The results have been terrific: a world-class integrated data platform, expanded consumer and customer databases, online, self-service systems, strengthened product fulfillment, new ways of onboarding customers more quickly, and cultural acceptance of a shared services model leading to 13 consecutive quarters of double-digit million dollar annual operating margins.

FORBES: Want Cultural Change to Stick? Change The Way You Operate

The acquisition of InQuira provides Oracle with a complete knowledge-management suite, integrated with self-service support, online customer forums and agent-assisted CRM.

FORBES: Oracle Rolls To $37 With Push From InQuira

From my experience, there are a few good ways to do that: make online self-service links prominent on your website and always offer them anywhere you provide your customer support number, integrate online help throughout key processes, promote Web and self-service resources in telephone hold messages, let call center agents notify customers of self-service options, and reply to email questions with the link to self-service content to re-enforce self-service availability.

FORBES: Eight Steps To Great Customer Experience (Part 1)

So I did what any self-respecting tax blogger would do: I called up Customer Service at Nordstrom.

FORBES: Online Sales Continue to Puzzle Holiday Shoppers

Business applications include Customer Relationship Management, Regulatory Compliance, Contact Centers, Help Desks, Web Self-Service and Business Intelligence.

FORBES: Build Your Own Watson with Open Source Software

The launch of the app is latest in a phased rollout of a significantly improved online and digital customer experience which also included the 2012 launches of the new delta.com in November and revamped self-service kiosks in September.

ENGADGET: Delta introduces Fly Delta app for iPad, iOS 6 Passbook integration