Biographical Information
Lauren received her BA in Journalism from the University of Missouri. While at university she held several roles at Vox Magazine, which, according to its Web site "was named the best magazine produced by college students in the whole darn country." Some of her roles at Vox included department editor and contributing writer. Lauren also served as the education reporter at the Columbia Missourian in the Fall of 2005. Most recently, after moving to New York, she worked as an editorial intern at Working Mother Media.
Articles for Lauren McKay
Communication Is the Way to a Customer’s Heart
01 Feb 2011
A food processing equipment company finds that success tastes best when sales and service are served on the same plate
Reigniting the Engine with Service Software
01 Feb 2011
Fairbanks Morse Engine implements a CRM system that unites its customer records and tracks its engine service requests
Collecting Feedback Makes Cents
04 Jan 2011
A financial services firm invigorates its VOC program to better understand its business—and its customers
In One Channel and Out the Other
04 Jan 2011
Sonos shoots for perfect pitch with its social media and self-service support capabilities
Most Vendors Embrace Social CRM
03 Jan 2011
A study evaluates the performance of leading vendors
Locking Up Data To Unlock Leads
03 Jan 2011
Astadia and Salesforce CRM help a data-hosting firm increase annual revenue by 200 percent to 300 percent
Eye on the Customer
31 Dec 2010
Are consumers comfortable with or creeped out by online data collection tactics?
Sifting Through the Rubble
23 Dec 2010
Oracle's massive annual gathering garners a lot of press—both good and bad
Surface-to-Air Missives
23 Dec 2010
A travel service for military personnel uses SMS and live chat to ensure its customers can communicate
Anywhere Is Everywhere
10 Dec 2010
After years of unfulfilled promise, CRM and mobile technology are finally making a move.
SMBs Mature with the Mobile Cloud
02 Dec 2010
AMI-Partners research indicates that SMBs are steadily turning to mobile applications to cut down on computing costs and address the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce.
How Socially Intelligent Are Business Intelligence Vendors?
02 Dec 2010
In Part 2 of its study, Evoke CRM study ranks the most social CRM companies on the Web.
SAS Takes Care of the Conversation
01 Dec 2010
With the launch of Conversation Center, the company adds another module to its Social Media Analytics platform.
The 6 Goals of Social Media Marketing
01 Dec 2010
Social media usage report reveals that for marketers social media is now a strategic initiative, good content is king, and video will be the hottest social channel.
How Social Are Social CRM Vendors?
01 Dec 2010
Evoke CRM study ranks the most social CRM companies on the Web.
The 4 Commandments of Brand Advocacy
30 Nov 2010
A Deloitte study uncovers the changing face of brand advocates and the necessary steps companies must make to get influential consumers on their side.
SugarCRM Releases "CRM Made Simple"
30 Nov 2010
With the general availability of Sugar 6, the open-source vendor zeroes in on a new interface, productivity enhancements, and new partnerships.
NGenera Rebrands as Moxie Software
30 Nov 2010
A few years following the acquisition of Talisma, nGenera unites its collaboration and customer interaction product sets on one platform.
For Many, Social Media Still an Experiment
30 Nov 2010
A Harvard Business Review survey shows the immaturity of business activity in the space.
PivotLink Prepares Business Intelligence for Retailers and Online Marketers
30 Nov 2010
With new industry- and department-specific capabilities, PivotLink expands its BI prowess.
Crossing the E-Commerce Chasm
30 Nov 2010
As consumers become more and more connected, even leading companies are struggling to keep up.
Pega Adds Social to CPM
30 Nov 2010
With its latest release of Customer Process Manager, Pegasystems aims to make customer interactions more meaningful and customer feedback more actionable.
Lithium's Social is "Suite"
22 Nov 2010
The Social CRM player rolls out a fully integrated suite of social tools, complete with commerce, support, and brand-awareness-specific offerings.
Facebook Flounders in Customer Satisfaction
16 Nov 2010
American Customer Satisfaction Index E-Business Report '10: FoxNews.com and Google take top honors, while popular social networking sites leave members wanting more.
A Healthy Dose of User Adoption
04 Nov 2010
UnitedHealthcare overhauls its CRM program to embrace an on-demand solution that users will actually use.
Proactive: Take the Initiative
04 Nov 2010
Proactive CRM enables organizations to cut costs, minimize risk, protect their brand, and improve customer experiences.
Market Focus: Healthcare—A Healthy Dose of Social Media
04 Nov 2010
One provider shows how to join consumers in social networks without compromising a secure relationship.
A CRM Showdown in Times Square
04 Nov 2010
Executives from four of the industry's top vendors share the same stage—but not the same views.
Monogamy in the Marketing Marketplace
26 Oct 2010
destinationCRM.com Exclusive: A partnership ends when a reseller of Eloqua marketing software refuses what it calls a vendor ultimatum.
What's the Most Popular Industry on Social Networks?
22 Oct 2010
A study by Performics and ROI Research indicates that customers are talking all across the social Web — about brands in verticals ranging from automotive to travel.
Socialcast Extends Its Reach
20 Oct 2010
SocialcastReach, the latest update to the company's collaboration platform, extends the collaboration effort to other enterprise applications.
5 Steps to a Thriving B2B Community
18 Oct 2010
Web 2.0 Expo '10 — Day 3: A marketing executive from Philips, the largest consumer group on LinkedIn, shares what it takes to run a healthy community.
Take Back Your Business — With Data
18 Oct 2010
DataFlux Ideas '10: CEO Tony Fisher identifies the three potholes on the highway to data management success.
What Will Become of the Web?
01 Oct 2010
Web 2.0 Expo '10 — Day 1: "The world we need is one we've never yet seen," declared Tim O'Reilly at his bi-annual technology event.
4 Problems with E-Commerce — and How to Solve Them
01 Oct 2010
Web 2.0 Expo '10 — Day 2: A keynote presenter reveals how data can help modern companies overcome their "used-car salesman" personas.
Salesforce.com Rolls Out Chatter 2
25 Sep 2010
Oracle OpenWorld '10 — Day 3: Salesforce.com Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff unveils new features of his company's enterprise social network product.
The Hospitality Suite
22 Sep 2010
Hotels are finding a home away from home in social media, and boosting the customer experience in the process.
5 Years Later, Oracle's Fusion Apps Finally Near Release
22 Sep 2010
Oracle OpenWorld '10 — Day 1: Kicking off its mammoth conference, Oracle makes a few hardware announcements, tackles the cloud, and sheds more light on 2011's Fusion Platform.
Oracle CRM On Demand Turns 18
22 Sep 2010
Oracle OpenWorld '10 — Day 2: The latest version of the company's software-as-a-service application adds modules for "best-in-class" marketing and business planning as well as a preview of CRM technologies to come.
Retired and Retried
22 Sep 2010
A unit of Prudential Financial invests in Salesforce.com to revive a lethargic sales and customer retention program.
Sage Beefs Up Services in Sage Act! 2011
15 Sep 2010
With interface improvements and the introduction of an integrated information service, one industry thought leader remarks that he is "massively impressed."
Salesforce.com Outshines Competitors on Gartner Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation
15 Sep 2010
Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation '10: The top sector of the annual market assessment also includes Microsoft and two Oracle offerings.
Salesforce Puts Jigsaw Together with CRM
15 Sep 2010
The cloud computing company brings its newly acquired data services piece in-house with Jigsaw for Salesforce CRM.
Does Social CRM Need Gartner’s Seal of Approval?
14 Sep 2010
Despite unveiling three reports on social software, some in the industry question whether the research giant has done justice to a still-exploding sector.
ICentera Directs a Solution to the Indirect Sales Channel
31 Aug 2010
ICentera, a provider of sales enablement solutions, releases a specialized product designed for channel partners.
Mzinga Adds Analytics and New Features to OmniSocial
31 Aug 2010
With its latest launch, the social solution provider brings forward new reporting dashboards, mobile applications, and social network interoperability.
3 Reasons High-Tech and Communications Need Social Media for Survival
31 Aug 2010
An Accenture in-depth survey reveals that while customer service investments in the two industries may be up, consumers remain less than thrilled with their experiences.
The CRM Elite: Sweetening the Deal
24 Aug 2010
Making a meal of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, JellyBelly cuts down on churn and boosts revenue
The CRM Elite: Communing with Customers
24 Aug 2010
Business products provider CDW ups sales thanks to a Communispace-powered environment that turns customers into stakeholders
Market Leaders: Data Quality
24 Aug 2010
Market Leaders: Enterprise Suite CRM
24 Aug 2010
Market Leaders: Midmarket Suite CRM
24 Aug 2010
Open Text Updates Its Social Set
19 Aug 2010
The socially evolved ECM player expands its social media and productivity services, adding a no-cost microblogging tool to its offerings.
DataFlux Takes the Lead in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools
19 Aug 2010
Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools '10: IBM, Informatica, Trillium and SAP BusinessObjects follow the leader in the research firm's annual evaluation of the market.
Jive, Lithium Lead Another Social Scene, the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Externally Facing Social Software
19 Aug 2010
Magic Quadrant for Externally Facing Social Software '10: The research firm's third social report says the EFSS market is "young but developing quickly." "Expect social CRM to split into several [markets] as the technologies mature," says one report author.
