#salesforce staff augmentation model

[ourjobagency]

Staff augmentation is a popular and risk-free model that helps enterprises to hire Salesforce certified administrators, developers, analysts and architects quickly with peace of mind.

[versatile145]

IT Staff Augmentation Services | Staff Augmentation Company

In today’s fast-paced digital world, technology evolves rapidly—and so does the need for top IT talent. Companies are constantly seeking efficient, scalable, and cost-effective ways to expand their tech teams without bearing the long-term burden of hiring full-time employees. This is where IT staff augmentation services come into play.

At Versatile IT Solutions, we offer flexible and customized IT staff augmentation to meet your short-term or long-term project demands. With over 12+ years of industry experience, we help companies of all sizes find the right talent, fast—without compromising quality.

What Is IT Staff Augmentation?

IT Staff Augmentation is a strategic outsourcing model that allows you to hire skilled tech professionals on-demand to fill temporary or project-based roles within your organization. This model helps bridge skill gaps, scale teams quickly, and improve operational efficiency without the complexities of permanent hiring.

Whether you need software developers, QA engineers, UI/UX designers, DevOps experts, or cloud specialists, Versatile IT Solutions has a ready pool of vetted professionals to meet your unique business needs.

Why Choose Versatile IT Solutions?

Versatile IT Solutions stands out as a reliable staff augmentation company because of our deep understanding of technology, rapid talent deployment capabilities, and commitment to quality.

✅ Key Highlights:

12+ Years of Experience in IT consulting and workforce solutions

300+ Successful Client Engagements across the USA, UK, UAE, and India

Pre-vetted Tech Talent in various domains and technologies

Flexible Engagement Models: Hourly, monthly, or project-based

Fast Onboarding & Deployment within 24–72 hours

Compliance-Ready staffing for international standards

We don’t just provide resumes—we deliver professionals who are culture-fit, project-ready, and aligned with your objectives.

Our IT Staff Augmentation Services

We offer comprehensive staff augmentation solutions that allow companies to hire qualified IT professionals on demand. Some of our key offerings include:

1. Contract Developers

Hire experienced developers skilled in technologies like Java, Python, PHP, Node.js, React, Angular, and more to strengthen your software development lifecycle.

2. Dedicated Project Teams

Get entire project teams—including developers, testers, designers, and project managers—for end-to-end execution.

3. Cloud & DevOps Engineers

Need help with infrastructure or deployment? Augment your IT team with certified AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud professionals.

4. QA & Automation Testing Experts

Our testing professionals ensure product reliability with both manual and automated testing capabilities.

5. UI/UX Designers

Enhance your product’s user experience with creative UI/UX professionals skilled in tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD.

6. ERP & CRM Specialists

Staff your enterprise solutions with SAP, Salesforce, and Microsoft Dynamics experts.

Technologies We Support

We cater to a wide array of platforms and technologies:

Front-End: React.js, Angular, Vue.js

Back-End: Node.js, .NET, Java, Python, PHP

Mobile: Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native

Cloud: AWS, Azure, GCP

DevOps: Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, Ansible

Database: MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle

ERP/CRM: SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics

Engagement Models

We offer flexibility with our hiring models to best suit your project and budget requirements:

Hourly Basis – Ideal for short-term needs

Monthly Contracts – Great for ongoing or long-term projects

Dedicated Teams – For businesses needing focused delivery from a committed team

Whether you want to scale up quickly for a new project or need niche expertise to complement your internal team, our adaptable models ensure smooth onboarding and integration.

Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation

Hiring through a trusted staff augmentation partner like Versatile IT Solutions comes with numerous advantages:

🔹 Cost-Effective Resource Allocation

🔹 No Long-Term Hiring Commitments

🔹 Access to Global Talent Pool

🔹 Faster Time-to-Market

🔹 Reduced Overhead Costs

🔹 Control Over Project Workflow

Instead of spending months on hiring and training, you can deploy top tech talent within days and keep your business moving forward.

Client Success Story

“We needed a team of skilled backend developers for a critical fintech project. Versatile delivered high-quality professionals within a week. They were proactive, collaborative, and technically strong.” — CTO, US-Based Fintech Company

“Thanks to Versatile's staff augmentation services, we were able to reduce our time to market by 40%. Their resources seamlessly integrated with our in-house team.” — Head of Product, SaaS Startup

Ready to Augment Your IT Team?

If you're struggling with hiring delays, talent shortages, or capacity issues, Versatile IT Solutions is here to help. We offer customized IT staff augmentation services that let you scale smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

📌 Explore our Staff Augmentation Services 📌 Need expert advice or want to get started?

[obsidianchroniclehydra]

Salesforce Managed Services Provider

Valintry360 is a top Salesforce Managed Services Provider that provides comprehensive support and guidance in planning, building, and maintaining your Salesforce-enabled business to ensure your organization maximizes its investment in Salesforce. Valintry360 has deep domain experience and highly qualified U.S.-based expert Salesforce consultants providing the ability to offer tailored solutions responsive to every client’s individual business needs.Valintry360 also does not limit itself to basic support as a Managed Services Provider to your organization, gets proactive with monitoring, optimizes your environments on an on-going basis, and plans strategically to further develop your Salesforce environment with the pace of change in your business and Salesforce requirements, not to mention for your ultimate advantage to keep pace with competition. Valintry360 continues to drive engagement, data management, system administrative changes & enhancements, and integrations while more than likely eliminating the need for an on-going internal staff that may create more work and headaches without the payroll overhead.Valintry360 specializes in streamlining business processes, improving customer engagement experience by bringing meaningful relationships in and improving on aspects in healthcare, financial services and technology fields; and implementing and augmenting Salesforce CRM to begin building their own resource and executive capability to deliver value to stakeholders and the market. Their agile service delivery processes and checks and balances allow clients to feel in control of their investment, gain transparency in accountability, purposeful goals and objectives, time strategies, and metric driven methods to show positive measurable results and what has changed - or think they've evolved new best organizational practices.It’s important to know that partnering with Valintry360 enables your organization to enhance the power, scalability, and adaptability of your Salesforce platform and grow your investment while eliminating costs and reducing operational risk. Valintry360 provides a simple low-cost model to assure each client this will continue to be the best provider you have ever had.

For more info visit us  https://valintry360.com/salesforce-managed-services-support

[manrastechnology]

Maximizing Business Potential with Salesforce CRM Implementation Service

In today's competitive business landscape, leveraging the right customer relationship management (CRM) tool is crucial for success. Salesforce CRM implementation service has emerged as a powerful solution that helps businesses optimize their sales, marketing, and customer service operations. At Manras Technologies, a Platinum Salesforce Consulting Partner, we specialize in Salesforce CRM implementation services, ensuring businesses unlock their full potential with a seamless and efficient Salesforce experience. Learn more about our implementation services at Manras Salesforce Implementation.

Why Choose Manras for Salesforce CRM Implementation?

Ample Salesforce Development Experience

With extensive expertise in Salesforce CRM implementation service, Manras assists businesses in achieving their objectives by delivering fully compliant and customized Salesforce solutions. Whether you need CRM optimization or a complete business solution, our team ensures a smooth and efficient implementation process.

Certified Salesforce Development Partner

As a certified Salesforce development partner, we have a dedicated team of Salesforce coordinators, certified engineers, and administrators. This multi-stakeholder approach enables us to provide expert guidance and support for every phase of the Salesforce CRM implementation service process.

Experience Across Diverse Industry Domains

Manras has a proven track record of serving various industries, including manufacturing, retail, technical services, healthcare, banking, and communications. Our tailored Salesforce CRM implementation service solutions cater to the unique needs of businesses across different domains, ensuring seamless integration and optimized workflows.

Comprehensive Salesforce CRM Implementation Services

Manras offers end-to-end Salesforce CRM implementation services to ensure businesses make the most of their CRM investments. Our services include:

Salesforce Consulting

Our Salesforce CRM consultants take a customized approach, understanding your business model and identifying the most suitable Salesforce CRM implementation service solutions. Unlike one-size-fits-all approaches, we ensure tailored recommendations that align perfectly with your business goals. Visit our Salesforce Implementation page for more details.

