Patent Publication Number: US-2015066580-A1

Title: Customer relationship management system and method

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Customer Relationship Management (CRM) may include, for example, sales, marketing and service/support based functions to move a customer through a sales pipeline with an example goal of keeping the customer coming back to buy more and more products. CRM may be generally based around data and information that company brands may collect on their customers, all of which may go into a CRM system that may then allow the company to better target various customers. 
     Social CRM may generally be described as a strategy that may be supported by various tools and technologies. The strategy may be broadly based around customer engagement and interactions, with transactions being a byproduct. Social CRM may represent an evolved form of CRM, in which a back-end process and system for managing customer relationships and data may be provided in an efficient and process-centric way. Social CRM may be one component of developing a social or collaborative business, both internally and externally. 
     There are some differences between CRM and Social CRM. For example, CRM may often consist of one-way communication between a business and the customer. Social CRM may be an evolution of the CRM paradigm, and may represent the use of social media services, techniques and technology to enable organizations to engage with their customers. Social CRM may have example applications in, e.g., marketing, customer service and sales, including peer-to-peer customer support, idea management, market research, product launch, brand reputation management. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE 
     In one implementation, a method, performed by one or more computing devices, may comprise sharing, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data is associated with an opportunity. At least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client. 
     One or more of the following features may be included. At least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include one or more contacts associated with the opportunity. At least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include at least one status associated with the opportunity. At least one status associated with the opportunity may include at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity. Providing at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include providing one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data. The one or more updates may be provided dynamically. An indication may be received from the second computing device that the opportunity is added to the instant messaging application client, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided in response to receiving the indication. 
     In another implementation, a computing system includes a processor and a memory configured to perform operations that may comprise sharing, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data is associated with an opportunity. At least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client. 
     One or more of the following features may be included. At least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include one or more contacts associated with the opportunity. At least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include at least one status associated with the opportunity. At least one status associated with the opportunity may include at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity. Providing at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include providing one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data. The one or more updates may be provided dynamically. An indication may be received from the second computing device that the opportunity is added to the instant messaging application client, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided in response to receiving the indication. 
     In another implementation, a computer program product resides on a computer readable storage medium that has a plurality of instructions stored on it. When executed by a processor, the instructions cause the processor to perform operations that may comprise sharing, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data is associated with an opportunity. At least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client. 
     One or more of the following features may be included. At least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include one or more contacts associated with the opportunity. At least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include at least one status associated with the opportunity. At least one status associated with the opportunity may include at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity. Providing at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include providing one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data. The one or more updates may be provided dynamically. An indication may be received from the second computing device that the opportunity is added to the instant messaging application client, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided in response to receiving the indication. 
     The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustrative diagrammatic view of an opportunity management process coupled to a distributed computing network according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of a client electronic device of  FIG. 1  according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative flowchart of the opportunity management process of  FIG. 1  according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustrative diagrammatic view of a screen image displayed by the opportunity management process of  FIG. 1  according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  is an illustrative diagrammatic view of a screen image displayed by the opportunity management process of  FIG. 1  according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     System Overview 
     As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware implementation, an entirely software implementation (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an implementation combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium. 
     Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. The computer-usable, or computer-readable, storage medium (including a storage device associated with a computing device or client electronic device) may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium may include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a media such as those supporting the internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be a suitable medium upon which the program is stored, scanned, compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable, storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer readable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to the internet, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java®, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language, PASCAL, or similar programming languages, as well as in scripting languages such as Javascript or PERL. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus (systems), methods and computer program products according to various implementations of the present disclosure. It will be understood that each block in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable computer program instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s)/act(s). These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the computer program instructions, which may execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create the ability to implement one or more of the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks or combinations thereof. It should be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block(s) may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks or combinations thereof. 
