Customer Experience
Top Stories
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Tip
29 Jul 2026
How to choose a CX provider: A practical buyer's guide
When assessing new CX vendors and technologies, enterprise tech buyers need to consider several factors, including technical and business-level buying decisions. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2026
Adobe releases AI search product catalog optimization tool
Soon, if not already, the customer relationship begins by persuading AI agents that your brand is legit. Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 May 2018
Albuquerque Amazon Alexa skill takes heat off call center
Tens of thousands of Alexa skills -- voice-activated apps -- exist, with more to come. Learn how a city government's call center created one to help residents. Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2018
Five areas to focus on in a SharePoint and GDPR compliance strategy
SharePoint admins need to be ready for the General Data Protection Regulation, too. Expert Reda Chouffani suggests five things to focus on when preparing for GDPR. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2018
Workplace collaboration tool bolsters employee productivity
The benefits of workplace collaboration tools trickle down to employee relationships, company growth, community engagement and training. Use this tip to choose the right tool. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 May 2018
GDPR call center compliance can be a sticky wicket
GDPR compliance for call centers can be complex and require the collaboration of business execs, call center managers and outside lawyers to establish data protection policies. Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 May 2018
Check off those GDPR call center requirements
With GDPR about to go into full force, there are last-minute details and loose ends to tie up to ensure that your call center complies with the necessary regulations. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 May 2018
Don't forget agent training in your GDPR call center plan
The General Data Protection Regulation will affect call center agents. A GDPR plan for call center agent training should cover the expanded definition of PII and more. Continue Reading
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Podcast
11 May 2018
Don't let customer service automation override customer experience
CRM expert Jay Baer, author of NYT bestseller 'Hug Your Haters,' joins the Pipeline podcast and answers host Don Fluckinger's litany of personal experience CRM complaints. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 May 2018
Clari AI for sales helps to enhance Salesforce
One company found that when using a variety of different vendors, a third-party AI product was more beneficial than a core vendor's AI offering. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 May 2018
Future of collaboration technology: More Slack and AI, less email
Companies have moved beyond messaging and email to Slack, Teams and even AI-powered scheduling and voice recognition. Are you ready for collaboration hubs and virtual assistants? Continue Reading
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Tip
09 May 2018
GDPR customer data compliance for service and support teams
Getting your Salesforce-powered customer service and support staff ready for GDPR involves more than just the free Trailhead training module. But it's a start. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2018
Adding artificial intelligence bots to Cortana for Office 365
AI bots aren't just for requesting songs and definitions anymore. As enterprises look for ways to bring virtual assistants into the workspace, Microsoft's Cortana stands ready. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2018
Ten tips to help Salesforce teams prepare for GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation implementation date is closing in. Salesforce experts have some advice for companies tasked with complying with the EU guideline. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 May 2018
Digital transformation hinges on information governance policies
Data governance is an important part of any digital transformation plan. The trick is to lead with the governance tools that ensure the digitization strategy is a success. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 May 2018
Cohesive AI in CRM strategies requires a singular 360 view
Implementing and upgrading AI CRM marketing and sales capabilities requires a holistic, multipronged strategy that encompasses all departments and customer engagement channels. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 May 2018
Content, data services enable digital workplace transformation
There's a lot of tech behind digital workplace transformations: middleware, application modernization, content and data services. Done right, it enables work-from-anywhere models. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 May 2018
How Salesforce teams will feel the impact of GDPR
With less than a month until GDPR has to be implemented, both B2B and B2C sales teams must be prepared to properly protect or even dispense of customer data, according to experts. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2018
GDPR for marketing: What U.S. content management execs need to know