Salesforce Implementation

Our skilled implementation experts work closely with businesses to set up Salesforce CRM implementation services according to their specific needs. From initial Salesforce CRM setup to post-launch support, we streamline the entire implementation process to ensure a seamless transition.

Salesforce Support

We offer 24x7 Salesforce support services to maintain system performance and reliability. Our support packages help businesses reduce downtime, resolve performance issues, and improve the overall efficiency of their Salesforce CRM implementation service.

Salesforce Quick Start Packages

Designed for small sales and customer service teams, our Salesforce Quick Start Packages include core planning, decision-making, standard and custom settings, and basic training. These packages help businesses get started with Salesforce CRM implementation services quickly and effectively.

Salesforce Staff Augmentation

Finding the right talent for your Salesforce team can be challenging. With Salesforce staff augmentation services, we help businesses select the best candidates while reducing hiring risks, time, and costs. Our experts seamlessly integrate with your team, ensuring smooth operations and enhanced productivity.

Benefits of Salesforce CRM Implementation

Enhanced Customer Engagement

Salesforce CRM implementation services enable businesses to personalize interactions, track customer behavior, and provide superior service, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Streamlined Sales and Marketing

With Salesforce automation tools, businesses can improve lead management, track performance metrics, and optimize sales and marketing strategies for better conversions. Learn more about this on our Salesforce Implementation page.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Salesforce CRM implementation service provides real-time analytics and AI-driven insights, helping businesses make informed decisions and drive growth.

Scalability and Flexibility

Salesforce CRM implementation services are highly scalable and customizable, making them suitable for businesses of all sizes. Whether you are a startup or a large enterprise, Salesforce adapts to your evolving needs.

Conclusion

Salesforce CRM implementation service is a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline operations, boost efficiency, and enhance customer relationships. At Manras Technologies, we offer tailored Salesforce CRM implementation services to help you achieve your business goals effectively. Our expertise, industry experience, and customer-centric approach make us the preferred Salesforce consulting partner for businesses worldwide.Get in touch with Manras Technologies today to explore how our Salesforce CRM implementation services can transform your business! Visit Manras Salesforce Implementation for more details.

Learn More: https://www.manras.com/salesforce-implementation/

[cymetrixsoftware]

OPTIMIZING YOUR TECH TEAM: EXPLORING THE LATEST ENGAGEMENT MODELS FOR SALESFORCE TALENT

Uncover the secrets to supercharging your Salesforce team's performance with cutting-edge engagement models for Salesforce talent. Gain valuable insights into attracting, retaining, and optimizing top-tier Salesforce professionals. Explore diverse hiring options, from Interim hiring to on-demand staff augmentation and their impact on team efficiency. Learn about the advantages of remote work, hybrid teams, and global talent pools in meeting your business goals. Whether you're leading a startup or a large corporation, mastering these engagement models will give you an edge in the competitive tech industry. You will explore actionable insights to enhance team performance, boost productivity, and maintain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving tech landscape. Keep reading to find out more about the strategies and actionable advice to address the skill gap in your Salesforce team.

[antoninabo]

Salesforce Staff Augmentation as a Key to Business Success

Salesforce Staff Augmentation is a strategic approach to hiring, allowing businesses to add expert Salesforce professionals to their teams on an as-needed basis. This method offers flexibility, ensuring that companies have the right skills at the right time, without the long-term commitments of traditional hiring.

Enhancing Business Capabilities: The Strategic Choice of Salesforce Staff Augmentation

Embracing Salesforce Staff Augmentation offers a range of benefits, making it a prudent choice for businesses aiming to stay agile and competitive. This model not only complements existing teams but also brings in fresh perspectives and specialized expertise.

Advanced Benefits:

Expertise On Demand: Access to a diverse pool of experts means you can address complex Salesforce challenges efficiently, ensuring high-quality solutions.

Reduced Hiring Time and Costs: By avoiding the lengthy and costly process of traditional hiring, businesses can focus more on strategic growth and less on administrative burdens.

Adaptability and Competitive Edge: Quickly adapting to market changes and technological advancements is key in today's dynamic business environment. Salesforce Staff Augmentation provides the agility to do just that.

Risk Mitigation: Temporary staff can help mitigate the risks associated with sudden employee turnover or unexpected project complexities.

Enhanced Project Management: With specialized roles like Salesforce Project Managers, businesses can expect more streamlined and efficient project execution.

Cons to Consider:

Potential for Cultural Misalignment: Temporary staff may require more time and effort to align with your company’s culture and operational norms.

Knowledge Transfer: There is a risk of losing project-specific knowledge when temporary staff leave after a project’s completion.

By considering these factors, businesses can strategically leverage Salesforce Staff Augmentation to enhance their capabilities, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation and efficiency.

Key Salesforce Roles for Effective Staff Augmentation

When it comes to Salesforce Staff Augmentation, certain roles stand out as particularly valuable for businesses seeking to enhance their Salesforce capabilities. These roles, integral to the success of any Salesforce project, include:

Salesforce Administrators: They ensure the smooth operation of the Salesforce platform, managing configurations, support, maintenance, and user training. Their role is pivotal in adapting Salesforce to the unique workflows of a business.

Salesforce Developers: Focused on custom development, these professionals handle everything from basic Salesforce customization to complex programming. They are instrumental in tailoring Salesforce to specific business needs through custom applications and system integrations.

Salesforce Consultants: These experts bring in-depth knowledge of Salesforce capabilities and best practices. They guide businesses in strategy development, process optimization, and solution implementation, ensuring that the Salesforce platform aligns with business objectives.

Salesforce Architects: Responsible for designing robust Salesforce solutions, Architects play a key role in mapping out the technical architecture. They ensure that the Salesforce environment is scalable, secure, and integrates seamlessly with other systems.

Salesforce Project Managers: Specializing in overseeing Salesforce projects, these managers ensure timely and within-budget delivery, coordinating between the business and technical teams to achieve project goals.

By strategically augmenting their teams with these key roles, businesses can leverage the full potential of Salesforce, driving efficiency, innovation, and growth.

Salesforce Staff Augmentation with SFRecruiters

At SF-Recruiters, we take pride in our unique approach to Salesforce Staff Augmentation, ensuring that our clients receive tailored solutions that drive their success. Salesforce Staff Augmentation with SFRecruiters Here’s why partnering with us is a strategic move for your business:

Personalized Talent Solutions: We understand that each business has unique needs. That’s why we go the extra mile to comprehend your specific requirements and connect you with professionals who are not just skilled, but the right fit for your organization’s culture and objectives.

Strict Vetting for Quality Assurance: In our selection process, we carefully scrutinize each Salesforce professional's technical abilities and track record. This ensures they meet our high standards and align well with your project requirements.

Swift and Efficient Staffing: We recognize the value of time in business. Our process is designed for rapid deployment, ensuring that the professionals you need are onboarded quickly and efficiently to keep your projects on schedule.

Conclusion

Salesforce Staff Augmentation is a key strategy for businesses seeking flexibility and expertise in the dynamic digital landscape. It offers significant benefits like expert access on demand, cost savings, and enhanced project management. With SF-Recruiters, you will gain a dedicated partner committed to your business's growth and success through our tailored talent solutions and efficient staffing processes. Together, we drive your business toward innovation and efficiency.

[govindhtech]

IBM Watsonx Assistant using generative AI

Watsonx Assistant now provides conversational search, producing conversational answers based on business-specific material to address queries from customers and staff. Conversational search employs generative AI to relieve human authors from manually composing and updating replies; this reduces the total cost of ownership of virtual assistants and speeds up time to value.

For training, deploying, and managing foundation models, IBM watsonx Assistant connects to watsonx, an enterprise-ready AI and data platform from IBM. This allows business users to automate precise, conversational question-answering with specialized watsonx large language models.

Since 2020, IBM and Watson Assistant have used foundation models to analyze and understand text at an advanced level, including customer discussions. Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), a generative AI architecture that responds to natural language questions with contextual answers based on pertinent, enterprise-specific information, is now being implemented by Assistant through a connection to Watsonx.

