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5 Key Takeaways from the 2025 AWS Partner Summit

Posted on July 29, 2025October 23, 2026 by Simon

By Simon Tindal, CTO, Smart Communications

Dirty data, AI ethicists, and the resurgence of IoT were just a few of the hot topics at the recent Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Summit in New York City. I was honored to attend the event and participate in two roundtables alongside fellow CTOs and CIOs, where we explored the evolving role of generative AI in enterprise environments—particularly how it can enhance customer experience at scale.

The timing couldn’t be better. According to Gartner, 33% of all applications will be agentic AI-enabled by 2028. That’s just around the corner, and it’s why events like these are critical not just for inspiration, but for alignment. They offer a window into where the market is heading, and how we as technology leaders can deliver innovation responsibly, flexibly, and quickly.

At Smart Communications, we’ve been fortunate to deepen our partnership with AWS at the perfect moment. It’s a strategic relationship that informs not only the infrastructure we build on, but the way we innovate: safely, at scale, and with our customers always at the center.

Below are five key takeaways from the Summit, and how they connect back to our approach at Smart Communications.

1. Dirty Data Is Not the Fuel You Want Powering Your AI

One of the most resonant lines from the Summit: “Data is the fuel of GenAI. You wouldn’t run your vehicle on dirty fuel.”

Put another way, if your data is fragmented, outdated, or unstructured, it doesn’t matter how powerful your AI models are. You’re not going to get reliable results. Across both roundtables I joined, data quality and governance dominated the conversation.

That’s why our SmartIQ™ solution was designed to securely capture and validate data so companies can act on it with confidence, whether using it for service center interactions or feeding it into generative workflows. It’s also why we lean on Amazon Bedrock to give us multi-model flexibility without compromising data privacy. Our customers, particularly in financial services and healthcare, need to know that sensitive data isn’t being used to train public Large Language Models (LLMs). With Bedrock, we have the peace of mind that it’s not.

2. A Holistic, Integrated Approach to AI Implementation Is Critical

There was a clear consensus at the Summit: AI success comes from end-to-end thinking. For businesses to truly improve customer experience, AI should be embedded across the user journey, with a clear strategy for how it supports customer outcomes.

This mirrors one of our own AI Guiding Principles at Smart Communications: relevance. We build AI features that are directly embedded into the workflows our users already rely on—like tone refinement or language simplification in SmartCOMM™’s Design Assistant. They’re designed to meet users where they are and improve both efficiency and how they engage with customers.

We’re not building AI for AI’s sake. We’re building it to make digital experiences more thoughtful, personalized, and effective—while reducing friction for the people creating them.

3. Responsible AI Use Requires Increased Emphasis and Attention

A theme that surfaced repeatedly was the ethical use of AI. One keynote slide even highlighted the emergence of a new organizational role: an AI ethicist focused on analyzing and addressing the implications of AI. That speaks volumes.

At Smart Communications, accountability and compliance are core to our approach. We’ve invested in capabilities like AI logging in template editors, AI identification in conversation history, and other process tracking so our customers can prove, not just assume, how AI is being used.

We’ve long championed a “human in the loop” approach to AI technology. Now, as discussed at the AWS Summit, we’re entering a new phase the industry calls “human on the loop.” Rather than validating every output, people are shifting to a more supervisory role focused on optimizing AI performance over time. This evolution aligns with our vision for responsible AI—empowered, but never unchecked.

Whether it’s logging communications for applications considered Limited Risk under the EU AI Act, or ensuring AI translations are marked as enhanced content, Smart Communications is innovating to reduce compliance risk. When we say our AI solutions are enterprise-grade, this is what we mean. We ensure content provenance is maintained within the communication value chain, providing full auditability of where AI is used and enabling our clients to stay aligned with evolving regulations worldwide.

4. A Flexible Approach to AI Will Ease and Accelerate Scaling

In a fast-moving space like this, rigidity is a risk. One of the biggest reasons we chose to build on Amazon Bedrock is the flexibility it gives us to switch in and out different models as needs evolve.

We’ve already seen this in action. When we first launched some of our AI capabilities, we started with Anthropic’s Claude model, which was the right choice for speed and geographic availability. Since then, we’ve added services (connected through Amazon Bedrock) to both AWS Translate and Amazon’s Nova Lite—bringing more value to our customers and striking the right balance between speed, safety, and availability.

That ability to adapt quickly, without having to start from scratch, has been a game-changer. And it’s exactly the kind of agility that enterprises are looking for. With Bedrock, we can match the right LLM to the right task.

5. Build and Deliver Use Cases That Actually Deliver Value

Agentic AI isn’t just about capability—it’s about continuity. Unlike traditional AI interactions (ask a question, get a response), agentic systems maintain context over time, enabling more lifelike conversations. This persistent context opens the door to a resurgence in connected, conversational devices—a kind of second wave for IoT, now made smarter and more useful through agentic intelligence.

That’s also where our data collection and omnichannel orchestration solutions shine. We’re building systems that don’t just respond—they remember, connect, and evolve across channels. And the use cases are only growing: from hyper-personalized insurance cover letters, to multilingual financial services responses, to context-aware knowledge assistants that elevate user efficiency.

But all of it must deliver measurable value. That’s why our AI innovations are relevant to business outcomes, such as faster document creation, better tone control, and reduced compliance risk. If a feature doesn’t solve a real problem, we deprioritize it.

A Strategic Partnership That Helps Us Move Faster and Smarter

This focus on value creation is one of the many reasons our partnership with AWS is so important. Together, we’re bringing secure, compliant, and intelligent solutions to market, helping organizations optimize their digital interactions with customers in new and exciting ways.

As Sudeep John, AWS — Technology Partnerships, put it:

“The collaboration between Smart Communications and Amazon Web Services (AWS) builds on an existing and mutually beneficial relationship.

