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Salesforce and Qatalog
09Sep

Salesforce and Qatalog

Conversational AI for Salesforce Supercharge your Salesforce workflows with the power of AI. Whether you’re tracking deals, reviewing pipeline performance, or uncovering insights, Qatalog’s AI assistant simplifies it all with natural language queries. Designed to understand the intent behind your questions, it delivers accurate, context-rich answers—no manual reporting required. Whether you’re a Salesforce novice or a seasoned pro, Salesforce and Qatalog redefine how you engage with your CRM data. Key Features Salesforce and Qatalog Conversational Search Say goodbye to navigating complex dashboards and reports. Just ask straightforward questions like: Get instant, actionable answers powered by AI, saving time and effort. No Technical Expertise Needed Qatalog’s intuitive AI chat interface is designed for everyone. Non-technical users can quickly access insights without needing Salesforce expertise, freeing up technical teams to focus on higher-value tasks. Seamless Integrations Connect Salesforce with your favorite business tools, including Outlook, Google Drive, Slack, and more. Access Salesforce CRM data in context across your apps, streamlining workflows and collaboration. Enterprise-Grade Data Security Your data’s privacy is paramount. Qatalog processes Salesforce data securely in real-time and discards it immediately after use, ensuring sensitive information stays protected. Transform the way you work with Salesforce—ask, explore, and act with confidence using Qatalog’s Conversational AI. Salesforce and Qatalog. 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

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September 9, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Google, Salesforce
Slack Expands AI Features
08Sep

Slack Expands AI Features

Slack is introducing several new AI-driven features, including the integration of AI-powered agents from Salesforce and other leading partners across the platform. The Big Picture: As part of its evolution, the Salesforce-owned company aims to position Slack as a hub where humans collaborate seamlessly with an increasing number of bots and AI agents. Key Updates: Ahead of Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference, Slack announced its support for agents from partners such as Adobe, Anthropic, Cohere, Perplexity, Writer, and more, alongside Salesforce’s own Agentforce. Additionally, Slack is enhancing its AI capabilities, expanding its AI-driven transcription features to include informal video chat sessions, known as “huddles.” Why It Matters: This move aligns with Salesforce’s broader strategy of leveraging generative AI to power autonomous agents that can take independent action, moving beyond the traditional role of AI as a co-pilot merely assisting humans. What They’re Saying: “Slack’s vision of becoming an AI-powered work operating system fits perfectly with the growing role of agents in the workplace,” said Slack CEO Denise Dresser in a statement to Axios. While Dresser didn’t disclose how many paying customers have adopted Slack’s AI features, it’s worth noting that these features require a separate monthly fee. Initially, Slack planned to require companies to pay for AI features for all users or none, but the company later shifted this approach following customer feedback. And Slack Expands AI Features with New Agent Integrations Slack is introducing several new AI-driven features, including the integration of AI-powered agents from Salesforce and other leading partners across the platform. The Big Picture: As part of its evolution, the Salesforce-owned company aims to position Slack as a hub where humans collaborate seamlessly with an increasing number of bots and AI agents. Key Updates: Ahead of Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference, Slack announced its support for agents from partners such as Adobe, Anthropic, Cohere, Perplexity, Writer, and more, alongside Salesforce’s own Agentforce. Additionally, Slack is enhancing its AI capabilities, expanding its AI-driven transcription features to include informal video chat sessions, known as “huddles.” Why It Matters: This move aligns with Salesforce’s broader strategy of leveraging generative AI to power autonomous agents that can take independent action, moving beyond the traditional role of AI as a co-pilot merely assisting humans. What They’re Saying: “Slack’s vision of becoming an AI-powered work operating system fits perfectly with the growing role of agents in the workplace,” said Slack CEO Denise Dresser in a statement to Axios. While Dresser didn’t disclose how many paying customers have adopted Slack’s AI features, it’s worth noting that these features require a separate monthly fee. Initially, Slack planned to require companies to pay for AI features for all users or none, but the company later shifted this approach following customer feedback. 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

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September 8, 2024in Generative AI
Adopting Salesforce Security Policies
07Sep

