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Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Enterprise AI Isn't A Feature—It's A New UX Paradigm
Gopikrishnan Anilkumar is a Principal Product Manager at Amazon, where he leads product management for multiple AI products and services. The rise of generative AI is creating a powerful shift in enterprise technology. From customer support to analytics, organizations are integrating AI into critical workflows, expecting it to enhance productivity, automate repetitive work and drive strategic decision making. But although the technology has matured rapidly, the user experience (UX) layer (i.e., how users interact with and trust these systems) often lags behind. Too many AI-powered enterprise tools fall short not because of model limitations but because they misunderstand how users work, decide and trust. Generative AI isn't just a back-end engine. It represents an entirely new kind of interaction. Designing for it requires rethinking user experience from the ground up. AI Isn't A Button—It's A Behavioral Shift In most AI implementations, product teams treat intelligence as a bolt-on feature, like a button that triggers a model or a prompt box that feeds into a text generation service. But generative AI introduces uncertainty, autonomy and fluidity. It doesn't just return results, as it even participates in decisions. This requires a shift from static feature design to behavioral design. AI systems should be context-aware, act only when useful and adapt to user preferences. In regulated environments, even more care is needed. Each action must be auditable, suggestions explainable and the AI must know when to step back. Prompting Isn't A Scalable UX Pattern Many enterprise tools built around large language models (LLMs) assume users will communicate with AI via typed prompts. Although this may work for developers and early adopters, it's rarely intuitive for business users. Professionals in healthcare, finance or operations don't have time to construct ideal prompts. They want accurate outcomes based on minimal input. Effective AI UX provides structured interactions: smart defaults, fill-in-the-blank suggestions, clickable intents and domain-specific controls. These reduce the friction between user need and AI action. Trust Is A UX Outcome, Not Just A Technical Goal Trust in AI is often discussed as a matter of model quality or data governance. Although these are critical, trust is also a function of how the system presents itself to the user. A confident answer without evidence can erode trust. A transparent answer with sources, confidence scores and options for review builds it. Good UX makes uncertainty visible. It gives users the tools to verify claims, retrace logic and even reject an answer when appropriate. In this way, trust becomes an experience outcome, not just a back-end aspiration. For example, an AI assistant may show which documents were retrieved from a knowledge base to generate an answer, cite time stamps and internal sources, indicate confidence levels with visual cues, and offer a fallback when the model is unsure or the input is ambiguous. These elements transform AI from a black box to a trustworthy product. Enterprise Context Demands Systems Thinking Enterprise workflows are complex. They span systems, roles, data policies and compliance boundaries. A generative model may provide a correct answer in isolation but fail when deployed in a broader system that requires traceability, authorization or multistep context. To realize AI's full promise, product leaders must move away from "feature thinking" (the idea that AI is just another button or tab). Instead, they must embrace "system thinking"—designing AI as an intelligent, adaptive layer that spans data, logic, UX and decision making. This means designing: • With human-in-the-loop interactions, not blind automation • For progressive disclosure, not information overload • With fail-safes and fallbacks, not brittle dependencies • For explainability and auditability, not just speed Conclusion The next generation of successful enterprise AI tools won't be defined by how advanced their models are. They'll be defined by how well they integrate into human workflows with clarity, control and credibility. As product and technology leaders, our responsibility isn't just to deploy powerful models but to ensure they are usable, understandable and trustworthy. That starts with UX. Generative AI isn't a feature to layer on top of legacy interfaces. It's a paradigm shift in how enterprise software behaves. The sooner we embrace this, the faster we'll build systems that truly empower the people who use them. Disclaimer: The opinions in this article are those of Gopikrishnan Anilkumar and not representative of any organizations he has worked for. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Globe and Mail
22-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Salesforce vs. HubSpot: Which CRM Stock Is the Smarter Buy Now?