Smart Communications is deepening its use of Amazon Bedrock by integrating Amazon Nova Lite — enabling faster, safer, and more reliable agentic decision-making to support critical customer conversations.

Together, the companies are delivering a robust cloud services and management portfolio that empowers enterprise customers with secure, scalable, and intelligent access to cloud-powered customer communications.”

It’s a relationship that keeps evolving—through product integration, go-to-market alignment, and joint events. And with SmartCOMM and SmartIQ both available on the AWS Marketplace, it’s never been easier for organizations to procure and deploy our solutions within their cloud environments.

Looking Ahead

I left the 2025 AWS Partner Summit with a deep sense of excitement. From data integrity and AI transparency to scalable infrastructure and smart orchestration, we’re not just keeping up with the pace of change. We’re helping to set it.

And this is only the beginning. Stay tuned for more innovation to come—built on Amazon Bedrock, aligned with our AI Guiding Principles, and designed to help organizations create digital customer experiences that are as intelligent as they are compliant.

How the Conversation Cloud™ Earned Leader Status on Four Aspire Leaderboard Grids

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Scott Draeger

By Scott Draeger, SVP of Product Marketing and Vertical Solutions

Smart Communications is proud to see Conversation Cloud™ solutions placed in the Leader category on four distinct Aspire Leaderboard Grids in the July 2025 revision of the Aspire Leaderboard. Aspire CCS’ research recognizes early shifts in customer engagement technologies by technology capabilities, vertical industries, firmographics, location, and use cases.

The Smart Communications team is excited to have fresh research that validates our strong market position and technology, but we’re prouder of how our customers engage with their clients every day. Visit our case study library for more on that. According to the updated vendor profile, “Smart Communications’ strategy is to empower enterprises to transform their customer communications through three core capabilities that directly impact business outcomes.”

Leadership Positions Across Four Market Categories

Smart Communications earned leadership positions in the following categories on the Aspire Leaderboard’s July 2025 update:

AnyPrem CCM
Vendor Hosted SaaS CCM
Interaction Experience Management (IXM)
CXP markets

Furthermore, Smart Communications achieved a platform strength score of 97 in Vendor Hosted SaaS CCM—the highest score given to any vendor on any Aspire Leaderboard grid.

Aspire’s scoring also reflects Smart Communications lead in Go to Market Strategy in both AnyPrem CCM and Vendor Hosted SaaS CCM, recognizing our focus on quickly solving the challenges of the highest stakes communications in highly regulated industries with leading SaaS capabilities.

The Conversation Cloud Has Grown Since the 2024 Update

The April acquisition of Joisto brought SmartHUB™’s powerful cloud-native archive capabilities to the Conversation Cloud in June. The addition enables our clients to seamlessly connect their communications and forms from creation to archival and retrieval and Aspire recognized this integrated approach with Leader placements in key Leaderboard grids. Check out the video below to learn more about SmartHUB:

Vendor Hosted SaaS CCM: Strong Platform Performance

In the grid for Vendor Hosted SaaS, Smart Communications earned a platform strength score of 97. Out of 15 vendors evaluated, this represents the highest score for any vendor in any grid in this cycle of the Aspire Leaderboard. This score reflects the clear focus, maturity, and capabilities of Smart Communications’ cloud-native platform architecture.

Smart Communications’ technology received the highest overall strategy score in this segment, supported by focused go-to-market execution. The Product and Vertical Marketing team members, including Eileen Potter for Insurance, John Zimmerer for Healthcare, Cindy Griffin for Financial Services, Sally Schulte for SmartIQ, and Chris Murphy for SmartCOMM, spend time with customers, prospects, and partners to collect data, refine use cases, and find solutions for the problems of complex communications in regulated industries.

Interested in more industry- and technology-specific insights from our experts?
Click their names above for more advice to help you optimize the digital experiences you provide your customers.

Customer Success Documentation

While Smart Communications’ investment in people contributes to Smart Communications’ reputation as a reliable partner for enterprise transformation through their industry expertise and customer relationships, it also allows us to collect a lot of content. We maintain an extensive library of customer case studies and educational videos that demonstrate practical applications and business outcomes across various industry verticals, providing evidence of successful implementations.

Our SmartIQ sample library has increased by a third since the last Aspire Leaderboard release, as more ready-to-use experiences are available for common data collection challenges across finance, insurance, and healthcare applications. Check out the video below to see how one our clients, The Bancorp, leveraged SmartIQ to reduce loan origination times by 98%, significantly enhancing the customer experience in this area:

AnyPrem CCM: Navigating Market Evolution

The AnyPrem CCM market reflects the present status of CCM technology as new communication applications move to the Vendor Hosted SaaS CCM market at increasing rates. As legacy technologies in the AnyPrem CCM market are decommissioned, this trend will continue to accelerate.

Smart Communications earned Leader placement on this grid by offering a future-ready route for organizations seeking to modernize customer and employee experiences. By providing clear migration paths away from many of the outdated technologies featured on this grid, Smart Communications empowers companies to meet the expanding needs of today’s digitally native customers as well as print-first customers.

IXM: Advancing Interactive Experience Management

Within the Interaction Experience Management grid, Smart Communications strengthened its position in IXM Differentiation. With a 2025 score of 67, Smart Communications broke from a four-vendor group with the same top score in 2024 to be recognized as the sole vendor with the top score in the differentiation category. Shifting to the scoring for the benefits of IXM, SmartIQ’s score of 70 represents a 40% advantage over the closest competitors, reflecting the transformational business outcomes, as demonstrated by customers like The Bancorp.

Key Findings from Aspire

The refreshed Aspire Leaderboards also include revised summaries and descriptions of the Smart Communications business and technology. Aspire observes, “Smart Communications has evolved from individual product offerings to an integrated platform approach, addressing enterprise requirements for seamless integration across multiple communication channels and consistent brand experience.”