     The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed (not necessarily in a particular order) on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts (not necessarily in a particular order) specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks or combinations thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown opportunity management (OM) process  10  that may reside on and may be executed by a computer (e.g., computer  12 ), which may be connected to a network (e.g., network  14 ) (e.g., the internet or a local area network). Examples of computer  12  (and/or one or more of the client electronic devices noted below) may include, but are not limited to, a personal computer(s), a laptop computer(s), mobile computing device(s), a server computer, a series of server computers, a mainframe computer(s), or a computing cloud(s). Computer  12  may execute an operating system, for example, but not limited to, Microsoft® Windows®; Mac® OS X®; Red Hat® Linux®, or a custom operating system. (Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries or both; Mac and OS X are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States, other countries or both; Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat Corporation in the United States, other countries or both; and Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States, other countries or both). 
     As will be discussed below in greater detail, OM process  10  may share, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data (e.g., data  17 ) between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data may be associated with an opportunity. At least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client. 
     The instruction sets and subroutines of OM process  10 , which may be stored on storage device  16  coupled to computer  12 , may be executed by one or more processors (not shown) and one or more memory architectures (not shown) included within computer  12 . Storage device  16  may include but is not limited to: a hard disk drive; a flash drive, a tape drive; an optical drive; a RAID array; a random access memory (RAM); and a read-only memory (ROM). 
     Network  14  may be connected to one or more secondary networks (e.g., network  18 ), examples of which may include but are not limited to: a local area network; a wide area network; or an intranet, for example. 
     Computer  12  may include a data store, such as a database (e.g., relational database, object-oriented database, triplestore database, etc.) and may be located within any suitable memory location, such as storage device  16  coupled to computer  12 . Any data described throughout the present disclosure may be stored in the data store. In some implementations, computer  12  may utilize a database management system such as, but not limited to, “My Structured Query Language” (MySQL®) in order to provide multi-user access to one or more databases, such as the above noted relational database. The data store may also be a custom database, such as, for example, a flat file database or an XML database. Any other form(s) of a data storage structure and/or organization may also be used. OM process  10  may be a component of the data store, a stand alone application that interfaces with the above noted data store and/or an applet/application that is accessed via client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . The above noted data store may be, in whole or in part, distributed in a cloud computing topology. In this way, computer  12  and storage device  16  may refer to multiple devices, which may also be distributed throughout the network. 
     Computer  12  may execute a customer relationship management application (e.g., CRM application  20 ), examples of which may include, but are not limited to, e.g., a sales based application, a marketing based application, a service/support based application, or other application that allows for the management of customer relationships. Examples of a CRM application may include, for example, Sugar or Siebel, or the like. (Sugar is a trademark of SugarCRM Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both; Siebel is a trademark of Oracle Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.) CRM application  20  may also include aspects of social customer relationship management (SCRM), which may include, but is not limited to marketing applications, customer service and sales applications (including peer-to-peer customer support), idea management applications, market research applications, product launch applications, and brand reputation management applications. Computer  12  may also execute a collaboration application (e.g., collaboration application  21 ), examples of which may include, but are not limited to, e.g., an instant messaging (IM) application, a web conferencing application, a video conferencing application, a voice-over-IP application, a video-over-IP application, presence system application, or other application that allows for virtual meeting and/or remote collaboration, and/or that allows users to subscribe to each other and be notified of changes in state. 
     OM process  10  and/or CRM application  20  and/or collaboration application  21  may be accessed via client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . OM process  10  may be a stand alone application, or may be an applet/application/script that may interact with and/or be executed within CRM application  20 , and/or collaboration application  21 , and/or one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . CRM application  20  and/or collaboration application  21  may be a stand alone application, or may be an applet/application/script that may interact with and/or be executed within OM process  10  and/or one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . One or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be a stand alone application, or may be an applet/application/script that may interact with and/or be executed within OM process  10  and/or CRM application  20  and/or collaboration application  21 . Examples of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may include, but are not limited to, e.g., a sales based application, a marketing based application, a service/support based application, or other application that allows for the management of customer relationships, a social media application, an instant messaging (IM) client application, a standard and/or mobile web browser, an email client application, a textual and/or a graphical user interface, a customized web browser, a plugin, an Application Programming Interface (API), or a custom application. The instruction sets and subroutines of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , which may be stored on storage devices  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  coupled to client electronic devices  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , may be executed by one or more processors (not shown) and one or more memory architectures (not shown) incorporated into client electronic devices  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 . 
