CRM News Desk

CA & BMC To Support Salesforce.com

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST

CA is going to put its Agile Planner software on salesforce.com’s Force.com platform in the first half to accelerate development time and give users visibility over their development initiatives to reduce time-to-market. Customers are supposed to be able to accelerate the deployment of Salesforce CRM within their organization. The software will include CA Clarity PPM On Demand, Federation Manager and CA Wily Application Performance Management to monitor and manage cloud-based composite applications. BMC will be putting a new cloud-based service desk offering on Force.com for self-service and inventory management in Q2.

DocuSign CRM Now Available on Salesforce.com AppExchange

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST

DocuSign is the seamless eSignature solution allowing Salesforce CRM users to quickly manage and send contracts for e-signing from a single workspace. Contracts can be conveniently signed in the cloud and returned within minutes. The contract signing process is even easier and faster than before with DocuSign Designed for Mobile, which enables customers to sign from any RIM BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, Google Android, Windows Mobile or other mobile device at anytime and from anywhere.

Domain Provider Makes Its Move Into Social Media

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST

Internetters, one of the UKs leading providers of domain names, web hosting and email services, has announced its step into the social arena with the introduction of a new blog to run alongside it's recently opened Twitter account.

Why Social Media Marketing is an ETF Start-Up’s Best Friend

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:45:00 EST

Four years later, Erik co-authored with Financial Research Corporation, the landmark study “The Future of Exchange Traded Funds,” a prescient analysis of the challenges and opportunities confronted by ETFs. That document uncannily projected almost to the penny the asset growth that ETFs would experience from 2000 to the present. Erik’s passion for the ETF concept took a giant leap in 2008 when he and a small group of investment colleagues began building the groundwork for another, unique foray into ETF world. This time around Erik and company are setting out to build a first-of-a-kind, patented, principal-protected ETF target date series called FocusShares.

SugarCRM on Windows Azure Cloud Computing Platform

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST

SugarCRM today announced that it will offer its CRM applications on Windows Azure to enable its customers and value-added resellers to benefit from the real-time scalability, high availability and on-demand infrastructure of Microsoft Corp.’s cloud platform for web applications and services. “With Windows Azure, Microsoft has built a true cloud computing platform going well beyond the simple hosted infrastructure that most service providers offer today,” said Larry Augustin, CEO of SugarCRM. “Windows Azure enables SugarCRM value-added resellers to create and deploy unique solutions for customers around the globe. This new service is another key component of the Sugar Open Cloud, the SugarCRM cloud strategy for delivering simple, affordable CRM anywhere based on customer need. Sugar on Windows Azure combines the most user-friendly CRM application on the market with a highly available, scalable and secure cloud computing platform.”

ERP Software Running on Windows Azure Cloud

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Acumatica, a provider of web-based accounting, ERP, and CRM software, today announced availability of its SaaS solution which runs on Windows Azure and includes the Acumatica software subscription, the operating environment, backups, upgrades, a service level agreement, and automatic updates. The SaaS solution allows mid-sized businesses to purchase customized ERP software and services without installing and maintaining software or investing in hardware.

iLinc for Salesforce CRM Now Available on the Salesforce.com AppExchange

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

iLinc, a provider of web and video conferencing solutions and services, today announced the availability of iLinc for Salesforce CRM on the AppExchange. iLinc for Salesforce CRM combines iLinc’s feature-rich web collaboration and conferencing technology with the data management functionality of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, enabling organizations to host high-impact online events while ensuring real-time visibility into key registration and attendance information.

Survey Finds 80% of Companies Plan to Invest in Social Networking

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Eighty percent of YPO companies surveyed plan to invest more resources in social networking funding and staff, according to the Senior Executive Social Networking Survey released today by public relations firm Margolis & Company and the Young Presidents’ Organization. The survey, validated by TNS, is based on 100 global interviews of CEOs and senior executives about their viewpoints and investment plans for social networking in a business to business context.

Oracle CRM On Demand Users Can Now Increase Productivity

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Kadient, the experts in sales enablement, today announced that sales teams who use Oracle CRM On Demand can now benefit from Kadient's embedded Sales Playbooks. Kadient now fully integrates with the popular CRM platform, enabling salespeople who use Oracle to have access to situation-specific sales playbooks that provide the content, coaching and tools proven to move deals through the pipeline.

