Features

Features

• Call center vs. contact center: What's the difference?

  Call centers and contact centers provide customer service in different ways. Decision-makers should understand which option best fits their organization's needs to optimize CX.  Continue Reading

• Ultimate guide to customer service for businesses

  Good customer service can make or break a business -- which is why it's more important than ever to understand customer service and develop a strategy to implement it.  Continue Reading

• Why marketing personalization has yet to pay off

  Forrester analyst discusses why personalization investments aren't paying off, what marketers can expect in 2022 in technology -- and in the job market.  Continue Reading

• How bad writing, templates and chatbots kill customer service

  Leslie O'Flahavan, a writing coach specializing in contact center communications, discusses how humans, AI and bots can work together to provide good customer service.  Continue Reading

• 10 sample customer service email templates

  Email remains an important channel for companies to communicate with customers. Here are some email templates for customer service teams to use in common scenarios.  Continue Reading

• Top customer service certifications and courses

  Here are some customer services courses to help frontline employees provide customers with a better experience.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• 10 customer service best practices to follow

  As customer service evolves into a multidimensional force, agent training and experience, performance analysis, virtual assistance, customer sentiment and net promoter scores rule.  Continue Reading

• 10 examples of AI in customer service

  AI and AI-enhanced tools drive efficiency and cost reduction throughout the customer service team.  Continue Reading

• 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

• What are the different types of contact centers?

  Choosing the right type of contact center depends on understanding the options available and the needs of the organization.  Continue Reading

• 15 customer service skills and how to develop them

  Some customer service skills include problem-solving, empathy, product knowledge and patience.  Continue Reading

• The future of customer service: 12 trends to watch

  Advanced technologies continue to shape customer service goals to streamline digital workflows, increase positive experiences, lower agent turnover and improve contact center ROI.  Continue Reading

• 6 ways to build customer loyalty for your business

  Creating and implementing an effective customer loyalty strategy involves communicating and understanding customers' needs.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• 9 steps to create a customer service plan

  Crafting a customer service plan is a key step to improving customer satisfaction and building loyalty for an organization.  Continue Reading

• 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

• The 3 types of chatbots for beginners and how to build them

  Various types of chatbots exist, but three types, in particular, are easiest for beginners to learn and build independently. Find out more in this chapter excerpt.  Continue Reading

• Beginner's guide to essential chatbot best practices

  In this Q&A, author Andrew Freed lays out key chatbot best practices for beginners, the biggest challenges and how organizations can tell when to adopt chatbot technology.  Continue Reading

• What does a customer service manager do?

  Customer service managers are an integral part of contact centers. They are the team leader, trainer and policy maker.  Continue Reading

• Brands opt for headless e-commerce vs. traditional commerce

  For large enterprises, headless commerce breaks down websites into user-friendly modules marketers can update. SMBs can also use it, paired with WordPress and other simple tools.  Continue Reading

• 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

• ServiceNow's vision for AI, customer service management

  ServiceNow's John Ball discusses the Now Platform's approach to AI, customer service and field service management, and why he left Salesforce as EVP of product for Einstein.  Continue Reading

• 7 benefits of a personalized marketing content strategy

  Customers want companies to treat them as individuals, and personalized marketing can help accomplish that. Personalization can also improve customer retention and brand affinity.  Continue Reading

• Apple iOS 14.5 App Tracking Transparency rewires martech

  If your business strategy fully relied on iOS tracking for survival, your company was probably in trouble before 14.5 came out this week, marketing experts say.  Continue Reading

• How post-pandemic B2B e-commerce tech stacks will look

  What will B2B e-commerce look like in the post-pandemic world? Experts and tech leaders share how COVID-19 fueled big changes and what's next.  Continue Reading

• Email marketing tools sustain old channel with personalization

  Email is so 1990s. Yet as a marketing communications channel, it thrives into the 2020s with an assist from personalization technology and customer data platforms.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Customer data platforms dominate CX technology headlines

  As the tech titans release their CDPs, it raises a question: Can this technology save itself from becoming another data silo in the marketing stack?  Continue Reading

• Advanced upselling tactics, technologies expand bottom line

  Upselling technologies that segment customers, predict buying habits, analyze emotions and target campaigns arm companies with the weapons to tap new revenue streams.  Continue Reading

• 10 Dreamforce to You 2020 sessions for sales managers

  DreamTX -- part of the Dreamforce to You 2020 lineup -- will offer a variety of relevant sessions for attending sales managers. Here's a peek at 10 of those sessions.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Standalone customer data platforms weather big competition

  Standalone CDP vendors got a years-long head start on Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, SAP and Adobe. They stand firm in a year when online channels stayed open during the pandemic.  Continue Reading