Salesforce, Inc. CRM and HubSpot, Inc. HUBS are two of the most recognized names in customer relationship management (CRM) software. Both are cloud-based platforms that help businesses attract, convert and retain customers. However, they serve different ends of the market. Salesforce is the dominant force among large enterprises, while HubSpot is making strong inroads with small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). As investors search for sustainable winners in enterprise tech, a deeper look into each company's fundamentals, growth outlook and valuation helps determine which of these CRM stocks offers stronger long-term potential. Salesforce: CRM Giant but Slowing Growth Warrants Caution Salesforce continues to dominate the CRM market, outpacing rivals like Microsoft, Oracle and SAP. Over the years, Salesforce has built a strong and interconnected platform. The acquisition of Informatica, Zoomin and Own Company shows its intent to move beyond its position as a CRM software maker and become a broader enterprise software provider focused on artificial intelligence (AI), data and collaboration. AI is now central to Salesforce's growth plan. Since rolling out Einstein GPT in 2023, the company has embedded generative AI into its platform to help businesses automate processes, improve decisions and offer better customer experiences. As AI adoption rises across industries, Salesforce is well-placed to benefit from the same. Its latest innovation, Agentforce, reflects that momentum. Paired with its Data Cloud, Agentforce has already hit $100 million in annualized revenues just two quarters after launch. More than 4,000 customers are using it for various tasks in sales, service and marketing. Data Cloud is also expanding fast, with annual recurring revenues growing more than 120% year over year. Salesforce's broader strategy of bringing apps, data and AI agents under one umbrella gives it a strong edge. However, Salesforce's biggest challenge right now is slowing sales growth. For years, the company has delivered double-digit revenue increases. However, that pace has now cooled to single digits. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, revenues rose just 7.7% from a year ago, and non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) grew by only 5.7%. This slowdown reflects cautious enterprise spending amid economic uncertainty and geopolitical pressures. Analysts anticipate that this trend will persist, with mid-to-high single-digit revenue growth expected for fiscal 2026 and 2027. Non-GAAP EPS is expected to grow at a low double-digit rate for the two fiscals. HubSpot: A Fast-Moving Player in the CRM Market HubSpot has carved out a strong position by focusing on ease of use, affordability and a highly integrated platform tailored for smaller and mid-sized businesses. Its all-in-one offering for marketing, sales, customer service and content management is driving financial performance. In the first quarter of 2025, the company's revenues and non-GAAP EPS increased 15.7% and 5.9%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis. HubSpot is also investing heavily in AI features, workflow automation and advanced reporting to appeal to larger mid-market customers. This strategic positioning gives HubSpot a lot of room to expand, especially as more SMBs digitize their sales and customer operations. Additionally, HubSpot's App Marketplace offers a customer-centric solution by making it simple for companies to find and seamlessly connect and integrate solutions to grow their businesses. As companies prioritize a digital-first approach, it is likely to create more opportunities for developers to build new integrations that support every stage of the customer journey. Analysts' estimates for the top and bottom lines suggest that HubSpot is likely to grow at a faster pace than Salesforce. The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests mid-teen percentage growth for 2025 and 2026 revenues. Non-GAAP EPS is forecasted to rise in the mid-teen percentage range for 2025 and in the low 20s for 2026. HUBS' Premium Price: Worth Paying for the Growth? On the valuation front, HubSpot trades at 8.75 times forward sales compared to 5.84 times for Salesforce. While HubSpot looks more expensive, its higher growth momentum justifies the premium. Salesforce's lower valuation reflects its risks, including slowing sales growth and macroeconomic headwinds. Conclusion: HUBS Is the Better Pick Right Now Both Salesforce and HubSpot are strong companies with good business models, but they are at different points in their growth paths. Salesforce is more mature and is facing growth challenges, while HubSpot continues to grow at a steady pace. For long-term investors who want consistent performance, HubSpot looks like the smarter investment choice today, even at a higher valuation. Currently, HubSpot sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), making the stock a must-pick compared to Salesforce, which has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double" Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest. This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%. Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Salesforce Inc. (CRM): Free Stock Analysis Report HubSpot, Inc. (HUBS): Free Stock Analysis Report
Fast Company
21-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Building consumer-level ease into enterprise-level design
