The effectiveness of customer relationship management (CRM) solutions relies on the ability to gather data on potential customers or existing customers, and better focus your brand to meet their needs.According to this CRM Buyer report, a recent survey shows that while privacy is still important to consumers, they’re willing to give up some crucial data to be better served by their favorite brands. This is welcomed news to cloud CRM solutions.

The survey of more than 28,000 consumers shows that about 75 percent of them are willing to share their online media usage and demographics information. Just over 60 percent will share their names and addresses. Almost 60 percent will share their lifestyle habits, and around 55 percent will give up their physical locations.

What this means to cloud CRM companies is simple: consumers are saying they want more communication with their favorite brands. This allows companies to better serve consumers by giving them the relevant information through the proper channels.

The news comes as CRM solutions companies continue to upgrade their offerings and embark on integrations that are suited for cloud CRM. For instance, IBM (News - Alert) is teaming with SugarCRM, one of the most popular cloud CRM solutions on the market, to expand offerings for social businesses. SugarCRM is now supporting IBM DB2 database software on Linux, Windows, and Unix systems. IBM’s SmartCloud Enterprise takes SugarCRM (News - Alert) deployment options called the Private Cloud that is meant to give more visibility into sales and marketing while enhancing the scalability of the cloud infrastructure.

JDA Software Group (News - Alert) is also stepping up its game by integrating with CRM systems to enhance and personalize the shopping experience for customers. The focus is on building loyalty to increase profitability. JDA’s Cloud Services focuses on omnichannel commerce as well as optimization logic offered in real time. This approach helps optimize how the product is delivered, but how the products are supplied and inventoried.

Furthermore, Infovisionix and CSC (News - Alert) have entered into a new agreement that will take Infovisionix’s retail reporting and analysis solutions and merge them into CSC’s Retail Enterprise Intelligence solution. Using this integrated product, retailers’ key operational and customer performance data can be better understood and acted upon. This product will be usable as an enterprise solution or as a CSC service. It will also expand on CSC’s Business Excellence solution, which includes cloud-based services, retail domain consulting, systems implementation, and application integration.The survey that shows consumers opening up and providing valuable information are not confined to one country or continent, it’s global, which means CRM services everywhere will be a relevant now as ever.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, 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. To register, click here.

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