Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• Martech strategy, Agile marketing are trends to follow

  As the marketing model changes, businesses can adopt thousands of different marketing technologies to better reach customers and improve customer experience. Continue Reading

• Businesses can achieve 360-degree customer view using AI

  AI can be a powerful tool to analyze large amounts of customer data and improve CX. Here are some areas in which AI can be of assistance in your organization. Continue Reading

• How can customer relationship metrics benefit CX?

  Companies often look at customer relationship metrics to determine how customers feel about a brand. Here are examples of how to obtain and use information to qualify customer relationships. Continue Reading

• Nectar launches Customer Experience Assurance platform

  The new product includes features like auto-discovery and real-time alerting intended to enable contact center teams to test and discover network issues in a timely manner. Continue Reading

• 4 customer data collection best practices to follow

  Building a good customer data collection strategy can be difficult. These tips explain how to collect data and how to use it to improve customer experience. Continue Reading

• Evolving contact center services reshape engagement strategies

  As consumer expectations increase the need for more satisfying omnichannel engagements, the role of the contact center takes on greater importance and complexity.Continue Reading

• Upselling customers adds ROI gold to contact center channels

  AI, analytics and customer service technologies can predict behavior and secure brand loyalty, but generating impulse buys adds a new ROI wrinkle to the evolving contact center.Continue Reading

• Security, management updates made to LogMeIn Bold360

  LogMeIn has updated the search optimizer, monitor view and workload organization features in its live agent and chat bot customer engagement and AI software platform Bold360.Continue Reading

• How business messaging benefits customer experience

  Who wants to call a company and wait on hold? Or, worse, send an email and wait for a response? Business messaging can avoid these hang-ups and help brands improve all stages of CX.Continue Reading

• 4 ways customer feedback benefits marketing strategies

  Leela Srinivasan of SurveyMonkey offered tips on using customer feedback data to inform enterprise marketing strategy during a session at Inbound 2019.Continue Reading

• Humor in marketing can engage, retain customers

  Humor can be a powerful marketing weapon -- when used correctly. Here are some tips and examples that businesses can use to better connect with customers.Continue Reading

• Organizations reap benefits of mobile CRM apps

  Salesforce now offers organizations such as Cornell University the ability to render CRM systems as apps, making it easy to manage students and faculty at a number of colleges.Continue Reading

• Learn how to build a Salesforce app in 4 steps

  Salesforce users can follow these steps to create sophisticated codeless apps that integrate the Next Best Action feature using the Lightning App Builder.Continue Reading

• SAP CX tools evolve in the face of data privacy, AI

  'Experience data' from Qualtrics will help SAP boost its customer experience offerings. The company is also considering how AI can help and where privacy concerns fit into the CX landscape.Continue Reading

• Princess Cruises puts real-time customer experience into action

  The Ocean Medallion provides real-time CX to passengers on Princess Cruises. The technology enables vacationers to automatically open stateroom doors, locate companions and more.Continue Reading

• Customer data management tools shape personalization, boost CX

  In this guide, learn about the many tools, including customer data platforms, that collect and analyze data from disparate sources and provide a single, 360-degree customer view.Continue Reading

• How do customer service and customer success differ?

  Tripped up on the difference between customer service and customer success? In short, service is reactive and success is proactive, but both aim to solve problems for the customer.Continue Reading

• Businesses use AI to improve customer experience

  Chatbots, virtual agents, computer vision and other AI-related technologies on display at a recent tech conference are being used to improve customer experience.Continue Reading

• Customer service technologies revolutionize CX engagements

  This Essential Guide examines the strategic and multidimensional role customer service and its technologies now play in personalized customer experiences over multiple channels.Continue Reading

• Customers stay connected with Talkdesk 100% uptime SLA

  Talkdesk customer Cognosante sees 50% cost savings after switching to the vendor's contact center software and, so far, has seen no interruptions in service.Continue Reading

• 3 call routing methods to consider in your contact center

  Contact center call routing methods include next-available agent, skill-based and predictive; however, each strategy has pros and cons. Learn what is best for your business.Continue Reading

