Cloud Computing: Salesforce.com delivers mobile customer service apps

Grazed from InfoWorld. Author: Chris Kanaracus.

Salesforce.com is planning to add a series of mobile applications to its Service Cloud line of customer service software, in a response to the rampant rise of mobile devices both in the consumer and business worlds.

Dubbed Service Cloud Mobile, the new offerings include a "co-browsing" capability, which allows end users to share a screen with a call center agent from their mobile device. For example, a customer interested in purchasing custom-fitted clothing could walk through an online catalog and find the correct sizing together with the agent, with both parties able to click on buttons and links, said Alex Bard, Service Cloud senior vice president and general manager, in an interview and demonstration prior to Tuesday’s announcement…

While screen-sharing is not a new concept, Salesforce.com’s offering has an edge because it doesn’t require a local install, according to Bard. It’s the result of Salesforce.com’s acquisition of GoInstant last year. Salesforce.com is also rolling out mobile chat. Bard demonstrated how a bank could add a chat button to its online banking application, allowing a customer with questions about their account to instant-message back and forth with an agent while looking at the account information. The capability is the same as that found in Salesforce.com’s Live Agent software, but with support for mobile devices, Bard said…

Read more from the source @ http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/salesforcecom-delivers-mobile-customer-service-apps-213491