Adopting Salesforce Security Policies

Data breaches reached an all-time high in 2023, affecting more than 234 million individuals, and there’s no sign of the trend slowing down. At the center of this challenge is how organizations allocate resources to safeguard customer data. One of the most critical systems for managing this data is CRM platforms like Salesforce, used by over 150,000 U.S. businesses. However, security blind spots within Salesforce continue to pose significant risks. To address these concerns, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers a strategic framework for Salesforce security teams. In February 2024, NIST released Version 2.0 of its Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), marking the first major update in a decade. Key improvements include the introduction of a new “Govern” function, streamlining of categories to simplify usability, and updates to the “Respond” function to enhance incident management. This framework now applies across all industries, not just critical infrastructure. For Salesforce security leaders, these changes will significantly affect how they manage security, from aligning Salesforce practices with enterprise risk strategies to strengthening oversight of third-party apps. Here’s how these updates will influence Salesforce security going forward. What is the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0? The NIST Cybersecurity Framework, first launched in 2014, was developed after an executive order by President Obama, aiming to provide a standardized set of guidelines to improve cybersecurity across critical infrastructure. The framework’s objectives include: The newly updated NIST CSF 2.0, released in 2024, expands on the original framework, providing organizations with structured, yet flexible, guidance for managing cybersecurity risks. It revolves around three core components: the CSF Core, CSF Profiles, and CSF Tiers. Key Components of NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 These components help organizations understand, assess, and improve their cybersecurity posture, forming the basis for risk-informed strategies that align with organizational needs and the evolving threat landscape. Key Updates in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and Their Impact on Salesforce Security The 2024 updates to NIST CSF offer insights that Salesforce security leaders can use to align their strategies with evolving cybersecurity risks. Implementation Strategies for Salesforce Security Leaders To incorporate CSF 2.0 into Salesforce security operations, leaders should: Conclusion: Embracing NIST CSF 2.0 to Strengthen Salesforce Security The 2024 NIST Cybersecurity Framework updates offer crucial insights for Salesforce security leaders. By adopting these practices, organizations can enhance data protection, strengthen incident response capabilities, and ensure business continuity—critical for those relying on Salesforce for managing sensitive customer data. 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

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September 7, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Salesforce, Salesforce Shield, Technology
Co-opetition
05Sep

Co-opetition

Tech companies frequently partner for mutual benefit-Co-opetition, but in the customer service and contact center sector, the competition is heating up. Established players like Genesys, Five9, and Nice are now facing significant competition from tech giants such as AWS, Microsoft, and Google. To strengthen their positions, longtime partners Genesys and Salesforce introduced a joint platform called CX Cloud earlier this year. This platform combines Salesforce’s advanced Service Cloud and CRM with Genesys’ leading contact center as a service (CCaaS) solution- the very epitome of Co-opetition. It integrates telephony, journey management, and employee-focused workforce engagement management tools to optimize contact center operations and track agent satisfaction. While both companies compete in areas like AI, digital engagement, and generative AI, the CX Cloud partnership exemplifies their “coopetition” strategy. Salesforce runs the desktop interface, while Genesys excels in workforce management. By integrating their technologies, the two companies offer customers a flexible solution, enabling them to use the tools that best suit their needs—whether it’s managing digital channels through Salesforce or Genesys. This collaboration eliminates competition in key areas, with both Salesforce and Genesys sales teams working closely together. The partnership between the two companies is not new; their integration dates back to 2015. However, the recent deeper integration, which now covers not just voice but also digital channels, offers customers a unified view of their data. This allows users to harness customer conversation data across both platforms more effectively, giving them the flexibility to use tools from either Genesys or Salesforce. In addition to competition from one another, both Genesys and Salesforce face challenges from cloud hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, which also offer contact center tools. Despite this, Genesys’ and Salesforce’s CX Cloud collaboration stands out by offering a unified framework that benefits customers through combined capabilities. As an example of this complex tech landscape, AWS is both a competitor and a top partner for reselling Genesys Cloud. Both companies agree that the real focus isn’t on competing with each other, but on helping customers solve challenges around customer engagement in an efficient and cost-effective way. The joint platform also integrates with other technologies, such as Google’s Contact Center AI and AWS tools like Lambda and Polly, making it adaptable to diverse enterprise needs. Both Genesys and Salesforce emphasize the importance of an open platform with pre-built integrations, allowing customers to get more value from both platforms faster than before. CX Cloud has seen adoption across various industries and company sizes, from large enterprises to smaller, faster-moving companies. Smaller businesses, in particular, have been quick to adopt this innovation, as it allows them to access enterprise-level integrations without needing to build custom solutions. Larger enterprises, such as ADP, have also benefitted from CX Cloud by using it to deliver proactive customer experiences, addressing potential issues before they arise. Overall, the partnership between Genesys and Salesforce exemplifies Co-opetition-a collaborative approach in a highly competitive market, enabling customers to leverage the strengths of both platforms for enhanced contact center operations. 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