• Businesses use AR/VR in CRM to boost customer experience

  Businesses are using augmented reality -- and its cousin virtual reality -- in applications across many industries. Where CRM is concerned, AR/VR may represent a big leap forward.Continue Reading

• Contact center AI: Agents may be training their replacements

  The goal for software developers training sophisticated agent-assist AI tools for contact center software platforms could be 'superbots' far smarter than today's chatbots.Continue Reading

• Autonomous, self-service technology can't replace human touch

  Self-service and autonomous technology can be found in any number of businesses, including hospitals, restaurants and retail -- but they are not a substitute for human interaction.Continue Reading

• Uber mall kiosks act as brick-and-mortar storefronts

  Uber uses digital mall kiosks as storefronts to recruit drivers, and an integrated video conferencing app enables users to interact with remote agents.Continue Reading

• Enosix CMO, who branded SAP Leonardo, talks martech strategy

  Shawn Reynolds, the former architect of SAP's Leonardo AI brand, moves to SAP-Salesforce integrator Enosix. He discusses marketing strategy in this age of overwhelming martech choices.Continue Reading

• Why use third-party marketing automation instead of native CRM tools?

  Though many CRM platforms offer native marketing automation tools, many organizations find it beneficial to use a third-party application, such as Eloqua or Marketo.Continue Reading

• Businesses see increasing importance of video conferencing

  Video chat is another channel for businesses to interact with employees and customers. Learn why businesses are placing increasing importance on video conferencing and about its effects on CX.Continue Reading

• How do Salesforce Next Best Action and Prediction Builder differ?

  The Salesforce Einstein Prediction Builder and Next Best Action components look similar to the untrained eye, but each product works in a different manner.Continue Reading

• Cattlemen group uses Google AI to build a chatbot

  Wondering 'where's the beef?' Ask Chuck, a chatbot created by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association -- one of hundreds of bots being deployed thanks to AI tools.Continue Reading

• What you need to know about Flow Designer vs. Flow Builder

  Salesforce Flow Designer is on the way out, Flow Builder is in -- sort of. The new update includes features that may not make a big difference for developers.Continue Reading

• Pega Cloud is Pegasystems' preferred platform

  In a Q&A, Alan Trefler, Pegasystems CEO and chess master, ruminates about the cloud, the symbiotic relationship between chess and AI, AI inflation, and the pivot to CX.Continue Reading

• Customer experience management enhances branding and success

  Customer retention depends on a good customer experience. CX management provides a 360-degree view of customers so buyers must find the right platform to match their needs.Continue Reading

• How to choose marketing automation software

  Learn how to improve your organization's marketing efficiency and assess which offerings from top marketing automation vendors will best meet your business needs.Continue Reading

• Advanced self-service platforms open new customer frontiers

  Self-service platforms and chatbots can improve the customer experience, but they can also frustrate users. Learn what works, what doesn't and what needs improvement.Continue Reading

• AI customer self-service platforms show analytical maturity

  AI-enabled self-service platforms graduate from traditional customer support activities to more sophisticated methods of analyzing data on customer wants, needs and behavior.Continue Reading

• 7 features of CX management tools to consider

  Using CEM tools can help companies monitor, improve and manage the customer experience. Read on to learn what to look for when choosing CEM tools.Continue Reading

• Gaming company boosts call center employee engagement

  Gaming company Electronic Arts boosts customer experience by using a design thinking strategy to improve the employee experience in call centers.Continue Reading

• Marketing automation tools deliver personalization, customer focus

  When buying a marketing automation product, it's important to consider key features, how the tool addresses the organization's size, deployment options, support and pricing.Continue Reading

• Ensure a good customer experience with CEM software

  CEM software helps companies track, measure and manage the customer experience. Read on to learn just how it differs from CRM software and what a good CEM system should include.Continue Reading

• Maximize and manage customer experience with CEM tools

  CEM software provides the technological support necessary to successfully manage the customer experience. Discover the extensive benefits the right platform can provide.Continue Reading

