Customer relationship management (CRM)
Find Customer Relationship Management (CRM) resources here: news, analysis and case studies on CRM software choices and implementing CRM. Find out how UK companies and organisations are harnessing CRM to drive forward customer-centric business strategies. Understand CRM market trends, and how organisations are managing the customer experience for competitive advantage.
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Feature
15 Nov 2024
9 sustainable event ideas
From hosting virtual conferences to repurposing exhibition stands as cow shelters, brands can find ways to make their events more sustainable. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Nov 2024
7 benefits of event marketing
From large conferences to small webinars, events can help brands improve lead generation and content creation. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Feb 2023
Salesforce Customer 360
Salesforce Customer 360 is a collection of tools that connect Salesforce apps and create a unified customer ID to build a single view of the customer. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 Feb 2023
What does a customer success manager do?
The customer success manager is an essential CX role that takes a proactive approach to ensuring customer loyalty and retention when the sales process is complete. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Feb 2023
social commerce
Social commerce is a rapidly growing branch of e-commerce that uses social networks and digital media to facilitate transactions between businesses and customers. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Feb 2023
shoppable video
A shoppable video is a way for consumers to discover products and make a purchase through links within the video. Continue Reading
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Answer
02 Feb 2023
What are the different types of marketing personalization?
Marketing teams use multiple personalization strategies for customer outreach, like emails, targeted ads and chatbots. Each approach brings several benefits and can improve CX. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Jan 2023
weak tie theory
Weak tie theory is the proposition that acquaintances are likely to be more influential than close friends, particularly in social networks. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2023
SAP 2022: 11% revenue growth, 2.5% staff targeted by restructure
SAP has announced full-year 2022 revenue of nearly €31bn, up 11% year on year. In 2023, it will explore a sell-off of Qualtrics stake and do a restructure, with an impact on 2.5% of staff Continue Reading
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News
19 Jan 2023
APAC consumers expect human-like service from chatbots
Consumer expectations of chatbots in Asia-Pacific have risen in tandem with improved performance of AI applications over the past year, a study has found Continue Reading
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News
15 Jan 2023
Thai enterprises spend more on software amid growing digitalisation
The majority of software spending in Thailand during the first half of 2022 went into applications followed by infrastructure software and development tools, according to IDC Continue Reading
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News
30 Dec 2022
Top 10 business applications stories of 2022
As the Covid crisis gave way to the energy crisis and economic turmoil, enterprise software suppliers have urged customers to step up modernisation and evince more empathy for employees Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Dec 2022
4 benefits of a customer data platform
CDPs organize customer data to support personalized CX strategies and compliance. Benefits of CDPs include unified customer profiles and enhanced marketing efforts. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Dec 2022
How to efficiently measure customer loyalty
Most organizations don't measure customer loyalty often or thoroughly enough to improve CX. This book excerpt explores tips and suggestions to measure loyalty more efficiently. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Nov 2022
XR and the real world: Feedback loops and spillovers
As the metaverse develops, the realism of advanced extended reality applications could allow users to take experiences, interests and strategies with them into the real world – creating spillovers from virtual to real worlds Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2022
Oracle’s Steve Miranda on the value of turning inside out
In a Q&A with Computer Weekly at Oracle Open World, applications head Steve Miranda discussed the supplier’s opening out and its intensification of an industry cloud approach, signally with healthcare Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2022
EDF UK deploys Riverbed’s Alluvio Aternity to tackle IT issues
Monitoring software links into ServiceNow and PowerShell scripts are being used to automate remediation Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
Russia risks shortage of PCs and software
Russian consumers and businesses could face a shortage of IT equipment including PCs and software Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2022
Cellebrite sees silver lining in the NetSuite cloud
It’s only natural that companies invest in business software solutions to bring about growth in their organisation. But in times of uncertainty, the narrative is around doing more with less, how to increase productivity and efficiency through automation, and how to get better control of supply chains. We see how one company is doing just that Continue Reading
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Podcast
28 Oct 2022
Top 50 women in UK tech, IR35 Truss fiasco – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
The team reflects on the announcement of the Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2022, the IR35 reforms being scrapped, then not, and Dreamforce & Oracle Cloud World in the US Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Oct 2022
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Efficiency to empathy: Customer experience in cost-of living crisis
Find out how businesses can shore up their CX strategy to support consumers struggling with the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Oct 2022
What do the US’s new software security rules mean for UK organisations?
