Tips

Tips

• 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

• 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

• Designing chatbots with personality-plus and gift of gab

  Planning, patience, trial and error and a business-minded team approach are the keystones to developing chatbots with human-like qualities that seamlessly assist customers.  Continue Reading

• Sales Cloud implementation transforms sales tracking, analysis

  Salesforce Sales Cloud has made Thompson Pump's once manual, paper-backed tracking, analyzing and crediting processes fast and tidy, reducing order-processing time by about 20%.  Continue Reading

• Premium pay for technical CRM skills must reflect volatility

  Premium pay for skilled IT jobs remained largely unchanged heading into 2018, but workers will still be rewarded for CRM certification, according to Foote Partners' latest research.  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

• 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

• 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

• Cohesive AI in CRM strategies requires a singular 360 view

  Implementing and upgrading AI CRM marketing and sales capabilities requires a holistic, multipronged strategy that encompasses all departments and customer engagement channels.  Continue Reading

• How Conversational Queries aims to ease using Einstein Analytics data

  A new AI conversational feature from Salesforce lets users enter sales, service and marketing questions about timely customer data and build charts on their own in less time.  Continue Reading

• 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

• MindTickle, Salesforce speed sales learning in merger

  Last year's Blue Coat-Symantec merger posed a dilemma: getting salespeople up to speed on the reshaped product line. MindTickle with Salesforce paid dividends in sales learning.  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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning: How the CRM versions stack up

  With migration becoming unavoidable, you should understand the different features available between Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning. Here is a chart to help you do just that.  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

• Comparing Salesforce Einstein AI across the clouds

  What do you get when you pay for Einstein features in the Salesforce Sales, Service and Marketing clouds? We put it all in one chart.  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

• Survey marketing leads to sales insights for outdoor association

  After decades of catering to the needs of known customers, outdoor retailers now see the light and are targeting old and new customers with data-driven marketing and sales initiatives.  Continue Reading

• Adding voice, text channels in CRM for apps

  When SpotHero wanted to create text and voice channels to enable agents to assist app users with parking their cars, Ujet was the ticket that made it work.  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

• Natural language driving proliferation of FB Messenger

  Companies are incorporating chatbots with natural language capabilities to help improve customer experiences, and they are starting to reap the rewards.  Continue Reading

• In the cloud, tools for data integration gain importance

  Integration software has become a necessary tool for companies that use cloud-based software.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce Quip gets a facelift

  At Dreamforce, Salesforce launched a major update to its Quip collaboration environment that enables employees and users to customize the collaboration interface.  Continue Reading

• Einstein AI drills deeper into Salesforce clouds

  Einstein AI tools show great promise and are expanding deeper into the Salesforce clouds. Many smaller companies still need some convincing, but have high hopes for the future.  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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Six customer service channels you need to support

  The first step in determining which channels to use for customer service is to understand customer demands, and then supply those communications channels effectively.  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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• How to calculate the true cost of a website

  The cost of a website can vary greatly. Knowing which website functions will help, not hinder, your organization can save you money.  Continue Reading

• The case for code in the Salesforce developer certification

  The Salesforce developer certification measures click skills or code skills. Here is a guide to knowing the code skills necessary to pass the Force.com Developer certification.  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

• Your guide to contact center technology purchasing decisions

  Selecting the right contact center technology for an organization is essential to its success, but with so many options, how do you know which is the best fit?  Continue Reading

• What the Einstein-Watson merger means for Salesforce and IBM

  IBM is coming to Salesforce's aid, in a partnership to bolster the CRM giant's new AI Einstein bid with IBM's own Watson. Expert Scott Robinson takes a look at the partnership.  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

• Everything you need to know about CRM for SMBs

  With all the choices of CRM for SMBs in today's market, picking the right one for your organization can be overwhelming. Here are some tips to help choose the one for you.  Continue Reading