IBM Captures Datacap for Content Management
18 Aug 2010
In what one industry analyst calls a "good move and a very good choice," IBM expands its content management and business workflow capabilities by purchasing data-capture vendor Datacap.
On the Scene: Sage Insights ’10 -- Sage Succumbs to Cloud Computing
11 Aug 2010
One of the last vendors to dive into on-demand, Sage partners with Amazon.com for SalesLogix Cloud
The 5 Ms of Social Insight
07 Aug 2010
CRM Evolution '10 — Day 1: "Social will be like air in 2011," says Altimeter Partner Ray Wang in presenting the top use cases for social CRM.
The View from the CRM C-Suite
07 Aug 2010
CRM Evolution '10 — Day 2: Four of the industry's top CRM executives square off for the first time ever to share perspectives on the ever-changing world of CRM.
The 6 Hidden Dangers of Social Media
07 Aug 2010
CRM Evolution '10 — Day 3: Companies are eager to make their presence known on the social Web, but they must remember to look before they leap.
Amdocs Gets Semantically Intelligent
18 Jul 2010
Tapping into the Franz AllegroGraph 4.0 database, the vendor shares its plans to invest in semantics to unite personalization and predictive analytics with CEM.
NetSuite Sweetens E-Commerce with Social
18 Jul 2010
The cloud computing business software provider looks to new partnerships to integrate friends into the shopping experience.
Microsoft Puts a 2011 Face on Dynamics CRM
18 Jul 2010
At its Worldwide Partner conference, the vendor presented partners with an application marketplace and a slew of new capabilities for Microsoft CRM users.
Oracle Brings Out Business Intelligence 11g
16 Jul 2010
"Oracle BI is definitely back," comments one industry analyst.
Advising Consistency
14 Jul 2010
Financial services firm Raymond James Financial gently offers its more than 5,000 advisors and associates a CRM interface they're familiar with.
Connecting the Disconnected
14 Jul 2010
Professional services firm Ceridian brings its independent salesforces under one CRM roof.
Changing the Deal
14 Jul 2010
Sigma Financial turns sales into something more than spreadsheets.
CRM Is No Longer a Four-Letter Word
14 Jul 2010
Why the badge is finally one worth wearing.
Jive and Lithium Top Gartner's First-Ever Magic Quadrant for Social CRM
09 Jul 2010
Magic Quadrant for Social CRM '10: The analysis firm whittles down a list of 140 vendors claiming to offer social CRM to a final set of 20.
4 Ways to Boost Customer Experience
09 Jul 2010
A new Forrester Research report reveals methods to make customer experience projects matter to companies and consumers.
Chatter for One and All
01 Jul 2010
The cloud computing vendor moves forward with its "Cloud 2" and announces general availability of Chatter, its social networking and collaboration platform.
7 Named Leaders in Forrester Wave of CRM Suites for Midsize Organizations
30 Jun 2010
The Forrester Wave: CRM Suites for Midsized Organizations '10: In his annual evaluation, analyst Bill Band identifies the top-performing options for midmarket CRM.
7 Surf Atop the Forrester Wave of CRM Suites for Large Organizations
30 Jun 2010
The Forrester Wave: CRM Suites for Large Organizations '10: Forrester Research names the seven top-performing vendors at the enterprise level.
Salespeople Need Performance Management, Too
20 Jun 2010
With Cloud9 Analytics Performance Management, the vendor promises contextual analysis for line-of-sales people, and future integrations with Oracle, NetSuite, SAP, and Microsoft.
Marketo Tries to Make CMOs Merry
17 Jun 2010
With the launch of the Marketo Revenue Cycle Analytics product portfolio, the marketing automation player helps marketers prove ROI.
5 Lessons Digital Marketers Have Yet To Learn
13 Jun 2010
Internet Week NY '10 / Conversational Marketing Summit '10: Speakers from Twitter, Google, Moxie Interactive, and Starbucks reveal new ways to connect with customers.
No One-Stop Shop for Social
11 Jun 2010
Info-Tech Research Group evaluates the incumbent players and outlines opportunities surrounding the convergence of CRM and social media.
Learn Before You Leap
10 Jun 2010
Leapfrog, a maker of educational products, gives its customers something to jump up and down about: an online community powered by Lithium Technologies.
Crashing the Community
09 Jun 2010
Nestlé feels the crunch when its own social network turns from semi-sweet to dark.
Crafting a Community
09 Jun 2010
Companies can corral as many customers as they like, but any true community has to truly benefit its members—customers and companies alike.
Collaboration Vendors Convene on Info-Tech's Landscape Evaluation
04 Jun 2010
The research firm makes sense of the top teamwork providers.
Allegiance Pledges to Be Social
02 Jun 2010
The enterprise feedback management vendor's Engage 7 adds social media to its toolbox of surveying options, unveils a new interface, and introduces text analysis.
Sage Sells Solutions, Not Products
01 Jun 2010
Sage Insights '10: Company executives convey Sage's commitment to customer experience and to uniting the brand's business solutions.
Sage Sends SalesLogix to the Cloud
01 Jun 2010
Sage Insights '10: After months of readying partners, Sage announces the June availability of SalesLogix for the Cloud.
SMBs Still Unsure of Social Media
16 May 2010
AMI-Partners report shows that small and midsize business usage of social media is growing, but they don't consider it a strategic process.
Coremetrics Puts a 2010 Face on Analytics
16 May 2010
With the latest launch of its Coremetrics Analytics 2010 application, the Web analytics vendor brings forward a smarter user interface, a new mobile app, and a host of new features.
The Sant Corp. and Kadient Join Forces for Sales Enablement Excellence
15 May 2010
A merger will bring together the two private companies -- and will provide a better workbench for bringing together sales and marketing.
A Is for Adoption
11 May 2010
A provider of contact center solutions implements CRM to eliminate shelfware and to use tools the company already had in place.
Google Bets on Buyers' App-etites
11 May 2010
Within the search giant's Apps Marketplace, small and midsize application providers can integrate with cloud-based offerings.
Required Reading: Funneling the Future
11 May 2010
The flatter the world, the further the reach of the empowered customer. In his new book, Flip the Funnel, Joseph Jaffe explains how that may finally bring down silos once and for all.
It's Not Your Relationship to Manage
11 May 2010
Just as you finally come to grips with CRM, the customers themselves have turned the tables—and now they're managing you.
From Infection to Deflection
11 May 2010
An antivirus company turns pro-self-service.
Microsoft Targets Innovation for "Dynamic" Businesses
05 May 2010
Microsoft Convergence '10: At this year's business solutions event, the Microsoft team announces extensions to CRM Dynamics Online and previews the next generation of Microsoft CRM.
Attensity Buys Biz360 for Social Media Monitoring
05 May 2010
With a goal to "open up the enterprise," the semantic analytics company purchases the global listening solution provider for an undisclosed sum.
Pegasystems and RightNow Added to Leaders in Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Customer Service Contact Centers
25 Apr 2010
Magic Quadrant for CRM Customer Service Contact Centers '10: New players join Oracle Siebel, Microsoft, and Salesforce.com as the market seeks to empower agents and deliver next-generation service.
Salesforce.com Makes Jigsaw a $142 Million Piece of the Puzzle
21 Apr 2010
In a definitive agreement, the software-as-a-service pioneer will absorb the provider of crowdsourced business data.
The Social Customer Wants Authenticity — Unless You're Fake Steve Jobs, Of Course
21 Apr 2010
SugarCon '10: Keynote speakers impart their wisdom to attendees, with the key message to become "a company like me" for every customer.
With SuiteCloud 2.0, NetSuite Tries to Clear the Cloud of Myths
21 Apr 2010
SuiteCloud '10: Distinguishing the real from the fake, CEO Zach Nelson announces some very real deals around cloud-to-cloud integration, vertical extensions, and code-less workflow development.
CEO Says SugarCRM's "Not in the Cloud Business, It's in the CRM Business"
15 Apr 2010
SugarCon '10: With the launch of Sugar 6, the open-source CRM pioneer promises to deliver a "new generation of CRM software bred for the Web — for speed, simplicity, and interoperability."
Oracle Releases a Social Services Suite
14 Apr 2010
The mega-vendor makes a handful of CRM announcements and heads into two new verticals.
Salesforce.com Extends Chatter Across the Cloud
14 Apr 2010
CloudForce 2010: Pushing Sales and Service further into the "Cloud 2," introducing Chatter for Force.com, and unveiling a Chatter-specific AppExchange, Salesforce.com continues to embrace social media, collaboration, and the "Facebook Imperative."
Maximizer Rolls Up Its Mobile, Desktop, and Web Offerings
08 Apr 2010
Version 11 continues along the path of "mobilizing the workforce" and introduces a new all-inclusive licensing option for SMBs.
nGenera's Nine Lives
08 Apr 2010
CIM Version 9 brings forth social media monitoring, community integration, and new support functions all wrapped up in the company's notion of the "social customer."
Going Green, Saving Green
06 Apr 2010
No matter what your company's environmental motivations may be, the bottom line is still the bottom line.
Generation Green
06 Apr 2010
Why Gen Y and the Millennials are greener than you'll ever be.