     Storage devices  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  may include but are not limited to: hard disk drives; flash drives, tape drives; optical drives; RAID arrays; random access memories (RAM); and read-only memories (ROM). Examples of client electronic devices  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44  (and/or computer  12 ) may include, but are not limited to, a personal computer (e.g., client electronic device  38 ), a laptop computer (e.g., client electronic device  40 ), a smart/data-enabled, cellular phone (e.g., client electronic device  42 ), a notebook computer (e.g., client electronic device  44 ), a tablet (not shown), a server (not shown), a television (not shown), a smart television (not shown), a media (e.g., video, photo, etc.) capturing device (not shown), and a dedicated network device (not shown). Client electronic devices  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44  may each execute an operating system, examples of which may include but are not limited to, Android™, Apple® iOS®, Mac® OS X®; Red Hat® Linux®, or a custom operating system. 
     One or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be configured to effectuate some or all of the functionality of OM process  10  (and vice versa). Accordingly, OM process  10  may be a purely server-side application, a purely client-side application, or a hybrid server-side/client-side application that is cooperatively executed by one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  and/or OM process  10 . 
     One or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be configured to effectuate some or all of the functionality of CRM application  20  and/or collaboration application  21  (and vice versa). Accordingly, CRM application  20  and/or collaboration application  21  may be a purely server-side application, a purely client-side application, or a hybrid server-side/client-side application that is cooperatively executed by one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  and/or CRM application  20  and/or collaboration application  21 . As one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , OM process  10 , CRM application  20 , and collaboration application  21 , taken singly or in any combination, may effectuate some or all of the same functionality, any description of effectuating such functionality via one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , OM process  10 , CRM application  20 , collaboration application  21 , or combination thereof, and any described interaction(s) between one or more of client applications  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , OM process  10 , CRM application  20 , collaboration application  21 , or combination thereof to effectuate such functionality, should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     Users  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  may access computer  12  and OM process  10  (e.g., using one or more of client electronic devices  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ) directly through network  14  or through secondary network  18 . Further, computer  12  may be connected to network  14  through secondary network  18 , as illustrated with phantom link line  54 . OM process  10  may include one or more user interfaces, such as browsers and textual or graphical user interfaces, through which users  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  may access OM process  10 . 
     The various client electronic devices may be directly or indirectly coupled to network  14  (or network  18 ). For example, client electronic device  38  is shown directly coupled to network  14  via a hardwired network connection. Further, client electronic device  44  is shown directly coupled to network  18  via a hardwired network connection. Client electronic device  40  is shown wirelessly coupled to network  14  via wireless communication channel  56  established between client electronic device  40  and wireless access point (i.e., WAP)  58 , which is shown directly coupled to network  14 . WAP 58 may be, for example, an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, Wi-Fi®, and/or Bluetooth™ device that is capable of establishing wireless communication channel  56  between client electronic device  40  and WAP 58. Client electronic device  42  is shown wirelessly coupled to network  14  via wireless communication channel  60  established between client electronic device  42  and cellular network/bridge  62 , which is shown directly coupled to network  14 . 
     Some or all of the IEEE 802.11x specifications may use Ethernet protocol and carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (i.e., CSMA/CA) for path sharing. The various 802.11x specifications may use phase-shift keying (i.e., PSK) modulation or complementary code keying (i.e., CCK) modulation, for example. Bluetooth™ is a telecommunications industry specification that allows, e.g., mobile phones, computers, smart phones, and other electronic devices to be interconnected using a short-range wireless connection. Other forms of interconnection (e.g., Near Field Communication (NFC)) may also be used. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a diagrammatic view of client electronic device  38 . While client electronic device  38  is shown in this figure, this is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be a limitation of this disclosure, as other configurations are possible. For example, any computing device capable of executing, in whole or in part, OM process  10  may be substituted for client electronic device  38  within  FIG. 2 , examples of which may include but are not limited to computer  12  and/or client electronic devices  40 ,  42 ,  44 . 