Digital experience encompasses your brand presence on the web -- all of its targeted content, personalized marketing and customer interactions. Get your DX GDPR act together. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Apr 2018
ECM, digital document management help energy company surge
Sterling Energy can now expand its gas and water distribution services with a digital document management system that gives them real-time insight into business transactions. Continue Reading
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Guide
30 Apr 2018
CRM case studies: Customer relationship management in action
CRM for today's businesses means AI chatbots, data mining, marketing personalization and equipping call centers to handle the many channels available to customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2018
E-signature software market caters to contract-heavy industries
How do electronic signature tools from DocuSign, eSignLive, Adobe Sign, SignNow and SignEasy stack up? A G2 Crowd expert helps us sort through the field. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2018
Free GDPR tool for SharePoint aids data privacy compliance
A free, open source tool for SharePoint helps admins build a GDPR management hub to comply with the EU's data privacy law. Continue Reading
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Podcast
24 Apr 2018
Going paperless, AI, blockchain headline AIIM Conference
AI, cloud storage and blockchain technology were discussed at the AIIM Conference. The Pipeline podcast rehashes the conference and two organizations that rid themselves of paper. Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2018
Salesforce Field Service Lightning gets appointment, scheduling upgrades
While the new Field Service Lightning features will help Salesforce users connect customers to their service needs, it lacks any of that Einstein touch of other Salesforce products. Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2018
How a digital transformation process helped curb reliance on paper
By moving on from paper, the North Carolina Court System and the Texas Animal Health Commission were able to accommodate constituent or partner requests much quicker. Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2018
Intelligent information management is ready for AI, blockchain
A panel discussion at AIIM 2018 looked at how AI, cloud and blockchain will disrupt the intelligent information management space. Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2018
Measure your digital marketing ROI, keep your job
Oracle customers weigh in on executive's hypothesis that analytics can now prove ROI of the martech stack -- or soon will -- and make marketing a revenue center just like sales. Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Apr 2018
Salesforce World Tour Boston talks Integration Cloud, Social Studio
Salesforce World Tour sessions included dives into Philanthropy Cloud, integrated surveys and Salesforce's new Integration Cloud. Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2018
Oracle CX Cloud adds AI tools for B2C, B2B customers
Oracle announces infusion of its Adaptive Intelligent apps into several CX Cloud products and promises more to come, with sales, marketing and service all getting upgrades. Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2018
Salesforce Boston World Tour show highlights customers, philanthropy
From the dais and halls at Salesforce World Tour's Boston stop, talk focused on automating employee volunteerism, marketing best practices and developer reaction to MuleSoft deal. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Apr 2018
Comparing the top marketing automation software vendors
Don't be afraid of software migration if there's another technology that better fits your company's needs and if long-term benefits outweigh short-term costs, experts say. Continue Reading
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Podcast
09 Apr 2018
Importance of customer experience highlighted at Adobe Summit
The Pipeline podcast looks back at the Adobe Summit and the conference's main themes. Listen in as our team discusses how the NFL uses Adobe to better personalize customer campaigns. Continue Reading
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Podcast
06 Apr 2018
Adobe DMP a touchdown for NFL's data-driven marketing strategy
Heading into the 2017 season, the NFL made a concentrated effort to better understand its data and its audience. It turned to data governance and Adobe Audience Manager. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2018
Customer personalization takes center stage for 24 Hour Fitness
When it came time to engage more effectively with customers, 24 Hour Fitness looked to industry leaders in customer personalization for inspiration. Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2018
Adobe Experience Cloud to aid company digital transformation
Products are no longer the focus, according to Adobe. The customer experience is where it's at -- and Coca-Cola agrees, as the company executes its digital transformation process. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Mar 2018
Is it easy to migrate from PerformancePoint to Power BI apps?
Organizations like to use PerformancePoint as a way for users to interact with visualizations, but it doesn't work with Power BI apps, which can be a problem. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Mar 2018
Is Microsoft PowerApps an InfoPath alternative?