• Make marketing automation software choices to fit business needs

  Examine what core features leading marketing automation software vendors -- including Adobe, HubSpot and Oracle -- and CRM vendors -- including Microsoft, Salesforce and SAP -- offer.Continue Reading

• Trends to follow: Voice SEO and CX personalization

  Voice and personalization are CX trends to follow as businesses place more emphasis on customer experience, according to analysts at Oracle's Modern Customer Experience conference.Continue Reading

• Choosing between single- vs. multivendor strategy for CRM

  There are two ways to set up a CX tech stack -- either an integrated CRM suite or best-of-breed approach. There are benefits to each model, and the two are compared here.Continue Reading

• The pros and cons of customer service AI

  AI is growing deep roots into cloud-based support services, but there remains a question of whether it can provide the empathy and understanding that brand loyalty requires.Continue Reading

• 3 ways the data scientist role benefits CX teams

  CX teams don't traditionally include the data scientist role, but adding one can help derive more value from customer data than a CX analyst or canned analytics software can.Continue Reading

• AAA discovers benefits of Salesforce Service Cloud software

  Using Salesforce Live Agent and Salesforce Service Cloud, AAA Carolinas increased member engagement by 330% and reduced service response time by 54%.Continue Reading

• CEO plots course for Televerde women's prison call centers

  Working at a Televerde women's prison call center outpays many inmate jobs and sets agents up for careers on the outside. CEO Morag Lucey discusses how the company keeps current.Continue Reading

• Salesforce makes push for diversity in technology

  Salesforce is maneuvering into industry leadership, making a diverse IT community a priority. Its product development strategy seems to have been crafted with such diversity in mind.Continue Reading

• Giving inmates a second chance as prison call center agents

  Televerde staffs contact centers with incarcerated women, where they are paid the federal minimum wage. CEO Morag Lucey and COO Vince Barsolo discuss the model.Continue Reading

• Salesforce-Apple partnership deepens with new SDK for iOS

  The updated Salesforce mobile SDK makes it easier for developers to build native Salesforce apps for iOS devices using Swift, Apple's programing language.Continue Reading

• 4 chatbot success metrics to bolster CX

  Chatbot success can be measured using a number of metrics. Each helps improve the customer experience. Read on to learn which KPIs are beneficial for improving CX.Continue Reading

• How does the chief customer officer role benefit CX?

  The chief customer officer serves in many capacities, some of which include overseeing customer experience, sales, and service and support contacts, as well as unifying customer contact.Continue Reading

• How are Nonprofit Cloud and Philanthropy Cloud different?

  Charitable organizations partner with Salesforce.org through two cloud services: Nonprofit Cloud and Philanthropy Cloud. Read on to discover how the two differ.Continue Reading

• Is dialer technology relevant to CX projects?

  Live chat is still the preferred method of communication in contact centers, and the use of autodialers helps free up salespeople to speak with callers.Continue Reading

• Why is the Salesforce administrator role so crucial?

  Salesforce administrators serve as analysts, trainers and advisers in their roles. Companies can employ one or more Salesforce admins, depending on how the business is organized.Continue Reading

• How Salesforce.org's Philanthropy Cloud and Nonprofit Cloud differ

  Salesforce.org's Nonprofit Cloud and Philanthropy Cloud both partner with nonprofit organizations but in different ways. The uses of each are compared here.Continue Reading

• Industrial engineering company chooses integrated CRM for CX needs

  Through partnering with only Oracle for all of its CX needs, Schenck Process realizes the benefits of an integrated CRM over multiple products.Continue Reading

• AMAC prioritizes first call resolution for a better CX

  AMAC uses TetraVX unified communications and the cloud contact center platform Five9 in its three call centers to improve agent workflow, as well as member experience.Continue Reading

• CRM and CX management at crossroads in the customer journey

  CRM will live on in enterprise IT -- in some form -- for some time to come. But many brands are pivoting to the customer experience management models of doing business.Continue Reading

