While not an exhaustive list of apps in any given technology area, here are my picks for some of the coolest partner solutions on the AppExchange. I define a cool vendor as one that offers solutions that are either:

1)     Innovative meaning they enable users to do things they couldn’t do before like Cast Iron’s Application Integration Appliance, a form of packaged integration which allows users to simply plug an appliance into their network and make minor customizations to the process, maps and governance mechanisms to quickly integrate salesforce.com with SAP, Oracle, or Lawson for example.

2)     Impactful meaning they will have business impact (e.g., revenue enhancement) like the ability to automate and streamline the entire quote to cash process by embedding a product and pricing configurator in your sales process.

3)    Intriguing meaning they caught my interest and curiosity in the past few months like Angel.com’s SurveyByFone, an automated IVR solution that enables users to send an automated 5-question customer satisfaction phone survey from salesforce.com.   

Cool Vendors on The AppExchange

Customer Surveys: Clicktools, Pollzter by Astadia Consulting, LLC, Angel.com (IVR phone surveys)

Data Cleanse:  CRMfusion’s DemandTools, Before the Call, Harte Hanks Trillium Software

Data Append: OneSource, Hoovers, Factiva

Document Management:  ShareMethods

Email Marketing:  VerticalResponse and Exact Target

Integration Tools:  Above All Software's Above All Order Management for SAP, Cast Iron Systems Application Integration Appliance, The Informatica PowerCenter Connect Option for salesforce.com, and Scribe Software's Scribe Insight.

Professional Services Automation:  OpenAir

Project Management:  DreamFactory

Quoting, Pricing, and Configuration:  BigMachines, Firepond, Comergent

Sales Compensation:  Xactly, Centive

Service and Support Add-Ons:   Angel.com (IVR), Talisma (email, chat and knowledge base), Gearworks (mobile workforce management)

Web Conferencing:  Convoq, WebEx

Test Drive, Demo and Install these cool on-demand business solutions and more, on the AppExchange.

Have a CRM question? AskWendy@crmsuccess.com.