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

News 21 Mar 2023
Adobe and RainFocus pair for more data insight at events

The CX software giant pairs with the event marketing services vendor to provide customers with tools for deeper personalized experiences at in-person and online events. Continue Reading
News 13 Mar 2023
CX personalization drives strategy for customer data mining

Users are more likely to engage with custom-made, exclusive digital experiences, which ease the flow of zero- and first-party data back to the vendor for improved CX strategies. Continue Reading

Tip 15 Jul 2019

Consumer behavior analytics makes the unpredictable predictable

With AI's arsenal of machine learning, deep learning and NLP, consumer analytics can take some of the unpredictability out of predicting buying patterns and up conversion rates. Continue Reading
News 21 Jun 2019

Salesforce Customer 360 promises will be clearer in 2020

Salesforce expects to show off what customers are doing with Customer 360 at its next Connections conference in 2020, along with some new integrations. Continue Reading
News 18 Jun 2019

Salesforce teases new CDP features ahead of fall release

Salesforce gives details about the makeup of its Customer 360 integration platform and features of the customer data platform that it plans to release this fall. Continue Reading
News 17 Jun 2019

Oracle and Adobe CDP war heats up, Salesforce close behind

The customer data platform market continues to simmer as large vendors such as Oracle, Adobe, SAP and Salesforce rush to catch up to smaller, more nimble CDP competitors. Continue Reading
Feature 12 Jun 2019

How data privacy and marketing coexist when influencing the public

The author of a new book on the intersection of advertising and marketing with AI and data privacy talks about influencing the public with technology. Continue Reading
News 12 Jun 2019

Nuvi's sentiment analysis engine deciphers emotion, emoji and more

Nuvi's sentiment analysis engine enables organizations to interpret the true meaning behind text, images and emoji in order to get a more complete understanding of customers' experience. Continue Reading
News 10 Jun 2019

$15.7B Salesforce-Tableau acquisition a direct shot at Microsoft

By acquiring Tableau, Salesforce dramatically strengthened its BI and data visualization capabilities. The move boosts Salesforce's ability to compete with Microsoft. Continue Reading
Tip 04 Jun 2019

Benefits and best approaches to B2B customer segmentation

With the increasing focus on personalization in B2B marketing, customer segmentation is a more important strategy than ever for organizations that want to know customers better. Continue Reading
News 15 May 2019

Effective customer surveys help contact centers drive CX

As companies try to figure out who will run customer experience initiatives, contact centers make a strong case for the customer support team, using the right technology. Continue Reading
Tip 10 May 2019

Prepare for California Consumer Privacy Act with these 5 questions

At Oracle's Modern Customer Experience conference, a privacy professional shared tips on incorporating privacy into CX systems so businesses are ready for the CCPA. Continue Reading
News 24 Apr 2019

CDP Institute releases customer data platform certification

While waiting for Salesforce to release a customer data platform and for Adobe to perfect its newly released CDP, RealCDP certification aspires to validate CDPs available today. Continue Reading
News 24 Apr 2019

CDP vs. DMP: Vendors battle for marketers' budgets

Customer data platforms and data management platforms have overlapping features, as vendors vie for marketers' IT budgets. It may not matter, as Adobe and Salesforce join Oracle in the game. Continue Reading
Tip 24 Apr 2019

4 customer insights research techniques for your organization

Organizations conduct customer research in order to understand customers, create new products and increase revenue, all of which can be overwhelming without a strategy in place. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Apr 2019

7 customer segmentation methods to help connect the dots

Customer segmentation is essential to marketing, enabling businesses to provide the right people with the right products -- and is a move away from bulk appeals. Continue Reading
News 27 Mar 2019

Adobe Experience Platform unites Magento, Marketo, customer data

Adobe makes a play for customer experience leadership by adding Magento- and Marketo-based clouds and building it on the Adobe Experience Platform foundation to unify the data. Continue Reading
Feature 19 Mar 2019

How Philanthropy Cloud streamlines workplace giving

Perpetual Energy used Salesforce.org's Philanthropy Cloud to create content, track charitable donations and better engage with employees during its annual United Way campaign. Continue Reading
News 12 Mar 2019

