Customer data management
Customer data management includes monitoring data integrity, privacy and security for CRM platforms and, for some organizations, separate customer data platforms while maintaining updated, compliance customer records across sales, marketing service and e-commerce operations.
Top Stories
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News
27 May 2025
Salesforce to acquire Informatica in $8 billion deal
A rumored $11 billion was too much last year, but $8 billion this year was too good to pass up. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Apr 2025
How can analytics improve content management?
Customer data and behavior analytics tools can give content managers insight into the kind of content site visitors want. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Apr 2025
What is a data lake?
A data lake is a storage repository that holds a vast amount of raw data in its native format until it is needed for analytics applications. Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2025
Where AI really fits into digital customer experience tech
An interview with Calvin Cheng, partner at consultancy West Monroe, who works on digital strategy and CX teams. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2025
Salesforce Agentforce AI update targets healthcare
Salesforce customizes Agentforce for clinical care, public health and pharmaceuticals. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2025
Top 10 loyalty program management software options
Loyalty programs have come a long way from the days of pasting green stamps into booklets and redeeming them for rewards. These 10 tools can bring these programs into modern day. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Feb 2025
CRM vs. CDP vs. DMP: What's the difference?
Sales and marketing terms are like alphabet soup, and the different acronyms can get confusing. Learn about the differences among three major platforms: CRM, CDP and DMP. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Feb 2025
What is CRM (customer relationship management)?
CRM (customer relationship management) is the combination of practices, strategies and technologies that companies use to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Feb 2025
What is a customer journey map?
A customer journey map is a visual depiction of the stages customers go through when interacting with a company -- from buying products online to accessing customer service on the phone to airing grievances on social media. Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2025
Chief experience officer role evolves with new technologies
Are you a futurist? The CXO role might be for you. Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2025
Oracle Cloud Sales users get GenAI agents at no extra cost
The new AI features provide sales force automation and time-savers similar to what competitors have added. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Jan 2025
Retailers' animosity toward AWS cloud appears to thaw
AWS still has a ways to go to woo some retailers, but it's clear the company's no longer excluded by all. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jan 2025
Generative AI ushers in a new era for retail tech
Retail stores of the future will be powered by generative AI, but truly frictionless shopping experiences envisioned by tech vendors may be a long way off. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jan 2025
Salesforce launches POS system, Retail Cloud
The new Salesforce Retail Cloud point of sale system launches from PredictSpring acquisition. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jan 2025
How to avoid and remove malvertising
Malvertising is an up-and-coming cybersecurity threat, but marketing and IT teams alike can take several important steps to avoid and remove this threat. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2025
SAP infuses retail shopping with generative AI
GenAI in SAP's shopping assistant gives store employees and consumers an easier way to find what they need. Continue Reading
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Podcast
08 Jan 2025
Reshaping UX with behavioral data and AI
Companies are using AI to strengthen insights from behavioral data, transforming how they understand and respond to customer interactions. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2025
Headless CMS Contentstack acquires Lytics marketing CDP
A new digital experience platform forms with the merger of Contentstack and Lytics. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Dec 2024
5 common malvertising examples
Malvertising is relatively new in the world of cyberthreats and can be the hardest to spot. Here are five examples of these malicious ads. Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Dec 2024
FTC's Click to Cancel movement likely here to stay
The FTC's Click to Cancel plan has staying power because numerous states are involved in the movement. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Dec 2024
What is an AI assistant?
An AI assistant, or digital assistant, is software that uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language voice commands and complete tasks for the user. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Nov 2024
How does malvertising work?
With each ad placed, a hidden risk often goes overlooked: Cybercriminals who exploit ads to spread malware. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Nov 2024
An overview of Power Apps integrations
While the platform works with other Microsoft tools, it can also integrate with third-party apps to unlock automation, customizations and a better view of enterprise data. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Oct 2024
What is market segmentation?
Market segmentation is a marketing strategy that uses well-defined criteria to divide a brand's total addressable market share into smaller groups. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Oct 2024
What is SAP Data Services?
SAP Data Services is a data integration and transformation software application that enables organizations to capture more meaning and value from their structured and unstructured data. Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Oct 2024
FTC's quixotic quest to fix CX with Click to Cancel rule
The Biden administration strives to improve CX with a rule that goes in effect in 180 days. What could possibly go wrong? People, process, tech and a U.S. election. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Oct 2024
What is Salesforce Wave Analytics (Salesforce CRM Analytics)?
