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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Tip
27 Jul 2016
Three ways to import Power BI data into SharePoint
Whether you want to import raw data, use a URL or analyze data with Excel, here's the how-to on bringing Microsoft Power BI data into SharePoint. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jul 2016
Microsoft OneNote goes mainstream after long adolescence
More than a dozen years after its initial release, is Microsoft OneNote finally poised for mainstream content and collaboration market success? Continue Reading
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Podcast
21 Jul 2016
Customer experience gathers steam with IoT analytics
Companies are moving from gut feel to rely on scientific tools, such as IoT analytics data, to develop customer experience strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2016
Salesforce rallies in retail with purchase of Demandware e-commerce
Now that Salesforce has purchased Demandware, it's positioned to compete with vendors like Oracle and even Amazon for market share. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2016
Four features of contact center evolution
Contact center evolution is explored through four key features, identifying how contact centers have changed through the past, present and future. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jul 2016
Mobile location-based services teeter on ethical line
Mobile location-based services can yield information about customers, but companies need to travel a careful line with the information they gather. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2016
In customer personalization, explicit data matters
By utilizing explicit data, companies can increase brand engagement and enhance the customer journey through customer personalization. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Jun 2016
LinkedIn purchase may signal new era of open APIs
Microsoft's LinkedIn purchase may open up APIs and enable new competitors to take advantage of the treasure trove of social CRM data in LinkedIn. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Jun 2016
Microsoft buys LinkedIn database for treasure trove of CRM contacts
Microsoft bought the LinkedIn database. How will the professional contacts data enhance existing information in Dynamics CRM? Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2016
How to connect Power BI with SharePoint
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to connect Power BI with SharePoint team sites without uploading files, allowing you to export and analyze data much more seamlessly. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 May 2016
Consumers still waiting for Godot on personalized marketing?
Personalized messaging can be an invaluable tool for marketers. Unfortunately, these marketing campaigns aren't living up to their potential, according to consumers. Continue Reading
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News
25 May 2016
Maximize growth through sales collaboration
OHL, a global supply chain management company, grew sales with successful collaboration between sales teams and marketers. Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2016
Salesforce Government Cloud, app sharing ease agency collaboration
Salesforce Government Cloud Lightning eases government agencies' security concerns, allows for app sharing and improves communication among agencies and citizens. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Apr 2016
Can Salesforce Wave answer data integration challenges?
Like other products, Salesforce Wave promises to make it easy to stitch together data silos. Is data integration as easy as it sounds? An expert offers some insight. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Apr 2016
Mobile marketing strategy isn't a bolt-on to existing strategy
Too often, companies falter in their marketing strategies by tacking mobility onto what they already do. Instead, you should create 'mobile moments.' Continue Reading
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News
06 Apr 2016
Blockchain as a service may be in your future -- like it or not
Although consumers have been reticent about digital payments, new services -- such as Venmo and blockchain -- are making the benefits of mobile payments difficult to deny. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Mar 2016
Is user adoption of Salesforce Analytics Cloud the next wave?
Salesforce Wave filled an analytics void when it was released -- but there are caveats. Learn more about the benefits and challenges of moving to Salesforce Analytics Cloud. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Feb 2016
How to embed video with SharePoint Media Web Part
Adding audio or video to a SharePoint page isn't rocket science -- but there are some tricks to make it easier. An expert explains. Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2016
Users discontent with data insights from analytics apps
Companies use analytics apps to derive meaningful data insights, but survey results indicate they are discontented with their BI tools. Can Salesforce Analytics Cloud fill the void? Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2016
Salesforce exec discloses plans to boost one-to-one marketing
Traditional mass marketing methods don't cut it anymore. Salesforce discusses its plans to bring one-to-one marketing to customers. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2016
Omnichannel customer service is no small feat
Seamless, efficient customer service is the elusive goal of omnichannel. Salesforce expects to deliver it using IoT to give contact centers 'spooky intelligent' systems. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2016
Salesforce IoT Cloud still on road to maturity
Offerings such as Salesforce IoT Cloud are open for business. But are IoT-connected devices ready to generate meaningful data? Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jan 2016
Salesforce Community Cloud (Community Cloud)
Community Cloud is a social platform from Salesforce.com that is designed to connect and facilitate communication among an organization's employees, partners and customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jan 2016
Examining the pros and cons of Microsoft Power BI tools
Power BI is a suite of business intelligence tools that targets user-friendly analysis and reporting. But what are users getting for their money, and how is it potentially useful? Continue Reading
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News
22 Dec 2015
Emerging CRM technologies took center stage in 2015
New CRM technologies such as the Internet of Things and native analytics apps piqued interest in 2015. But adoption of these technologies has yet to reach critical mass. Continue Reading
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Podcast
17 Dec 2015
Marketing automation adoption takes off: 2016 technology trends
As we look ahead to the 2016 IT trends to watch, one key CRM theme is marketing automation adoption, which is poised to grow, says an expert. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Dec 2015
Handling unwieldy data with Salesforce Wave Analytics
With sales teams struggling to access and consume data, Salesforce Wave Analytics promises ease of use and accessibility. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Dec 2015
Customer communities aren't credible without legwork
Customer communities can't be credible sources of customer support if companies don't do the up-front work to make the information authoritative. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Dec 2015
Despite cloud-based CRM success, data silo issues remain
While cloud-based CRM tools are making inroads in bridging data silos, smaller, niche tools are becoming more necessary to solve data management challenges. Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2015
Oracle Marketing Cloud updates mobile capabilities
Updates to the Oracle Marketing Cloud aim to give marketers and salespeople more mobile customer engagement options, as well as testing capabilities for marketing content. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Nov 2015
CRM marketplace could undergo new competition
While the CRM market has long been dominated by a small cohort of established providers, new niche players could shake up the landscape. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Nov 2015
Despite spruce-up, is the Salesforce Lightning UI fully baked?
