Course Description
This course delves into strategies for building and sustaining customer loyalty, driving retention, and activating customer engagement to fuel business growth. Students will explore the role of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems in sales, marketing, and customer service, focusing on how these functions collaborate throughout the lead process. Topics include the progression of sales opportunities through the sales pipeline, closing deals, and aligning efforts to maximize customer lifetime value. Additionally, students will learn to build reports, charts, and dashboards to effectively communicate sales performance insights to stakeholders and executives. (3 credits)
Additional Course Information
This course provides a comprehensive examination of the fundamental natural laws that govern customer relationship building and maintenance, encompassing key concepts, strategies, action plans, and metrics. A discussion examining the evolution from transactional customer lifetime value and a look at retention, loyalty, and brand advocacy. Students will be equipped to implement these strategies using Salesforce’s capabilities in loyalty management and Marketing Cloud for managing customer data, running personalized engagement campaigns, and creating loyalty programs, with a focus on best practices, customer journey mapping, and analytics. The course enables students to develop and assess effective strategies for maintaining customer engagement in real-world settings.
Prerequisites
- ENG 101: English Composition 1
- ENG 102: English Composition 2
- MKT 220: Principles of Marketing
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
- Apply the concepts, theories, and relationships among the functional areas of an organization, including the ability to explain the nature and construct of an organization.
- Design strategic marketing practices. This will include such areas as marketing research, consumer behavior, customer acquisition and retention strategies, and public relations. Additional areas include digital marketing including SEO techniques, social media strategies, leveraging artificial intelligence for targeted marketing campaigns, and driving brand loyalty.
- Explain the global environment of business including the political, social, and intercultural sensitivities that exist in society that are important to the development of meaningful relationships and success in business and in life.
- Demonstrate professional business behavior, social responsibility, and ethical decision making and conduct.
- Demonstrate effective critical thinking, decision-making, problem solving, organizational leadership, teamwork; oral and written communication skills utilizing tools such as AI, research databases, and other tools as required.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Examine and apply CRM techniques, such as Salesforce Service Cloud, to enhance customer interactions, retention, and case resolution.
- Develop customer lifecycle programs and proactive service solutions to drive satisfaction, loyalty, and ongoing membership.
- Analyze customer behavior and loyalty, including RFM, NPS, and the distinction between attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, to inform marketing and service decisions.
- Design customized marketing campaigns, messaging, and reward programs (points, tiers, and gamification) to increase engagement and brand advocacy.
- Evaluate the moral issues surrounding AI marketing, gamification, and customer data.
- Assess social proof and other habits to guide buying decisions and improve your marketing.
- Compare and contrast sales vs business development roles, using behavioral data to increase lead flow and improve relationship selling.
- Interpret analytics and reporting enables monitoring, reporting, and improving customer satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty.
- Create intelligent campaign calendars based on customer data to drive long-term loyalty and smart marketing decisions.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Points | Weight |
|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 240 | 24% |
Quizzes (Weeks 1-7) | 240 | 24% |
Assignments (Weeks 1-8) | 320 | 32% |
Guided Projects (Weeks 5, 7 & 8) | 200 | 20% |
Total Points | 1000 | 100% |
Required Textbook
- There is no required textbook. This course uses Open Educational Resources (OER). OER are openly licensed, educational resources that can be used for teaching, learning, and research. OER may consist of a variety of resources such as textbooks, videos, and software that are no cost for students.
Additional Resources
- Coursera Courses in Salesforce Sales Operations:
- Sales and CRM Overview - (Course 1)
- Lead Management in Salesforce - (Course 2)
- Opportunity Management in Salesforce - (Course 3)
- Reports, Dashboards, and Customer Success in Salesforce - (Course 4)
Course Schedule
Week | PLOs | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,2,3,4,5 | 1,2,3,8 | Topic: Loyalty Theories and Models Applications - Read and Review:
- Big data analytics for customer relationship management: Enhancing engagement and retention strategies
- The role of big data analytics in customer relationship management: Strategies for improving customer engagement and retention
- The impact of Salesforce CRM on customer retention.
