Artificial Intelligence
Overstock.com Welcomes 2020 with Emphasis on Customer Focus and Innovation
SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celebrating 20 years as a leader in the e-commerce space, Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) looks forward to an exciting 2020, with a renewed customer focus, application of technological innovations and changes in leadership. As a technology-focused company, Overstock continues to be an industry-leading online retailer and a pioneer in the blockchain space. Through its Overstock.com retail and Medici Ventures blockchain divisions, the Company continues to execute on its mission of improving customers’ lives through the application of emerging technologies to traditional markets. Overstock is focused on improving the customer experience and enabling secure and trusted peer-to-peer commerce.
“Two decades ago, Overstock was founded with a vision to always improve the way people transact through the innovative application of technology,” said Jonathan Johnson, CEO of Overstock.com, Inc. and president of Medici Ventures. “Two decades later that same forward-thinking attitude continues to prevail. Our teams of talented technologists with innovative minds continue to improve our customers’ experience. And they are advancing global peer-to-peer commerce through the application of blockchain technology. Over the past 20 years, we accomplished a lot. I’m filled with pride by our teams’ work in sourcing, developing, and accelerating technology and efficiencies in our retail and blockchain businesses. We’re focused on making 2020 another great year for Overstock.”
Overstock welcomed changes in leadership during 2019, which reflect its focus on the customer and innovation. These changes included the promotions of Jonathan Johnson to CEO of Overstock.com, Inc. (in addition to his role as President of Medici Ventures), Dave Nielsen to President of Overstock Retail, and Kamelia Aryafar to Executive Vice President and the newest member of the Company’s board of directors (in addition to her role as Chief Algorithms Officer). Medici Ventures also strengthened its leadership, with the promotions of Joel Weight to Chief Operations Officer and Jeremy Smith to Chief Technology Officer. Likewise, tZERO strengthened its team with the addition of a Head of Issuance, Head of Investor Relations, and Head of Communications.
In addition to its offices in Utah, the Company expanded its presence in Europe with the opening of a new state-of-the-art campus in Sligo, Ireland, which has served as a technical hub and EU base.
Club O, the Company’s retail loyalty and rewards program, expanded its member offerings to include two new benefits: free returns and a price match guarantee. These new features significantly enhance the loyalty program’s existing perks, which include free shipping on all items, five percent (or more) rewards on all purchases, access to an exclusive rewards store, and additional rewards in exchange for product reviews. Club O is free to active and veteran military members, students and teachers, and first responders.
Other key milestones over the past year include the addition of new applications in the blockchain space; advances in the customer experience utilizing technologies like machine learning, personalization, and augmented reality; and continued community outreach through partnerships with non-profit organizations.
Medici Ventures, Overstock.com, Inc. Subsidiary and Blockchain Accelerator
2019 was a significant year for Medici Ventures and its keiretsu of blockchain-based companies, as it began to pivot from a building phase to a growth phase in which real products are coming into production. The Medici family continued to utilize blockchain technology to revolutionize traditional industries including identity, land governance, money and banking, capital markets, supply chain, and voting. Key milestones include the following:
- tZERO, the global leader in blockchain innovation for capital markets, built the technology and leadership team necessary to support its long-term efforts relating to tokenization services and secondary trading technology. In addition to securing a number of cutting-edge patents related to the intersection of blockchain and capital markets, the company tokenized its preferred equity and launched the trading of these securities on the tZERO ATS, signed agreements with a number of issuers to tokenize their securities, subscribed additional broker-dealers to the tZERO ATS, launched the tZERO Crypto App, filed for one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries to become a retail broker-dealer and advanced its Boston Security Token Exchange (BSTX) joint venture.
- Medici Land Governance (MLG) continued to expand its reach and provide low cost, user friendly land titling and administration systems to government partners across the globe. In 2019, MLG expanded its land governance efforts to St. Kitts and Nevis, Liberia, Zambia, Mexico, and the United States. By utilizing blockchain and other technologies to secure a public record of land ownership, MLG continues to promote economic development and financial inclusion to both individuals and governments worldwide. MLG looks forward to strengthening and creating new partnerships in 2020 and beyond.
- Bitt, the Barbados-based fintech company, signed a contract with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank to conduct a blockchain-issued Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) The issuance of a CBDC would facilitate the speed, cost and efficiency of payments, both domestically and cross-border, as well as promote financial inclusion amongst Caribbean citizens. Having successfully completed the project’s inception and elaboration phases, upcoming milestones include preliminary testing and training with pilot project stakeholders, including financial institutions, merchants and consumers, in preparation for the start of the pilot at the end of Q1 2020.