• CRM vs. CX: How companies are pivoting in philosophies

  It might be time to retire the decades-old concept of CRM now that CX is appearing everywhere. Learn how embracing CX alters the thinking of enterprise leadership.Continue Reading

• CX strategy a vital part of modernizing a business

  Consumers are providing retailers with more data than ever before, with expectations that they will receive a personalized experience. But that can be challenging for retailers.Continue Reading

• CRM for government, Salesforce improve D.C.'s 311 agency

  The Office of Unified Communications in Washington, D.C., said it improved its constituent relationships with Salesforce Service Cloud and Einstein Analytics.Continue Reading

• What was the purpose of Salesforce's MuleSoft acquisition?

  Salesforce completed the acquisition of MuleSoft in May 2018, gaining large customers, such as Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch, and adding beneficial technology to its platform.Continue Reading

• How do Salesforce Success Cloud and Trailhead differ?

  Success Cloud and Trailhead work hand in hand, enabling Salesforce users to make the most out of the platform and overcome obstacles along the journey.Continue Reading

• The differences between CRM vs. CX strategy

  CRM and CX seem very similar, but examining the principles of each shows emerging CX approaches focus on customer retention. We compare and contrast the two.Continue Reading

• Assess priorities before purchasing a marketing automation platform

  The promise of marketing automation is exciting, but the proliferation of tools can be intimidating. Learn how to dispel the confusion when buying a marketing automation product.Continue Reading

• Guide to AI in customer service using chatbots and NLP

  Learn how AI and natural language processing technologies work together to create virtual agents. Examine the benefits of chatbots in contact centers and the skepticism surrounding their use.Continue Reading

• Customer data to play important role in CX software in 2019

  Analysts see customer data continuing to be the main objective for CX companies, and that integration between platforms and third-party applications will grow in importance.Continue Reading

• Acquia transforms from WCM to digital experience platform

  Acquia's product roadmap is a metaphor for many WCM vendors, which must focus on digital experience to remain competitive in a quickly evolving market.Continue Reading

• Salesforce Service Cloud Einstein AI's Next Best Action, Bots

  Salesforce closes the distance between its cloud Einstein AI and IBM's Watson with flashy new features, as Service Cloud bows a no-code bot builder and a next best action tool.Continue Reading

• Salesforce acquisitions a big part of CRM vendor's busy 2018

  Again, 2018 showed how important acquisitions are to Salesforce's growth and expansion into markets such as AI, e-commerce, integration and collaboration.Continue Reading

• Einstein Bot, Einstein Voice create new Salesforce channels

  Born to compete with IBM's Watson, the Einstein cloud AI is in its third year of life and is exhibiting all the traits of a typical 3-year-old.Continue Reading

• Guidelines for navigating the sales software market

  Figuring out whether your organization needs sales force automation, sales enablement or sales forecasting tools can be challenging, and that's before factoring in AI.Continue Reading

• CRM for nonprofits rewires charitable giving

  Salesforce.org Nonprofit Cloud and marketing automation tools help charitable organizations gain and retain valuable donors, giving them a more positive experience.Continue Reading

• 5 tips for picking a call center customer experience platform

  Change comes to customer contact centers as cloud systems and the customer experience movement force IT leaders to rethink software stacks. Here's advice for choosing your next platform.Continue Reading

• Customer service AI tools can improve contact center

  By adding AI to its Salesforce Service Cloud integration, Nokia is trying to bring a proactive approach to customer service, while adding AI to workflow.Continue Reading

• Customer support automation for B2B requires human touch

  Robert Johnson of TeamSupport and Sandy Crowley of ICANotes offer tips on how B2B companies can use automation to supplement human customer support services.Continue Reading

• Why sending personalized marketing emails is an effective strategy

  For some companies, personalizing email newsletter content still proves to be a highly effective marketing strategy for engaging customers and driving sales.Continue Reading

• Marketing automation tools make personalization possible

  Marketing automation software can be a game-changer for sales and marketing departments, as it helps simplify campaign management and gauge the performance of marketing efforts.Continue Reading