- Five ways B2B sales leaders can win with tech and AI
- Lifecycle marketing
- What is Customer Lifecycle Management
- How to use CRM to increase customer engagement and retention
- 3 ways Salesforce uses AI with data and CRM
- CRM implementation: Change management for sales teams
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit Role Workflow Map assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 1, Module 1): Careers in Salesforce; What is CRM? Flexibility of Salesforce and (Course 2, Module 2): Types of Sales; The Steps of the Sales Process; Roles on a Sales Team
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 1, Module 1): Salesforce for Business
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 1, Module 2): The Sales Process
|
2 | 1,2,3,4,5 | 3,4,8,9 | Topic: Customer Loyalty Measurement and Management: Behavioral vs. Attitudinal Insights - Read and Review:
- Customer experience journeys: Loyalty loops versus involvement spirals
- E-commerce Marketing - Identify high-value customers using the RFM model
- Understanding RFM segmentation for smarter customer targeting
- What is a Loyalty Loop? Benefits and strategies
- Cultivate high-loyalty customers: Essential segmentation insights for e-commerce
- RFM analysis: A data-driven approach to customer value
- Donor segmentation: Understanding the RFM approach
- The loyalty loop: How to use rebates to cultivate long-term customer relationships
- Attitudinal vs behavioral loyalty
- What is Net Promoter Score (NPS)? Top tips and common mistakes
- What is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?: Measure your customer satisfaction
- Understanding the Net Promoter Score℠
- What is Net Promoter Score (NPS) Scores
- How to enable Einstein in Salesforce
- PowerPoint presentation
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit NPS, RFM Analysis, and Loyalty Loop Dashboard assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 1, Module 3): Tracking and Maintaining Sales Data; Types of CRMs and (Course 1, Module 4): Trailhead Playground; Sales Cloud CRM
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 1, Module 3): CRM for the Sales Specialist
|
3 | 1,2,3,4,5 | 1,3,4,8 | Topic: Salesforce, Personalization, and Customer Retention - Read and Review:
- How to implement a proactive customer service strategy
- Unlock growth with user retention: The ultimate data-driven guide for marketers
- How to foster customer engagement & acquisition
- Proactive customer service: You read my mind, and earned my trust
- eCommerce customer retention strategies that actually work
- The hidden secret to customer retention
- The power of personalization in marketing: Strategies to truly connect with your audience
- Why should hotels use post-stay surprise and delight?
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit Building Segments for Retention Campaigns assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 2, Module 1): The Role of a Marketing Associate; Salesforce for the Marketing Associate and (Course 2, Module 2): Organizing Lead Data Using Salesforce; Campaigns in Salesforce
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 2, Module 1): Managing leads and Salesforce
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 2, Module 2): Working with campaigns and Salesforce
|
4 | 1,2,3,4,5 | 1,2,3,4,8 | Topic: Gamification, Loyalty, and Lead Management: Driving Engagement and Sales - Read and Review:
- Leveraging loyalty – Points-based loyalty programs for today’s car-wash market
- Shake Shack isn’t just serving burgers — they’re gamifying loyalty
- Wiser wallets: Impact on loyalty, featuring Nadejda Popova
- Members only: Delivering greater value through loyalty and pricing
- To tier or not to tier: Evaluating a tiered loyalty program
- Tiered loyalty programs: Why they could be a great option for your e-commerce brand (with examples)
- Longitudinal perceptions of gamified loyalty programs (GLPs): A mix of slot machines and entertainment toys
- How gamification features drive brand loyalty: The mediating roles of consumer experience and brand engagement
- Hunger Games: How gamified loyalty programs help restaurants win
- Sales productivity: What it is and 8 ways to improve it
- How gamification boosts sales and customer loyalty: The case
- How to use gamification in loyalty programs
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit the Gamified Loyalty Program Design Project assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 2, Module 3): The Life of an SDR; Salesforce for SDRs; Logging Communications and Actions and (Course 2, Module 4): Enhancing Email with Salesforce; Boosting Sales Productivity in Salesforce; Converting Leads
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 2, Module 3) Managing and Qualifying Leads
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 2, Module 4): Enhancing Sales Productivity and Converting Leads
|
5 | 1,3,4 | 1,4,5,6,8 | Topic: Salesforce CRM: Driving Customer Engagement, Activation, and Retention - Read and Review:
- The ethic framework: Designing ethical gamification that actually works
- Gamification: Dark patterns, light patterns, and psychology
- How gamification influences e-commerce behavior in hardcore vs. casual gamers
- Real-time insights: How sales managers boost performance instantly
- AI for business
- AI in customer experience
- Agentic AI: Salesforce CRM transformation
- AI sales enablement
- Customer activation: What it is and how to do it.
- What is social proof?
- What does an account executive do?
- How gamified experiences are changing customer expectations in retail
- Gamification & CRM: How game mechanics transform customer relationships
- Salesforce on Salesforce: Demystify Agentforce Data Strategy
- The power of social proof: Why we trust the crowd when we’re uncertain
- SDR, BDR, AE & more – Understanding every sales role.