Generation with enhanced retrieval (RAG)

RAG is a framework for artificial intelligence that combines search with generative intelligence to find enterprise-specific data in a search engine or vector database and then provide a conversational response based on that data.

Recovery stage

First, Watsonx Assistant extracts pertinent data from the content of your company. Your content might be kept in a knowledge base or content management system, for instance. When a prospect, customer, or employee asks a question, Assistant uses a search tool to connect to this content and retrieve correct, current answers.

From no-code to low-code to custom configuration, IBM Watsonx Assistant enables a variety of patterns to connect to the content of your company. With Watson Discovery for search, Assistant enables an out-of-the-box, no-code integration. Non-technical business users can upload documents, browse the web, or connect to content kept in Microsoft SharePoint, Salesforce, or Box using Watson Discovery.

Additionally, customers can benefit from watsonx Assistant’s startup kits, which detail how to connect to popular search tools like Coveo, Google Custom Search, Magnolia, and Zendesk Support step-by-step.

Stage of answer creation

Watsonx Assistant pulls pertinent data from the content of your company and feeds it into a watsonx large language model (LLM) to provide a conversational response based on that data.

Watsonx Assistant makes sure that the LLM’s replies are based on a confined domain of enterprise-specific content rather of an open domain of internet-scale data by passing it accurate, current content to utilize to construct its answer. The LLM is less likely to “hallucinate” false or misleading information as a result.

Additionally, this approach guarantees that Watsonx Assistant can track each generated response back to its original content. Any client can view the source of a response, as well as their prospects, customers, or staff members. The virtual assistant may display the generated response alone together with references to or extracts from its sources.

Watsonx Assistant has collaborated with IBM Research and watsonx to create customized watsonx LLMs that specialize in producing replies based on enterprise-specific content to enable answer production. Today, clients may set up retrieval-augmented generation for conversational search utilizing step-by-step starting kits that guide them through the full configuration process. Using the watsonx Assistant custom extensions framework, clients can additionally connect to their own watsonx LLMs or those of other parties, both for retrieval-augmented generation and other generative use cases.

Practice of conversational searching

What are the implications for designing, implementing, and maintaining virtual assistants of conversational search, driven by this retrieval-augmented generation framework?

It’s considerably simpler to create and use your own virtual assistant. Watsonx Assistant can accurately respond to a wide range of queries using conversational search without the need for non-technical business people to manually write the answers. Teams can start up and launch a new virtual assistant connected to their organization’s current knowledge base without any human authoring, or they can extend the scope of an existing virtual assistant to cover a new set of topics.

Virtual assistant maintenance also takes less work. Watsonx Assistant automatically gathers data from a knowledge base once it is connected for conversational search in order to inform the generated answers. Teams may easily update the information in their knowledge base when information changes or new information becomes available. The new data will be automatically retrieved by IBM Watsonx Assistant and used to inform its responses. Teams are no longer required to retrain models or manually change replies.

Together, conversational search reduces the effort needed and speeds up time to value for teams wishing to create and implement outstanding conversational experiences with Watson Assistant.

Why use Watsonx Assistant for conversational search?

Building on the base of its prebuilt integrations, low-code integrations framework, and no-code writing experience, IBM Watsonx Assistant’s conversational search feature. Conversational search enables both developers and business users to automate question-answering, freeing them up to create integrated digital experiences and higher-value transactional processes with their virtual assistants.

Beyond conversational search, Assistant continues to work with watsonx and IBM Research to create specialized watsonx LLMs that excel at classification, reasoning, information extraction, summarization, and other conversational use cases. With the help of big language models, Watsonx Assistant has already made significant strides in its capacity to comprehend clients with less effort.

Watch this space for more information on the generative AI capabilities of the IBM Watsonx Assistant. Click the button below to request a consultation if you’d like to learn more about how you can use conversational experiences driven by generative AI to engage your prospects, customers, and staff.

[conneqtbusinesssolutions-blog]

How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping the Customer Service of the Future

Artificial Intelligence or AI is an important innovative technology that will revolutionize the future. At present, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being deployed in customer service to both augment as well as replace human agents – with the primary aims of enhancing customer experience and optimizing customer service costs.

The technological breakthroughs in AI are poised to take every industry by the storm. AI powered services have picked up its fastest pace. The advanced systems powered by automated solutions have enabled the users to make a restaurant reservation, book a movie ticket, hotel room, order a pizza and even make an appointment at a clinic. Artificial Intelligence is reimagining customer service industry by automating processes, and disrupting how we work.

The rapid implementation of AI can be accredited to innovations such as machine learning and natural language processing. AI-powered digital solutions are gradually becoming a part of the customer service interactions. Experts believe that AI has the capability to enable real-time self-service for customer service platforms.

According to a study by Zendesk, 42% customers are more likely to purchase after experiencing a good customer service, whereas 52% could stop being a customer after a single negative customer service experience. Thus, customer service still remains a decisive factor in customers making the purchase.

According to a recent report by Gartner, nearly 55% of well-established organizations have either started making investments in the potential of AI or are planning to do so by 2020. With customer service assuming far more importance, companies are turning towards artificial intelligence.

AI in Customer Service

Automation let’s you deliver the next-level of responsiveness that’s not humanly possible. Al is also currently being implemented to replace human agents at some levels and augment them. AI assists the human executive in having a smooth conversation with the customer. The machine listens to the discussion in real-time and feeds information to the representative for a better response. By 2020, 85% of the customer support interactions are expected to be conducted without any customer services representatives. According to Oracle, 80% sales and marketing leaders either use or plan to use chatbots in the near future. ValaAfshar, Chief Digital Evangelist at Salesforce predicts that, “The line-of-business that is most likely to embrace AI first will be the customer service – typically the most process oriented and technology savvy organization within most companies.”

The AI embedded systems are capable of monitoring an infinite amount of website as well as in-app activity to spot distress indicators, identify customers experiencing issues/concerns and what those issues are. These systems can respond in real-time and offer support via virtual service agents or FAQ’s across devices and platforms.

By resolving customer service issues before they arise you can significantly lower the customer abandonment rates in the buying cycle, reduce customer complaints and enhance customer satisfaction.

AI has not reached a stage where it can completely replace the entire human customer service system. However, it is possible that perfectly human-like, AI could become a reality in the near future. Currently, AI is heavily incorporated to improve the customer service and customer experience. Studies prove that organizations can improve compliance by 30% and agent satisfaction by 90% by integrating AI.

Let us look at some of the present uses of AI in customer service.

AI-powered messaging

Messaging has changed tremendously in the past few years. Studies show that 90% of the customers today want to use messaging for communicating with businesses. Interestingly, 86% of customers also look for an option to transfer to a live person to resolve their query. This complex need puts companies in a difficult position where they have to ensure the best of both worlds to provide a delightful customer experience.

The success of the AI-powered bot largely depends on the available data and intuitive features provided to the customers. At Conneqt, we provide AI augmented messaging where an AI bots assist the agent. So the basic information is provided by the bots, whereas the customer has the option to talk to a human representative as and when desired. The complex tasks are undertaken by the human, whereas the repetitive tasks are taken care of by the bots.

AI in Email

No customer wants to wait for 48-72 hours for receiving a reply to an email query. So, it becomes difficult for companies to read thousands of emails manually and reply to them within a given timeframe. AI-powered email can help the team to speed-up the process reducing the number of customer requests waiting for the reply. AI-powered technology can direct the email to the concerned department and also provide past responses to ensure a faster reply. To successfully implement the AI in an email, a huge amount of monthly data should be available for the machine learning.

AI in Research

It is certain that AI will make self-service interfaces a reality in the near future. However, AI can also be used in capturing and analyzing data for achieving excellent customer service experience. Al can help in identifying customer issues, determine preferences based on past choice, and respond with a most-suited solution. Studies hint that personalization will be the key in the future and AI is a perfect solution to offer personalized offers, solutions, suggestions, and even resolve queries before they arrive.

