One of the most important trends these days in unified communications (UC) is extending these capabilities to the contact center. Generally in the past, UC deployments have been focused on employee communications, but contact center agents utilize many UC features and a strong business case can be made for implementing UC in your contact center. This guide addresses the main considerations to support this business case for companies of all sizes.
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This white paper defines reverse logistics as it relates to aftermarket service, describes how it differs from forward logistics, and then discusses the difficulties inherent in selecting and using enterprise software to facilitate reverse logistics and repair processes including warranty repair, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) repair and handling return material authorizations (RMAs) from distributors. Download the paper.
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Choosing the right device for field service management needs is not easy. This white paper will guide you through the different factors, including your organization’s technology outlook, how a customer’s perceptions of you might be affected by the device, and how the hardware features make your employees more efficient. Know the four steps to consider for choosing the right device for your field service mobility needs.
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Many customer contact organizations have implemented workforce organization (WFO) as an operational strategy to improve the performance of customer care professionals once they are on the contact center floor. A sound WFO practice starts well before then with the recruitment and hiring of agents who demonstrate the necessary skills and abilities to be successful. But the hiring process is often overlooked as a key step in implementing an effective WFO strategy. In this white paper you will learn how to optimize your hiring practices, including an in-depth look at the recruiting cycle, including sourcing, screening, assessing, and hiring, and the transitional phases, such as onboarding and offboarding, plus the benefits of adopting an agent lifecycle view to WFO.
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This report gives an overview of current considerations for organizations seeking to purchase a CRM solution. Based on aggregate data collected from more than 1789 CRM software comparisons performed using Technology Evaluation Centers’ (TEC’s) TEC Advisor software selection application, the report details what TEC data reveals about your peers' requirements for CRM solutions, including functionalities, customization and integration, server and database platforms, and budgeting.
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The UNIT4 product Agresso is now TEC Certified for online evaluation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions for services in the ERP Evaluation Center. The certification seal is a valuable indicator for organizations relying on the integrity of TEC research for assistance with their software selection projects. Download this report for product highlights, competitive analysis, product analysis, and in-depth analyst commentary.
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CRM solutions provide organizations with important customer information and tools, and are particularly useful in
enforcing levels of quality and specific procedures in a uniform manner. This white paper gives an overview of important things to consider when selecting a CRM solution, including summaries of on-premise and hosted solutions, a comparison of CRM types and solutions by company size, and different CRM solution features.
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This document describes the current state of the service enterprise, and reveals the goals and investments prioritized by service leaders (over 200 polled in a recent survey) for 2012. It also reveals the performance benchmarks of leading service organizations, and divulges the strategic elements that contribute to best-in-class performance.
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Companies realize that innovation can mean the difference between effectively growing or transforming their business and falling behind. But for a company to thrive in today’s environment, innovation has to be seen as more than a clichéd talking point. It has to be a key part of the company’s core business processes. Download this interview with Eric Verniaut, SAP’s head of North America services, to find out how innovation has helped services delivery models to evolve.
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Analytics can be transformative within an enterprise, but it is hard work to make it happen. Innovative organizations need to invest not only in the appropriate technology but also in human capital. This investment will represent an ongoing commitment—the data overload and increased customer expectations that we talk about will continue to accelerate and technology and analytical aptitude will need to keep up. Read this white paper to understand the social enterprise.
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Given that the Internet has made basic product information so readily available, the role of the salesperson of the 21st century has to be defined in terms of his or her ability to add value to the customer. When dealing with human beings, there are no such things as absolutes, but there are patterns that can be used to provide a baseline understanding. Read this white paper to learn about the tectonic forces that are driving salesforce transformation.
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Infor and salesforce.com have joined "forces" to offer several brand new collaborative applications. The first joint product offered by Infor and salesforce.com, Inforce, connects Infor ERP with Salesforce CRM and adds new functionality to Salesforce that enables the sharing of information and business processes between Infor ERP and Salesforce CRM. TEC principal analyst P.J. Jakovljevic reviews the SMB CRM solution and outlines what the product has to offer and how it compares to other related Infor solutions.
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SAP is known for its enterprise software solutions, but the company's focus on professional services as of late is allowing SAP to offer more of what customers need from a single source. TEC Principal Analyst P.J. Jakovljevic details SAP Services' broad range of offerings and levels of services, including the latest developments with SAP MaxAttention, SAP's RDS, BTS, and SAP Custom Development.
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Your business’s call center phone system is the nerve center of your sales and customer service activities. And because it’s so vital to your company’s daily operations, it should help you increase your revenue opportunities, reduce costs, maximize your representatives’ productivity, and improve overall customer satisfaction. Read this paper and know the things to consider before purchasing a call center phone system.
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CRM software has gone well beyond being a "good to have" capability. Senior management is now generally quite clear that this genre of software is needed. However, it also often acknowledged that companies that have deployed CRM software solutions have not obtained the benefits that were promised. When we understand the reasons for this dissatisfaction, we can make the case for a new CRM solution. See the benefits of a new CRM solution.
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Today’s business marketplace is an extremely competitive one. Companies that want to be successful need to develop, grow, and manage their business effectively. To successfully do this, businesses need a CRM solution. CRM solutions allow companies to strengthen relationships with existing customers and build new relationships with prospective clients. Know what to consider to select the right CRM solution for your business.
