML or PHP blocks and show them based on specific pages or to only specific user IDs or groups.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_8772x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />The Phrases area within the admin appears to be a place where you can rename or provide friendly names for specific phrases within your social network. I'm not 100% clear as to how it works because, as mentioned before, there's absolutely no help or even description telling you what this area is for so I'm stating this based on guesswork and common sense.The bulk of the settings for your installation can be found under, wait for it, the Settings link. Here you can configure everything from server settings to SEO settings and more.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_9496x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />To their credit, there are a lot of settings exposed here and everything from module configuration to payment gateways and more is all listed here and easy to configure. I still, however, am frustrated by the lack of any kind of help while within any of these areas. In most cases, there aren't even descriptors to help enlighten you as to what each of the areas within the Settings are for.The Modules, Announcements and Newsletter sections are all similar in look and feel. Within the Announcements and Newsletter dialog, you can configure and set announcements and newsletters to go out at certain times.Under the Status menu, there is a Site Statistics link. Within here, one would expect to see reports or graphs showing statistics for your website. Instead, this is what you are shown:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_101179x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />I'm not sure about you but I'd have expected that if I clicked on a menu called Site Statistics, I'd want to see some nice, pretty graphs and a decent spread of analytics. This type of stuff is not hard to provide, even if just embedding some basic Google Analytics reporting. All in all, my whole experience with the software seems to echo this frustration.I'm going to conclude this review here as there's not much else to cover and I think I need to explain why I'm being as picky as I am about the design, implementation and issues I'm encountering here. You see, this software is not just marketed as the best solution for social networking but it's also priced at a level that should reflect well coded, beautifully crafted software. All of these niggling issues and poor design choices I'm encountering make me think that if I had purchased this software, I'd feel upset and like I had not received enough value for my dollar. Furthermore, I'd expect things to be intuitive, come with excellent help and generally be more useful. I find it very difficult to be lenient in instances such as this and rightly so.When a company is asking for hundreds of dollars of my money for their software, I expect quality of a high level. You don't buy Adobe Photoshop for several hundred and expect it to be sloppy and not scale properly to your screen size nor should you expect the same here. Is comparing phpFox to Adobe Photoshop or any level of similar priced software fair? I think it is. We're talking about software that has been around for over a decade and the level of quality you'd expect from software that has been around for this long simply isn't reflected here.When it comes to help, nothing is present within the adminCP. There are no quick links to available help resources, no help within any of the sections of the site and no live chat or anything to warrant the cost associated with this software. Even more annoying, support links are buried within the footer on their main website as opposed to being easily accessible and visible.Note: this isn't to say that support resources don't exist, there are tons of them: <a target="_blank" href="https://docs.phpfox.com/">https://docs.phpfox.com/</a> &amp; <a target="_blank" href="https://community.phpfox.com/">https://community.phpfox.com</a> for instance but the fact that they are not linked to or highlighted within the AdminCP is still a big miss. Why have no links or method to access any of these great resources evident when using the software? Hiding them away somewhere else without making it easy to find or use them means you miss the “ease of use” mark.When you look at the pricing, the lack of support is even more evident. Even with the most expensive package ($599 for the Pro edition) you only get help via the community forums and for two months through support tickets. To get support for a longer period, you have to pay a quarterly amount depending on the package you select (screenshot below).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox_review_-_11906x0-is.png" alt="phpfox review" />Even with the support packages, you are only allowed to submit one ticket at a time. Overall, I'm generally disappointed with the way support for this software is handled.I don't mean to be Mr. Negative here but I'm just generally not very impressed. In 2012 when I wrote my first phpFox Review, I was impressed with the way things were put into place because there frankly wasn't much else out there. 4 years later, however, I'd have expected the software to have evolved far further than it has. I'd also have expected support to be far more advanced and complete. Sadly, that's simply not the case.Would I recommend phpFox?If you are comfortable doing things yourself and need a leg up, perhaps, but overall, no I would not. This software simply just doesn't feel worth the price they are asking for it. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.phpfox.com/">Check it out for yourself at phpFox.com</a>

phpFox Review - Is This The Right Software For Your Social Network?

<a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> has announced the 4th release of their popular website builder. Some of the highlights of this release include reimagined headers, video backgrounds, specialized layouts, even more templates and tons more.
Here's a quick video showcasing some of the new things in <a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> 4:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y_MZh6UWHp0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
From an eCommerce perspective, Weebly 4 brings some new changes such as:
<ul>
<li>Reimagined customizable eCommerce storefront allows you to drag and drop products and categories anywhere on your site to drive sales.</li>
<li>The automatic tax calculator saves time with one-click tax rates for the entire US, guidance for international rates, plus provides the ability to set taxes by region, price, or manually.</li>
<li>Get the best real-time shipping rates across carriers to save you and your customers money.</li>
<li>Drive new sales with site-branded, digital gift cards and custom coupon codes.</li>
</ul>
There are also some interesting marketing based additions such as:
<ul>
<li>Unprecedented level of integration between your site, store, and email marketing. Just drag and drop your site content directly into an email and share it across social media.</li>
<li>Weebly Exclusive: Get smart email suggestions. Add a coupon, product, or category and Weebly 4 auto-creates an email that is ready to send to customers.</li>
<li>Recover abandoned carts with an automatic email sent at exactly the right time to land the sale.</li>
<li>Weebly Exclusive: Full funnel analytics &amp; insights to track campaign impact with the first email-to-sales insights from your Weebly dashboard.</li>
<li>Expert guides help you go beyond…a complete sellers handbook to help you sell more and an SEO guide to help you get found online.</li>
</ul>
Learn more or get started by <a href="https://www.weebly.com/">building your free website with Weebly</a>.

