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Salesforce provides programmatic access to your org’s information using simple, powerful, and secure application programming interfaces (APIs). Before reading more about SOAP API, you should have a basic familiarity with software development, web services, and the Salesforce user interface.
Sprucing Up Your Salesforce Page Layouts: A Humorous Guide to Winning User Hearts and Ensuring Data Quality Sometimes, the simplest tweaks can make the biggest difference. Modifications to your page layouts are no exception. In the world of Salesforce, page layouts are your tool of trade—what users see and interact with every day. Nailing these layouts can skyrocket user adoption and improve data quality, which is our ultimate mission as admins. So, here are some tips to help you jazz up those Salesforce page layouts. Field Order: The Logic Puzzle Think of field order like arranging your fridge. You wouldn’t put the milk behind the broccoli, right? Make sure your most important fields are front and center, not hidden in the dark corners of the page. Group like data wherever possible, and use sections. Balance: Channel Your Inner Zen Balance your fields like a feng shui master. If you have 8 fields on the left and 2 on the right, spread them out evenly. This not only makes the page look good but also makes it easier to use. And hey, use those blank spaces to keep things orderly. Sections: The Organizational Guru Break your page into sections like a pro organizer. To add new sections, click “edit layout,” drag the section field onto the page, fill in the section properties, and then drag related fields into their new cozy home. Organizing sections gives you the most storage space, just like cleaning out your closet. Large Text Areas: Give Them Room to Breathe Think of large text areas like your favorite novel—they deserve their own spotlight. Displaying 6 or more visible lines makes them easier to read and enjoy. Consistency: The Familiar Friend Consistency is key. Keep your layouts uniform to reduce the learning curve for users. For instance, always place the Owner, Created By, and Last Modified By fields at the bottom in a section called “System Information.” Help Text: The Friendly Guide Always use help text for custom fields. If you forgot to add it initially, no worries! Navigate to the custom field in the setup menu, click “edit,” and fill in the description and help text. Users really appreciate it and it can save you hours answering the same questions over and over again. Lookup Filters: The Selector’s Best Friend Decide if your lookups need filters. Filters are like bouncers at a club—they help users pick the right record, filtering out the riffraff like closed lost opportunities. Required Fields: The Necessary Nuisance Be judicious with required fields. If a field should be mandatory, decide if it should be universally required or just on the page layout. Err on the side of fewer universally required fields. To make a field required on the page layout, go to the page layout, click “edit layout,” hover over the field, click the wrench icon, and check “required.” Search Layouts: The Sleuth’s Toolkit Update search layouts to provide users with the info they need at a glance. Keep them consistent with list views. To edit search layouts, navigate to setup > the object (e.g., account, leads, contacts) > search layouts, and click “edit” next to search results. Select the fields you want and arrange them as desired. Related Lists: The VIPs Place custom related lists above the standard ones. Custom lists are like VIPs—they get the prime spots because they’re used more often. List Views: The Window to Relevance Update list views to display relevant details. Showing pertinent fields will save users from excessive clicking and scrolling. Mini Page Layouts: The Compact Helper Customize mini page layouts to show the most relevant information. Click “edit layout,” then “mini page layout,” add the relevant fields, and click “save.” Mobile Optimization: The On-the-Go Champion Remember that changes to Salesforce page layouts on your desktop also apply to mobile devices. Given the smaller screens, it’s smart to set up specific layouts for mobile. Navigate to setup > object (e.g., Account) > page layout, then click “new.” Clone an existing layout or start fresh, name it, and click “save.” Drag and drop the fields you want for mobile, then save again. Update the assignment by clicking “Page Layout Assignment,” then “Edit Assignment,” and assign the new layout to the mobile user profile. User Communication and Collaboration: The Team Effort Before making changes, give users a heads-up. Nobody likes surprises, especially when it comes to their workspace. Involve users in the update process and get their input. Use this time to tidy up fields and data. After collaborating, roll out a communication plan to ensure everyone knows about the changes and is prepared for questions. These tips are designed to make the Salesforce experience smoother and more enjoyable by optimizing page layouts. Got your own tips? Share them in the comments below! Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
