Manage
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Manage
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
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
Add real-time customer experience to your CX strategy
At its recent CX conference, Oracle emphasized how important it will be to provide real-time CX. Users and analysts weigh in on how plausible that actually is. Continue Reading
How do you turn customer feedback into actionable insights?
Actionable insights can be gleaned from brand surveys and reviews, competitor reviews and social media. However, not all insights are insightful or actionable. Continue Reading
-
5 must-read CX trends uncovered at Adobe Summit
As CRM, customer service, marketing and e-commerce morph into customer experience, Adobe speakers, partners and users pinpoint five trends in CX to watch develop in the next two years. Continue Reading
4 ways to use chatbots to improve Gen Z customer experience
More and more chatbots are entering the marketing, customer service and sales spaces. Here are four tips for brands looking to make their chatbots stand out from the others. Continue Reading
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
What are 4 essential social CRM strategies?
Social CRM continues to evolve, using additional social media channels and techniques such as social media mining, advertising and listening.Continue Reading
6 must-have roles on your customer experience team
Customer experience is the most important differentiator between enterprise competitors today, and CX teams are essential to ensuring customer loyalty and retention.Continue Reading
Customer success tools pave the way for business advancement
Quick Base launched an online university with the help of Skilljar to offer ongoing training, improving CX and increasing the likelihood of customer retention and loyalty.Continue Reading
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
-
6 tips for driving adoption of self-service platforms
Self-service platforms should be visible to customers, emphasized across all channels of communication and well-promoted. These and more tips are discussed here.Continue Reading
6 ways high-performing agents improve customer loyalty
Sandy Rogers of FranklinCovey offers tips for customer service managers on how to encourage positive traits in agents, such as empathy, responsibility and generosity.Continue Reading
Call center tips to ensure successful agents
Once hiring managers find the right people for the job, contact center agents need both proper training and office tools to be successful in their roles.Continue Reading
Trusting marketing automation with CRM functions
Marketing automation with CRM frees up resources and improves the efficiency and accuracy of campaigns and lead development, but it still requires a degree of oversight.Continue Reading
GDPR compliance requirements for CRM managers
Learn how the General Data Protection Regulation applies specifically to the CRM space and how managers can best ensure compliance within their organizations.Continue Reading
Is CRM with social media growing less trustworthy?
Comments made on social media can sometimes give businesses a skewed perception of consumer sentiment. Learn how to correct the data to inform business decisions.Continue Reading
Use smart workflows to personalize customer experience
Smart workflows that automate certain decisions must become part of personalization strategies in order for CX teams to better guide customer journeys.Continue Reading
8 tips for getting rich mystery shopping survey data
Mystery shopping data is only as good as the overall strategy for collecting it and setting up realistic customer experiences. Here are eight tips for investing your resources wisely.Continue Reading
7 tips for improving marketing technology stacks
Being deliberate about integrating a new tool into marketing technology stacks will help ensure they produce ROI and makes processes more efficient.Continue Reading
How can I maximize the Salesforce-Google Cloud integration?
