Customer experience management
Customer experience management involves the processes an organization uses to properly manage and track customer interactions and puts customers at the forefront of business decisions and marketing and sales plans. Here, find tips and guides to improve CXM and relevant CX news.
Top Stories
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News
16 Apr 2024
Zendesk users get generative AI infusion for customer service
Zendesk customers get their shot of GenAI, which comes in the form of agent tools, self-service workflow assistants and workforce management features. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Apr 2024
How agent assist technology works in the contact center
Contact centers that invest in agent assist technology can help their agents become more productive and eliminate tedious tasks to make their jobs easier. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Jul 2022
brand
A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Jul 2022
return merchandise authorization (RMA)
An RMA (return merchandise authorization) is a numbered authorization provided by a mail-order or e-commerce merchant to permit the return of a product. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Jul 2022
How to create a customer loyalty program in 9 steps
A customer loyalty program can help organizations better retain and understand their current customers and target audiences. These nine steps can lead to a successful program. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jul 2022
closed captions
Closed captions are a text version of the spoken part of a television, movie or computer presentation. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jun 2022
4 real-world customer journey map examples
Real-world examples of customer journey maps in action can help brands understand how customers feel amid the buying process and benefit customer relationships moving forward. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2022
The link between employee experience and customer experience
A customer's experience with an organization is only as good as an employee's experience. Business leaders should know that empathy is key to employee and customer success. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Jun 2022
5 customer journey phases for businesses to understand
The customer journey contains several stages -- from the presale stage of awareness to post-sale advocacy -- and understanding each phase is key to business success. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Jun 2022
Compare pros and cons of live chat vs. phone support
Phone support offers personalized experiences, but live chat agents can answer simple inquiries more quickly. See how these service channels stack up against each other. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 May 2022
first call resolution (FCR)
First call resolution (FCR) is when customer service agents properly address a customer's needs the first time they call. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 May 2022
7 reasons why businesses need mobile apps
Mobile apps can build loyal customer bases, provide insightful customer data and more. Businesses should understand the many ways these apps can enhance CX. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 May 2022
clickstream data (clickstream analytics)
Clickstream data and clickstream analytics are the processes involved in collecting, analyzing and reporting aggregate data about which pages a website visitor visits -- and in what order. 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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News
25 Apr 2022
AI virtual assistant grooms skier experience at Snowbird
Using an AI-powered chatbot designed with the friendly likenesses of avalanche dogs, the famed Utah ski resort is able to quickly respond to customers' questions. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Apr 2022
6 technology trends in the travel industry in 2022
Mobile apps, contactless payments and IoT devices are just some of the technologies trending in the travel and tourism industry. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Apr 2022
What is Adobe Experience Cloud? CRM platform overview
Adobe Experience Cloud -- the vendor's CRM platform -- includes tools to help medium and large enterprises manage all facets of their customer engagement strategies. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Apr 2022
ESPN improves app performance with Domo analytics tools
The sports broadcasting giant is using a customer care application developed with the analytics vendor's tools to improve its app performance and streaming capabilities. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2022
New Google Cloud retail tool targets search abandonment
The new tool is aimed at providing better results for online shoppers. It understands user intent and context, provides results for broad inquiries, and includes semantic search. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Mar 2022
help desk
A help desk is the individual, group, organizational function or external service that an IT user calls to get help with a problem. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Mar 2022
Why you need a total experience strategy to drive CX and EX
More companies are using a 'total experience' approach to win customers and support employees in the post-pandemic economy. But they won't find a single platform that does it all. Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2022
Recommerce, rebuilt digital experiences top of mind for stores
Brick-and-mortar retailers look to technology to compete with online counterparts and mold digital experiences to what resonated with consumers during the past two years. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Mar 2022
business metric
A business metric is a quantifiable measure businesses use to track, monitor and assess the success or failure of various business processes. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Mar 2022
How do experience maps vs. customer journey maps differ?