In the current landscape, fragmentation and unnecessary complexity plague technology users in enterprise environments, particularly in sectors like healthcare. Just because the nature of the work may be highly regulated and the underlying technology highly sophisticated doesn't mean the user experience shouldn't be commercialized in a similar manner as intuitively designed consumer technology. To address this, organizations should seek to incorporate consumer-level simplicity into enterprise-level design in order to drive much-needed adoption and scalability. Technology providers need to build a cohesive backbone that bridges the usability gap between personal and professional environments. By requiring minimal training and focusing on ease of use, technology providers transform complex workflows into seamless, efficient processes, redefining operational excellence in the workplace. Enterprise technology is built to solve complex problems. From managing vast supply chains to optimizing IoT connectivity, these solutions handle mission-critical functions. The traditional approach to enterprise tech has been to focus on features rather than usability. During the initial stages of solution engineering, founders want to stand out from competitors with new capabilities and businesses often equate complexity with capability, which leads to bloated systems that require specialized training just to navigate. This focus on functionality over usability results in slow adoption rates, inefficient design, and general frustration in both designers and users. User growth is stunted when users are required to be experts to get value out of the solution. In the past, companies assumed that end users—who often had advanced degrees or specialized expertise—were willing to invest the time required to master these tools. But times have changed. In today's environment, turnover is high, onboarding time is short, and people have an expectation that technology should just work. Different generations—digital migrants and digital natives—need solutions that cater to their unique needs. No one is going to read your user manual. B2B customers don't want complex solutions. They want ease of use. The core technology can be intricate. Yes, it takes great complexity on the back end to produce a simple, effective experience on the front end. Extensive configuration and technical expertise are required to create systems that enable plug-and-play functionality. But all of that must be hidden from the customer. They shouldn't be asked to manipulate or engage with the portions of the solution that function to meet stringent security requirements, ensure compliance with complex regulations, or run the models necessary for advanced analytics capabilities. User experience isn't the only area that requires simplicity. The brand messaging, solution name, and go-to-market strategy all need instantly recognizable clarity. Enterprises should shift their focus from solving complex problems to presenting simple solutions. If they can do this in an authentic, compelling way, they will see significantly more engagement with their sales outreach. WHY SIMPLICITY IS RARE IN B2B SOLUTIONS If simplicity is so valuable, why isn't it the norm in B2B technology? When companies develop enterprise solutions, they typically focus on the sophistication of their capabilities. Feature creep leads to cluttered and unintuitive interfaces. For established solution providers, the prospect of refactoring a complex system into a simple one requires a fundamental shift in how they approach product design. The cost, time, and effort to rethink the user experience keeps less ambitious companies from producing best-in-class solutions. Consumer tech companies like Apple and Samsung have mastered this balance. Apple, for instance, restricts customization to ensure a seamless, controlled experience, while Samsung has introduced templates that allow for both simplicity and flexibility. This approach has started making its way into enterprise solutions, but it requires a cultural shift. Companies that want to embed consumer-level ease into enterprise solutions should follow these strategies using their existing resources: Adopt A User-First Mindset: Conduct usability testing and gather feedback from non-technical employees to ensure accessibility and gain a deeper understanding of the end-user experience. Automate Complexity: Build all machine learning and advanced analytics that handle complex processes in the background, delivering only descriptive insights and appropriate prescriptive guidance to users and eliminating multiple options. Simplify Onboarding: Design systems that require minimal training. If a new user needs a manual, the interface isn't simple enough. Embed Compliance Into The System: Make security and compliance a seamless part of the workflow rather than an extra manual step required of the user. Measure Usability Success: Track adoption rates, user engagement, and customer feedback to continuously refine and simplify the experience. The best technology is the kind you don't have to think—or worry—about. When enterprise solutions mirror the ease of consumer products, adoption soars, operational efficiency increases, and organizations unlock more value from their technology investments. The future of enterprise technology is intuitive, seamless, and invisible, making powerful tools feel effortless.