As users search for an InfoPath alternative, the seemingly obvious answer would be Microsoft PowerApps. However, Microsoft never intended for PowerApps to be the InfoPath replacement. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Mar 2018
Five ways SharePoint plays a key role as a digital workspace tool
New working structures, rules and geographies have made SharePoint a more and more important platform, as it enables workers to get it done anytime, anywhere, on any device. Continue Reading
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Podcast
23 Mar 2018
Salesforce acquisitions reach new heights with MuleSoft purchase
The intrepid Pipeline podcasters break down the MuleSoft acquisition, which enables hybrid cloud/on-premises CRM. Also: Salesforce Essentials replaces Desk.com and SalesforceIQ. Continue Reading
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News
23 Mar 2018
Box CEO weighs in on Dropbox IPO, AI in content management
In a wide-ranging conversation, Box CEO talks about Dropbox's public offering, AI's next application for content, Salesforce investing in both Box and Dropbox, and much more. Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2018
Salesforce-MuleSoft deal focuses on data integration
Beyond producing a hybrid cloud product with its new Integration Cloud, Salesforce now has capabilities for customers to build microservices with MuleSoft's technology. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Mar 2018
MindTickle, Salesforce speed sales learning in merger
Last year's Blue Coat-Symantec merger posed a dilemma: getting salespeople up to speed on the reshaped product line. MindTickle with Salesforce paid dividends in sales learning. Continue Reading
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Podcast
16 Mar 2018
Inside sales strategy, millennials highlight Accelerate 2018
Learn what happens when a SearchCRM editor joins a panel as the paid skeptic to discuss whether AI technologies provide real value for helping businesses increase revenue. Continue Reading
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News
16 Mar 2018
Salesforce small business tools get major refresh
Emphasizing the 'S' in 'SMB,' Salesforce goes after companies with 20 employees or less with Salesforce Essentials -- with hooks into Trailhead's free training. Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2018
Salesforce e-commerce gets B2B boost with CloudCraze purchase
To improve its e-commerce offerings, the CRM company bought B2B commerce product CloudCraze for an undisclosed amount. The purchase will add B2B functionality. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Mar 2018
Digital sales transformation may require shadow IT dark ops
Sales tech initiatives culminating with flipping the AI switch require operational and IT prep involving data aggregation, training salespeople and, possibly, shadow IT experiments. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Mar 2018
Leading brands see the need for personalized content
Content personalization continues to expand within companies as maturing technologies make it a viable marketing option for customer engagement strategies. Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2018
How a millennial workforce benefits sales teams, CRM
Millennials bring more than just their iPhones to the conference table. Here's why you need to stop dumping on your millennial sales force and embrace their tech-savvy ways. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Mar 2018
Drupal vs. Acquia: What's best for which organizations?
Which fork in the road should an organization take: open source Drupal, or Drupal with Acquia's service package and strong security and standardization? It's not always obvious. Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2018
Why improving social media customer service is important
By having a social media strategy in place, companies can quickly respond to customers' concerns through social media. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2018
AR content is the next frontier for execs to manage, monetize
So you've built a great augmented reality platform for consumers at play or field staff at work. Now, all you need is to find and catalog the content to populate it. Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2018
When selling on social media, marketers weigh chatbots vs. humans
Marketers interested in social selling need to weigh whether to use chatbots or deploy actual customer service agents. The decision depends on a number of variables. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Mar 2018
When to implement a headless CMS architecture
Do you want the shiny new CMS toy, the headless system? We break down who should jump at this new platform paradigm and take a look at vendors in the space. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2018
IT Priorities survey: CRM trends indicate move to the cloud
Hybrid cloud and on-premises IT should remain the norm for years. But more respondents to TechTarget's late 2017 survey indicate more cloud CRM and social media monitoring. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2018
Salesforce GDPR marketing compliance involves rethinking lead gen
The bigger -- and more complicated -- your marketing tech stack, the more complex your Salesforce GDPR compliance will be, vendors and experts say. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2018
Salesforce certification salary data: Admin, dev in demand
The 2018 Mason Frank International Salesforce Salary Survey's bumper sticker: The talent's holding the cards as employers increase bids for their services. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2018
E-commerce GDPR for Salesforce: Watch what data you capture
Making your Salesforce GDPR compliance strategy for e-commerce starts with monitoring the customer data you collect, starting with cookies -- and we don't mean the Keebler kind. Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2018
OpenText acquisition of Hightail signifies ECM market disruption
Alfresco's sale to an equity firm is seen as 'cautiously optimistic,' according to an analyst, adding that the influx of funding will continue operations. Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2018
How long does Office 365 deployment take?