Salesforce Lightning UI was updated this fall, enabling even greater ease of use, but pain points still exist in the platform. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Nov 2015
What does Salesforce Lightning, Wave enable for users?
Salesforce's latest upgrades to its Lightning and Wave platforms show that the cloud CRM company is trying to bring analytics closer to the individual user. Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2015
Oracle Marketing Cloud updated, with focus on data
Oracle's latest updates to its Marketing Cloud are designed to help marketers make better use of data to segment and target customers, as well as manage campaigns more efficiently. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Oct 2015
LBS powers personalized intranet design
Frustrated by its needle-in-a-haystack approach to locating pertinent corporate info, Citrix geared its intranet to specific employee needs worldwide. Continue Reading
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Podcast
14 Sep 2015
Challenges hinder Salesforce Lightning, Wave adoption
One year after they were released, users are looking before they leap into Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Wave. What is crimping adoption? Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2015
FinancialForce project management tool boosts Lexmark's ECM services
When Lexmark took on FinancialForce to manage its technology services projects, its ability to provide services blossomed Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Sep 2015
Wearable technologies still need to hit their enterprise stride
Wearable technologies represent a $7 billion industry, but they haven’t yet made their stake in the ground for knowledge workers. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Sep 2015
Communication essential to sales and marketing alignment
A lack of communication between sales and marketing teams can derail internal processes. Here's how to ensure collaboration between the two factions. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Aug 2015
Cloud-based CRM enters new territory for Salesforce partners
Channel partners are pursuing increasingly sophisticated Salesforce implementation projects, helping customers integrate and optimize complex systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Aug 2015
Zoho CRM platform overview
Zoho's cloud-based CRM platform helps businesses manage the key aspects of their customer engagement strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Aug 2015
Challenges of combining structured and unstructured data
Business intelligence tools can turn company data into valuable insights, but unstructured data is often a missing component. It doesn't have to be. Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Aug 2015
How does SharePoint 2016 differ from SharePoint 2013?
SharePoint 2016 will bring new features on premises, but many upgrades focus on easier integration with cloud-based Office 365 services. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2015
Oracle Sales Cloud update aims to boost sales, efficiency
Oracle updates its Sales Cloud to increase sales; Infer announces new lead gen product; and Xactly Strategic Services aims to drive workforce management. Continue Reading
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Podcast
23 Jul 2015
Location-based service apps yield trove of information
When customers come into a store with offers from location-based service apps, like mobile wallets, it indicates a new level of buying intention greater than just window shopping. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jul 2015
Cloud-based marketing tools need integration to work
When companies don't integrate their cloud-based marketing tools, customer data can easily become out-of-date and out-of-sync among various systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Jul 2015
Improving customer engagement strategies with CRM tools
There are several different types of CRM tools that can be used to improve your customer engagement strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jun 2015
Enterprise video metrics a must to measure success
Increasingly, companies have turned to video for customer service, product demos and branding. But they need to measure success with enterprise video metrics. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jun 2015
CRM documentation paves way to successful release management
As companies use a CRM system in the wild, they need to be able to make tweaks, and those changes need to be well-documented. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 May 2015
Enhancing customer engagement strategy through a mobile experience
Consumers use mobile devices constantly. Marketers can capitalize on this by developing a rich, engaging mobile experience to drive sales. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 Apr 2015
Are Microsoft customers cooling on cloud concerns?
