Contact center management
Contact center management puts the customer at the center of every decision. Measuring time-to-answer, hold times and response quality are all key metrics, as are customer satisfaction and retention.
Top Stories
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Tip
05 Oct 2022
10 tips to enhance and promote self-service platforms
Self-service platforms should be visible to customers, emphasized across all touchpoints and meet customers' needs. These tips can help enhance and promote self-service. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 May 2022
Best practices for initiating chatbot-to-human handoff
Contact centers perform a balancing act between AI and human agents. Support teams must train bots on chatbot-to-human handoffs and design AI aware of customer frustration. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Feb 2019
How Salesforce Einstein machine learning makes AI practical
As it evolves, Salesforce's Einstein AI serves the needs of a growing number of organizations and takes the guesswork out of why certain decisions are made. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Feb 2019
Customer success tools pave the way for business advancement
Quick Base launched an online university with the help of Skilljar to offer ongoing training, improving CX and increasing the likelihood of customer retention and loyalty. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Feb 2019
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
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Feature
18 Feb 2019
How Lucky Brand improved its online customer experience
As retailers try to keep up with customers' changing expectations, more and more brands are trying to mesh their online shopping experience with their in-store experience. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Feb 2019
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
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Feature
15 Feb 2019
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
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Feature
12 Feb 2019
CRM for nonprofits helps organization streamline work
Wolverine Human Services' adoption of the Salesforce.org Nonprofit Cloud halved foster care licensing time and improved productivity within the agency. Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2019
Verint acquisition of ForeSee gives VOC software an upgrade
By combining Verint and ForeSee, users can capture customer interactions through SMS and customer surveys, as well as through online traffic and digital channels. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Feb 2019
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
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Answer
30 Jan 2019
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
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Answer
30 Jan 2019
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
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Feature
29 Jan 2019
Salesforce.org's CRM for education helps UVA students succeed
The University of Virginia is one of a number of institutions using Salesforce.org's Education Cloud CRM to recruit students, track student success and manage alumni relations. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jan 2019
LA Metro pursues integrated CRM system with Salesforce
The Los Angeles Metro system integrates the Salesforce CRM with existing payment infrastructure, helping to bridge the gap between old and new technologies. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Jan 2019
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
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News
28 Jan 2019
Adobe Magento Commerce Cloud adds progressive web apps
Adobe is upgrading its e-commerce product by adding AI-fueled image-search capabilities and progressive web application building tools to Magento Commerce Cloud. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Jan 2019
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
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Answer
25 Jan 2019
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
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Infographic
24 Jan 2019
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
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Answer
22 Jan 2019
Which vendors make the best CRM for small businesses?
Choosing a CRM for small businesses can be difficult, as the most well-known CRM vendors cater to large enterprises. Others, however, create products with SMBs in mind. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jan 2019
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
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Feature
21 Jan 2019
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
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News
18 Jan 2019
AI-fueled Verizon Digital CX targets virtual contact centers
Telecom giant Verizon is boosting its software business with an AI-based CX system for contact centers, with tools for virtual and live agents, authoring and social engagement. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jan 2019
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
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News
15 Jan 2019
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
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Podcast
14 Jan 2019
Salesforce e-commerce upgrades put focus on mobile
Salesforce Commerce Cloud mobile-centric, consumer-focused upgrade unveiled at NRF 2019 conference, including Einstein Visual Search and Einstein Recommendations. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jan 2019
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
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News
07 Jan 2019
Salesforce High Velocity Sales boosts inside sales
High Velocity Sales includes Salesforce tools, such as Einstein Lead Scoring, Lightning Email, Sales Cadences and Work Queues, with more features expected in later 2019 releases. Continue Reading
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Answer
07 Jan 2019
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
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Answer
07 Jan 2019
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
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News
07 Jan 2019
HubSpot Ventures to strategically fund friendly startups
HubSpot remembers the financial backing it received as a new company and creates its own $30 million venture fund to invest in startups that align with the HubSpot mission. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jan 2019
Salesforce Lightning Web Components adds JavaScript model
By moving toward a standard-based JavaScript model, Salesforce is appealing to millions of JavaScript developers by making it easier to build custom apps on Salesforce Lightning. Continue Reading
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Infographic
03 Jan 2019
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
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Feature
03 Jan 2019
6 ways high-performing agents improve customer loyalty
Sandy Rogers of FranklinCovey offers tips for customer service managers on how to encourage positive traits in agents, such as empathy, responsibility and generosity. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2019
Call center tips to ensure successful agents
Once hiring managers find the right people for the job, contact center agents need both proper training and office tools to be successful in their roles. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jan 2019
Trusting marketing automation with CRM functions
Marketing automation with CRM frees up resources and improves the efficiency and accuracy of campaigns and lead development, but it still requires a degree of oversight. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2018
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
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Guide
27 Dec 2018
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
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Podcast
24 Dec 2018
2018 in review: CRM morphs into CX software
Acquisitions and new products marked a busy 2018, with vendors like Salesforce, Adobe and SAP making splashy acquisitions while refocusing on customer experience. Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Dec 2018
GDPR compliance requirements for CRM managers
Learn how the General Data Protection Regulation applies specifically to the CRM space and how managers can best ensure compliance within their organizations. Continue Reading
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Opinion
20 Dec 2018
Salesforce CX, AI, integration tools are 2019 trends to watch
As the world pivots from CRM to customer experience management, Salesforce makes its own moves with research showing millennials value CX over the actual goods or services received. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Dec 2018
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
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Tip
19 Dec 2018
6 customer intent metrics to prevent lead dropouts
Learn about the key metrics marketing teams can use to analyze customer intent, detect leads in danger of dropping out and focus energy on nurturing those leads. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Dec 2018
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
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Feature
17 Dec 2018
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
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Answer
17 Dec 2018
How does Salesforce Einstein Bot differ from other AI?
