Forrester

Happy Spring! Let’s clean out old insights and create new ones. That’s why we just opened our annual Feedback Management And CX Measurement Practices Survey to you. The survey gathers rich data about what you and your teams are doing and the challenges you face with regard to feedback, voice of the customer (VoC), and CX measurement. The insights we learn from this survey inform our research for the coming year — and help us better serve the CX community with trusted information from their peers around the world. The Best Part: We Get To Give Something Back To You In return for completing the survey, we will provide you with the following in-depth materials that let you see the current state of these activities and compare your organization to others: An exclusive presentation deck including detailed analysis of the results (see some selected slides below) A Forrester report with a summary of observations and key trends An invitation to a free webinar about the findings What To Expect Topics include customer journey measurement, driving action with feedback, stakeholder engagement, technology stack, and AI use cases. Please allow 20 minutes of time to share your insights and perspectives. (Don’t worry, you don’t have to do it all once. If you need to take a break, you can come back and finish the survey later.) Note that your responses will be aggregated for analysis, and your responses won’t be attributed to you/your company. Here is the link to the survey. If you are curious about last year’s results, check out our blog featuring some of the insights we gathered. If you have Forrester access, check out our reports on the topic, starting with this one: The State Of VoC And CX Measurement Practices, 2023. Thank you, and we hope to see you on the results webinar later this spring! source

Forrester has long evangelized the importance of cross-functional B2B alignment. By working in lockstep, marketing, sales, customer success, and product teams can deliver on the promise of customer obsession and achieve growth faster. Our B2B Return On Integration (ROI) Honors, awarded each year at B2B Summit, recognize companies that have changed the trajectory of their company’s performance by aligning cross-functionality around buyer and customer needs. It’s no easy feat — and hearing these companies’ stories is always a highlight of my Summit experience. Today, we’re thrilled to reveal the winners of this year’s B2B ROI Honors for North America. We received many great submissions this year, but the winners truly stood out for their level of customer focus, cross-functional integration, and business results. Leaders from the winning companies will share their transformation journeys on the main stage in Phoenix on April 2 at 9:45 a.m. It’s the perfect opportunity to hear firsthand how your peers overcame obstacles and achieved success by focusing on working together to meet buyer and customer needs. While we hope you’ll join us at Summit to hear the full stories, here’s a quick preview: SAS A global data and AI company dedicated to helping organizations make trusted decisions, SAS transformed its marketing campaigns by adopting a customer-centric approach that amplifies “moments that matter” and by deepening integration between customer success, channel partner, and global and regional marketing teams. As a result, the company has improved customer satisfaction and advocacy while simultaneously increasing marketing’s contribution to sales pipeline across the customer lifecycle. Wolters Kluwer Health A leading solution provider for trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions across the care continuum, Wolters Kluwer Health identified that engagement with non-clinical buyers was critical in demonstrating value for its Clinical Effectiveness solutions. Based on in-depth research into these buyers’ challenges and needs, the Clinical Effectiveness team drove a transformational cross-departmental effort to evolve its value messaging, brand and product positioning, and go-to-market strategy. This has led to improved engagement with the buying committee, inbound inquiries, and media reach. XPO XPO, a leader in less-than-truckload freight transportation, responded to evolving customer needs by expanding its service offerings. A cross-functional team and customer-led strategy drove the launch of its new Premium Services — involving successful changes to the company’s product roadmap, marketing, pricing, demand generation, and business processes. Today, through targeted direct and digital outreach strategies, more than 3,000 shippers (and growing) use XPO’s Premium Services to solve their most complex shipping challenges. Hear more from executives at these companies and their valuable lessons to apply to your own transformation at B2B Summit North America, happening March 31–April 3 in Phoenix. I hope to see you there! source

