The partnership provides event teams with comprehensive tools and solutions for sourcing and event marketing activation

RainFocus™, provider of the next-generation event marketing platform, and Groups360, a leading platform for booking group travel, today announced continued momentum and strategic plans to accelerate their partnership to support client growth, new products, and increasing demand for in-person events.

Together, the companies further enhance the powerful combination of Groups360's innovative online marketplace for hotel and venue sourcing with RainFocus' event marketing platform. Their leaders have leveraged their deep industry expertise to empower meeting planners, event professionals, and attendees — giving them greater control to continuously elevate their event experiences. The Groups360-RainFocus partnership allows hoteliers to be an integral part of the experience that only in-person meetings offer. It streamlines venue sourcing, cuts costs, and significantly expedites meeting and planning cycles.

Groups360's proprietary bookings marketplace, GroupSync™, delivers greater efficiency and simplicity for travel organizers and hoteliers. Through the platform, travel organizers have access to enhanced global search capabilities, hotel group inventory and rates, and choice of purchasing method via instant booking or a simplified RFP process at over 200,000 hotels globally.

Groups360 has launched instant booking for group stays at over 9,000 leading hotel properties worldwide via GroupSync and has established commercial partnerships with Accor, Choice Hotels, Hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Premier Inn, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

RainFocus is transforming the events industry by unifying events and marketing through personalized experiences with secure, scalable solutions to support the entire event lifecycle. The platform simplifies event registration, content management, and exhibitor activation across in-person, virtual, and hybrid experiences, and puts event behavioral data to work through robust integrations with best-in-class sales and marketing technologies.

Earlier this year, RainFocus became an Adobe Certified Platinum Partner. This collaboration has enabled RainFocus to analyze and integrate event behavioral data for enhanced customer targeting as part of an omnichannel marketing strategy. Understanding attendee hotel preferences is a natural extension of this effort. RainFocus was also named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™ B2B Event Management Technology Report, which stated, "RainFocus's strength is delivering personalized experiences at scale across a range of event types and ensuring that marketers derive maximum value through powerful integrations."

"RainFocus' alliance with Groups360 is a testament to our shared commitment to reducing transaction friction and reimagining meeting and event planning. Our continued collaboration and integration will benefit our collective customers, saving them time and money," said Kemp Gallineau, president and CEO of Groups360.

Through the expanded partnership and continued momentum, event professionals and meeting planners can expect the following benefits:

• Comprehensive and intuitive global venue sourcing across all hotel brands
• Behavioral data integrated into the martech stack in real time
• Seamless management of attendee registration, housing, and badging
• Robust management of attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers
• Expedited meeting and planning cycles

"For the past four years, we've collaborated with Groups360, jointly dedicated to enhancing event experiences for organizers, attendees, and hoteliers," said JR Sherman, CEO of RainFocus. "Strategic meetings management has been long overdue for an overhaul. This expanded partnership finally puts events and marketing in the driver's seat of venue sourcing. As organizations target accelerated growth, in-person events become pivotal for expediting sales cycles, spurring increased demand for comprehensive venue-sourcing solutions. We continue to innovate and invest heavily in our platform and our integrations to exceed client expectations and set industry trends. This groundbreaking partnership further extends our seamless support for venue sourcing through our all-in-one platform."

• AI is disrupting how search results are generated and accelerating the decline of traditional media channels' influence on reputation management

• The role of Wikipedia is expanding as a means of training large language models that are the foundation of popular AI tools like ChatGPT

• These technologies are poised to bring both major challenges and opportunities for the field of public relations

Status Labs, the industry leader in digital reputation management and a subsidiary of Millbrook Companies, has released today a first-of-its-kind whitepaper titled "AI and the Future of Reputation Management." In it, Status Labs co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Darius Fisher explores the significant implications artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) will have on the reputation management and public relations industries.

The whitepaper looks at numerous facets of how AI tools, and the LLMs that serve as their foundation, are shifting how the public accesses information on companies and individuals to form their opinions and guide decision-making and what that means for the practice of public relations. With the integration of AI, PR firms can harness these insights to craft more effective communication strategies, predict potential crises, and manage online reputations proactively.

"AI has the potential to level the playing field and give someone just starting their career in PR the vast knowledge and wisdom of an all-powerful artificial intelligence," Fisher said. "However, it's not just about the technology, but how we use it. At Status Labs, we're focused on leveraging AI's capabilities to enhance our strategies and deliver the best outcomes for our clients."

The whitepaper also highlights how AI can be used to create high-quality, personalized content at scale. It goes on to explain that by generating such tailored content, businesses can better connect with their audiences, build trust, and foster a positive online reputation.

Another key insight from the whitepaper is the growing importance of data privacy in the age of AI. As AI technology becomes more prevalent in reputation management, businesses will need to prioritize data protection to maintain the trust and confidence of their clients.

