The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has implemented new rules requiring publicly traded companies to report cybersecurity incidents. The rules will also affect privately held companies in a public company’s supply chain.

During the first nine months of 2023, the U.S. experienced 24 natural disasters with damages exceeding $1 billion each — the most since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began tracking such events in 1980. The numbers reflect a troubling trend, with eight of the 10 worst years for billion-dollar disasters occurring in the past decade.

Enhancing the customer experience is a top priority for many companies — and with good reason. Myriad studies show that CX investments deliver a huge return. The Temkin Group found that companies can increase revenue by 70 percent or more within three years of investing in CX. According to a report from PwC, consumers are willing to pay 16 percent more for a great experience.

Businesses need technology, but not many need to own it. That’s the beauty of the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) model  — it enables companies to access the robust technologies they need without taking on any of the capital costs, maintenance expenses or obsolescence risks that are part and parcel of in-house IT infrastructure.