Salesforce Wave Analytics, now known as CRM Analytics, is a business intelligence (BI) and analytics platform from Salesforce that provides native analytics, visual insights and predictions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) for Salesforce CRM to help businesses make better, data-driven decisions. Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2024
Amplitude adds A/B testing tool to analytics suite
Both the vendor's new feature as well as its recent acquisition of Command AI aim to make it easier for business users to work with its tools without requiring expert help. Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2024
Sitecore infuses DXP with generative AI marketing features
Sitecore users, who typically build websites for large enterprises, now have automation for website building, marketing content and A/B testing. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Oct 2024
What is a third-party cookie?
A third-party cookie is a cookie that's placed on a user's device -- computer, cellphone or tablet -- by a website from a domain other than the one the user is visiting. Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2024
Oracle Service platform adds autonomous AI agents
Oracle adds a number of agents and dashboards to Oracle Service and Field Service as the company strives to provide users with capabilities that enable 100% AI autonomy. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Oct 2024
What does Microsoft Copilot for Sales offer?
Copilot for Sales is Microsoft's generative AI assistant designed to optimize sales teams' workflows, automate simple tasks and offer more insights into the sales pipeline. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Oct 2024
What is customer intelligence (CI) and how does it help business?
Customer intelligence (CI) is the process of collecting and analyzing detailed customer data from internal and external sources to gain insights about customer needs, motivations and behaviors. Continue Reading
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News
23 Sep 2024
Salesforce Agentforce, Microsoft Copilot AI battle heats up
After rebranding Einstein copilot products as 'agents,' Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff likened Microsoft Copilot AI to Clippit, also known as Clippy, the original intelligent agent. Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Sep 2024
Benioff’s Agentforce gambit might just work
At Dreamforce 2024 in San Francisco, Salesforce announced the potential for its customers to embed virtual agents on its platform, so avoiding what the supplier dubs DIY GenAI. Will it work? Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Sep 2024
Elevate customer experience with AI and analytics
Top CX experts share insights on how to drive customer-centric innovation, overcome resistance to change and harness AI for impactful customer experiences. Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2024
Salesforce's ambitions for Agentforce platform come to light
Salesforce aims for the stars with its Agentforce platform; it remains to be seen how far it will get at a time when many companies still need to get their data ready. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Sep 2024
What is actionable intelligence?
Actionable intelligence is information that can be immediately used or acted upon, either tactically in direct response to an evolving situation, or strategically as the result of data analytics or some other assessment. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Sep 2024
How important is authentication in email marketing?
Marketers who have email strategies must understand the importance of authentication protocols to ensure campaigns are successful and bad actors don't reach customers. Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2024
Salesforce reveals more on Agentforce autonomous AI agents
Salesforce seizes on the concept of agentic AI to automate sales and service processes. The company holds fast to the idea the AI agents will assist humans -- not replace them. Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2024
Certinia adds Customer Success Cloud to its lineup
Certinia bolsters its professional services software platform with the release of CS Cloud for customer success management shortly after its summer update to its PS Cloud offering. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Aug 2024
How does DMARC affect email marketing?
Marketers must prepare for DMARC to ensure their emails reach customers' inboxes -- rather than their spam or junk folders -- and to build trust between consumers and the brand. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Aug 2024
What is customer segmentation?
Customer segmentation is the practice of dividing a customer base into groups of individuals that have similar characteristics relevant to marketing, such as age, gender, interests and spending habits. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Aug 2024
What are buyer personas?
A buyer persona is a composite representation of a specific type of customer in a market segment. Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2024
Adobe rolls out B2B generative AI app for CRM, marketing
As enterprises determine where the value is in deploying and paying for generative AI in their marketing and sales operations, Adobe releases its own entrant. Continue Reading
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News
01 Aug 2024
SupportLogic acquires xFind for customer service experience AI
Startup SupportLogic buys xFind to add generative AI to its service analytics platform, and in the process takes on much larger competition such as Qualtrics, Medallia and Verint. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jul 2024
Google isn't killing third-party cookies: What now?
The end of third-party cookies was on the horizon for years. For marketers, this termination meant finding new strategies and alternatives to third-party data. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jul 2024
First-party vs. third-party cookies: What's the difference?
First-party cookies track user engagement, while third-party cookies are central to many marketing and sales strategies. Yet the two types are more similar than one might think. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Jul 2024
What is data lifecycle?
A data lifecycle is the sequence of stages that a unit of data goes through from its initial generation or capture to its archiving or deletion at the end of its useful life. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jul 2024
9 omnichannel marketing platforms to consider
To reach customers consistently on any platform, marketing teams should embrace omnichannel marketing. These software options can help marketers in any industry boost their reach. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2024
Adtech, regulators react to Google's third-party cookie reversal
Following many delays and an alternative still in development, Google has relented to advertisers on the timing of depreciating third-party cookies. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jul 2024
Why does data privacy matter in marketing?