Jesse Boskoff, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Status Labs, adds, "Our industry is on the brink of another revolution, similar to the digital shift we saw two decades ago. We're committed to staying at the forefront of this change, ensuring our team and our clients are prepared for what's to come."

The final section of the whitepaper discusses the ethical considerations of using AI in reputation management. It emphasizes that while AI offers many opportunities for advancement, it must be used responsibly and ethically to ensure the fair treatment of all parties involved.

Headquartered in Austin, with additional offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, and Hamburg, Status Labs is an industry leader in reputation management. The agency has for more than a decade served as a key partner for Fortune 500 corporations, multibillion-dollar startups, and high-profile figures seeking to manage their online reputation, improve their digital footprint, and thrive in our increasingly digital world. Status Labs works alongside its sister companies, Sensei Advisory and BLP, to offer clients a full-spectrum reputation management offering complemented by strategic communications and advisory services and best-in-class growth marketing tactics.

ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT), a leading provider of networked hardware and software solutions for charging electric vehicles (EVs), today announced the appointment of Sherice Torres as Chief Marketing Officer. Torres joins ChargePoint’s executive team to lead global marketing as the EV ecosystem enters a period of exponential growth.

Over the last 15 years ChargePoint has firmly established itself as a leader in the charging market,” said Pasquale Romano, CEO of ChargePoint. “Sherice joins ChargePoint to scale our global marketing efforts, fostering customer transitions into the EV era via dynamic communication and subject matter education.”

Previously, Torres served as Chief Marketing Officer at Circle, a global financial technology firm, and as Chief Marketing Officer at Novi, the financial services division of Facebook. Prior to that, she served in several senior marketing roles at Google including Google Pay, Google.org, sustainability and crisis response. Earlier in her career, Torres spent nearly 15 years at Nickelodeon in a variety of leadership roles across consumer products, strategic planning, digital video and subscription apps. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, and earned her MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

“ChargePoint has positioned itself as a principal architect of an industry that is just hitting its stride,” said Torres. “I look forward to leading the marketing organization through the company’s next phase of growth, and applying myself as well as my experience to a more sustainable future of transportation.”

The Cvent platform will integrate with Sabre SynXis Central Reservation System allowing hotels to easily manage their group business and maximize revenue

Cvent, an industry-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider and Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, have expanded their partnership to provide two new integrations. The integrations aim to elevate and streamline group booking capabilities for thousands of event organizers and independent properties and chains worldwide.

Cvent has integrated its Cvent Instant Book (for small/simple meetings) and Cvent Passkey (room block management) tools with Sabre Hospitality’s SynXis Central Reservation System (CRS). These integrations enable a seamless journey from venue sourcing and booking, to guest room fulfillment on Cvent’s unified platform, providing a streamlined experience for hotels, event organizers, and guests. By combining Sabre's expertise in hotel reservation systems with Cvent's best-in-class event and hospitality technology, the announcement highlights both companies’ dedication to raising the industry standard for the group booking and guest experience.

“We are committed to enabling hotels to expand their revenue opportunities beyond the room,” said Tom Murray, vice president of product management & partner organization at Sabre Hospitality. “Through these integrations with Cvent Instant Book and Cvent Passkey, hotels can target both large and smaller groups with exclusive conference and event rates to increase revenue. By leveraging the strengths of Sabre’s comprehensive SynXis Central Reservation platform and Cvent's technology, hospitality businesses can optimize their operations, streamline guest engagement, and deliver personalized experiences."

“We’re excited to announce these integrations with SynXis as it further expands our platform functionality in a way that benefits both the hotelier and the event organizer,” said Janine Alsalam, vice president of sales at Cvent. “85% of planners say they would be more likely to book a property that has direct instant booking capabilities, and we’re proud to bring this capability to Sabre’s hotel clients. We continue to work with our industry partners, like Sabre, to broaden our platform functionality and integrate with the systems hoteliers and event organizers use every day. This announcement further illustrates the valuable role technology plays in optimizing hotel operations and delivering incredible guest and attendee experiences.”

The joint efforts of Cvent and Sabre Hospitality signify a shared commitment to revolutionizing the hospitality industry through best-in-class technology and robust integrations. With this strategic partnership, both companies are poised to shape the future of guest and group experiences, setting new industry benchmarks for customer satisfaction and operational excellence.

Alida customers gain access to additional managed services to power even more effortless end-to-end video feedback and qualitative research

Alida, the pioneer in community-centered customer experience, and Discuss, the leading purpose-built platform for turning experiences into insights, have deepened their partnership to expand on Alida’s world-class qualitative research solutions for its customers. In the recently renewed partnership, Alida will tap into Discuss moderator capabilities, further expanding Alida’s managed service offering tied to its Video Discussions product.

Now, Alida customers have even more options for a fully managed video feedback solution that already includes access to qualitative experts to manage full service platform setup, logistical execution, program design, moderation, and analysis. Perfect for customers who lack the time or resources to launch a full end-to-end qualitative research program on their own. This collaboration unlocks even more options for true end-to-end support, making CX research effortless and more effective.