Salesforce strategy focuses on integration, customer data

Salesforce's strategy for 2019 and beyond includes better data integration and more plans for MuleSoft, Customer 360 and Salesforce Essentials. Continue Reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Feature 13 Sep 2018

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
Tip 01 Aug 2018

Salesforce marketing automation tools close the data divide

Marketing automation CEO offers tips on bringing together siloed data, spotting sales trends, analyzing sales funnels and allocating marketing campaign spending. Continue Reading
Feature 27 Jul 2018

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
News 26 Jul 2018

OpenText-Salesforce integration gaining momentum

An Australian life insurance company, given an opportunity to start anew with IT, chooses Salesforce as interface to deep OpenText content repository. Continue Reading
News 18 Jul 2018

Salesforce's Marc Benioff calls for a national privacy law

After Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's call for a national data privacy law, Salesforce's chief privacy officer responds to questions about the Salesforce privacy stance. Continue Reading
Tip 10 Jul 2018

Assessing GDPR's data protection officer requirements

The GDPR's data protection officer mandate gives the EU a point person for compliance complaints, but not all companies need one. See when DPOs are required and what they do. Continue Reading
News 13 Jun 2018

Salesforce Interaction Studio unveiled at Connections 2018

At Salesforce Connections, Salesforce builds off its Google partnership announced at Dreamforce by releasing new integrations between Marketing Cloud and Google Analytics 360. Continue Reading
Feature 23 May 2018

Salesforce's GDPR DPO preps partners, customers for compliance

Salesforce's data protection officer discusses GDPR compliance challenges and strategies for customers and partners, along with the company's own GDPR readiness. Continue Reading
Tip 07 May 2018

Ten tips to help Salesforce teams prepare for GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation implementation date is closing in. Salesforce experts have some advice for companies tasked with complying with the EU guideline. Continue Reading
Tip 01 May 2018

How Salesforce teams will feel the impact of GDPR

With less than a month until GDPR has to be implemented, both B2B and B2C sales teams must be prepared to properly protect or even dispense of customer data, according to experts. Continue Reading
Podcast 12 Apr 2018

Salesforce World Tour Boston talks Integration Cloud, Social Studio

Salesforce World Tour sessions included dives into Philanthropy Cloud, integrated surveys and Salesforce's new Integration Cloud. Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2018

Oracle CX Cloud adds AI tools for B2C, B2B customers

Oracle announces infusion of its Adaptive Intelligent apps into several CX Cloud products and promises more to come, with sales, marketing and service all getting upgrades. Continue Reading
Podcast 23 Mar 2018

Salesforce acquisitions reach new heights with MuleSoft purchase

The intrepid Pipeline podcasters break down the MuleSoft acquisition, which enables hybrid cloud/on-premises CRM. Also: Salesforce Essentials replaces Desk.com and SalesforceIQ. Continue Reading
News 22 Mar 2018

Salesforce-MuleSoft deal focuses on data integration

Beyond producing a hybrid cloud product with its new Integration Cloud, Salesforce now has capabilities for customers to build microservices with MuleSoft's technology. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Feb 2018

Salesforce GDPR marketing compliance involves rethinking lead gen

The bigger -- and more complicated -- your marketing tech stack, the more complex your Salesforce GDPR compliance will be, vendors and experts say. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Feb 2018

The importance of GDPR best practices for Salesforce customers

The new EU General Data Protection Regulation has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond European nations, according to experts. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Feb 2018

E-commerce GDPR for Salesforce: Watch what data you capture

Making your Salesforce GDPR compliance strategy for e-commerce starts with monitoring the customer data you collect, starting with cookies -- and we don't mean the Keebler kind. Continue Reading
Answer 31 Jan 2018

What do GDPR principles mean for CRM data management?

