Lisa Kelly, , Tuesday 7 July 2009 at 11:57:00Lingerie firm gets intimate with its customersAgent Provocateur, the luxury lingerie retailer, is preparing for a siterelaunch in September that will address usability issues, strengthen onlinebrand identity and intensify its customer focus."The

Angelica Mari, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 10:43:00Online photo service introduces chat application to improve customer serviceOnline photo service PhotoBox has deployed a chat application to reduce thenumber of aborted sales and improve customer service.The system was introduced two

Dave Bailey, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 15:02:00Cisco's hints of cloud-based office productivity apps mean better optionsfor businessesNetworking giant Cisco has clearly been looking for new opportunities toexpand: for example, earlier this year it unveiled plans to extend its

Robert Jaques, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:21:00Getting the most from business intelligence systems requires not only carefulmanagement on the part of IT leaders, but also the committed involvement ofdecision-makers across the organisationThe global economic downturn is forcing businesses

Lisa Kelly, , Tuesday 7 July 2009 at 11:56:00Enhanced search engine helps Evans to peddle more bikesBicycle retailer Evans Cycles has long had a web presence to complement itschain of high-street stores, but today it is looking to drive up

Lisa Kelly, , Tuesday 7 July 2009 at 11:55:00UK-based online retailer Glasses Direct is enjoying double-digit growththanks to an e-commerce strategy that is innovative, forward looking ­ - andhighly cost effectiveBoarded-up windows and closing down sales have become common features

Bryan Glick, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:38:00A joined-up approach to IT and business provides opportunities to leapfrogcompetitorsThe phrase "joined up" has taken a high currency in IT strategy in recenttimes.Business technology has suffered from a history of siloed

Jim Scott, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:43:00Working together brings out the best of every part of the businessWe are seeing some very encouraging signs that businesses are placing greateremphasis on improving collaboration across their organisations. With mountingcompetitive pressures,

Martin Atherton, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:47:00To achieve effective business-IT alignment, senior decision-makers must firstsuppress their territorial instinctsCan we please everyone when it comes to IT? Most businesses, regardless oftheir size, will have an opinion on that question.

Martin Courtney, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:32:00A substantial restructure at soft drink supplier Nichols -­ purveyor of Vimto- ­led the company to update its software to Sage 1000 to replace its in-houseapplication. This resulted in the streamlining of

Robert Jaques, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:35:00The friction that has traditionally characterised relations between financeand IT has no place in today's business landscapeIT and finance mangers do not always make easy bedfellows and, historically,the relationship between chief information

Tom Young, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 12:17:00Public sector and financial services the biggest culpritsMore than two-thirds (70 per cent) of UK organisations have been hit by atleast one data breach incident within the past year, up from 60

Tom Young, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 10:32:00£5 increase in cost of passports looks like hidden ID card costs, argueConservativesThe Conservatives have accused the government of burying the cost of ID cardsin a hike in the price of passports.Yesterday

Angelica Mari, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 12:14:00Better view of customer information drives sales increaseThe National Geographic Society is using analytics software to better targetits marketing campaigns and boost sales.The decision to implement the software was driven by the

Bryan Glick, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 07:15:00Decline is slowing - but too early to say that the recruitment market isabout to recover, says researchThe decline in the number of IT job vacancies in the UK has slowed to

Parliamentary reporter, , Tuesday 7 July 2009 at 15:05:00Commons committee questions drive to put public services online, and saysface-to-face services must still have their placeMPs have questioned the drive towards e-government and accused Whitehalldepartments of undermining local Post Offices by

Dave Bailey, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 16:31:00Trade union accuses IBM of disloyalty over pensions proposalsThe UK's biggest trade union Unite, has accused IT giant IBM of using therecession as a cover to cut its UK workforce's pensions, a

Angelica Mari, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 13:26:00New system supports performance of the firm's e-commerce operationWaitrose has introduced performance monitoring software to avoid extraspending on its e-commerce infrastructure and guarantee availability.The system rollout was prompted by an IT strategic

Dave Bailey, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 13:24:00Watchdog to research connection speeds and try to overcome problem of mobile"not-spots"Communications regulator is toinvestigate the quality of service provided by 3G networks, and in particularlook into the mobile broadband speeds offered

Dave Bailey, , Wednesday 8 July 2009 at 18:09:00IT managers seem more convinced they have the rights skills than employersdo, says researchMore than a third (36 per cent) of UK firms still regard an IT leader'scommunications skills as a top