Customer experience maps and customer journey maps serve as the blueprints for buyer interactions. Despite these maps' similarities, they play different roles in organizations. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Mar 2022
bot
A bot -- short for robot and also called an internet bot -- is a computer program that operates as an agent for a user or other program or to simulate a human activity. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Feb 2022
social listening (social media listening)
Social listening, also referred to as social media listening, is the process of identifying and assessing what is being said about a company, individual, product or brand on the internet. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2022
Adobe, Salesforce release tools to enhance retail experience
Adobe to open beta program for store-pickup features developed in partnership with Walmart; Salesforce debuts Datorama features for retailers. Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2021
Biden targets federal CX improvements with executive order
President Biden issues a detailed executive order that lays out agency-by-agency federal digital experience improvement mandates -- and builds accountability into the process. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
ServiceNow-Qualtrics partnership tackles total experience
ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott bought Qualtrics when he ran SAP, which spun it off after he left. McDermott renews his pursuit of Qualtrics, this time with a partnership. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Dec 2021
5 examples of bad customer service and how to avoid them
Having a plan in place to handle, or hopefully avoid, bad customer service encounters is crucial to driving customer loyalty and retention. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Dec 2021
8 tips to build and manage a customer service team
While customer service has its challenges, managers can build, run and maintain great customer service teams with good communication, up-to-date training and shared goals. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Nov 2021
13 customer retention strategies that work
As the cost of acquiring new customers exceeds the cost of retaining existing customers, implementing an effective customer retention strategy should be a top priority. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Nov 2021
8 customer service challenges and how to resolve them
The most important skill for a customer service agent to learn is empathy. That, plus a well-crafted customer service plan, can solve nearly any problem that arises. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Nov 2021
Cisco customer experience manager: What makes good tech CX
Cisco users buy its hardware and apps through partners, mostly. Cisco's customer experience architect discusses how the company forges customer relationships. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2021
Augmented reality emerges in customer experience tech
For customer experience, augmented reality is more common than virtual reality. Marketing and field service are the early adopters of AR, with sales and e-commerce trailing. Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2021
Microsoft Customer Experience Platform debuts
Microsoft introduces a number of CX tools, including the Customer Experience Platform, voice and SMS integrations, and technology for stores to connect physical and digital spaces. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Oct 2021
customer retention
Customer retention is a metric that measures customer loyalty, or the ability for an organization to keep its customers over time. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Oct 2021
customer health score
A customer health score is a value that indicates the long-term prospect for a customer to drop off or, conversely, to become a high-value, repeat customer through renewal or Cross-selling or up-selling strategies. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2021
Qualtrics releases Experience ID customer profile platform
Qualtrics Experience ID isn't labeled as a customer data platform, but it's not far off from one, as it aggregates customer info into individual profiles. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Sep 2021
Revenue operations vs. sales operations: What's the difference?
While revenue operations focus on revenue growth and integration of sales, marketing and service departments, sales operations focus on sales department efficiency. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Aug 2021
How relationship marketing works, its pros, cons and levels
An effective relationship marketing strategy can be a key component in acquiring new customers and retaining existing ones. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Aug 2021
10 voice of the customer tools to consider
A voice of the customer tool is invaluable for creating an action plan to improve the customer experience. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jul 2021
Inside 5 big-name relationship marketing strategy examples
How does Nike form an emotional bond with sneakerheads? How does Starbucks know what latte flavors customers want? The answer lies in their relationship marketing strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jul 2021
Best practices for call center agent training programs
Call center directors should include feedback in agent training programs, understand the center's key goals and objectives and meet agents' learning styles. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2021
What to ask in a voice of the customer questionnaire
An effective voice of the customer questionnaire guides an organization to understand its customers better and improve its products or services. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jun 2021
7 best practices for a voice of the customer program
A voice of the customer program can be tremendously fruitful for an organization -- if it is done well. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jun 2021
Why businesses need voice of the customer analytics
With multiple methodologies for gathering customer feedback, it is more important than ever to analyze and create action plans based on voice of the customer analytics. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 May 2021
Post-pandemic digital customer experience: What will change?
