TEConnect Podcast

TEConnect Replay: Can AI Replace Your Marketing Department w/Barcoding’s Jody Costa

The AI conversation has not slowed since we recorded this episode in the spring, so it was a good time to revisit our conversation with Barcoding's Jody Costa about generative AI tools, their potential to improve marketing efforts, and what to beware of. We'll return with a new episode next week on Customer Journey and Experiential Shopping!

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(Originally released March 2, 2023) Unless you’ve been on a severe information detox, you’ve probably seen more than a few stories recently about AI and various tools for content creation. Not ones to miss a trend, we asked Barcoding’s Jody Costa to return to the pod to weigh in. She shares her experience with ChatGPT and similar programs, whether AI will impact marketing jobs, and the positives and negatives of using them in our business. It’s the episode that still feels pretty good about its job security.

 

#VARValue - Beyond marketing & advertising, in what other ways can AI tools be used by VARs to improve their business? 

 

Referenced articles & further reading:

BlueStar Nation - Creating Ads for Your Business Using AI

ChatGPT Sees Strong Early Adoption - Fishbowl

Google Unveils Bard - CNET

Eden Bidani post - LinkedIn

OpenAI is Using Media Websites to Train ChatGPT - Moguldom

The Prompt Box is a Minefield - The Convivial Society

Marketing AI Institute

 

TEConnecting with us:

Jody - Jurassic Park & evolution

Dean - Subscription Trash

John - Accidental James Webb Discovery

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

 

Sponsored by:

Zebra TC53/58 Touch Computers

Elo 70 Series

Getting More Out of Marketing w/IPCMobile’s Tolgar Alpagut

Most businesses know they have to do some marketing to let potential customers know who they are and what they do while retaining existing business, but this week, we’re taking those efforts up a notch. IPCMobile’s VP of Marketing, Tolgar Alpagut, joins to explain how. What is attribution mirage, and how is it harder to know where to market? What’s the baseline for effective marketing? Is organic or paid posting on LinkedIn better? Are we over-relying on shiny new tools like AI and automation?

 

#VARValue - What’s one thing a VAR or ISV could do in the next few weeks to immediately improve their marketing efforts? (Tolgar also recommends Microsoft Clarity.)

 

References:

Attribution Mirage - Banker Creative

Dark Social - SparkToro

 

TEConnecting with us:

Tolgar - Google I/O- Imagen Video and Phenaki text to video

Dean - Lawyer used ChatGPT

John - Secret Invasion opening credits

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Zebra Intelligent Cabinets

Elo 70 Series Displays

 

What We Learned from 100 Retailers About Self-Service Technology

We’re back to dig into a new BlueStar Nation survey (sponsored by our friends at Elo!) with 100 actual retailers about the self-service technology they currently deploy. Who did we talk to? What’s their perception of the cost of self-service solutions? How do they use them? How often do they experience technical problems? It’s the episode that doesn’t need any help to get the job done!

 

Full article: https://nation.bluestarinc.com/articles/100-retailers-told-us-about-self-service-technology-use-in-their-stores 

 

#VARValue - For retail, POS, or digital display VARs, what are the key takeaways here?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Muon GPS & "colachup"

John - The Internet of Animals

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo Wallaby Pro

Zebra Legacy Printer Refresh

EVCSaaS with Ben Simon

Electric vehicle sales are rapidly growing, bolstered by government incentives, environmental concerns, and substantial investment in charging infrastructure—an opportunity for the reseller industry. This week, BlueStar’s Emerging Technologies BDM, Ben Simon, joins us to explain the landscape for EV charging, our partnership with Loop, and how VARs can cash in. What does an EV charging solution look like? What industries and business types should be installing chargers? How do they generate recurring revenue? What options are there to finance these projects?

 

#VARValue - If a VAR is interested in EVCSaaS, how do they get started?

 

References:

• White House Statement on EV charging network growth
• BlueStar's EVCSaaS site

 

TEConnecting with us:

Ben - EV Delorean

Dean - House built with disposable diapers

John - Wishcycling

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo M60 Mobile POS

Zebra Promotions

Retail Warehousing Fulfillment w/Zebra’s John Wirthlin & Tim Kane

Retailers are balancing a “new normal” of heightened customer expectations in-store and online with staffing shortages and inventory challenges. The back-of-house, supply chain, and warehousing aspects of retail require better tech solutions that VARs need to understand and drive. This week, Zebra’s Retail and Warehousing/Supply Chain SMEs, Tim Kane & John Wirthlin, help us look at the opportunities and break down the trends shaping retail fulfillment. How is the retail supply chain adapting? How can we help address customer expectations and operational visibility and empower employees?