We analyzed the Q4 2024 earnings announcements of 11 enterprise software companies. Big picture, the market is converging on AI-driven, cost-conscious transformation. Every technology leader feels the pressure: AI is no longer optional — it’s shaping everything from product roadmaps to operational efficiency. Our deep dive into Q4 2024 tech vendors’ earnings reports reveals an accelerated drive toward AI, a sharper focus on cloud costs, and a surge in platform consolidation. If you’re still on the fence about how AI fits into your strategy, it’s time to act before you’re left behind. Why Q4 2024 Earnings Still Demand Our Attention AI takes center stage: Microsoft’s Azure AI grew 33%, and Oracle’s AI-focused GPU usage spiked 336%. AI is moving beyond hype and driving real revenue impact, giving early adopters a clear edge. Cloud growth is under scrutiny: SAP’s cloud revenue jumped 27% and Oracle’s rose 24%, but Microsoft’s free cash flow dipped due to mounting infrastructure expenses. CFOs are questioning the cost-to-value ratio in cloud spending. Platform consolidation accelerates: Salesforce’s top 25 deals averaged five clouds, while Siemens’ industrial cloud traction exemplifies buyer appetite for integrated, end-to-end platforms. Simplification is winning over standalone point solutions. Security and compliance shape AI success: Adobe’s FedRAMP milestone and IBM’s Watsonx gains in regulated sectors show that AI must be secured by design. Zero Trust principles are the new baseline. Four Moves That Tech Execs Must Make Prioritize AI strategy and infrastructure: AI isn’t just an add-on feature — it’s redefining entire business models and cost structures. Evaluate your data pipelines, GPU capacity, and AI skill sets now. Delaying these investments means you’ll spend more later trying to catch up. Rebalance cloud spending: Cloud adoption is still a growth engine, but hidden expenditures can quickly spiral. Track consumption metrics meticulously and evaluate flexible pricing models. Optimizing cloud usage frees up budget for strategic AI initiatives that deliver measurable ROI. Double down on security and compliance: AI-driven automation raises the stakes for data privacy and governance. Vendors winning in regulated sectors embed Zero Trust principles directly into their architectures. If your AI strategy neglects robust security protocols, compliance roadblocks will slow critical deployments. Consolidate platforms for speed and scale: Bundled solutions that unify AI, data, and security reduce integration headaches. Enterprises juggling multiple point solutions should streamline to a cohesive platform. This lowers overhead, accelerates innovation, and positions you to respond faster to market shifts. Where We Go From Here In the first quarter of 2025, AI adoption continues to intensify, and new commercial models — such as AI surcharges and usage-based pricing — are poised to reshape tech budgets. Oracle and Microsoft are constructing specialized AI data centers, reflecting relentless demand for compute capacity. SAP’s extended support timelines signal that large-scale migrations demand both time and capital. Your ability to operationalize AI efficiently and securely will define competitive advantage. Falling behind on AI readiness isn’t an option; neither is ignoring the importance of consolidated platforms and cost discipline. Leaders who proactively merge these imperatives will outpace peers and shape the next wave of digital transformation against an AI economy. Ready To Dive Deeper? Forrester clients, explore our full report for an in-depth look at enterprise software vendors’ earnings and the impact on technology executives. You can also set up time with us to discuss these trends. If your company has relevant expertise in enterprise software, submit a briefing request. Relevant Research: The Future Of Modern Business ApplicationsPredictions 2025: Enterprise Software source

The commercial availability of quantum computers that can compromise traditional asymmetric cryptography is still five to 10 years away. But security and risk (S&R) professionals must assess and prepare for the impact of quantum security now. While the encryption market has a history of vendors publishing incredible claims like “unbreakable encryption,” the hype and interest around quantum is real because hackers are already using the “harvest now, decrypt later” approach. This new report examines the governance, strategy, architecture, and impact of quantum security over the short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. Quantum Security Should Be The Security Foundation Of Your Environment Quantum security and cryptoagility — the ability to replace and upgrade cryptographic algorithms in infrastructure, commercial, and in-house-built applications — will improve the security of any information exchange, improve digital signatures, and mitigate the risk of “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks. We see quantum security as consisting of several technologies, including post-quantum or quantum-computing-resistant key exchange, digital signatures, key generation and management, cryptographic algorithm discovery and inventory, certificate management, cryptographic algorithm change management (cryptoagility), and quantum key distribution. With quantum security, organizations can expect to: Build a future foundation for security. Quantum security will force an overhaul of systems across an organization’s: 1) on-premises and cloud computing; 2) storage and network infrastructure; 3) commercial off-the-shelf software; 4) commercial software-as-a-service offerings; and 5) software built in-house. Organizations will need to upgrade their entire security stack to ensure cryptoagility for the future to protect their data. See quantum security requirements accelerate security investment. Three key externalities — third-party partner management and business requirements, regulatory requirements, and cyber insurance requirements — will drive new investments in security technologies and services. Quantum security will impact all three, putting additional pressure on organizations to act, demonstrate proof of cryptoagility, and use pluggable and easily manageable cryptographic algorithms across infrastructures and point products. Find increasing clarity and guidance from standards bodies and governments. Organizations, technology vendors, and