Considering outsourcing your IT management to a cloud managed service provider? Here are several benefits of opting for a cloud expert like Tectonic: Cost Savings: Predictable, Recurring Monthly Costs: Future-Proof Technology: Custom and Integrated Service: Robust Infrastructure: Centralized Network Services and Applications: Coverage on All Service Levels: Disaster Recovery: Fast Response Times: Vendor Interfacing: Tectonic offers Managed Services for all your Salesforce platform IT needs. Contact us today to get started. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
In today’s hyper-competitive business world, travel and hospitality consumers have more choices than ever before. With hundreds of hotel chains and personal property rentals going above and beyond to surprise and delight consumers, their expectations have grown rapidly. Consumers now expect to be provided with a personalized experience. They expect that hospitality companies know their likes and needs and provide them with an experience based around those likes and needs. The speed with which companies need to respond to guests is ever increasing. Who would have predicted that 5 years ago AirBnB would have a valuation comparable with brands like Marriott? Companies are seeing value coming from frictionless customer experience and the way they use technology to lock customers in. The excitement in the travel and hospitality industry is around technology, which is now designed to help manage the customer journey and provide companies the ability to manage the guest experience across sales, service and marketing. Technology is allowing data to be more accessible and integrated, allowing companies to begin shaping customer behaviors in months, as opposed to years. We are seeing that companies that are leveraging the millions of customer touchpoints, data and analytics, are paving the way in providing a seamless, personalized customer experience and have gained a large share of consumers budgets. Companies are spreading their marketing and IT budgets around solutions that span the entire customer journey, from acquisition to cross-sell and up-sell strategies to personalized service throughout their stay. Those who know what their customers wants and needs as well as when and how they want it, are creating loyal, repeat guest visits. Caesar’s Entertainment grew from $3 billion to $12 billion by leveraging technology to deliver personalized service and marketing initiates across its many hotels and casinos. They created a repeatable model across over 90,000 employees, allowing cocktail waitresses to know a customers worth, their favorite drink and how best to interact with them. Caesar’s also enhanced their loyalty rewards program by analyzing their data and implementing rewards that their customers wanted, increasing how much these customers stayed, played and spent on their properties. The evolution of technology has made data more accessible and interpretable, allowing companies to mold customer behaviors and maximize their spending potential. Some of Tectonic’s clients have looked to us to help them shape their customers behaviors. Tectonic has developed an approach, called Insight 2 Action, to help their clients shape behaviors. Insight 2 Action (i2a) helps customers ingest and understand their data and leverage technologies that help guide and influence customer interaction – how they buy, receive services, interact today as well as tomorrow. One of Tectonic’s clients, a luxury vacation company, has grown into a several hundred million dollar organization by understanding customer needs and proactively reaching out to guests with cross-sell and up-sell opportunities. They leveraged their cloud based technologies to manage their data and analytics, marketing & CRM. The implementation took 6 months and a $2 million dollar investment. If our client had chosen to leverage non-cloud based technologies, they would have had a 3 year, $50 million dollars implementation. At the core of personalized service is the ability to react quickly. For example, a new restaurant is being built in which every floor manager and sommelier will be wearing an Apple Watch. When a VIP customer walks through the front door, their favorite bottle of wine can be immediately taken to their table by the floor manager. This also allows for personalized interactions such as greeting a customer when a new table is seated, approaching a guest who waits too long to order her or his drink, or when a menu item runs out, every manager will get an alert via the tiny computer attached to their wrist. This is not a new concept but shows the power of leveraging technology in providing a more personalized guest experience. In providing seamless customer experience it is important to look at embracing cloud technology and what it has to offer. One of our behavior shaping clients acquires, correlates & stores 10 petabytes of data at a 10th of what it cost 4 years ago. From a delivery perspective, this took 6 agile sprints of behavior shaping actions to do approximately 50 behavioral use cases to drive a m reduction in marketing expenses. Our clients are also using cloud tools such as Salesforce to deliver personalized and prescriptive actions across the globe. Our agile approach allows for clients to deploy small stories so that we can deliver quickly for clients, allowing them to measure and iterate with different stories. Content updated January 2024. #technology #travel #hospitality #bigdata #agile #analytics Like2 Related Posts Email Marketing for Hotels and the Hospitality Industry Email Marketing for Hotels
