According to a new Harris Interactive study sponsored by RightNow® Technologies (Nasdaq: RNOW – News), customers swear, shout, get headaches, and even cry as a result of negative experiences with the companies they buy from. The Customer Experience Impact Report reveals how bad experiences tangibly affect both customers and companies. It also indicates that providing positive customer experiences is a fundamental requirement for market success. (more…)

SugarCRM Inc., the world’s leading provider of commercial open source customer relationship management (CRM) software, has announced a specially designed strategic partnership with CareBrains Inc., Japan-based provider of open source software application consulting, training, implementation and support. (more…)

Salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM) , the market and technology leader in on-demand business services, and the Salesforce.com Foundation, has announced Earthforce — an initiative to create a carbon neutral salesforce.com in 2007. In taking important key steps in becoming a carbon neutral corporation, the Salesforce.com Foundation will work to neutralize the effect of salesforce.com’s corporate greenhouse gas emissions from its major areas of carbon consumption — its office locations, corporate travel and data centers. (more…)

Three years after the advent of the Do Not Call lists (DNC), some companies believe ignorance is bliss. I don’t think the courts will agree with them……

Fixed Dialing
Telemarketers taking the ostrich approach to DNC compliance is a nonstarter for enterprises. Refresh marketing initiatives to ensure that the rules are followed and reach your target audience more effectively.

by Coreen Bailor

From CRM Magazine December 2006

It’s been roughly three years since the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry legislation went into effect, yet many marketers continue to hide their heads in the sand when it comes to regulatory compliance standards surrounding their outbound initiatives. Two reasons for this avoidance are that some enterprises remain unaware of the laws and of the responsibility businesses have to meet the regulations, while other corporate leaders fear not being able to replace outbound telemarketing dollars. Either way, businesses are beginning to pay the price for refraining from compliance–the FTC has commenced leveling hefty fines on companies that disregard the statutes. Satellite TV provider DirecTV was slapped a year ago this month by the FTC with a stinging $5.3 million penalty, after the Commission charged that DirecTV and the companies it hired to promote its programs had been violating DNC provisions since October 2003. (more…)

Companies live or die by the results of Gartner’s Magic Quadrants in their market spaces. Check out the new results in the IVR and EVR space.

Gartner Eyes IVR and EVP Vendors
Magic Quadrant findings ping Avaya, Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Intervoice, and Nortel as leading the sector; reduced complexity and tight integration are hallmarks of advancement.

by Coreen Bailor

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Gartner has revealed its “Magic Quadrant for IVR and Enterprise Voice Portals, 2006,” earmarking Avaya, Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Intervoice, and Nortel as leaders of the market. Players within the leaders quadrant are high-viability vendors with a strong voice response offerings, significant market share, broad geographic coverage, a clear vision for how voice self-service needs will evolve, and a proven track record for delivering IVR offerings, according to Gartner.
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Even now when I consult with Sales teams, I see them write customer notes on scraps of paper for later entry. Some things never seem to change.

10 Tips To Help New Reps Increase Sales with CRM
By Elizabeth Millard
December 6, 2006 11:42AM

It sounds simplistic, and in many ways, it is: create a digital version of a scrap of paper and have those notes feed right into the CRM system. “You’re looking for ways to streamline functionality and increase productivity,” says Gartner analyst Michael Maoz. It’s particularly important to save time and ensure that the right information is captured.

Automating the sales process is one of the most important functions of a CRM system. In fact, much of today’s CRM software has its origins back in the mid-’80s and early ’90s, not as “customer relationship management” software, but instead as “sales automation” software.
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This article wanders a little with subject matter, but if you stay with it you will see several very good examples of how Customer Service makes the difference in customer loyalty. As we are bombarded with competitive and bottom line messages, remember the reason we show up for work everyday. As the title says, “Good Customer Service for Dummies?”.

Good Customer Service for Dummies?
By Rich Tehrani
December 6, 2006 11:15AM

Part of the irony in Virgin Atlantic’s ascent to greatness is that when Richard Branson wanted to equip his existing airplanes with $8 million in built-in seat TV screens so passengers could watch whatever programming they wanted, he found that banks would not loan him the money for this endeavor. Instead, Branson got the banks to loan Virgin $2 billion dollars for a fleet of brand new planes — with the screens included! (continue reading)

Sales Incentive Plans: 10 Essentials

By Michelle Nichols

November 17, 2006 11:37AM

The best place to start when creating your sales pay plan is by determining what your customers want. If they would prefer more service and expertise, you might want to pay your salespeople more salary and less commission. If your customers prefer less hand-holding, or if a group other than your sales team handles customer service, then setting up a plan that offers more — or all — commission might be right for you.

Creating the perfect sales compensation plan is a struggle for companies of all sizes. Salespeople want to make the most money with the least effort. Business owners and managers want the most profits and the fewest hassles. I addressed this issue in a column over three years ago and continue to hear from readers asking what they should do.

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Building Loyalty That Lasts a Lifetime

By Bruce Clapp

November 6, 2006 10:14AM

All the strategies in the world won’t have impact unless employees understand how to integrate them into their daily activities. Communication with customers, a focus on relevant offers and the ability to problem solve are attributes every employee should possess in order to facilitate the creation of brand loyalty.

For many banks, the issue of retention only shows up on the radar when customers begin to walk out the door. However, focusing on retention after an exodus has begun is typically too late.

Banks need to start work on retention long before customers enter the branch for their first interaction. Retention strategy should be woven into every aspect of the bank’s philosophy: How you attract customers, interact with them and keep them coming back all.

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Customer Service Is Back in Style

November 22, 2006 9:46AM

The customer service that’s giving retailers their robust sales numbers is more complex than the perfunctory “How may I help you?” of yesteryear. Today, retailers are responding to customer demands on many levels, from making the store an inviting destination to restocking shelves regularly and stocking the right mix of products.

“Hi, how can I help you?” For years, that was the hallmark of customer service for many retailers. Zip ahead to Black Friday, 2006. Customer service is in the midst of a transformation across the retail landscape, becoming a more focused, strategic weapon in the competitive arsenal for a variety of retailers.
Retailers angle for better customer service in several ways: signing up trendy designers, finding products to appeal to their specific customers, and listening more carefully. The result? They’re seeing the payoff in their profits.

At office-supply retailer Staples, for instance, the old “Can I help you?” is out, replaced with: “What can I help you find today?” “We then walk a customer to a product and might use that opportunity to cross-sell other items,” says Shira Goodman, Staples’ executive vice-president of marketing. She notes that Staples’ customer-satisfaction metrics increased by 5 percentage points after employee training was focused.

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