As cloud platforms mature and become more mainstream, on-the-fence Microsoft users are taking another look at adopting them. Continue Reading
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Podcast
13 Apr 2015
Microsoft Convergence focuses on analytics, cloud
Microsoft Convergence attendees explored the new cloud-based Power BI analytics tool at the conference. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Mar 2015
Has Microsoft cloud strategy evolved?
Microsoft is trying to lead customers to the cloud with hybrid offerings, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM. But will that succeed? Continue Reading
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Guide
17 Mar 2015
CRM leadership: Buying, managing and running a system
Implementing a CRM system is more than just buying software. Executives need to tap into their leadership skills to select the right CRM system and ensure that it brings the desired benefits to the organization. Continue Reading
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News
10 Mar 2015
Why SMAC will change your company's content management strategy
Trends like social, mobile and cloud have become entrenched in business operations but also pose serious challenges to managing and securing information. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Mar 2015
CRM skills training essential for system management
The right CRM training is crucial to the management and development of a CRM system. Make sure your staff has the right CRM skills to survive. Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2015
Mobile customer service gives citizens a voice with government
Philly 311, a new mobile customer service app for the city of Philadelphia, helps citizens report neighborhood incidents and engage more deeply with city government. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2015
Customer data becomes the turf for companies' competitive advantage
Corporations are using customer data to gain a competitive edge in the market, but new analytics technologies pose privacy downsides. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Feb 2015
Salesforce vs. Microsoft Dynamics: Why I choose Salesforce
While Salesforce can be more costly than Microsoft Dynamics, ease of use and a healthy ecosystem of support can make it a persuasive choice. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Feb 2015
Improving data quality with better CRM system design
If your CRM system isn't designed for ease of data entry, it can undermine data analysis and decision making. Here's how to promote cleaner data. Continue Reading
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Podcast
16 Jan 2015
BPM backbone builds new paths to customer engagement
Pega, a business process management software forerunner, is using BPM to deliver new customer engagement and CRM software for its customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2015
Are marketing automation tools the greatest asset in the sales arsenal?
The more your sales reps know about prospects, the faster they can close deals. Here's why marketing automation tools deliver real sales intelligence. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jan 2015
Customer data integration needs strategy to derive meaning
Your approach to customer data integration needs to be guided by another strategy to determine which information is relevant. Continue Reading
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Answer
07 Oct 2014
What causes SharePoint 2013 performance issues?
SharePoint 2013 performance is a major concern, especially when it comes to SharePoint in the cloud. What steps can companies take to prevent a SharePoint slowdown? Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2014
Dell's chief data officer on building a data-driven culture
How do you democratize data analytics without creating chaos? Dell's chief data officer, Rob Schmidt, discusses the building blocks of a data-driven culture. Continue Reading
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Podcast
26 Jun 2014
Weighing the pros and cons of SharePoint BPM
When looking at the pros and cons of SharePoint BPM, consider the tradeoff between Office integration and the versatility of broader BPM tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2014
New technologies take on records management challenges
An explosion of information is forcing organizations to recycle their folders and go digital. But change won't come easy. Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2014
A SharePoint upgrade can educate users about information governance
Upgrading or migrating to a new version of SharePoint gives companies a chance to clean up their content and revive information governance training. Continue Reading
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Guide
28 Apr 2014
A guide to SharePoint migration
SharePoint migration is no easy task. Prepare for a successful upgrade with this guide, which also includes SPTechCon 2014 coverage. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Apr 2014
A 360-degree view of customers requires better data analytics
Companies want to use better data analytics to get a more comprehensive understanding of their customers. But today's reality suggests that is in the distant future. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2014
As ECM systems mature, BPM becomes central to ROI
ECM systems have matured beyond content repositories to include automated workflow, which can optimize business processes and justify the cost. Continue Reading
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Podcast
26 Nov 2013
SharePoint 2013 out-of-the-box features
Let's give thanks for some of SharePoint 2013's out-of-the-box features, some of which have made serious strides since the previous release. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Oct 2013
How to configure SharePoint for mobile devices
As more organizations support bring-your-own-device initiatives, end users increasingly expect access to SharePoint resources from mobile devices. Continue Reading
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28 Aug 2013
SharePoint 2013 overview: Ready for mobile and social?
