Enterprise Software Definitions

Search Definitions
  • C

    configuration service provider (CSP)

    A configuration service provider (CSP) is a component of Windows client operating systems that shows IT professionals device configuration choices and allows them to apply the settings across multiple Windows OSes.

  • contact center agent (call center agent)

    A contact center agent is a person who handles incoming or outgoing customer communications for an organization.

  • contact center burnout

    Contact center burnout refers to physical, emotional and mental exhaustion experienced by contact center employees.

  • contact center management

    Contact center management is the process of overseeing contact center operations with the goal of providing an outstanding customer experience in an effective and efficient manner.

  • contact center schedule adherence

    Contact center schedule adherence is a standard metric used in business contact centers to determine whether contact center agents are working the amount of time they are scheduled to work.

  • contactless payment

    A contactless payment is a wireless financial transaction in which the customer makes a purchase by moving a security token in close proximity to the vendor's point of sale (POS) reader.

  • content aggregator

    A content aggregator is an individual, organization or tool that gathers web content and applications from different online sources for reuse.

  • content analytics

    Content analytics, also known as content intelligence, is the process of measuring and analyzing how users interact and engage with digital content.

  • content management (CM)

    Content management (CM) is the process for collection, delivery, retrieval, governance and overall management of information in any format.

  • content personalization

    Content personalization is a branding and marketing strategy in which webpages, email and other forms of content are tailored to match the characteristics, preferences or behaviors of individual users.

  • content services platform

    A content services platform is cloud-based SaaS software that enables users to create, share, collaborate on and store text, audio and video content.

  • content sprawl

    Content sprawl is a condition of an organization's content assets in which proliferation and unmanaged growth have led to an unwieldy mass that is difficult to manage.

  • context menu (right-click menu)

    A context menu is a pop-up menu that provides shortcuts for actions the software developer anticipates the user might want to take.

  • contextual marketing

    Contextual marketing is an online marketing strategy model in which people are served with targeted advertising based on their search terms or their recent browsing behavior.

  • continuous performance management

    Continuous performance management, in a human resource (HR) management context, is the supervision of an employee's performance through one-on-one discussions and ongoing feedback from supervisors during regularly scheduled check-ins.

  • ControlUp

    ControlUp is a monitoring software company that sells tools IT professionals can use to manage, monitor and analyze virtual desktop and application performance.

  • conversational marketing

    Conversational marketing is marketing that engages customers through dialogue.

  • cost per engagement (CPE)

    Cost per engagement (CPE) is an advertising pricing model in which digital marketing teams and advertisers only pay for ads when users interact with their campaign in some way.

  • CRM (customer relationship management) analytics

    CRM (customer relationship management) analytics comprises all of the programming that analyzes data about customers and presents it to an organization to help facilitate and streamline better business decisions.

  • cross-platform mobile development

    Cross-platform mobile development is an approach to developing software applications that are compatible with multiple mobile operating systems (OSes) or platforms.

  • Customer acquisition cost (CAC): How to calculate and reduce it

    Customer acquisition cost (CAC) is the cost associated with convincing a consumer to buy your product or service, including research, marketing and advertising costs.

  • customer data management (CDM)

    Customer data management (CDM) is a set of administrative processes that allow data about customers and customer interactions from different source systems to be aggregated and normalized.

  • customer data platform (CDP)

    A customer data platform (CDP) is a type of software application that provides a unified platform of customer information that can be collected, viewed or accessed by other systems.

  • customer engagement

    Customer engagement is the way a company creates a relationship with its customer base to foster brand loyalty and awareness.

  • customer lifecycle

    In customer relationship management (CRM), customer lifecycle is a term used to describe the progression of steps a customer goes through when considering, purchasing, using and maintaining loyalty to a product or service.

  • customer retention

    Customer retention is a metric that measures customer loyalty, or an organization's ability to retain customers over time.

  • customer service charter

    A customer service charter is a document that outlines how an organization promises to work with its customers along with providing insights into how an organization operates.

  • customer touchpoint

    A customer touchpoint is any direct or indirect contact a customer has with a brand.

  • customer-managed relationship (CMR)

    A customer-managed relationship (CMR) is a relationship in which a business uses a methodology, software, apps and perhaps internet capability to encourage the customer to control access to information and ordering.

  • CYOD (choose your own device)

    CYOD (choose your own device) is an employee provisioning model in which an organization allows people to select the mobile devices they would like, usually from a limited number of options.

  • What are customer service and support?

    Customer service is the support organizations offer to customers before, during and after purchasing a product or service.

  • What is a call center? Everything you need to know

    A call center is a centralized department of customer service professionals who handle inbound and outbound calls from current and potential customers.

  • What is a chief experience officer (CXO)?

    A chief experience officer (CXO) is an executive in the C-suite who ensures positive interactions with an organization's customers.

  • What is a cloud contact center?