If you're wondering how long an Office 365 deployment takes, expert Shawn Shell has the answer for you. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Feb 2018
Expert: Boring retail is dying as tech gains importance
Technologies such as augmented reality and AI in retail are becoming more important for brands looking to gain a selling edge. Tune in to the latest Pipeline podcast to learn more. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2018
Strategizing cloud GDPR compliance for the content app stack
Box compliance president Crispen Maung discusses vendor-agnostic GDPR compliance tips for subscribers to CMS cloud services as they ready for GDPR enforcement in late May. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Feb 2018
Customer service chatbots help reduce product returns
In previous years, Azumi Mobile was overwhelmed with customer calls after the holiday season as users attempted to return smartphones. This year, chatbots helped address that issue. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Feb 2018
Blockchain loyalty programs building future of customer experience
While blockchain platforms are still under construction and use cases are still being written, Hooters invests in its own. Others -- including employee rewards -- are to come. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Feb 2018
Colorado modernizes with Salesforce for government projects
Colorado licenses Service Cloud and other Salesforce technologies to improve its citizens benefit program. Continue Reading
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News
13 Feb 2018
When customer service automation goes off the rails
CRM sales and service automation can drive down costs when they drive customer self-service. But if they frustrate customers, what's the actual implementation cost? Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Feb 2018
Content management in the cloud a main theme in 2018
The future of content management resides in the cloud and with AI, as several 2018 conferences will assure you. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Feb 2018
Salesforce gets a blockchain distributed ledger tool
Blockchain technology is the ultimate connectivity layer, and it can be used to help solve thorny customer service issues when paired with Salesforce, according to one vendor. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Feb 2018
Meet your friendly service agent -- The sales chatbot
AI chatbots enable companies to automate some sales and service tasks, but the combination of people and smart machines creates better outcomes than either one alone. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2018
Six things to know about today's SharePoint implementations
As companies migrate their on-premises Microsoft SharePoint sites to the cloud, here are some things they should know about the current state of the platform. Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2018
Salesforce buys Attic Labs, adding to Quip capabilities
Quip receives back-end capabilities with open source database after Salesforce purchase of Attic Labs. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Feb 2018
AI chatbots augment humans working in contact centers
It might seem like contact centers are all being automated by AI chatbots, but for now, the jobs of human agents are still safe while all the kinks are worked out. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2018
Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning: How the CRM versions stack up
With migration becoming unavoidable, you should understand the different features available between Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning. Here is a chart to help you do just that. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jan 2018
What do GDPR principles mean for CRM data management?
Avoiding General Data Protection Regulation penalties means getting your CRM compliance program in order before the sweeping regulation goes into effect late this spring. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jan 2018
How will WP Engine's $250M influx affect the future of WordPress?