Salesforce Government Cloud public sector solutions offer dedicated instances known as Government Cloud Plus and Government Cloud Plus – Defense. These instances are built on Salesforce Customer 360, featuring both Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings. Key Features: Scale and Secure Apps on a Compliant Government Cloud: Government Cloud Plus for Public Sector: Unique Aspects of Government Cloud Plus: Compliant Environment and Security Measures: Drive Adoption and Salesforce FedRAMP: Salesforce FedRAMP Overview: Salesforce Usage in the U.S. Government: Salesforce Government Cloud Public Sector Solutions Content updated February 2022. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
Google Data Engineer Exam It seems like every day more resources appear to help you study for the Google Data Engineer certification, so I thought in the interests of being helping you aspiring data engineers with some URLs I found helpful. Life of a BigQuery streaming insert When to use different types of storage in Google cloud The Google Study Guide for the Data Engineer Exam A quick guide on Apache Hadoop (several questions on this) The content on this mobile gaming scenario was covered extensively. This Spotify architecture is helpful because if similar to the scenarios you will deal with on the test This example gives you an idea of what to use Big Table versus Big Query Data Transfer Options for Google Cloud Lots and Lots of Case Studies Look for more helpful posts on studying for your Data Engineer Exam! A Professional Data Engineer makes data usable and valuable for others by collecting, transforming, and publishing data. This individual evaluates and selects products and services to meet business and regulatory requirements. A Professional Data Engineer creates and manages robust data processing systems. This includes the ability to design, build, deploy, monitor, maintain, and secure data processing workloads. Recommended experience: 3+ years of industry experience including 1+ years designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
The software engine, Optimus Prime (not to be confused with the Autobot leader), originated in a basement beneath a West Elm furniture store on University Avenue in Palo Alto. A group of artificial intelligence enthusiasts within Salesforce, seeking to enhance the impact of machine learning models, embarked on this mission two years ago. While shoppers checked out furniture above, they developed a system to automate the creation of machine learning models. Thus Salesforce’s Quest for AI for the Masses started. Despite being initially named after the Transformers leader, the tie-in was abandoned, and Salesforce named its AI program Einstein. This move reflects the ambitious yet practical approach Salesforce takes in the AI domain. In March, a significant portion of Einstein became available to all Salesforce users, aligning with the company’s tradition of making advanced software accessible via the cloud. Salesforce, although now an industry giant, retains its scrappy upstart identity. When the AI trend gained momentum, the company aimed to create “AI for everyone,” focusing on making machine learning affordable and accessible to businesses. This populist mission emphasizes practical applications over revolutionary or apocalyptic visions. Einstein’s first widely available tool is the Einstein Intelligence module, designed to assist salespeople in managing leads effectively. It ranks opportunities based on factors like the likelihood to close, offering a practical application of artificial intelligence. While other tech giants boast significant research muscle, Salesforce focuses on providing immediate market advantages to its customers. Einstein Intelligence The Einstein Intelligence module employs machine learning to study historical data, identifying factors that predict future outcomes and adjusting its model over time. This dynamic approach allows for subtler and more powerful answers, making use of various data sources beyond basic Salesforce columns. Salesforce’s AI team strives to democratize AI by offering ready-made tools, ensuring businesses can benefit from machine learning without the need for extensive customization by data scientists. The company’s multi-tenant approach, serving 150,000 customers, keeps each company’s data separate and secure. Salesforce’s Quest for AI for the Masses To scale AI implementation across its vast customer base, Salesforce developed Optimus Prime. This system automates the creation of machine learning models for each customer, eliminating the need for extensive manual involvement. Optimus Prime, the AI that builds AIs, streamlines the process and accelerates model creation from weeks to just a couple of hours. Salesforce plans to expand Einstein’s capabilities, allowing users to apply it to more customized data and enabling non-programmers to build custom apps. The company’s long-term vision includes exposing more of its machine learning system to external developers, competing directly with AI heavyweights like Google and Microsoft in the business market. Originally published in WIRED magazine on August 2, 2017 and rewritten for this insight. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