US Patent and Trademark Office Grants athenahealth, Inc., Patent

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

athenahealth announced that on November 10, 2009, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued athenahealth a patent entitled, ‘Practice Management and Billing Automation System’ (U.S. Patent No. 7,617,116) for its athenaNet rules engine that is part of the Company’s revenue cycle management service, athenaCollector. The patented athenahealth technology is, briefly described, a method for managing a medical practice’s insurance claims by storing and modifying claim rules based on ongoing interactions with claim messages received from payers on submitted claims, enabling the system to automatically produce cleaner and more accurate claims. A complete description of the patented technology is available through the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Midmarket ERP Solutions Comparison Guide

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST

The ERP Comparison Guide shortens the time needed to purchase ERP software for companies looking to get 2009 off to a successful start! Begin accurately controlling costs, inventory and revenue forecasts in 2009.

Sales Force Automation Buyer’s Guide

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Learn what a Sales Force Automation system can do for you and understand what issues you should consider during your decision-making process. Worried about locking yourself into a CRM solution that does not work as expected? It just takes 30 seconds to download our buyer's guide to get all your questions answered.

Choosing the Best Enterprise CRM for Complex Organizations

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:15:00 EST

"As many as 85% of companies that buy CRM software to automate sales efforts don't pick the right tools..." Gartner analyst Robert DeSisto Many large companies also underestimate how complex their business and customers are, which leads to an inadequate CRM program. Learn how to easily manage and prosper from your large customer database by simplifying your customer operations with the right Enterprise level CRM. Get your FREE Enterprise Level CRM how-to manual to choosing the best Enterprise CRM for your complex business!

VoIP-News Phone Systems Buyer’s Guide

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Every business today is looking to cut costs in these slowing economic times. Now, learn how to save costs by choosing the right IP office phone system. Many companies are transitioning from either a Centrex service or Key system / PBX product to a state-of-the-art Hosted IP or IP PBX telephony solution for immediate cost savings.

Complete Enterprise IP Telephony for 50+ Employees

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Learn what an Premise PBX system can do for you and understand what issues you should consider during your decision-making process. Traditional business PBX (Private Branch eXchange) and TDM (time-division multiplexing) systems are fast becoming outdated and obsolete and oftentimes do not conform with VoIP or SIP; negatively impacting a company’s ability to communicate.

NetSuite and InsideView Deliver First Social Intelligence Software

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST

InsideView for NetSuite was built using NetSuite's SuiteCloud development platform and is the first social intelligence application delivered natively within NetSuite. The new application expands the NetSuite-InsideView partnership beyond its original sales intelligence focus to deliver the power of social intelligence throughout both front-office sales and marketing and back-office financial operations. By leveraging the social intelligence delivered by InsideView directly within the NetSuite interface, businesses can gain new insights into their customers, prospects, employees and vendors to realize cross-enterprise productivity improvements.

Ulitzer Live! New Media Power Panel at Santa Clara Convention Center

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST

The first "Ulitzer New Media Power Panel" took place today at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California. Streamed live to 60,000 viewers via SYS-CON.TV, the panel was moderated by Jeremy Geelan. Geelan's guests in the first power panel were Ian Thain and Tim Crawford. The first "Ulitzer Live! - New Media Conference & Expo " will take place on June 14, 2010 in New York City. Ulitzer Live! West will take place on December 6, 2010, in San Jose, California. Call for Papers for both events are now open.

DDN Plans to Roll Out Massive Digital Signage Network with 7-11

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:15:00 EST

This is a deal that has been around for all of this year, and I know the NYC-based guy charged with pulling the technical pieces together. He has been looking at software platforms for months and separating contenders from pretenders based on the criteria he's established. To my knowledge no decision has been made on technology, but if you are not yet aware of it, it is probably pretty pretty darn late to try to get in on it.

Beyond Social Business Software

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EDT

One of the most hotly debated questions among marketers and company executives is “What does it mean to be a social business?”Today Acquia, Inc., the enterprise guide to the Drupal social publishing system provides the answer and also reveals what Social Business Software vendors aren’t telling you: your investment in Social Business Software is at risk because it is only a one-sided approach to social business. Social publishing is the technology platform for true social businesses.