The research also offers, “This [Joisto] acquisition, as well as the launch of SmartPATH, puts Smart Communications in much stronger position for expansion in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, where communications tracking, real-time orchestration, and the analysis of document metadata is a vital component of superior customer experiences.” 

Market Position and Future Outlook

Smart Communications’ recognition across four Aspire Leaderboard grids reflects a comprehensive strategy that has strengthened the company’s market position as well as the technology stacks of our customers. The combination of technical capabilities, strategic market approach, and customer focus has created competitive advantages across multiple market segments.

As enterprises continue to prioritize customer communications management projects to meet rising customer expectations and reduce operating expenses, Smart Communications is positioned to support transformation initiatives while delivering measurable improvements in customer experience and operational efficiency.

Ready to See What The Hype is All About?
Request a demo to see our products in action. Or, for more on how Smart Communications achieved the rankings outline in this blog, access the full Aspire Leaderboard Grids.

Don’t Let Budget Season Catch You Unprepared: The Critical Importance of Early Vendor Research

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Scott Draeger

By Scott Draeger, SVP of Product Marketing and Vertical Solutions

Enterprise software budget processes are easy to delay, until it’s too late. Then, you find yourself stuck with legacy limitations for another year.

Budgeting is complex and time-sensitive, yet too many organizations wait until the last minute to gather essential vendor information. This reactive approach leads to delayed decisions, incomplete evaluations, and ultimately, poor ROI outcomes that plague your organization for years.

The Hidden Cost of Inadequate Vendor Research

When budget season arrives and you’re scrambling to compile vendor pricing, feature comparisons, and implementation timelines, you’re already behind. The most successful enterprise software investments begin with thorough vendor research conducted months before budget discussions even start.

This preparation allows you to present comprehensive business cases backed by detailed cost-benefit analyses rather than rough estimates and hopeful projections. This type of preparation puts your project in position to get a “yes!”

Transaction Structure: The Make-or-Break Factor for ROI

Beyond basic pricing and features, understanding how flexible vendors can structure their transactions is critical for achieving positive ROI quickly. Many publicly traded vendors are bringing heavy legacy approaches to their SaaS offerings.

They continue to demand substantial upfront payments, extensive and expensive professional services contracts with high attach rates, and additional fees that delay meaningful returns by years. These legacy models from legacy providers prioritize vendor cash flow over client success, creating financial strain that undermines transformation initiatives.

A Different Approach to Enterprise Partnerships

Smart Communications represents a fundamentally different philosophy in vendor relationships. Rather than demanding large upfront investments that strain budgets and delay ROI, Smart Communications partners with clients through multiyear arrangements designed to accelerate time-to-value to deliver profit and performance faster than expected.

Smart Communications’ innovation isn’t limited to our leading SaaS offerings. Innovation extends through the entire business, offering financing options that enable organizations to begin transformation and migration processes without the crushing financial burden that typically accompanies enterprise software implementations.

Analyst reports are a powerful source of knowledge when researching vendor options. Get started by checking out our latest insights here.

Breaking Down Vendor Silos That Block Your Success

Traditional vendors often operate with internal silos that prioritize their own revenue recognition over client outcomes. This misalignment creates friction throughout implementation and ongoing support. Separate sales teams compete for product revenues in competitive portfolios.

Any professional services discounts can create carve–outs and revenue deferrals that cause a salesperson to rapidly shift focus to another prospect. Smart Communications’ transaction structure aligns vendor success with client success, ensuring that your transformation goals remain the primary focus throughout the partnership.

Start Your Research Today

Don’t wait for budget season to begin your vendor evaluation process. Start gathering comprehensive vendor information now, with particular attention to transaction structures that support rapid ROI achievement.

Done right, budget discussions will become strategic conversations rather than frantic scrambles that leave you and your customers to deal with legacy limitations for another year. Position your project for success in 2026 by partnering with a vendor aligned to your rapid ROI.

Not The Decision Maker, But Interested in Making a Change?

Check out “Building a Business Case for Change: How to Secure Stakeholder Buy-In When Purchasing Enterprise Customer Communications Management (CCM) Software” to arm yourself with the right information to make the case for better CCM software.

Fixing First Impressions: How Automating Data Collection Can Fix These 5 Client Service Bottlenecks in Wealth Management

Posted on July 11, 2025October 23, 2026 by Cindy Griffin

By Cindy Griffin, Vertical Marketing Specialist at Smart Communications

At our INNOVATE conference in New Orleans, keynote speaker James Dodkins (aka the CX Rockstar) delivered a powerful message:

“Many first impressions are out of your hands, but they are never out of your control.”

In wealth management, first impressions matter deeply. Whether it’s a prospective client onboarding for the first time or an existing one updating their information because of a life change, the experience they have with your firm shapes how they perceive you.

And yet, many wealth management firms are unintentionally making the wrong impression. Outdated, manual client service processes are creating friction, delays, and frustration; these are the bottlenecks that you must address. Simply stated, these bottlenecks are creating the wrong impression. In this article, I’ll dive into how automating data collection processes can help wealth management organizations overcome these challenges.

Legacy Processes Are a Challenge to Scale

As demand for personalized service grows and advisor-client interactions become more complex, wealth management firms are under pressure to deliver a high-touch experience at scale. But for many firms, the reality looks more like this:

Endless back-and-forth emails for missing documents
Paper forms and wet signatures
Tedious manual rekeying of data into multiple systems

In 2025, the most common client service bottlenecks can be traced to one root issue: outdated data collection processes. Modernizing how your firm collects and conveys data can eliminate friction, unlock scalable workflow automation, and, most importantly, create great impressions on your clients.

Here are the five most common bottlenecks and how you can solve them:

Bottleneck #1: Manually Collecting Data from Clients

Advisors and client service staff often waste hours tracking down forms, missing data, or signatures from clients. These requests are typically handled by email or phone, creating fragmented communication trails and introducing significant room for error.