• What to expect in the Salesforce Administrator certification exam

  Looking into what it takes to become a certified Salesforce Administrator? Prepare for the 60-question exam with insight into subjects covered during the 90-minute test.  Continue Reading

• Five contact center automation tools you should know about

  There are contact center automation tools that effectively create positive customer interactions and benefit contact center agents, but they can also produce challenges.  Continue Reading

• How customer service analytics enhances the customer experience

  Customer service is arguably as important as sales in the enterprise when it comes to maintaining and expanding the business; here's how analytics can help.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce acquisitions signal ongoing broad-based platform strategy

  In 2017, Salesforce plans to wield its collaborative culture and tools to integrate its 2016 acquisitions. How will its platform strategy fare?  Continue Reading

• Get started with Salesforce certification training

  As the Salesforce platform expands, getting your Salesforce certification training can increasingly make you an asset to your business.  Continue Reading

• How to safeguard Microsoft Dynamics CRM security

  Microsoft Dynamics CRM security can be onerous if you try and lock things down too much. Here is a rundown of features that can help you make Dynamics CRM 'usably secure.'  Continue Reading

• Amazon Go strives to put a stake in the e-commerce market

  Amazon is carving out new capabilities in the e-commerce market with its Amazon Go service -- which may have a profound impact on CRM, according to expert Jeff Kaplan.  Continue Reading

• Why you should care about Agile marketing

  For marketers, an accelerated pace of change is as inevitable as death and taxes. Get ahead of modern marketing strategies by choosing an experimental approach.  Continue Reading

• What to look for in marketing automation software

  If you're looking for marketing automation software, go beyond the basic features and consider new capabilities for mobile, location-based services, omnichannel and more.  Continue Reading

• What contact center software to buy in 2017

  If your contact center software needs updating, this tip will help you focus on some of the must-have technology to buy in 2017.  Continue Reading

• Seven ways Dynamics 365 stands out from every other ERP platform

  Microsoft promises Dynamics 365 will outshine every other ERP platform that will allow users to gain better customer insights and while keeping costs down.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce Idea Exchange ideas your organization should advocate for

  The Salesforce Idea Exchange features numerous ideas that still need to be voted on and implemented. Review some that are on the table here.  Continue Reading

• Four ways to create the ultimate personalized customer experience

  As the demand for a more personalized customer experience grows, companies are scrambling to adapt. Follow these four tips to succeed with customer engagement.  Continue Reading

• How Salesforce CPQ could bring pricing intelligence to your company

  Salesforce CPQ enables companies to automate and streamline pricing. Here's why that may be beneficial for your organization, as well as a couple of challenges to note.  Continue Reading

• SAP Hybris CRM gets a jolt from SAP HANA Cloud

  SAP Hybris is capitalizing on PaaS to help customers and partners build applications and better integrate their SAP portfolios.  Continue Reading

• Four myths about your sales management strategy -- and the realities

  Companies that want to grow often focus on the wrong tactics in a sales management strategy. Here are four myths on selling -- busted by Armando Mann of SalesforceIQ.  Continue Reading

• Choosing contact center infrastructure software

  Contact center infrastructure purchases can be costly, but they also bring serious ROI through a boost in efficiency and customer experience.  Continue Reading

• Despite initial fanfare, Salesforce IoT Cloud still seeks user enthusiasm

  Salesforce IoT Cloud came on the scene to great fanfare, but users are still struggling with how to make meaningful use of the data.  Continue Reading

• Why your development future lies with Salesforce Lightning Experience

  The future of development on Salesforce is with Lightning Experience. Here are some tactics as you prepare for migration.  Continue Reading

• Chatbots benefit the customer service market, but not a cure-all

  Contact centers are searching for ways to bring efficiency to their processes without sacrificing customer-service quality. Chatbots offer one avenue.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Omnichannel data at core of new commerce offerings

  SAP's Beyond CRM initiative and Salesforce's Commerce Cloud are going after customer data silos and trying to create a truly omnichannel picture.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce AI touts intelligence for everyone