 

Read the Zebra Retail Fulfillment eBook

 

#VARValue - For VARs currently working with retailers or supply chain customers that serve retail, what kind of questions should they ask to find out where these fulfillment solutions could be an option?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Tim - The pace of automation & AI

John W. - RFID baggage tags

Dean - Google text to music AI

John M - Traffic noise impact on work

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo Edge Connect

Zebra Workforce Connect

Tech Trivia Returns!

It’s another excuse to have fun as we celebrate 150 episodes by playing another round of Tech Trivia! Whitney Gerrety is back as a two-time defending champion. Sarah Schlueter is our newest contestant, and this time, John steps out of host duties to compete. Who comes out on top, who talks smack, who’s buzzing in early, who bursts into song, and will anyone tune in for another 150 episodes?

 

Thank you to all of our sponsors, listeners, and guests!

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Zebra Tablet Solutions

Elo POS Solutions

Healthcare Tech Predictions & Opportunities w/Elo’s Katharine Cummings

As the world shifts gears from the challenges wrought by the COVID pandemic, questions about what’s next in healthcare technology are hard to ignore. Elo’s Katharine Cummings returns to the show to discuss what she’s hearing and seeing as she returns to regular visits with healthcare orgs. What do healthcare leaders expect from tech and funding in coming years? What’s changed about how telehealth is used? What’s the potential for AI in medicine? Are there opportunities on the cybersecurity side for VARs? It’s the episode that doubles as an early Father’s Day gift!

 

#VARValue - Any other predictions or growth opportunities that you and Elo are watching or working on solutions for? 

 

How technology will shape healthcare in 2023 - HealthcareDive

 

TEConnecting with us:

Katharine - Bryan Johnson's Blueprint

Dean - Optogenetics

John - "Dream glove" boosts creativity

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Zebra ZD611 Premium Desktop Printers

Elo Wallaby Pro

No VAR (or ISV) Is an Island w/Star’s Kate Orara & Mark Rasho

We’re big fans of partner-assisted selling, a perk of working within the reseller channel. This week, we’re focusing on partnering with hardware manufacturers with our friends at Star Micronics, Kate Orara (Partner Development) & Mark Rasho (Product Integration). What does partner-assisted selling & solutions mean to them? What should VARs & ISVs expect from their vendor relationships? How early or often should manufacturers be brought in on an opportunity?

 

#VARValue - Let’s talk about Star in particular. What do you offer VARs & ISVs as a partner?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Mark - mC-Label3

Kate - Cruise Robotaxis

Dean - The end of MTV News

John - Automaker subscription services

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Star Micronics Tablet Stands

Elo I-Series 4

Zebra Sales Trifecta

TEC Bytes 11: In the TEC of Time

When a last-minute schedule change leaves us with a slot to fill, Dean & John are happy to once again riff on hot topics, interesting articles, and list debates.

 

This week's topics:

• The Death of Social Media?
• Vinyl is Back On Top
• World-Changing Ideas for 2023
• The Fasties
• Is There Science Behind Late People?
• Superhero Film Fatigue

 

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - PTO around the world

John - Worthless workplace data

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo 70 Series

Zebra/BlueStar Nation Warehouse Survey

Retail Modernization w/Intel’s Kristen Call

Adopting the latest technology and trends is helping retailers of all tiers separate from their competitors and keep up with consumer expectations, but what does that modernization mean, and where can VARs and ISVs find opportunities, especially at the SMB level? Intel’s Retail Industry Advisor, Kristen Call, is here to explain! What does digital transformation look like in retail? What do retailers get wrong when modernizing, and how can our channel help? What is the “blended” approach? It’s the episode that might give you retail flashbacks.

 

#VARValue – We’ve spoken with Intel software partners like VSBLTY, Pathr, & WaitTime. Why do you think it’s important for VARs to develop relationships with companies like those to take their retail solutions to the next level?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Kristen - ChatGPT

Dean - Sargassum seaweed blob & northern elephant seals' sleep habits

John - Predator dinosaurs had lips?

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

 

Sponsored by:

Zebra Future Proofing Retailers eBook

Elo M60 Mobile POS