The Result: Slow onboarding, frustrated clients, and inefficient use of staff time.

The Fix: Replace manual methods with guided, digital experiences that accurately collect data the first time. Intelligent, online, mobile-friendly forms validate inputs, ensure completeness, and eliminate the back-and-forth.

The Smart Approach: Firms using forms automation solution SmartIQ have reduced data collection time by 60% to 75%. And Not In Good Order rates? Organizations leveraging SmartIQ have reduced them from a typical industry standard of 35% to 2%. In short, SmartIQ’s no-code/low-code solution transforms traditional form-based processes into fast, secure, fully automated digital experiences that make it easier for clients to engage and firms to scale.

Bottleneck #2: Fragmented Data Handoffs Between Teams

Even when client data is successfully collected, it often gets stuck in operational limbo or becomes siloed. Staff members email spreadsheets, print forms, or manually re-key information into internal systems, creating bottlenecks and a risk of data loss, incorrect data, or duplication.

The Result: Disjointed workflows and costly handoffs that delay client service.

The Fix: Workflow automation tied to automated data collection allows client information to move seamlessly between people and systems. This eliminates double-handling (unnecessary rehandling of materials or information) or siloed information and creates a single source of truth.

The Smart Approach: SmartIQ eliminates fragmented data handoffs by capturing structured, validated data at the point of entry and routing it through integrated workflows. Instead of relying on emails, spreadsheets, or re-keying, SmartIQ connects with CRMs, portfolio accounting, and other internal systems via prebuilt connectors and flexible APIs. This ensures accurate client data flows seamlessly between systems, reducing manual effort, cutting processing times, and creating a “single source of truth” for every interaction.

Bottleneck #3: Compliance Delays Due to Incomplete Data

A missing checkbox or signature can kick off compliance alerts that start a cascade of manual reviews, rerouting, and rework. These delays aren’t just operational headaches. A recent Capgemini report cited a survey showing a 31% increase in penalties on global financial institutions for anti-money laundering and know your customer violations. Non-compliance can significantly impact profits and regulator relationships.

The Result: Delays that not only make a bad impression on clients, but also increase regulatory risk.

The Fix: Automated digital data collection solutions can prevent errors by collecting the information at the source. Intelligent forms ensure all required fields are completed and compliant before submission.

The Smart Approach: SmartIQ reduces compliance delays by ensuring that data is complete, accurate, and validated before submission. Guided digital interviews dynamically adjust based on client responses, so required fields are never missed. Built-in logic checks and field-level validation reduce the risk of human error, while version control ensures the most current regulatory templates are always used.

Bottleneck #4: Lack of Real-Time Visibility into Client Progress

Too often, advisors and client service teams don’t know where a client is in a process. Has the form been started? Submitted? Is something missing? This lack of visibility leads to redundant follow-ups, delayed services, and poor client experiences. According to an Avaloq wealth management survey, 30% of ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients experience onboarding times of three months or more. This is a level of delay that can damage trust and hinder long-term relationship growth.

The Result: Advisors are operating in the dark, and clients can see it, hurting critical retention efforts.

The Fix: Automated systems with a clear view of where each client’s request stands can give teams the visibility needed to support clients more effectively. When everyone has insight into a client’s status, it’s easier to anticipate needs, reduce delays, and provide a more seamless experience.

The Smart Approach: With SmartIQ’s real-time dashboards and progress tracking, teams gain full visibility into where clients are in the journey, enabling proactive support. Built-in audit trails and status updates provide transparency, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Bottleneck #5: Diminishing ROI from Manual Processes

Peak times like tax season or year-end planning place tremendous strain on advisors and client service teams. Advisors and client service teams are stretched or delay non-urgent work. Firms cannot simply add headcount to address this problem.

The Result: Advisors and client service staff are burned out and miss opportunities to deliver high-value client service. Manual work scales costs, not service quality.

The Fix: Automating data collection and related workflows frees up staff for higher-value tasks, like client outreach and strategy. It’s the only sustainable way to scale without increasing headcount.

The Smart Approach: By turning manual workflows into intelligent, digital experiences, SmartIQ dramatically reduces time spent during peak periods on repetitive tasks like data entry, document review, and chasing missing information. This leads to higher operational efficiency, lower costs, and more time for advisors and staff to focus on delivering value to your clients.

The Path Forward for Client Service Teams

Digital transformation isn’t just about modernizing infrastructure. It’s about creating client service operations that are fast, efficient, and, most importantly, leave a great impression.

Automation allows firms to move faster, reduce manual errors, and give clients the seamless experience they expect. And it frees advisors to focus on what matters: building great relationships.

Forward-thinking firms are already reimagining their service model with automation. If your firm is still reliant on PDFs, emails, and manual follow-ups, now is the time to explore how SmartIQ can fit into your roadmap.

Because that first impression? It’s not out of your control, it’s just waiting to be automated.

For more information on how these challenges impact customer experience, and how your organization can overcome them, access a complimentary copy of our 2025 Benchmark report. Be sure to watch the video below for insights from the report.

Don’t Miss These 4 Key Findings from the 2025 Insurance Customer Experience Benchmark Report

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Eileen Potter

By Eileen Potter, VP of Insurance Marketing at Smart Communications

You’ve probably noticed that insurance customers aren’t what they used to be. They’re tech-savvy, time-strapped, and quick to switch providers if they feel overlooked or underserved. So, where should you focus your digital investments in 2025 to meet their expectations and drive ROI?

That’s the question our new 2025 Global Insurance Benchmark Research set out to answer. We asked thousands of insurance consumers across the globe what matters most to them when it comes to communication, self-service, and digital interactions. Their responses were loud and clear: convenience, speed, and personalization are non-negotiable.

Here’s a preview of what we uncovered, plus how you can turn insights into action.