The already-large WordPress provider WP Engine is getting a massive cash infusion, but what does that mean for the content management market? Expert Geoffrey Bock weighs in. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2018
AI, machine learning ahead for Box content management platform
There's more to your content than you might think: AI, sentiment analysis and other tools will yield more insight than ever before, and APIs will help you deliver it. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jan 2018
Salesforce Pardot certification opens doors, boosts salaries
Pardot consultant Stacey Cogswell talks about the opportunities and challenges when obtaining Salesforce certifications. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Jan 2018
Cloud content management system improves page load speeds
Digital asset management remains in-house for most media companies. A cloud offering for video, image storage and editing helps Concourse Media better serve users on many devices. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Jan 2018
Marketing reporting software is dying, says InsightSquared CMO
InsightSquared CMO discusses the importance of vendor-agnostic reporting and why marketing-only reporting software is dying. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jan 2018
Artificial intelligence technologies a boon for customer insights
AI can help companies shrink the gap between customer data and actionable insight by feeding intelligence into CRM, marketing automation and other operational tools. Here's how. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jan 2018
Salesforce Trailhead gets social boost for admins, developers
Salesforce might not own LinkedIn, but it's creating a similar online social network of certified professionals via Trailhead, complete with vanity URLs and more detailed profiles. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jan 2018
Agile content management leads to iterative value
An Agile approach to enterprise content management enables companies to continually improve ECM systems and add value steadily and quickly. Here's how to make it work. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2018
Salesforce databases remain Oracle, for now
Oracle and Salesforce executives deny reports of Salesforce moving on from Oracle infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jan 2018
Comparing Salesforce Einstein AI across the clouds
What do you get when you pay for Einstein features in the Salesforce Sales, Service and Marketing clouds? We put it all in one chart. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2018
Intelligent information management in M-Files the next wave for ECM
Intelligent information management in M-Files allows users to search for content in multiple repositories while also being able to automatically assign metadata to content in 2018 upgrade. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jan 2018
Salesforce Marketing Cloud certification helps Aussie make bank
When considering which credentials in the Salesforce universe are the best investments, one marketing consultant makes the case for Salesforce Marketing Cloud certification. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jan 2018
Survey marketing leads to sales insights for outdoor association
After decades of catering to the needs of known customers, outdoor retailers now see the light and are targeting old and new customers with data-driven marketing and sales initiatives. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jan 2018
Taking on a virtual agent helps mint new wine connoisseurs
Having trouble selecting the wine that goes best with a special meal? And what if your preferred shop doesn't have it? Vivino helps you choose -- and, if needed, find -- the right wine. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jan 2018
Retail AI predicts consumer behavior for targeted marketing
Not all of travel club Secret Escapes' members want to see all 140 last-minute sales it runs every week. AI marketing personalization tool Jetlore helps prevent over-messaging. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jan 2018
Future of artificial intelligence in CRM rests with the bots
Chatbots may seem basic or rudimentary now, but just wait: AI advancements will take virtual agents to new levels of competency to engage customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Dec 2017
Adding voice, text channels in CRM for apps
When SpotHero wanted to create text and voice channels to enable agents to assist app users with parking their cars, Ujet was the ticket that made it work. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Dec 2017
Looking ahead at trends in CRM in 2018
More AI capabilities, intelligent security and augmented reality should gain prominence for CRM users in 2018. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Dec 2017
How traditional file-sharing services have evolved
With a focus on improving digital experiences for its users, Box has added two new modern collaboration tools, Skills and Graph, to its roster to help shake up file sharing. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Dec 2017
Do customer service chatbots need to pass the Turing test?
Experts say organizations should focus on enhancing the customer experience with chatbots -- not so much on passing the legendary Turing test for artificial intelligence. Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2017
Salesforce small-business CRM customers can tap into AI, too
Salesforce small-business faces heavy competition from more nimble, agile, less expensive boutique CRM vendors. Yet, the largest CRM platform woos SMBs like it does bigger fish with features for AI. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Dec 2017
Einstein AI drills deeper into Salesforce clouds
Einstein AI tools show great promise and are expanding deeper into the Salesforce clouds. Many smaller companies still need some convincing, but have high hopes for the future. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Nov 2017
Eight must-have call center systems for customer service
It can be challenging to pick a call center technology, implement it and optimize it for the best results. Here are the top eight call center tools to deliver the best customer experience. Continue Reading
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Podcast
10 Nov 2017
Pipeline podcast: Salesforce SMB customers to benefit from Google deal
Salesforce executives at Dreamforce discuss the impact of the new partnership with Google on Salesforce SMB customers, who'll be able to tap into Google Analytics and more. Continue Reading