Paul Krill

Rather than deploying generic CRM applications and having them custom-tuned to meet their needs, many enterprises these days purchase vertically oriented software that already has boilerplate functions specific to their industries, to minimize customization requirements.

Content and document management, security, and hardware are on the minds of IT buyers in 2002, according to a survey of IT buying intentions by Aberdeen Group.

Wheelhouse on Feb. 19 will roll out a platform intended to provide unified

Wrestling with CRM

Electronic payment services provider Concord EFS unveiled a service enabling brick-and-mortar stores to authorize credit card payments via any secure Internet connection in place of dial-up or leased lines.

Although in agreement that implementation of an internal customer relationship management strategy is no picnic, Microsoft and AT&T are diverging on which road to take.

Peoplesoft Inc. will offer its CRM customers marketing automation software for e-mail and Web campaigns through acquisition of technology assets from Annuncio Software Inc.

An overcrowded market, current economics, flat spending, and a yearning for suites instead of point solutions will contribute to consolidation in the customer relationship management (CRM) software industry, according to several recently released research documents.