1. Customers Won’t Wait Around for Clear, Convenient Communication

If your customer communications are clunky, confusing, or hard to access, you’re not just losing satisfaction—you’re losing customers.

In fact, 67% of customers say they’d switch providers if communications fall short. That’s up from 51% in 2023. The expectation? Amazon-like ease across every touchpoint. Younger generations are even less forgiving, with 78% of Millennials and 73% of Gen Z ready to walk if communications disappoint.

But this is also a major opportunity. Modernizing your communication strategy with mobile-first, self-serve options boosts retention, builds trust, and creates brand advocates. When you exceed expectations, 78% of insurance customers say they’ll recommend your company.

2. Omnichannel Is an Expectation, Not an Option

Customers don’t think in terms of “channels.” They just want to get things done fast, from wherever they are. Yet only 55% of insurance customers say they regularly hear from providers on their preferred channel, down from 60% last year.

To close the gap, you’ll need to deliver seamless digital experiences across channels including email, SMS, apps, web, and even encrypted messaging. Why? Because 60% of customers say they trust insurers more when interactions are consistent across platforms.

Younger customers are especially tuned into this, with 83% of Millennials and 82% of Gen Z likely to use digital self-service instead of picking up the phone. The message is clear: meet them where they are, and they’ll stay loyal.

3. Digital Forms Are a Make-or-Break Moment

Here’s something you may not have considered: Your digital forms could be costing you business.

A full 65% of customers will abandon a form or interaction if it’s too hard to complete. That’s a huge loss, especially when the fix is straightforward: make forms intuitive, mobile-friendly, and fast. Customers want forms that are secure, save their progress, and offer real-time help when needed.

And the upside? A great data collection experience leads to more than just completion. It drives loyalty, additional purchases, and positive reviews.

So, if you’re still using fillable PDFs or clunky paper-based workflows, 2025 is the year to upgrade.

4. AI Can Improve CX—But Only If It’s Done Right

GenAI offers big promise in terms of personalization and efficiency, but customers still have concerns—especially around data security and ethical use.

While 61% of insurance customers believe AI will improve CX, nearly half want human oversight on anything AI-generated. The takeaway? Be transparent. Be secure. And always keep people in the loop.

Used strategically, AI can help you respond faster, boost accuracy, and deliver smarter, more relevant experiences. But without trust, even the best tech will fall flat.

Want to See the Full Picture?

If you’re planning your digital roadmap for the year ahead, this report is your guide. It’s packed with data-backed insights on how customer expectations are shifting, where the biggest experience gaps lie, and how to prioritize investments that actually move the needle on satisfaction, trust, and retention.

The full 2025 Global Insurance Benchmark Report will take you deeper into:

The top digital experiences customers expect right now
How communication quality directly impacts loyalty and retention
What modern CX strategies are driving the best ROI
How to roll out AI with transparency and impact

Don’t guess where to spend—let your customers show you. Access your complimentary copy of the report today.

About the Author
Eileen Potter is the Vice President of Vertical Marketing, Insurance at Smart Communications. She has more than 25 years of insurance and insurance technology experience with both Property & Casualty and Life & Annuity, including insurance operations on both the agency and company levels. Eileen has worked in independent agencies and MGA operations in a variety of roles, including commercial marketing and underwriting. Her software background includes time spent working in services, product marketing, and sales support.

Redefining Customer Connection & Building Loyalty through Digital Experiences: Insights from the Third Digital Banking Summit | ICC Sydney

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Aaron Everingham

By Aaron Everingham, Sales Director at Smart Communications

At the third Digital Banking Summit, hosted by Forefront at ICC Sydney, Smart Communications’ Aaron Everingham led a thought-provoking discussion on how digital banking leaders are reshaping customer connection and loyalty in a fast-evolving environment.

The panel explored the role of human-centered design, trust, personalisation, and emerging technologies—all within the context of an increasingly digital and regulated banking world.

1. Human Connection in a Digital World

In the early days of banking, connection meant face-to-face interaction. Today, with digital channels dominant, the challenge is preserving that sense of humanity at scale.

One speaker noted that the rise of digital has created hyper-choice, making trust a more critical differentiator than ever before. Another panellist shared that while digital platforms streamline processes like home loan applications, there’s often still a team behind the scenes ready to step in, especially for more complex needs.

Several participants stressed the importance of human-centred design, particularly in emotionally charged moments, where digital alone may fall short. One bank shared how they’ve designed AI-powered systems to hand off conversations to human agents during heightened customer moments—ensuring empathy isn’t lost in automation.

2. Personalisation at Scale: Still the Holy Grail?

While personalisation remains a top priority, its meaning is evolving.

A speaker from a major institution noted that personalisation today is about relevance: providing timely, context-aware interactions, such as reminders for upcoming bills or proactive service prompts. Others made a distinction between personalisation and customisation—highlighting the need to tailor not just messaging, but the entire experience, depending on the user’s profile and preferences.

A digital lender representative acknowledged the technical complexity behind this: managing personalised content and journeys at scale remains a work in progress, particularly for institutions navigating legacy infrastructure.

3. Trust and Connection in a Digitally Regulated Age

As digital becomes the primary channel, building trust—especially in key moments like hardship or lending—has taken on new urgency.

Several panellists pointed out that regulatory pressure and customer protection are driving a shift in experience design. What was once about speed is now about “intelligent friction”—introducing small hurdles to help customers stay safe. For example, first-time payment warnings are now deliberately implemented to prevent scams, even if they slightly slow down the user experience.

Trust, it was emphasized, is not just about UX; it’s about staying true to brand promises, especially for institutions with older or more vulnerable customers. As one speaker put it, “you don’t just design for ease—you design for reassurance.”

4. Loyalty Reimagined

The panel also reflected on how loyalty has changed—and how digital can support, or undermine, long-term relationships.

