In this article we are going to take a look at the history of Oracle Livelook and Salesforce’s SOS.
In April 2014, Salesforce.com released the Salesforce1 Service Cloud SOS. The concept is nothing new as it was borrowed from Amazon’s Mayday button. When a customer needs assistance with a mobile app, he or she simply clicks or tap on the SOS button that is included in the app. Like Mayday, SOS allows a customer service or tech support agent to see what the customer is looking at and see what they are doing online. They can even make notes on the screen and tap the interface. On the other hand, the customer would be able to see the agent in a small window on his or her screen. So, basically, it is similar to having someone stand behind your shoulder and giving you help.
For example, one of the first adopters, Cars.com, uses the SOS service to help give their mobile customers the same level of customer service as if they were actually inside a dealership. SOS takes the Mayday technology and makes it available to the customers.
Fast forward to June 2014, and we wake up to the news that has bought Oracle LiveLook. And already industry observers are saying that the company is taking a shot at Salesforce.com. Why? Because LiveLook is the premiere co-browsing software maker in the world. Co-browsing allows you to see the customer’s browser and see what he or she is doing. On top of that, LiveLook has screen sharing and presentation products as well.
Sounds like Mayday or SOS? You betcha!
If you think that Oracle beating Salesforce.com is somewhat far-fetched because of the latter’s position in the customer experience market, think again. Before it was acquired by Oracle, LiveLook was already a leading provider of the co-browse, screen sharing and visual collaboration technology and has years and years of experience in the market. Salesforce.com, on the other hand, does not have that kind of experience.
The Oracle Livelook acquisition follows the logic of its earlier acquisitions. Acknowledging that it came late into the cloud game, Oracle has been gobbling up other smaller technology companies to help it diversify its offerings while also making sure that they already have a working product to integrate into their current products and services.
So it would look like Oracle is serious in giving Salesforce.com a run for its money. Also, Oracle is much more flexible in LiveLook’s deployment than SOS. You can use the LiveLook cobrowse technology on Web sites and mobile channels. Indeed, anything that can open a browser will be able to use LiveLook’s functionalities. Salesforce.com’s SOS service is only available to its customers’ mobile apps.
If you would like to know more about LiveLook, its features and what it could do, then contact Four Cornerstone today. We can help you engage your customers using Oracle’s diverse set of products and functionalities. We have a team of Oracle-certified experts who have years and years of experience in the real world and who can help you with any Oracle technology you might be interested in.