Weebly 4 is out and brings lots of changes to the popular website builder

The financial sector has long been a gallant emblem of promise and lucrativeness for Americans, and this perception remains undaunted by increasingly stringent regulations and auditing challenges to which the industry’s been subjected in recent years.
However, if the public and those who work within the financial services sector wish to continually rely on this industry as the backbone of America, professionals within the industry must adapt to Financial technology — and quickly.
Otherwise, it will become difficult for areas with fewer people and resources to keep pace with the suburban and urban competition of this industry.
<h2>Geography &amp; Technology</h2>
Although there is very rarely a singular or even two-fold cause for anything, research suggests that the financial services sector is heavily impacted by two things: geography, and technology—particularly within the United States.
Accounting Principles released an article last month covering a <a href="http://blog.accountingprincipals.com/us-financial-careers-analysis/">state-by-state analysis</a> of where financial professionals should work if they are in search of opportunities that will advance their careers and fatten their wallets. Not surprisingly, these areas are also the most tech-savvy areas of America, areas that overwhelmingly rely on enterprise tech to transact and conduct business: Utah, Texas, and California included in this lineup.
However, that doesn’t mean other states can’t catch up. As enterprise software becomes more intuitive and companies understand in greater numbers <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/describing-dms/">what document management software is</a>, professionals in the states lagging behind in terms of revenue and income can use this technology as an equalizer to industry leaders, as document management software reduces operational expenses, increases customers’ trust, and simplifies compliance: failing to ensure these benefits in one way or another lines many businesses up to fail over the long-term, especially given the increasing cost of noncompliance in the financial services sector.
Accounting Principles’ study noted that Vermont, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arkansas, Illinois, and in particular, Mississippi — were suffering from unimproved and downtrodden financial sectors, many of which are deprived of both enterprise technology resources and skilled workers. Of these areas, Wyoming, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Arkansas have the most rural space, strongly correlating rurality with slower career development and opportunity in the financial services sector. This phenomenon was found mostly true for entry level, mid-level and senior level positions across geography.
It should be noted in understanding what document management software is, that many geographies in need of document management technology are rural, and without the right enterprise and small business tech, this rurality imposes several issues that can explain the statistics cited above:
With greater rurality comes greater distances between points of business contact. Organizations without document management software are forced to rely on paper-dependent processes, and, therefore, snail mailing documents long distances, which can negatively impact customer retention, document turnaround times, and the ability to close deals. Document management software helps companies circumvent this trouble via <a href="http://www.efilecabinet.com/securedrawer/">client sharing portals</a> — encrypted file sharing features with Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology that meets Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) protocol.
<h2>The Equalizer: Document Management Technology</h2>
Additionally, enterprise technology can eliminate the barriers imposed by the small population densities characterizing rural areas — giving a fewer number of people the power to accomplish what suburban and even urban areas can. Although this phenomenon is more attributable to automation as a whole, document management software relies heavily on automation to streamline workflow processes.
However, it should also be noted that organizations in rural areas should rely only on specific types of document management technology to ensure optimal performance. Although the online, cloud-based document management solutions are becoming increasingly popular in the financial services industry due to their mobile integration, functionality, responsiveness, and enhanced security that doesn’t compromise accessibility — on premise(s) solutions are more often than not better fits for enterprises working in rural areas, where internet-supported cloud based technologies sometimes struggle to maintain solid connections to the web.
Although the cloud is highly usable, functioning like any web page a user interacts with, on premise(s) solutions are just as intuitive, offering the same features and usability in-office. On premise(s) solutions tend to be most popular among accountants, although there’s been a recent uptick in the percentage of accountants relying on cloud-based software to manage their practices and departments.
Document management software not only increases the profitability rural organizations need to compete with their suburban and rural counterparts, it helps rural areas thrive economically and become sustainable — keeping these locales from relying on paper-dependent organizational processes.
Today, as never before, document management technology is an equalizer that can help financial professionals in rural areas keep pace with the giants of their industry, helping these rural organizations do more with fewer resources.
Be sure to consider a document management vendor with a <a href="https://reviews.financesonline.com/p/efilecabinet/">Verified Quality Seal</a> from an accounting and finance technology reviews site before jumping in to purchase too quickly, as this designation is important for professionals working in the bookkeeping, accounting, and financial services sectors.

The Geography of Fintech: Which Locales Need it Most?

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