Avoiding General Data Protection Regulation penalties means getting your CRM compliance program in order before the sweeping regulation goes into effect late this spring. Continue Reading
News 18 Jan 2018

Salesforce databases remain Oracle, for now

Oracle and Salesforce executives deny reports of Salesforce moving on from Oracle infrastructure. Continue Reading
Feature 11 Jan 2018

Taking on a virtual agent helps mint new wine connoisseurs

Having trouble selecting the wine that goes best with a special meal? And what if your preferred shop doesn't have it? Vivino helps you choose -- and, if needed, find -- the right wine. Continue Reading
Feature 04 Jan 2018

Future of artificial intelligence in CRM rests with the bots

Chatbots may seem basic or rudimentary now, but just wait: AI advancements will take virtual agents to new levels of competency to engage customers. Continue Reading
Podcast 10 Nov 2017

Pipeline podcast: Salesforce SMB customers to benefit from Google deal

Salesforce executives at Dreamforce discuss the impact of the new partnership with Google on Salesforce SMB customers, who'll be able to tap into Google Analytics and more. Continue Reading
Tip 28 Jul 2017

Smartphones sound the death knell for outbound marketing strategies

Telemarketing might not be dead, but the near-complete saturation of smartphones in the consumer market has landed some death blows to outbound marketing strategies. Continue Reading
Podcast 08 Jun 2017

AI, IoT and Trailhead were main themes at Salesforce World Tour Boston

In the second taping of The Pipeline podcast, we discuss the customer stories mentioned at the Boston event, the tight security and Salesforce's push of Trailhead. Continue Reading
Feature 07 Jun 2017

Customer data governance policies: Stop stalking, start selling

Customer data governance policies differ from traditional data governance in several ways. Finding that line between building trust among customers and stalking them is a start. Continue Reading
Podcast 06 Jun 2017

The major themes from SiriusDecisions Summit 2017

Winning martech strategies highlighted the recent three-day conference, as well as SiriusDecisions keynotes and product showcases. Continue Reading
Answer 30 Mar 2017

Is MSFT or Salesforce leading the market in business app development?

Microsoft is trying to lead the market in business app development, but is struggling to hold on as Salesforce easily creates user-friendly applications, platforms and processes. Continue Reading
Podcast 22 Mar 2017

Make your CRM more impactful than the latest tweets from Trump

Twitter and other social media sites are powerful communication channels. But CRM should be a two-way conversation, not one-way, like the latest Trump tweets. Continue Reading
News 18 Jan 2017

Quip acquisition of Unity&Variety beefs up subsidiary

Salesforce hopes to add visual and creative elements to its document tool, while Commerce Cloud's integration with Facebook Ads hopes to make buying easy. Continue Reading
News 29 Nov 2016

Insightly adds CRM security to its product

With smaller security budgets and IT teams than enterprise businesses, small and medium-sized companies are more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Insightly's new security features hope to combat that. Continue Reading
Tip 25 Oct 2016

How using predictive analytics helps public agencies predict demand

Predictive analytics aren't just for the private sector. Government agencies are tapping into analytics to gain more lead time in determining demand for services. Continue Reading
Tip 05 Oct 2016

How Salesforce Health Cloud changes patient care

Salesforce Health Cloud gives healthcare providers access to patient data, including medical treatments and care plans, to improve care plans -- and it does this securely. Here's how. Continue Reading
News 05 Oct 2016

Predictive lead scoring among new Sales Cloud features

Einstein offers sales reps insight to smarter lead scores, but users wonder how deep the predictive capabilities of Salesforce's newest feature will go. Continue Reading
News 15 Aug 2016

Inside Ted Cruz's presidential campaign management software strategy

Sen. Ted Cruz didn't clinch the Republican nomination, but not for lack of technology. Campaign management software on Salesforce tracked donations, volunteers and voters. Continue Reading
Feature 05 Aug 2016

Accenture serves up data for all via Salesforce Wave analytics

Accenture rolled out Wave analytics along with other Salesforce tools to 25,000 users within five months. Though the project moved quickly, it's also being done carefully. Continue Reading
Podcast 27 Jun 2016

Microsoft buys LinkedIn database for treasure trove of CRM contacts

Microsoft bought the LinkedIn database. How will the professional contacts data enhance existing information in Dynamics CRM? Continue Reading
Feature 31 Mar 2016

Is user adoption of Salesforce Analytics Cloud the next wave?