Market Focus: Consumer Packaged Goods — From Organic Goods to Sustainable Ones
06 Apr 2010
A saturated market for organic packaged goods has sprouted a new demand: sustainability.
Turning Green on the Ocean Blue
06 Apr 2010
10 Efforts to Make You Green (With Envy)
06 Apr 2010
Think a green initiative is either too lofty a goal or too difficult to pursue? These 10 companies would be quick to disagree.
Classroom in the Clouds
06 Apr 2010
An Arizona State University outreach program cuts costs and carbon by going virtual.
A Google Guru's Tips for Web Analytics
30 Mar 2010
Search Engine Strategies '10: Avinash Kaushik's four tips for making your metrics matter.
PivotLink Brings Business Intelligence to the Business User
29 Mar 2010
With the launch of its ReadiMetrix product family, the on-demand BI vendor hopes to deliver "insights-as-a-service."
Confirmit Broadens Its Horizons
23 Mar 2010
The latest launch from the enterprise feedback management vendor involves a flexible application toolkit, PowerPoint integrations, and more-intuitive designs.
InQuira Puts Its Knowledge Solutions in the Cloud
18 Mar 2010
With InQuira OnDemand, the vendor debuts online versions of its Web Self-Service and Contact Center Solutions.
Pegasystems Collects Chordiant for $161.5 Million
18 Mar 2010
Two months after rejecting a bid by CDC Software, customer experience management vendor Chordiant strikes a deal with a leader in the BPM space.
Jive's Bright Idea
18 Mar 2010
With Jive Ideation, the social business software provider integrates idea management into its portfolio.
The 2010 CRM Service Awards: Service Leaders -- Enterprise Feedback Management
11 Mar 2010
The 2010 CRM Service Awards: Service Leaders -- Outsourcing
11 Mar 2010
The 2010 CRM Service Awards: Rising Stars -- Communispace (The Dance Partner)
11 Mar 2010
Communispace does a nifty two-step, providing clients with private communities and then helping to glean information from participants.
The 2010 CRM Service Awards: Rising Stars -- LiveOps (The Home Team)
11 Mar 2010
LiveOps' solutions for outsourcing and workforce management enable contact centers to employ work-at-home agents.
The 2010 CRM Service Awards: The Service Elite -- Infusionsoft
11 Mar 2010
With an online environment designed by Helpstream, Infusionsoft's own customers are able to provide community-based support.
The 2010 CRM Service Awards: The Service Elite -- New York Life
11 Mar 2010
A Verint Systems deployment gives New York Life's Tampa-based contact center agents something to stick around for.
Drive-By Poaching
10 Mar 2010
At least one analyst firm saw consolidation as an opportunity for creative recruiting.
CRM's Hearty Appetite
10 Mar 2010
Mergers and acquisitions ramp up at the start of the new year as vendors expand roadmaps and look for ways to fulfill promises.
M&A & CRM
10 Mar 2010
A timeline of the tumult: The industry's shaken, but that may be a sign that the something's stirring. Here's a chance to look at the big picture—and to remember that not all deals pan out as intended.
RightNow Challenges Cloud Competitors
05 Mar 2010
CEO Greg Gianforte introduces the vendor's new Cloud Service Agreement and calls out CRM competitors for not delivering on the true promises of software-as-a-service.
RightNow Brings Cloud Monitoring to the Suite
05 Mar 2010
With its February '10 release, the customer experience vendor deepens its social functions, bridges communities, and expands monitoring features.
Infusionsoft Goes 2.0
26 Feb 2010
With its latest updates, the email marketing provider helps its small business customers take their CRM efforts to the next level.
BlueKiwi Offers Up Free Versions
26 Feb 2010
The social business software vendor updates its platform and introduces a freemium model.
DataFlux Unifies Its Tools
26 Feb 2010
With DataFlux Data Management Platform, the SAS subsidiary unites its data quality, data integration, and MDM product sets into one overarching platform.
SAP Releases "BI for the Rest of Us"
26 Feb 2010
With its version of SAP BusinessObjects BI OnDemand, SAP targets the "casual user" with an integrated toolset that spans both on-demand and on-premise technologies.
Conversationalists Flood the Social Scene
16 Feb 2010
Reports point to the emergence of a new social group and help marketers act upon the various segments of online participants.
Open-Source Business Intelligence: 5 Times Bigger by 2012
16 Feb 2010
Two research reports outline the drivers of growth for open-source business intelligence -- and what customers can expect as the market matures.
Demandbase Shines Up Its Stream Product
16 Feb 2010
With real-time alerts and notifications, the lead generation solution provider helps users be even more proactive when it comes to Web site activity.
The 3 Threats to Social CRM
16 Feb 2010
Accenture's Social CRM report reveals the trio of obstacles to overcome when developing a social strategy.
How to Exceed What Customers Want
15 Feb 2010
Net Promoter Conference '10: Satmetrix CEO encourages companies to move beyond the "zone of tolerance" to redefine customer experiences.
Extreme Loyalty Requires Extreme Commitment
15 Feb 2010
Net Promoter Conference '10: Three companies reveal the secrets to delivering high-quality customer experience.
Adding the Persona Touch
11 Feb 2010
With an eye on the user experience, some brands are inviting imaginary friends to the party.
The New-Age Home
11 Feb 2010
Aided by SiteSpect, a specialist in elder-care placement boosts Web conversions and better addresses client needs.
After CEO Ouster, Plattner's Plea: "Please Trust SAP. We Have Not Forgotten You."
08 Feb 2010
Announcing the exit of Chief Executive Officer Léo Apotheker, SAP returns to a "Co-CEO" format, appointing Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe to split leadership duties.
IBM Acquires MDM Player Initiate Systems
03 Feb 2010
After weeks of rampant speculation -- and just six days after Informatica and Siperian dashed to the altar -- IBM and Initiate finally tie the knot, adding yet another variety of master data management to Big Blue's arsenal, and extending its reach into the healthcare and public sectors.
Informatica Snags Siperian for $130 Million
02 Feb 2010
"This acquisition rounds out our MDM strategy beautifully," says Informatica's CMO.
Gartner Predicts the Future of Sales and Marketing
01 Feb 2010
The analyst firm gives its CRM forecast for upcoming years.
Cegedim Dendrite Acquires SK&A Information Services to Expand Global Database
30 Jan 2010
The purchase allows the life sciences CRM vendor to increase the breadth of its OneKey healthcare data.
Siperian's Last Dance: A Customer-Driven Module for Financial Services
28 Jan 2010
With its Extended Customer View for financial services firms, the MDM vendor — acquired today by Informatica for $130 million — puts the emphasis on relationship-based insights.
Information Wants to Be Disrupted
27 Jan 2010
Information Industry Summit '10: Panelists share their secrets to shaking up the information industry.
Knitting Together a Community of Enthusiasts
26 Jan 2010
With podcasts, a blog, and social network participation, Lion Brand Yarn weaves itself into the fabric of the customer experience.
This Year's 'Swell Set
26 Jan 2010
The 2009 Groundswell Awards congratulate cutting-edge companies mastering social media.
Market Focus: Insurance — Pursuing a New Policy
26 Jan 2010
The insurance industry is slowly shifting from traditional to trendy.
Where Does Innovation Come From?
26 Jan 2010
Perhaps more than ever, it's a good idea to look for good ideas? But where are they hiding?
Informatica and IBM Lead Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools
23 Jan 2010
Big Red squeezes onto the Leaders Quadrant and an open-source player joins the evaluation for the first time.
ZoomInfo Finds a Fresh Way to Collect Contacts
23 Jan 2010
With the introduction of FreshContacts, the business database service provider allows users to gain access data for free -- so long as they trade in their business contacts.
Radian6 Gets Sentimental
20 Jan 2010
The social media monitoring company announces new sentiment analysis technology for its customers.
SAP Sets Sustainability in Motion
19 Jan 2010
With the launch of Business Objects Sustainability Performance Management, SAP wants to provide companies with holistic views into their sustainable strategies and actions.
Retailers and Hotels Top the 2010 Customer Experience Index
15 Jan 2010
In Forrester's Annual survey, Barnes and Noble, Marriott Hotels, and Hampton Inn and Suites deliver the best experiences.
Five Application Development Trends for 2010
11 Jan 2010
Forrester outlines the top changes professionals should make and look out for when moving toward new applications.
Accel-KKR Purchases Kana
07 Jan 2010
A private equity firm's acquisition moves the customer experience management player out of the public sphere.
Compensation Management with a Real Payoff
01 Jan 2010
Open-source software provider Ingres commissions Xactly to automate incentives.
Deciding to Compete
21 Dec 2009
Economist Intelligence survey indicates that agile decision making is vital to operational efficiency and success -- yet most firms' ability to make good decisions needs improvement.
Electronic Health Records Get a Check-Up
18 Dec 2009
Hypatia Research evaluates the state of EHRs among healthcare facilities and outlines roadblocks to adoption.
BlueKiwi Enhances its Hub
14 Dec 2009
The social collaboration platform provider puts out a new release geared toward community managers.
