CRM tools and strategy
Customer relationship management combines various tools -- like marketing and sales force automation software -- and strategies to help organizations maintain, manage and learn from customer interactions. Find out the latest news and expert advice for your CRM approach.
Top Stories
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News
22 Mar 2023
Adobe unveils new collaboration tool for marketing teams
The CX giant revealed new technology for faster workflows between marketing, product and data teams to collaborate on marketing campaigns in its new Product Analytics platform. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2023
Adobe Firefly brings generative AI imaging marketing tool
Adobe's Firefly is an image creator trained on millions of visuals from Adobe stock content to understand written commands and make images for better marketing. Continue Reading
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News
29 Aug 2018
Add web content personalization to your marketing strategy
Josh Mueller, global head of marketing at Dun & Bradstreet, talks about how quality data drives innovative marketing solutions such as web content personalization and AI chatbots. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Aug 2018
Sales planning tools sport a B2B customer experience focus
Sporting goods giant uses sales performance and planning tools to upend traditional product-centric approach, tackle engagement issues and pitch a better story to customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Aug 2018
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
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Feature
02 Jul 2018
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
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Feature
27 Jun 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Podcast
26 Jun 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Podcast
21 Jun 2018
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. Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Jun 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jun 2018
Keys to customer engagement on social media CRM
Responding to positive and negative customer inquiries on social media is important, industry experts say, and that can go far in retaining customers and promoting your brand. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2018
Selecting a CRM cloud to host sales, service and marketing
Azure, AWS and Google are popular public clouds. But not all CRM systems are interchangeable with each of them. Experts break down the decision-making process. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2018
Marketers face stiff challenges improving CRM capabilities
Amid the proliferation of AI and cloud-based apps, marketers acknowledge and take partial blame for problems encountered along the way to improving their CRM capabilities. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2018
AI strategy comes first, then AI tools second
If your organization plans to implement AI into its workflow, be sure to develop a sound strategy and provide the necessary training to get the most out of the software. Continue Reading
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Podcast
01 Jun 2018
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. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2018
Sales Cloud implementation transforms sales tracking, analysis
Salesforce Sales Cloud has made Thompson Pump's once manual, paper-backed tracking, analyzing and crediting processes fast and tidy, reducing order-processing time by about 20%. 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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Podcast
14 May 2018
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. 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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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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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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Podcast
19 Mar 2018
Social media customer care important to brands, experts say
In this Pipeline podcast, we discuss what was a primary topic at Social Media Marketing World: how companies should interact with customers through social media. 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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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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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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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
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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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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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
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
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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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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News
07 Nov 2017
Experts: Time is nigh for a Salesforce Lightning migration
'Everything forward will be Lightning,' was advice from one analyst at Dreamforce 2017. CommScope's experience proves a move to Salesforce Lightning may be easier than you think. Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2017
At Dreamforce, Salesforce applications take center stage
Quip is expected to become the new Salesforce collaboration standard in Dreamforce unveiling; AppExchange and Einstein announcements reveal push into new markets. Continue Reading
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Podcast
20 Oct 2017
Pipeline podcast: Exploring the growth of the martech stack
The marketing technology field has exploded, as have ways to organize a martech stack. This episode of the Pipeline podcast recaps highlights from the MarTech Conference. Continue Reading
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Podcast
06 Oct 2017
AI among new Dynamics 365 features, Microsoft Teams top news from Ignite
Discussing the top news stories coming out of the newly combined Microsoft Ignite and Envision conferences on the latest Pipeline podcast episode. Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2017
Dynamics 365 CRM can help drive the digital transformation process
At Ignite, Microsoft predicts the future -- and it's one that centers on Dynamics 365, artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Sep 2017
New Dynamics 365 features take center stage during Ignite keynote
Dynamics 365 and the future direction of Microsoft products were given center stage during the Ignite keynote delivered by Satya Nadella. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Sep 2017
Automation features help settle CRM migration quandary for one office
Insightly CRM for G Suite or Salesforce? One of a manufacturing company's 72 offices takes the road less traveled. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 Aug 2017
What problems need solving to create smoother customer interactions?
