In business, a virtuous cycle is a set of recurring processes in which the objective of each is to increase the beneficial effect on the next. Not so long ago, the typical purchase pattern was linear. Further, it involved very few steps from the time consumers first learned about a product or service to the time they purchased it. With the arrival of digital transformation, though, both online and brick-and-mortar retailers are adapting to a new virtuous cycle, one in which personalized experiences are the norm and digital customer service tools play crucial roles in making or breaking a purchase every step of the way.

In this infographic, you’ll learn how digital technology has driven retail’s virtuous cycle and get insights into how you can improve your customers’ experiences via Microsoft Retail Solutions.

View: The virtuous cycle of retail

Digital transformation and the Internet of Things (IoT) together have enabled businesses worldwide to gain deeper understanding of their customers. They’ve also allowed organizations to obtain data from previously untapped sources to better understand how processes can be optimized, but obtaining this data is only part of the equation. To transform massive amounts of raw information into meaningful insights, businesses must leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that offer the flexibility and power they need.

In this infographic, you’ll learn about the four Microsoft guiding principles for AI that make Azure AI a top choice among today’s leading enterprises.

View: Microsoft’s four guiding principles for artificial intelligence

For businesses in the digital age, cloud technology has become a key enabler of growth and innovation. But no great opportunity is without risk, and moving to the cloud also means having to secure enterprise data as it travels into and out of organizations. Today’s leading enterprise cloud platforms provide organizations with the compliance and security they need to protect their data, regardless of scale or region.

In this infographic, you’ll learn how Microsoft 365 E5 uses a multilayered approach to protecting sensitive information and provides the insights you need to optimize your organization’s security.

View: A multilayered approach to data protection

This analysis from Gartner studies 4 trends that will shape cloud adoption in 2020: cost efficiency, multi-cloud vendor flexibility, the impact of cloud IaaS skills on migrations, and advances in service availability made possible by distributed clouds.

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Merchandise and customer service have traditionally been the main focus of the retail industry’s portfolio. Digital transformation now allows retailers to expand on their main capabilities and develop innovative solutions that boost their bottom line, as well as that of their partners and clients. Digital is reshaping retail into a more diverse, tech-infused industry where innovation is king and disruption creates new collaboration opportunities.

Subscribe now to learn how to get the most from your existing retail applications by leveraging Microsoft technology to diversify your service portfolio.

View: Expand your offerings portfolio with innovative digital solutions. Get started with Microsoft Retail Solutions.

No one can control the weather, but thanks to increased adoption of IoT devices, farmers can now measure and control nearly every aspect of their holdings. Further, by using advanced platforms like Microsoft Azure IoT, farmers can use their mobile devices to get information and to control their operations from virtually anywhere in the world.

Subscribe now to learn more about how devices can leverage the power of Microsoft Azure IoT to enable smart farming and ensure productive oversight.

View: Increase oversight and control of farming operations. Get started with Microsoft Azure IoT.

Today’s organizations need flexible, secure, and intuitive digital tools that allow employees to perform their jobs from virtually anywhere. Organizations also require seamless collaboration capabilities that foster innovative ideas and allow them to mature into high-impact initiatives. Thankfully, getting the most out of the industry’s leading productivity applications has never been easier.

Subscribe now to learn how you can transform your business into a modern, cloud-based workplace with the help of Microsoft 365.

View: Inspire and empower employees with cloud-based collaboration. Get started with Microsoft 365.

This migration checklist provides easy, step-by-step guidance on the tools, planning, and resources you’ll need to migrate your apps, data, and infrastructure to the cloud with confidence—no matter where you currently are in the process.

View: Cloud Migration Checklist: Simple steps to start your migration today

Innovative solutions that increase revenue and generate industrywide disruption are the Holy Grail of digital transformation. Developing such solutions isn’t simple, though. It requires accurate insights, significant research and development (R&D), and a stable, accessible platform that can make the solution easily available to partners and clients. The effort can be well worth it, as groundbreaking applications can open up new revenue streams, enable complementary capabilities, and foster long-lasting partnerships that can elevate a business to new heights.

In this video, you’ll learn how the Kroger Co. technology division is leading the industry by leveraging Microsoft tools to provide its own innovations as a new offering: retail as a service.

Sustainable energy and digital transformation can combine to provide new avenues to success and increase convenience for people in isolated areas. This is especially true in places without a modern electrical infrastructure where residents rely on labor-intensive tasks. Innovative solutions can help them automate simple tasks, often making the difference between mere survival and prosperity. In many parts of Africa, for example, farmers lack access to running water. Instead they rely on wells to sustain their families, water their crops, and support their livestock.

In this video, you’ll see how Monica, an independent farmer in Kenya, increased her yields and quality of life by implementing a solar-powered irrigation system based on Microsoft Azure IoT.