     Client electronic device  38  may include a processor and/or microprocessor (e.g., microprocessor  200 ) configured to, e.g., process data and execute the above-noted code/instruction sets and subroutines. Microprocessor  200  may be coupled via a storage adaptor (not shown) to the above-noted storage device. An I/O controller (e.g., I/O controller  202 ) may be configured to couple microprocessor  200  with various devices, such as keyboard  206 , pointing/selecting device (e.g., mouse  208 ), custom device (e.g., device  215 ), USB ports (not shown), and printer ports (not shown). A display adaptor (e.g., display adaptor  210 ) may be configured to couple display  212  (e.g., CRT or LCD monitor(s)) with microprocessor  200 , while network controller/adaptor  214  (e.g., an Ethernet adaptor) may be configured to couple microprocessor  200  to the above-noted network  14  (e.g., the Internet or a local area network). 
     CRM may include, for example, sales, marketing and service/support based functions to move a customer through a sales pipeline with the goal of keeping the customer coming back to buy more and more products. CRM may be generally based around data and information that company brands may collect on their customers, all of which would go into a CRM system (e.g., CRM application  20 ) that then allowed the company to better target various customers. 
     Social CRM may generally be described as a strategy that may be supported by various tools and technologies. The strategy may be broadly based around customer engagement and interactions, with transactions being a byproduct. Social CRM may represent an evolved form of CRM, in which a back-end process and system for managing customer relationships and data may be provided in an efficient and process-centric way. Social CRM may mean different things to different organizations, with a common aspect of being able to understand the business challenge one is looking to solve, and then solving it. Social CRM may be one component of developing a social or collaborative business, both internally and externally. 
     There are some differences between CRM and Social CRM. For example, CRM may often consist of one-way communication between a business and the customer. Social CRM may be an evolution of the CRM paradigm, and may represent the use of social media services, techniques and technology to enable organizations to engage with their customers. Social CRM may have example applications in, e.g., marketing, customer service and sales, including peer-to-peer customer support, idea management, market research, product launch, brand reputation management. 
     As an emerging discipline, interpretations of Social CRM may vary, but the most frequently used explanation includes how Social CRM is a philosophy and a business strategy, supported by a technology platform, business rules, workflow, processes and social characteristics, designed to engage the customer in a collaborative conversation in order to provide mutually beneficial value in a trusted and transparent business environment. It&#39;s the company&#39;s response to the customer&#39;s ownership of the conversation. 
     Users, such as sales individuals, may benefit from up to date real-time status on their (e.g., sales) opportunities to help immediately react to any changes and influence the “sale” in their favor. Additionally, for example in a team environment, dynamic teams based around the sales opportunity may help to be formed so that interested parties may easily share information about the opportunity, with the end goal to move the opportunity to the point where the sale may be made. The ability to close on the sale opportunity may become easier when conveying and updating information to the team, such as the membership of these teams, the stages of the sales opportunity, and the roles of the members. 
     The OM Process: 
     As discussed above and referring also to  FIGS. 3-5 , OM process  10  may share  300 , via a first computing device (e.g., computer  12 ), customer relationship management opportunity data (e.g., data  17 ) between a customer relationship management application (e.g., CRM application  20 ) and an instant messaging application (e.g., collaboration application  21 ), wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data may be associated with an opportunity. At least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided  302  by OM process  10  to an instant messaging application client (e.g., client application  28 ) executed by a second computing device (e.g., client electronic device  44 ), the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided  302  for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client. 