While implementation of AI may appear to be a complicated process, the benefits can easily supersede the efforts. Let us look at some of the significant benefits.

Cost Efficiency

According to a Mckinsey report, about 29% of work done by customer service representatives has the potential to be automated. So by implementing AI companies can save a huge amount of money on training and hiring staff. On an average, it can cost $4000 to hire an agent and over $4800 to train them. With attrition and expansion, these costs are only going to multiply.

On the contrary, AI needs to be trained only once. If there are any changes down the line, the software can be re-configured. AI will also free the workforce of routine and repetitive task that they are tired of doing, thereby reducing the attrition rate and improving the employee engagement.

24*7 Customer Service

Public holidays or leaves of absence do not constrain automated services; AI is available 24*7. This enables your company to deliver excellent customer services and resolve queries as soon as they arrive.  The customer would no longer have to wait for a day or two before seeing their query answered.

Chatbots are also free from any bias, or they do not take matters into their own hands. Unlike humans, chatbots can be programmed to never argue with customers and escalate the calls to managers in a customer query is not resolved. Artificial Intelligence and NLP technology work in conjunction to listen to customer interactions in real-time.  This will reduce the average resolution time. Also, the agents won’t have to build expertise in all products and processes that makes it easy for enterprises to shuffle workforce across teams where the need arises, which in turn results in improved customer experience and enhanced brand reputation of your organization.

Self-service options

72% Millennials believe that phone calls are not the best way to resolve a customer service issue. Millennials want to solve the problem themselves by reading FAQs, researching on the internet, asking on forums, or messaging a bot. This changing trend will only grow stronger as the next generation would become even more self-reliant and expect automated self-service options. It is paramount for businesses to adapt early before the customer journey begins getting negatively impacted AI-powered the business’ bottom lines.

Panacea for all Customer Problems – No!

AI-driven models use the cognitive representation as the basis to understand the customer intent. It’s unrealistic to expect that a canned AI application can fit into your organization’s processes and take over the customer support. Enterprises need to tune and train the AI models to drive unique business cases relevant to their business verticals. Companies need to begin building data repositories, processes, and mechanisms which can assist AI models learn quickly. It’s equally important to build workflows that allow queries and complaints come to human service agents before the simulated interactions begin to annoy customers.  So, the success of Artificial Intelligence powered customer service is much a function of technological advancement as of a firm’s abilities to train AI models for specific tasks with massive reliable data-sets. Customer service is getting bigger and better than ever. Most of the transformation is an outcome of Artificial Intelligence that paves the way forward for organizations.

Artificial Intelligence in customer service offers a wide array of benefits ranging from reliability to cost-savings. Conneqt offers automated customer service solutions that will enable real-time problem solving for your customers. The customized AI will fit the specific needs of your business ensuring that the customer is always delighted with the customer service.

[prometteursolutions]

WHAT IS RESOURCE AUGMENTATION? A NEW WAY TO EXTEND YOUR TEAM

Discover the power of resource augmentation, a revolutionary approach to expanding your team and enhancing your services. 

Resource augmentation, provided by Prometteur, is a flexible and cost-effective outsourcing method that allows businesses to access highly skilled IT talent from around the world on a contractual basis. 

By leveraging this model, companies can quickly overcome talent shortages, address project requirements, and meet tight deadlines without the hassle of a lengthy recruitment process. 

With resource augmentation, you can augment your internal team with experienced professionals who collaborate seamlessly to deliver outstanding results.

Prometteur, with a decade of expertise in Salesforce staffing and outsourcing, offers comprehensive solutions to cover your company's employment shortfalls. 

By partnering with Prometteur, you gain access to their experienced advice and competent support. 

They understand the challenges businesses face in hiring and maintaining talented IT staff, and they provide the perfect solution through resource augmentation.

The benefits of resource augmentation and staff augmentation, a specific form of resource augmentation, are numerous. 

They include reduced recruitment time, cost savings, access to diverse skill sets, flexibility, and a focused workforce. By embracing resource augmentation, you can scale your team up or down based on workload and seize new opportunities while maintaining control over execution and management.

To drive your business forward with efficiency and effectiveness, choose resource augmentation by Prometteur. 

Contact them now to explore collaboration possibilities and acquire your ideal development team through a resource augmentation contract. Prometteur is your trusted partner in augmenting your team and achieving unparalleled success.

[ourjobagency]

Salesforce Staff Augmentation Trends in 2023: Adapting to a Rapidly Changing Business Landscape

As businesses increasingly rely on Salesforce to streamline their operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth, the demand for skilled Salesforce professionals continues to rise. While some organizations choose to build an in-house Salesforce team, many others opt for Salesforce staff augmentation to leverage specialized expertise, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. 

In 2023, the landscape of Salesforce staff augmentation is witnessing several emerging trends that reflect the evolving needs of businesses and the changing dynamics of the Salesforce ecosystem. Let's explore these trends and their implications for organizations seeking Salesforce staff augmentation.

Focus on Industry-Specific Expertise:

In an era of highly specialized industries, businesses are seeking Salesforce staff augmentation providers with deep domain expertise. While general Salesforce knowledge remains essential, organizations are increasingly prioritizing consultants who understand their industry-specific nuances, regulatory requirements, and best practices. Whether it's healthcare, finance, manufacturing, or retail, staff augmentation providers who offer industry-specific expertise are in high demand.

Demand for Multi-Cloud and Integration Specialists:

As companies adopt a multi-cloud strategy, integrating Salesforce with other cloud platforms and enterprise systems has become a critical need. Salesforce staff augmentation providers who can offer expertise in multi-cloud environments, integration frameworks, and APIs are witnessing a surge in demand. Skills in integrating Salesforce with popular platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as proficiency in middleware tools and technologies, are highly sought after.

Emphasis on Data Analytics and AI:

Data-driven decision-making is a top priority for businesses across industries. Salesforce staff augmentation trends in 2023 reflect this shift, with a growing demand for professionals who possess strong data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) skills. Organizations are seeking consultants who can leverage Salesforce Einstein Analytics, Tableau, and other data visualization tools to unlock insights, identify trends, and optimize business processes.

Increased Focus on Salesforce Industries:

Salesforce Industries, formerly known as Vlocity, offers industry-specific cloud solutions that cater to unique business requirements. In 2023, there is a rising demand for Salesforce staff augmentation providers who specialize in Salesforce Industries implementations. Consultants with expertise in verticals such as healthcare, insurance, utilities, and telecommunications are well-positioned to meet this growing demand.

Remote and Flexible Staff Augmentation Models:

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote work and flexible staffing models. In 2023, Salesforce staff augmentation providers are expected to offer a mix of on-site and remote consultants, enabling businesses to access talent from anywhere in the world. Remote work has opened up new possibilities for organizations to tap into a global pool of skilled Salesforce professionals and leverage cost advantages without compromising on quality.

Focus on Soft Skills and Business Acumen:

Technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient for successful Salesforce staff augmentation. Companies are increasingly valuing consultants who possess excellent communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Salesforce professionals with a strong understanding of business processes, customer-centricity, and the ability to align technology solutions with strategic goals are highly sought after.

Conclusion:

The Salesforce staff augmentation landscape in 2023 is witnessing several transformative trends that reflect the changing needs of businesses and the Salesforce ecosystem. Organizations are seeking industry-specific expertise, multi-cloud integration skills, data analytics and AI capabilities, Salesforce Industries specialization, and a combination of remote and on-site staffing models. Soft skills and business acumen are also gaining prominence in the selection process. As businesses adapt to the rapidly changing landscape, Salesforce staff augmentation provides a flexible and efficient solution to meet their evolving Salesforce needs. By staying abreast of these trends and partnering with the right staff augmentation provider, organizations can leverage the power of Salesforce to drive innovation, enhance customer experiences, and achieve sustainable growth in 2023

[connectpartners-blog]

Connect Partners

Connect Partners is a leading SolarWinds, Data Center Consolidation, Application Migration, Business Continuity, Salesforce, Cloud Transformation Services, and IT strategy solutions provider. Our business model is to deliver consistency, integrity, and value to each of our clients.