Salesforce's no-code bot authoring tool competes with Google, Amazon and Microsoft, but differentiating capabilities make it potentially more useful for the Salesforce user base. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Dec 2018
Is CRM with social media growing less trustworthy?
Comments made on social media can sometimes give businesses a skewed perception of consumer sentiment. Learn how to correct the data to inform business decisions. Continue Reading
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Infographic
17 Dec 2018
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
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Feature
14 Dec 2018
Use smart workflows to personalize customer experience
Smart workflows that automate certain decisions must become part of personalization strategies in order for CX teams to better guide customer journeys. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Dec 2018
Microsoft adds CRM for nonprofits to Dynamics 365 lineup
CRM for nonprofits, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Nonprofit Accelerator, helps nonprofit organizations take advantage of business tools and shared data. Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Dec 2018
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
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Tip
11 Dec 2018
8 tips for getting rich mystery shopping survey data
Mystery shopping data is only as good as the overall strategy for collecting it and setting up realistic customer experiences. Here are eight tips for investing your resources wisely. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Dec 2018
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
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Feature
07 Dec 2018
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
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Tip
07 Dec 2018
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
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Tip
06 Dec 2018
3 call center improvement strategies that boost efficiency
Call center agents must multitask like never before in this era of omnichannel service. How to increase efficiency with tech while relieving some of the load on the people. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Dec 2018
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
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Answer
03 Dec 2018
How does Salesforce lead scoring benefit Sales Cloud?
Einstein lead scoring offers a customizable workflow and strives to get better at prediction over time, and Salesforce is one of the top three vendors in the field. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Nov 2018
Managers learn AI basics with Salesforce Einstein Discovery
With many successes and failures, companies create their own AI apps with the use of Einstein Discovery. Users discuss their experiences along the way. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Nov 2018
Salesforce Circles of Success help SMBs get up to speed
Circles of Success participants connect with other Salesforce users to swap challenges, tips and tricks for rolling out the platform in their businesses. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Nov 2018
7 tips for improving marketing technology stacks
Being deliberate about integrating a new tool into marketing technology stacks will help ensure they produce ROI and makes processes more efficient. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Nov 2018
8 tips for a successful Einstein artificial intelligence rollout
You'll fail a few times before you succeed with Einstein, Salesforce customers said at Dreamforce. Once you dial it in, though, success can follow. Here are eight ways to get there. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Nov 2018
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
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Feature
21 Nov 2018
Omnichannel customer service improves customer experience
Customers have come to expect brands to provide omnichannel customer service, but many companies are still overwhelmed by the idea of introducing new channels and training agents. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2018
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
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News
19 Nov 2018
Zendesk CRM moves beyond customer service into CX
Zendesk moves on from focusing solely on customer service by adding analytics, sales force automation and CRM capabilities, while also providing third-party integrations on AWS. Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2018
Zoho CRM Plus gets AI boost, aims to connect departments
Zoho's new CRM release may help bring departments together, but it's unclear if the flood of AI tools and more data sharing will differentiate the vendor in the robust CRM market. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Nov 2018
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
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News
13 Nov 2018
SAP CX move with Qualtrics challenges Salesforce, Oracle
By acquiring Qualtrics, SAP is expanding beyond ERP and entering the CX space, challenging market leaders Salesforce, Oracle and Adobe. It also is expanding its HR tech suite. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Nov 2018
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
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Answer
12 Nov 2018
How can I maximize the Salesforce-Google Cloud integration?
