Retailers are connecting with customers by using next-generation mobile devices, pattern recognition, expertise location, and technologies that help their people develop business insights and drive innovations.

Giving employees a complete customer picture is the first step toward understanding who your most important customers are and how to serve them best.

Digital medical record systems are helping physicians and researchers safeguard the privacy of patient records by providing access only to those who need it.

The faster insurance providers process claims, the sharper their competitive edge. Mobile devices can help field claims adjusters resolve claims quickly.

According to a Forrester report commissioned by Microsoft, 55 percent of business managers think customer relationships are their most important issue. So why do only 32 percent of companies make it their top IT spending priority?

The business development vice president for FrontRange Solutions of Dublin, California, says that how you treat your employees models how they are going to treat your customers. He calls for a holistic approach to managing all business relationships.

The organization that understands the challenges of building customer loyalty in today's business environment—and that deploys tools that help employees foster that loyalty—is the one that will succeed in the future.