January 2016

Magazine Features

Outlook 2016: How CRM Will Foster an Era of Good Feelings

As tools mature and vendors rally around journey-driven solutions, organizations will be better equipped to please customers' ever-evolving demands

How to Craft a Clear and Effective CRM Strategy

Guidelines for tackling some of the common barriers on the road to CRM nirvana

Freeman's Contact Center Continues Its Winning Ways

What does it take to win J.D. Power's Certified Contact Center Program distinction six years in a row?A Q&A with Brenda McCord, vice president of customer support at Freeman.

Front Office

How to Get CRM Right in 2016

Focus on a thorough gap analysis, an assessment of what lies ahead, and a stellar customer relationship strategy

Reality Check

CRM Challenges the Switching Economy

Ginormous switching costs mean that you should adopt a process orientation—immediately

The Tipping Point

B2B Customers Want a Good Experience, Too

Products and pricing alone won't cut it; B2B vendors need to deliver valued experiences

Scouting Report

Cloud-Based Contact Centers: The Sky's the Limit

The market is starting to soar thanks to flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ever-increasing reliability

Pint of View

The Hard(ly) Sell

In-person cold calls can get way out of line

Customer Experience

Why Amazon's and Uber's Digital Strategies Excel

A coherent digital vision is elementary

Small Biz Buzz

How SMBs Can Leverage the Internet of Things Today, and Tomorrow

Adapt, disrupt, and above all remember the customer

Insight

Apple and Google Yield Control Over Consumer Data

Consumers can decide which ads to see and how their data is used

IBM Merges Weather and Business Forecasts

Big Blue's purchase of The Weather Company enhances its ability to provide business insights

Required Reading: Mercedes-Benz Steers Toward Better Interactions

A new book explains how the luxury automaker set out to move beyond just offering great cars

With Bad Customer Service, Inactivity Costs

Employee silence about colleagues' mistakes hurts the bottom line

REAL ROI

The FCC Saves Millions with Zendesk

The federal agency's Consumer Help Center costs far less to deploy and maintain

Xanterra Has Monumental Marketing Success With RedPoint Global

The vacation and landmark resort management firm sharpens email campaigns with the data management and marketing tool