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September 5, 2024in Generative AI
Connected Vehicles
29Aug

Connected Vehicles

Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry: Salesforce’s Connected Car App The automotive industry has always been a beacon of innovation, consistently pushing the boundaries to enhance the driving experience. From the iconic Model T and the assembly line to today’s electric and autonomous vehicles, the evolution of automobiles has been driven by an unyielding pursuit of progress. I actually purchased a new-to-me car today, and with the connected vehicle on the horizon I’m kind of glad I’ll be able to upgrade in a couple years. Bluetooth and back up cameras are great. But a car that can tell the dealership to get me on the horn before some automotive calamity occurs? The future is here, my friends. Connected Vehicles for Better Experiences Now, as digital transformation reshapes industries, a new chapter is emerging in automotive innovation: the connected car. Leading this charge is Salesforce, a global powerhouse in customer relationship management (CRM), with the introduction of its groundbreaking Connected Car App, poised to redefine in-car experiences for both drivers and passengers. From my personal buying experience today, the car business could use some customer relationship management! The Future of In-Car Connectivity Salesforce’s Connected Car App is more than just a technological enhancement; it represents a fundamental shift in how we interact with our vehicles. By leveraging Salesforce’s Customer 360 platform, this app creates personalized, engaging experiences that go far beyond traditional automotive features. The Connected Car App is designed to make every journey more intuitive and efficient, offering real-time insights and services tailored to the unique needs of each driver. Whether it’s maintenance alerts, optimized route suggestions based on traffic, or personalized entertainment options, the app transforms the car into a truly smart companion on the road. A GPS feature? I guess I can plan on deleting Waze off my phone in the near future! Powered by Salesforce Customer 360 At the heart of the Connected Car App is Salesforce’s Customer 360 platform, which delivers a comprehensive, 360-degree view of each customer. This integration ensures that the app provides tailored experiences based on a deep understanding of the driver’s preferences, habits, and history. It isn’t going to just know you by a vehicle loan number, a VIN number, or even just an email address. For instance, a driver who frequently takes long road trips might receive customized recommendations for rest stops, dining options, and attractions along their route. Meanwhile, commuters could benefit from real-time updates on traffic, weather, and parking availability. The app’s ability to anticipate and respond to the driver’s needs in real time distinguishes it from traditional in-car systems. I can just hear my car now, advising me it has been one hour since I stopped for coffee, and she’s worried about my sanity. Enhancing Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction with Connected Vehicles The Connected Car App offers significant potential to boost customer loyalty and satisfaction. By delivering a personalized driving experience, automakers can strengthen relationships with customers, transforming each driving journey into an opportunity to build brand loyalty. If Toyota is suddenly going to treat me like Shannan Hearne instead of customer # xxxxx would be ecstatic. Additionally, the app’s capability to collect and analyze data in real time opens new avenues for automakers to engage with their customers. Predictive maintenance reminders, targeted promotions, and special offers are just a few examples of how the app fosters a deeper connection between the brand and the driver. Oh, yeah. My connected vehicle app is DEFINITELY going to be talking to me about changing my oil (I’m not exactly diligent), how great the latest model of Toyota is (I drove a Corolla for 18 years and have also owned a Tacoma, a Tundra, and a Prius), and if it would add coffee coupons I would be golden. A New Era of Automotive Innovation Salesforce’s Connected Car App marks a pivotal moment in the automotive industry’s digital transformation. As vehicles become increasingly connected, the opportunities for innovation are boundless. Salesforce is at the forefront with a solution that not only enhances the driving experience but also empowers automakers to build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers. In a world where customer expectations are constantly growing, the Connected Car App is a game-changer. Customers, even car owners, expect their brands to know them and recognize them. By integrating Salesforce’s CRM capabilities directly into vehicles, the app creates a seamless, personalized experience that stands out. As we look ahead, it’s clear that the Connected Car App is just the beginning of an exciting new era of automotive innovation. As a marketer at heart and a technologist by trade, I’m really excited about the potential here. Connected Vehicle: A Unified Digital Foundation Salesforce’s Connected Vehicle platform provides automakers with a unified, intelligent digital foundation, enabling them to reduce development time and roll out features and updates faster than ever before. This platform allows seamless integration of vehicle, Internet of Things (IoT), driver, and retail data from various sources, including AWS IoT FleetWise and Snapdragon® Car-to-Cloud Connected Services Platform, to enhance driver experiences and ensure smooth vehicle operation. Can you imagine a smart app like the Connected Vehicle talking to your loyalty apps for gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores? I would be driving down the interstate and the app will tell me there is a Starbucks ahead AND I have a 10% off coupon. Automakers and mobility leaders like Sony Honda Mobility are already exploring the use of Connected Vehicle to deliver better experiences for their customers. The platform’s ability to access and integrate data from any source in near real time allows automakers to personalize driver experiences, in-car offers, and safety upgrades. Why It Matters By 2030, every new vehicle sold will be connected, and the advanced, tech-driven features they provide will be increasingly important to consumers. A recent Salesforce survey revealed that drivers already consider connected features to be nearly as important as a car’s brand. Connected Vehicle accelerates this evolution, enabling automakers to immediately deliver branded, customized experiences tailored to