Traditional points-based loyalty schemes are no longer the only currency. One speaker noted that consistency, transparency, and reliability now play a greater role. For digital-native brands, loyalty is tied closely to their core promise, such as a simplified lending journey.

Meanwhile, open banking and app-based banking aggregation were cited as drivers of customer freedom. As one attendee shared, inertia is fading—customers now expect more, and are quicker to switch when expectations aren’t met.

5. Segmenting Experiences, Not Just Messages

Tailoring communications is no longer enough—banks must now segment the experience itself.

This means adapting everything from tone and flow to channel mix and hand-off points. One example given involved designing different onboarding journeys based on whether a user is a first-time buyer, a retiree, or a digital-native—acknowledging that the same service doesn’t work for every audience.

6. Looking Ahead: Emerging Trends

Finally, the panel looked to the future—particularly the growing role of AI.

While AI offers new levels of convenience and responsiveness, speakers cautioned against over-automation. There’s a risk of disintermediation, where the very connections banks seek to strengthen could erode.

The key, according to one leader, is finding the right balance between automation and human intervention—and ensuring that when a handoff is needed, it happens seamlessly.

Final Thoughts

The panel made one thing clear: building loyalty and connection in banking is no longer about flashy perks or polished UX alone. It’s about trust, consistency, and deeply understanding the moments that matter to customers.

Digital has changed the game—but the fundamentals of human connection remain unchanged.

Smart Spotlight: Mustafa Kazmi on Life at Smart

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Dani Duffy

By Smart Communications

At Smart Communications, we believe that progress is powered by people—those who bring fresh perspectives, tackle challenges head-on, and go the extra mile to make a difference. Our Smart Spotlight series celebrates individuals who are shaping our future through their dedication and ingenuity.

For the second feature in the series, we’re excited to recognize North American Application Support Manager, Mustafa Kazmi. Known for his thoughtful approach and strong problem-solving skills, Mustafa consistently finds innovative ways to elevate our technical capabilities and support our long-term goals.

Join us as we take a closer look at Mustafa’s contributions and discover how his mindset and passion for improvement are helping Smart Communications move forward.

1. What is your role at Smart, and how long have you been with the company?

I’m the manager of the North American Application Support team, and I’ve been with Smart Communications since June 2007—over 18 years now! I joined the company—then Thunderhead—as a Junior Support Analyst. In 2018, I was given the opportunity to become the North American Support Manager.

I’m lucky to work alongside some incredible leaders, including Smart Communications’ CCO, Hitesh Bhindi, and Venkat Bandi, Global Support Director, who I want to specifically thank for their leadership. They have empowered us and created an environment where leaders on the CCO team can truly thrive. Being part of an organization led by someone like Hitesh—and working with mentors like Venkat—has been a big part of my journey here.

2. What’s kept you at Smart Communications all these years?

It’s the combination of purpose, people, and growth. I’ve had the chance to work on impactful projects that truly matter to our customers. I’ve also been surrounded by teammates and leaders who value collaboration, trust, and innovation. Most importantly, Smart Communications has always given me opportunities to grow—whether it was stepping into new roles, developing leadership skills, or contributing to global initiatives. It’s rare to find a workplace that consistently challenges and supports you, and I’m grateful to have found that here.

3. What did you do for work prior to joining Smart, and why did you make the switch?

I was born in Pakistan and raised in Virginia and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. After University, I decided to move to California to be closer to my brother, who‘d been living there for several years and always raved about the lifestyle and weather. After I moved, the rest of my family followed, and we’ve all been in California since May 2006.

The reason that I chose Smart Communications when I started here in June 2007 was that it was an innovative company, and the company was leading the CCM space. This excited me and I am so grateful to have been able to contribute to the success of Smart Communications throughout the years.

4. What skills are needed to be successful in your role/on your team?

You need a strong technical foundation, solid problem-solving skills, and the ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical people. Being curious and willing to learn is key, too. Things are always changing, so adaptability and a collaborative mindset really help you thrive here.

5. What’s your favorite aspect of your job?

I love connecting with people—that’s really what drives me. I get to connect with my team every day, helping them grow, resolve issues, and providing guidance when they need it. Whether it’s answering process-related questions or helping them get unstuck, I enjoy being that person they can turn to.

I also love connecting with our customers. I speak with them daily, especially in challenging situations like escalations. I take pride in calming things down, showing them we’re on top of it, and giving them confidence that we’ll find a solution. Even though it can be tough, I genuinely enjoy that part of the work.

Another aspect I value is the global nature of our Support Team. My manager, Venkat Bandi, is in Australia, I work closely with my counterpart in EMEA, Application Support Manager, Daniel Skerratt, along with APAC Application Support Team Leader, Prathiba Mahindra, and NAM Application Support Team Leader Jordan Peters. We regularly collaborate across time zones. I enjoy bouncing ideas off each other and finding new ways to improve how we support our customers.

6. What are you doing when you’re not working?

Outside of work, I’m all about family. I live with and care for my parents, which I’m immensely proud of. Most of my time goes to my wife and our two young kids—a five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. Whether it’s school drop-offs, soccer, Taekwondo, or just playing together, being a hands-on dad is my biggest focus. I also take a lot of pride in being a supportive husband and son. Family means everything to me.

Interested in Working at Smart?

Mustafa’s story is just one of many inspiring examples of how our employees drive innovation and make Smart Communications a fantastic place to work. We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals who are passionate about creating impactful change.

If you’re interested in joining our dynamic team, we invite you to explore our current opportunities on our Careers page.

Archive and Retrieval in the AI Era: Why Legacy Solutions Fall Short

Posted on June 16, 2025October 23, 2026 by Scott Draeger

By Scott Draeger, SVP of Product and Vertical Solutions at Smart Communications

The artificial intelligence revolution is fundamentally changing how organizations interact with their archived communications—and your legacy archive and retrieval systems simply weren’t built for the challenges of today.