After an initial assessment, our highly skilled consultants possess the expertise to design, build and manage a highly functioning and performing IT infrastructure that fits your business needs. From the initial project discovery meeting through project completion, our team of certified professionals simplifies the installation, configuration, and support so that our clients can focus on your core business functions.

Connect Partners also provides solutions, workplace services, and staff augmentation.

Solutions

We provide the necessary tools, resources, and expertise to assess your current operational requirements, strategize and design a new plan, build your platform, and manage your on-prem or cloud IT infrastructure.

Workplace Services

Our portfolio of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) aligns ITSM practices with the needs of your business to enhance end-user experience. We will develop your business standards and realign ITIL-based services.

Staff Augmentation Services

Our innovative team has developed a smart workforce acquisition and management system that solves staffing solutions, staff augmentation, temporary and permanent placement, and vendor-managed staffing services.

Our business model is built upon the premise that consistency is vital in identifying workplace challenges and overcoming them with proven solutions, data optimization, and future application enablement which improves user experience and return on your IT investments.

For more information, Contact us or call 410-774-1000 to speak with our experts.

Website:

https://www.myconnectpartners.com/

Address:

13575 58th Street North Suite 200,

Clearwater,

FL

33760

Phone:

410-774-1000

Fax:

410-774-1008

Email:

Communications@MyConnectPartners.com

Hours:

Mon - Fri 8:00AM - 6:00PM

Sat - Sun Closed

Additional Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Connect-Partners-1989358304643803/

https://twitter.com/connectpartnrs

https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-connect-partners/

https://www.manta.com/c/mkwz1j8/connect-partners

Lat:

27.895338

Long:

-82.711652

[manrastechnology]

Salesforce Staff Augmentation Service in US

Salesforce staff augmentation in the US refers to the practice of hiring external Salesforce professionals or experts to supplement and enhance the capabilities of an existing in-house team. This approach is commonly adopted by organizations to address specific skill gaps, boost project efficiency, and ensure successful implementation and management of Salesforce solutions.

Here are some key points to consider when engaging in Salesforce staff augmentation in the US:

Identify Skill Gaps: Assess your current in-house team’s skill set and identify areas where additional expertise is needed. This could include Salesforce development, administration, integration, customization, or specific industry-related knowledge.

Define Project Requirements: Clearly outline the scope of your Salesforce project or ongoing initiatives. Specify the tasks, deliverables, and timeline to ensure that the augmented staff understands the objectives and can contribute effectively.

Select Qualified Professionals: When selecting Salesforce professionals for staff augmentation, consider factors such as certifications, experience, and a proven track record in similar projects. This ensures that the augmented staff is well-equipped to meet your specific requirements.

Legal and Compliance Considerations: Ensure that the staff augmentation process complies with legal and regulatory requirements. Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and contractual terms to protect both parties involved.

Effective Communication: Establish open and transparent communication channels between your in-house team and the augmented staff. Regular updates, meetings, and collaboration tools can help maintain a cohesive and integrated working environment.

Scalability: Salesforce staff augmentation should be flexible enough to scale up or down based on project needs. This flexibility allows you to adapt to changing requirements without compromising efficiency.

Quality Assurance: Implement quality assurance processes to monitor and evaluate the performance of the augmented staff. Regular assessments and feedback sessions help ensure that the team is delivering high-quality results.

Cost Management: Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of staff augmentation compared to other hiring models. While staff augmentation can be a cost-efficient solution, it’s essential to consider the overall impact on your budget and project timelines.

Knowledge Transfer: Encourage knowledge transfer between the augmented staff and your in-house team. This helps build internal expertise and ensures a smoother transition once the augmented staff completes their engagement.

By carefully considering these factors, organizations can leverage Salesforce staff augmentation in the US to enhance their Salesforce capabilities and achieve successful outcomes in their CRM initiatives. As a Salesforce Platinum Partner, Manras empowers businesses across the US with unparalleled Salesforce staff augmentation services. Our certified experts seamlessly integrate into your team, bridging skill gaps and ensuring the success of your Salesforce initiatives. Trust Manras to elevate your CRM capabilities and drive transformative results with our top-tier staff augmentation solutions.

[cymetrixsoftware]

CHOOSE THE RIGHT STAFF AUGMENTATION MODEL FOR YOUR DATA ANALYTICS PROJECTS

Are you tired of struggling to find the right talent for your Data Analytics project? You're not alone. The high demand for analytical skills and the shortage of qualified candidates make bridging the skill gap challenging. However, the right staff augmentation model can be the solution you need. At Cymetrix, we specialize in providing tailored staff augmentation services for Data Science, Analytics, Salesforce, and AI. An approach that allows you to seamlessly integrate highly skilled professionals into your team, ensuring you have the expertise required for project success. Whether you need project-based, skill-based, capacity-based, strategic, or hybrid augmentation, we've got you covered. With Cymetrix, you stay in control while benefiting from external talent, fostering a cohesive unit focused on your goals. Find out how our flexible solutions can help you build the perfect team and ensure the success of your Data Analytics projects. Keep reading to learn more about choosing the right staff augmentation model for your data analytics projects.

[hudsonespie]

Twelve Start-Ups to Bring Digital Solutions to Market

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore, has announced funding for 12 start-ups.

The initiative is part of the Port Innovation Ecosystem Reimagined @ BLOCK71 (PIER71)’s Smart Port Challenge (SPC) 2019, and the 12 start-ups have each been awarded S$50,000 in grant funding from MPA. The funding will enable them to conduct prototype development and test-bed their near market-ready solutions.

Over the next 12 months, the start-ups will be working on pilot projects in collaboration with PIER71’s maritime corporate partners, who will provide subject matter expertise, test data, as well as a platform to test-bed their solutions. Their grant applications were assessed based on the viability of their solutions in addressing maritime challenges focusing on technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, robotics and wearables. The start-ups are:

ABEJA ASA Development C-LOG Cerekon Dravam Kanda KoiReader Technologies Marified Megapixel Newton Services Research (local entity of Delvify) Performance Rotors Tropical Renewable Energy Engineering (TREE)

Speaking of two of the start-ups, Ron Fong, Regional IT Manager of Teekay said, “The use of Kanda’s VR solution to simulate a safety procedure known as Lock Out Tag Out will allow our crew to undergo training in a virtual tanker which is essentially a digital twin of the one they work on, without endangering their lives or damaging any equipment. We’re also working with Cerekon to explore a remote support system, that will enable our onboard engineers to use voice-activated head-mounted wearables to safely and more efficiently conduct equipment maintenance.”

Eight out of 13 of the previous grant recipients from Smart Port Challenge 2018 have completed their pilot projects, with the remaining five nearing completion. Ship Supplies Direct, a start-up focusing on improving marine logistics and supply chain, has reported up to 30 percent reduction in delivery costs and up to three hours less waiting time per delivery through their pilot project with PSA International. 

Aeras Medical, a start-up with experience in the healthcare industry, also completed a three-month onboard trial with OMC Shipping. Their vital signs monitoring solution was used to monitor and manage crew health remotely, and achieved high adherence rate among the crew.

