CCM software is defined as both a strategy and a market-fulfilled by applications that improve the creation, delivery, storage and retrieval of outbound and interactive communications. It supports the production of individualized customer messages, marketing collateral, new product introductions and transaction documents. It is a collection of computer programs that composes, personalizes, formats and delivers content acquired from various sources into targeted and relevant electronic and physical communications between an enterprise and its customers, prospective customers and business partners. It delivers targeted communications through a wide range of media including mobile, email, SMS, Web pages, social media sites and print. The CCM market has evolved from the convergence of document generation/composition and output management technologies. Current CCM solutions include the core elements of a design tool, a composition engine, a workflow/rule engine and multichannel output management.
Gartner defines the invoice-to-cash (I2C) applications market as cloud-based applications that enable corporate controllers to automatically manage collections and apply customer payments to invoices. I2C applications typically gather, disseminate, track and analyze data from and to internal and external sources. They make I2C processes more efficient and effective, including managing and monitoring deductions, disputes and credit risk. They also typically can ensure invoices are delivered to customers and that customers have options to pay them. I2C applications enable I2C transaction processing across multiple ERP systems. Organizations use I2C applications to collect and apply customer payments to open invoices, perform credit and collections activities, manage deductions and disputes, and deliver and present invoices to customers for payment. I2C applications are cloud-based tools that provide organizations with a standard way of processing across ERPs, while creating flexibility for buyers in how they receive or access invoices as well as pay and dispute them. I2C applications allow an organization to connect and exchange data with multiple ERP systems and other operational tools, such as customer relationship management tools, as well as with partners such as credit and collections agencies, logistics providers, banks and payment service providers. They use data to determine credit risk, automate collections and cash applications activities as well as help manage the resolution of deductions and disputes. Such activities result in faster collection of cash, improved visibility to cash flow, an improved customer experience and reduced process cost.