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Securing SaaS

Securing SaaS

Obsidian Security recently discussed the complexity of enforcing Single Sign-On (SSO) within Salesforce and frequently encountering misconfigurations. Notably, 60% of Obsidian’s customers initially have local access without Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) configured for Salesforce, highlighting a significant security gap that Obsidian diligently works to secure. Securing SaaS. The Hidden Vulnerability Application owners who manage Salesforce daily often remain unaware of this misconfiguration. Despite their deep knowledge of Salesforce management, local access without MFA presents an overlooked vulnerability. This situation raises concerns about the security of other SaaS applications, especially those without developed expertise or knowledge. If you have concerns about your configuration, Tectonic can help. Attacker Focus and Trends Attackers have historically targeted the Identity Provider (IdP) space, focusing on providers like Okta, Microsoft Entra, and Ping. This strategy offers maximal impact, as compromising an IdP grants broad access across multiple applications. Developing expertise to breach a few IdPs is more efficient than learning the diverse local access pathways of numerous SaaS vendors. Over the past 12 months, nearly 100% of the breaches that required Obsidian’s intervention through CrowdStrike or other incident response partners were IdP-focused. Notably, 70% of these breaches involved subverting MFA, often through methods like SIM swapping. In instances where local access bypasses the IdP, 95% of the time it lacks MFA. Recent discussions around Snowflake have brought attention to “shadow authentication,” defined as unsanctioned means to authenticate a user within an application. Obsidian Security has observed an increase in brute force attacks against SaaS applications via local access pathways over the last two weeks, indicating a growing awareness of this attack vector. Future Expectations Attackers continually seek easy and efficient pathways. Over the next 12 months, local access or shadow authentication is expected to become a major attack vector. Organizations must proactively secure these pathways as attackers shift their focus. What You Can Do How Obsidian Helps Salesforce Security partners offers robust solutions to address these challenges: By leveraging partner capabilities, organizations can enhance their security posture, protecting against evolving threats targeting local access and shadow authentication. The post “The Growing Importance of Securing Local Access in SaaS Applications” appeared first on Obsidian Security. 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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AI Agents and Open APIs

AI Agents and Open APIs

How AI Agents and Open APIs Are Unlocking New Rebundling Opportunities While much of the 2023-24 excitement surrounding AI has focused on the capabilities of foundational models, the true potential of AI lies in reconfiguring value creation across vertical value chains, not just generating average marketing content. The Vertical AI Opportunity Most AI hype has centered on horizontal B2C applications, but the real transformative power of AI is in vertical B2B industries. This article delves into the opportunities within vertical AI and explores how companies can excel in this emerging space. Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies in Vertical AI In the short term, many vertical AI players focus on developing proprietary, fine-tuned models and user experiences to gain a competitive advantage. These niche models, trained on domain-specific data, often outperform larger foundational models in latency, accuracy, and cost. As models become more fine-tuned, changes in user experience (UX) must integrate these benefits into daily workflows, creating a flywheel effect. Vertical AI companies tend to operate as full-stack providers, integrating interfaces, proprietary models, and proprietary data. This level of integration enhances their defensibility because owning the user interface allows them to continually collect and refine data, improving the model. While this approach is effective in the short term, vertical AI players must consider the broader ecosystem to ensure long-term success. The Shift from Vertical to Horizontal Though vertical AI solutions may dominate in specific niches, long-term success requires moving beyond isolated verticals. Users ultimately prefer unified experiences that minimize switching between multiple platforms. To stay competitive in the long run, vertical AI players will need to evolve into horizontal solutions that integrate across broader ecosystems. Vertical Strategies and AI-Driven Rebundling Looking at the success of vertical SaaS over the last decade provides insight into the future of vertical AI. Companies like Square, Toast, and ServiceTitan have grown by first gaining adoption in a focused use case, then rapidly expanding by rebundling adjacent capabilities. This “rebundling” process—consolidating multiple unbundled capabilities into a comprehensive, customer-centric offering—helps vertical players establish themselves as the hub. The same principle applies to vertical AI, where the end game involves going vertical to later expand horizontally. AI’s Role in Rebundling The key to long-term competitive advantage in vertical AI lies not just in addressing a single pain point but in using AI agents to rebundle workflows. AI agents serve as a new hub for rebundling, enabling vertical AI players to integrate and coordinate diverse workflows across their solutions. Rebundling Workflows with AI Business workflows are often fragmented, spread across siloed software systems. Managers currently bundle these workflows together to meet business goals by coordinating across silos. But with advances in technology, B2B workflows are being transformed by increasing interoperability and the rise of AI agents. The Rebundling Power of AI Agents Unlike traditional software that automates specific tasks, AI agents focus on achieving broader goals. This enables them to take over the goal-seeking functions traditionally managed by humans, effectively unbundling goals from specific roles and establishing a new locus for rebundling. Vertical AI Players: Winners and Losers The effectiveness of vertical AI players will depend on the sophistication of their AI agents and the level of interoperability with third-party resources. Industries that offer high interoperability and sophisticated AI agents present the most significant opportunities for value creation. The End Game: From Vertical to Horizontal Ultimately, the goal for vertical AI players is to leverage their vertical advantage to develop a horizontal hub position. By using AI agents to rebundle workflows and integrate adjacent capabilities, vertical AI companies can transition from niche providers to central players in the broader ecosystem. This path—going vertical first to then expand horizontally—will define the winners in the AI-driven future of business transformation. 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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Healthcare Cloud Marketplace