The White House announced recently that all software supplied to the US government and its agencies needs to be secure, so what does this mean for the UK and EU security sectors? Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Oct 2022
CRM (customer relationship management) analytics
CRM (customer relationship management) analytics comprises all of the programming that analyzes data about customers and presents it to an organization to help facilitate and streamline better business decisions. Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Gitex 2022: Florius takes AI-powered CCaaS speech analytics to transform customer experience
Changed workloads during the pandemic have driven Netherlands-based mortgage lender to use AI and CCaaS technology Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Oct 2022
Top 4 CRM systems comparison
What differentiates the 'big four' CRM providers? Explore the advantages and disadvantages of Salesforce, Oracle, Microsoft and SAP in this CRM comparison. Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Oct 2022
Everything you wanted to know about the metaverse
Possession may be nine-tenths of the law, but the unique qualities of digital assets mean they do not easily fit into the age-old legal concept of ownership Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2022
BSH Home Appliances takes on Twilio to revamp digital customer engagement
Customer engagement platform partners with Deloitte Consulting to support plan by home appliances firm to revamp its entire digital infrastructure within customer service organisation Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2022
American football giants jet into digital age with HCLTech
US football clubs the New York Jets and New York Giants outsource their digital transformations to Indian service provider as they target improved fan engagement Continue Reading
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Blog Post
25 Sep 2022
Bono-Benioff fireside chat at Dreamforce 2022: divinity in the destitute
The last time I sat in the Yerba Buena Theatre near the Moscone Centre in San Francisco at Salesforce’s annual conference Dreamforce, was to hear David Beckham having a fireside chat with the then ... Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Sep 2022
Salesforce Trailhead
Salesforce Trailhead is a series of online tutorials that coach beginner and intermediate developers who need to learn how to code for the Salesforce platform. Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2022
How the Australian Red Cross coped with a donation surge
The Australian Red Cross adopted Boomi’s integration platform to manage the surge in donations in response to the floods in New South Wales and Queensland earlier this year Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Sep 2022
unique selling point (USP)
A unique selling point (USP), also called a unique selling proposition, is a marketing statement that differentiates a product or brand from its competitors. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Aug 2022
CW APAC: Trend watch: Enterprise resource planning
Organisations are starting to look at refreshing their enterprise resource planning systems. In this handbook, focused on enterprise resource planning in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at what’s behind this renewed priority, how GLS Group strengthened its processes, why firms want cheaper software maintenance and the benefits of best-of-breed cloud apps Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Aug 2022
What is user-generated content and why is it important?
User-generated content (UGC) is published information that an unpaid contributor provides to a website. Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2022
How clean data helps Southern Water identify vulnerable customers
Escalating prices means households around the country are having to tighten spending, with many struggling to pay their bills. Water4All, a consortium led by Southern Water, is using data to identify low-income and vulnerable households so they can be better supported Continue Reading
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News
11 Aug 2022
Crown Commercial Service opens door to Salesforce
The Crown Commercial Service has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with Salesforce to facilitate public sector access to the supplier’s products and services, including Tableau, Slack and Mulesoft Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2022
Tata teams with Genesys to boost enterprise engagement with enhanced InstaCC Platform
Global digital ecosystem enabler partners with cloud-based customer experience orchestration to further transform customer engagement across platforms ranging from social to mobile Continue Reading
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E-Zine
09 Aug 2022
Eurotunnel’s digital journey for the realities of post-Covid travel
In this week’s Computer Weekly, the travel industry was devastated by the pandemic, but we find out how Eurotunnel is turning to digital to better engage customers in the post-Covid world. We examine the impact of the economic slowdown on the tech giants. And we explain all you need to know about data gravity. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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08 Aug 2022
Channelling customer focus
Adapting to the realities of post-Covid European travel, Eurotunnel is revamping the customer experience - as product and experience director Ian Rabagliati explains. Continue Reading
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News
05 Aug 2022
CIO interview: Stephen Booth, CIO, Coventry University
After more than 20 years at the university, the CIO is still taking on new responsibilities – including his team becoming a commercial entity and acquiring its own software Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Aug 2022
How to market a loyalty program effectively
Loyalty programs boost customer retention, but organizations must first convince customers to sign up. Marketers can incentivize referrals and use mobile apps to gain enrollment. Continue Reading
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News
04 Aug 2022
Bayern Munich sides with Adobe to enhance global fan experience
Bayern Munich is using Adobe’s Experience Cloud and allied software to better connect with its fans in Germany and worldwide Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2022
Twilio eyes CDP opportunity in APAC
Twilio is tapping opportunities in customer data platforms and will deploy APAC instances of its Segment platform next year Continue Reading
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E-Zine
02 Aug 2022
How to create a datacentre capacity plan
In this week’s Computer Weekly, planning datacentre capacity is a growing challenge – we ask the experts for the latest best practice. Victims of the Post Office IT scandal explain why they think they were targeted for speaking out. And we look at the digital skills gap in retail and find out how employers can source talent. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jul 2022
Customer loyalty vs. brand loyalty: What's the difference?