• 5 ideas for a post-cookies marketing strategy in 2021

  Tracking customers without third-party cookies may worry businesses; however, all organizations are in the same position. Companies should consider these alternatives.  Continue Reading

• Customer data platform tools push personalization, privacy

  Evolving CDPs help companies unify the flood of consumer data collected from disparate sources, resulting in better customer insights and compliance with privacy regulations.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 7 ways to avoid remote work burnout in call centers

  Many factors contribute to remote work burnout, including juggling too many tasks, isolation and a work-life balance. Here are some tips for managers to help minimize burnout.  Continue Reading

• How to write a marketing email: 10 tips

  There are a number of components that make up a compelling marketing email, including content readers want, photos and videos, calls to action and mobile optimization.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Call center customer experience ROI is more about metrics

  When measuring contact center ROI, don't get caught up in dollar signs. Focus on CX metrics, including the length of customer calls, wait times and net promoter scores.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Customer success vs. customer support: What's the difference?

  Customer success and customer support are important terms for businesses to be familiar with if they want to provide great CX. They sound similar but are different.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Combat event fatigue with a virtual event marketing strategy

  Virtual events can be a great way to generate leads and improve customer retention -- but only when done right. Here are some ways that marketers can host a successful online event.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• As stores reopen, e-commerce is king in luxury retail

  Brick-and-mortar stores are reopening, but that doesn't mean retailers should lessen focus on online experiences. Olivela, a luxury retail company, strategizes for beyond COVID-19.  Continue Reading

• What IT leaders need to know about customer data platforms

  Customer data platforms offer a lot, but many IT decision-makers remain skeptical -- there's still plenty of confusion over what they are. Find out what companies get with them.  Continue Reading

• 10 ways to improve CX when developing virtual agents

  Consider these 10 methods when building new virtual agents for your clients to help balance design, user experience, technical feasibility and business value.  Continue Reading

• Brands focus on messaging, empathy in crisis marketing mode

  There is no single way for businesses to approach marketing in a crisis, but no matter how they choose to address the situation, they must be sensitive to their customers.  Continue Reading

• 4 best practices for call center management

  An effective contact center is a result of strong management and knowledgeable agents. Management teams must invest time and energy in training their employees properly.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Life and business post-COVID-19 for employees and companies

  The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how companies interact with both employees and customers. Karl Sharicz offers a look at what he sees from a CX perspective going forward.  Continue Reading

• Building a successful CX governance operating model

  When developing a CX governance operating model, leaders should consider four key components: people, measurement framework, processes and tools and technologies.  Continue Reading

• 3 key training areas for remote sales success

  Remote work is easy for some departments, but sales teams may struggle without in-person interactions. Businesses should train sales reps to be successful while working from home.  Continue Reading

• Email, social media marketing strategies adjust amid COVID-19

  Businesses lean on email, social media marketing and softer brand messaging to keep customers engaged while the coronavirus keeps the world quarantined at home.  Continue Reading

• Educate, empathize in social media strategy during coronavirus

  Social media offers an opportunity to connect during a period of isolation, but brands should be careful when adjusting social media strategies. Here are some words of advice.  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus CX strategy should be flexible, feedback-driven

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses should understand customer needs and prepare their customer service employees for remote work as a part of their adjusted CX strategies.  Continue Reading

• 5 key players on customer experience teams

  There are some individuals that are responsible for leading customer experience teams. While each role has distinct duties, they all strive to deliver positive CX.  Continue Reading

• 4 tips for creating a crisis marketing strategy

  With a captive audience at home during the coronavirus crisis, many businesses are rethinking their marketing strategies. Influencer marketing is one route to go.  Continue Reading

• 3 ways CRM improves customer experience

  To be efficient, businesses need their information in one place. Using a CRM system, companies can improve CX by keeping track of their customers and automating business processes.  Continue Reading

• 9 steps for negotiating deals with Salesforce

  Understanding the Salesforce fiscal calendar, motivations of sales agents and what your businesses needs from a deal are key steps in negotiating contracts with the CRM giant.  Continue Reading

• Top 3 ways to increase engagement in e-commerce

  Engagement is a key component of relationships between customers and businesses, and it is essential for fostering an exceptional customer experience.  Continue Reading

• Mystery shopping software key to customer experience management

  Businesses use mystery shopping platforms, comment cards, brand reputation management and more to identify customer pain points and improve customer experience.  Continue Reading

• Collaboration tools in the workplace boost customer experiences

  Collaboration tools improve personal digital experiences internally for contact center agents, marketers and sales pros and externally for customers in an e-commerce environment.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce adds new features to Trailhead Live and Go mobile app