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August 29, 2024in Salesforce Implementation Services, Salesforce Managed Services, Salesforce Manufacturing Automotive Energy

When to use Flow

When and Why Should You Use a Flow in Salesforce? Flow is Salesforce’s premier tool for creating configurable automation and guided user experiences. If you need to build a process that doesn’t require the complexity of Apex code, Flow should be your go-to solution. It’s versatile, user-friendly, and equipped to handle a wide range of business automation needs. Legacy tools like Process Builder and Workflow Rules are being phased out, with support ending in December 2025. While you may choose to edit existing automations in these tools temporarily, migrating to Flow should be a top priority for future-proofing your Salesforce org. Capabilities of FlowFlows allow you to: When Should You Avoid Using a Flow?Although Flow is powerful, it’s not the right choice in every scenario. Here are situations where it may not be suitable: Creating a Flow in Salesforce Pro Tips for Flow Building Flow vs. Apex: Which to Choose?Flows are simpler, faster to deploy, and accessible to admins without coding expertise. Apex, on the other hand, is suited for complex use cases requiring advanced logic or integrations. Here’s when Apex should be used instead: Why Flows Are the FutureSalesforce has positioned Flow as the central automation tool by deprecating Workflow Rules and Process Builder. With every release, Flow’s capabilities expand, making it easier to replace tasks traditionally requiring Apex. For instance: Final ThoughtsSalesforce admins should prioritize building and migrating automation to Flow. It’s a scalable and admin-friendly tool that ensures your org stays up-to-date with Salesforce’s evolving ecosystem. Whether you’re automating basic processes or tackling complex workflows, Flow provides the flexibility to meet your needs. 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

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August 28, 2024in Data, Salesforce Flow
Box Acquires Alphamoon
07Aug

Box Acquires Alphamoon

Box Inc. has acquired Alphamoon to enhance its intelligent document processing (IDP) capabilities and its enterprise knowledge management AI platform. Now that Box acquires Alphamoon, it will imr improves IDP. Box Acquires Alphamoon IDP goes beyond traditional optical character recognition (OCR) by applying AI to scanned paper documents and unstructured PDFs. While AI technologies like natural language processing (NLP), workflow automation, and document structure recognition have been around for some time, Alphamoon introduces generative AI (GenAI) into the mix, providing advanced capabilities. According to Rand Wacker, Vice President of AI Product Strategy at Box, the integration of GenAI helps not only with summarizing and extracting content from documents but also with recognizing document structures and categorizing them. GenAI works alongside existing OCR and NLP tools, making the digital conversion of paper documents more accurate. Box Acquires Alphamoon – Not LLM Although Box hasn’t acquired a large language model (LLM) outright, it has gained a toolkit that will enhance its Box AI platform. Box AI already uses retrieval-augmented generation to combine a user’s content with external LLMs, ensuring data security while training Box AI to better recognize and categorize documents. Alphamoon’s technology will further refine this process, enabling administrators to create tools more efficiently within the Box ecosystem. “For example, if Alphamoon’s OCR misreads or misextracts something, the system can adjust that specific part and feed it back into the LLM,” Wacker explained. “This approach is powered by an LLM, but it’s specifically trained to understand the documents it encounters, rather than relying on generic content from the internet.” Previewing an upcoming report from Deep Analysis, founder Alan Pelz-Sharpe shared that a survey of 500 enterprises across various industries, including financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, and government, revealed that 53% of enterprise documents still exist on paper. This highlights the need for Box users to have more precise tools to digitize contracts, letters, invoices, faxes, and other paper-based documents. Alphamoon’s generative AI-driven IDP solution allows for human oversight to ensure that attributes are correctly imported from the original documents. Pelz-Sharpe noted that IDP is challenging, but AI has made significant advancements, especially in handling imperfections like crumpled paper, coffee stains, and handwriting. He added that this acquisition addresses a critical gap for Box, which previously relied on partners for these capabilities. Box Buys Alphamoon – Integration Box plans to integrate Alphamoon’s tools into its platform later this year, with deeper integrations expected next year. These will include no-code app-building capabilities related to another acquisition, Crooze, as well as Box Relay’s forms and document generation tools. 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 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 Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more