  Salesforce AI has come to the fore with Einstein, its intelligence application. The CRM provider attempts to round out its portfolio with this accessible AI addition.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft may bring location-based marketing to Office 365

  It's still early days for location-based marketing, but recent integrations and acquisitions by Microsoft indicate it has LBM on its roadmap.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Sales-marketing alignment fuels successful account-based marketing

  Account-based marketing has been successful in boosting sales and helping marketers personalize messaging, but it requires alignment between departments that is often lacking.  Continue Reading

• How customer analytics boosts the digital marketing experience

  Relios sells jewelry. But its customer base isn't monolithic, so it uses analytics tools to send the right message to the right people.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce CPQ in Service Cloud extends data integration strategy

  Salesforce recently extended its CPQ application to Service Cloud, which further fleshes out its customer data integration strategy.  Continue Reading

• Can Salesforce AI with Einstein catch the next AI wave?

  Salesforce Einstein is the next installment of intelligent sales, marketing and service systems -- but this is one of numerous Salesforce acquisitions. How will it fare?  Continue Reading

• When is your data 'good enough' for predictive analytics projects?

  Companies often wait to initiate a predictive analytics project because they want data perfection first. Why is that misguided?  Continue Reading

• Crafting your mobile app strategy is like online dating

  Your mobile app strategy should accommodate both newer prospects who haven't developed loyalty and long-standing customers who are ready to download an app.  Continue Reading

• How to sell marketing ROI to your internal stakeholders

  The more complex a marketing project is, the more likely it is that you will need to work closely with other areas like sales, IT and finance. Here's how to do so successfully.  Continue Reading

• Is online video chat the path to a personalized customer experience?

  Video chat can help create a personalized customer experience in a real and visual way. So why isn't it gathering more traction?  Continue Reading

• Develop a customer-centric culture with customer-centric policies

  Creating customer-centric culture has become an important focus in customer experience. The first step down this road begins with a close look at company policies.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce rallies in retail with purchase of Demandware e-commerce

  Now that Salesforce has purchased Demandware, it's positioned to compete with vendors like Oracle and even Amazon for market share.  Continue Reading

• Four features of contact center evolution

  Contact center evolution is explored through four key features, identifying how contact centers have changed through the past, present and future.  Continue Reading

• Customer experience innovation isn't as hard as it sounds

  Customer experience innovation tries to evolve quickly enough to meet the continuously changing needs of the consumer. So how can back-end systems help improve the customer experience?  Continue Reading

• Migrating from Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning

  The Salesforce development roadmap has clearly signaled that Salesforce Lightning is the future of the Salesforce platform. But some customizations and apps may not be Lightning-ready.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce Lightning development makes strides, but still falls short

  The Lightning development framework in the Salesforce CRM platform has undergone upgrades in usability, but there are still some improvements to await.  Continue Reading

• In customer personalization, explicit data matters

  By utilizing explicit data, companies can increase brand engagement and enhance the customer journey through customer personalization.  Continue Reading

• Customer engagement strategy helps to usher in business change

  Starbucks succeeds with price changes thanks to a knowledgeable consumer engagement strategy, while Wal-Mart has struggled given a lack of customer understanding.  Continue Reading

• Boost contact center service without adding agents

  Contact center service is critical to customer experience, so companies need to ensure their call center agents have the right tools and techniques for the job. Here's how.  Continue Reading

• Understanding Salesforce App Cloud licensing

  Salesforce App Cloud opens important doors to building new functionality into Salesforce. But it's important to read the fine print on licensing options.  Continue Reading

• Demandware e-commerce technology puts arrow in Salesforce quiver

  With the purchase of Demandware, Salesforce is taking aim at Oracle and SAP, which have already integrated e-commerce capabilities.  Continue Reading

• Consumers still waiting for Godot on personalized marketing?

  Personalized messaging can be an invaluable tool for marketers. Unfortunately, these marketing campaigns aren't living up to their potential, according to consumers.  Continue Reading