Microsoft, IBM, and Jive Get Together Atop the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Social Software
10 Dec 2009
Magic Quadrant for Social Software in the Workplace '09: Gartner narrows its scope and crowns leaders for the first time, but notes that the market is still immature and there are "no safe bets yet."
BatchBlue Announces Sales Application for Small Businesses
10 Dec 2009
The online social CRM product allows salespeople to create deals, link up with social networks, and organize customers with unique SuperTag functionality.
Intuit Gets into Customer Management
03 Dec 2009
From hodgepodge to homogeneity, Intuit provides a new home for customer information.
EarthLink Connects to a World of Loyalty
01 Dec 2009
Analyzing churn helped the Internet service provider improve not just the targeting of its messages, but its overall customer retention as well
Information Overload
01 Dec 2009
Your data is multiplying, your channels are extending, the chatter is never-ending. You're already having trouble keeping up with the stream of information. What happens when that stream becomes a flood?
On the Scene: Gartner CRM Summit '09—Trust Is the New Differentiator
01 Dec 2009
Big brands and consumers alike see a newfound value in trust.
Moving from Dial Tone to DM
28 Nov 2009
Web 2.0 Expo '09: Keynote speaker Chris Brogan converses with attendees on the art listening and what really to do on Twitter, aka the Serendipity Engine.
5 Ways to Fail
28 Nov 2009
Web 2.0 Expo '09: Panel of 2.0 entrepreneurs hash out the most common routes to failure, paths to recovery, and acceptance of "I Can Has Failure."
LIFT Your Social Efforts to the Next Level
18 Nov 2009
Sage Summit '09: Brent Leary conveys to Sage attendees why CRM is turning into SCRM - and why hash tags matter.
Jive Jumps Forward with SBS 4.0
15 Nov 2009
The social business software player announces a new version of its platform, connects communities, and makes a play for the iPhone.
Online Retail Makes Marketers' Dreams Come True
14 Nov 2009
Ad:Tech '09: Sites such as Walmart.com prove there's more to e-commerce than just shopping carts.
Now's a Bad Time to Be "Antisocial"
14 Nov 2009
Ad:Tech '09: eMarketer CEO relays social statistics and strategies and highlights a social customer case study.
Sage Answers the "So What" Question about Software Trends
14 Nov 2009
Sage Summit '09: Company executives describe the response to key industry trends, such as social media, cloud computing, and globalization.
Cloudy, with a Chance of Reign
06 Nov 2009
Salesforce.com made software-as-a-service its trademark—can lightning strike twice with cloud computing?
Consumers Care About Needs, Not Channels
03 Nov 2009
Forrester Consumer Forum '09: In order to interact with the multi-channel customer, companies must recognize changing consumer behaviors, expand reach on multiple channels, and embrace digital tools.
How to Create a Customer Experience Framework
03 Nov 2009
Forrester Consumer Forum '09: Analyst provides three steps for making the customer experience matter.
The Vendor Vultures
01 Nov 2009
CRM providers are like scavengers these days, eager to poach from a competitor's client list.
Market Focus: Pharmaceuticals -- CRM Undergoes an Experimental New Treatment
01 Nov 2009
An older CRM vertical gets a new dose of on-demand technology.
StayinFront Prescribes an On-Demand Offering
27 Oct 2009
With StayinFront EdgeRx, The vendor diagnoses a new hosted CRM version for its life sciences customers.
What Marketers Can Learn From "Mad Men"
23 Oct 2009
Social Ad Summit '09: How to make connections contagious and promote customer's passions. Deep Focus's Ian Schafer shares secrets behind the "Mad Men Yourself" campaign.
7 Rules for a Smart Social Strategy
22 Oct 2009
Mediabistro.com's UGCX '09: A Forrester Research analyst outlines the impact of social media on business.
Time to Get Pragmatic about Enterprise 2.0
21 Oct 2009
Industry thought leaders -- Hinchcliffe & Co., Asuret, and Socialtext -- join forces to drive success in enterprise social computing projects. Plus, Socialtext calculates an announcement of its own.
Oracle Finally Puts the Spotlight on Fusion Apps
15 Oct 2009
Oracle OpenWorld '09, Day 4: The final conference keynote featuring CEO and Founder Larry Ellison pumps up the crowd with a few surprise guests and a sneak peak at Fusion Apps.
3 Game-Changing CRM Strategies at Oracle OpenWorld
14 Oct 2009
Oracle OpenWorld '09, Day 2: Executives detail Oracle's broad strategy as a systems provider, and its head of CRM delves into transforming technology at the application layer.
Oracle Reinvigorates Mobile and Social CRM Offerings
14 Oct 2009
Oracle OpenWorld '09, Day 3: One executive calls Oracle CRM On Demand not only Big Red's fastest-growing software-as-a-service application, but its fastest-growing application — period.
8 Reasons to Revisit Your ECM Strategy
05 Oct 2009
AIIM ECM Seminar: "We are at a tipping point," said industry president, telling attendees that the time is now to establish an Enterprise Content Management plan-of-action.
Mzinga Marries Its Social Software Offerings
03 Oct 2009
The release of OmniSocial unifies the company's collaboration, social media, and community products.
Mistaken Metrics
01 Oct 2009
They say you can't manage what you can't measure. But what if you're using the wrong ruler?
Your Metrics Are Outdated
01 Oct 2009
Times are changing — and so should your metrics.
Analytics Are Just the Ticket
01 Oct 2009
In-depth analysis of online activity helps Rail Europe get its Web operations back on track.
Visible Technologies Keeps an Eye on Use Cases
17 Sep 2009
The social media monitoring company extends its truCast Suite and segments its capabilities based on user needs.
How to Survive the Customer-Specific Web
17 Sep 2009
Gartner CRM Summit '09, Day 1: CRM analyst Michael Maoz says not only are consumers losing trust in corporations, but they are managing more aspects of the relationship.
E-Commerce Can Save Your Business -- or Sink It
17 Sep 2009
Gartner CRM Summit '09, Day 2: Analyst Gene Alvarez emphasizes the strategic importance of expanding e-commerce with the power of Web 2.0 technologies.
6 Steps to Influencing Customers and Building Trust
17 Sep 2009
Gartner CRM Summit '09, Day 3: Connecting with customers relies on the power of influence.
Salesforce.com Finally Finds the Contact Management Space
09 Sep 2009
The company brings forth its fifth option for CRM users, Salesforce Contact Manager, geared toward the smallest of businesses.
Salesforce.com's Second Stab at Service
09 Sep 2009
The company releases Service Cloud 2 with innovation around Knowledge, Answers, and Twitter.
RightNow Buys Social Networking Platform Player HiveLive
09 Sep 2009
The CRM vendor scoops up a social networking and community platform provider for $6 million to expand its social CRM offerings.
SMBs Find the Beef in BI Deployments
07 Sep 2009
Aberdeen Group fleshes out the top reasons for business intelligence investments among small-to-midsize businesses.
SMB Interest in Managed Services and SaaS Ripens
07 Sep 2009
AMI-Partners reports 100 percent growth in interest among small-to-midsize businesses in managed software and services.
Act! Gets Even More Social in 2010
04 Sep 2009
A new version of Sage's contact and customer management software sports a redesigned interface, social media capabilities, and e-marketing functionality.
Collaboration Software Vendors Come Together on Forrester Wave
02 Sep 2009
Microsoft and IBM do the most sharing, with Novell playing close behind.
Study Shows More "Babble" on Twitter Than Promotion
02 Sep 2009
Despite an uptick in business activity, Pear Analytics says the majority of Twitter posts contain "Pointless Babble."
5 Strategies for Creating a Competitive Edge
02 Sep 2009
CRM Evolution '09: CRM consultant shares tips for barreling through the economy and thriving in a post-recession world.
The 2009 Elite - ISS Belgium Sweeps Up Sales
01 Sep 2009
A services company makes a clean start with Microsoft Dynamics CRM [Sales Force Automation]
The 2009 Rising Stars - Facebook
01 Sep 2009
Friending Consumers
The 2009 Rising Stars - Visible Technologies
01 Sep 2009
Making Social Media Matter
The 2009 Influential Leaders - The Casual Cobbler
01 Sep 2009
TONY HSIEH
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ZAPPOS.COM
The 2009 Influential Leaders - The Aggregator
01 Sep 2009
GUY KAWASAKI
AUTHOR, COFOUNDER, ALLTOP
The 2009 Influential Leaders - The Fast Follower
01 Sep 2009
ANTHONY LYE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR CRM, ORACLE
Do You Accept the Terms of Engagement?
01 Sep 2009
Eager to play with social media, employees of CRM vendors are finding themselves burdened by new rules
The Secret to Continuous Customer Management
29 Aug 2009
CRM Evolution '09 — Day 2: Altimeter Group Partner Ray "R" Wang clues conference attendees in on how customer data can lead to a connected enterprise — and why B2B is dead.
Social CRM Showdown
29 Aug 2009
CRM Evolution '09 — Day 3: Two sets of panelists take the stage to confer on social CRM — where we are now and where we may be headed.
How to Sell More, Grow Your Business, and Defy the Economy
25 Aug 2009
CRM Evolution '09 — Day 1: Sales and strategy luminaries offer tips for staying above ground -- and prospering -- during the downturn.