ABEJA

ABEJA is one of the first start-ups specializing in machine learning and deep learning in Asia. The organization has deployed over 200 artificial intelligence (AI) projects across various industries and specializes in implementing computer vision solutions. For the maritime industry, ABEJA is using video analytics and deep learning to automate many routine tasks that are manual and tedious. With improved operations, companies can help their employees achieve greater productivity and focus on higher-level endeavors. Backed by investors including Google, Nvidia, Salesforce, ABEJA was the only Japanese start-up to be commended by CB Insights (AI 100: The Artificial Intelligence Start-ups Redefining Industries).

https://www.abejaglobal.com/

KoiReader Technologies

Checking and cross-referencing financial and declaration documentation is a labour intensive process in the maritime industry. KoiReader has developed an innovative machine learning visual recognition system that extracts contextual data from documents (image and text) and enters it into legacy and ERP systems as actionable operational data. This improves the accuracy of filling up logistics data for regulatory clearance, brings down the cost of document processing from $2.50 to less than few cents per page, and reduces operational risks such as those associated with mis-declaration of dangerous goods.

www.koireader.com

Megapixel

A massive amount of communication goes on as part of daily vessel operations. However, the absence of a system to track and tag real-time and past information makes the retrieval of historical data difficult and time consuming. Harnessing its rich development experience, Megapixel has developed a solution called Globarius which has already been successful in the construction industry and is being adapted for the maritime industry to provide port/terminal operators with a knowledge repository, using progress tracking tools to collect, organize and report data.

www.megapixel.sg

ASA Development

ASA Development, through a decade of refinement and testing, has created the Contego Productivity Platform, a tool that has helped many organizations improve their operational efficiency, through standardization of process and centralization of data from remote sites. Contego Audit has helped many offshore and maritime companies make sense of previously fragmented processes. Contego Document Management has enabled organizations to mobilize management systems so all company information is at the fingertips of the people who need it the most. ASA’s team is dedicated to making the maritime industry more efficient through the use of tools that make life easier.

www.contegoforbusiness.com

C-LOG

C-LOG is pioneering data collaboration in the maritime industry by making inter-organisational sharing of crew documentation easier and faster while respecting the data privacy of the seafarer. Addressing a challenge to develop a crew-centric platform that supports self-management and career development within the maritime industry, C-LOG is creating a solution that digitizes current paper-based processes by leveraging blockchain and AI. This would save the maritime industry between 30-50 percent of costs related to handling crew documentation.

www.c-log.io

Cerekon

Efficiency, safety and productivity are key concerns when it comes to the inspection and maintenance of vessels, particularly entire fleets. As a smart wearables solution provider, Cerekon’s AI based “Voice-driven Handsfree Inspection & Remote Support System” enables field personnel to conduct inspections, capture issues, conduct audits, diagnose problems and train staff, without the use of handheld devices or paper based systems. By wearing the specially designed wearables, personnel can safely conduct audits, identify leakages/cracks, access digital checklists, auto-generate job reports, by using simple human voice commands and live stream their work to seek remote assistance, without the need for bulky devices, leaving their hands free to carry tools/equipment or hold on-to hand rails for safety.

www.cerekon.com

Dravam

Dravam’s innovative fuel quality monitoring solution is an early detection system, scanning the entire bunker transfer for contaminants and currently providing near real-time information about the fuel quality. Installed seamlessly onto a vessel, this patented solution increases efficiency and assurance of bunkering operations, and addresses the industry’s need for faster fuel quality testing. With Singapore being the world’s first port to implement mass flow metering, to ensure quantity of bunker, the implementation of enhanced quality monitoring will enable Singapore port to ensure “Q&Q” (Quantity and Quality) of the bunker fuel.

http://www.dravam.com/

Kanda

Kanda is creating virtual and augmented reality platforms, coupled with machine learning to address the high costs associated with hiring and training within the maritime industry. Using a photo-realistic digital twin of an entire tanker, Kanda is building a virtual reality training session that allows crew members to move around the simulated tanker. Kanda has also created a unique technique that uses machine learning and situational judgment to validate how well a candidate’s response correlates to performance as part of the recruitment process.

https://www.kanda.dk/

Marified

Building on the success and traction its parent company, Edufied, had gain with its blockchain-based storage and verification solution for the education industry, Marified has created a digital wallet that secures a seafarer’s certifications against forgery and is accessible from anywhere in the world. This could reduce the administrative loads of flag states, port clearance authorities, shipowners, ship management companies and training centers by 90-97 percent. The use of blockchain technology also reduces the risks associated with hacking of current digital solutions.

www.marified.network

Newton Services Research (local entity of Delvify)

Delvify builds and runs predictive AI models for businesses. Using state-of-the-art, built in-house AI tools including computer vision, natural language processing and automated speech recognition we help maritime enterprises clean, categorize and analyze their data to optimize operational processes. We take data such as past customer actions, combine it with third party data to create a forecasting and decision-making platform to recommend actions to vessel operators looking to optimize roll-pools, pricing and loadings.

www.delvify.io

Performance Rotors

In-hull ship inspections are both time-consuming and risky due to confined spaces, heights, lack of oxygen or presence of toxic or flammable gasses. By bringing their confined drone technology with AI defect identification and non-destructive testing (NDT) to the maritime industry, Performance Rotors can help to minimize such risks and costs. Their method uses NDT technology in addition to video, to allow for detailed inspection, digitalization, data science and management, which leads to easier comparison of results for better prediction and maintenance program formulation.

www.performance-rotors.com

Tropical Renewable Energy Engineering (TREE)

TREE supports Singapore’s green port initiative by providing novel and innovative solutions towards Digital twin based marine asset health monitoring with real-time capability. TREE’s underwater drone-based solution aims to minimize downtime of marine assets by providing early information on potential failures of marine assets, to take timely preventive actions much faster than conventional maintenance methods. TREE also specializes in resource mapping and environmental impact of water bodies and coastal locations using novel sensor integrated surficial robots that provides vital information such as seabed bathymetry, water quality and tidal flow and wave conditions.

www.tree.sg

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/twelve-start-ups-to-bring-digital-solutions-to-market via http://www.rssmix.com/

[sempiternalsandpitturtle]

B2B marketing strategies: The ultimate list of tried and true tactics

The marketing landscape never stays the same for very long. Every year, B2B marketers will see old trends evolve and new strategies emerge. Disruptions like machine learning and artificial intelligence are changing the way B2B buyers interact with brands online. With so many tools to choose from, picking the perfect strategy is a difficult challenge. In fact, choosing just one strategy isn’t enough anymore. Businesses must have the ability to stay agile and choose a mix of tools and strategies that improve the buying experience.

These strategies can support your B2B sales and marketing goals in 2019 and beyond:

Content marketing

According to the Content Marketing Institute’s 2019 trends report, 78 percent of B2B marketers said they currently used content marketing, and the most successful marketers were more likely to have a well-documented strategy. Top performers said that the two biggest benefits of thorough documentation are better alignment around common goals and more effective decision making around which types of content to develop.

The CMI also found that the majority of B2B content marketers leveraged educational assets to nurture leads and build audience trust, which is essential for inbound marketing. Adding content that encourages audience participation and community building could augment the impact of educational assets. For example, an informational blog post could link to an interactive quiz that tests the reader’s knowledge.

In addition to blogs, whitepapers and other written assets, effective content strategies include other types of media, such as podcasts, infographics and videos. In fact, video marketing is quickly becoming a powerhouse strategy in its own right. Compared with other media formats, users everywhere favor video-based experiences.

Consider repurposing articles, graphics and case studies as videos to gain additional engagement. Not everyone who visits your website wants or has the time to read an entire blog post. Repurposed content expands the reach of your messages by creating a unified customer experience.

A mix of content also supports account-based digital marketing efforts, which often require content tailored to several decision makers within the same organisation. For example, a whitepaper that covers technical details can appeal to a CTO and a concise video may be more engaging for a busy CEO.

Email marketing

B2B marketers have utilised email marketing since the inception of the internet, but that doesn’t mean it’s an antiquated tool. Over the years, email marketing strategies and the technology that drives them have evolved significantly. It’s still one of the best ways to connect with cold leads, existing customers, and everyone in between.

Enterprise-class email marketing platforms leverage powerful automation tools to segment audiences and produce hyper-personalised messages programmatically. When combined with killer content, email marketing automation drives audience engagement. For example, marketers can develop triggered routines that dispatch relevant email content when users download a whitepaper, abandon a shopping cart, or perform some other trackable action on a website.

Research from Constant Contact revealed that the average email open rate is 15.75 percent for all industries, with a click-through rate of 7.63 percent. This highlights the importance of subject lines and content. On one hand, an effective email subject line makes clicking irresistible to target readers. Questions, calls to action, time-sensitive offers and even nonsequiturs can encourage readers to open a message.

