News

News

• August 15, 2018 15 Aug'18

  Microsoft Skype for Business update fixes Mac bugs

  Microsoft has released a semi-annual Skype for Business update for on-premises users that includes several bug fixes and feature enhancements for the platform's Mac client.

• August 15, 2018 15 Aug'18

  LinkedIn Sales Navigator refresh adds deals pipeline

  LinkedIn overhauls Sales Navigator with deals management, Adobe Sign and Office 365 integrations, new search tools and mobile deal pages and direct connection to product team.

• August 14, 2018 14 Aug'18

  SAP Concur creates Slack bot for booking flights

  SAP Concur has created a Slack bot for booking travel and reporting expenses, as Slack doubles down on an approach to team collaboration centered on third-party integrations.

• August 13, 2018 13 Aug'18

  Revenue ops main theme at Ramp by InsightSquared conference

  Beyond recapping the Ramp by InsightSquared conference and some of the keynote speakers, the Pipeline podcast looks back at other favorite guest speakers at conferences.

• August 10, 2018 10 Aug'18

  Avaya earnings show cloud, recurring revenue growth

  The latest Avaya earnings report shows the company is increasing cloud sales and hitting revenue targets, even as it continues to operate at a loss.

• August 10, 2018 10 Aug'18

  Microsoft Dynamics 365 updates add AI features to CRM

  Microsoft has introduced new updates to its Dynamics 365 CRM platform, including AI-driven business intelligence tools for sales, marketing and service.

• August 09, 2018 09 Aug'18

  News roundup: Manage employee resource groups and more

  A new tool from Espresa could help improve employee engagement. Reach remote workers with a new version of StaffConnect. And Fitbit looks at health coaching.

• August 09, 2018 09 Aug'18

  Facebook targets WhatsApp business messaging at large enterprises

  WhatsApp business messaging is the latest social channel to enter the contact center, coming on the heels of Apple's beta release of the consumer-to-business iOS messaging service Apple Business Chat.

• August 08, 2018 08 Aug'18

  Recruiting platforms see large VC investments

  VC dollars continue to flow to recruiting platforms, all of which approach the hiring problem in different ways. Their methods illustrate the difficulty of finding candidates.

• August 07, 2018 07 Aug'18

  InsightSquared unveils marketing analytics tools

  At Ramp 2018, marketing technology vendor InsightSquared unveiled new software modules for gauging the effectiveness of marketing and sales efforts.

• August 03, 2018 03 Aug'18

  Cisco and Google deepen collaboration partnership

  Cisco and Google have committed to creating seamless integrations between Webex and the productivity apps in G Suite, which should help both vendors compete against Microsoft.

• August 03, 2018 03 Aug'18

  Mobile apps for field service adapt to meet deskless needs

  Old habits die hard, but mobile field service apps have staying power as they secure and ease communication and reporting across various industries and business sizes.

• August 03, 2018 03 Aug'18

  HR automation, simplification mean less staff and savings

  HR departments that adopt best practices in technology and management will spend less than their peers, according to The Hackett Group, a management consulting firm.

• August 03, 2018 03 Aug'18

  Google Contact Center AI makes early inroads in industry

  Prospective users are already interested in Google's recently unveiled Contact Center AI system, and Google partners are avidly trying to sell it. But some in industry urge caution

• August 02, 2018 02 Aug'18

  Gartner UC Magic Quadrant ranking belies Avaya's challenges

  Avaya was once again named a leader in the Gartner UC Magic Quadrant. But analysts say the vendor could struggle to add customers given the growing dominance of Microsoft and Cisco.

• August 01, 2018 01 Aug'18

  Cisco lays groundwork for augmented reality in Cisco Webex app

  This month, the 135 million Cisco Webex app users will get access to a refreshed UI, as the vendor is ramping up to support more advanced video use cases, such as augmented reality.

• July 31, 2018 31 Jul'18

  End-user security awareness training is a must-have

  There are lots of different ways to keep users up to date on the latest security risks and how they should be handling their corporate resources.