Deskforce Signs Agreement with NZ-based ActionStep

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Deskforce has signed an agreement with New Zealand based ActionStep to deliver ActionStep's CRM-based hosted solution to the service provider's 30,000 install base and to target new market sectors, via its established network of Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Deskforce is a provider of SaaS Desktop Management tools to the UK and European markets. ActionStep's hosted CRM solution integrates perfectly with Deskforce's established product portfolio and enhances its strategy to become a leading centre of excellence for SaaS-based applications. With six years' experience in the SaaS space, Deskforce will be launching a number of new solutions in the coming months, to widen and strengthen its service offering.

Layered Technologies Ranked 60th Fastest Growing Company in North America

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:15:00 EDT

Each year, Deloitte compiles a prestigious list of technology companies pushing the limits of innovation, and this year global Web hosting provider Layered Technologies ranked 60th on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, achieving a position in the top 12 percent for its impressive growth and proprietary technology. Layered Tech earned a position ahead of Internet heavy-hitters Google and GoDaddy and credits its double-digit growth to investing in customized offerings to best meet customers’ infrastructure needs. One such investment was Astro, its ground-breaking proprietary technology, which dramatically accelerates the availability and provisioning of servers for customers and channel partners alike.

Microsoft to Data-Mine Facebook & Twitter

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EDT

Microsoft has cut non-exclusive deals with both Facebook and Twitter for Bing to search their real-time data feeds. Google has followed suit at least with Twitter, but Facebook is the prize because it has like 40 million updates a day from its 300 million users. Not all Facebook updates will be searched by Bing, however, only the ones made available to the wider public. Facebook, where Microsoft has an equity stake, will apparently provide users with a numbers of new tools to do so.

EDL Consulting Announces Strategic Alliance with BigMachines

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EDT

This alliance will enhance BigMachines' and EDL Consulting's existing solutions. BigMachines enables sales teams, channel partners and resellers to quickly configure products, generate quotes and proposals, manage complex pricing, generate legal contracts, and submit and manage orders. This alliance will help EDL Consulting's clients sell more and sell faster with BigMachine's pricing and configuration options, expanded mobile approval capabilities, updated CRM integration, and additional administration controls.

How to Aggregate the Best Content in B2B Marketing

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EDT

The pace at which content is being added to the web has increased dramatically and so has the value of aggregating the best. How will the content aggregation landscape change in the next few years? What will the impact on content aggregation be as the semantic web starts to really take off? Read on to get answers for these questions and more from Tony Karrer, CEO/CTO of TechEmpower.

Open-Xchange and SugarCRM Partner to Combine Open Source Collaboration

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:15:00 EDT

Open-Xchange, a provider of open source groupware, and SugarCRM, a provider of commercial open source customer relationship management (CRM) software, today announced a cooperation to integrate data from SugarCRM and Open-Xchange collaboration software. The integration enables users to gather and aggregate data from their social network profiles (such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Xing), as well as their SugarCRM application, to store it in an Open-Xchange address book as well as share it with others. This information can then be moved to the SugarCRM application. In addition, the SugarCRM data imported into Open-Xchange can be accessed from smartphones, or published to the Internet.

SplendidCRM for Microsoft Windows Azure

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EDT

SplendidCRM continues to evolve with the incorporation of the Silverlight 3 Toolkit to replace the previous flash-based and hand-made charts. “We continue to pioneer the use of XAML-only graphics as a means to promote rapid application development”, noted Paul Rony, President and Founder of SplendidCRM. “Implementation of a dashlets model will allow each user to customize their home page experience with the new Silverlight charts.”

Online Advertising on New Media Platforms

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:45:00 EDT

The French subsidiary of Condé Nast S.A., one of the world's largest private communications groups (Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.), has selected Ingres, the leading open source database management company and pioneer of The New Economics of IT, to develop a critical application to manage advertising space for its publications. Condé Nast Publications is home to many of the world’s celebrated magazines and websites and is committed to journalistic integrity, influential reporters, and superior design. Just a few of the publication titles within the Condé Nast family published worldwide include Vogue, Glamour, The New Yorker, Details, GQ, Vanity Fair, Wired, and Golf Digest. Condé Nast France relies on Ingres Database, the leading open source database for business critical applications, for its advertising space management system. The system helps the French subsidiary of Condé Nast Publications develop the rates it charges advertisers and is a key component in the revenue generation stream.