industry groups have been waiting for quantum security standards. NIST released the first three finalized post-quantum encryption standards in August 2024. This kicked off a flurry of announcements from Amazon, Google, and IBM highlighting their ongoing contributions to standards and working groups, current implementations of quantum security in products and services, and migration activities. Governments around the world have also issued guidance on migration to post-quantum cryptography, with some specifying requirements and migration timelines. Quantum security will impact all areas of security including certificate and key management, data encryption and digital signatures, transport layer security and secure comms, and authentication. This demands that orgs have a plan for building in cryptoagility and build a security architecture that can securely operate in a post-quantum world, even if quantum computing is still several years away. Our report examines how quantum security will deliver ROI over the short, medium, and long term, identifies the key factors influencing each timeline, and provides guidance on how to increase security posture today while preparing for tomorrow. Such opportunities don’t come along often, so S&R pros need to begin a plan for cryptoagility now. If you are looking to better understand the implications of quantum security on your security architecture, please read our report and schedule an inquiry or guidance session with us. source

Remember the good old Garmin Nüvi?! My dad had one. Awesome piece of tech 20 years ago. But I’d be very surprised if you still relied on it as your road navigator today in 2025. The thing is many governments still operate like a basic satnav device — they set policies, design programs and services based on initial planning, then execute them without much flexibility. Even when real-world conditions change — economic and geopolitical shifts, social and demographic changes, and scientific and technological advancements — government organizations often stick to the original course, even if it no longer serves people well.   Now think of a smart navigator app like Waze on Carplay or Android Auto — one that continuously monitors real-time road conditions, learns from past trips, and prioritizes getting you to your goal. Just as a smart navigator helps you arrive on time — not just follow a set route — a customer-obsessed mission engine’s purpose is to help public sector leaders find better ways to achieve mission success by constantly understanding customers (diverse range of stakeholders including individual citizens, residents, and tourists; businesses; foreign investors; and other governments) and maximizing value for them. In the long-term, a customer-obsessed mission engine drives positive change in society, such as economic growth and stability, social equity and well-being, and public safety and resilience. Customer Obsession Is Vital In The Public Sector Why bother? Customer obsession — putting the customer at the center of your leadership, strategy, and operations — enables organizations to sense and respond to market circumstances. In the private sector, this flexibility ensures customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and revenue growth in any economic climate. To achieve mission success, public organizations can adapt the principles of the growth engines of top private sector companies to the government context. Ultimately, customer obsession is vital in the public sector because it helps: Drive behaviors that power mission performance. This is achieved by following the government’s advice and directives, engaging with the government for authoritative information, using optional services, and speaking positively about the government and its services. Streamline processes that frustrate customers and waste resources. This helps to align resources with the actual needs and expectations of the customers they serve, government organizations. Design resilient services. This is done by integrating disaster recovery and worst-case-scenario planning into customer journeys.   Understand Your Customer-Obsessed Mission Engine Forrester defines a customer-obsessed mission engine as: Continuous service delivery that achieves high-impact outcomes by maximizing value to people, businesses, and other government bodies. It advances mission objectives by aligning internal functions such as communications, customer experience, digital, and technology around these customers. There are three versions of the customer-obsessed mission engine. The one you need depends on whether your organization delivers first-response or front-line service in a government-to-customer space; provides regulatory services or industry support in the government-to-business space; or is tasked with internal coordination or cross-jurisdictional relations that require you to build a government-to-government mission engine. Public sector organizations with strongly aligned service delivery functions — policy development, customer experience (CX), marketing and communications, and digital business — are more likely to run a customer-obsessed mission engine that improves service delivery. For details about customer obsession, as well as a full list of our recommendations for CX and technology leaders in government on how to align internal functions with customer value, check out our report, The Customer-Obsessed Mission Engine For The Public Sector. Forrester clients can also schedule a guidance session with me, Sam, or one of our colleagues who contributed to this research. source