Marketers frequently use customer data for their strategies. They must properly secure that information, so they comply with privacy laws and customers trust the business. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jul 2024
5 key contact center AI features and their benefits
As multifunctional contact centers evolve in complexity and importance, AI and GenAI integration are advancing self-service chatbots, customer insights and agent monitoring. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jul 2024
Top 10 customer data privacy best practices
To ensure customer data remains secure and inaccessible to bad actors, organizations should implement best practices such as frequent data audits and employee trainings. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Jun 2024
digital marketing
Digital marketing is the promotion and marketing of goods and services to consumers through digital channels and electronic technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2024
Anonymous browsing explained: What you need to know
Anonymous browsing, also known as private browsing or incognito mode, enables users to browse the internet without leaving a trail of online activities. Is it really anonymous? Continue Reading
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Definition
28 May 2024
purchase intent
Purchase intent is the probability that a consumer will buy a product or service. Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 May 2024
Generative AI's role in the rebirth of knowledge management
Generative AI could help organizations realize the tacit knowledge-sharing benefits that were touted in the late 1990s for the discipline of knowledge management. Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2024
MuleSoft integration tackles EDI supply chain data issues
Salesforce integrates EDI data into its platform for users who deal with many suppliers -- or distributors -- with MuleSoft in an attempt to solve an age-old integration snafu. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 May 2024
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) is a comprehensive privacy and data protection law that recognizes the right of individuals, referred to as "data principals," to protect their personal data during the processing of that data for lawful purposes. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 May 2024
What is a data protection officer (DPO) and what do they do?
Today's DPO must juggle technical, legal and collaborative skills in the shadow of more sophisticated data breaches, tougher data privacy laws and generative AI deployments. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Apr 2024
information
Information is the output that results from analyzing, contextualizing, structuring, interpreting or in other ways processing data. Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2024
Google delays third-party 'Cookiepocalypse' until 2025
Google has yet again delayed the deprecation of third-party cookies. Marketers and advertisers now have until 2025 to remediate their ad tech. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Apr 2024
chief privacy officer (CPO)
A chief privacy officer (CPO) is a corporate executive charged with developing and implementing policies designed to protect employee and customer data from unauthorized access. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Apr 2024
data destruction
Data destruction is the process of destroying data stored on tapes, hard disks and other forms of electronic media so that it's completely unreadable and can't be accessed or used for unauthorized purposes. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Apr 2024
data classification
Data classification is the process of organizing data into categories that make it easy to retrieve, sort and store for future use. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Apr 2024
7 principles of the GDPR explained
The GDPR's seven data protection principles on the lawful processing of data are directly influencing the way businesses collect, store, erase and monetize personal information. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Apr 2024
AI and GDPR: How is AI being regulated?
Amid data privacy issues spawned by proliferating AI and generative AI applications, GDPR provisions need some updating to provide businesses with more specific AI guidelines. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Apr 2024
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web analytics service that provides numerous analytical tools for marketing purposes. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Apr 2024
spatial data
Spatial data is any type of data that directly or indirectly references a specific geographical area or location. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Apr 2024
How do companies protect customer data?
Companies can protect customer data through various technical tools and strategies, like authentication and encryption. But some types of data need more protection than others. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Apr 2024
Data protection vs. data backup: How are they different?