Is artificial intelligence integrated into Salesforce? Salesforce Einstein stands as an intelligent layer embedded within the Lightning Platform, bringing robust AI technologies directly into users’ workspaces. The Einstein Platform offers administrators and developers a comprehensive suite of platform services, empowering them to create smarter applications and tailor AI solutions for their enterprises. What is the designated name for Salesforce’s AI? Salesforce Einstein represents an integrated array of CRM AI technologies designed to facilitate personalized and predictive experiences, enhancing the professionalism and attractiveness of businesses. Since its introduction in 2016, it has consistently been a leading force in AI technology within the CRM realm. Is Salesforce Einstein a current feature? “Einstein is now every customer’s data scientist, simplifying the utilization of best-in-class AI capabilities within the context of their business.” Is Salesforce Einstein genuinely AI? Salesforce Einstein for Service functions as a generative AI tool, contributing to the enhancement of customer service and field service operations. Its capabilities extend to improving customer satisfaction, cost reduction, increased productivity, and informed decision-making. Salesforce Artificial Intelligence AI is just the starting point; real-time access to customer data, robust analytics, and business-wide automation are essential for AI effectiveness. Einstein serves as a comprehensive solution for businesses to initiate AI implementation with a trusted architecture that prioritizes data security. Einstein is constructed on an open platform, allowing the safe utilization of any large language model (LLM), whether developed by Salesforce Research or external sources. It offers flexibility in working with various models within a leading ecosystem of LLM platforms. Salesforce’s commitment to AI is evident through substantial investments in researching diverse AI areas, including Conversational AI, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Multimodal Data Intelligence and Generation, Time Series Intelligence, Software Intelligence, Fundamentals of Machine Learning, Science, Economics, and Environment. These endeavors aim to advance technology, improve productivity, and contribute to fields such as science, economics, and environmental sustainability. Content updated April 2023. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
According to the Salesforce 2017 State of Service report, 85% of executives with service oversight identify customer service as a key competitive differentiator. Conversely, where service is lacking, customers tend to be scarce. 52% of consumers have reportedly switched brands in the past year due to poor service, and even more alarming is that loss of revenue as a result of poor customer service costs U.S. businesses $1.6 trillion annually. That’s trillion with a T. Here are the top 50 reasons why Salesforce Service Cloud is the right choice for your business — and your clients. Sales Cloud powers your business to empower your customers. Access to real time data, advances in analysis and automation tools, and sales tools – all integrated with the full Salesforce ecosystem put the tools and resources you need at your fingertips. Talk to Tectonic today and discover the 50 reasons you cannot afford to overlook Salesforce Sales Cloud. Tectonic is please to announce our Sales Cloud Implementation Solutions. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
A Salesforce Jumpstart is a program designed to help businesses quickly and efficiently implement Salesforce, which is a powerful customer relationship management (CRM) tool. Jumpstart is an all-in-one solution including everything from initial setup and configuration to training and support. Your Jump Start implementation is designed to get you up and running on Sales Cloud or Service Cloud within weeks – so you can speed your time to value with Salesforce. Tectonic refers to these as Salesforce Implementation Solutions. We know you want to see value from Salesforce fast – and you want to get your platform set up right the first time around. That’s where the Salesforce Jump Start program can help. Deploy Salesforce within weeks by meeting with our experts, who can help you maximize efficiency. Salesforce Jumpstart. Configure your end-to-end business and processes. And increase team efficiency with guidance and setup. Get your team up to speed with guided walkthroughs, as well as 30, 60, and 90-day recommendations. What is a Salesforce Jumpstart? A fast start to finish solution to get you up and running on the Salesforce platform from Tectonic. Contact us today to discuss a Salesforce implementation solution and Salesforce Quickstarts. Tailored to Your Business Configure your end-to-end business and processes. And increase team efficiency with guidance and setup. Content updated April 2024. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud Why tectonic loves the cloud Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