Is everyone in your organization aligned on who your customers are? Does your organization understand your customers? Since at least the turn of the millennium, businesses have turned to personas as a way to address questions like these. Personas are insights-based, easy-to-understand representations of a group of people, including their goals, needs, and behaviors. They likely exist in some form in your organization. But I’d hazard a guess that they aren’t living up to their full potential — i.e., eliciting empathy, helping teams prioritize, and driving human-centric decision-making. Why the disconnect? Most personas we see are based on outdated or ineffective practices, leading them to collect dust on a shelf. Companies succumb to pitfalls such as including identities that invite bias, overloading personas with irrelevant data, or using personas as the default audience framework when other tools (e.g., segmentations) would be a better fit. The good news is that these pitfalls are avoidable. The Qualities Of An Effective Persona Personas remain a powerful design tool in 2025 for brands that take an intentional approach to planning, building, and activating personas. This starts with knowing the qualities of an effective persona, which include being: Purpose-built. Personas should only exist when there is a clear “why” for creating them. Creating personas “because we need personas” is not a good reason. What will personas help your company achieve? Are you creating personas to improve experience design decisions? To align on priority customers across the company? Will your personas be used companywide to drive empathy and understanding or to inform very project-specific needs? The answers to these questions will guide who needs to be involved, what research you need to do, and what shape your persona artifacts will take. Insights-based. Personas are only as effective as the research that goes into them. While creating personas based on internal assumptions or the collective knowledge of the team creating them — referred to as hypothesis or proto personas — can be a useful exercise to identify research needs, you should never use these personas to inform decision-making. Instead, ensure that personas are based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. Goals-oriented. Unlike segments, which are based on quantifiable data such as demographics or psychographics, a persona is based on patterns of the user’s, audience’s, or customer’s goals, motivations, and behaviors, ultimately helping to enable empathy. Make sure this data takes center stage in your personas. Inclusive. Personas have the potential to cause bias and exclusion, so take one of several approaches to ensure that your personas are inclusive. You might shift away from assigning identities to personas altogether, instead using an archetype approach to visualize customer goals, motivations, and behaviors. If moving away from identities isn’t practical — perhaps because your personas are already rolled out — then take the approach of including quotes from a range of customers, noting specific factors in terms of diversity next to each quote (e.g., age, gender, abilities). Other approaches include showing a collage of identities or reflecting diversity across the persona set. For example, include a persona with a disability as a way of nudging employees to keep accessibility top of mind. Whether you’re getting started on your persona journey, updating your personas, or striving to unlock more value from the personas you have, start with the foundation of these qualities of a modern persona. When created with these practices in mind, personas can be the powerful empathy-building tool they were always intended to be. Attend Our Workshop To Unlock More Value From Your Personas Discover how to get more from your personas — how to plan, design, and activate them — at Forrester’s CX Summit North America from June 23–26, 2025, in Nashville. Check out the full agenda and register, then join us on Tuesday, June 24 for our hands-on workshop, “Build Effective Personas To Drive Empathy.” You’ll learn about a Forrester framework for evaluating personas, get to practice applying the framework, and brainstorm opportunities to improve personas with your peers. We hope to see you there! source

Last month, Apple decided to stop offering its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature to new customers in the UK, and customers who opted in for the service in the past will stop enjoying it soon. Without ADP, users’ photos and documents stored in Apple’s cloud won’t be protected with end-to-end encryption. Until now, only users could access this data, but in the future, Apple and other third parties, including malicious ones, will be able to do so. This decision came as a response to the UK government’s request to Apple to grant access to users’ data in certain cases. After deciding to stop ADP, the US-based company has apparently initiated legal action in an attempt to avoid complying with the government’s request. Apple’s Decision To End ADP Suggests That Users’ Privacy Is At Risk Everywhere Regardless of what will happen in court, the decision to stop ADP came as a shock, as Apple has built its brand on the commitment to protect its users’ privacy at all cost. In the past, other government agencies tried to force the company to back down from its privacy commitment, but Apple always resisted those attempts, until now. What a disappointment! Apple has broken its promise to keep users’ data safe and private and, in turn, is risking breaking users’ trust. Our research identifies one of the key components of trust as the ability of a company to “keep its promise,” and Apple sadly didn’t. Consumers in the UK will take note. Data suggests that when it comes to UK consumers: 18% say they would stop doing business permanently with a company if it did something that appears to contradict the values the company stands for. 20% would buy less from the same company. 