- Voatz made voting safer and more accessible by successfully conducting a number of secure mobile voting pilots backed by blockchain technology for overseas and disabled voters in United States counties such as Utah County, UT; the City & County of Denver, CO; Jackson and Umatilla County, OR; and Pierce County, WA.
- GrainChain executed agreements with stakeholders across the Honduran coffee industry to deliver its blockchain-enabled commerce platform. Immediate benefits with regard to the minimization of risk and improvement of harvesting conditions have already been realized, both of which will encourage further reinvestment. Through coordination with stakeholders throughout the coffee growing lifecycle, GrainChain is for the first time connecting the entire supply chain on a single platform. That agreement came in the same year as the company’s partnership with the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, bringing efficiency, security, and transparency to farmers, storage operators, and buyers of bulk commodities. GrainChain went live with three products: Cmodity, HarvX, and SiloSys, which processed over 1 billion pounds in commodities in Texas in 2019, a strong indicator of what is to come in 2020.
Overstock.com Retail
Under the leadership of the Company’s EVP and Chief Algorithms Officer, Kamelia Aryafar, Overstock continues to implement artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies throughout the organization. These technologies are being applied to improve or replace existing systems in all areas of the company, including Website Development, Pricing, Customer Care, Supply Chain, Marketing and Sourcing.
The application of ML and AI has also allowed Overstock to significantly improve the personalization of the customer experience, advancing Overstock’s mission of customer focus. During 2019, Overstock leveraged its proprietary technology LiveRex and Overstock Asset Data Platform (OADP) to introduce personalization technology to its retail site, which enabled a fully dynamic email experience. These initiatives aim to deliver a more engaging and relevant experience throughout every touchpoint of a customer’s journey.
Building on Overstock’s investment over the past three years in augmented reality (AR) and 3D experience, the Company launched the biggest omni-channel AR and 3D customer experience in e-commerce. This launch allowed shoppers to seamlessly view true-to-life size 3D renderings of thousands of products from top-selling categories like furniture, home goods, and décor, and enabled them to see what these products might look like in their own homes with the aid of AR.
Overstock celebrated its 20 year anniversary with its second annual Customer Day on October 6. The 36-hour sale was one of the Company’s strongest events in 2019.
Awards and Recognitions
Overstock was the recipient of a number of awards in 2019, being recognized for achievements spanning from its high-quality customer service to its technological innovation. Notable mentions include:
- Torchie Award recognition as an industry leader and innovator
- eTail’s Best in Class Award for Best Mobile App
- Media Post’s Appy Award for Best Retail App
- Mobile Star Awards “Superstar” Best Retail Shopping App
- Loyalty 360’s Top 10 Award for Customer Loyalty Team
- Two Loyalty360 Awards for Employee Engagement and for Customer Loyalty Strategy
- Stevie Award in Customer Service and Sales
- Utah’s Best in State Award for General Merchandising
- Shatter List recognition for creating and implementing impactful programs and company culture to foster inclusivity from the Women Tech Council
Corporate Giving and Philanthropic Support
Overstock Cares, the Company’s philanthropic program, supported numerous non-profit organizations dedicated to a variety of charitable causes throughout 2019. The program supported the donation of hundreds of products, primarily home goods, to non-profit organizations across the country, in addition to monetary donations to causes including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Operation Underground Railroad, Set for Life LA, and Habitat for Humanity.
Overstock Cares also continues to support its corporate charitable partners Best Friends Animal Society, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and the American Red Cross by promoting customer donations on its site and check-out page.
About Overstock.com
Overstock.com, Inc Common Shares (NASDAQ:OSTK) / Digital Voting Series A-1 Preferred Stock (Medici Ventures’ tZERO platform:OSTKO) / Series B Preferred (OTCQX:OSTBP) is an online retailer and technology company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its leading e-commerce website sells a broad range of new home products at low prices, including furniture, décor, rugs, bedding, home improvement, and more. The online shopping site, which is visited by nearly 40 million customers a month, also features a marketplace providing customers access to millions of products from third-party sellers. Overstock was the first major retailer to accept cryptocurrency in 2014, and in the same year founded Medici Ventures, its wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to the development and acceleration of blockchain technologies to democratize capital, eliminate middlemen, and re-humanize commerce. Overstock regularly posts information about the Company and other related matters on the Newsroom and Investor Relations pages on its website, Overstock.com.
O, Overstock.com, O.com, Club O, Main Street Revolution, and Worldstock are registered trademarks of Overstock.com, Inc. Other service marks, trademarks and trade names which may be referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact. Additional information regarding factors that could materially affect results and the accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained herein may be found in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, which was filed with the SEC on November 12, 2019, and any subsequent filings with the SEC.