As with any technology, the cloud brings its own alphabet soup of terms. This insight will hopefully help you navigate your way through the terminology, and provide you the knowledge and power to make the decisions you need to make when considering a new cloud implementation. Here’s the list of terms we will cover in this article: Phew—that’s a lot. Let’s dig in to the definitions and examples to help drive home the meanings of the list of terms above. SaaS (Software as a Service) This is probably the most common implementation of cloud services end users experience. This is software that users access through their web browser. Some software may be installed locally to help augment functionality or provide a richer user experience, but the software installed locally has minimal impact on the user’s computer. Figure 1 provides a high-level overview of this concept. Figure 1 High-level overview of Software as a Service You are probably a user Facebook, Google docs, Office 365, Salesforce, or LinkedIn either at home or at work, so you’ve experienced SaaS first hand and probably for a long time. What SaaS tools are you using outside of those mentioned here? Reach out and let me know—I’m very curious. PaaS (Platform as a Service) PaaS allows a developer to deploy code to an environment that supports their software but they do not have full access to the operating system. In this case the developer has no server responsibility or server access. When I first started writing about cloud technology three years ago, this was kind of primitive service. The provider would just give you access to a folder somewhere on the server with just a bit of documentation and then you were on your own. Now there are tools, such as CloudFoundry, that allow a developer to deploy right from their Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or from a command line production release tool. Then CloudFoundry can take the transmitted release and install it correctly into the cloud environment. With a little trial and error, anyone with a bit of technical skills can deploy to a tool like CloudFoundry where the older style of PaaS took a lot of skill and experience to deploy correctly. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) Originally IaaS dealt with a provider giving a user access to a virtual machine located on a system in the provider’s data center. A virtual machine is an operating system that resides in a piece of software on the host computer. Virtual Box, Parallels and VMWare are examples of software that provide virtualization of operating systems called Virtual Machines (VM) Virtualization of servers was all the rage for a while, but when you try to scale within the cloud with multiple virtual servers there are a lot of drawbacks. First, it’s a lot of work to make VMs aware of each other and they don’t always share filesystems and resources easily. Plus, as your needs grow, VMs with a lot of memory and disk space are very expensive, and very often an application on a VM is only using a portion of the OS. For example, if you are deploying a tool that does data aggregation and runs as a service you won’t be taking advantage of the web server that might be running on server too. The issues mentioned in the previous paragraph are common headaches for those moving their on-premise implementations to the cloud, and those headaches gave rise to Docker. Docker is a lighter weight form of virtualization that allows for easier sharing of files, versioning, and configuration. Servers that could only host a few VMs can host thousands of Docker images, so providers get better bang for the buck for their server purchases. Further explanation of Docker is an article all by itself, but for now it’s import to realize that Docker needs to be part of any discussion of moving your applications to the cloud. DaaS (Desktop as a Service) Desktop computers are expensive for large corporations to implement and maintain. The cost of the OS, hardware, security software, productivity software, and more start to add up to where it makes a major impact on any corporation’s budget. Then just as they finish deploying new systems to everyone in the company, it’s time to start upgrading again because Microsoft just released a new OS. Another fact with most desktop computers is that they are heavily underutilized, and DaaS allows an IT department to dynamically allocate RAM and disk space based on user need. In addition backups and restores are a breeze in this environment, and if you are using a third party provider all you need to do is make a phone call when a restore of a file or desktop is needed. Plus upgrades to new operating systems are seamless because the DaaS provider takes care of them for you. The main advantage I see with DaaS is security. With one project I was involved with, we restored the state of each Desktop to a base configuration each night. While this did not affect user files, it did remove any malware that might have been accidently installed by a user clicking on the wrong email. Documents from Microsoft Office or Adobe products were scanned with a separate antivirus program residing on the storage system they were a part of, and the network appliance that we used did not allow for the execution of software. That made it very secure for the client I was working with. So what does a user have on their desktops? Luckily in recent years there has been an explosion of low cost computing devices, such as a Raspberry PI, that support Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) so your users could access a windows desktop from the linux-based PI which you can get for a measely . DaaS is awesome for your average information worker, but for a power user like a software developer this setup in my experience doesn’t work well. Your average developer needs
Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series of industry clouds: Salesforce Health Cloud. This new cloud CRM offering aims to become a catalyst for positive change in the healthcare industry, shifting focus from traditional critical care to a more holistic patient-centric approach. Salesforce identifies a gap in existing systems, which are heavily centered around electronic medical record (EMR) systems designed primarily for billing rather than comprehensive patient care. Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation by bringing a patient-focused tool kit to medical care. Industry Transformation The healthcare sector is reorienting itself around health outcomes rather than billing outcomes. Joshua Newman, a former primary care doctor and current Chief Medical Officer and General Manager of Salesforce Health Care and Life Sciences, elaborated on this transformation in a recent blog post: “Because of the Affordable Care Act and new outcome-based reimbursements, healthcare providers are treating patients like customers for the first time. This shift is beneficial for patients as it places patient relationships — not records or revenue-cycle management systems — at the center of care delivery.” This shift is echoed by industry leaders like Jeroen Tas, CEO of Philips Healthcare Informatics Solutions and Services, who described the transformation in healthcare as connecting previously unlinked data to make it actionable and improve patient outcomes. Key Components of Salesforce Health Cloud Set to be available from February 2016, Salesforce Health Cloud is built on the Salesforce Service Cloud platform and includes: How Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Building on Experience Health Cloud benefits from having a qualified physician at the helm, enhancing its industry relevance. Salesforce has leveraged the experience of long-term health customers such as Centura Health, DJO Global, Radboud University Medical Center, and the University of California, San Francisco, in designing the solution. Exploiting Scale Salesforce is targeting its industry cloud solutions at volume market opportunities, aiming for solutions that both clinicians and patients can interact with. This aligns with the broader strategy outlined in the Financial Services Cloud launch. Working with Partners Pre-built integrations into EMR and other data sources are key components of the Healthcare Cloud, facilitated by ecosystem integration partners Mulesoft and Persistent Systems. Philips provides connectivity to medical devices and applications leveraging its HealthSuite digital platform. Integration partners are delivering services for implementation, connectivity, and content management. Showcasing the Platform Salesforce is emphasizing the proactive approach to healthcare demanded by a new generation of ‘digital native’ consumers. Research indicates that 71% of millennials want doctors to provide a mobile app for health management, and 63% are interested in sharing data from wearables with their doctors. However, getting healthcare professionals to adopt new technologies like Chatter is a significant step forward, as noted by Newman. Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation The rapid succession of industry cloud announcements from Salesforce suggests that the public sector and life sciences clouds might also debut before Dreamforce, which starts in two weeks. Both the Health Cloud and Financial Services Cloud signify Salesforce’s commitment to driving substantial transformations in their respective industries. These initiatives represent big bets on radical change rather than incremental improvements, positioning Salesforce as a key player in the ongoing evolution of industry-specific cloud solutions. Learning that your industry is targeted by a Salesforce industry cloud can be likened to the traditional Chinese curse of living in interesting times, signaling impending significant changes. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more
Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, and Salesforce’s CRM platform is no exception. Just a week after introducing a predictive decision-making tool in Marketing Cloud, Salesforce has unveiled a new Intelligence Engine for Service Cloud, designed to optimize customer interactions for service teams. One of the standout features is Intelligent Business Processes, which enables companies to assign cases dynamically based on agent expertise, case history, availability, or the channel through which the request originated. The system can also automate workflow triggers—escalating cases beyond support to sales or marketing. For example, high-value leads can be routed directly to top-performing sales teams for upsell opportunities. Intelligent Workload Management further enhances Service Cloud’s capabilities by automating case distribution across agents based on workload and skill set. Instead of manually assigning cases, the system ensures that tasks