On the other hand, engaging email content satisfies the reader’s initial curiosity and draws them in with a relevant appeal. The type of marketing appeal that is most compelling will depend on the needs of your target audience. Marketing Land contributor Kyle Henderick noted that interactive content can improve engagement rates by personalising the experience or providing entertainment. For example, polling customers about a recent brand interaction can generate data to support the continued improvement of the buyer journey.

Chatbots

When customers need support, the last thing they want to hear from an automated phone service is, “Please call back between the hours of nine and five….” It’s frustrating and it harms the business’ relationship with new and returning customers. Hiring an international call center could solve the issue, but brings about its own set of challenges, not to mention the increased expense. This is where intelligent chatbots can come to the rescue. In fact, Business Insider reported that 80 percent of businesses already use or plan to use chatbots by 2020.

Chatbots can answer frequently asked questions almost instantly, which can save human resources for more complex customer interactions. Likewise, chatbots can nurture new leads and hand them off to sales staff when they have matured. As part of an inbound marketing strategy, chatbots can engage readers after they view your content.

Research from Gartner indicates that 50 percent of enterprises will spend more on chatbots than on traditional app development by 2021. Integrating chatbots throughout a business’s website, apps and social media profiles can provide many of the benefits of an omnichannel experience. Organisations need to integrate chatbots carefully and with their customers’ needs in mind. Our research found that, although many people have interacted with bots, the majority of users only find them somewhat helpful.

Fewer fractured interactions and more consistency between communication platforms can improve the customer’s comfort level with a brand. It’s like seeing your favorite barista at another coffee shop across town – you’ll get your order exactly the way you like it, without having to explain it all over again.

Social media

For B2B marketers, Facebook remains the most important social channel, according to data from Statista. Compared with other channels, Facebook offers robust targeting options that allow marketers to optimise their spend and focus on segments that are most likely to generate leads. Facebook also allows marketers to harness the power of the social media giant’s extensive database by leveraging lookalike audiences – users who have exhibited online behaviors similar to your customers, but who have not yet shown an interest in your specific product or service.

Social media remains an effective way to humanise brands. B2B marketing centers around human interactions, but communication is often stymied by the realities of corporate life. Important leads may be difficult to communicate with if they’re always in meetings, for example. Social media offers an alternative route where buyers and sellers can let their hair down and discuss topics that can drive value for both parties.

PPC

B2B marketers can utilise local inventory ads that show users stock availability and driving distances. So if a user is ready to buy your product immediately, a PPC ad at the top of the search engine results page can show them the fastest and most efficient way to make a purchase. Both Bing and Google offer this feature.

Keywords are likely to become less important, as PPC networks leverage machine learning algorithms to include variants of exact matches. This is good news for marketers, who can write fewer keyword-bloated snippets and more content that speaks directly to target audience needs. For example, if an ad targets the keyword “NSW camping”, the network will match the ad with queries such as “NSW campground” or “campsites in NSW”, but not the query “NSW hotel” because the search intention is different.

This intelligent system makes it easier for marketers to distribute their ads to a wider target audience while maintaining relevance. Combined with robust analytics support, PPC ads can drive site traffic and lead generation. Likewise, PPC networks support marketing automation by maximising the marketing team’s efficiency.

Remarketing

Remarketing represents any tactic that attempts to engage potential customers after an initial interaction. Retargeting, however, refers to a specific marketing strategy that uses cookies and display ads to promote products and services. These concepts are now highly important, as it generally takes between six and eight touches to develop a viable sales lead, according to SalesForce.

Remarketing tactics supported by a content strategy can improve a brand’s ability to engage customers throughout the buying process. For example, if customers view articles on a brand’s website, then leave and visit other sites around the web, a dynamic remarketing network can remind them about their previous interest and encourage them to take a further action. Best of all, remarketing fits perfectly into a digital marketing automation programme because these campaigns run unaided after they are built.

The Google Display network reaches over 2 million websites and mobile apps, which means if your customers are online, they’re likely exposed to remarketed display ads. Unlike almost any other B2B marketing strategy in this article, remarketing gives your brand the ability to engage with your content even when they aren’t on a site or social media profile you own.

Analytics

Analytical models leverage massive amounts of data to generate value for the marketing team. Rather than guessing at what potential customers want and do online, analytics reports show exactly how they interact with digital assets. For instance, marketers can use analytics to view customer behaviors across channels and then adjust the buyer journey to optimise engagement. With hard data to back up their efforts, B2B stakeholders can develop marketing campaigns with more confidence.

Considering the benefits analytics brings to the table, it may surprise you to learn that a May 2018 report from Forrester found that only 52 percent of B2B marketing decisions are driven by data. The report also noted that B2B customers have rising expectations and marketers are struggling to provide product and service knowledge at the right moment. Today, there are more purchase decision makers in many organisations and buying paths are increasingly nonlinear.

Considering the complex nature of these challenges, it’s clear that a machine-driven approach is necessary to meet customer expectations. The average percent of marketing budgets allocated to analytics is expected to increase from 6.7 percent in 2018 to 21.3 percent in 2021. Early adoption of this trend could set businesses apart from their competitors.

Channel integration

Answering the question “Where are my customers?” becomes more difficult with each passing year. Are B2B buyers consuming content on mobile or desktop? Do they prefer face-to-face meetings or teleconferences? There are many more questions like these, and none have easy answers. The simplest, and most frustrating, response is that they’re everywhere. That makes multichannel B2B marketing strategies more important than ever.

Multichannel marketing campaigns require more resources, but the value they generate can more than make up for the additional spend. Data from Accenture revealed that multichannel customers are 15 percent more profitable than digital-only customers and 25 percent more profitable than customers who only interact with sales staff. For organisations that leverage account-based marketing, multichannel is essential because different stakeholders within an organisation may prefer certain channels.

Accenture also noted that 90 percent of B2B leaders believe customer experience is critical to their organisation’s strategic priorities. Channel integration supports this goal by providing consistent experiences throughout the buyer journey. An excellent omnichannel experience not only integrates marketing and sales, but also customer support and product development. Each channel supports the others with personalised customer interactions.

Mobile optimisation

Companies have been optimising content for mobile platforms for several years, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. According to Cisco, mobile data traffic will increase sevenfold between 2017 and 2022, growing twice as fast as fixed IP traffic.

Considering the diminishing size of desktop traffic, it’s clear why many B2B leaders are shifting to a mobile-first marketing strategy. Putting emphasis on mobile during the development stage gives internal stakeholders the time and resources to make exceptional experiences that feel fluid on smartphones and tablets. Mobile prioritisation also supports an effective SEO strategy, as Google announced last year its commitment to mobile-first indexing, which means it uses the mobile version of a webpage for ranking.

SEO expert and Search Engine Journal contributor Brian Harnish recently suggested that the days of separate mobile websites is over. Thanks to modern responsive design, a single website can automatically optimise itself for whatever device accesses it. Harnish noted that responsive design eliminates the risk of duplicate content that could negatively impact search engine rankings. Plus, it conforms to the idea that consumers crave consistency. Seeing a completely different version of a brand’s site on mobile can be confusing, and it disrupts the user experience.

Influencer marketing

When you think of influencer marketing, you might picture Instagram models and YouTubers who pitch products to consumer audiences. B2C influencer campaigns are certainly more prevalent online – but that doesn’t mean this marketing strategy isn’t working in the B2B space.

Altimeter’s Future of Influencer Marketing report found that B2B marketers lag behind their B2C colleagues in the implementation of influencer strategies. About half of all B2B influencer programs are in an experimental stage, with 36 percent leveraging a campaign-driven approach. In other words, there’s a lot of room to stand out in this channel at the moment.

It’s important to understand what to look for in an influencer. Marketing Land contributor Michael Brito suggested looking for influencers who can offer four key benefits:

Reach: Does the influencer have a large audience?

Relevance: Does the influencer regularly discuss topics relevant to your brand?

Resonance: Do users frequently engage with the influencer’s content?

Reference: Has the influencer made valuable contacts with other relevant influencers? Do they boost each other’s content?

In the B2B market, influencers can lend thought leadership and professional credibility to a brand’s product and service offerings. When buyers see someone they respect talking about the benefits of an offering, they may be inclined to learn more.