• July 31, 2018 31 Jul'18

  How to approach end-user security training

  Most IT pros are aware that user behavior can be a security threat to an organization. But what is there to do about it? With end-user security training, IT can ensure that employees are updated on the latest risks and know how to access corporate ...

• July 31, 2018 31 Jul'18

  Report: ERP security is weak, vulnerable and under attack

  ERP security is in trouble, according to a new report. Many ERP systems connected to the internet are insecure, and users are lagging in installing updates.

• July 27, 2018 27 Jul'18

  Atlassian-Slack deal marks end of HipChat, Stride

  Slack, which is facing more aggressive competition from Microsoft, bought Atlassian HipChat and Stride. The Atlassian-Slack deal marks the start of a strategic partnership.

• July 27, 2018 27 Jul'18

  Skype for Business 2019 nudges users to cloud

  Skype for Business 2019, released in preview this week, will extend support for on-premises unified communications deployments through at least 2023.

• July 27, 2018 27 Jul'18

  For HR software implementation, ponder training document options

  With an HR software rollout in mind, review the pros and cons of an organization using its own training documentation, a vendor's material or a combination of both approaches.

• July 26, 2018 26 Jul'18

  OpenText-Salesforce integration gaining momentum

  An Australian life insurance company, given an opportunity to start anew with IT, chooses Salesforce as interface to deep OpenText content repository.

• July 26, 2018 26 Jul'18

  VDI shops mull XenDesktop vs. Horizon as competition continues

  Citrix still holds a large advantage in the desktop virtualization market, but several factors could allow VMware's market share to grow.

• July 26, 2018 26 Jul'18

  Vendors race to adopt Google Contact Center AI

  Google has entered the contact center market with the release of an AI platform supporting virtual agents and call analytics. Leading vendors, including Cisco and Genesys, were quick to adopt Google Contact Center AI.

• July 26, 2018 26 Jul'18

  Evaluating CMS platforms, LA County stays on Documentum

  OpenText wins -- or rather, retains -- a massive Documentum customer in LA County after the company acquired the content services platform from EMC last year.

• July 26, 2018 26 Jul'18

  ComplyRight data breach affects 662,000, gets lawsuit

  ComplyRight, an HR and tax services firm, was hit with a data breach that affected 662,000 people. It has also prompted a lawsuit by a person whose data was breached.

• July 25, 2018 25 Jul'18

  Apple Business Chat adds Cisco as partner

  Apple Business Chat is now compatible with Cisco's contact center platform. Apple has closely guarded access to the business-to-consumer messaging service since its beta release this spring.

• July 24, 2018 24 Jul'18

  New WorkJam app aims at preventing nurse burnout

  Burned out nurses don't make for healthy hospitals and medical practices. A targeted effort from the makers of the WorkJam app hopes to solve that problem.

• July 23, 2018 23 Jul'18

  LinkedIn Talent Insights aimed at workforce planning

  Eric Owski, head of product for Talent Insights at LinkedIn, explains the difference between Talent Insights and LinkedIn Recruiter.

• July 20, 2018 20 Jul'18

  At OpenText Enterprise World, security and AI take center stage

  OpenText unveiled its new application, OT2, at OpenText Enterprise World 2018, while also touting the importance of security. That and more are discussed on the latest episode of the Pipeline podcast.

• July 20, 2018 20 Jul'18

  Salesforce Datorama acquisition to bolster Marketing Cloud

  Salesforce continues piecing together its Marketing Cloud -- this time with the $800 million acquisition of Datorama, an AI marketing software company.

• July 20, 2018 20 Jul'18

  Microsoft adds live broadcasting software to Teams

  Microsoft has added live broadcasting software to Microsoft Teams and Yammer through a new integration with Microsoft Stream.

• July 19, 2018 19 Jul'18

  Missions acquisition will simplify Slack integrations

  Slack's acquisition of Missions will help users without coding knowledge take full advantage of its platform by making it easier to build custom Slack integrations and workflows.

