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The Best CRM Software for Retailers |
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The top 4 retail CRM software systems are Salesforce, Oracle CX, Microsoft Dynamics and SAP CRM. These systems support retail essentials such as consumer insights, consumer segmentation, a 360 degree consumer view, retail marketing, retail selling, Customer Experience (CX) management, loyalty programs, omni-channel engagement and consumer-based customer service. |
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How to Choose the Best CRM Software for your Retail Company |
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When searching for the best retail CRM software many novices evaluate technology features. That's a mistake as CRM software features and functions may or may not deliver retail business results. A better approach is to lead with the most strategic retail business objectives and then identify the CRM software capabilities that directly accelerate those goals. |
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Why Retail Strategies are in Desperate Need of Change |
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Retail strategy is at a reset moment. Traditional factors used to create competitive advantage are no longer sufficient. Change in the retail market – driven by changes in consumer technologies, behaviors and purchasing power – require a corresponding change by retailers. Here's how retailers can adjust their retail strategy in order to capitalize on market changes. |
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Retail CRM (Finally) Comes of Age |
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For the first time since the term "CRM" emerged in 1992, retailers are adopting CRM, or more specifically Retail CRM as the underlying platform to enable retail strategies such as omni-channel communications, customer experience management, social media engagement, loyalty programs, retail marketing automation and mobility. Here's why they're doing it now, and advice in how to do it right. |
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The Future of Retail |
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Predicting the future is generally based on speculation. However, predicting the future of retail is different. Consumers are driving the future of retail and consumer behaviors are creating vast amounts of data which can tell retailers exactly what it takes to earn and retain their business. Here are the 7 retail strategies and disruptive technologies that define the future of retail. |
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The Top 6 Most Effective But Least Used Retail Best Practices |
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Customer Experience (CX) strategies, precision marketing techniques, clienteling, consumer feedback, customer loyalty and business intelligence are untapped business growth strategies for most retailers. Here are 6 underutilized retail best practices which when effectively designed and deployed deliver impressive results before, during and after the sale. |
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How to Succeed in Omni-Channel Retailing |
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Omni-channel is no longer a differentiator. It's the new norm and a cost of doing business if you expect to retain and grow consumers – especially the most loyal consumers with the highest spend. But delivering personalized and consistent conversations across channels is a complex undertaking. Here's a 10 step omni-channel strategy and deployment framework to jump start your journey. |
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The Top Performing Mobile Retail Technologies |
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Retail sales and marketing strategies are increasingly fluid as they try to keep up with consumer movements. Effectively harnessing retail mobile technologies is an area where many retailers struggle. Here I share some good market research and several retail best practices for clienteling, mobile marketing, SoLoMo, retail mobile apps and mobile POS. |
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How to Create a Customer Loyalty Program That Works |
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Customer loyalty programs are an essential retail strategy to increasing customer share, margins and profitability. Unfortunately, most loyalty programs don't work. Forrester cites that 80% of retailers offer loyalty programs, however, two-thirds of them are ineffective, and only 12% to 15% of consumers are loyal to retailers. Here's a proven 10 step framework to build a loyalty program that works. |
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Solving the Retail Problem of Showrooming |
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Showrooming is a retail industry disruption stemming from trends in mobility and altering consumer shopping habits. It's also a serious challenge, so in this article we take a comprehensive view to share research, understand the trends and propose both strategies and tactics to mitigate the showrooming threat and capitalize on the unique advantages available to retail stores. |
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5 Retail Big Data Examples with Big Paybacks |
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Many big brand retailers are citing big data as the source of increased consumer engagement and revenue gains. However, retail thought leaders and analysts suggest that big data is creating a digital divide between large and small retailers. My take is that big data success is less about company size, and more about creative thinking and learning from the examples of others. |
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A Retailers Guide to Best In Class Retail Technology Management |
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Retailers are using new types of business software to better connect with consumers and support more dynamic business conditions. Taking a holistic approach to business software and retail technology management will clearly reduce costs and deliver more agility. Here’s an IT portfolio management approach designed to manage the many types of retail technologies. |
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How Retail Robots Lower Stock-Outs and Increase Store Revenues |
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Research shows that out-of-stock levels are often 3 to 4 times more than reported in inventory systems. Shrink, ineffective product placement, inaccessible or misplaced merchandise, or goods that are simply not found at the point of decision contribute to poor consumer experiences and lost retailer revenues. A retail robot named Tally hopes to bring new technology to aid this pervasive problem. |
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CRM Retail Industry Trends in Western Europe |
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Western European retailers are attracting shoppers through smart inventory choices, competitive pricing – and integrated CRM software with social CRM. In this article, analysts Forrester and IDC forecast the retail outlooks in the European Union and comment on the need for increased integration between CRM and POS, ERP and other business systems. |
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