Innovation took center stage at this year’s EVOLVE 2019 event hosted by Unilog. Technology futurists, business leaders, and wholesale and distribution industry experts shared insight into the future of the B2B marketplace and stressed how innovation will be the leading cause of and solution to the impending market disruption.
With historic New Orleans as the backdrop, Unilog’s fifth annual customer conference featured thought-provoking speakers, hands-on training sessions, and engaging panel discussions on a variety of topics and for varying skillset levels. Keynote speakers Frank Gillett and Jack Shaw provided an in-depth look at the future evolution of the B2B market and digital commerce as emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain gain momentum. Gillett, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester, showed how businesses can take advantage of the data that’s collected from the products they sell by integrating IoT technology into their current business model. “IoT will disrupt the traditional B2B business model because it requires new business skills and roles but, when implemented properly, it can give your company the ability to monetize the data you collect from your products and strengthen your digital commerce channel,” explained Gillett. Technology Futurist Shaw shared marketplace examples where blockchain technology is transforming industries by reducing costs and providing better accuracy and reliability of shared information (watch the complete video recording of Jack’s presentation). He noted that Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, projects that implementation of blockchain technology will mitigate administrative costs of international trade so much that it will reduce their overall shipping costs by 15%. But, he added, while blockchain technology, IoT, and artificial intelligence are all exciting tools, none of them matter if you don’t have a strategy for digital transformation. “Digital transformation is not about force-fitting new technologies into your existing business model. It’s about reimagining your business model and the entire business ecosystem,” stressed Shaw.
Keynote speaker Jack Shaw talks about the impact of Blockchain technology on the supply chain.
As Shaw, Gillett, and other industry experts profiled the latest innovations for the marketplace, Unilog CEO Suchit Bachalli emphasized the importance of embracing innovation within an organization (watch the complete video recording of Suchit’s presentation). He highlighted the intuitive and innovative nature of some of the most successful companies – and how that intuition and innovation drives Unilog to connect and maintain relevance with its customers.
“Companies like Microsoft, Ford, and Southwest Airlines are intuitive because they have a structured approach to staying relevant: they are strengthening their core, being curious, and innovative. None of this would be possible if they didn’t have the most important ingredient to make them great: purpose. Purpose allows us to remain centered, reinvent ourselves, and drive us forward,” asserted Bachalli. “We can only be intuitive as a company if we’re truly connected. We’re accomplishing this at Unilog by strengthening our own core, driving innovation, and defining our culture.” Bachalli shared the core values and mission Unilog follows, which is creating dramatic results for the company. Their commitment to their customers, insatiable thirst for knowledge, and competitive drive have spurred a 58% growth in subscription revenue, a 52% increase in customers, and a 20% rise in employee head count. “We work every day with our customers to help them achieve their corporate goals,” said Bachalli. “This is what gets us up in the morning: a deep purpose to help elevate ourselves and everyone around us.”
Unilog CEO Suchit Bachalli welcomes customers with a presentation about intuition and purpose.
In between challenging and inspiring their customers, EVOLVE gave attendees the opportunity to learn and test out the latest technologies at the TechZone, including the next iteration of Unilog’s CIMM2 product, CX1. Unilog experts were also stationed at the TechZone throughout the conference to provide one-on-one assistance.
The new EVOLVE conference app helped attendees track their schedules and communicate with others.
Customers gather in the TechZone to learn about the latest innovations from Unilog.
EVOLVE 2019 wasn’t all about business – especially with the Big Easy as the setting. There was entertainment, recreation, and the opportunity to spread goodwill during the conference, including a scavenger hunt, a Build-a-Wheelchair® event for a local charity, and a personal parade escort down the streets of New Orleans by a marching band.
Customers and employees work hand-in-hand to build wheelchairs for disabled veterans.
A Marching Band leads conference attendees through the streets of the French Quarter to our Customer Appreciation Party.
Unilog would like to thank its many sponsors for helping make this event a huge success: Gold sponsors Affiliated Distributors and Orgill, Inc.; Silver sponsors Conexiom, Google and WebPresented; and Bronze sponsors B2X Academy and IDEA. Their dedication to help support and advance the B2B industry with Unilog is greatly appreciated.
Unilog’s annual EVOLVE conference is an essential event for Unilog customers and B2B professionals looking for expert strategies and solutions to excel in the digital commerce arena. Be on the lookout for news of next year’s conference so you can take part in the learning, networking, and good times.
You can also view the photo album of the event on Unilog’s Facebook page.