• July 18, 2018 18 Jul'18

  Cost, doubt about tech hold back AI for HR investment

  AI technology will improve the productivity of HR departments by eliminating many routine and transactional processes. But what will happen to the HR employees?

• July 18, 2018 18 Jul'18

  Salesforce's Marc Benioff calls for a national privacy law

  After Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's call for a national data privacy law, Salesforce's chief privacy officer responds to questions about the Salesforce privacy stance.

• July 18, 2018 18 Jul'18

  8x8 X Series combines UC and contact center

  The cloud delivery model has made it easier to combine unified communications and contact center technologies into a single platform, as evidenced by the release of the 8x8 X Series this week.

• July 13, 2018 13 Jul'18

  Microsoft Teams free version takes on Slack, Cisco Webex

  The new Microsoft Teams free version takes advantage of Microsoft's online Office suite to lure customers that might be considering competing products from Cisco and Slack.

• July 13, 2018 13 Jul'18

  Endpoint security tool fueled OpenText's Guidance Software acquisition

  Endpoint security was the primary draw for OpenText's Guidance Software acquisition. But plans to improve e-discovery and data forensics with Magellan AI are part of the roadmap.

• July 13, 2018 13 Jul'18

  Team collaboration secondary in Workplace by Facebook app

  Organizations are deploying the Workplace by Facebook app to build community among large and geographically diverse workforces. In that sense, the platform is more like an intranet than a team collaboration platform.

• July 12, 2018 12 Jul'18

  Customers, vendors differ on digital transformation definition

  Digital transformation may be the talk of the analyst sphere and the marketing domain, but people using the technology aren't necessarily thinking in those terms.

• July 11, 2018 11 Jul'18

  Execs: Content management in the cloud not as easy as it looks

  Challenges await companies as they move content and microservices app-enabled processes to the cloud. Chief among them are data security and apprehension about process complexity.

• July 11, 2018 11 Jul'18

  DHS, SecureLogix develop TDoS attack defense

  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and vendor SecureLogix are making 'rapid progress' in developing a TDoS attack defense. The technology is expected in the coming months.

• July 10, 2018 10 Jul'18

  OpenText OT2 hybrid cloud EIM platform debuts

  OpenText's makeover of EIM platform reflects reality that few companies are fully cloud or fully on premises anymore; SaaS, microservices bridge CMS gaps between the two.

• June 29, 2018 29 Jun'18

  Ribbon Communications boosts UCaaS portfolio with Edgewater buy

  Ribbon Communications' acquisition of Edgewater Networks is expected to add analytics, security and service-assurance capabilities to Ribbon's UC portfolio.

• June 29, 2018 29 Jun'18

  Slack outages raise reliability concerns

  Slack outages are becoming frequent enough to make some analysts wonder whether companies would trust the collaboration startup for business-critical communications.

• June 29, 2018 29 Jun'18

  Ex-Cisco exec Rowan Trollope promises to be different CEO at Five9

  In May, UC and collaboration exec Rowan Trollope left Cisco for a nimbler Five9. As CEO of the contact center vendor, he promises to be more product-focused than his predecessor.

• June 28, 2018 28 Jun'18

  Box Skills integrations give users access to AI

  By integrating with Google, IBM and Microsoft, Box is bringing AI capabilities to its platform, but it still won't be enough to steal Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive customers.

• June 28, 2018 28 Jun'18

  New HR tools for hourly workers, employee retention announced

  This week's news roundup includes an HR tool designed just for hourly workers, a new offering from Limeade to help with talent retention and a new cloud-based benefits platform.

• June 27, 2018 27 Jun'18

  AppExchange in Salesforce a slam-dunk for Detroit Pistons' workflow

  The Detroit Pistons needed help getting the most out of Salesforce, so they turned to AppExchange -- although the abundance of choices is sometimes a challenge.

• June 26, 2018 26 Jun'18

  SAP C/4HANA, Pega Infinity ramp up the CRM market

  The Pipeline podcast duo discusses the CRM market after the unveiling of Pega Infinity and SAP C/4HANA, as well as technology news from Uber about detecting drunk passengers.