Low prices can generate customer loyalty, whereas reliability and reputation foster brand loyalty. To maximize customer retention, organizations should strive for both. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
26 Jul 2022
Inside Russia’s Ukraine information operations
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we get the inside track on Russia’s disinformation operations attempting to spread propaganda and cyber threats about the invasion of Ukraine. Our new buyer’s guide looks at customer and employee experience management. And we assess 10 top Kubernetes backup suppliers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2022
CDO interview: Ian Rabagliati, product and experience director, Eurotunnel
The Channel Tunnel operator is coming to terms with the realities of post-Covid European travel, and focusing on customer experience to bring it closer to its passengers Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Jul 2022
return merchandise authorization (RMA)
An RMA (return merchandise authorization) is a numbered authorization provided by a mail-order or e-commerce merchant to permit the return of a product. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Jul 2022
Employee experience joins CX for total enterprise view
Total experience is emerging to join up employee and customer experience for organisations intent on being holistic and progressive Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Jul 2022
test marketing
Test marketing is a method that aims to explore consumer response to a product or marketing campaign by making it available on a limited basis to test markets before a wider release. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jul 2022
5 best practices for customer journey mapping
As CX teams create customer journey maps, they must set clear goals, collect feedback and embrace creativity. Failure to follow best practices can leave teams with inaccurate data. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Jun 2022
Why are loyalty programs important?
Loyalty programs can help organizations retain their most valuable customers with special offers. Additionally, they can gather useful marketing data, increase referrals and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jun 2022
Composability set to be next big thing for digital experience platforms
Digital experience platforms are the latest word in increasing customer loyalty by engaging across all channels. Gaining real-time views of customers while managing data compliantly is critical Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jun 2022
4 real-world customer journey map examples
Real-world examples of customer journey maps in action can help brands understand how customers feel amid the buying process and benefit customer relationships moving forward. Continue Reading
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News
22 Jun 2022
How TDCX is building a people-centric business
Every digital tool deployed by the Singapore-based services firm is aimed at augmenting the performance and experience of its employees, says TDCX’s group CIO, Byron Fernandez Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2022
Fintech firm chooses Salesforce software to support growth
Revolut is to use Saleasforce software to support sales and marketing as part of its expansion plans Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2022
The link between employee experience and customer experience
A customer's experience with an organization is only as good as an employee's experience. Business leaders should know that empathy is key to employee and customer success. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jun 2022
distribution list
In email applications, a distribution list is a list of email addresses that can be mass mailed via automation without having to add members individually. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2022
Investment firm takes Salesforce to task for lack of racial diversity
Retail investment platform Tulipshare is campaigning to hold Salesforce to account for its lack of racial diversity Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Jun 2022
What's the difference between SCM and CRM?
CRM platforms track customer interactions, whereas SCM platforms track materials and product shipments. Tech buyers should know how these platforms differ before making a purchase. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2022
CIO interview: Yiannis Levantis aims at total quality for Unipart IT
Unipart has a heritage in quality manufacturing and services that CIO Yiannis Levantis is building on, in part by harnessing SAP’s cloud-based business transformation service Rise Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2022
Executive interview: Miles Hillier, NatWest
Retail bank’s digital channel development head talks about building a multi-channel customer experience Continue Reading
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Tip
24 May 2022
What are the benefits and challenges of CRM?