SOURCE: Overstock.com, Inc.
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Artificial Intelligence
Reliance Cyber and Google Cloud Security unite to transform cybersecurity for UK businesses
LONDON, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Leading Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), Reliance Cyber has been selected as one of only four MSSPs to partner with Google Cloud Security (GCS). This collaboration is set to make cybersecurity more effective and less complicated for businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Why this matters:In today’s complex security environment, businesses face a multitude of challenges, including escalating cyberattacks, an overwhelming number of security alerts, rising cybersecurity costs, and a critical shortage of skilled professionals. The partnership between Reliance Cyber and Google Cloud Security provides organisations with improved security postures through insightful, data-driven analytics, which underpin Reliance Cyber’s XDR service. For businesses facing diverse economic, social, and technological changes—such as the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, the transition to hybrid and remote work, rapid technological advancements like AI, and budget pressures from the cost of living crisis—this partnership represents a significant step forward. It enhances cybersecurity without the usual challenges of high costs, complexity, or the need for specialised staff. It’s about making world-class security simple and available to a wider audience.
What’s changing:
Support for growth: The partnership will expand the reach of state-of-the-art security services to more businesses, helping to protect organisations without the stress of financial and operational barriersEnhanced visibility, lower costs: Leveraging Google’s SOAR capabilities and Chronicle’s powerful telemetry, Reliance Cyber’s tailored ingestion approach means organisations can achieve enhanced visibility across their digital environments at a reduced cost. This approach enables proactive prevention and detection of threats, ensuring better security with less expenditure.Key benefits of the strategic partnership include:
AI and automation: Automation is at the core of Reliance Cyber’s offering. Every alert is enriched with threat intel from leading vendors, automatically correlated, and grouped into cases, reducing mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR). Google’s additions enhance this with lower data ingestion costs, superior threat intelligence, curated detections, and advanced anomaly detection using machine learningSimplified security operations to support staff: Integration of Google Cloud’s SOAR capabilities simplifies the security management landscape, allowing CISOs to focus on strategic planning rather than daily operational hurdlesScalable security for business growth: The partnership supports business expansion strategies by providing scalable security solutions that grow with the company, crucial for organisations driving technological advancementData-driven insights for better decision-making: Boards will gain unparalleled visibility into their digital environments, fostering smarter, faster decision-making to preemptively address potential security threats.Rob Walton, Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Cyber, on the transformative impact: “We’re thrilled to partner with Google Cloud Security. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver comprehensive, advanced security services to the market, making top-level security accessible and manageable for businesses of all sizes. Ultimately, it’s about creating predictability and peace of mind in an area that can often cause businesses and their boards sleepless nights, particularly due to concerns about attacks and the financial constraints that dictate risk appetites.”
Do you want more coverage, at less cost, with zero compromises?
Enquire about a proof of concept. Visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H09bKtG0.
About Reliance Cyber
Since our founding in 2003, Reliance Cyber has established itself as a leading Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP). By combining deep cybersecurity expertise with a true partnership ethos, we enable organisations to concentrate on their core business.
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Artificial Intelligence
Eficode acquires Jodocus and reinforces Atlassian Cloud skills and Atlassian partnership in Germany
HELSINKI, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Eficode has acquired Jodocus, the first cloud-native Atlassian Platinum partner in Germany. This acquisition further reinforces Eficode’s role as an Atlassian partner in Germany and expands its skills and services in Atlassian Cloud.
“Atlassian is moving to the Cloud, and the related know-how is essential to speed up this transition. Jodocus was originally the first Atlassian partner in Germany to focus fully on the Cloud. Their broad expertise in Atlassian tools and cloud migrations helps our customers in their journey to the cloud and complements our mission to build the future of software development,” says Ilari Nurmi, CEO of Eficode. “We welcome Jodocus’ employees and customers to Eficode.”
Founded in 2019, Jodocus is an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner with extensive expertise in Atlassian Cloud. In addition to focusing on the Cloud, the Jodocus team offers support on business processes, Application Lifecycle Management, and DevOps. Their customer base is in Germany, with well-known names such as Otto Group and Fricke. Jodocus has 45 employees, and its revenue in 2023 was 11,5 million euros. “Together, Eficode and Jodocus will form a more significant entity and have even more international customers, which opens possibilities for deepening and broadening our relationship with our customers,” says Werner Krandick, CEO of Jodocus.
Eficode has enabled countless businesses with DevOps and digital transformation to adopt new technologies and practices to create software better. Its full spectrum of digital services can now be extended also to Jodocus’ customers. Eficode ROOT provides software development tools as a managed service in a Software-as-a-Service manner. In turn, with Total Support, we manage the tools and offer support, coaching, and mentoring for Atlassian solutions as a subscription.