• June 26, 2018 26 Jun'18

  GoToMeeting client adds business messaging to chase rivals

  LogMeIn has added instant messaging and automated transcription to the GoToMeeting client. The new features bring the platform more in line with rivals Zoom and Cisco Webex.

• June 25, 2018 25 Jun'18

  Recruiting on LinkedIn adds analytics and pointed questions

  LinkedIn is releasing an analytics platform at the end of the third quarter. The platform will allow users to quickly compare themselves to other firms.

• June 22, 2018 22 Jun'18

  Alexa for Hospitality brings AI voice assistant to hotel rooms

  Alexa for Hospitality will let hotels equip guest rooms with an AI voice assistant familiar to consumers. But Amazon will have to assuage concerns about privacy.

• June 21, 2018 21 Jun'18

  Banking blockchain part of Pega Infinity platform reboot

  This Pipeline podcast features a not-so-serious Q&A with Pegasystems CMO Tom Libretto covering Journey albums, blockchain hype and what happens at a user conference.

• June 20, 2018 20 Jun'18

  Mobile app machine learning imagines a bigger future with Swift

  Swift has the potential to lead the way to easier implementation of mobile app machine learning. Discover new tools for creating AI models in Swift and their use cases.

• June 20, 2018 20 Jun'18

  Avaya adds real-time speech analytics to contact centers

  Avaya updated its workforce optimization suite to include real-time speech analytics and automated agent evaluations, playing catch-up with vendors such as Cisco, Genesys and Five9.

• June 20, 2018 20 Jun'18

  Adobe-Microsoft partnership adds key integrations

  Adobe brings its Document Cloud to Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics 365, making it easier for licensees of both to quickly convert files into PDFs and into Acrobat.

• June 20, 2018 20 Jun'18

  News roundup: TriNet software targets professional services

  New specialized products include TriNet software for professional services, QuickBooks payroll for contractors and a comprehensive benefits platform from Benefitfocus.

• June 19, 2018 19 Jun'18

  Data migration software coming for SAP CRM

  At Sapphire Now, SAP unveiled C/4HANA, a suite of applications that brings together ERP and CRM. To make it easier to switch, migration tools can be added to the suite.

• June 19, 2018 19 Jun'18

  AI can reduce workplace bias, says CEO of leading HR group

  AI technology may help HR reduce workplace bias, according to Johnny Taylor, president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, an HR organization that has 300,000 members.

• June 15, 2018 15 Jun'18

  Microsoft Teams e-discovery enabled for hybrid clouds

  Microsoft is giving businesses with on-premises Exchange servers a new tool for Microsoft Teams e-discovery, as the vendor seeks to help large enterprises transition to the cloud.

• June 13, 2018 13 Jun'18

  Google Hangouts Meet adds interoperability with competitors

  Interoperability with Skype for Business and video conferencing systems from Cisco and Polycom should help Google Hangouts Meet gain more traction among enterprise buyers.

• June 13, 2018 13 Jun'18

  Salesforce Interaction Studio unveiled at Connections 2018

  At Salesforce Connections, Salesforce builds off its Google partnership announced at Dreamforce by releasing new integrations between Marketing Cloud and Google Analytics 360.

• June 12, 2018 12 Jun'18

  Workday to acquire Adaptive Insights for $1.55 billion

  Workday says its acquisition of Adaptive Insights, a financial planning and modeling system, will save it two years of development time.

• June 12, 2018 12 Jun'18

  Polycom, Crestron expand Zoom room video conferencing partnerships

  At InfoComm 2018, Polycom deepens its partnership with Zoom, Crestron debuts a whiteboard camera, and ViewSonic introduces interactive flat-panel displays.

• June 08, 2018 08 Jun'18

  Microsoft Teams mobile app matures, but interoperability lags

  Microsoft has been quickly building out the capabilities of the Microsoft Teams mobile app, but businesses could find it clunky to use in conjunction with Skype for Business.