Dell to Peddle Salesforce.com’s Widgetry

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EDT

Dell, itself a user, is gonna pitch saleforce.com’s on-demand CRM widgetry to American SMBs on its web site under a deal announced Monday. Dell, newly service-minded, will offer to integrate the stuff into customers’ existing set-ups along with Dell servers hawking data migration and physical and virtual appliances. Dell means to handle Salesforce’s Contact Manager Edition as well as three different levels of CRM services Group Edition for up to five users, Professional Edition and Enterprise Edition.

SAP Helps Energy Providers Prepare for Transition to Smart Grids

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:11:00 EDT

SAP AG has announced that utility companies across the globe are adopting SAP AMI® Integration for Utilities software in 2009. The offering, introduced in May 2009, helps utility companies better integrate their metering processes with their backend systems, providing end-to-end clarity into energy usage patterns and translating into operational cost savings as well as reduced cost of ownership for metering solutions. The software also benefits consumers by providing them more insight into their energy consumption and by enabling them to better manage and conserve energy.

Oracle Develops Trimble GeoManager Extension

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EDT

Trimble announced today that Oracle has developed an extension which allows Oracle Field Service Applications (part of Oracle E-Business Suite) users to add Trimble's GeoManager solution to create an enterprise-level intelligent scheduling and dispatching platform for field service organizations. The on-demand location-based features of GeoManager will allow organizations to improve fleet performance and the management of mobile workers and distributed assets.

Tweet Data Up For Sale

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EDT

Twitter is supposedly talking to Microsoft and Google – no, silly, in two separate rooms – about data mining. Twitter wants to sell a full feed from its service that could be integrated into the results of their search engines. Twitter is now up to 54 million monthly users. Reportedly any number of non-exclusive deal configurations including revenue sharing has been floated.

Amazon Payments Announces Amazon Mobile Payments Service for Developers

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:03:00 EDT

Amazon Payments LLC, an Amazon.com company, has announced the availability of the Amazon Mobile Payments Service (Amazon MPS), providing developers, merchants and distributors of mobile applications an easy way to process payments from mobile devices and extend Amazon’s 1-Click checkout experience to their customers. Amazon MPS enables tens of millions of Amazon customers to use the existing payment and shipping information in their Amazon.com accounts to make purchases from their mobile devices.

Atomic Public Relations Opens Office in London

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EDT

The first of four new Atomic PR offices planned opened this month in London with an initial staff of five, and will serve as the hub for Atomic's European operations. The office's starting client portfolio includes global security leader ArcSight, global smart grid technology provider Echelon Corporation, and Roamware, a global provider of voice and data roaming solutions. In addition to early stage capital, Huntsworth is providing managerial and operational support as well as access to its network of wholly owned agencies in major markets outside the U.S. where Atomic does not presently have its own offices

Avenue100 Expands Social Media Marketing

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EDT

Avenue100 Media Solutions, a digital marketing company, has announced the continued expansion of its engineering and marketing teams to propel its continued industry and revenue growth. Growing its team and revenue more than 30 percent in the past year, Avenue100 will also be moving its corporate office to 10 Presidential Way in Woburn, Mass. later this year to meet its growing infrastructure needs.