are balanced in real time. If an agent is engaged in a video consultation, for instance, new cases will be temporarily paused from reaching their queue until they become available. To improve customer experience, Seamless Omni-Channel Customer View ensures continuity across channels. If a customer initially reaches out via email but later requests a video chat, they’ll be routed to the same agent—eliminating the need to repeat information or restart the conversation. These innovations do more than just optimize service operations; they help businesses tailor customer interactions in a meaningful way, says Denis Pombriant, managing principal at Beagle Research Group. “Businesses often prioritize transactions, but customers need process—because process informs them about their needs and vendor capabilities,” Pombriant explains. “Using marketing analytics to identify customer needs from multiple data sources allows vendors to better understand their audience and provide the right solutions.” Many automated systems neglect this process-driven approach, instead focusing solely on transactions. Salesforce’s Intelligence Engine aims to bridge that gap. Service Cloud is priced at $135 per user, per month, while the Intelligence Engine will be generally available later this year—with pricing yet to be announced. Businesses interested in early access can contact their Salesforce account executive to join the pilot program. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. This move allows on-demand service providers in various industries to leverage Salesforce’s powerful platform. The OEM edition extends the Salesforce.com platform to third-party SaaS providers, enabling them to tap into its core features, such as the operating system, customization tools, Web Service APIs, workflow, and business logic, according to Kendall Collins, Salesforce’s Vice President of Product Marketing. For example, a real estate management software vendor could utilize Salesforce’s dashboard, customizing it to track real estate data like foreclosures instead of sales opportunities. AppExchange OEM Edition will be available for per user per month, with users managing the pricing and availability of their specific solutions. This expansion highlights the growing adoption of the on-demand model in industries beyond CRM. ISV (Independent Software Vendor) companies commonly sell licenses for their apps via the Salesforce AppExchange, which is one of the most popular methods. For example, they might sell five licenses for a managed package app. With the new AppExchange checkout features powered by Stripe (previously Recurly), processing payments for these licenses is straightforward. Some companies choose to make revenue by selling CRM licenses in addition to their apps, often offering customers discounted CRM licenses. These ISV licenses are custom-built and contractually limited to specific objects and permissions. A significant level of trust is involved, as Salesforce can audit the end-customer at any time to ensure they are only using the objects specified in the agreement. When it comes to pricing, ISVs often charge in two parts: one fee for the app license and another for the CRM license. However, this is typically bundled as a single charge to the customer for simplicity. Customers can adopt these ISV apps as part of a broader Salesforce org, using several onboarding methods, including Trialforce, an AppExchange free trial, or an install with a trial period expiration date. These apps are often integrated into larger business processes, providing value beyond their standalone features. OEM Licensing: OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and Embedded licensing are essentially the same. OEM licenses are designed for internal apps. For portals, ISV Portal licenses are used, though these do not include Chatter and must interact via a Force.com site. These licenses function similarly to Authenticated Website or Customer Portal licenses. OEM licensing allows companies to use Salesforce as a controlled environment to present their app. For instance, a developer might opt for the OEM model to prevent end-users from making any customizations. The app would have one admin user who sees that it is running on Salesforce, while other users interact with it through a custom interface built on a Force.com site. A common concern for OEM app developers is pricing. While Chatter Plus licenses cost $15 per month (for CRM only), developers often seek clarification on the cost of OEM licenses from Salesforce, hoping for a rate lower than $15 per user per month. They must also factor in their own fees on top of the Salesforce OEM license price. Key Differences Between ISV and OEM Licensing: In an OEM setup, at least one full Salesforce System Administrator is required in the customer’s org. However, this admin does not have the ability to add more licenses to the org or alter the customizations visible to end-users, so their influence over the app’s functionality is limited. ISV app licenses offer more flexibility and are commonly available on the AppExchange, OEM apps represent a complete solution that uses Salesforce as a platform but often hides the underlying Salesforce infrastructure from end-users. Like1 Related Posts The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