     OM process  10  may share  300 , via a first computing device (e.g., computer  12 ), customer relationship management opportunity data (e.g., data  17 ) between a customer relationship management application (e.g., CRM application  20 ) and an instant messaging application (e.g., collaboration application  21 ), wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data may be associated with an opportunity. For example, an opportunity (e.g., a sales opportunity) may include a company with something to sell (e.g., company X) and a company that may be a potential buyer (e.g., company Y). In some implementations, and referring at least to  FIG. 4 , an example user interface  400  associated with OM process  10 , CRM application  20 , collaboration application  21 , client application  28 , or combination thereof is shown. User interface  400  may include a window (e.g., window  402 ) which may display one or more sales opportunities, along with their associated artifacts or customer relationship management opportunity data (e.g., data  17 ). In some implementations, data  17  may be entered manually (e.g., via IM process  10 ). As will be discussed in greater detail below, at least some of data  17  may be dynamically updated. 
     In some implementations, at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include at least one status associated with the opportunity. For example, data  17  may include the status of the opportunity (e.g., status  404 ), which may include, e.g., pending, closed, etc. In some implementations, at least one status associated with the opportunity may include at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity. For example, data  17  may include one or more icons that may represent the stage of the opportunity (e.g., stage  406 ), which may include where the opportunity currently is in the sales “pipeline”, e.g., noticing, noticed/identifying, identified/validating, qualified/gaining agreement, conditionally agreed/closing, won/implementing, won and complete, no bid, customer did not pursue, lost to competition, etc. Data  17  may include, for example, the initial financial value of the opportunity (e.g., initial financial value  408 ), which may include, e.g., the perceived initial value of the opportunity. Data  17  may include, for example, the current financial value of the opportunity (e.g., current financial value  410 ), which may include, e.g., the perceived initial value of the opportunity at a particular stage of the sales pipeline (e.g., beginning, middle, end, etc.). Data  17  may include, for example, the probability of closing the sale opportunity (e.g., probability of closing sale  412 ), which may include, e.g., the perceived likelihood that the sale will be made. In some implementations, at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include one or more contacts associated with the opportunity. For example, data  17  may include one or more team member contacts associated with the opportunity (e.g., opportunity team  414 ), which may include, e.g., the team members for company X in charge of the sales opportunity. Examples of team members may include, e.g., technical staff, procurement staff, seller, manager, executive, etc. As another example, data  17  may include one or more client contacts associated with the opportunity (e.g., client  416 ), which may include, e.g., the contact for company Y in charge of purchasing the sales opportunity. In the example, having a client contact may provide the opportunity team  414  a central point to initiate communication with the contact and the ability to save and share the engagement with the opportunity team. Other examples of data  17  may be included without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Data  17  may be shared  300  by OM process  10  with collaboration application  21 , which may include, e.g., an instant messaging server application and/or a presence enabled application client. In some implementations, OM process  10  may provide  302  at least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data (e.g., data  17 ) to an instant messaging application client (e.g., client application  28 ) executed by a second computing device (e.g., client electronic device  44 ), the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided  302  for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client. For example, and referring at least to  FIG. 5 , an example user interface  500  associated with OM process  10 , CRM application  20 , collaboration application  21 , client application  28 , or combination thereof, may include a “buddy list” or “contact list” (e.g., contact list  502 ). In some implementations, contact list  502  may include similar functionality as that associated with known IM client applications (e.g., individual and/or group “chat” capabilities, visual status and/or presence notifications of each contact, etc.). 
     Assume for example purposes only that a user (e.g., user  52 ) has recorded (e.g., via OM process  10 ) customer relationship management opportunity data associated with opportunity  1  from  FIG. 4 . In the example, OM process  10  may provide  302  at least a portion of that data (e.g., data  17 ) to, e.g., collaboration application  21 , which may provide  302  data  17  to client application  28 . OM process  10  (e.g., via client application  28 ) may populate data  17  in contact list  502  such that user  52  (or any other user associated with the opportunity and contact list  502 ) may easily view and keep track of the progress of the opportunity. 