23% would advocate against that company. Apple’s UK Decision May Have Global Repercussions Apple, with a long-standing commitment to users’ privacy, has backed down in the face of a government’s request to access users’ data. What happens when other governments will ask other companies, including those historically less concerned with the protection of users’ privacy, to do the same? What happened in the UK sets a global precedent. The fact that, paradoxically, it was Apple’s decision to set this precedent is also meaningful. Undermining consumers’ privacy is a mistake. Our research shows that across the globe, data privacy is still the top issue and where consumers believe that companies should lead change. Ultimately, this signals what consumers consider companies to be responsible for and have control over, such as protecting their customers’ data. The UK Government Must Build, Not Destroy, Trust Ending ADP in the UK means the government will be able to access users’ data, with Apple UK customers short of any other means of preventing it. According to Forrester’s Global Government, Society, And Trust Survey, 2024, 65% of UK consumers agree or strongly agree that they have the right to keep their personal data private from the government. Citizen backlash is already happening! This is important and impactful because: UK citizen trust in their government is already weak. While variations appear between gender, age, and income, data that Forrester collected at the end of 2024 shows that trust in the UK government is weak across all demographics. As we pointed out earlier, low levels of trust mean that governments, agencies, and the public sector in general will struggle to successfully implement mission-critical activities. The UK government is determined to embrace AI across core government activities and the public sector. It’s also bravely trying to find its own path between the regulated approach of the EU and the unregulated approach of the US. But without trust, both strategies will likely fail or only achieve limited outcomes. Prioritizing Trust Must Become The New Modus Operandi As we highlighted previously, there are specific levers of trust that become more important than others in relation to AI and its risks. Government teams building and implementing AI applications for UK citizens must prioritize being able to understand, and act on, those levers of trust. Our research also demonstrates that citizens don’t all react the same way in regards to trust. Depending on their behavior and the levers of trust that they prioritize in their relationship with government and the public sector, we created four citizen segments. For example, the segment that we call “supporters,” which includes those who typically comply with government directives and seek general positive collective outcomes, will likely be the most negatively impacted by the government’s decision to access citizens’ data that, until now, they believed to be private. Governments and the public sector must understand how different groups behave in response to certain decisions and experiences, as well as how their trust (and their behavior) can be restored. Stay tuned for more research on these topics if you are interested, and if you are a Forrester client, schedule a guidance session to continue the conversation. source

Organizational transformations, whether driven by mergers, shifts in strategy, or the need for greater efficiency, often involve significant restructuring. That can disrupt established routines, alter roles and responsibilities, and create uncertainty for employees at all levels. Left unchecked, that uncertainty can breed a host of detrimental consequences. Proactive and transparent communication can mitigate these risks. By effectively communicating the rationale for change, addressing employee concerns, and providing clear guidance, leaders can navigate the transition successfully, minimizing disruption and fostering a sense of stability and confidence within the organization. The Human Cost Of Change Reorganizations are not merely structural adjustments; they profoundly impact the human element within an organization. The very foundation of employee well-being and engagement can be shaken, leading to a cascade of negative consequences: Uncertainty reigns. Employees grapple with questions about their roles, responsibilities, and the future of their careers within the company. Fear takes hold. Job security concerns, potential for reduced opportunities, and the prospect of increased workloads can create a climate of fear. Anger brews. A lack of transparency and consistent communication can fuel anger and resentment among employees. Sadness sets in. The loss of colleagues, teams, and familiar processes can lead to feelings of sadness and disengagement. Navigating The Pitfalls Reorganizations are complex undertakings, fraught with potential pitfalls that can derail even the most meticulously planned initiatives. These challenges can range from internal resistance and resource constraints to unforeseen external factors, demanding careful consideration and proactive mitigation strategies: Resistance to change. Change can be disruptive, and employees may resist it out of fear of the unknown or a perceived threat to their roles. Resource limitations. Limited resources can hinder the successful implementation of the new organizational