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August 7, 2024in Generative AI
Alphabet Abandons Acquisition for HubSpot
10Jul

Alphabet Abandons Acquisition for HubSpot

Alphabet Abandons Acquisition Plans for HubSpot The integration between Salesforce and Hubspot could have changed drastically. The HubSpot-Salesforce integration allows you to pass data between HubSpot and Salesforce seamlessly, and maintain consistency between your marketing and sales teams. Current HubSpot Google integration includes: ability to log emails sent from Gmail into HubSpot CRM with one click, so your team spends less time on busy work and more time doing what they do best. HubSpot integrates with your Google Calendar to help you book more meetings in less time. Google parent Alphabet has abandoned its plans to acquire HubSpot, according to sources familiar with the matter. This decision puts to rest what would have been one of the year’s largest takeovers. HubSpot, Inc. is an American developer and marketer of software products for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. HubSpot was founded by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah in 2006. The talks between Alphabet and HubSpot never progressed to due diligence and fell apart shortly after the companies held initial discussions on a potential deal, the source said, on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential matters. HubSpot’s shares, a customer relationship management company, plummeted by as much as 19 percent on Wednesday (Jul 10) in New York trading, marking the most significant drop since 2020. The shares closed down 12 percent at $492.31, giving the company a market value of approximately $25 billion. Earlier this year, Alphabet had expressed interest in a potential deal with HubSpot. However, the two sides never progressed to detailed discussions or due diligence, said the sources, who requested anonymity due to the confidentiality of the matter. Representatives for Alphabet did not immediately comment. A HubSpot spokesperson also declined to comment. Any acquisition of HubSpot would have been among the largest tech deals of the year, comparable to Synopsys’s pending $34 billion acquisition of Ansys, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. HubSpot recently suffered a hack attack. HubSpot, which builds marketing software for small and medium-sized businesses, has specialized in so-called inbound marketing, where consumers start engagement with a brand. HubSpot customers apply its software to make advertising content that consumers can click on. CEO Yamini Rangan said in May on HubSpot’s financial results call that customer demand had weakened, as small businesses worried about the economic impact of high interest rates. Acquiring Cambridge, Massachusetts-based HubSpot, which caters to small and midsize enterprises, would have bolstered Alphabet’s competitiveness against rivals like Microsoft, Oracle, and Salesforce. 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

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July 10, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Google, Salesforce
Sales CRM - Do You Need It
05Jul

Sales CRM – Do You Need It

Every sale is a story of connecting needs with solutions and questions with answers. A sales customer relationship management (CRM) system is essential for facilitating these connections. It helps track customer interactions and creates meaningful engagements that drive business forward. However, many sales organizations are not fully utilizing this powerful, game changing tool. According to the latest State of Sales report, two-thirds of sales professionals feel overwhelmed by too many sales applications, and only 37% believe their organizations fully leverage their CRM systems. Let’s explore how a sales CRM can improve productivity and streamline operations to enhance every customer interaction. What is a Sales CRM? A sales CRM is software designed to help sales teams manage their interactions with customers and streamline pipeline management. It securely stores customer data, leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate key tasks and generate content, and optimizes sales processes to increase efficiency and revenue. Why is a Sales CRM Important? The State of Sales report indicates that 69% of sales professionals need efficient tools to manage job complexity. A sales CRM helps teams stay organized by storing customer details in one place, making it easier to track past interactions, follow up on leads, and close deals. This reduces time spent on administrative tasks, allowing salespeople to focus more on connecting with customers and closing sales. Today’s CRMs are more than just databases. With AI capabilities, sales teams can access and analyze customer information and automate tasks such as drafting sales emails and prioritizing tasks, transforming them into a highly efficient revenue-generating unit. How Does a CRM Help Increase Sales? A CRM assists sales representatives in suggesting products or services that meet customer needs, following up on leads, and reconnecting at the right time. For example, if a customer has expressed interest in a product, the CRM records this interaction. When that product becomes available at a discount, the salesperson can reach out with a personalized offer. CRMs can also automate follow-up reminders, encouraging customers toward a purchase. Here’s how a CRM can be applied at each stage of the sales cycle: 5 CRM Best Practices A CRM system is most effective when it supports a well-defined sales strategy. Here are some tips to enhance CRM use: Does Your Company Need a Sales CRM? To determine the need for a sales CRM, evaluate current sales processes and future goals. A CRM is particularly beneficial for business if: Tips for Choosing the Best CRM Selecting the right CRM involves considering your unique business needs. What will you gain? What will it cost? How will you implement it? How will you train sales teams to use it? Key factors include: Use Your CRM to Tell More Sales Success Stories A sales CRM serves as a comprehensive record with 360 degree views of customer interactions, helping improve productivity, foster meaningful customer engagement, and craft better success stories for your business. 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