• June 08, 2018 08 Jun'18

  VDI vendors must change tack as on-premises market slows

  Many organizations that are good candidates for VDI have already adopted the technology. Find out how cloud and other factors are driving changes in adoption today, and how new numbers from the ...

• June 07, 2018 07 Jun'18

  SAP e-commerce extends to Azure, other new features added

  Artificial Christmas tree manufacturer Balsam Brands uses Hybris to expand internationally, allowing for dynamic pricing and product catalogs, depending on the country.

• June 07, 2018 07 Jun'18

  Avaya Equinox gets online UC and team collaboration for SMBs

  Avaya has refreshed Avaya Equinox with online team collaboration and has integrated the software into IP Office. The changes are part of Avaya's strategy to attract more SMBs.

• June 07, 2018 07 Jun'18

  Oracle claims it can cut ERP system migration costs by 30%

  A migration can cost millions, but Oracle believes its new automation and integration tools can significantly reduce the cost of ERP system migrations to the cloud.

• June 06, 2018 06 Jun'18

  Logitech video conferencing kit targets large meeting rooms

  A new Logitech video conferencing kit offers advanced features at a relatively affordable price. Logitech also previewed automatic framing software that's planned for later in the year.

• June 05, 2018 05 Jun'18

  Top new iOS 12 features helpful for the enterprise

  The biggest takeaway of Apple WWDC 2018 was the new iOS 12 features. Discover which ones might be useful for business workers with this roundup.

• June 05, 2018 05 Jun'18

  Box workflow gets upgrade with Progressly purchase

  Box is hoping to upgrade its workflow capabilities by adding the startup Progressly to its team, while also still partnering with IBM on a separate workflow product, called Relay.

• June 04, 2018 04 Jun'18

  Pega Infinity upgrades include marketing AI tools, blockchain support

  Pega Infinity adds new digital transformation tools for low-code app development, bot libraries and AI that can optimize apps and assist with marketing campaigns.

• June 01, 2018 01 Jun'18

  AdDuplex-based Win10 Uptake Projections Mostly Bogus

  When I first saw the news, I was stunned. But on further analysis, AdDuplex-based Win10 uptake projections mostly bogus, reflecting an incomplete and off-kilter subset of the user base.

• June 01, 2018 01 Jun'18

  Call center artificial intelligence trends drive chat, decision-making

  ICMI's Brad Cleveland has seen call centers integrate email, chat, IVR -- automated FAQ answering -- and social media. None reduced call volume. Chatbot tech may bring similar results.

• May 31, 2018 31 May'18

  News briefs: SAP offers HR tool for visa management

  In these news briefs, SAP tackles visa management, Microsoft is using a startup to manage its career site, and a startup has released a blockchain-based HR platform.

• May 30, 2018 30 May'18

  Lifesize looks to make outfitting huddle rooms cheaper

  Lifesize has released a cloud-based device for wireless screen sharing. The vendor also previewed a video conferencing kit designed for outfitting huddle rooms for video conferencing.

• May 29, 2018 29 May'18

  Call center chatbots draw skepticism from leaders

  Call centers must live up to demanding quality and performance standards. Until artificial intelligence chatbots can meet those expectations, they don't stand a chance.

• May 29, 2018 29 May'18

  Identity and access management tools add AI, microservices

  AI and as-a-service platforms enable IT to take a more hands-off approach. But with adoption in the early stages, most IT pros wonder what the future holds for identity management.

• May 24, 2018 24 May'18

  Federal HR wants to modernize cybersecurity recruiting, pay

  The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security wants to modernize recruitment and management of its cybersecurity workforce. It is asking vendors to explain how DHS can achieve its goals.

• May 24, 2018 24 May'18

  Polycom cloud service simplifies device management

  A new Polycom cloud service will help businesses manage and monitor Polycom desk and conference room phones. The vendor plans to expand the service to cover video endpoints later this year.

