CRM Cloud Computing

When Salesforce.com purchased the social customer service startup Assistly last fall, its goal was to find a way to integrate Assistly’s easy-to-use application into a simple social support system that could help small businesses. Assistly’s product allowed companies to organize customer conversations from social media into an easy to-do list that provided support staff the information and tools needed to meet customers’ needs. Enter Desk.com.

As Salesforce’s Service Cloud and Social Enterprise efforts were previously aimed at mid-sized and larger enterprises, Desk.com is helping that cloud reach lower end small businesses. And they are reaching these small businesses with three key tactics: “It has to be social at its core, it needs to be mobile, and it needs to be simple,” said vice president and general manager of Desk.com, Alex Bard.

Desk.com is helping these small companies meet the challenge of social communication by integrating platforms like Facebook (News - Alert) and Twitter into its customer service application. Desk.com is demystifying the practice of incorporating social media with other support channels like email, phone and web, all in one easy-to-use desktop. By offering airtight case management where users can respond to customer issues, re-assign the task to field technicians and change priority for cases based on needs. Desk.com provides a platform that is easily understandable and simple enough that any small businesses and their employees can use it. Also, by offering twelve pre-built reports with basic data metrics on customer experiences, tracking and following each customer’s case is simple and understandable.

The application works by allowing a small business or customer service rep to find a question or comment on one of the company’s social platforms and decide whether or not they can help with that issue. If they cannot, the resolution can be passed to a technical service person in the field that has greater knowledge on the matter. The customer service rep will pass the issue along to the field employee via a mobile device. Once the issue is resolved, the technician can complete the report and send it back to business for review, offering a simple and easy to use system that can help solve a customer’s issue quickly.  

As nearly three-quarters of small businesses use mobile applications in their daily operations, Desk.com will be an appreciated, inexpensive solution for integrating social media into their customer service operations.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening NOW in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO. Follow us on Twitter.