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July 5, 2024in Artificial Intelligence, Data, Salesforce
Gearset's Features Empower Salesforce Teams
30Jun

Gearset’s Features Empower Salesforce Teams

Gearset, a leading Salesforce DevOps platform, is introducing a new suite of features aimed at accelerating and improving reliable release management for Salesforce teams. Gearset’s Features Empower Salesforce Teams. These enhancements, including Archiving, expanded Compare and Deploy capabilities, and Flow Navigator, address critical user feedback and deliver tools for optimizing data and enhancing visibility throughout the DevOps lifecycle. According to Matt Dickens, CPO and co-founder of Gearset, effective DevOps strategies rely on accurate and consistent data to deploy applications at the pace of innovation. The latest features empower teams to manage and apply relevant data in real-time, supporting organizations in navigating continuous changes to drive business growth on Salesforce confidently. Gearset Archiving provides organizations with control over Salesforce data storage by consolidating backup, sandbox seeding, and monitoring solutions into a unified platform. By eliminating outdated data from Salesforce orgs, enterprises can reduce storage costs and prevent performance degradation. Key benefits of Archiving include: Dickens explains that Gearset Archiving allows teams to safely store obsolete or legacy data off-platform while maintaining accessibility for future use, without impacting org performance. Maintaining clean and consistent metadata across the organization is crucial for Gearset. Recognizing limitations in Salesforce deployment tools, Gearset’s enhanced Compare and Deploy capability now enables DevOps teams to quickly analyze and compare metadata, facilitating efficient issue identification and resolution during deployments. This update streamlines operations, ensuring faster delivery of business-critical functionality to maximize ROI. Gearset’s Flow Navigator tool introduces visual comparison capabilities for Salesforce deployments, addressing challenges with Flow versioning and enhancing transparency in deployment processes. By presenting flows in their native Salesforce format, Flow Navigator enables teams to better manage deployments and mitigate potential conflicts. Dickens emphasizes that Gearset remains committed to user-driven innovation, aiming to continuously address Salesforce challenges and deliver solutions that save time, reduce stress, and improve efficiency for all customers. In summary, Gearset’s latest release underscores its dedication to empowering Salesforce teams with robust tools tailored to enhance efficiency and reliability across the DevOps lifecycle. 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

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June 30, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Salesforce
Tableau Cloud Hyperforce
26Jun

Tableau Cloud Hyperforce

What to Know About Tableau Cloud Migration to Hyperforce Tableau Cloud is transitioning to Hyperforce, Salesforce’s next-generation infrastructure for the public cloud, in the second half of 2024. This shift promises enhanced security, scalability, and compliance, allowing customers to better manage data residency and adhere to local regulations. Here’s a closer look at what Hyperforce is, the benefits it brings to Tableau Cloud, and how to learn more about this significant upgrade. What is Hyperforce? Hyperforce is Salesforce’s advanced infrastructure architecture tailored for the public cloud. It marks a significant technological advancement, enabling applications to perform with greater security and efficiency. Unlike traditional hardware-dependent setups, Hyperforce is built on a foundation of code, allowing seamless deployment across global regions. This flexibility ensures effective data residency management and compliance with local laws. This might be a good time to consider moving to Tableau Cloud. Shifting workloads to software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions has been an increasing priority for organizations for years. As we build for a world facing new economic challenges and uncertainty, executives have increasingly looked to Tableau Cloud, our SaaS offering, to help them develop their own competitive advantages, easily scale, and maximize efficiency. Flexera’s 2023 State of the Cloud reports that 51% of data is now in the public cloud, and nearly half of their survey respondents indicated their organization plans to move from on-premises software to SaaS. More and more organizations are turning to cloud solutions to reduce operational costs and drive their own digital transformation. Benefits of Tableau Cloud on Hyperforce When Tableau Cloud transitions to Hyperforce, customers will experience immediate benefits while retaining the familiar user experience and functionality. Here’s what to expect: Leveraging Salesforce Innovations Hyperforce enables Tableau Cloud to integrate more effectively with Salesforce’s existing innovations and integrations, fostering faster innovation. A notable example is Tableau Cloud Private Connect, which allows secure connections between Tableau Cloud and popular cloud data warehouses and lakes via a private connection, enhancing data transit security. Learning More About the Migration To delve deeper into Salesforce’s Hyperforce platform and the Tableau Cloud migration, refer to the Hyperforce FAQ and the Tableau Cloud Hyperforce Migration article. This migration marks an exciting phase for Tableau Cloud, promising unparalleled scalability, security, and compliance. The enhanced regional availability and compliance standards will enable more organizations worldwide to leverage Tableau Cloud, while the platform’s flexibility will spur faster AI-powered analytics innovations. For those interested in the technical details and implications of this transition, contact Tectonic today. Tableau Cloud is always on the latest version Tableau, which means you get access all of the innovations as soon as they’re available. That means all Tableau AI features that we develop are available to your data community right away. As transformational technologies like LLMs are integrated into Tableau Pulse, your teams can use them to stay up to date on all the most essential metrics immediately. 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