Despite a lackluster track record for mobile SharePoint, is SharePoint 2013 now ready for mobile prime time? Continue Reading
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10 Jun 2013
Digital asset management systems guide
This guide offers digital asset management case studies and stories that explore the available options for managing multimedia and rich media content. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jan 2013
Oracle Siebel vs. Salesforce faceoff: Siebel is more versatile
In this Oracle Siebel vs. Salesforce faceoff, one consultant says Siebel users have more options without paying much more than Salesforce customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jan 2013
Knowledge management strategy helps gas company retain worker know-how
Pacific Gas and Electric shares advice on how to hold on to institutional knowledge when highly experienced workers hit retirement age. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Oct 2012
SharePoint content management and collaboration guide
Expert advice and tips about SharePoint content management and collaboration, and key aspects of SharePoint administration, strategy and management. Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2012
Enterprise social media and collaboration guide
Check out news, trends, analysis and expert advice on enterprise collaboration strategy, enterprise social media management and the key aspects of implementing collaboration and social technology. Continue Reading
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31 May 2012
Far-flung firms put SharePoint infrastructure to test
In the current issue, Shawn Shell looks at managing infrastructures in dispersed organizations. Also: tips on extending SharePoint’s capabilities, and advice on preparing end users for deployment. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Mar 2012
Desktop analytics: A game changer for contact centers, back offices
Expert Donna Fluss says companies should consider a new type of analytics -- desktop analytics -- to accurately provide feedback on the contact center and the back office. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2012
RES HyperDrive: Cloud nine for IT?
RES Software’s HyperDrive is an in-house file-sharing service that’s similar to Dropbox, but gives IT more control. Plus, it caches data on your iPad so it’s available offline. Continue Reading
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Report
05 Jan 2012
CRM user interface guide
This guide provides an at-a-glance look at Oracle, SAP, Microsoft and Salesforce.com’s user interfaces for their mobile client, Outlook integration and sales dashboards. Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2011
Customer experience analytics: Separating hype from fact
SearchCRM expert Donna Fluss compares the latest types of customer experience analytics applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2011
Application security best practices help meet compliance objectives
Aligning application security best practices and compliance objectives helps companies comply with industry regulations and standards -- and may help reduce costs in the process. Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2011
PCI DSS offers call center PCI compliance tips
The payment card industry compliance standards body has released a new document to help contact centers protect sensitive customer data. Continue Reading
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Definition
04 Mar 2011
records information management (RIM)
Records information management (RIM) is a corporate area of endeavor involving the administration of all business records through their life cycle. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Oct 2009
Five best SharePoint troubleshooting tips
Got some gripes with SharePoint? Learn what some of the biggest issues are and how to fix them Continue Reading
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Report
03 Jun 2009
Five call center sales tips and techniques
In difficult economic times, ramping up sales in the call center can provide another outlet to help companies meet sales quotas and drive sales effectiveness. We've gathered these five tips for companies looking to improve call center sales and train call center agents to become effective sales professionals. Continue Reading
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News
14 May 2009
New SAP CRM ordering system helps Coke roll out new dispenser
A new beverage dispenser designed to revolutionize Coke's distribution system demanded a new way for the soda giant to service customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Mar 2009
Top free SharePoint utilities and tools for enterprises
Are you on a tight budget? Download these handy tools and utilities for free to fill in SharePoint functionality gaps. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Feb 2009
Does hot seating in the call center affect agent morale?
Learn about hot seating in the call center and find out how it can have a positive and negative impact on agent morale and productivity in this expert tip. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2008
Understanding customer commitment
Research shows that there are three forms of customer commitment: relational commitment, instrumental commitment and value-based commitment. In this chapter, learn about all three types of customer commitments and get key performance indicators (KPIs) for customer retention programs. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2008
Creating positive customer retention strategies
Is your organization deploying positive customer retention strategies or negative ones? In this chapter excerpt, learn about a number of positive customer retention strategies, including how to add customer-perceived value, create social and structural bonds and build engagement to delight your customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Nov 2008
SIP in the call center: Top 10 buzzwords
In many of today's call centers, session initiation protocol (SIP) allows customers and call center agents to connect through various forms of multimedia communications. We've gathered these terms and definitions to help you better understand SIP in the call center. Continue Reading
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Answer
19 May 2008
Call center rules and regulations: Why are they so strict?
Learn the purpose of call center rules and regulations in this tip from Donna Fluss, including how and why call center managers control the number of scheduled agents according to the forecasted call volume, using workforce management (WFM) applications. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 May 2008
Salesforce.com for dummies: Creating daily reports
Use this step-by-step guide to create daily reports from scratch in Salesforce.com. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Nov 2007
What's the difference between speech recognition software and voice tags?
Wondering about how voice recognition or speech recognition and voice tags differ? Read definitions from Donna Fluss in this tip. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2007
Call center centralization vs. decentralization analytic framework
Call center centralization can be cost-effective for centers of a certain size. In her latest column, Donna Fluss outlines a framework for call center managers who are considering call center consolidation. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 Sep 2007
Call center scheduling: How to manage Auxiliary or unavailable time
Expert Lori Bocklund advises a reader on managing a call center agent's Auxiliary or unavailable time. Continue Reading