LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPSN), a provider of real-time engagement solutions that increase conversions and improve customer experience, today announces Virgin Atlantic's successful implementation of the LivePerson Chat solution.

Virgin Atlantic deployed LP Chat to address two main goals: to enable customers to have their questions answered in real-time online, saving them from emailing or calling, and to improve online ticket sales conversion rates and catch website visitors who were dropping off

Temkin Group announces the release of its new research report, The Future of Customer Experience. The research examines how customer experience (CX) management has evolved and where it is heading. After passing through the initial stages of CX management evolution – CX Intrigue and CX Exuberance – the North American market recently entered into what Temkin Group has labeled the era of CX Professionalism where repeatable CX best practices are being codified.

The research shows that 59% of large companies have ambitions to be industry leaders in customer experience within three years. At the same time, Temkin Group estimates that there are more than 100,000 people in North America employed in full-time customer experience roles. Based on this significant ambition and the development of customer experience tools and techniques by the growing pool of customer experience professionals, many companies are building stronger overall customer experience management capabilities.

Halfords Autocentres is now working with Empathica, the industry leader in customer experience management (CEM) solutions, to run its new CEM programme across its extensive network of Autocentres, after Halfords retail stores successfully implemented the programme last year.

Replacing a mystery shopping programme, the new solution invites customers to provide feedback online through printed cards that are handed out by staff at Halfords Autocentres and retail stores, and through e-mails sent after they have visited a garage or store. The data is then analysed by Empathica and fed back to Halfords in the form of focused reports that are tailored for each garage and store, identifying areas that can be improved and successes that should be celebrated with staff.

ClickSquared, a global provider of SaaS cross-channel campaign management software, today welcomes its new distribution partner, Communefx, into the company's partner program. Communefx, a leading customer engagement agency headquartered in Phoenix, optimizes customer-oriented business strategy, experience, value and advocacy using a unique combination of technology, marketing communications, data analytics and strategic consulting services.

ClickSquared's Cross-Channel Marketing Hub provides Communefx with enterprise-class campaign management capabilities, actionable customer intelligence tools, ready-to-deploy social apps and a full array of channel delivery options. This allows Communefx to focus on the most effective application of customer engagement strategies instead of worrying about implementing, integrating and maintaining an array of standalone marketing tools.

Badgeville, The Behavior Platform, today announced the expansion of its team to London, UK, with Scott Schnaars, General Manager, EMEA, bringing gamification to innovative clients throughout the region. The Silicon Valley-based company is accelerating its global expansion efforts as a result of its recent Series C funding.

Gamification, the business strategy which employs game mechanics in non-game environments and experiences, is key to a successful modern enterprise. Gartner Research predicts more than 70 percent of Global 2000 organisations will use gamification by 2015. These techniques today are found in both customer and employee experiences across virtually every industry.