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June 26, 2024in Hyperforce, Salesforce Optimization, Salesforce Tableau
Sales Cloud Unlimited Plus Edition Call-out Features
26Jun

Sales Cloud Unlimited Plus Edition Call-out Features

Sales Cloud Unlimited Plus Edition Call-out Features Sales Inspection Pipeline Pipeline Inspection gives sales teams a consolidated view of pipeline metrics, opportunities, week-to-week changes, AI-driven insights, close date predictions, and activity information. With this intelligence, sales teams can focus on the most important opportunities and forecast revenue more accurately. Einstein Converstion Insights Give sales teams insights about their customer calls and surface coachable moments. Managers and reps can play recordings of conversations to gain visibility into mentions of competitors, products, custom keywords, pricing discussions, and next steps. Sales leaders can extract conversation trends and visualize insights related to voice and video calls. Einstein Relationship Insights Explore interconnected relationships between people and companies on the web. Einstein Relationship Insights helps discover critical relationships by exploring disparate data sources, from unstructured web pages, and structured information like Salesforce records. Use these insights to prioritize contacts and accounts, enrich leads, and accelerate productivity of your sales team. With evidence documents that explain the relationship, sales teams can target the right people and companies, source more opportunities, and close deals. 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

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June 26, 2024in Salesforce Sales Cloud
Slack Integrating AI Into Platform
23Jun

Slack Integrating AI Into Platform

Slack’s CEO Denise Dresser announced that AI will soon be integrated into every aspect of the platform, enabling users to manage tasks and launch new projects without leaving the application. This announcement highlights a significant shift towards enhancing productivity and collaboration within Slack using advanced AI capabilities. Slack Integrating AI Into Platform. During a media session following her keynote at Salesforce’s World Tour event in Boston, Dresser outlined her vision for AI in Slack. Having taken on her role six months ago after years with Salesforce, she emphasized the integration of Slack with Salesforce’s Einstein Copilot. Acquired by Salesforce in late 2020, Slack aims to provide a unified experience for users by leveraging AI to manage both structured and unstructured data. The goal is to help users quickly find key conversations and turn them into actionable tasks and projects. Dresser noted the challenges in navigating chat histories and identifying important moments, which AI integration aims to address. Slack Integrating AI Into Platform “AI can significantly drive productivity,” Dresser said. “With Slack AI Search, Slack becomes your organization’s long-term memory. It allows users to easily find what they need through generative summaries, which was a major breakthrough for us.” Dresser highlighted the rapid adoption of AI and its integration into Slack’s functionality, leading to an evolution in skills such as prompt engineering and natural language processing. These advancements enable tasks like software creation without traditional coding methods. She pointed out the rapid growth in AI adoption, comparing it to the adoption rates of ChatGPT, mobile phones, and Facebook. Dresser believes this trend will continue as people experience productivity improvements with AI. AI will be embedded in various Slack features, including Canvas, Workflow, and Huddle, providing seamless assistance within the application. Users may not even realize they are interacting with AI, as it will naturally enhance Slack’s functionality. For instance, instead of manually searching through messages, AI will highlight the most important summaries. Dresser also mentioned the newly launched Slack Lists feature, which automatically captures and surfaces key parts of channel conversations. She stressed the importance of reducing the need to switch between different applications, which can drain time and productivity. “We have millions of people working in Slack; why leave Slack?” she said. “We wanted to integrate capabilities for tasks, lists, and projects directly into Slack, starting right within conversations.” In the future, Slack will also suggest relevant chat channels for project purposes, providing users with powerful insights and capabilities. Dresser noted that while only about a third of employees currently use AI-powered platforms, those who do report an average 81% increase in productivity by eliminating mundane tasks. As AI continues to be embedded into Slack and Salesforce tools, Dresser acknowledged the challenge of maintaining the platform’s beloved feel and integrity. “We’ve already integrated Slack, Sales Elevate, and Salesforce. Copilot’s integration will be excellent,” she said. “We have focused on preserving the unique Slack experience, even while enhancing it with new architectural integrations. Our goal is to ensure that Slack remains efficient and productive while staying true to its core identity.” 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