While many factors can make or break a sales-service platform merge, three challenges stand out when combining service, sales strategies. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2017
Humanitarian company uses Dynamics 365 for Talent for quicker deployment
Chemonics upgraded its technological process from telex-era capabilities to cloud-based software for its worldwide projects. Continue Reading
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Podcast
21 Jun 2017
CRM machine learning leaps forward, assisting process automation
AI, analytics and machine learning -- once separate technologies -- are now integrating into powerful new combinations for customer retention and service. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Apr 2017
Top five benefits of speech analytics tools for contact centers
Learn the top benefits of speech analytics technology for contact centers, and how speech analytics tools can lead to a better customer experience. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2017
Advisor sees better jobs and pay after Salesforce administrator course
Jenn Sanders illustrates how the Salesforce administrator course can boost a career. The consultant saw an increase in pay, client respect and a teaching opportunity. Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2017
Six tips for simple, effective SMB cloud CRM implementations
Thrush Aircraft flew through a cloud-based CRM implementation by engaging employees all along the way. Here are tips based on its success. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Mar 2017
Which track on the Salesforce certifications list is right for you?
The Salesforce certification list seems long and complicated. But it's not -- if you break it down into tracks and look at salary data for ROI on training. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2017
Software creation is not for every startup
While it may be beneficial in the long run, creating AI software requires patience, investment and the right cast of employees. For one company, the investment paid off. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2017
Salesforce acquisitions signal ongoing broad-based platform strategy
In 2017, Salesforce plans to wield its collaborative culture and tools to integrate its 2016 acquisitions. How will its platform strategy fare? Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Jan 2017
New e-commerce technologies set to change customer experience
With the recent emergence of e-commerce technologies like Amazon Go and Commerce Cloud, customer experience has greater potential, but it also poses security issues. Continue Reading
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Podcast
11 Jan 2017
Enterprise AI skyrockets -- IoT doesn't: More 2017 technology trends
Enterprise AI and market consolidation will continue to cast their shadows unabated in 2017. Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2016
Salesforce-AWS partnership expected to benefit customers
By switching to Amazon Web Services, existing Salesforce customers could gain insight from AWS apps that will easily integrate with Salesforce. Continue Reading
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Podcast
06 Dec 2016
Why has the Microsoft-Salesforce partnership soured?
While the Microsoft-Salesforce partnership was touted with great fanfare just two years ago, the relationship has since soured. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Nov 2016
Seven ways Dynamics 365 stands out from every other ERP platform
Microsoft promises Dynamics 365 will outshine every other ERP platform that will allow users to gain better customer insights and while keeping costs down. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Nov 2016
SAP Hybris CRM gets a jolt from SAP HANA Cloud
SAP Hybris is capitalizing on PaaS to help customers and partners build applications and better integrate their SAP portfolios. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Nov 2016
Despite initial fanfare, Salesforce IoT Cloud still seeks user enthusiasm
Salesforce IoT Cloud came on the scene to great fanfare, but users are still struggling with how to make meaningful use of the data. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2016
Collaborative tool Quip furthers Salesforce integration
Pinterest used Quip to enhance collaboration between different departments in order to create new video advertising for its popular social media application. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Oct 2016
Microsoft may bring location-based marketing to Office 365
It's still early days for location-based marketing, but recent integrations and acquisitions by Microsoft indicate it has LBM on its roadmap. Continue Reading
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Podcast
11 Aug 2016
Salesforce acquisition spree continues unabated
Salesforce has been on a fast and furious buying spree since December 2015 with no sign of a letup. Continue Reading
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News
04 Aug 2016
Quip joins growing stable of Salesforce apps
With the addition of Quip, Salesforce users can perform word processing tasks without leaving the CRM provider's platform -- which may spell bad news for Microsoft. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Jul 2016
Why does AWS as a cloud infrastructure provider matter for Salesforce?
After experiencing a data outage in May, Salesforce turned to Amazon Web Services. It was a huge move, but probably a necessary one, expert Brent Leary explains. 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
14 Jun 2016
Understanding Salesforce App Cloud licensing
Salesforce App Cloud opens important doors to building new functionality into Salesforce. But it's important to read the fine print on licensing options. 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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Guide
09 Mar 2016
Inside the Salesforce platform: The Salesforce clouds
Salesforce began as a cloud-based CRM provider but has stretched its tentacles into several new areas of operation with the Salesforce clouds. Is it truly a platform provider? 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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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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News
16 Dec 2015
Box-Salesforce partnership brings ECM features to CRM
A new partnership will bring the cloud file-sharing capability of Box to Salesforce. 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
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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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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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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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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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
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
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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News
30 Apr 2015
Could Oracle, Microsoft, or IBM buy Salesforce?
Only a few companies could afford to buy Salesforce.com. Is a buyout on the horizon, though? 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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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 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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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
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
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
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
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