Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has selected a product recommendation service from ChoiceStream to deliver a personalized shopping experience in its online stores. ChoiceStream’s CONNECT guides consumers’ online shopping experiences by focusing recommendations, ideas and store highlights on products and brands they are likely to purchase, based on their shopping behavior. It leverages a shopper’s browsing and purchasing patterns to create a more engaged and loyal customer. “We see this as the ultimate venue for ChoiceStream’s CONNECT personalization ― delivering the Neiman Marcus trademark for personalization to its shoppers,” said Steve Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of ChoiceStream, in a press release. Other ChoiceStream customers include AT&T, MTV, Tesco, Ticketmaster and Zappos.

The Platt Retail Institute (PRI) will host the Retailer Education Forum And Digital Signage Expo 2012 on March 6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event, sponsored by Intel and Retail TouchPoints, will provide insights into multichannel marketing from retail thought leaders. These insights include ways to leverage in-store technologies and how to position and sell digital marketing messages to brands. A retail case study and presentation on retail developments in the EU will help attendees understand how the medium is being deployed globally. Noteworthy guest speakers include: Algernon E. Callier, VP of Strategic Innovation and Emerging Technology for Universal Orlando Resort; Brian Roberts, Director of In-Store Channels Media Network for Best Buy; Dan Pryor, VP of Corporate Communications at Safeway; Dave Finnegan, CIO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.; Raj Maini, Director of Digital Signage Marketing at Intel; and Tim Johnson, Manager for Strategic Innovations and Prototypes at AT&T Mobility IT.

Microsoft unveiled Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile, a cloud-based mobile service that will give businesses access to the complete functionality of Microsoft Dynamics CRM on their mobile devices, including Android, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone and Windows Phone 7. Scheduled to be released in Q2 2012, the solution will give users the ability to sync their business information and sales pipelines offline, helping them stay connected with their customers as well as peers while on the road. “In today’s hyper-connected world, customers need to be able to access their business-critical data on the device of their choice from wherever they are,” said Dennis Michalis, GM of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The update includes enhanced social functionality and new enterprise-class features, and adds multiple Web browser options for users, including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari, running on PC, Macintosh and iPad devices. In addition, the new service will offer xRM, an application development framework of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, providing customers the ability to mobilize their extended CRM applications with seamless integration between Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile and their existing Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment.

Walmart selected food temperature measuring devices from ParTech, Inc., to deliver an automated Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety program. The PAR EverServ SureCheck is a web-based tool for managing HACCP and inspection organizations. It combines a PDA-based mobile application, a cloud-based enterprise server and a fully integrated temperature measuring device to automate the monitoring of quality risk factors while enhancing associate accuracy. "We believe Walmart’s selection of PAR EverServ SureCheck reflects its confidence in our expertise to support complex food safety processes, in-store check list management and decision support systems, as well as our ability to deliver a solid return on investment," said Paul B. Domorski, CEO of PAR Technology Corporation, the parent of ParTech, Inc.