“Businesses are consolidating and the pressure to do more with less has never been higher. By deepening our relationship with Discuss and integrating their advanced moderator capabilities to our extensive qualitative offerings, brands have the power to scale faster, gather richer insights, all while saving time and money,” said Ross Wainwright, CEO at Alida. “This latest enhancement to our Video Discussions product serves as a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation and customer-centricity, empowering businesses to excel in an ever-evolving market.”

Consumer needs are constantly evolving and organizations need a way to gain a deeper understanding of their customers and inject that feedback into strategic decision making. With Alida’s Video Discussions solution, organizations are empowered to conduct virtual focus groups and in-depth interviews with customers, leveraging state-of-the-art generative AI technologies. Instead of just relying on numerical data, Video Discussions helps companies build qualitative research at scale, resulting in genuine connections, trust, and a deeper understanding of customer experiences. With more effective targeting and engagement with the right audiences at the right time by leveraging deeply profiled and opted-in community members, companies have the power to build richer relationships with their customers, providing invaluable insights to their business.

“Now is the time when customers want to be heard and companies can’t afford to lose their trust,” said Simon Glass, CEO at Discuss. “With smart qualitative research tools, organizations can gather richer data and forge genuine relationships with customers. This approach is what ultimately gives way to exceptional customer experiences and drives impactful business decisions.”

OwnID, a leader in frictionless identity experiences, proudly announces its recent platform certification by the FIDO Alliance. Achieving FIDO2 Certification signifies OwnID's commitment to industry-standard protocols and further establishes its reputation in the realm of secure sign-in technology.

OwnID's platform, now utilized by over 100 live websites, significantly reduces sign-in drop off and cart abandonment, boosting the number of authenticated users by an average of 28%. With a diverse range of authentication mechanisms, including Passkeys (aligned with FIDO standards), OwnID provides a swift and secure login experience that can be added to any website in just a few hours - users can register and login by using their device unlock method (FaceID, TouchID, PIN, and more). This innovative approach equips businesses with the ability to minimize friction, foster faster and more seamless customer interactions, and notably enhance overall user engagement.

Dor Shany, CEO and co-founder of OwnID, shared his perspective on the certification: "Achieving FIDO2 Certification reflects our commitment to the FIDO Alliance's vision of passwordless authentication. This isn't just a step towards a more streamlined sign-in process. It signifies our dedication to enhancing the way businesses engage with their customers. We're focused on making interactions smoother and more secure, ultimately transforming the customer engagement experience."

An added benefit of OwnID's solution is its versatility and assurance of security. Whether utilized as a stand-alone system or integrated into existing login forms, businesses adopting OwnID can confidently provide their users with a FIDO Certified login and registration process. This transition to an advanced sign-in process is swift and efficient, empowering businesses of all sizes to enhance security and user experience simultaneously.

Armed with FIDO2 Certification, OwnID is leading the charge in setting new standards for digital authentication. Its technology is redefining customer experience, offering a faster, more secure sign-in process that works seamlessly across all devices and eco-systems.

AdTech Holding, a leader in creating vibrant startup ecosystems and innovation labs for AdTech & MarTech projects, is proud to announce its certification as a "Great Place to Work" in Cyprus. This accolade is a testament to the company's unwavering dedication to its team and their well-being.

Elena Dolya, Chief Administrative Officer at AdTech Holding, remarked, "Getting certified as the Great Place to Work is a very significant achievement for us because, as a company, we put much effort into creating comfortable working environments for our employees. I personally see the greatest worth in the fact the certification is based on the anonymous employee survey. This means that everyone has an opportunity to share their honest opinions safely. And we are proud that this honest evaluation brought us the honor of being called the Great Place to Work."

Growth and Dedication
Established in 2011 and with a new office opening in Cyprus in 2016, AdTech Holding's transformative journey from a team of five to a robust unit of over 500 professionals underscores its dedication and growth-centric vision. Their balanced approach to integrating seasoned experts and nurturing new talent has been a significant catalyst in this trajectory.

Empowering Employees
AdTech Holding's ethos prioritizes its team's holistic growth. From unique induction initiatives for newcomers to advanced leadership modules for seasoned members, they have charted a comprehensive developmental blueprint. The ProLeader course, specifically, has been pivotal to enhance employees' managerial skills.

A Culture of Trust
Transparent communication is a cornerstone at AdTech Holding. This ethos of openness ensures that insights, even from the newest members, are valued, leading to progressive organizational evolution.

Prioritizing Work-Life Balance
In an era of rapid advancements, AdTech Holding's focus has consistently been on harmonizing professional and personal life. Initiatives like flexible work schedules, a dedicated meeting-free day, and the "Cafeteria of Benefits" program echo this commitment.

Elena's personal journey encapsulates the company's ethos, "The opportunity at AdTech Holding was a pivotal reason for my move to Cyprus. Five years on, my association with the company is stronger than ever."