Overstock.com, FTD and Giant Eagle all revamped their CX tech stacks during the pandemic to meet the demand for online service, and upgrades continue. Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2021
Qualtrics XM/OS ties together experience data for users
Qualtrics releases an 'operating system' to manage and analyze customer and employee feedback data, and AI tools expanded to cover sentiment data and industry-specific scenarios. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Apr 2021
Sentiment analysis: Why it's necessary and how it improves CX
Sentiment analysis tools are essential to detect and understand customer feelings. Companies that use these tools to understand how customers feel can use it to improve CX. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Apr 2021
6 ways to use analytics to improve customer engagement
Organizations can delve into customer data to improve interactions, identify gaps and work toward better engagement. Here's how to start out, and how to build on what you have. Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2021
Qualtrics adds XM tools for marketing, service, B2B sales users
Post-SAP spinoff, Qualtrics moves quickly to give B2B sales users -- along with their marketing and customer service colleagues -- new features to sharpen post-pandemic business. Continue Reading
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News
24 Mar 2021
Acquia digital experience platform adds CX-friendly tools
After two years of transition, Acquia users get a first glance at how all of its recent acquisitions and product introductions align to build digital experiences. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2021
Sitecore makes personalization, e-commerce acquisitions
Sitecore's $1.2 billion investment plan for cloud modernization kicks off with the acquisition of Boxever and Four51. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
25 Feb 2021
3 ways to attract customers to your online store
Competition among e-commerce companies is high, so marketers must get creative to attract customers. Here are some ways that marketers can generate interest. Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2021
Digital queues avert COVID-19 vaccine registration crashes
Q&A with Cloudflare co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince on how digital waiting rooms can help public health agencies register their constituents for COVID-19 vaccinations. Continue Reading
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News
18 Feb 2021
Qualtrics vaccine management gains steam among states
Qualtrics lands Missouri's state vaccine registration site as the voice-of-the-customer tech vendor claims 200 county governments and public health organizations among its users. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Feb 2021
How to craft an effective multichannel marketing strategy
Multichannel marketing strategies enable a company to reach target audiences on their preferred channels, as well as provide a competitive edge compared to other businesses. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
Oracle CX updates focus on loyalty tech, B2B selling, service
Oracle releases Fusion Cloud Customer Experience suite updates that include tools for B2B selling, B2B customer service and loyalty programs connected to Oracle CDP data. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jan 2021
Empathy in customer experience drives company success
Businesses that encourage employees to use empathy with customers can increase loyalty and satisfaction. Leadership must recognize the importance of empathy in the company. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jan 2021
The 7 most effective ways to connect with customers
Businesses need to prioritize building a connection with customers. By doing so, companies get to know their customers on a personal level and can better serve their needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jan 2021
How to create a customer satisfaction survey
Businesses need to have a plan in place before sending out customer satisfaction surveys. Acting on customer feedback is just as important as collecting it. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2021
Acquia launches headless commerce integration
Acquia adds cloud e-commerce to its expanding digital experience platform via tight integrations with Lucidworks' AI-assisted product recommendation engine and Commercetools' headless commerce. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
19 Jan 2021
Would your customer experience strategy survive 'Shark Tank'?
Bob Azman identifies what customer experience professionals need to do to get C-suite buy-in and investment support for their customer experience initiatives. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2021
National Retail Federation tackles political unrest, COVID-19
Retailers at NRF discuss COVID-19 operations and how they changed retail forever. Also: the technologies that keep customer experience consistent during supply-chain disruptions. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2020
The psychology of UX design: How design affects CX
In her book, '100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People, 2nd Edition,' Susan Weinschenk explains how UX design relies on psychology to improve customer experiences. Continue Reading
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News
22 Dec 2020
Content drives new B2B e-commerce
COVID-19 forced B2B e-commerce companies to create and enhance new revenue pathways. Two Sitecore users share how investments in digital experiences kept their companies rolling. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2020
Why customer-centric design is crucial for CX
In her book, '100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People,' Susan Weinschenk talks about why it is important for companies to know their audience to better design for them. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
10 Dec 2020
Prioritize human-centric CX and EX to survive the pandemic
Ricardo Saltz Gulko breaks down why businesses should consider a human-centric approach to employee and customer experience, and provides six principles upon which to do so. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Dec 2020
Why companies shouldn't overlook mobile customer engagement
Companies that have a mobile customer engagement strategy can improve personalization, connect with customers over various channels and provide an easy buying process. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Nov 2020
5 ideas for a post-cookies marketing strategy in 2023
Tracking customers without third-party cookies may worry businesses; however, all organizations are in the same position. Companies should consider these alternatives. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Nov 2020
How listening to the voice of the customer benefits businesses
Karen Mangia's book, 'Listen Up! How to Tune In to Customers and Turn Down the Noise' talks about the importance of listening to the voice of the customer in the business world. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
03 Nov 2020
Consider adopting extended reality for improved CX
Research shows that consumers are ready for extended reality when it comes to interacting with brands. Jason Cottrell explains why now is the time to consider adopting XR and AR. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
02 Nov 2020
Build trust in technology by reimagining customer experiences
During this uncertain time created by the pandemic, brands that win their customers' trust and add value through services will stand head and shoulders above the competition. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
30 Oct 2020
Create a customer experience strategy before tech investment
Align customer expectations with your customer experience strategy before making any investments in CX technology. Bob Azman has 10 questions to ask yourself before making any moves. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Oct 2020
Why social media is key to collecting customer feedback
Social media offers companies a way to hear opinions about their products, as well to interact with customers to improve CX. Businesses must know how to gather and use feedback. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Oct 2020
A breakdown of inbound marketing vs. demand generation
Inbound marketing and demand generation are easy to confuse, but they are different. While inbound marketing is marketing-centric, demand generation tends to be more sales-centric. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
14 Oct 2020
How to build a world-class customer experience system, part 2
Building off the previously discussed foundation, Megan Burns explains what's needed to complete an XM system: diagnostic guidelines, micro-design process and rollout infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Oct 2020
5 digital customer experience trends for businesses to consider
Improving digital CX is important in a market cluttered with choices for the customer. Here are some trending strategies to help businesses enhance their offerings. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Oct 2020
2 Customer Workflows: Drive Customer Loyalty with Connected Digital Workflows
When the unexpected happens, customers want to know they can depend on you to hear them and meet their needs. Continue Reading
- 02 Oct 2020
- E-Zine 02 Oct 2020
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Feature
28 Sep 2020
6 customer retention best practices for businesses to heed
Customer retention is essential to an organization's success, so it's important to keep customers educated, engaged and feeling as though they're part of the business family. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Sep 2020
Sales funnel vs. flywheel: How sales and marketing has evolved
The sales funnel is evolving into a more customer-centric approach named the flywheel. These processes approach sales and marketing differently, but both are useful. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
22 Sep 2020
How can companies handle CX opportunities during COVID-19?