Salesforce Wave filled an analytics void when it was released -- but there are caveats. Learn more about the benefits and challenges of moving to Salesforce Analytics Cloud. Continue Reading
News 24 Feb 2016

Users discontent with data insights from analytics apps

Companies use analytics apps to derive meaningful data insights, but survey results indicate they are discontented with their BI tools. Can Salesforce Analytics Cloud fill the void? Continue Reading
Tip 16 Dec 2015

Handling unwieldy data with Salesforce Wave Analytics

With sales teams struggling to access and consume data, Salesforce Wave Analytics promises ease of use and accessibility. Continue Reading
Tip 02 Dec 2015

Despite cloud-based CRM success, data silo issues remain

While cloud-based CRM tools are making inroads in bridging data silos, smaller, niche tools are becoming more necessary to solve data management challenges. Continue Reading
Answer 05 Nov 2015

What does Salesforce Lightning, Wave enable for users?

Salesforce's latest upgrades to its Lightning and Wave platforms show that the cloud CRM company is trying to bring analytics closer to the individual user. Continue Reading
News 14 Sep 2015

Will Salesforce Wave Analytics' upgrade be persuasive for users?

After a year on the market, Salesforce Wave, the BI platform, gets an upgrade. But there are continuing question marks about its value. Continue Reading
Podcast 14 Sep 2015

Challenges hinder Salesforce Lightning, Wave adoption

One year after they were released, users are looking before they leap into Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Wave. What is crimping adoption? Continue Reading
News 18 Jun 2015

Salesforce releases Wave Analytics Apps and Sales Wave Analytics

Wave Analytics Apps, the latest offering from Salesforce, makes crunching the numbers easier through tighter integration with Salesforce 1. Continue Reading
Tip 11 Jun 2015

Enterprise video metrics a must to measure success

Increasingly, companies have turned to video for customer service, product demos and branding. But they need to measure success with enterprise video metrics. Continue Reading
Tip 10 Jun 2015

CRM documentation paves way to successful release management

As companies use a CRM system in the wild, they need to be able to make tweaks, and those changes need to be well-documented. Continue Reading
News 28 May 2015

Salesforce ties Wave analytics tool to big data platforms

Salesforce is getting more involved in big data analytics, with new partnerships that open up its cloud-based Wave analytics technology to Hadoop and other big data systems. Continue Reading
Quiz 01 May 2015

360-degree view of the customer quiz

Companies constantly chase the "360-degree view of the customer," aiming to merge different data sources to provide timely, consistent service. Continue Reading
Guide 17 Mar 2015

CRM leadership: Buying, managing and running a system

Implementing a CRM system is more than just buying software. Executives need to tap into their leadership skills to select the right CRM system and ensure that it brings the desired benefits to the organization. Continue Reading
Tip 02 Mar 2015

CRM skills training essential for system management

The right CRM training is crucial to the management and development of a CRM system. Make sure your staff has the right CRM skills to survive. Continue Reading
News 10 Feb 2015

Customer data becomes the turf for companies' competitive advantage

Corporations are using customer data to gain a competitive edge in the market, but new analytics technologies pose privacy downsides. Continue Reading
Tip 02 Feb 2015

Improving data quality with better CRM system design

If your CRM system isn't designed for ease of data entry, it can undermine data analysis and decision making. Here's how to promote cleaner data. Continue Reading
Podcast 16 Jan 2015

BPM backbone builds new paths to customer engagement

Pega, a business process management software forerunner, is using BPM to deliver new customer engagement and CRM software for its customers. Continue Reading
Feature 18 Apr 2014

A 360-degree view of customers requires better data analytics

Companies want to use better data analytics to get a more comprehensive understanding of their customers. But today's reality suggests that is in the distant future. Continue Reading
Feature 14 Mar 2012

Desktop analytics: A game changer for contact centers, back offices

Expert Donna Fluss says companies should consider a new type of analytics -- desktop analytics -- to accurately provide feedback on the contact center and the back office. Continue Reading
News 29 Nov 2011

Customer experience analytics: Separating hype from fact

SearchCRM expert Donna Fluss compares the latest types of customer experience analytics applications. Continue Reading
Quiz 21 Feb 2007

Customer loyalty quiz answers

Every organization struggles with customer loyalty. Find out how much you know about customer loyalty with the answers to SearchCRM.com's Customer loyalty quiz. Continue Reading