    A cloud contact center is an internet-hosted service, typically managed by a third party, that handles all inbound and outbound customer communications for an organization.

  • What is a contact center?

    A contact center is a central point from which organizations manage all customer interactions across various channels.

  • What is a content management system (CMS)?

    A content management system (CMS) is a software application that lets users create, edit, collaborate on, publish and store digital content.

  • What is a customer effort score (CES)?

    Customer effort score (CES) is a system for evaluating how much effort is required on the part of a customer to achieve satisfaction in their experience with a company.

  • What is a customer journey map?

    A customer journey map is a visual depiction of the stages customers go through when interacting with a company -- from buying products online to accessing customer service on the phone to airing grievances on social media.

  • What is Cisco ISE?

    Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is a security policy management platform that provides secure network access to end users and devices.

  • What is Cisco Webex? Everything you need to know

    Cisco Webex is an AI-powered product suite of video conferencing and collaboration tools with features for workplace communication and information exchange.

  • What is closed loop reporting?

    Closed loop reporting (CLR) is a system in which data and information collected by marketing and sales professionals is made available to both teams.

  • What is communications platform as a service (CPaaS)?

    Communications platform as a service is a cloud-based delivery model that lets organizations add real-time communications capabilities, such as voice, video and messaging, to business applications by deploying application programming interfaces.

  • What is compensation management?

    Compensation management is the discipline and process for determining employees' appropriate pay, incentives, rewards, bonuses and benefits.

  • What is computer numerical control (CNC)?

    Computer numerical control (CNC) is a manufacturing method that automates the control, movement and precision of machine tools through the use of preprogrammed computer software, which is embedded inside the tools.

  • What is computer-aided software engineering (CASE)?

    Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) describes a broad set of labor-saving tools and methods used in software development and business process modeling.

  • What is contact center as a service (CCaaS)?

    Contact center as a service (CCaaS) is a framework that combines contact center hosting principles and cloud-based contact center infrastructure.

  • What is contact center infrastructure?

    A contact center infrastructure (CCI) is a framework composed of the physical and virtual resources that a contact or call center facility needs to operate effectively.

  • What is COPE (corporate-owned, personally enabled)?

    COPE (corporate-owned, personally enabled) is a mobile device management model that allows employees to use corporate-owned mobile devices for specific types of personal use.

  • What is core HR (core human resources)?

    Core HR (core human resources) is an umbrella term that refers to the essential, mandatory and fundamental tasks and functions of an organization's HR department as it manages the employee lifecycle and develops human capital.

  • What is cost of goods sold (COGS)?

    Cost of goods sold (COGS) is the total of the costs directly attributable to producing things that can be sold.

  • What is CPQ software (configure price quote software)?

    CPQ (configure, price, quote) is programming that helps sales representatives and self-service customers quickly generate accurate quotes for configurable products and services.

  • What is CRM (customer relationship management)?

    CRM (customer relationship management) is the combination of practices, strategies and technologies that companies use to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle.

  • What is cross-docking?

    Cross-docking is the practice of unloading goods from inbound delivery vehicles and loading them directly onto outbound vehicles.

  • What is customer experience (CX) and why is it important?

    Customer experience (CX) is the sum total of customers' perceptions and feelings resulting from interactions with a brand's products and services.

  • What is customer experience management (CXM)? Ultimate guide

    Building brand loyalty among customers involves a customer-centric strategy and measuring feedback through voice of the customer data to improve customer experiences.

  • What is customer insight (consumer insight)?

    Customer insight, or consumer insight, is the understanding and interpretation of customer data, behaviors and feedback into conclusions that can be used to drive actions that improve product development and customer support.

  • What is customer intelligence (CI) and how does it help business?

    Customer intelligence (CI) is the process of collecting and analyzing detailed customer data from internal and external sources to gain insights about customer needs, motivations and behaviors.

  • What is customer profiling?

    Customer profiling is the detailed, systematic process of constructing a clear portrait of a company's ideal customer by gathering and analyzing information about their demographic, psychographic and behavioral attributes.

  • What is customer segmentation?

    Customer segmentation is the practice of dividing a customer base into groups of individuals that have similar characteristics relevant to marketing, such as age, gender, interests and spending habits.

  • What is the consumerization of IT (IT consumerization)?

    The consumerization of IT refers to how software and hardware products designed for personal use have migrated into the enterprise and are used for work purposes.

  • D

    data clean room

    A data clean room is a technology service that helps content platforms keep first person user data private when interacting with advertising providers.

  • data transfer rate (DTR)

    The data transfer rate (DTR) is the amount of digital data that's moved from one place to another in a given time.

  • database marketing

    Database marketing is a systematic approach to the gathering, consolidation and processing of consumer data.

  • demand generation

    Demand generation is the process of creating and cultivating interest in a product or service with the goal of generating high-quality leads that can be nurtured into loyal customers.

  • demand signal repository (DSR)

    A demand signal repository (DSR) is a database that aggregates sales and demand data at the merchant's point of sale (POS).