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June 23, 2024in Salesforce Einstein, Salesforce Slack
Salesforce Spiff
14Jun

Salesforce Spiff

Incentive Compensation Management Boost seller motivation and performance with incentive compensation management software that offers real-time commission visibility. Salesforce Spiff. Automate commission calculations, reduce administrative tasks, and improve departmental alignment with compensation plans geared for revenue growth. Automate Commissions and Motivate Sellers Enhance collaboration across departments and align go-to-market priorities with effective incentive compensation management. Customized Rep Statements Empower sellers by providing commission statements, tracking progress against goals, and estimating potential earnings. Use commission tracing functionality to eliminate confusion and align organizational priorities with seller motivations. In-App Comments and Notifications Manage questions, comments, and disputes efficiently within a single platform. Promote cross-organizational collaboration through real-time comments and notifications. Commission Estimator Allow sellers to predict future earnings by providing data-driven insights into incentive estimates early in the sales process. This helps sellers and managers focus on high-impact deals. Flexible Setup Quickly set up incentive compensation plans, adapting to changes in team structure or compensation complexity. Track all plan adjustments with an audit log. Powerful Automation and Workflows Automate complex commission structures, including accelerators, tiers, and triggers. Calculate thousands of statements in seconds to ensure accuracy and efficiency. Seamless Integrations Integrate CRM, ERP, HCM, payroll, or other systems to create a real-time, single source of truth for all commission needs. Data Accuracy Use machine learning to automatically match records, eliminating manual errors and providing a reliable single source of truth. Deep Audit Trail Add effective dates to any user, plan, or logic, and lock historical statements to maintain accuracy. Manage one-off changes without concern. Automated Expense Reporting Maintain compliance under ASC 606 and IFRS 15 with automated, audit-ready expense reports. Use an intuitive interface to manage exceptions, fringe benefits, and varied commission types. Salesforce and Spiff: A Strategic Acquisition After pausing mergers and acquisitions over the past year, Salesforce acquired Spiff at the end of 2023. Previously an AppExchange partner, Spiff provided robust incentive compensation management functionality, calculating commissions for sales based on closed-won deals. Integration into Sales Cloud Salesforce has integrated “Salesforce Spiff” into Sales Cloud, emphasizing the importance of Incentive Compensation Management (ICM) for high-performing companies. With 90% of top-performing companies using incentive programs, this acquisition enhances Salesforce’s offerings. Growth and Market Presence Before the acquisition, Spiff had 1,000 customers and was growing at 100% year-over-year. Salesforce’s market share of approximately 23% in the Sales CRM market indicates significant growth potential for ICM. The Importance of ICM ICM software addresses the complexity of commission calculations, including various percentages for new sales, renewals, bonuses for new customers, accelerators, and team incentives. Accurate calculations across large sales teams are crucial for maintaining motivation and performance. This is a huge time saver. From Excel to Cloud Technology While Excel spreadsheets have been a traditional solution for ICM, Spiff’s cloud technology offers greater functionality and user-friendliness. And it interfaces directly with Sales Cloud. How Salesforce Spiff Works Available as an add-on for Sales Cloud customers from May 2024, Salesforce Spiff offers: Enhanced User Experience The low-code builder simplifies the creation of commission plans, saving time compared to Excel. Real-time commission visibility allows sales users to see potential earnings, motivating them to pursue lucrative opportunities. Final Thoughts Sales roles are essential for driving business revenue. Tools like Spiff provide transparency into potential earnings, significantly impacting sales teams’ motivation and performance. Integrating Spiff into Sales Cloud enhances Salesforce’s value proposition, helping businesses optimize their sales processes and achieve better results. Availability Salesforce Spiff will be available as an add-on for Sales Cloud customers in May 2024. Non-Salesforce customers can also purchase the product from Salesforce.com/salesforcespiff starting May 2024. 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

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June 14, 2024in Salesforce

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