Oracle's Other Half Lands in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation
19 Aug 2009
Magic Quadrant for SFA '09: The research firm evaluates two fewer vendors this year, and promotes Oracle CRM On Demand to join corporate cousin Siebel CRM in the top quadrant for the first time.
Quantivo Couples with the Amazon Cloud
13 Aug 2009
The behavioral analytics provider boosts scalability, flexibility, and affordability with its new deployment model.
Forrester Gives a Welcoming Wave to Complex Event Processing
13 Aug 2009
Citing heavy demand, the research firm unveiled its first-ever evaluation of nine vendors in the rapidly maturing space.
Get Ready for the EFM Upswing
11 Aug 2009
Hypatia Research discusses the importance of enterprise feedback management and the future of the market.
Mashups Make You Smarter
05 Aug 2009
A new Forrester Research report encourages organizations to embrace self-service business intelligence and mash it up to get even more intelligent.
Are You Ready to Zwitch to Zoho?
04 Aug 2009
The productivity suite provider integrates email and CRM, beefs up its Projects application, and entices Salesforce.com users to switch over.
Microsites to Serve Microsegments
01 Aug 2009
Brands from Dell to Office Depot are slicing customers into ever-tinier segments—and learning the dos and don'ts along the way.
Healing the Sick
01 Aug 2009
Facing regulatory requirements, spiraling costs, and an aging (and ailing) customer base, the healthcare industry looks to CRM to balance a pair of age-old doctrines: First, do no harm—and physician, heal thyself.
Patience for Patients
01 Aug 2009
Improved surveying techniques improve a hospital's patient centricity.
After Swallowing SupportSoft, Consona Conveys Renewed Roadmap
29 Jul 2009
CRM player plans to integrate proactive service offerings and to focus on point solutions.
8 Factors Impacting ECM
21 Jul 2009
AIIM report details traits of today's Enterprise Content Management industry.
A New Leader Emerges in Gartner Magic Quadrant for MDM for Customer Data
18 Jul 2009
Gartner Magic Quadrant for MDM for Customer Data '09: As vendors continue to invest in master data management initiatives, Initiate Systems joins IBM and Oracle in this year's top segment.
Allegiance Acquires Inquisite
14 Jul 2009
The enterprise feedback management vendor scoops up an online-survey software player.
SPSS Collects, Collaborates, and Deploys — All in the Name of Analytics
13 Jul 2009
With new versions of PASW Data Collection and PASW Collaboration and Deployment Services, SPSS helps analysts and business users alike manage the voice of the customer.
Small Businesses Take On the Twittersphere
11 Jul 2009
Inbound marketing vendor HubSpot offers a new social media monitoring solution and gives advice to small businesses toying with Twitter.
The New Qualities of Trillium's Data Quality
11 Jul 2009
The Harte-Hanks software division's Version 12 refreshes real-time validation capabilities, business-rules sharing, and dashboard interfaces.
Big Red Roundup
09 Jul 2009
Oracle releases financial results, announces the departure of an influential leader, and creates news around its Fusion Middleware Apps.
Radian6 Listens to the Demand and Integrates with Salesforce.com
09 Jul 2009
The listening platform provider brings social media analysis to the CRM world.
Consulting the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Service Providers
09 Jul 2009
Magic Quadrant for CRM Service Providers '09: The market for CRM consulting and solution implementation services grew in 2008, but the next year will bring challenges for all providers, including the foursome Gartner rated tops: Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, and IBM Global Services.
Small Businesses Show Social Networks Some Love
04 Jul 2009
AMI-Partners research indicates that small businesses aren't as slow to get social as some have contended. What's driving adoption? The blurring of the lines between professional and personal uses of social networking.
Dialing into Knowledge
01 Jul 2009
For The Carphone Warehouse, the key to quality service is empowering agents with consistent and organized knowledge.
Whuffie Doesn’t Grow on Trees
01 Jul 2009
Forget money: Trust, transparency, and value represent today's social currency.
Required Reading: Cashing In On Social
01 Jul 2009
Author Tara Hunt explains how The Whuffie Factor can be a company's saving grace.
Simplementation: 10 Tips to Smooth Your CRM Initiative
01 Jul 2009
Since roadblocks on the implementation superhighway often come down to human factors, we've collected 10 of the most common and the most costly — to help you avoid them.
Your Social Media Reputation Is Visible
27 Jun 2009
Social media monitoring vendor Visible Technologies launches TruReputation and expands its search reputation management offerings.
Business as Usual within Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools
27 Jun 2009
Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools '09: Five leading vendors hold their ground, despite a slight slip by SAP.
iCentera Enlivens Sales Enablement
19 Jun 2009
Portal software provider builds upon its sales enablement offering with version 6.0 and taps into what one analyst calls an "emerging market" in the process.
4 Steps to Immediate Customer Engagement
11 Jun 2009
Mediabistro Circus '09: Social media maven Steve Rubel shares insight into marrying brands and consumers displaying "selective ignorance."
The Social Media Monitoring Cheat Sheet
10 Jun 2009
An Aberdeen Group study suggests it's not too late to begin tapping into social media to manage your brand reputation online. Not yet, anyway.
10 Steps to Social Media Success
10 Jun 2009
Internet Week '09: Brand Exposure event shows companies how to join the conversation.
The 4 Hidden Costs of Business Intelligence
01 Jun 2009
A new Aberdeen Group report contends that BI could cost your organization more than you think, but some investments can help avoid budget blunders.
Strategy and Social Media: Everything’s Social (Now)
01 Jun 2009
You may not know what you're doing — but your customers do. If the time to act is now — does that mean it's too late to plan?
Social Shepherds
01 Jun 2009
If you expect employees to stay within the lines, you need to draw the lines first.
A Travel Company’s Tweet Deals
01 Jun 2009
Quality time — and high-quality engagement — on Twitter helps CruiseDeals.com extend its brand and develop leads.
The Data Quality Conundrum
28 May 2009
Fewer than half of all organizations have a defined strategy regarding customer data, according to research by Experian QAS.
Hot New BI Vendors Keep Things Cool
25 May 2009
Gartner unveils its 2009 "Cool Vendors" in business intelligence and performance management.
Demandbase Provides More Tools to Capture Ripe Leads
22 May 2009
The provider of lead-generation solutions unveils Demandbase Professional 2.0 to help B2Bs target the right people at the right time.
Sage Expands Its Social and Cloud Computing Plans
20 May 2009
Sage Insights '09: Executives revisit the Sage CRM 2010 roadmap with insight into what CRM users want -- and are ready for.
ExactTarget Sends Social Email -- and Receives $70 Million in Venture Capital
14 May 2009
The email marketing vendor brings social capabilities to the inbox, and has reasons of its own to celebrate.
Sage Sketches Out Future Strategies: Branding, Social CRM, Integration, and Mobility
14 May 2009
Sage Insights '09: Executives outline the future for Act! by Sage, SalesLogix, and Sage CRM products, and discuss the company's "transformational year."
Oracle Gets Down to E-Business With 12.1 Release
04 May 2009
The latest edition of E-Business Suite offers a medley of enhanced capabilities, from compensation incentives to supply chain management. Also, Oracle waives first-year Extended Support costs for some customers.
I Want (and Get) My MTV!
01 May 2009
Akamai Technologies needed to step up its Web-content delivery efforts on behalf of the music television network.
Skittles: A Rainbow of Social Media Marketing
01 May 2009
The candy brand integrates its messaging across Twitter, Flickr, Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, and elsewhere on the social graph.
Decisions, Decisions
01 May 2009
Neither your best guess nor your gut instinct is good enough anymore. Fortunately, with enterprise decision management, the technology and methodology now exist to help you reach a better conclusion.
Jigsaw Cleans Your Cloud
30 Apr 2009
The online business directory's new Data Fusion product targets issues of data quality.
Web Analytics Standards Still Suffer
30 Apr 2009
New research points to a growing but immature market, populated with "a great mass of junior analysts who…can get quite confused about the depth of all these issues."
Enterprises Restructure Mobile Strategies
28 Apr 2009
Aberdeen Group reveals that, as technology budgets are slashed, organizations are deploying new methods to meet the mobility demand and to appease "pro-sumers."
LucidEra Makes an Impact with Spring '09 Release
24 Apr 2009
With its latest edition, the software-as-a-service business intelligence vendor touts usability over features.
Oracle Takes a Shine to Sun Microsystems
20 Apr 2009
In a transaction valued at $7.4 billion, Big Red scoops up the software-and-services provider after Sun's failed negotiations with IBM.
SMB Software Market to Resume Positive Growth in 2010
09 Apr 2009
Software spending among small and midsize businesses is now expected to grow at an annual rate of 6 percent during the next five years -- with software-as-a-service leading the charge.
Siperian Directs Business Users to Master Data
09 Apr 2009
The MDM vendor releases a new application to empower business issues with data management.
SPSS Rebrands Its Analytical Offerings
06 Apr 2009
The vendor updates its software for data mining and text analytics, ditching the "Clementine" brand name for "PASW," an acronym for "predictive analytics software."
Authenticity Is the New Authority and Less Is the New More
03 Apr 2009
Web 2.0 Expo '09: Keynote speakers urge audience to connect with customers -- by telling stories and, above all else, by being honest.