Find out four new ways to make the most of the Google and Salesforce integration, including updates to the Salesforce data connector for Google Sheets. Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2018
Cloud e-commerce IT battle pits content management vs. CRM
ERP-based and stand-alone e-commerce systems dominate the market. As more companies go to the cloud, CRM and CMS vie to be the next foundation of e-commerce. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Nov 2018
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
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Guide
09 Nov 2018
Guide to customer experience management best practices, technologies
Customer experience management is growing. Learn about technologies, strategies and best practices that businesses are applying to their CEM. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Nov 2018
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
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Feature
08 Nov 2018
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
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Feature
05 Nov 2018
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
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News
25 Oct 2018
Adobe Magento Commerce Cloud brings e-commerce muscle
After acquiring Magento for $1.7 billion earlier this year, Adobe has integrated its commerce product into Adobe Experience Cloud for both enterprises and SMBs. Continue Reading
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Podcast
24 Oct 2018
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
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News
23 Oct 2018
Oracle CX Unity unveiled at OpenWorld
In an attempt to compete with Salesforce, Oracle unveils Subscription Management, a software tool to help users manage the growing number of consumer-facing subscription products. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Oct 2018
Tips to build a successful digital customer service strategy
CRM pros from Wendy's, Chamberlain Group and DoorDash offer tips for integrating Salesforce AI and social media channels to create a successful digital CX strategy. Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2018
FinancialForce adds Einstein Analytics to back office
FinancialForce added an analytics layer to its Professional Services Automation product to help its users find better insights in their back-office applications. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Oct 2018
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
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Tip
19 Oct 2018
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
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Answer
18 Oct 2018
How does Salesforce Einstein Language NLP improve productivity?
Salesforce NLP learns in a manner similar to that of the human brain, performing a variety of functions, such as semantic parsing, summarization and more. Continue Reading
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Podcast
17 Oct 2018
Pipeline podcast ranges over Dreamforce news
Einstein Voice, Customer 360, Salesforce partners and all things Dreamforce. The Pipeline podcast takes on these developments and takes an inside look at Salesforce Tower, too. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Oct 2018
Voice commerce rides on the backs of little smart speakers
The use of voice assistants and smart speakers continues to rise, but now companies are looking for ways to apply voice commercially in B2B and B2C sales. Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2018
Google Analytics for Salesforce helps users scour web data
Salesforce will sell Google Marketing Platform products on its own site in North America, strengthening the partnership between the two software giants. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Oct 2018
Loyalty rewards program fuels convenience store's CX
Since launching a loyalty rewards program last year, convenience store and gas station Yesway has driven 45.2% of loyalty members from the pump to the store. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Oct 2018
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
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News
26 Sep 2018
Salesforce Einstein Voice, Customer 360 data sharing on deck
Salesforce users to benefit from new and extended partnerships with Apple, AWS and IBM, the upcoming Customer 360 integration tool and Einstein Voice. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Salesforce Health Cloud roadmap boasts payer tools, CX, AI
Salesforce users in healthcare get tools that bring membership and benefits data and insurance utilization and claims data analysis tools into Health Cloud. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Clicks-and-bricks one-up online companies with behavioral data
Physical stores and banks are closing, losing ground to more agile online competitors. Technology and data can help them fight back. Continue Reading
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News
25 Sep 2018
Salesforce AI users reveal pros and cons
Salesforce Einstein users shared their experiences with the AI tools, including the challenges of getting the C-suite to buy in. Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2018
Open data, customer experience AI the focus for retail automation
AI is infusing the customer experience not only online, but in stores. At Ignite, SAP, Adobe and Microsoft joined forces for the common goal of sharing data to push AI even further. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Sep 2018
4 tips on getting up to speed with GDPR for U.S. companies
When GDPR went into effect four months ago, some U.S. companies just shut down communications with EU customers, but compliance can benefit organizations and marketers. Continue Reading
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Podcast
20 Sep 2018
New HubSpot products strategy, CMS updates from Inbound
At Inbound 2018, HubSpot unveiled a new enterprise product line. It also introduced the flywheel, a circular metaphor for the customer relationship with sales, marketing and service. Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2018
Microsoft Dynamics 365 AI going hard after Salesforce
Microsoft hammers Salesforce by launching low-code, AI-based virtual agents for customer service. Also: New tools for sales and marketing add automated insights to Dynamics 365. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
18 Sep 2018
Dreamforce 2018 conference highlights and key takeaways
Salesforce will reveal new features, tools and platform updates at Dreamforce 2018 in San Francisco Sept. 25-28. Use this guide to stay up to date. Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2018
Dreamforce brings Salesforce products upgrades
More than 150,000 attendees are expected at Dreamforce in San Francisco, where Salesforce will show how recent acquisitions fit into its product platform. Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2018
Adobe acquisition of Marketo could shake up industry
Adobe looking to acquire Marketo could also be a ploy to incite a bidding war for Marketo from its holding company, Vista Equity, according to an analyst. Continue Reading