     In some implementations, an indication may be received  306  from the second computing device that the opportunity is added to the instant messaging application client, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may be provided  302  in response to receiving  306  the indication. For example, user  52  may via client application  28  user a cursor (not shown) to import or “drag” the opportunity from, e.g., window  402 , to contact list  502 . In the example, client application  28  may send a request for data  17 , which may be received  306  by OM process  10  as an indication that the opportunity has been added to contact list  502  of client application  28 . In response to receiving  306  the request, OM process  10  may provide  302  at least a portion of that data (e.g., data  17 ) to client application  28  to populate data  17  in contact list  502  as noted above. Other techniques of importing the opportunity from, e.g., window  402 , to contact list  502  may be used. For example, user  52  may via client application  28  user a cursor (not shown) to select an “import opportunity” option from a menu associated with contact list  502 . In some implementations, data  17  may be input manually by user  52  (e.g., via client application  28 ), which may be updated at CRM application  20  (e.g., via OM process  10 ). 
     In some implementations, when adding the opportunity to contact list  502 , OM process  10  may create a group within contact list  502  that may include the above-noted contacts associated with the opportunity. In some implementations, the contacts of the group may be automatically and/or manually added to one or more of the user&#39;s buddy lists that are members of that group. 
     In some implementations, providing  302  at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data may include OM process  10  providing  304  one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data. In some implementations, the one or more updates may be provided  304  dynamically. For example, as the sales opportunity progresses through the sales pipeline, the customer relationship management opportunity data may change. For instance, at the beginning stage of the sales opportunity, the initial financial value of the sales opportunity may be $900 k as indicated at initial financial value  408 . At the earlier stages, the probability of closing the sale may be, e.g., 10%. As the sales opportunity progresses towards the final stages of the sales pipeline, it is possible that the probability of closing the sale may increase, but the current financial value of the sales opportunity may be decreased to $850 k as indicated at current financial value  410 . This may be due to, e.g., negotiations between team members of company X and contacts of company Y. In response to one or more changes in the sales opportunity (data), such changes or updates may be provided  304  by user  52  via OM process  10  to client application  28  in an example form of presence publishes to populate the updates to data  17  in contact list  502  as noted above. Use of an access control list, for example, may limit who is able to input such updates, as well as add new opportunities. In some implementations, some updates to data  17  may be provided automatically by OM process  10  (e.g., after pre-determined timing intervals, scheduled times, etc.) and/or in conjunction with other updates. For example, if user  48  is no longer necessary at a particular stage of the sales pipeline, OM process  10  may automatically remove user  48  from the portion of the contact list associated with the opportunity. Conversely, if user  48  is now necessary at a particular stage of the sales pipeline, OM process  10  may automatically add user  48  to the portion of the contact list associated with the opportunity. In some implementations, some updates to data  17  may be provided by OM process  10  manually via a “refresh” command initiated by user  52  via OM process  10 . 
     In some implementations, user  52  via client application  28  may provide notes associated with the opportunity. For example, user  52  may send an instant message to the opportunity (and/or individual members associated with the opportunity). In some implementations, sending an instant message (e.g., a private message) to the opportunity may enable the note to be viewed by the individual members associated with the opportunity (e.g., via an event log, forum or social blog associated with the opportunity). In some implementations, the notes may be provided by user  52  “posting” the note via client application  28  on a comment “wall” associated with the opportunity. In some implementations, posting the note on the comment wall associated with the opportunity may enable the note to be viewed by the individual members associated with the opportunity (e.g., via an event log, forum or social blog associated with the opportunity). 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps (not necessarily in a particular order), operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps (not necessarily in a particular order), operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications, variations, and any combinations thereof will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The implementation(s) were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various implementation(s) with various modifications and/or any combinations of implementation(s) as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     Having thus described the disclosure of the present application in detail and by reference to implementation(s) thereof, it will be apparent that modifications, variations, and any combinations of implementation(s) (including any modifications, variations, and combinations thereof) are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure defined in the appended claims.