CRM platforms can boost CX with business insights if sales agents use them properly. Sales leaders should know the benefits and challenges of these platforms before purchasing. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
24 May 2022
Set innovation free and make great ideas a reality
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at Gartner’s call to innovate – and innovation across retail, the circular economy and the automotive sector. We talk to Verastar’s CTO about customer engagement in its small business services. And we examine how poor data quality is frustrating corporate desires to be data driven. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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23 May 2022
Digitising customer engagement
Verastar CTO Spencer Clarkson explains how digital transformation and unifying customer relationship management systems are driving the business services group forward. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 May 2022
5 upcoming CCaaS trends to watch
As organizations plan to increase CX spending over the next few years, they should pay attention to CCaaS trends, like agents changing workspaces and integrations with UCaaS. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2022
SAP ‘optimistic’ about S/4 Hana in APAC
A top SAP executive is confident that more of its customers in Asia-Pacific will adopt S/4 Hana this year, as the company shores up integration of its ERP software with other business applications Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2022
How one Australian firm is creating smarter menus
Me&u’s smart menus are intelligent enough to recommend food items based on customer preferences, and even help to reduce food waste and alleviate bartender workloads during peak periods Continue Reading
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Tip
03 May 2022
Best practices for initiating chatbot-to-human handoff
Contact centers perform a balancing act between AI and human agents. Support teams must train bots on chatbot-to-human handoffs and design AI aware of customer frustration. Continue Reading
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Podcast
28 Apr 2022
Metaverse, women in software – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
Cliff Saran joins Clare and Brian, in Caroline’s absence, to discuss the metaverse, Windows 11, the Makers Women in Software Power List, and how CIOs do technology in 2022 Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2022
Microsoft shows inflation-busting growth, driven by cloud adoption
As prices rise, Microsoft is trying to position its cloud services as the public cloud that offers the best value for money Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Apr 2022
What is Adobe Experience Cloud? CRM platform overview
Adobe Experience Cloud -- the vendor's CRM platform -- includes tools to help medium and large enterprises manage all facets of their customer engagement strategies. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2022
CIO interview: Spencer Clarkson, CTO, Verastar
Digital transformation and unifying customer relationship management systems are driving the business services group forward Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2022
UKISUG: Big majority of SAP users beset by data problems in migrating to S/4 Hana
In a survey prior to its Analytics Symposium, the UK & Ireland SAP User Group finds 61% of SAP customers say data management issues are slowing down process automation and impeding moves to S/4 Hana Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Mar 2022
Apex (Salesforce)
Salesforce Apex is a Microsoft-certified framework for building software as a service (SaaS) apps on top of Salesforce's customer relationship management (CRM) functionality. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Mar 2022
How do experience maps vs. customer journey maps differ?