Find out four new ways to make the most of the Google and Salesforce integration, including updates to the Salesforce data connector for Google Sheets.Continue Reading
Salesforce salary survey details pay among professionals
A new survey of Salesforce professionals, published by Mason Frank International, analyzes Salesforce salary data, employment trends and diversity.Continue Reading
Guide to customer experience management best practices, technologies
Customer experience management is growing. Learn about technologies, strategies and best practices that businesses are applying to their CEM.Continue Reading
Voice commerce rides on the backs of little smart speakers
The use of voice assistants and smart speakers continues to rise, but now companies are looking for ways to apply voice commercially in B2B and B2C sales.Continue Reading
Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud taps United Way connections
Salesforce and United Way collaborated on a cloud-based platform that guides employees to nonprofits and helps Salesforce customers organize philanthropic projects.Continue Reading
4 tips on getting up to speed with GDPR for U.S. companies
When GDPR went into effect four months ago, some U.S. companies just shut down communications with EU customers, but compliance can benefit organizations and marketers.Continue Reading
New rules for WCM tools enhance the search experience
WCM used to mean platforms for webpages viewed on desktops. Today, it's morphing into digital experiences, and it taps AI as well as other assistive technologies.Continue Reading
Sales planning tools sport a B2B customer experience focus
Sporting goods giant uses sales performance and planning tools to upend traditional product-centric approach, tackle engagement issues and pitch a better story to customers.Continue Reading
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
AppExchange in Salesforce a slam-dunk for Detroit Pistons' workflow
The Detroit Pistons needed help getting the most out of Salesforce, so they turned to AppExchange -- although the abundance of choices is sometimes a challenge.Continue Reading
Let customer acquisition costs steer marketing, service plans
Customer acquisition and customer retention strategies start with people and marketing automation tools. How much you should invest in either area depends on a number of factors.Continue Reading
AI strategy comes first, then AI tools second
If your organization plans to implement AI into its workflow, be sure to develop a sound strategy and provide the necessary training to get the most out of the software.Continue Reading
Ten tips for honing social media customer service skills
Navy Federal Credit Union ingrains customer service in social engagement, sometimes the only channel where sailors at sea can get critical questions answered. Here's how they do it.Continue Reading
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
GDPR call center compliance can be a sticky wicket
GDPR compliance for call centers can be complex and require the collaboration of business execs, call center managers and outside lawyers to establish data protection policies.Continue Reading
Check off those GDPR call center requirements
With GDPR about to go into full force, there are last-minute details and loose ends to tie up to ensure that your call center complies with the necessary regulations.Continue Reading
Don't forget agent training in your GDPR call center plan
The General Data Protection Regulation will affect call center agents. A GDPR plan for call center agent training should cover the expanded definition of PII and more.Continue Reading
Don't let customer service automation override customer experience
CRM expert Jay Baer, author of NYT bestseller 'Hug Your Haters,' joins the Pipeline podcast and answers host Don Fluckinger's litany of personal experience CRM complaints.Continue Reading
GDPR customer data compliance for service and support teams
Getting your Salesforce-powered customer service and support staff ready for GDPR involves more than just the free Trailhead training module. But it's a start.Continue Reading
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
CRM case studies: Customer relationship management in action
CRM for today's businesses means AI chatbots, data mining, marketing personalization and equipping call centers to handle the many channels available to customers.Continue Reading
partner relationship management (PRM)
Partner relationship management (PRM) is a combination of the software, processes and strategies companies use to streamline business processes with partners who sell their products.Continue Reading
Getting veteran sales force buy-in for AI CRM tools
Setting up next-generation digital sales tools might not be easy, but it's even harder to get buy-in from successful veteran sales staff who built successful careers without them.Continue Reading
Social media customer care important to brands, experts say
In this Pipeline podcast, we discuss what was a primary topic at Social Media Marketing World: how companies should interact with customers through social media.Continue Reading
Inside sales strategy, millennials highlight Accelerate 2018
Learn what happens when a SearchCRM editor joins a panel as the paid skeptic to discuss whether AI technologies provide real value for helping businesses increase revenue.Continue Reading
Digital sales transformation may require shadow IT dark ops
Sales tech initiatives culminating with flipping the AI switch require operational and IT prep involving data aggregation, training salespeople and, possibly, shadow IT experiments.Continue Reading
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
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
Expert: Boring retail is dying as tech gains importance
Technologies such as augmented reality and AI in retail are becoming more important for brands looking to gain a selling edge. Tune in to the latest Pipeline podcast to learn more.Continue Reading
Customer service chatbots help reduce product returns
In previous years, Azumi Mobile was overwhelmed with customer calls after the holiday season as users attempted to return smartphones. This year, chatbots helped address that issue.Continue Reading
Helpshift offers five Salesforce GDPR tips for customer support
How much does the service and support team affect GDPR privacy mandates? Turns out, more than a little. A chat app developer's compliance journey uncovers some compliance tips.Continue Reading
Colorado modernizes with Salesforce for government projects
Colorado licenses Service Cloud and other Salesforce technologies to improve its citizens benefit program.Continue Reading
Meet your friendly service agent -- The sales chatbot
AI chatbots enable companies to automate some sales and service tasks, but the combination of people and smart machines creates better outcomes than either one alone.Continue Reading
Salesforce Pardot certification opens doors, boosts salaries
Pardot consultant Stacey Cogswell talks about the opportunities and challenges when obtaining Salesforce certifications.Continue Reading
Marketing reporting software is dying, says InsightSquared CMO
InsightSquared CMO discusses the importance of vendor-agnostic reporting and why marketing-only reporting software is dying.Continue Reading
Ten tips for implementing virtual agent chatbots
Think you're ready to turn over some of your customer service responsibilities to virtual agents? An expert offers 10 tips for implementing chatbots.Continue Reading
Salesforce Marketing Cloud certification helps Aussie make bank
When considering which credentials in the Salesforce universe are the best investments, one marketing consultant makes the case for Salesforce Marketing Cloud certification.Continue Reading
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
How to define Scrum team roles in a Salesforce world
Organizations could find greater efficiencies and finish projects faster by assigning Scrum roles to members of their Salesforce teams, advises expert Geneva Stephens.Continue Reading
Looking ahead at trends in CRM in 2018
More AI capabilities, intelligent security and augmented reality should gain prominence for CRM users in 2018.Continue Reading
AI in retail delivers next-generation online personalization
Today, many companies market to broad segments because it's more efficient than one-to-one outreach. But each consumer has specific needs and wants. AI promises to fix this.Continue Reading
Do customer service chatbots need to pass the Turing test?