They might be viewed as separate functions, but data backup should be part of an overall data protection strategy to thwart ransomware and comply with stringent privacy laws. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Apr 2024
How to conduct a data privacy audit, step by step
The vital importance of a data privacy audit can't be underestimated in today's climate of proliferating customer data, more stringent regulations and sophisticated cyber threats. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Apr 2024
6 business benefits of data protection and GDPR compliance
Complying with GDPR and avoiding severe fines is a primary goal of businesses, but the data governing principles and security tools to achieve compliance yield systemic benefits. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Mar 2024
RFM analysis (recency, frequency, monetary)
RFM analysis is a marketing technique used to quantitatively rank and group customers based on the recency, frequency and monetary total of their recent transactions to identify the best customers and perform targeted marketing campaigns. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Mar 2024
IT leaders curb GenAI enthusiasm at Enterprise Connect
IT leaders at Enterprise Connect expressed enthusiasm for GenAI experimentation in customer experience as well as circumspection that vendors should take on board. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Mar 2024
6 data privacy challenges and how to fix them
Fragmented data protection laws, technology disruptions, AI adoption, data governance and consumer trust are among the complex issues confronting businesses in need of remedies. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Mar 2024
The importance of ethics in information management
Advancements in data collection and processing may tempt information management professionals to use as much customer data as possible. Yet, more data use means less privacy. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2024
What's next for Salesforce Einstein AI and Data Cloud
What's next for Salesforce as it builds Data Cloud and integrates it with Einstein AI? EVP and GM of both, Rahul Auradkar, explains what to expect. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2024
Google unfazed by advertiser criticism of third-party cookie plan
Google is working with U.K. regulators on its plan to phase out third-party cookies this year, despite pushback from an advertisers group. Meanwhile, bots are affecting ad traffic. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Feb 2024
data broker (information broker)
A data broker, also called an information broker or information reseller, is a business that collects large amounts of personal information about consumers. Continue Reading
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News
21 Feb 2024
GenAI chatbots for customer care create new level of liability
Air Canada found liable for promises its chatbot made against the airline's policy; CX leaders discuss best practices for using generative AI in chatbots. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2024
Email marketers feel Google, Yahoo DMARC policy change
As marketers face changes to email authentication and third-party cookie deprecation, contact centers are a treasure trove of first-party data to drive multichannel campaigns. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Jan 2024
consumer data
Consumer data is the information that organizations collect from individuals who use internet-connected platforms, including websites, social media networks, mobile apps, text messaging apps or email systems. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Jan 2024
Google Bigtable
Google Bigtable is a distributed, column-oriented data store created by Google Inc. to handle very large amounts of structured data associated with the company's Internet search and Web services operations. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Jan 2024
transactional data
In computing, transactional data is the information collected from transactions. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jan 2024
FCC adopts lead generation rules to protect consumer privacy
The new rules aim to protect consumers from scam communications perpetuated by robocalls and robotexts and give consumers the ability to choose which companies can contact them. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Jan 2024
data feed
A data feed is an ongoing stream of structured data that provides users with updates of current information from one or more sources. Continue Reading
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Video
08 Jan 2024
What is sentiment analysis?
Learn how AI is used to perform sentiment analysis, the different categories of sentiment that can be identified and how the analysis can be used to improve customer satisfaction. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jan 2024
Google begins phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome
The search giant starts limiting cross-site tracking to respond to consumer privacy concerns, while aiming to preserve ad revenue and skirt pushback from U.K. regulators. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Dec 2023
The value of a total experience platform
Combining customer, employee, omnichannel and multichannel, and UX platforms and tools into a total experience offering improves visibility, metrics and insights. Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2023
Acquia takes on web content accessibility with Monsido buy
Acquia adds generative AI and accessibility checker tools to its digital experience platform; partnerships avail close integrations of A/B testing and content personalization tools. Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2023
Zendesk unveils tools for agents to improve customer service
The customer service and CRM vendor unveiled no-code tools, including a layout builder to let teams customize agent interfaces for specific roles and workflows. Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2023
SAP broadens CX offerings with new AI tools for Joule
The ERP software vendor brings AI-based tools to strengthen identity and data security as well as end-to-end personalization to highlight its customer experience offerings. Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2023
SurveyMonkey launches Build with AI to create surveys faster
The vendor releases generative AI capabilities to let users build custom questionnaires quickly and incorporate prompts that will yield better responses from customers. Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2023
How YouTube's new AI-powered product aids advertisers
The online video-sharing and social media platform is now using the AI technology as a way to help advertisers place ads on videos that better reach the intended audience. Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2023
Talkdesk expands its AI offerings for the contact center
The cloud-based contact center provider adds more tools to monitor large language model-supported capabilities, which are becoming commonplace offerings for CX vendors. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Oct 2023
Salesforce
Salesforce, Inc. is a cloud computing and social enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider based in San Francisco. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2023
SurveyMonkey Forms has new templates, pre-built prompts
The vendor brings new capabilities such as pre-built question fields with Forms, an online form creation tool, to make it easier for businesses to collect data from customers. Continue Reading
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News
25 Sep 2023
Shopify adds Audiences integrations for more segmentation
The e-commerce vendor builds on its customer segmentation capabilities by adding platform integrations with Snapchat, Criteo and TikTok for creating lists of target contacts. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Sep 2023
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based portfolio of business applications from Microsoft that are designed to help organizations improve operational efficiency and reduce business complexity while controlling costs. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Sep 2023
microtargeting
Microtargeting (also called micro-niche targeting) is a marketing strategy that uses consumer data and demographics to identify the interests and preferences of specific individuals or small groups to send targeted advertisements that align with their interests. Continue Reading