Customer experience maps and customer journey maps serve as the blueprints for buyer interactions. Despite these maps' similarities, they play different roles in organizations. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Mar 2022
service assurance (SA)
Service assurance (SA) is a procedure or set of procedures intended to optimize performance and provide management guidance in communications networks, media services and end-user applications. Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2022
Salesforce pays out over £2m in bug bounties
Salesforce says it received more than 4,000 vulnerability reports in 2021 alone as it delivers a rare public update on its bug bounty programme Continue Reading
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News
17 Feb 2022
Nvidia founder and CEO portrays AI-centricity
Earnings call for Nvidia’s fourth-quarter results offers a leading indicator of where the application of artificial intelligence may be heading Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Feb 2022
Finland brings cryostats and other cool things to quantum computing
Not only is Finland the clear leader in refrigeration technology for quantum computers, but it also leads in fundamental research into the underlying quantum information theory Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2022
Dutch software engineers join campaign for research funding
Software researchers from all over Europe are sounding the alarm: to maintain a strong international competitive position, more financial resources must be committed to software research Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2022
SAP full-year 2021: Revenue nudges up 1%, cloud growth up 17%
SAP has announced a 2% rise in full-year 2021 revenue, to just under €28bn, while S/4 Hana customer base increased by 18% to 18,800 Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jan 2022
service desk
An IT service desk is a communications center that provides a single point of contact (SPOC) between a company, its customers, employees and business partners. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2022
Heathrow Airport takes to the cloud with Oracle Fusion Applications
Airport has implemented a full spread of Oracle Cloud Applications, including ERP and HCM, as it looks to recover from the pandemic Continue Reading
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News
20 Jan 2022
UK SMEs to receive tech skills and software boost
A new government scheme aimed at helping businesses improve their productivity and sales online has opened for applications Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Jan 2022
How Pepsi is taking digital to the max
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to PepsiCo’s digital director about delivering innovation in customer experience. Our first buyer’s guide of 2022 examines hybrid cloud storage. And we find out how Arkwright and Granville from the BBC sitcom Open All Hours are inspiring retailers 40 years on. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Jan 2022
SMEs step up e-commerce ventures under shadow of Covid
A raft of smaller retailers have stepped up their e-commerce businesses during the pandemic, ranging from books to candles, rugs to togs Continue Reading
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News
29 Dec 2021
Top 10 business applications stories of 2021
2021 saw enterprise software suppliers and users envisaging a nimbler future, beyond the Covid pandemic, with more loosely coupled ERP systems, more flexible business processes, and a renewed digital-first focus on customers Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Dec 2021
A trial relying on computer evidence should start with a trial of the computer evidence
Learning from the Post Office Horizon scandal - the most widespread miscarriage of justice in recent British legal history Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
Asda follows EG Group sibling in selection of Rise with SAP
Retailer is looking to improve the agility of its operations in the cloud with a move to Rise with SAP on Microsoft Azure, and to streamline its procurement with SAP Ariba Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2021
Retailers as tech firms: Next, The Very Group and others see power in the platform
Gap and Reiss are set to utilise Next’s end-to-end e-commerce service, Total Platform, in 2022, as more retailers carve out a future as part tech company Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Dec 2021
How to improve customer satisfaction during supply, labor crisis
Transparency, minimizing returns and collecting customer insights from call center reps are some ways businesses can improve customer satisfaction. Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2021
IT Priorities 2022: ERP gets back on the horse
Automation and going cloud-first have gained significant interest for enterprise software and data management investment in the UK, according to the annual TechTarget/Computer Weekly IT Priorities 2022 survey Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2021
Real Madrid teams up with Adobe to enhance global fan experience
Real Madrid is using Adobe’s Experience Cloud software to better connect with its fans in Spain and worldwide Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Nov 2021
Mining for intelligence: Why business process intelligence makes for agility
Business process improvement is a never-ending quest for betterment that can be lit up by a new generation of process mining software. We take a deep dive Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2021
Benioffs and Salesforce put $300m into combating climate change on eve of COP26
$200m committed to reforestation and restoration efforts, and $100m for non-profits over the next 10 years Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Oct 2021
How companies are rethinking digital customer experience in wake of pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed much digital rhetoric as hollow, as companies are now rethinking the digital customer experience, leveraging instant messaging and other tools Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2021
Manchester City teams up with Qualtrics for fan experience management
Manchester City is teaming up with online survey software firm Qualtrics, part-owned by long-term City Football Group supplier SAP, to engage more intelligently with the football club’s fanbase Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2021
Modern SaaS shifts core ERP architectures
There are numerous ways to achieve the same result. Salesforce, Microsoft and Microsoft offer a different way to consider enterprise systems Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Oct 2021
Developing an integrated customer and employee experience strategy
We explore what customer experience and employee experience have in common – and the benefits of combining them Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Oct 2021
What is mobile CRM (mobile customer relationship management)?
Mobile CRM, or mobile customer relationship management, enables those working in the field or remote employees to use mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to access customer data and customer accounts wherever they are. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
05 Oct 2021
The Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2021
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal the 50 women chosen as the most influential in UK technology for 2021, and talk to the 10th winner of our annual list – Poppy Gustafsson, CEO of Darktrace. Also, our latest buyer’s guide looks at digital customer experience technologies. Read the issue now. Continue Reading