  • desktop

    A desktop is a computer display area that represents the kinds of objects found on top of a physical desk, including documents, phone books, telephones, reference sources, writing and drawing tools, and project folders.

  • desktop computer

    A desktop computer is a personal computing device designed to fit on top of a typical office desk.

  • desktop virtualization

    Desktop virtualization is the concept of isolating a logical operating system (OS) instance from the client used to access it.

  • device-agnostic (device agnosticism)

    Device agnosticism, or device-agnostic, is the capacity of a computing component to work with various systems without requiring any particular adaptations.

  • digital asset management (DAM)

    Digital asset management (DAM) is a business process for organizing, storing and retrieving rich media and managing digital rights and permissions.

  • digital HR

    Digital HR is the digital transformation of HR services and processes through the use of social, mobile, analytics and cloud (SMAC) technologies.

  • digital marketing

    Digital marketing is the promotion and marketing of goods and services to consumers through digital channels and electronic technologies.

  • digital supply chain

    A digital supply chain is a supply chain whose foundation is built on web-enabled capabilities.

  • digital thread

    A digital thread is a data-driven communication framework that connects traditionally siloed elements in manufacturing processes and provides an integrated view of an asset throughout the manufacturing lifecycle.

  • digital video broadcasting (DVB)

    Digital video broadcasting (DVB) is a set of standards that define digital broadcasting using DVB satellite, cable and terrestrial broadcasting infrastructures.

  • digital workspace

    A digital workspace is an integrated technology framework that centralizes the management of an enterprise's applications, data and endpoints, allowing employees to collaborate and work remotely.

  • direct email marketing

    Direct email marketing is a format for email-based campaigns in which standalone advertisements are sent to a targeted list of recipients.

  • director of employee engagement

    Director of employee engagement is one of the job titles for a human resources (HR) manager who is responsible for an organization's employee engagement strategy.

  • discrete manufacturing

    Discrete manufacturing is an industry term for the manufacturing of finished products that are distinct items capable of being easily counted, touched or seen.

  • distributed antenna system (DAS)

    In a distributed antenna system (DAS), a single signal source is connected to a group of antennas instead of to a single antenna.

  • distribution requirements planning (DRP)

    Distribution requirements planning (DRP) is a systematic process to make the delivery of goods more efficient by determining which goods, in what quantities and at what location, are required to meet anticipated demand.

  • uplink and downlink

    In satellite telecommunication, a downlink is the link from a satellite down to one or more ground stations or receivers, and an uplink is the link from a ground station up to a satellite.

  • What is a device driver?

    A device driver, or driver, is a special kind of software program that controls a specific hardware device attached to a computer.

  • What is a digital twin?

    A digital twin is a virtual representation of a real-world entity or process.

  • What is DEI? Understanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in HR

    Diversity, equity and inclusion is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of different groups of individuals.

  • What is demand planning and why is it important?

    Demand planning is the process of forecasting the demand for a product or service so it can be produced and delivered more efficiently and to the satisfaction of customers.

  • What is desktop as a service (DaaS)?

    Desktop as a service (DaaS) is a cloud computing offering in which a third party hosts the back end of a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) deployment.

  • What is device as a service (DaaS)?

    The device as a service (DaaS) model offers PCs, smartphones and other mobile computing devices as a paid service.

  • What is digital experience (DX)?

    Digital experience (DX), also known as 'digital user experience' (UX), is the take-away feeling an end user has after an experience in a digital environment or with a digital technology or device.

  • What is direct marketing?

    Direct marketing is a type of advertising campaign that seeks to elicit an action (such as an order, a visit to a store or website or a request for further information) from a selected group of consumers in response to communication from a marketer.

  • What is dual sourcing?

    Dual sourcing is the supply chain management practice of using two suppliers for a given component, raw material, product or service.

  • E

    e-recruitment (e-recruiting)

    E-recruitment is an umbrella term for any electronic-based recruiting and recruitment management activity.

  • e-signature (electronic signature)

    An e-signature (electronic signature) is a digital version of a traditional pen and ink signature.

  • eavesdropping

    Eavesdropping is the act of listening to, recording or intercepting private communications.

  • EG Innovations

    EG Innovations is an end-user experience and infrastructure monitoring software vendor best known for its EG Enterprise product.

  • electromagnetic interference (EMI)

    Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is unwanted noise or interference in an electrical path or circuit caused by an outside source.

  • emotions analytics (EA)

    Emotions analytics (EA) software collects data on how a person communicates verbally and nonverbally to understand the person's mood or attitude.

  • employee engagement

    Employee engagement is the emotional and professional connection an employee feels toward their organization, colleagues and work.

  • employee lifecycle

    The employee lifecycle is a human resources model that identifies the different stages a worker advances through in an organization and the role HR plays in optimizing that process.

  • employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)

    The employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is a metric used by employers to assess employee loyalty.