• May 23, 2018 23 May'18

  Adobe acquisition of Magento puts Salesforce in its sights

  Adobe looks to challenge Salesforce by adding e-commerce capabilities into its CX suite of products, just months after Salesforce doubled down on e-commerce with CloudCraze purchase.

• May 22, 2018 22 May'18

  Slack app integrations are made a two-way street

  Slack has designed a shortcut to convert Slack messages into content within business tools like Zendesk and Jira. The company said more than 90% of paid teams are using Slack app integrations.

• May 21, 2018 21 May'18

  Contract lifecycle management highlighted at Apttus conference

  Analysts, users tout CLM's risk management and revenue benefits at event by Apttus, maker of a 'middle office' repository for managing contracts across ERP, CRM and departments.

• May 18, 2018 18 May'18

  Customer behavior analytics brings marketing, analytics together

  If you want better, more timely access to customers, consider customer behavior analytics, which is driven by the combination of marketing and data analytics.

• May 18, 2018 18 May'18

  Five9, 8x8 and Dialpad accelerate push for contact center AI

  Cloud contact center vendors are getting more aggressive about artificial intelligence. Five9, 8x8 and Dialpad made headlines this week with new contact center AI initiatives.

• May 18, 2018 18 May'18

  RingCentral, SD-WAN vendors team up to deliver UCaaS

  SD-WAN services can improve the flow of cloud-based communications across the network. Now, one UCaaS vendor is looking to capitalize on the software-defined technology.

• May 17, 2018 17 May'18

  Zendesk bundles customer support services as cloud contact center

  Zendesk has combined its products into an omnichannel cloud contact center offering. The CRM vendor also released a new tool for sending automatic alerts to customers.

• May 16, 2018 16 May'18

  Microsoft hopes for smooth rollout of Surface Hub 2 after previous snags

  The Surface Hub 2 will feature tight integrations with Microsoft Teams and other cloud collaboration tools. The vendor plans to release the product in 2019.

• May 15, 2018 15 May'18

  Recruiting online giants turn to new technologies

  Technology is driving major changes to the recruiting online market. Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com have deployed new job search technologies to improve job seeker experience.

• May 15, 2018 15 May'18

  HubSpot customer service tool Service Hub aims to transform SMBs

  HubSpot's Service Hub, the new customer service product, aims at helping small and medium businesses complete the view of the customer, combined with the company's sales and marketing products.

• May 15, 2018 15 May'18

  Survey: Digital HR strategy turns HR managers into partners

  Having a digital HR strategy that makes use of automation, embedded analytics and familiar consumer-like interfaces has made human resources more strategic.

• May 15, 2018 15 May'18

  ADP payments card system aimed at millennials

  ADP introduced the new Wisely Pay card system aimed at the contingent, young workforce and workers who may be unbanked, but need functions such as digital mobile wallet.

• May 14, 2018 14 May'18

  Recapping Oracle Modern CX: CX execs share challenges

  What's on the minds of customer experience execs right now? This Pipeline podcast breaks down grumblings and rumblings from Oracle's Modern CX show.

• May 11, 2018 11 May'18

  Avaya cloud revenue grows, but profitability remains elusive

  Avaya reported a net loss of $130 million last quarter, but the vendor still appears largely on track to hit its annual targets. Avaya cloud revenue rose modestly as a percentage of total earnings.

• May 11, 2018 11 May'18

  Citrix Analytics service brings hope for better security

  As it becomes more difficult to monitor and secure applications and data, Citrix's security analytics platform is getting more attention from IT pros.

• May 11, 2018 11 May'18

  ControlUp targets virtual desktop, server overprovisioning

  If IT pros overprovision virtual desktops and servers, they waste money and resources. But there are other problems associated with poor resource allocation.

• May 11, 2018 11 May'18

  Citrix NetScaler authentication methods help on-premises shops

  In Citrix Synergy 2018 session, attendees learned about two ways to implement multifactor NetScaler authentication: Microsoft Azure Active Directory and Google ReCAPTCHA.