New San Jose Law Firm Focused on Complex Litigation

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EDT

San Jose, Calif. –Sept. 28, 2009 – Seasoned trial attorney and litigator Robert M. Vantress announced today the formation of Vantress Law Group, a new San Jose boutique firm that is focused on complex litigation matters including intellectual property, computer and Internet, employment, real estate and other complex or commercial disputes. Vantress was formally with international law firm Baker & McKenzie and co-founded Silicon Valley Law Group, a business law firm, 15 years ago. “Given the current changes that are occurring in the business, financial and legal markets, it is the right time for a highly specialized litigation law firm that can provide top quality service,” said Vantress, who has 27 years of expertise resolving litigation matters. “A smaller more focused practice with lower overhead can offer clients the same quality services but at significantly lower cost structure, and remain competitive despite today’s demanding economic market.” The firm provides a full range of trial, litigation and dispute resolution services, representing both corporations and individuals during discovery, trial and appeal. Vantress Law Group helps clients prevent, resolve, win and fund litigation, including arbitration or trial if necessary. "Rob Vantress is a top-drawer litigator, has tried more cases than most litigators, so his trial light is always on as he evaluates and re-evaluates evidence and builds the trial in his head. Ironically, this is precisely the kind of thinking that brings to settlement those cases that should never go to trial,” said Lee Green, general counsel at K-Swiss. “I don't think I have ever worked with anyone who can outwork Rob or who has ever been better prepared for a hearing, a deposition, or trial. His experience and skills were critical to K-Swiss in our long trademark and trade dress litigation against Payless ShoeSource and our very successful settlement of that case." Vantress has successfully represented individuals and small to medium-sized businesses against large corporations such as Payless ShoeSource and Oracle Corporation. Most clients are based in Silicon Valley; however he has appeared or tried cases in many California cities and throughout the United States. Vantress has achieved positive outcomes for his clients as he opposed large, well-known national law firms including Latham & Watkins, Fenwick & West, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliff, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Baker & McKenzie, McDermott, Will & Emery and Lathrop & Gage. The three primary Vantress Law Group Practice Areas are: • Intellectual property, Computer & Internet, including copyright, patent, trademark, trade dress, trade secret and related unfair competition claims; i.e., protection of a business’ most valuable assets, including protection of its name, domain name or URL, reputation, style of doing business, business methodology, goodwill, contracts, customers and customer information, employees, confidential information, computers and networks, website content and original media. • Labor and employment, i.e., Ownership of property and inventions, protection of trade secrets and other confidential information including inventions, customer information and customer lists, employee information, product specifications and marketing and business plans, hiring, discipline or other employment discrimination, retaliation, family medial leave, termination and wage and hour claims, defamation, violation of civil rights, sexual harassment, whistle blowing, employment policies and procedures and contracts, executive compensation, and training both for human resources departments and other staff; • Real estate; i.e., Sales, lease, license, construction payments and defects, financing and development, condominium, easements, nuisance and noise, water and earth movement disputes, and real estate agency or commission disputes

Silicon Valley IP Attorney Launches His Ulitzer Blog

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EDT

Silicon Valley IP Attorney Robert Vantress launched today his law blog on Ulitzer. Robert's blog entries will be published Intellectual Property in Silicon Valley. Robert was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and now devote his law practice to subjects of interest to those in the Silicon Valley. He will be writing about subjects of interest to him, focused on high technology legal issues.

IBM Buys RedPill’s Business

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EDT

IBM is buying the business of RedPill Solutions, a privately held company in Singapore that sells advanced customer analytics services to businesses in financial services, telecommunications, technology and hospitality. Financial details were not disclosed. It should help it compete for business process outsourcing deals. The acquisition, which has offices in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and the United Arab Emirates, claims expertise in churn management, segment propositions, segmentation, risk management and market/opportunity assessment.

Oracle-Sun: IBM Reportedly Behind Delay

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Well, well, well, a little bird points to IBM as gumming up the works with the European Commission so Oracle and Sun can’t close their deal. Oracle of course picked up Sun after IBM’s negotiations with Sun failed and Oracle made IBM the intended target of the proposed acquisition in an ad on the front page of the Wall Street Journal last week so the idea that IBM is whispering in the EC’s ear makes perfect sense. And IBM has plenty of practice using the European Commission to attack its enemies. Just ask Microsoft. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison claims the European Commission’s prolonged investigation of Oracle’s proposed acquisition of Sun, which isn’t expected to finish much before the agency’s mid-January deadline, is costing Sun $100 million a month in revenues and a weakened revenue stream will impact how many employees Sun gets to keep if and when the acquisition is approved.

Brickfish to Begin Offering Proprietary Suite of Social Marketing Tools

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:25:00 EDT

Brickfish, the social media platform, has announced its expansion into the business of licensing its patent-pending and award-winning social media tools to the broader online publishing community. These partnerships will enable other Web publishers, large or small, to leverage Brickfish’s proprietary technologies in order to add a powerful social media application to their advertising sales arsenal.

n-Track, Consumer Market Software that Supports the VST3 Plug-in Standard

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EDT

n-Track Software announces today the release of version 6.0.6 of the n-Track Studio music recording and editing software www.ntrack.com The update, free to existing v6.x users, adds support for the latest version of the VST plugin standard, developed by Steinberg and widely used by 3rd party plugin manufacturers. Version 3 of the VST standard has been rewritten from the ground up and promises better compatibility between plug-ins and hosts such as n-Track. n-Track takes advantage of the explicit support found in the VST3 standard for plug-ins side-chaining, a mechanism by which an effect plug-in can process the signal of an audio track based on the characteristics of the signal of a different track.