structure. Operational disruptions. Productivity slumps, employee turnover, and unforeseen challenges can disrupt the organization’s momentum. Leadership resistance. Even leaders may resist change, especially if it threatens their power or requires them to adapt new ways of working. An overfocus on structure over function. Prioritizing the org chart over practical considerations can lead to inefficiencies. Building A Foundation For Success To navigate the complexities of organizational transformation, organizations must establish a strong foundation across four key pillars within their ecosystem. These pillars provide the necessary support for a smooth and successful transition: Culture. Foster a culture of open communication, transparency, and trust. Encourage employee feedback and address concerns proactively. Infrastructure. Ensure that the necessary resources, tools, and technologies are in place to support the new organizational structure. Governance. Establish clear lines of authority, accountability, and decision-making processes. Accountability. Hold leaders and teams accountable for their roles in the successful implementation of the reorganization. The Power Of Communication Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful change management. It serves as the lifeblood of the entire transformation process, nurturing trust, minimizing resistance, and ensuring that everyone is aligned and informed by: Addressing employee concerns. Proactively address employee concerns and anxieties through open and honest communication. Fostering transparency. Share information openly and transparently with employees at all levels of the organization. Building trust. Build trust by demonstrating consistency, credibility, and empathy in communication. Encouraging feedback. Create safe and inclusive channels for employees to provide feedback and share their perspectives. Providing support. Give employees the support and resources they need to navigate the transition successfully. Leading Through Transition Join me, Rani Salehi, and my colleague Karen Tran at Forrester’s B2B Summit North America in Phoenix, Arizona, or online, from March 31 to April 3, for our session, “Leading Through Transition: Effective Communication In Reorganizations.” In the session, you’ll gain valuable insights into the human impact of change, learn to anticipate and mitigate common pitfalls, and discover the power of effective communication in navigating organizational transformations. source

On February 25, Mozilla introduced new terms of use (ToU) for Firefox that included, among other things, the following: “When you upload or input information through Firefox, you hereby grant us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information to help you navigate, experience, and interact with online content as you indicate with your use of Firefox.” A hornet’s nest of uproar followed, and Mozilla has since rewritten that paragraph in an attempt to clarify it, but there are still concerns within the open-source, privacy, and web communities. Firefox Is Still MPL … Just Not For Most Users Mozilla has not changed the license terms for Firefox source code. That’s still distributed under the Mozilla Public License (MPL). The ToU apply only to “the ‘Executable Code’ version” of Firefox from Mozilla. Mozilla currently provides a compiled version of Firefox to Linux distributions such as Debian and Ubuntu, however, and most Windows users who download Firefox get it from Mozilla. Only a few Linux distributions like Gentoo offer a relatively easy way for users to compile Firefox manually. Earlier Mozilla efforts to add services already resulted in forks of Firefox like LibreWolf and Zen. It seems likely that Firefox users who are concerned about Mozilla’s use of their data will migrate to those or similar browsers. Linux distributions that want to ship Firefox without code that sends data back to Mozilla will run into trademark issues. Firefox Loses Its Niche In the early days of data deprecation, web browsers were in a footrace to win users over by touting their privacy-protecting capabilities. Firefox was an active participant with its Enhanced Tracking Protection, which blocks cross-site tracking and is enabled by default for all users. Google’s never-ending dance around third-party cookies added fuel to the competitive fire. Updates to the terms of service hit privacy-savvy consumers particularly hard: Firefox deleted its previously strong stance on privacy. In a Q&A section, Mozilla previously asked, “Does Firefox sell your personal data?” To which it responded, “Nope. Never have, never will. And we protect you from many of the advertisers who do. Firefox products are designed to protect your privacy. That’s a promise.” All of this is gone. Some users understandably see it as a promise broken. The update also raises questions at a broader enterprise level. Businesses must be aware that by using Firefox, even only for internal websites, their users may be sending information to Mozilla under a royalty-free license. CIOs and CISOs will need to weigh the benefits of Firefox against the risks that corporate data may become visible to Mozilla or its partners. Firefox finds itself in a very difficult position in determining how to retain its user base of privacy-minded consumers, as well as how to acquire new users by differentiating from the big tech-owned default browsers without big tech resources. The 2% Cliff Will Trigger A Negative Feedback Loop Advocates of browser heterogeneity see trouble brewing. Firefox has always had a smaller user base: According to W3Counter, Firefox had a 4% browser share in January 