The 4 Fail Whales of Social Media Marketing
02 Apr 2009
Web 2.0 Expo '09: Social media thought leaders Charlene Li, Jeremiah Owyang, and Peter Kim discuss the barriers to social media marketing, and how to encounter them without going "over capacity."
"T" Is for Transparency
02 Apr 2009
Web 2.0 Expo '09: Keynote speakers strike a common chord -- consumers want their corporations and their government to open up.
Social Support for Software
01 Apr 2009
Vendors unleash a new round of community forums for their customers.
Social Media Marketing Can Succeed for Leaders -- and Laggards
31 Mar 2009
A recent report reveals what even flawed marketers might achieve with efforts involving social media.
5 Strategies to Solve Your Search-Engine Sorrows
30 Mar 2009
Search Engine Strategies NYC '09: Expert panel discusses the state of search -- and what marketers and consumers can do with it.
4 Rules to Recession-Proofing Your Brand
30 Mar 2009
Search Engine Strategies NYC '09: In the current economic climate, even top-shelf brands need to be wary. "Marketing must move from passion to compassion," according to a presenter.
10 Steps to Terrific Twittering
25 Mar 2009
Search Engine Strategies NYC '09: Top twitterer Guy Kawasaki explains how to use the microblogging site for marketing, and why "nobodies are the new somebodies."
9 Vendors Lead Gartner Magic Quadrant for BPM Suites
13 Mar 2009
Magic Quadrant for BPM Suites '09: Established players continue to thrive as the space continues to evolve.
ZoomInfo Zooms In On the SMB
12 Mar 2009
The company data provider focuses on bringing more intelligent data to the midmarket.
Recession May Be the Best Thing for BI
10 Mar 2009
Gartner Business Intelligence Summit '09: Industry experts weigh in on aligning BI initiatives with business strategy.
5 Common Snags in Your BI Strategy
09 Mar 2009
Gartner Business Intelligence Summit '09: BI remains a top priority, but one that often conflicts with reality.
Lithium Diagnoses the Community
04 Mar 2009
With its latest release of Insights, the community platform provider establishes metrics and methodology to show the health of communities.
Zuora Subscribes to Facebook
03 Mar 2009
On-demand billing vendor Zuora takes its Z-Commerce platform to the social networking cloud.
Making Relationships Matter
01 Mar 2009
As LinkedIn grows, what does the future hold for enterprise social networking?
CRM and the iPhone
01 Mar 2009
Mobile CRM has been around for years, but Apple's handheld device has upended everything. Now vendors are rewriting applications, companies are rethinking the BlackBerry's seeming stranglehold, and users are wondering what's next. The answer may be nothing less than a CRM revolution, and a chance for Apple to enter the enterprise.
A Tough Transition Made Easier
01 Mar 2009
Assisted living is a growth industry, but one suffering from information overload.
Aprimo and Unica Top Gartner Magic Quadrant for Marketing Resource Management
24 Feb 2009
Magic Quadrant '09: This year's roundup shows continued investments -- and more than a few shakeups.
Welcome to the Customer Data Revolution
20 Feb 2009
Predictive Analytics World '09: A former Amazon.com executive shares the steps required to manage today's customers.
5 Ways to Cut Costs with Predictive Analytics
18 Feb 2009
Predictive Analytics World '09: With a goal of operational excellence, you can target the right customers and save money along the way.
Listen and Ye Shall Hear: 2009 Forrester Wave on Listening Platforms
13 Feb 2009
Forrester Wave on Listening Platforms '09: The analyst firm listens closely to a market segment that used to be known as brand monitoring.
RIM Shows Off BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0
11 Feb 2009
BlackBerry Media Event: The smartphone provider describes the release as "the easiest upgrade ever."
Oracle Bolsters Business Intelligence Roadmap
10 Feb 2009
Oracle BI Forum: Blending BI and performance management can lead to operational and management excellence.
Demandbase Builds Professional Demand
10 Feb 2009
A provider of software for lead generation and Web analytics releases a new product to further segment and target prospects.
Megavendors Look Smart in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence
09 Feb 2009
Magic Quadrant '09: This year's edition shows the biggest players dominating the BI Platform market.
Confirmit Sets Its Sights on the Horizon
04 Feb 2009
The enterprise feedback management vendor broadens its multichannel reach and releases a new on-demand platform.
Gartner Gives BI a High 5
02 Feb 2009
The research giant unveils five predictions for business intelligence in 2009.
6 Metrics for Marketing in a Recession
02 Feb 2009
Gartner analyst shines a little hope on the downtrodden marketer: Try spending to save, but be sure to get quick results.
From A(erospace) to Z(oology)
01 Feb 2009
Technology provider National Instruments caters to a community.
Spend Your Way Out!
01 Feb 2009
Counterintuitive as the notion seems, sometimes the only way out of a financial crunch involves spending more to make more. But how do you make your spending more strategic?
That’s (Not) Entertainment
01 Feb 2009
Playboy and other entertainment companies make cuts—but hope to keep the brand alive.
IBM Thunders into Cloud Computing
26 Jan 2009
IBM announces cloud-based services within LotusLive, plus integration with CRM players, social networking, and mobile applications.
NetSuite's OpenAir Opens Up to Salesforce.com
19 Jan 2009
The provider of professional services automation -- now a NetSuite company -- announces closer integration with Salesforce.com.
Forrester Waves to the Top Providers of Community Platforms
14 Jan 2009
The research firm compares the top vendors in the space.
Three Tiers for Infusionsoft
12 Jan 2009
The small-business CRM provider unleashes Basic, Deluxe, and Pro editions.
12 Technology Predictions for 2009
07 Jan 2009
Analysts weigh in on content management trends for the New Year.
Incentives at the Speed of Lightpath
07 Jan 2009
Sales compensation helps a communications provider close deals more quickly.
Strategy Will Squash the Recession
05 Jan 2009
A Forrester analyst reveals a five-part plan to deploy successful applications -- and to defy the downturn in the process.
30,000-Foot Views of the Cloud
01 Jan 2009
A few insights on the subject from various thought leaders.
Market Focus: Insurance—Technology Helps Insurance Weather the Storm
01 Jan 2009
The industry knows how to write policies, but can it create efficient policies for its own business processes?
The Google-ization of CRM
01 Jan 2009
In the rush toward cloud computing, the company that began as a mere search engine is rapidly becoming the go-to source for low- and no-cost office productivity software. Handling customer information, though, requires special attention.
Business Objects Ups the Ante on On-Demand BI
17 Dec 2008
SAP's business intelligence division strengthens its abilities in data warehousing and data exploration with its latest BI OnDemand release.
Small Businesses Want to Get Social, Too
17 Dec 2008
Research indicates that the use of social networks among small businesses will double over next 12 months.
SaaS and CRM: 30 Percent Penetration by 2012
12 Dec 2008
Gartner points to the continued evolution of software-as-a-service implementations.
Why Customers Are Sick of Healthcare
11 Dec 2008
Consumer Health World '08: Consumers are cost-ignorant with healthcare -- and yet always want too much.
The Prescription for Healthcare? Consumers.
10 Dec 2008
Consumer Health World '08: Health 3.0 involves an alignment with the consumer Web, but as much as consumers are clamoring for personalization, adoption still lags.
Intuit and Others Bid on Bankrupt Entellium
04 Dec 2008
The Entellium saga continues as it files for bankruptcy protection, and competing vendors look to pick up the SMB solution provider's pieces.
Maximizer Maximizes Its Mobile Operating Options
04 Dec 2008
The CRM vendor's mobile solution is now available for Nokia phones and other smartphones running the Symbian operating system.
Online, Black Friday Was a Letdown
02 Dec 2008
A survey by Coremetrics shows a general decline in e-commerce holiday-shopping results -- but several verticals saw a surprise lift.
Transparency
01 Dec 2008
Web 2.0, social media, customer feedback, conversations. Transparency is the new currency in CRM—but are you really ready to let your customer behind the curtain?
Holiday Humbug
01 Dec 2008
Will the Grinch steal retail's favorite season?
A Newsletter Employs New Tactics
01 Dec 2008
CareerBuilder.com, the largest job-search and employment Web site, aims to ease subscribers' search burden.
Marketers Pounce on Social Networking, But Users Shy Away
26 Nov 2008
An IDC survey indicates that few users pay attention to advertising on social networking sites; more than half say they find ads there "annoying."
No Leaders Yet in Gartner's Social Software Magic Quadrant
24 Nov 2008
Magic Quadrant for Social Software '08: New report shows an immature and clustered marketplace for collaborative and social tools.
Sage Adds a Little Spice to Its Roadmap
21 Nov 2008
Sage Summit '08: Sage CRM General Manager David van Toor fields questions on social CRM, the recession, and collaborative communities.
Sage Keeps the Economy in Mind
19 Nov 2008
Sage Summit '08: Keynotes reveal inaugural customer awards and encourage customers to fight through the recession like champions.
2009 Holiday Retail Forecast: "It's Going To Be a Disaster."
13 Nov 2008
A depressed shopping season may lead to a transformation of consumer behavior -- and the disappearance of several brand-name retailers.