- What is a Sales & Business Development Representative (SDR & BDR roles)
- How to crush your job interview and get hired as a tech sales development representative
- Demo video: Data Cloud
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit 7-Day Onboarding Campaign with Salesforce Marketing Cloud assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 3, Module 1): Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 3, Module 2): Responsibilities of an Account Executive; Salesforce for Account Executives and (Course 2, Module 2): Creating Opportunities and Tracking Deals; Updating and Progressing Opportunities
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 3, Module 2): Salesforce Opportunities for the Sales Operations Specialist
- Complete Coursera Guided Project (Course 3, Module 2): Progressing Opportunities Through the Stages
|
6 | 1,3,4 | 1,3,4,7,8,9 | Topic: Applying Behavioral Economics and Salesforce to Optimize Lead Management - Read and Review:
- The ultimate Salesforce CRM integration & workflow automation guide for SDRs and BDRs
- The sales development toolkit every SDR needs
- SDR vs. BDR: What’s the difference
- Navigate behavioral economics for profitable insights
- Inbound SDR vs. Outbound SDR: What’s the difference
- SDR training guide: Build a high performing dev team
- How to use CRM for lead management? – Customer Support Coach
- Corporate SDRs: Your cold outreach skills are gold in the creator economy
- Key features of Sales Engagement
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit Marketing Campaign Analysis assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 3, Module 3): Products and Price Books; Products, Pricebooks, and Opportunities; Using Quotes and (Course 3, Module 4): Closing the Deal; Contracts and Orders
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 3, Module 3): Using Products, Price Books, and Quotes in the Sales Process
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 3, Module 4): Salesforce Tools for Account Executives
|
7 | 1,3,4 | 1,2,3,4,8,9 | Topic: Behavioral Economics and Salesforce for Sales Development Representatives: Lead Management, Qualification, and Conversion - Read and Review:
- Enhancing B2B sales through digital transformation: Insights into effective sales enablement
- Case management best practice guide
- Guide to Salesforce case management
- Service intelligence knowledge articles dashboard
- What is customer profiling: Strategy, types, & examples
- From data jungle to data governance in digital ecosystems
- Customer analytics: A step-by-step reference guide
- CRM and business intelligence integration in sales analytics
- Stop guessing, start knowing: 4 steps to a data-driven audience strategy
- Automate your case management
- Manage cases like a PRO in Salesforce!
- Salesforce Service Cloud overview
- What specific tasks can Agentforce handle in Service Cloud
- How companies track customer issues with Salesforce Service Cloud & Cases
- How Salesforce uses Agentforce for Service
- Service at Dreamforce 2025: Episode S1E4
- Get started with Sales Engagement reporting
- Predict customer churn with Salesforce Einstein AI
- 10 advanced Salesforce reporting features you need to know
- The ultimate customer success dashboard in Salesforce
- How to build a report in Lightning Experience How to build a report in Lightning Experience
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit Customer Retention and Satisfaction Analysis assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 4, Module 1): CSM Responsibilities; Salesforce Service Cloud and (Course 4, Module 2) Leveraging Knowledge and the Service Console
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 4, Module 1): Customer Success Managers
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 4, Module 2): Salesforce cases, knowledge, and the service console
- Complete Coursera Guided Project (Course 4, Module 2): Working with Cases
|
8 | 1,3,4 | 1,2,3,4,8,9 | Topic: Customer Engagement and Building Advocacy - Read and Review:
- Salesforce sales performance management: Future-proof your operational processes
- Cross-channel marketing guide
- Customer engagement platform
- Customer retention
- Customer service analytics
- Data-driven decision making
- How technology can drive brand advocacy from your customers
- What is customer engagement?
- What is customer experience?
- What is customer loyalty?
- What is customer engagement?
- Unleashing the power of brand advocacy: Your secret to success
- Building brand communities: Beyond just marketing
- What is customer experience (CX)?
- Discover Effective CRM Strategies to Enhance Customer Engagement
- Maximizing Customer Loyalty: Proven Strategies for Retention
- Data‑Driven Customer Retention
- Boost customer retention with a long-term content calendar
- 4 benefits of data-driven decision-making
- The invaluable benefits of data-driven decision-making
| - Review assigned resources
- Review the lecture video
- Participate in discussions
- Submit Building a Campaign Calendar and Advocacy Program assignment
- Complete Coursera practice assignments – quizzes (Course 4, Module 3): Understanding Reports; Building Reports and (Course 4, Module 4): Using Dashboards
- Complete Coursera assignment quiz –(Course 4, Module 3): Supporting sales managers with reports
- Complete Coursera assignment – quiz (Course 4, Module 4): Charts and dashboards
- Complete Coursera Guided Project (Course 4, Module 4) - Building Charts
- Complete Coursera Guided Project (Course 4, Module 4) - Building Dashboards
- Complete Course Evaluation
|
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.