Forbes
18-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Prospects Want Partners, Not Products, In Enterprise Tech Sales
Harold Bell is the head of integrated marketing and brand at Cyberhaven. When I was a kid, my dad would often tell me, 'You have two ears and one mouth for a reason—so you can listen more and talk less.' Unfortunately for us both, it took another 25 years for the advice to resonate with me. Ironically enough, I now have a very low tolerance for self-absorbed soliloquies. However, with my career in tech approaching the 15-year milestone, I must admit there is still one area of my life plagued by these majestic monologues: the enterprise sales cycle. While some account reps routinely join Zoom calls with indifference or stride into meetings like they're auditioning for a Glengarry Glen Ross remake, their prospects are sitting there thinking, 'Great, another vendor who wants to solve a problem I haven't finished explaining.' And when the prospect inevitably becomes another member of the closed-lost club, sellers are left wondering why they were ghosted after what they thought was a spectacular first meeting. With that said, this article will explore some critical communication barriers that sellers are struggling to overcome, as well as provide tangible solutions that can be used as soon as you're done reading. The Reality Of Buyer Fatigue Enterprise technology buyers are exhausted. As noted by Robert Blaisdell, VP Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice, 'Many B2B buyers feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the outreach they receive from sellers and the seller's organization. Bad prospecting actively damages relationships with potential customers.' Mentally drained by the parade of sales reps who show up with prepackaged solutions to problems they've never bothered to truly understand. These buyers have been pitched to death by reps who lead with features, follow with benefits and close with artificial urgency. The reality is that prospects have built elaborate defense mechanisms against traditional sales approaches because they've learned that most reps are more interested in moving products than moving their business forward. What buyers actually want is a partner who understands their world well enough to make intelligent recommendations about where technology can make a meaningful impact. They want someone who can connect the dots between their current challenges and future opportunities, not just between their budget and a quota. This means doing the hard work of understanding their industry dynamics, competitive pressures, regulatory environment and internal politics. It means asking questions that make them think differently about their situation, not just questions designed to qualify them for your product-led pitch deck. Becoming A Trusted Advisor The best account reps and sales engineers I've worked with over the years have one thing in common: They're genuinely curious about their prospects' business. Beyond identifying if they have a budget and buying authority, these sellers are curious about what keeps their prospects and customers up at night. They genuinely want to help customers be successful. When you can speak intelligently about the challenges facing a prospect's industry, share insights from similar deployments or help them think through the second- and third-order implications of their current options—that's when you stop being a vendor and start being an advisor. This level of insight doesn't come from sales training or battle cards. It comes from reading industry publications, attending conferences, building relationships with subject matter experts and having deep conversations with customers. Partnership In Practice The partnership approach requires patience and a longer-term perspective than the traditional transactional model. You might not close the deal in the current quarter, or even the current year (blasphemy, I know). But when you do close it, it's likely to be bigger, stickier and the first of many with that account. Partners think in terms of the customer's entire journey, not just the immediate purchase decision. They understand that today's proof of concept could evolve into tomorrow's companywide digital transformation. They're willing to invest time in understanding the customer's road map and positioning themselves to support multiple phases of that journey. Instead of leading with product demos, they lead with industry insights and thoughtful questions. Instead of pushing for meetings, they earn them by sharing valuable perspectives. Instead of talking about their company's capabilities, they talk about the customer's opportunities. They invest time in understanding not just what the customer does, but how they do it, why they do it that way and what they wish they could do differently. They map out the customer's ecosystem of partners, competitors and stakeholders. They understand the political dynamics and cultural factors that will influence implementation success. Most importantly, they position their recommendations in the context of the customer's broader strategic objectives, not just their immediate tactical needs. They help customers think through the full life cycle of their investment and prepare for challenges down the road. This approach also tends to generate better referrals and references because customers who feel truly partnered with are more likely to evangelize the vendor that put them in a position to win. How Collaboration Curbs Competition Considering how increasingly difficult product differentiation is to maintain, the sales relationship becomes a key competitive buffer. Prospects will choose the vendor they trust to be a thoughtful partner over the one with marginally better features or slightly lower prices. This is especially true in complex enterprise sales where implementation success depends heavily on the vendor's ability to navigate organizational dynamics, integrate with existing systems and adapt to changing requirements. Yes, technical capabilities matter—but so does having the confidence that your vendor has a vested interest in your success. For the account executives, it doesn't mean becoming a consultant. It means approaching each prospect with the curiosity of an investigative journalist, coupled with the strategic thinking of a business partner. Technology buyers of all sizes and industries are ready for this shift. They're tired of being sold to and are eager to create partnerships. If we're honest, nobody wakes up excited about buying your product. But plenty of people wake up excited about solving problems, capturing opportunities and building something meaningful. If you can help them do that, you'll never encounter a shortage of prospects who want to work with you. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
