| | AUGUST 20209CIOReviewBUSINESS APIS ­ THE SECRET SAUCE IN SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL MARKETINGthe customer to you, the weather, can all be accessed via APIs to define the current context. Even pricing may be different based on the circumstances. Uber charges congestion pricing based on demand. Insurance based on your behavior, umbrellas when it is raining, and airline seats based on availability are all examples where pricing could vary. Taking this context and acting on it with Artificial Intelligence (AI) can present a tailored compelling offer. And, yes, all of these are also accessed via APIs.3. Close the sale ­ Make it easy for the client to say "yes". Have accurate product availability and delivery information. Provide secure transactions and offer multiple payment options. As you progress in your customer centric model, you may include partner offerings. Making this a single interaction can be a differentiator. 4. Measure and OptimizeAPI Management provides analytics showing usage patterns which can be helpful in determining what is working and what is not. Rapid adjustments, A/B testing, and other mechanisms support rapid innovation.5. Retain and GrowCustomer follow up, support, personalized offers, loyalty programs, and other post-sale processes can also be enhanced through APIs integrating your information with events, social media, and AI.Driving Value for ClientsBusinesses are trying to deliver using more agile processes to speed offerings to market to be more responsive to client needs and business opportunities. This is a (digital) transformation from the historical slower rate of change in offering delivery. To achieve this increased agility IT is looking at several architectural changes and requirements:· Hybrid ­ enable enterprises to execute across traditional on-premise, private, and public clouds. Most companies either temporarily or permanently will have assets in many locations including on-premise and cloud(s).· Multi-cloud ­ enterprises are heterogeneous with many enterprises using 5+ clouds. Primary value propositions for cloud are speed and cost, and different cloud providers have optimized for different capabilities. The reality is that most businesses will operate across multiple cloud providers and shift work between cloud providers to maximize value.· Open­ Capabilities should be open by design, enabling flexibility and portability across clouds.· Secure ­ Provide reliability and continuous security for the environment. Failing on security can cause serious business damage.· Management ­ Consistent service level, support, logging, management, and delivery across complete heterogeneous cloud environments.Effective API management provides the desired flexibility and shields consuming applications from back end changes.Customer DataBeing in the headlines as the victim of a successful cyberattack can be extremely costly ­both in immediate costs and ongoing reputation. The EU regulatory requirement ­ General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires protection of citizen personal information and gives citizens the right to view, manage, and request that you delete their information. Penalties can be severe ­ up to 20 million or 4% of worldwide annual revenue. Other regions are looking to implement similar controls.APIs provide a security mechanism to control visibility to personal information and can be used with proper controls to allow citizen access and control of their personal information. See "GDPR Considerations for Integration and the API Economy".Effective Digital Marketing is a critical element in Digital Transformation. Business APIs are the secret sauce that enables the required agility and security to drive success. Failing fast is good. Failing slow and expensively is going to leave you behind the competition
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