• Using Shuttle to track sales leads and close deals

  Using Shuttle to track sales leads, sales reps at CBC Settlement Funding can focus less on coordinating follow-up emails and nurturing campaigns and more on closing deals.Continue Reading

• Salesforce salary survey details pay among professionals

  A new survey of Salesforce professionals, published by Mason Frank International, analyzes Salesforce salary data, employment trends and diversity.Continue Reading

• 4 signs Salesforce skills demand outpaces talent pool

  Survey points to four reasons the demand and salaries for Salesforce admins, developers and other professionals is high, but talent pool can't meet it.Continue Reading

• Will Salesforce decaNLP model live up to the hype?

  Salesforce's decaNLP model made a big splash at Dreamforce. But can it deliver on its promises? Here's what to expect from the natural language processing initiative.Continue Reading

• Q&A with IBM Watson's call center AI tech lead

  We sit down with IBM's contact center AI lead to talk about chatbots and their evolving role as human customers and support agents learn to coexist with them.Continue Reading

• How enterprises use dynamic pricing algorithms with AI, CRM

  Born out of the '80s era of airline deregulation, dynamic pricing finds new life and popularity when mixed with AI. In this Pipeline podcast, we talk with Ulrich von Beck of Pros.Continue Reading

• Invest in people for better customer experience in marketing

  At the MarTech conference, analysts discussed the importance of customer experience in marketing, customer data protection and designated martech leadership.Continue Reading

• AI sales technology trends for 2019 and beyond

  AI automation tools for sales technology have the potential to lead sales teams toward certainty in their decision-making, grow pipelines and reduce risks.Continue Reading

• How artificial intelligence in customer service improves CX

  AI in customer service enables products and services companies to respond to consumers before the customer experience breaks down and negatively affects retention.Continue Reading

• Salesforce implementation offers window into partner management

  Implementing Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud and Community Cloud has enabled a national window treatment company to streamline its operations.Continue Reading

• Einstein artificial intelligence leaves headroom for AI tools

  Einstein AI shines, but sometimes Salesforce customers customize their cloud with additional AI tools in hopes of launching sales revenue into hyperspace.Continue Reading

• Sales enablement tool uses AI to hone pitches

  Sales enablement AI goes beyond Einstein lead scoring as Brainshark applies sentiment and other analyses to practice videos that salespeople create before meeting customers.Continue Reading

• Customer service chatbots gain ground

  As chatbots begin to replace email as the go-to customer service channel, more and more companies are using AI and natural language processing to improve their chat services.Continue Reading

• Salesforce Health Cloud for Payers brings CRM to insurance

  With its CRM system for payers, Salesforce is targeting a competitive market in which health insurers are fighting for members seeking lower costs and better health outcomes.Continue Reading

• Tea Forte steeps value from new B2C CRM

  B2B CRM vendors like Marketo and Salesforce have tailored their wares for consumer-facing businesses, but B2C CRM vendor Zaius proved to be the right cup of tea for one company.Continue Reading

• Augmented reality in retail transforms customer experiences

  Retailers like Hershey's are experimenting with augmented reality to take the customers' experience beyond a smartphone screen and drop it into their living rooms.Continue Reading

• Cannabis CRM replicates dealer-customer relationship

  When a big-city medical marijuana business wanted to better serve clients, it opted for cannabis CRM software that tries to replicate the traditional dealer-customer relationship.Continue Reading

• Activists get organized with new Salesforce CRM for nonprofits

  Salesforce has adapted its CRM for nonprofits, giving activists a lower-cost way to track fundraising, organize activities and keep their communities engaged.Continue Reading

• Separating customer service chatbot hype from reality

  Vendors claim consumers want self-service chatbots. Turns out they'd rather scrub toilets or go to the dentist than converse with customer service in general, bots included.Continue Reading

• Tips and tricks for interacting with customers on social media

  To customers, all channels are equal: phone, email, voice, video, chat, text messaging and social media. But managing social media customer interactions can be thornier.Continue Reading