Wikis Grow, Podcasts and Social Bookmarking Slow
10 Nov 2008
Forrester Research reveals an Enterprise Web 2.0 growth chart.
Cloud-y Announcements Surround Salesforce.com
07 Nov 2008
Dreamforce '08: Salesforce.com's partners capitalize on conference momentum with a number of new announcements and product releases.
Salesforce.com Doubles Down on CRM
05 Nov 2008
Dreamforce '08: The SaaS vendor ups research funds for CRM, declaring this a critical time to listen to and invest in customers and employees.
Salesforce.com and Amazon.com: Superpowers Team Up in the Cloud
03 Nov 2008
Dreamforce '08: Salesforce.com cofounder, Chairman, and CEO Marc Benioff announces the cloud company's foray into Web sites and its integration with Facebook and Amazon Web Services platforms.
Changing the Channel
01 Nov 2008
A DirecTV reseller gets bigger, fast.
Virtual Spenders
01 Nov 2008
Personas, avatars, and social communities will drive spending in 10 years.
Market Focus: High-Tech -- The Complexity Chasm
01 Nov 2008
As high-tech companies seek new directions, is the customer experience falling through the gap?
The Matures Endure
01 Nov 2008
They're sticking around longer—that means their spending money has to last as long as they do.
Small Business Marketing Software Gets a Makeover
29 Oct 2008
Infusionsoft updates its marketing software with a user-intuitive, fuss-free interface.
The Buzz Around Business Architecture
27 Oct 2008
Forrester says business architecture is coming to the fore -- and could raise interesting questions for technology departments.
B2B Marketers Still Hesitant to Get Social
23 Oct 2008
Forrester report shows that B2B marketing, unlike its B2C counterpart, may be lax in diving into Web 2.0 business efforts.
Gartner Predicts Future Priorities
21 Oct 2008
From "going green" to the consumerization of the enterprise, the research firm outlines factors that will soon shake up the workplace.
The Maturing of MDM
20 Oct 2008
MDM Summit '08: Vendors and customers bemoan the growing pains of master data management -- and revel in its growth spurt.
Consona Rebrands and Integrates
19 Oct 2008
Consona Connect '08: Say goodbye to the names Knova and Onyx -- the two are joining forces under Consona CRM.
Teradata Moves Beyond Intelligence
15 Oct 2008
Teradata Partners '08: With product enhancements galore, the enterprise data warehousing company kicks off its annual conference with a commitment to collective intelligence.
The Problem with Buyers? They Have a Brain.
15 Oct 2008
Teradata Partners '08: Regardless of what you ask, customers tend to be averse to opting in or out -- in fact, they often prefer not to opt at all.
As CRM Grows, Are CRM Users Grumbling?
10 Oct 2008
Two studies offer different perspectives on CRM adoption -- and yet both see an opportunity for continued growth.
Oracle Snags Primavera
10 Oct 2008
The acquisition means a greater project portfolio management breadth for Big Red's enterprise PPM suite.
The New Breed of CRM Consultant
01 Oct 2008
With the days of never-ending on-premises engagements and limitless budgets long gone, CRM can no longer sustain the consultancies of yesteryear. But what kinds of professional services are still needed in today's CRM industry—and what kind of CRM are consultants selling?
Sprinting Toward Disaster?
01 Oct 2008
The mobile-service provider runs into problems and looks to customer experience as a solution.
The Next Act! for an Acquisition
01 Oct 2008
A valuable customer management system is worth saving.
IBM's Vision Cited in Gartner Data Integration Magic Quadrant
30 Sep 2008
Data Integration Magic Quadrant '08: Informatica and SAP-Business Objects join Big Blue as the leading integrators.
Oracle Joins the Conversation
29 Sep 2008
Oracle OpenWorld '08: The vendor introduces and expands Social CRM applications and an initiative to integrate social networking with CRM.
Oracle Enters the Hardware Business
24 Sep 2008
Oracle OpenWorld '08: Partnering with HP and Intel, the software giant introduces not one but two servers.
The Innovation Clock is Ticking
23 Sep 2008
Oracle OpenWorld '08: Intel's CEO addresses the fast-paced world of computing, an extended commitment with Oracle, and Green IT.
Oracle Buzzes for the Gold
22 Sep 2008
Oracle OpenWorld '08: The vendor kicks off its annual conference with a Monday keynote filled with a laundry list of announcements, strategies, and roadmaps.
Social Media Is Sloppy
19 Sep 2008
Gartner Web Portals, Content & Collaboration Summit '08: An active and collaborative community involves taking liberties and setting limitations.
The Industry According to Benioff
17 Sep 2008
Gartner Web Innovation Summit '08: Salesforce.com chairman and CEO weighs in on the evolving software landscape and his CRM company's monumental leap onto the platform.
Go Ahead, Get Your Head in the Cloud
16 Sep 2008
Gartner Web Innovation Summit '08: Computing on the Web today means community, collaboration, and consumerization.
Sage Applies Logic to User Adoption
15 Sep 2008
SalesLogix version 7.5 offers extended Web access and customization features.
Analytics the Customer Can't See But Will Experience
12 Sep 2008
SAS Institute broadens its customer intelligence with a new analytics solution.
The CRM Social Hour
11 Sep 2008
Gartner CRM Summit '08: Key takeaways include building upon the customer experience and embracing social trends; 90 percent of attendees report CRM budgets have either remained the same or increased over the past year.
The Customer Experience Tattoo
08 Sep 2008
Gartner CRM Summit '08: Industry analyst provides recommendations in keeping interactions with the customer skin-deep.
Lead(ing) the Revolution
04 Sep 2008
Infusionsoft Marketing Revolution Tour: The marketing automation provider helps small businesses manage sales opportunities.
Appian Gets Mega-Friendly
02 Sep 2008
Appian, a provider of business process management software, partners with enterprise architecture specialist Mega automates and streamlines business processes.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Influential Leaders -- Kevin Bandy
01 Sep 2008
The Rethinker: Kevin Bandy -- partner & manager of directory sales and marketing transformation, Accenture.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Influential Leaders -- Sridhar Vembu
01 Sep 2008
The Penny-Pincher: Sridhar Vembu -- chief executive officer, AdventNet, parent company of Zoho.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Rising Stars -- Trampoline Systems
01 Sep 2008
Networking the enterprise.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Rising Stars -- Aria Systems
01 Sep 2008
Sending the bill, from A(ria) to Z.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Elite -- Qualcomm
01 Sep 2008
Swifter connections and speedier results with EchoSign and Salesforce.com.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Market Leaders -- Enterprise Suite CRM
01 Sep 2008
With Siebel Systems and PeopleSoft finally assimilated, Oracle takes its place atop the throne.
The 2008 CRM Market Awards: Market Leaders -- Data Quality
01 Sep 2008
Despite an increasingly blurry line between data quality and data integration, SAS Institute's DataFlux wins yet again.
CRM for Free? Concursive Gives It Away for a Year
28 Aug 2008
The open-source CRM vendor offers a free yearlong trial of its ConcourseSuite 5.0 for businesses with up to 100 users.
Maximizing Mobility for the SMB
25 Aug 2008
Maximizer Software announces a branding strategy for its Mobile CRM product.
Oracle and BEA: One Big Happy Family?
22 Aug 2008
Oracle's BEA Welcome Event: The enterprise software provider shares its post-acquisition roadmap, and promises "no forced migration."
The Great CRM Debate: Mobility, Web 2.0, and Consumers of the Future
20 Aug 2008
destinationCRM 2008: Closing keynote speakers tackle issues and the changing face of the CRM industry.
Wake Up! The New Customer Refuses to be Bored
19 Aug 2008
destinationCRM 2008: Keynote addresses today's customer demands and what companies can do to keep them coming back.
Customer Emotion Management?
18 Aug 2008
destinationCRM 2008: To build customer loyalty, make experiences memorable.
The Dangers of Out-of-Date Data
15 Aug 2008
A new Forrester report points to more emphasis on real-time data warehousing -- and outlines five ways to go about it.
Compiere Changes Its Business View
13 Aug 2008
The provider of open-source ERP and CRM products releases an upgrade with more analytic and greater integration.
IFS Has Designs on Designing for the User
11 Aug 2008
With a nod to Apple's iPhone, the enterprise application vendor reconfigures the user interface for its business software.
Forrester Wave Finds Initiate Systems and Siperian at the Center of Customer Hubs
11 Aug 2008
In addition to those two vendors, Dun & Bradstreet's Purisma and Oracle UCM remain near the top of the research firm's latest report.
Following the Lead[er]
08 Aug 2008
Marketing pro Dan Kennedy and Infusionsoft offer marketing advice for small businesses.
8 Enterprise Strategies That Stick
01 Aug 2008
CRM can be a tough animal to tame. We've gathered a handful of tunes that actually soothe the sometimes-savage beast.
Forming the Platform
01 Aug 2008
On The Scene: Gartner AADI & Gartner Enterprise Architecture -- Now's the time to decide upon a business process platform.
Required Reading -- Training for Success
01 Aug 2008
Physical and mental wellness can affect the quality of customer service.
UC: As Easy as A-B-C
01 Aug 2008
A Canadian school district doubles its number of phones -- and still saves money.