In recent years, Eficode has grown strongly both organically and through acquisitions. Eficode’s compound annual growth (CAGR) during the previous four fiscal years has been 70%.
Media contactsIlari Nurmi, Chief Executive Officer, Eficode. [email protected], +358 40 577 5084 Lauri Palokangas, Chief Marketing Officer, Eficode. [email protected], +358 50 486 4918
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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Artificial Intelligence
New first of its kind UK legal-tech recruitment platform aims to put an end to overseas worker scams
Unique UK-based legal technology platform, Immpact, helps unite the global talent market to fulfil UK skills shortages across healthcare, construction, engineering, life sciences and hospitality Immpact directly connects employers, recruiters and regulated legal experts with pre-qualified global talent – and aims to help eradicate profiteering job scammersREADING, England, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A unique new legal-tech recruitment platform has launched in the UK to help put an end to overseas worker scams and directly connect UK employers and recruiters with pre-qualified overseas global talent. Immpact will help fulfil acute skills shortages across sectors including healthcare, construction, engineering, life sciences and hospitality, while ensuring full legal Home Office compliance.
The launch of Immpact follows over two years of advanced legal-tech development. Using the immigration law expertise of Founder and Managing Director, Jonathan Beech, and his team of specialists, the platform will help unite a previously disconnected global talent market with under-resourced UK employers and transform global workplace migration. Immpact has also been developed through discussions with hundreds of employers, industry bodies and overseas talent.
With job scams – from fake jobs to illegal fees for sponsor licences – ongoing, particularly in the social and healthcare sector, Immpact will ensure only pre-qualified talent, employers and recruitment firms are placed on its platform following stringent multi-layer checks. This will ensure that all jobs and talent are qualified and genuine along with thoroughly regulated employers and recruiters, to provide a global marketplace for talent.
Jonathan Beech, Founder and Managing Director of Immpact, said: “Through my existing business running Migrate UK, I’m acutely aware of the issues that UK employers and recruiters are having in trying to fulfil talent shortages across sectors such as care, healthcare and life sciences. I also regularly hear terrible stories of genuine overseas job hunters being ripped off in their home countries or the UK by job scammers, often running to thousands of pounds.
“I knew there had to be a better way to match pre-qualified overseas talent with genuine work opportunities and responsible UK employers – effectively a ‘talent’ match-making site which is designed to eradicate scammers to provide a global, trusted marketplace for talent.”
Following the latest government immigration rule changes, overseas recruitment costs are continuing to rise for businesses struggling with talent shortages. From 4 April 2024, the minimum salary for entering the new skilled visa worker route for the first time increased by 48%, from £26,200 to £38,700 a year. There are different rates for those already holding a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship prior to this date and discounts are available for key shortage roles on the Immigration Salary List (ISL).
Immpact will benefit employers and recruiters by saving them time and money. Working with recruitment experts to analyse existing overseas recruitment workflows, Immpact has calculated that it will save 50% of the time involved in managing overseas recruitment, helping to cut down the time-consuming filtering of applications traditionally needed.
For employers traditionally looking to recruit overseas applicants, previous data from industry recruitment software specialists show that 30% of overseas applications are rejected as they do not have the right to work, while 64% are rejected due to CVs being unclear or requirements not being met. This leaves just 6% of applications remaining, which results in about 2% then being interviewed. Immpact will automatically present only suitable pre-qualified applications to employers or recruiters, eradicating wasted time on unsuitable or unqualified applicants.
Beech continues: “Following thousands of hours of development and utilising the latest advanced technology which can adapt to evolving Home Office requirements and procedures, we’re proud to launch Immpact. Our unique new platform takes care of the entire process – from pre-qualifying processes, searching and shortlisting, down to arranging interviews, successful appointments, onboarding, the provision of regular content and guidance, and access to regulated immigration legal professionals.
“Our new technology will transform global migration for both UK organisations and businesses struggling to recruit and global talent looking to work in the UK. Immpact has been thoroughly tested at every stage and is both user-friendly and, crucially, compliant, so qualified overseas applicants and UK employers and recruiters can be confident that only genuine UK jobs and overseas applicants match and proceed. Quite simply, we want Immpact to simplify the whole migration process by putting the right talent in the right place at the right time, and for UK employers to fulfil critical talent shortages which will help them not only survive, but thrive.”
The platform has a free trial or low-cost subscriber options for search-matching and more for employers and recruiters. For talent, the platform has zero costs for creating a profile, using the pre-qualifying tools or searching for opportunities. For further information visit www.immpact.ai.
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