2025; in October 2024, Statcounter put it at 2.9%. Many web developers, including those who use the US government’s design standards or the UK government’s advice on designing for different browsers, use 2% as the minimum browser adoption required for support. Every website will be different, but organizations will be watching their analytics. Firefox has already fallen below this threshold for the yearly statistics on analytics.usa.gov, which is the measure of browser share used by US government sites. With a further exodus of Firefox users: Current Firefox users will become more frustrated. Already, there are many sites that don’t work properly under Firefox, and that number is likely to grow. Existing Firefox users will eventually give up and move to alternatives based on Chromium or WebKit in a slow drip of attrition. Web developers will shelve Firefox testing. Many web developers have a fond regard for Firefox and may voluntarily work to support it, but they will face the reality that businesses won’t pay for testing against Firefox browsers. This will create a reinforcing cycle of sites that don’t render or act properly in Firefox, creating negative experiences for users, causing them to experiment with other browsers, and further eroding Firefox’s market share. Marketers and advertisers will get some reprieve — for now. Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection makes tracking Firefox users and their responses to ads very difficult for marketers. If those users shift to Chrome or other tracking-friendly browsers, marketers may feel a false sense of relief that their granular metrics aren’t dead after all. But as marketers have learned, companies like Google and Apple wield a lot of influence and aren’t afraid of making unilateral decisions that directly impact marketing, so this may be a reprieve in the data deprecation story, but marketers, don’t rest on your laurels. Web testing vendors will reduce Firefox support. It’s a point of pride among many testing vendors to support as broad an array of user agents as possible, but if Firefox falls from a first-class citizen to a checkbox, the depth of platform support for Firefox will decrease — fewer back-level versions will be available to test. Mozilla Has Been Squeezed — Is This The “Pop”? We recognize that Mozilla needs to make a profit, and its largest revenue source — payments from Google to make it the default search engine — is at risk after the US Department of Justice ruled that Google Search is an illegal monopoly. The introduction of the new ToU feels like a further erosion of Firefox’s previously privacy-friendly stance. It’s hard to see how this move increases Firefox’s market share or appeals to its user base. A cynic might say that it’s a last-ditch attempt at profitability for Firefox. No matter what, it is a cautionary tale about running legal changes past a few of your existing users to see how they land. source

When I start to work with clients, I often get the question, “What are the trends in B2B e-commerce?” My canned response is, “Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice. Let’s talk about your needs.” Then we talk about what makes their customers unique. My new case study tells the story of how OMNIA Partners built OPUS by first studying its target market to come up with a unique solution. It illustrates the process of starting with the customer and working to the non-obvious solution. Guided by the CEO, OMNIA Partners: Conducted customer research and journey mapping. Codified the compliance processes for bidding. Built the OPUS e-commerce marketplace platform. Enabled sellers to staff agency help desks. OMNIA Partners is a group purchasing organization that helps municipal government procurement teams get the best price and terms by leveraging prenegotiated contracts with vetted suppliers. In the process of building OPUS, it turned some tried and true B2B e-commerce assumptions on their heads, such as: Punch-out (actually) makes things harder. The commonly used “punch-out” model that pushes buyers to the suppliers’ individual websites doesn’t enhance the buyer’s user experience, nor does it create efficiencies because it multiplies the number of user interfaces to learn, which in many cases complicates the procurement process. Digital literacy isn’t (actually) the same as expertise. Negotiation skills are more important than web browsing skills. Your users’ comfort with digital tools doesn’t automatically make them effective at following a government agency’s procurement rules. Agencies write the rules but don’t provide the tools. Using a BYO mobile phone to search a million web stores doesn’t make it easier to buy in a compliant way. Unlike other well-known e-commerce sites, suppliers using OPUS own their transaction data as well as the customer relationship, allowing them to establish long-term relationships with customers. This means suppliers in OMNIA Partners’ network now use OPUS as a channel to the SMB market — all this just in time for a lot of attention on government efficiency. If you need help understanding how to break away from precanned digital commerce experiences, let’s talk. Schedule an inquiry or guidance session with me to talk about how you can use our latest case studies to align your strategic commitment to pursue continuously improving business results through technology. Forrester clients can read​ Efficiency For Small Government Procurement: The OMNIA Partners E-Commerce Platform. Forrester clients can also read my other case studies of business leaders driving organizations of all sizes toward digitalizing their unique value proposition: source