The COVID-19 impact on in-person shopping experiences has changed customer service expectations; now companies must find ways to compete in e-commerce against Amazon and others. Continue Reading
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Answer
18 Sep 2020
What's the difference between CRM and database marketing?
Database marketing is a component of customer relationship management. CRM includes all processes, strategies and tools to support sales, marketing and customer service initiatives. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
02 Sep 2020
The importance of personalized experience in CX
Musa Hanhan breaks down the three stages of customer experience and explains why personalized experiences offer companies the best chance at customer retention. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
28 Aug 2020
Are you a customer experience leader or laggard?
Organizations need to invest now in customer experience to ensure they're leaders in their industry. They cannot risk falling behind their competitors with their CX initiatives. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Aug 2020
How customer transparency helps companies maintain loyalty
In an age when customers have more options than ever before, it's essential that businesses gain and maintain customer trust -- and that happens through customer transparency. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Aug 2020
Diversity in customer experience hinges on root-cause analysis
Sandra Mathis and Stephanie C. Harris discuss diversity and inclusion, and the necessity of addressing them at an internal level before customers see change. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
05 Aug 2020
How to build a world-class customer experience system
Megan Burns highlights the first four building blocks necessary for building a customer experience -- core journeys, criteria, blueprints and safety nets -- in this first article of a two-part series. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Aug 2020
Key strategies to build and monitor customer loyalty and trust
Businesses can't immediately expect trust from customers. It requires a lot of effort to build and eventually gain customer loyalty, especially during a pandemic. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jul 2020
Simplify employee and customer experiences to adapt and grow
Ricardo Saltz Gulko breaks down how organizations can focus on improving employee and customer experience by simplifying complex processes. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jul 2020
Tech virtual conferences plagued by problems, boredom
Tech vendors staging virtual events during the pandemic have stumbled in trying to reproduce the in-person conference experience. Some have succeeded. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jul 2020
How to create a great customer experience strategy in 6 steps
In today's business landscape, a powerful CX strategy is key to gaining customer loyalty and a competitive advantage. Here's how to deliver a great customer experience, plus a template. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jul 2020
Customer experience involves people, process and tools equally
Robert Azman breaks down why people, process and tools are all crucial for a successful customer experience strategy. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jul 2020
Discover the leading CX management software vendors
Take a look at these in-depth roundups that detail the leading products that help companies manage their customer experience, as well as their notable features and buying options. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jun 2020
10 steps to create a voice of the customer program
One of the best initiatives a customer experience team can undertake is a voice of the customer program. Here are some guidelines for building one from scratch. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jun 2020
Pegasystems debuts Pega Process Fabric CX integration tools
Pegasystems makes a play to be a 'platform of platforms' with Pega Process Fabric, which orchestrates processes between applications in mixed-vendor CX tech stacks. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 May 2020
Preparing your customer experience strategies for the new normal
As companies prepare to reopen following the lengthy shutdown due to the pandemic, they need to learn how their customers feel and how best to adapt to serve them. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 May 2020
Building customer relationships is central to loyalty
Raghu Kalé's book, Loyalty and Sacrifice, discusses what it means for businesses to build relationships and create true customer loyalty -- going beyond repeat sales. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 May 2020
4 ways CX is central to digital transformation in retail
Digital transformation initiatives in businesses can help drive sales, increase customer engagement and retention, and improve the customer experience. Continue Reading