Industry leader, but complex product.
Updated June 16, 2015
Industry leader, but complex product.

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Eloqua 9
Modules Used
- Eloqua
Overall Satisfaction with Oracle Eloqua
Pros
- It is a full-featured, very scalable marketing automation platform that works well (so far) within a very large environment. Eloqua's reasonably seamless integration to Salesforce.com is a large benefit as well. Sales people and marketers have a high degree of visibility to the behavior and interactions of customers.
- Eloqua has deep email functionality and supports easy visibility to aggregate performance of a corporate email program, a function typically done by agencies with a lesser amount of transparency.
Cons
- Eloqua is a bit less featured around large database and list management than something like an Aprimo or Unica type application: most of the list building work is done in the background within Eloqua and it is a bit difficult to have visibility to different filtering scenarios and "experiement" before building a program.
- Eloqua also has a few "gotchas" around variable security levels: it is not as flexible as we'd like it to be around access governance for different types of users. Also, division or channel partitions and access control are not very robust.
- There is a worldwide level of cost savings around consolidating and eliminating 3rd parties, agencies and consultants who have been paid to accomplish the same activities done in Eloqua.
- Also, trigger programs, nurture and direct response emails have led to some increased revenue and engagement with database of prospects, leading to new customers.
Marketo, Oracle On-demand. Eloqua was at the time the most mature marketing automation platform, with ability to scale globally.
Using Oracle Eloqua
20 - All marketing
IT administrators, html code, project managers.
- A large range of direct electronic marketing: Database email marketing, Lead management and delivery to sales, lead scoring and prioritization, web activity tracking of customers, web landing pages to capture information on new visitors, newsletter delivery, progressive prospect nurture.
Integrating Oracle Eloqua
- Salesforce.com
- Ion Interactive
- In-house database
Very deep integration with all of the above. Expert developers and IT were needed but each project has moved forward and is complete on a planned schedule
- Yes, there are many on this list.
Yes- connectivity is of high importance to the ecosystem of vendors, including Oracle which is now the parent company of Eloqua,
Evaluating Oracle Eloqua and Competitors
Aprimo MCM was partially deployed, but nothing was in place for most of the business.
Oracle Eloqua Implementation
- Vendor implemented
- Implemented in-house
Oracle Eloqua Training
- Online training
- In-person training
- Self-taught
No - I recommend hiring someone who is already well trained and/or building in weeks or months of training as part of a ramp plan.
Oracle Eloqua Support
Yes - The level of support was needed for a large, complex global deployment.
Using Oracle Eloqua
Oracle Eloqua Reliability
Relationship with Oracle
IT leadership (rather than marketing) was the chief negotiator, so I dont have many comments. I do however recommend that marketing's technology team be the key relationship builder at the outset for this negotiation.
In general, most terms and costs seem reasonable. The only area that has been a bit of frustration has been what's called "Eloqua University Licenses" - which are costly, priced per individual user (rather than scalable for a large organization). We keep needing to add more of these, paying as we go, and it is difficult to transfer a license when someone leaves the company. These training licenses are critical for learning and leveraging best practices, accessing valuable online training, and for those we assign to become experts. For what we pay as an enterprise, it would seem that a package of these would be included..
In general, most terms and costs seem reasonable. The only area that has been a bit of frustration has been what's called "Eloqua University Licenses" - which are costly, priced per individual user (rather than scalable for a large organization). We keep needing to add more of these, paying as we go, and it is difficult to transfer a license when someone leaves the company. These training licenses are critical for learning and leveraging best practices, accessing valuable online training, and for those we assign to become experts. For what we pay as an enterprise, it would seem that a package of these would be included..
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