Sales team and marketing team alignment

Traditionally, sales and marketing teams have been siloed from one another. The marketing team develops messaging and content that nurtures and generates leads for the sales team; then, the sales department qualifies those leads and closes sales. However, it just isn’t that simple anymore.

B2B buyers are highly informed today; they have access to nearly all the world’s knowledge in the palm of their hand. So when they ask a question, why should they listen to your answer? You have to convince empowered decision-makers that your brand is the authority on the subject. And perhaps more importantly, you have to ensure that your answer is engaging.

To develop a truly customer-centric user experience, your marketing and sales teams must be in alignment. The last thing you want is for your marketing collateral to promise something your sales representatives can’t fulfill. But even on a more granular level, alignment between these teams can improve your digital marketing ROI. When your sales representatives make contact with qualified leads, they can get right to each customer’s needs if the representatives have a complete picture of every interaction customers have with your brand. For example, if the rep knows a lead has recently read a case study, he or she can discuss it further with the client and skip the low-level details.

Besides adding more meetings to everyone’s schedules, what are some ways to create more alignment between sales and marketing? Integrating digital workflows is a good place to start. A shared promotions calendar can ensure everyone has the same talking points, for example.

A formalised content creation process facilitates a high level of alignment by developing routines that ensure cross-pollination of ideas. Integrating more teams in this process may actually enhance your ability to conceive a cohesive sales funnel. For instance, when your development team adds a new feature to your digital product, stakeholders from that team can work with sales and marketing to ensure everyone fully understands its benefits.

Brand awareness

Unlike some other marketing metrics, brand awareness is difficult to quantify, yet 89 percent of marketers say it is their most important goal, placing it ahead of lead generation, according to the Content Marketing Institute. For B2B marketers, brand awareness is important because prospects often require multiple impressions or engagements before they’ll reach out to the sales team.

Companies big and small can benefit from expanding their reach beyond branded channels. In other words, having a blog article on your website is great, but it can be even more powerful to author a guest blog on another website. However, you have to be careful about where you publish content and who you allow to write guest posts for your own website.

In the old days (read: 2010), marketers would farm out links to any site willing to host them. And in those days, it worked. But in 2011, Google exposed a minor scandal in which Overstock.com was found to be artificially boosting its rankings by paying colleges and universities to host links in exchange for discounts. As a result, Google developed more sophisticated ways of determining the relevancy of hosted links. So when you approach guest bloggers, make sure they have legitimate authority to speak about topics related to your industry.

Mapping the buyer’s journey

Documenting how customers move through your sales funnel is an essential inbound marketing tactic. If you don’t know how your customers move from one piece of content to the next, it’s difficult to optimise your messaging.

Generally, the buyer’s journey can be broken down into three distinct stages: awareness, consideration and decision-making. As noted above, brand awareness is supported by blogs, link building and other top-of-funnel content. At the consideration stage, case studies and whitepapers can help stakeholders to better understand your products and services. Finally, deep-funnel content actively promotes your offerings with language that primes leads for a conversation with the sales team.

Mapping the buyer journey is really about getting to know your customers. Your buyer personas are useful tools that will help you align your offerings with your customer pain points. With that understanding, you can develop content that speaks to those challenges. Inbound marketing strategies use blogs, email marketing campaigns and social media posts to capture organic traffic and move qualified opportunities into the funnel.

Google Analytics will be your best friend for mapping the entire buyer journey, as your dashboard can show you how visitors move from one page to another, and where they bounce, or leave your site. For example, if you notice that your blogs have high engagement, but your whitepapers have few downloads, you may want to rewrite your blog CTAs to drive traffic to your mid-funnel content. Over time, you’ll need to develop new content to fill in gaps as you notice them.

Social media marketing

Many B2B marketers write off social media marketing because they believe their industry or services are too boring to be appealing. However, thinking of social media users as a homogenous group misses the mark. Sure, Instagram may not be the best platform to promote business services, but you also shouldn’t discount it immediately.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn have powerful targeting tools that allow marketers to fine-tune their campaigns. Many platforms utilise lookalike audiences to find new users who are likely to engage with your brand. For example, if a SaaS company posts an ad on Facebook, the platform will use an algorithm to find users who have engaged with similar brands in the past.

When developing a content strategy for social posts, consider your business goals. Is a LinkedIn ad the right place to discuss your product specifications? Probably not. Is it a good place to show off your brand values and personality? Absolutely.

Whatever you goals, track KPIs to ensure your campaigns are producing results as intended. Example metrics include:

Post impressions.

Post engagements.

Link clicks.

Conversions.

Follower count.

Voice and semantic search

In the early days of internet marketing, SEO efforts consisted of keywords and a handful of other simple tactics. Websites could shoot to the top of a search engine results page by stuffing pages full of keywords. Today, keywords are still an essential SEO tool, but they require the support of relevant context to meet searcher intent.

Essentially, the SEO of the past needed only to meet the needs of a simple machine. If a web page contained a keyword, a search engine would consider that page relevant to users who searched for that word or phrase. The more instances of that word, the more relevant it was. Today, search engines are capable of matching keyword variants and related words to understand the deeper meaning of queries.

In fact, modern search algorithms can interpret searcher intent by analysing a number of determinants, such as global and local search history and searcher location. You can see an example of this functionality by opening a new Google tab and searching for something like “How fast can a cheetah run?” If you start a new query with the word “where,” you’ll likely see relevant autocomplete suggestions like “where do cheetahs live?”

Semantic search will become increasingly important as more users search by voice using digital assistants like Siri, Alexa and OK Google. Currently, digital assistants have limited semantic capabilities. You can ask Alexa for a weather report and it will automatically tell you the local forecast. But if you ask Siri, “What is the biggest planet in the solar system?” and then, “How far is it from earth?” Siri won’t understand what “it” refers to.

Content optimised for voice search should provide concise answers using keywords and structured data to support queries processed by semantic algorithms. For example, you could develop a frequently asked questions page that succinctly answers questions posed by your prospects. Your answers may even become rich snippets that appear at the very top of SERPs, in position zero, as we call it.

Pro tip: Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper makes it easy to generate HTML that directly tells the search engine exactly what data type your pages contain.

Prospect marketing

B2B sales cycles can span months, so it’s essential to differentiate between leads who have shown a passing interest in your content and prospects who have developed significant interest in your offerings. The former group requires additional nurturing before they engage with the sales team, while the latter is ready to learn more about specific features of your products or services.

Content such as whitepapers and case studies keeps prospects engaged with your brand by giving them meatier content to chew on. This type of collateral should include in-depth analysis, data points and primary research. It’s often developed with a target decision-maker in mind. Consult your audience personas to ensure your down-funnel content addresses the needs and interests of managerial and executive stakeholders.

Compared with B2C campaigns, B2B campaigns often need to appeal to multiple prospects at various stages of the sales cycle. As buyers travel down the sales funnel, they’ll bring in additional stakeholders to sign off on various aspects of the proposal. For example, SaaS providers often develop content for prospect IT leaders, financial stakeholders and end-users. Prospect marketing initiates when leads pass a predetermined point in the funnel.

To fully optimise this strategy, it should be deployed in conjunction with a strong inbound marketing strategy. You can think of these two tactics as accelerants within the sales funnel. Inbound marketing attracts organic leads to your website by satisfying user search intent, driving leads on to mid-funnel content, where prospect marketing kicks in and generates deep-funnel engagement, and ultimately, boosts conversion rates.

Your email capture rate is a great indicator of the success of your prospect marketing efforts. Strong mid- and deep-funnel content should grab the prospect’s attention and make him or her think deeply about a trend, pain point or topic that will facilitate a conversation with a salesperson.

As you can see, many of these B2B marketing strategies work best when used alongside others. Email marketing supports content engagement, chatbots tear down silos between channels and analytics provides a roadmap for strategy improvement. Content optimised for semantic search supports an SEO strategy that addresses searcher intent. Use a mix of these essential marketing strategies to meet your B2B marketing goals in 2019 and beyond.

from http://bit.ly/2yqPCcf