The Legacy Problem: Built for a Different Era

Traditional archive and retrieval technologies were built generations ago, with a spike for Sarbanes Oxley-driven retention requirements. Back then, storage was expensive, and retrieval requests during a seven–year retention period were rare.

These systems met the legal needs of archiving single-channel communications for long periods of time. However, they were optimized around a simple assumption: Organizations would store vast amounts of data but rarely access it. These vendors’ pricing models and technical architectures assumed a low retrieval-to-storage ratio. The AI era is set to radically challenge those assumptions. SmartHUB™ is prepared to meet tomorrow’s challenges.

The AI-Driven Shift: From Storage to Active Intelligence

Today’s AI-powered applications are transforming archived communications from static repositories into dynamic, intelligent resources that streamline operations and improve customer experiences. Three key use cases are driving unprecedented demand for retrieval capabilities:

Customer Self-Service: AI-guided applications now help clients navigate their communication history independently, and SmartHUB surfaces the most relevant documents and interactions with easy integrations. What once required extensive cross-system integrations is now easily available via scalable cloud applications that support your intelligent search and recommendation systems.

Context-Rich Employee Interactions: Customer-facing applications create AI-generated summaries of months of multichannel communications in real-time, enabling more informed, personalized interactions that access PDF, HTML, email, SMS, and other communication channels. SmartHUB’s scalable retrieval quickly delivers relevant communications to reduce interaction times and increase customer satisfaction.

AI Training and Optimization: Organizations are mining their communication archives to train AI systems, using historical customer experiences to improve future interactions and identify patterns that enhance service delivery. SmartHUB’s scalable retrieval can quickly supply millions of documents for analysis.

The Cost Reality Check

As the AI era unfolds, it’s time to evaluate your legacy solutions against the new metrics that matter today and tomorrow:

What will happen when your retrievals multiply by 10x, 100x, or even 1,000x? Legacy pricing models weren’t designed for AI applications’ appetite for data, information, and documents.
How will you integrate decades-old archive systems with cutting-edge AI technologies? Most legacy platforms lack the APIs and flexibility required to integrate with today’s AI technologies, especially on– premises technologies.
Can you deliver the real-time context that today’s customer experiences demand? Slow, batch-oriented retrieval processes can’t support AI applications that need instant access to communication history.

SmartHUB: Archive and Retrieval – Ready for AI

SmartHUB addresses these challenges head-on with three core capabilities:

Efficient Storage: Modern compression and indexing technologies that reduce storage costs while maintaining full searchability and compliance.

Scalable Retrieval: High-performance architecture designed for the frequent, complex queries that AI applications demand—without the cost penalties of legacy systems.

Rapid Migrations: A cloud-native architecture built with migration in mind lets you leave behind your legacy archiving technology, preserving decades of valuable communication data without the burdens of your legacy technologies.

The Time to Act is Now

The AI era isn’t coming—it’s here. Organizations that adapt their archive and retrieval strategies now will gain competitive advantages through better customer experiences, more efficient operations, and AI-powered insights drawn from their communication history.

Those that wait risk being trapped by legacy systems that can’t scale to meet AI’s demands, facing spiraling costs and missed opportunities as their competitors leverage decades of communication data to deliver superior customer experiences.

SmartHUB provides the foundation for archive and retrieval in the AI era. Are you ready to future proof your communication archives?

About the Author
Scott Draeger is the SVP of Product Marketing and Vertical Solutions at Smart Communications. He has a passion for collaboration, and over 25 years of innovating customer communications technology, around the globe. He focuses on improving communications for the recipient while improving performance for the business. He started as a document designer using a collection of hardware and software technologies, before moving to the software side of the industry. He finds connections across disciplines with certifications in graphic design, customer experience, electronic documents, and an MBA in international business.

How Smarter Archiving Builds Stronger Businesses 

Posted on June 16, 2025October 19, 2026 by Scott Draeger

By Smart Communications

For years, archiving has taken a backseat—a necessary function, but rarely a priority. It was where documents went to be stored, just in case. But the world has changed. Today, organizations are under increasing pressure to retain, access, and prove the integrity of their data. That makes archiving more than a compliance checkbox—it’s becoming a vital part of delivering better service, protecting the business, and staying ahead. 

If your current system still lives on-premise or was added as an extension to an ERP or ECM years ago, it may be time for a rethink. Chances are, it’s not keeping up with today’s demands—and it could be holding you back. 

Why Archiving Deserves a Closer Look 

In recent years, regulators have made it clear: archiving isn’t optional, and it can’t be sloppy. By mid-2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had issued 30 enforcement actions and over $1.5 billion in penalties to firms that failed to properly retain electronic records like texts and chats, while data protection authorities across Europe issued €1.2 billion in fines in 2024. Some individual US banks were fined up to $125 million.  

These weren’t isolated incidents—they were warning signs. For financial services, insurance, healthcare, and government organizations, the message is clear: outdated, fragmented archiving tools are no longer good enough. 

And it’s not just about storing PDF documents and emails anymore. Customers now engage across dozens of channels. At the same time, regulations like GDPR, and ISO standards are getting stricter—demanding that organizations store, retain, and dispose of data securely and responsibly. The right archiving software helps automate that process and puts your team in a better position to respond when it matters most. 

A Smarter Way to Archive 

Archiving might not always be in the spotlight, but when it’s done right, it quietly powers better outcomes across the business: 

Speed and responsiveness – Teams can instantly find and retrieve critical documents—like contracts, statements, or policy details—when a customer or regulator needs them. 

Compliance and peace of mind – Built-in audit trails, encryption, and retention rules help meet evolving regulations and reduce risk. 

IT and operational efficiency – Cloud-native platforms lighten the load for internal teams, with no hardware to maintain and updates that happen automatically. 