Experts say organizations should focus on enhancing the customer experience with chatbots -- not so much on passing the legendary Turing test for artificial intelligence.Continue Reading
Digital experience management: What it is and how it will change WCM
Static content is a thing of the past. It's no longer about just managing content, expert Geoffrey Bock explains. Organizations need to be ready to manage digital experiences.Continue Reading
The four social media CRM best practices you should know
As social media begins to play a larger role in customer interactions, social media CRM best practices are an increasing must-have for any organization trying to keep up.Continue Reading
Eight must-have call center systems for customer service
It can be challenging to pick a call center technology, implement it and optimize it for the best results. Here are the top eight call center tools to deliver the best customer experience.Continue Reading
Experts weigh in on the future of blockchain CRM technology
As blockchain technology makes its way into more industries, how will it affect CRM? We asked three experts what they foresee for blockchain CRM.Continue Reading
Consultant's 15 Salesforce certifications about more than pay
Chris Gardner has 15 certifications and plans on getting more. While that's paying off for his bottom line, he says, they can also help give clients peace of mind.Continue Reading
Benefits of predictive lead scoring: Where AI meets sales
Adding artificial intelligence to lead scoring can help companies increase sales by better prioritizing customers and aligning sales messaging and resources with clients.Continue Reading
Pipeline podcast: Exploring the growth of the martech stack
The marketing technology field has exploded, as have ways to organize a martech stack. This episode of the Pipeline podcast recaps highlights from the MarTech Conference.Continue Reading
How to make your Dreamforce conference experience less overwhelming
The annual Salesforce user event has grown from a small conference to overrunning San Francisco's city center. Expert Brent Leary has advice to get the most out of Dreamforce.Continue Reading
AI integration with CRM tools boosts lead scoring processes
Integrating AI technologies into CRM platforms is beginning to pay off for sales teams as they start to see the benefits of predictive lead scoring.Continue Reading
Tell-all book puts HubSpot inbound marketing to the test
Every startup's worst nightmare happened to HubSpot when 'Disrupted' hit shelves last year. The company put its own marketing tactics to the test and, by all accounts, it worked.Continue Reading
What features can users expect from Salesforce Einstein AI?
Expert Scott Robinson explains how Salesforce Einstein AI tools augment the vendor's CRM functionality, and how lessons learned from IBM Watson will affect the platform.Continue Reading
How training, seven Salesforce certifications helped reboot a career
John Coppedge became a Salesforce admin almost by accident -- and then he got laid off. Seven Salesforce certifications later, he's on a different career path.Continue Reading
Top four CRM platforms for your budget
There are several factors that go into deciding where to spend your CRM budget. Here's a breakdown of the big four CRM platforms to help you better understand your choices.Continue Reading
Cloud CRM wars feature Microsoft Dynamics vs. Salesforce
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM makes sense for some shops, while Salesforce is better for others. The right choice need not rest with the flip of a coin.Continue Reading
Salesforce certification training can lead to well-rounded employees
Daniel Peter believes Salesforce certification training helps him be a better all-around employee, a step he once again took most recently with a CPQ Specialist accreditation.Continue Reading
Tech vendors cite TOS violations to push hate groups off their clouds
'Alt-right' groups put to the test marketing and CRM cloud vendors that promote employee diversity and forbid users from hosting hateful or offensive content on their platforms.Continue Reading
What problems need solving to create smoother customer interactions?