  Trailhead Live now features a live chat option and is available on Trailhead Go. While the mobile app fills a need, users still gravitate toward the desktop version.  Continue Reading

• 4 ways to create an effective personalization strategy

  Creating a personalization strategy can ensure that businesses offer the best possible experience to customers, with simple yet effective interactions.  Continue Reading

• 5 terms to know before creating a sales enablement strategy

  Sales enablement is important for companies to drive efficiency, maintain customer satisfaction and stay organized. Sales enablement uses different tools and strategies to do this.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce salary survey shows increase in Trailhead use

  The annual Mason Frank International survey shows the top two Salesforce certifications are administrator and platform app builder. Trailhead use has also increased.  Continue Reading

• 4 digital marketing best practices for businesses

  Some digital marketing strategies for reaching customers include creating empathy and trust in marketing campaigns, personalizing content and having an omnichannel presence.  Continue Reading

• CXO role requires tenacity, cross-departmental influence

  The CXO role is fairly new to businesses, focusing on customer experience strategies across the entire enterprise. In this Q&A, an executive discusses what makes a CXO successful.  Continue Reading

• Sales enablement best practices to enhance customer interactions

  Salespeople need the right tools to build strong relationships with customers to make a sale. Read about sales enablement best practices that may enhance customer interactions.  Continue Reading

• 4 contact center trends that drive customer experience

  Modern contact centers are making a variety of improvements, such as incorporating AI and chatbots. Learn about four contact center trends that are poised to improve CX.  Continue Reading

• 5 common call center terms to know

  Businesses interact with customers in a variety of ways, including via phone calls and chatbots. Here are some call center terms that define these interactions.  Continue Reading

• Software CDP features don't equate to CDP branding

  While many tech companies have software with customer data platform attributes, some vendors, such as Salesforce and Oracle, don't put the CDP label on them.  Continue Reading

• Customer engagement strategies focus on mobility, loyalty programs

  The Miami Heat and JetBlue both use mobile apps and loyalty rewards programs to engage their customers -- inside their places of business and at home.  Continue Reading

• AI-powered CRM platforms compared

  CRM vendors are working to bring AI utility to their products in diverse ways. Learn about the similarities and differences between AI functionality in the major CRM platforms.  Continue Reading

• Compare the top 10 customer data platform software products

  CDPs can provide a distinct competitive advantage, but selecting a product can be tricky. Learn about the top platforms on the market, including major features and pros and cons.  Continue Reading

• Big retailers share their CX strategies

  Effective customer experience strategies have a big impact on business success. Hear what Carnival Corp., Ritual Cosmetics and Ashley Stewart have to say about CX.  Continue Reading

• 4 voice of the customer methods to improve CX

  To improve customer experience, organizations can use mystery shopping programs, social CRM and surveys to gather data from interactions with consumers.  Continue Reading

• AppExchange, acquisitions key to the future of Salesforce

  In the first 20 years of Salesforce's history, acquisitions and products drove rapid growth. In the next 20, AppExchange partners will play a crucial role in the company's growth.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce Trailblazer community must keep pace to fuel growth

  Salesforce Trailhead's mission is to provide current and prospective customers with admins and developers. Growing that talent pool is crucial to Salesforce's health.  Continue Reading

• How Netflix uses emotional analytics to improve CX

  Emotional analytics enable businesses to obtain customer feedback without words. Netflix employs this tactic as a means to engage and retain customers.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft CDP helps businesses unify customer data

  Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights takes data from disparate sales, service and marketing systems to bring it all into one golden record of the customer.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce customers supplement CRM with AppExchange tools

  Salesforce customers are turning to the AppExchange to supplement their CRM function. Many find AppExchange tools to be more cost-effective and to integrate better with the CRM.  Continue Reading

• Small customer data platforms fend off big tech with service, features

  With Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe releasing customer data platforms, to be followed by Salesforce and SAP, small CDPs defend their turf with more features, better service and pricing  Continue Reading

• Have success with SAP C/4HANA on-premises-to-cloud migration

  There is no one way to complete a CRM platform migration, but a little planning and asking questions along the way can ensure you are on the road to success.  Continue Reading

• Influencer marketing best practices to reach millennials, Gen Z

  To reach the millennial and Gen Z consumer, you need to build trust and create experiences. Follow these tips to spin up an influencer marketing campaign.  Continue Reading

• These are the ABCs of marketing in the digital age

  Audience understanding, behavior analysis, marketing convergence and accessible design are the ABCs of marketing in the digital age, according to Microsoft's Purna Virji.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce Einstein Vision sinks teeth into shark recognition

  Using drones and a modified version of Salesforce's Einstein Vision, marine biologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, can track and identify great white sharks.  Continue Reading