With all of the CRM and Web 2.0 coverage we’ve done over the last year it’s only fitting that we recently redesigned our Web site (www.destinationCRM.com) and launched our own blog. So, here it is. Feel free to use this blog to interact with CRM magazine editors and CRM professionals or sound off on anything CRM related.

We’ll likely spend a lot of time over the next week blogging about our upcoming destinationCRM 2008 Conference (www.destinationCRM2008.com) at the New York Marriott Marquis from August 18 to 20. It may come as no surprise that the conference will focus on Web 2.0’s impact on the next generation of CRM tools and techniques. The conference will have three tracks–sales, marketing, and customer service–and there will be insightful keynotes from Lior Arussy, Tim Bajarin, and Barton Goldenberg. Companies such as Amtrak, Dow Corning, Hewlett Packard, Merck, and North Shore Credit Union will share their best practices with attendees. Plus, industry pundits from Beagle Research Group, CSO Insights, Frost & Sullivan, IBM IMC Center of Excellence, and Yankee Group will share their expertise on a variety of CRM and Web 2.0 topics. There’s no doubt that this is shaping up to be our best conference to date.

The destinationCRM 2008 Conference will be co-located with SpeechTEK 2008, which will cover how companies are successfully using speech technology to improve customer interactions and lower costs. We’ve recruited Ray Kurzweil to deliver a keynote on the future of speech technology and Kevin Mitnick, one of the world’s most famous former hackers, to speak about security threats in technology. This will also be a compelling conference for anyone interested in speaking with designers, developers, and vendors in the speech technology industry.

If you attend either or both conferences, don’t be alarmed if you see a man running around like his hair is on fire–it’ll likely be me. I’ll have to be in two places at once ALL THE TIME. Nonetheless, if you’d like to chat, feel free to say “hello,” or simply respond to any of my blog posts.