While many factors can make or break a sales-service platform merge, three challenges stand out when combining service, sales strategies.Continue Reading
Create and implement an all-purpose multichannel contact center
It's hard to prescribe exactly how to integrate social channels with CRM. Your business model -- and finding where your customers hang out -- will show the way.Continue Reading
The importance of integrating social CRM tools into a CRM strategy
Customer engagement is no longer about simply handling a phone call or letter. Organizations must also be at the ready to address issues on social media.Continue Reading
The integration of CRM with cross-channel marketing breeds agility
Leading enterprises searching for ways to bring agility to the market need look no further than cross-channel marketing.Continue Reading
How AI marketing can make the most of CRM data
Find out how enterprises can use CRM data to move from customer journeys toward AI marketing and engagement strategies.Continue Reading
Recipe for lost customers: Flight cancellations and AI algorithms
As companies enjoy the benefits that automation and AI algorithms bring to next-generation CRM, leaders must closely examine the legal and customer retention ramifications.Continue Reading
Salesforce Architect Certifications pay off for Nashville developer
A slew of Salesforce certifications have given Doug Ayers a leg up: He earns more and reaps recognition. Learn more about his journey to become a Salesforce certified architect.Continue Reading
How the role of a CMO has evolved to include analytics and data
When navigating the ever-changing marketing technology landscape, Emarsys CMO Allen Nance first asks how emerging technology can help customers.Continue Reading
Chatbots creeping into omnichannel strategy for CRM
Siri, home voice assistants, we're talking to you. We discuss how companies are using the voice channel for CRM in these early adoption days.Continue Reading
Combining DAM and DX for digital experience management
Digital asset management systems predate the web. Cutting-edge digital experiences, however, depend on keeping DAM in order, with rich media served in a timely manner.Continue Reading
The science vs. the art of predictive analytics techniques
Organizations can benefit greatly from applying predictive analytics to contact center data. Here's a look at four areas ripe for upgrades in those workflows.Continue Reading
What's the right mix of people and marketing automation tools?
Finding the right balance between marketing automation tools and personnel can be tricky, especially with so many options popping up. Here's how to do it correctly.Continue Reading
Salesforce consultant certification is the rainmaker for CRM workers
Hamza Abib has 18 Salesforce certifications and is aiming to earn all 25. But his Salesforce consultant certification provides a foundation that informs all of his work.Continue Reading
GDPR and marketing: Keep an eye on European regulations in the works
Companies selling to 27 European Union nations must monitor how the GDPR will affect marketing, as the EU creates new guidelines for CRM use of customer data.Continue Reading
Customer data mining needs a governance plan to propel sales
The difference between traditional data governance and rules surrounding the mining of customer data is an extra layer to prevent the 'stalker effect' that turns away business.Continue Reading
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
The benefits of CRM blockchain technology applications
Blockchain supports Bitcoin, but speculation has started about blockchain technology applications someday improving CRM due to their security strengths. That integration will probably take time.Continue Reading
The case for click in Salesforce Developer Certification
The Salesforce development certification measures click skills or code skills. Here is a guide to knowing the click skills necessary to pass the Force.com Developer Certification.Continue Reading
Advisor sees better jobs and pay after Salesforce administrator course
Jenn Sanders illustrates how the Salesforce administrator course can boost a career. The consultant saw an increase in pay, client respect and a teaching opportunity.Continue Reading
Emotional analytics add layer of insight for call centers
The emerging technology of emotional analytics is reinventing the way call centers will engage with customers in the future.Continue Reading
Watson AI capabilities coming to business apps
While gaining traction in the healthcare space, IBM's Watson is expected to start latching onto business operations in 2017 and beyond.Continue Reading
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
How analytics in marketing can transform organizations
Marketing is second only to sales in terms of analytics application -- and it's where the odds of business success can most effectively be changed for the better.Continue Reading