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Every business is in business to generate revenue. The more revenue generated, the happier everyone is. A company’s call center is no different. But how do you manage your call center to run as efficiently and productively as possible? While CRM software will represent an investment when initially implemented, it offers the possibility for a favorable return on investment. See how a CRM solution can benefit your call center.
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While most industries are rapidly adopting social media to engage with customers, the life sciences companies remain typically balk at extending social presence in a highly regulated environment. In view of recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines on the responsibilities of life sciences companies monitoring social media, this paper intends to assist life sciences companies in determining the scope and potential impact of creating a social media engagement program.
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Banks are facing high levels of scrutiny from their customers and find themselves under great pressure to create value, win back lost customers, and maintain existing relationships as well as lower customer attrition levels. Three seemingly disparate trends—need for savings, growth in mobile usage and advent of coupon aggregators—together offer banks a way to create a sticky service. This paper discusses the idea of banks partnering with retailers to leverage their superior customer understanding to provide mobile coupons to their customers.
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CalidusCloud (formerly Callidus Software) has, in a relatively short time frame, significantly changed its composition and complexion. The vendor is at the forefront of technological advancements in sales performance management (SPM) and sales effectiveness management, and for more than 15 years has been helping businesses increase revenue by aligning sales and marketing. TEC principal analyst P.J. Jakovljevic takes a closer look.
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Field service management software often needs to be integrated with other enterprise software. Learn the three essential tips for integrating your service management system with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and other operational systems, data warehouses, or data sources.
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Organizations seeking the services of a value-added reseller (VAR), channel partner, implementer, vendor, or consultant require an evaluation of what this service provider has to offer. This report assists organizations looking to determine the best-fit service provider for their needs. Based on information provided to TEC by Absalon International and its clients, this report focuses on real-life implementation projects delivered by the service provider to three of its existing clients.
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In just a few short months after the acquisition of Metrix, IFS has fully integrated the new products and released full-fledged mobile solutions for field service and maintenance management. Read TEC principal analyst P.J. Jakovljevic’s TEC Report for a close-up look at how the vendor’s recent product releases provide the mobile workforce management capabilities that make IFS a serious contender in the field service and management space.
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New research from TEC shows that interest in customer relationship management (CRM) solutions is surging among small businesses. This report is based on aggregate data collected from more than 4,000 completed comparisons of CRM software performed using TEC Advisor. To find out about what companies are looking for in CRM solutions, download the full report.
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Customer relationship management (CRM) has matured, and offers more choices than ever before. This buyer’s guide reviews the latest innovations in this software space, focusing on cloud, mobile, and social options, and includes a section on the range of customer-centric and process-oriented add-ons and applications available. The guide also includes valuable CRM resources and a directory of CRM vendors.
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Most customer relationship management (CRM) software users take for granted that they can track customers, send mailings, or assign requests to customer service representatives. Users today enjoy CRM systems that are highly accessible, both from a cost and technological point of view. But this was not always the case. TEC analyst Raluca Druta surveys the history and evolution of CRM with a view to defining the CRM of the future.
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Battery Venture's investment in Consona Corporation was one of the last decade's best returns on investment (ROIs) by any private equity firm investing in enterprise software. And there has been a vehement denial of any presumed trade-off between Consona’s research and development (R&D) investment and making money. TEC principal analyst P.J. Jakovljevic takes a look at how this deal might’ve been a winning proposition for all parties.
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Customer-centric businesses know the key to their success is earning their customer’s business—not just at point of sale, but at every point of contact. VoIP has dramatically transformed telecom, and is now doing the same in the contact center. Download this Buyer’s Guide for a better understanding of the VoIP value proposition, as well as what you need to consider when making the decision to adopt VoIP in your contact center.
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Customer relationship management (CRM) strategies, principles, and technologies play a pivotal role in helping organizations grow from small, entrepreneurial companies with ad-hoc processes, into several hundred million dollar powerhouses. This document covers the basics, providing some helpful guidelines, and providing a rough, general framework for you to begin your initiative.
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Understanding your customers’ needs and ensuring your products and services meet their satisfaction is paramount to the success of your company. So, for most businesses, it’s fair to say that the customer is king. And getting closer to the customer is the number one priority to many business leaders for success in today’s economy. View this demo from IBM and learn how analytics can help you give your customers the royal treatment.
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A new generation of sales warrior needs a new generation of tools. Watch, listen, read, and learn from the experts of social selling.
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The path to a complete view of the customer lies not in eliminating data sources but in integrating them and providing access that is easy to navigate and always available. This report explores how top-performing companies are capturing, integrating, managing, measuring, and acting on valuable customer data throughout the entire customer lifecycle, to maximize customer loyalty and achieve best-in-class bottom-line results.
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With the growing popularity of the cloud, the concept of software as a service (SaaS)–based digital signage platforms has been gaining traction, depending on the nature of the business and the degree of control needed over the data. This paper covers the fundamentals of cloud computing and on-premise hosting models to help users determine the type of digital signage deployment best suited to their business needs.
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The tools exist to build smart digital signage systems that can deliver an appropriate message to a certain audience based on a set of rules. Being able to offer sophisticated capabilities without a lot of manual intervention may help networks grow faster. This paper considers some of the long- and short-term requirements in building a digital signage network.
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