In healthcare, for example, HIPAA requires certain records to be stored for at least six years—and securely deleted after that. A 2024 industry survey found that nearly half of U.S. healthcare providers still rely on local servers or EHR systems for archiving, and about 50% plan to retire seven or more legacy systems in the next few years. 

Modernizing this infrastructure isn’t just about compliance. It’s about making life easier for the people using it.

Better for Customers. Better for Teams. 

When a customer requests a copy of their agreement, plan, or notification, they’re often doing so at a critical moment—during a claim, a renewal, or a major life event. A slow or incomplete response can erode trust. With a modern archiving platform, role-based access controls enable select employees to search, find, and deliver what’s needed in seconds—or better yet, customers can securely access the documents themselves through self-service. No delays. No IT tickets. Just answers when they matter most. 

What to Look for in Archiving Software Today 

If you’re re-evaluating your archiving strategy, here’s what modern solutions like SmartHUB™ offer: 

Immutable and audit-ready storage – Secure, tamper-proof data with clear trails of access and activity. 
Lightning-fast retrieval – Locate what you need, instantly—even across millions of communications. 
Cloud-native scalability – Built for growth, with zero on-prem maintenance and always-on updates. 
Granular access controls – Role and department-specific permissions with rich metadata tagging. 
Built-in compliance – Support for GDPR, ISO 14641, and WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance and more. 
Automated retention policies – No more manual deletions—let the system handle it. 
User-friendly experience – Multilingual, intuitive design drives faster onboarding and adoption. 
Flexible integrations – Works easily with CRMs, ERPs, and other everyday tools. 
Unified access across teams – A single source of truth for archived communications. 
Low lift for IT – Quick deployment with minimal ongoing maintenance.

Archiving for the AI Era

 Archiving needs have changed—and they’ll keep changing as AI plays a bigger role in how we work. Historically, most archived documents were rarely accessed. But that’s no longer the case. 

Today, AI-enhanced tools are increasingly retrieving archived communications to provide context during customer interactions, fuel smarter self-service, and help teams make better decisions faster. That shift makes high-speed, high-volume retrieval just as important as secure storage—and it highlights the need for modern platforms designed to support a new era of speed, intelligence, and scale. 

Moving Forward with Confidence 

Modern communications require modern archiving. It’s not just about storing documents—it’s about building a smarter, more connected foundation for how your organization handles information. 

It’s time to move beyond outdated systems. Explore how SmartHUB makes modern archiving work for your business—securely, efficiently, and at scale. 

Enhancing Loyalty in Insurance: How Rethinking Experiences and Partnerships Can Change the Game

Posted on June 11, 2025October 23, 2026 by Nick Smith

By Nick Smith, SVP, Sales, APAC and EMEA, Smart Communications

At ITC Asia 2025, I had the pleasure of joining Ravi Makhija from Capgemini on stage for a fireside chat exploring a topic that’s increasingly central to insurers across the region: how to enhance customer loyalty by re-examining value propositions and the experiences that support them. In an industry that’s low touch, but high stakes/customer stress, it’s the moments of touch that matter.

It’s a timely conversation. As insurers navigate digital transformation, legacy tech modernization, and rising customer expectations, the traditional drivers of loyalty—price, product, and basic perks—are no longer enough. What really earns lasting loyalty today? Experiences that feel personal, relevant, and human.

Customer Expectations Are Redefining Loyalty

One of the major themes we discussed was how dramatically customer expectations have evolved. Where “good enough” used to pass, policyholders now expect always-on, mobile-first, omnichannel engagement. They want the right information, delivered at the right time, in the right tone. And increasingly, they want those interactions to feel like part of a broader experience, not isolated transactions.

Onstage I referred to recent stats we uncovered in our forthcoming 2025 Benchmark report that insurers are feeling this shift firsthand. As Ravi put it during our session, “Customers remember how you made them feel more than the policy terms.” That emotional connection, built through consistency, clarity, and care, is the new foundation of loyalty.

Experiences That Stick Start with the Right Approach

So how can insurers move beyond transactions and create experiences that truly resonate?

It starts with rethinking the value proposition. Loyalty today means embedding relevance into the everyday. Examples include:

- A proactive notification about a policy change
- A contextual service offer
- A communication that speaks a customer’s language—literally and emotionally

Whilst at ITC Asia, where we shared a booth with our partners Duck Creek Technologies and Hyland, we heard from many delegates exploring how AI solutions can help them boost operational efficiency while staying compliant and delivering personalized experiences at scale. Of course, achieving this is no easy task—but that’s where the right technology and delivery model come in. At Smart Communications, we’ve seen how platforms built for intelligent automation—paired with intentional experience design—can enable organizations to deliver compliant, personalized communications quickly and efficiently.

The Power of Collaboration: Smart Communications and Capgemini

Another core message from our discussion was the importance of partnership. As Ravi shared, successful transformation takes more than good tech—it requires the ability to translate vision into action.

Our recent work with a top-tier insurer in Asia shows just how powerful this combination can be. Faced with end-of-life legacy tools and slow, IT-dependent processes that give business users little control over communications, the client needed to modernize fast. Together, we helped them migrate to Smart Communications’ cloud-based platform, which drove several key benefits.

- Enabled business users to manage templates directly
- Reduced reliance on IT
- Improved time-to-market

The result of this shift? Greater agility to create meaningful interactions, enhanced customer experience, and greater cost-efficiency via the scalable, pay-as-you-go model.

Looking Ahead: Speed + Empathy = The Future of Loyalty

The insurance landscape in APAC is only getting more competitive, and the path to differentiation is increasingly defined by how well you understand and serve your customers—not just at the point of sale, but throughout the entire relationship.

As we heard from attendees, =the opportunity to lead with empathy, enabled by smart systems and strong partnerships, has never been greater.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at ITC Asia.

If you missed the session and want to learn more about how Smart Communications and Capgemini are helping insurers deliver loyalty-driving experiences, let’s connect.

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