CDC Release Pivots Around Microsoft Technologies
30 Jul 2008
Pivotal CRM 6.0 makes the platform more familiar for users.
SnapLogic Offers Integration in a Snap
28 Jul 2008
The open-source data integration company provides a SugarCRM Solution Pack to solve integration woes.
"White-Label" Social Networking to Hit the Enterprise
23 Jul 2008
ABI Research predicts the industry will reach $1.3 billion within five years.
IBM and Oracle Lead Gartner's 'MDM for Customer Data' Magic Quadrant
21 Jul 2008
The scope of master data management widens -- and Gartner alters its report name to reflect the change.
The Hidden Cost of Email
18 Jul 2008
AIIM offers a return-on-investment calculator for email management -- and spotlights the problem that email has become.
Who's in Charge of Web 2.0?
17 Jul 2008
Forrester says IT departments, not business leaders, are the ones pushing for Web 2.0 initiatives.
UC: Under Consideration?
14 Jul 2008
A new Forrester report reveals an increased number of unified communications pilots -- but a low number of actual deployments.
Talisma Mashes Up the Enterprise
09 Jul 2008
The customer interaction management vendor -- now an nGenera company -- partners with Denodo to offer data mashups.
The Marriage of Marketing and Content
07 Jul 2008
Forrester says "persuasive" content management relies on having technology and marketing personnel understand each other.
Intridea 'Widgetizes' Customer Feedback
02 Jul 2008
With CrowdSound, companies can put an ear to customer noise.
A Small Biz Blossoms
01 Jul 2008
Orchid Book Distributers, an Irish seller of textbooks and training manuals, sprouts email newsletters from VerticalResponse.
CRM’s a Social Animal
01 Jul 2008
On The Scene: Web 2.0 -- As enterprise social computing takes off -- and employees clamor for more -- CRM providers scramble to connect, as well.
Market Focus: Healthcare -- A Prescription for Satisfaction
01 Jul 2008
As healthcare becomes more technologically advanced, are patients better served?
Jumping Into the SaaS Pool
01 Jul 2008
It's no longer a matter of just testing the waters: Large enterprises are making a splash with software-as-a-service CRM.
The Modern Face of IT
30 Jun 2008
Gartner advises technology departments to gear up for the next wave of modernization.
If MDM's So Great, Why Aren't Companies Mastering It?
25 Jun 2008
Two recent reports throw a bit of cold water on master data management, despite significant benefits and business process gains.
Trillium Software and Teradata Join Forces
23 Jun 2008
Teradata's reselling of Trillium DQ offerings offers a boost in master data management for enterprises.
DataFlux Has the Edge in Gartner's Magic Quadrant on Data Quality Tools
20 Jun 2008
Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools '08: Business Objects, IBM, Informatica, and Harte-Hanks' Trillium Software join the SAS Institute unit in the top box.
Mindjet Connect Allows Users to See the Big Picture
18 Jun 2008
The company's nonlinear, collaborative workspace product brings visualization to customer relationships and business projects.
Gartner Slows Down the Forecast for the Storage Service Market
16 Jun 2008
A weakened economy leads to a reduced growth prediction, but IBM still remains on top.
The Future of Technology: It's All History
12 Jun 2008
Gartner Application Architecture, Development & Integration Summit '08: Industry experts share insight on the future of information technology.
Software Trends Take the Enterprise by Storm
11 Jun 2008
Gartner Application Architecture, Development & Integration Summit '08: Analysts weigh in on cloud computing, social networking, and the new face of AADI.
Business Intelligence Comes Out of the Back Office
04 Jun 2008
Information Builders Summit '08: Analysts weigh in on the BI industry and a changing market.
Building on BI with Predictive Analytics
03 Jun 2008
Information Builders Summit '08: Information Builders strengthens its WebFOCUS platform, delivering on cost-effectiveness and demands for analytics.
All Talk
01 Jun 2008
Unified communications has the potential to drastically alter the business landscape -- assuming vendors really can get their collective act (and your communications) together.
Trouble in the Air
01 Jun 2008
With chaos in the airline industry, is it any wonder customers find their faith anything but sky-high?
Linksys Gets Shaken, a Community Is Stirred
01 Jun 2008
How Lithium Technologies' online community-based CRM solution saved Christmas.
Metastorm Forecasts Broader BPM Capabilities
28 May 2008
Business process management provider releases new suite offerings.
Study Points to Enterprise 2.0 Perplexity
27 May 2008
AIIM content management research shows steady Enterprise 2.0 growth--but also vague understanding of the topic.
SugarCRM Unveils its Data Center Edition
22 May 2008
The open source CRM vendor moves to put customization and control in the hands of enterprise customers and partners.
Talisma Acquired by nGenera
21 May 2008
The relative newcomer -- a provider of "business-innovation platforms" -- looks to add Talisma's customer-interaction software to its rapidly expanding platform.
MDM Gets Trendy in 2008
19 May 2008
As master data management moves out of the early-adoption phase, Forrester Research forecasts trends for the year, reasons for failure, and recommendations for future success.
Will Bigger Be Better? HP Spends $13.9 Billion on EDS to Find Out
14 May 2008
The hefty merger hopes to rival IBM, but provides little advancement in terms of CRM.
Studies Show Steadfast Social Networking Growth
12 May 2008
Gartner and IDC reports show Enterprise 2.0 is growing among enterprises and a valuable resource for retailers.
ISM Announces Its Top 15 Lists for CRM
09 May 2008
ISM Top 15 '08: The CRM consultancy anoints its annual crème de la crème of the industry, and divulges emerging and prevalent industry trends.
Infor's Taking-Care-of-Business Business Edition CRM
05 May 2008
Infor releases a CRM software package designed to meet the needs of the midmarket.
Customer Confidence Fizzles to Lowest Level in 25 Years
01 May 2008
Retailers beware: Survey blames inflation, unemployment, and smaller income gains for buyer burnout.
How UGC Can Benefit CRM
01 May 2008
On The Scene: AIIM 2008 -- Fostering online communities and embracing user-generated content can provide great value for CRM.
Etelos Moves Forward With Reverse Merger
28 Apr 2008
The SaaS and PaaS vendor becomes a public company in an unorthodox way, raising funds for further development of its Etelos Marketplace.
4 Steps to Winning Over the Community
25 Apr 2008
Web 2.0 Expo '08: With interest in Enterprise 2.0 at an all-time high, it's time to get the people behind you.
Web 2.0: The Wrap-Up Edition
25 Apr 2008
Web 2.0 Expo '08: Mashups and meshes and dashboards -- oh, my!
Keeping the Web Trendy
24 Apr 2008
Web 2.0 Expo '08: Aiming to innovate is always in season.
Can I Call You Back Later?
10 Apr 2008
A new study shows that even top Web companies slack when it comes to the phone -- But the delayed response time could be drastic sales matter.
SMBs Can Be Mobile, Too
07 Apr 2008
Wireless data provider Mobile Data Now hooks CRM up to mobile devices.
Managers Jump Up and Down for Social Networking
31 Mar 2008
Enterprise social networking takes flight with Trampoline Systems' newest release.
Zoho Brings Another Application to the Cloud
28 Mar 2008
With yet another Web-based application -- Zoho Invoice -- the Zoho Suite extends its sweet offerings.
Where There's a WizKid, There's a Way
26 Mar 2008
The fourth annual Beagle Research study outlines the year's seven coolest and most innovative industry solutions.
Avidian's Outlook is Simple
24 Mar 2008
The CRM vendor enhances sales force features and contact management through intricate integration with Microsoft Outlook.
No VoIP? No Problem.
20 Mar 2008
Unified communications software vendor Objectworld offers a UC platform that lets companies keep their existing phone systems.
CDC Hears the Demand for On Demand
17 Mar 2008
The vendor ventures into the on-demand CRM waters by dipping its toe into one corner of the financial services market -- institutional asset management.
Bringing the Customer Aboard the Unified Communications Bandwagon
12 Mar 2008
Contact center solutions vendor Aspect Software has a new UC strategy -- and the company says it starts with the customer.
Sage's New New Global Strategy
10 Mar 2008
Sage Software's latest CRM shift promises one step up in mobility and another toward integration.
5 Steps to Successful Web Content Management
07 Mar 2008
AIIM '08: Analytical findings reveal certain trends when mapping out Web content management (WCM).
The Future of ECM Is Simplicity
05 Mar 2008
AIIM '08: With enterprise content management on the rise, users demand to have what's easy.
Genticity's New Customer-Facing Face: Customer1
03 Mar 2008
The CRM vendor brings a new offering --- and name --- to the marketplace.
OpSource Sees SaaS Reigning In the Cloud
29 Feb 2008
With its new OpSource Connect, the provider of software-as-a-service infrastructure sees mainstream acceptance of SaaS as a sign that the industry is primed to tackle integration now.
RightNow's Latest Release Puts Things in Context
26 Feb 2008
The on-demand supplier of customer service solutions targets contact center efficiency.
Infor Markets a New Marketing Module
25 Jan 2008
The software conglomerate's Infor CRM Epiphany Outbound Marketing 7.1 offers industry-specific features for retailers.