Healthcare Cloud Marketplace

Healthcare Cloud Computing Market: A Comprehensive Overview and Future Outlook Vantage Market Research Report: Insights into Healthcare Cloud Computing by 2030 WASHINGTON, D.C., February 6, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — The global Healthcare Cloud Marketplace was valued at USD 38.25 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.2% from 2023 to 2030, reaching approximately USD 145.86 billion by 2030, according to Vantage Market Research. This technology allows healthcare organizations to utilize cloud-based services for data storage, management, and analysis, providing numerous benefits such as cost efficiency, scalability, flexibility, security, and interoperability. It enhances healthcare delivery by enabling seamless data access and sharing across various locations, devices, and networks. Additionally, cloud computing supports the integration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, big data analytics, telehealth, and mobile health, driving progress in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Market Dynamics The market’s growth is fueled by several key factors, including the increasing demand for healthcare IT solutions, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, the widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), and evolving payment models and regulatory frameworks. The exponential increase in healthcare data, encompassing patient records, imaging scans, and research findings, necessitates scalable storage and analysis solutions. Cloud computing meets this need by providing flexible and scalable infrastructure, accommodating data growth without overburdening IT systems. The rise of telehealth and remote patient monitoring further boosts the demand for secure, cloud-based platforms that facilitate efficient data exchange. However, stringent data privacy regulations like HIPAA and GDPR require robust security measures, compelling healthcare organizations to seek cloud providers that offer strong compliance and access controls. This need for a balance between agility and security shapes the healthcare cloud computing market’s future trajectory. Leading Companies in the Global Healthcare Cloud Computing Market Market Segmentation By Product: By Deployment: By Component: By Pricing Model: By Service Model: Key Trends and Opportunities The healthcare cloud computing market is witnessing significant trends, including the adoption of hybrid and multi-cloud models, which combine the benefits of both public and private clouds. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into cloud-based healthcare applications is opening new avenues for personalized medicine, clinical decision support, and drug discovery. Moreover, blockchain technology is emerging as a solution to enhance data security and patient privacy, addressing critical industry concerns. Key Findings: Opportunities: Healthcare Cloud Marketplace The healthcare cloud computing market is poised for robust growth, driven by the increasing demand for scalable and secure data management solutions. As healthcare organizations navigate challenges related to data privacy and security, robust cloud solutions and supportive government policies will be essential in unlocking the full potential of cloud computing in healthcare. 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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Salesforce Revenue Lifecycle Management

Salesforce Revenue Lifecycle Management

Seamless Revenue Lifecycle Management Powered by Salesforce Revenue Cloud Is your company struggling to manage complex revenue streams, manual billing processes, or compliance with ASC 606 and IFRS 15 standards? Tectonic specializes in implementing Salesforce Revenue Lifecycle Management solutions through Salesforce Revenue Cloud. We offer tailored strategies for mid-market and enterprise companies across industries like High Tech, SaaS, Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Life Sciences. Industries We Serve The Challenges You Face Managing complex revenue streams can be overwhelming without the right systems. If your business is facing challenges like: Tectonic’s Tailored Solutions – Salesforce Revenue Lifecycle Management We leverage Salesforce Revenue Cloud to automate and streamline your Salesforce Revenue Lifecycle Management, helping companies overcome these challenges with ease. Key Use Cases for Salesforce Revenue Lifecycle Management (RLM) Content updated September 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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How to Implement AI for Business Transformation

How to Implement AI for Business Transformation

Harnessing the Power of AI for Business Transformation The age of artificial intelligence (AI) is here. How to Implement AI for Business Transformation? Once a niche technology confined to research labs and the realm of science fiction, AI has now become a mainstream force. Today, an estimated 35% of businesses are leveraging AI to enhance products, boost efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. However, for companies yet to begin their AI journey, the path to implementation can seem daunting. So how can organizations navigate the complexities of AI and unlock its potential to drive success? This comprehensive guide is designed to empower businesses to confidently adopt AI. We’ll break down what AI is, assess your organization’s readiness, help you develop a robust AI strategy, and explore how to implement and integrate AI across operations. Ultimately, this insight will show you how to embrace AI for continuous innovation, helping automate tasks, uncover insights, and future-proof your business. AI Era Demands an Intelligent Data Infrastructure AI consulting services and digital transformation partners like Tectonic underscore the technology’s immense value, helping organizations evaluate, implement, and scale AI initiatives. However, knowing where to start and who to trust can be challenging. This guide will provide best practices for planning and executing AI projects, helping you make informed decisions when selecting solutions and partners. By the end, your organization will be equipped with the knowledge and confidence needed to make AI a powerful competitive advantage. Understanding the AI Landscape Before diving into AI implementation, it’s important to understand what artificial intelligence is and the wide array of applications it offers. What is Artificial Intelligence? Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to software and machines designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence—such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. AI is already deeply integrated into many everyday products and services, including: Machine Learning Basics At the core of most AI systems is machine learning (ML), which involves training algorithms on vast datasets, enabling them to learn from examples without being explicitly programmed for every scenario. There are three main types of machine learning: Beyond ML, fields like natural language processing (NLP) focus on understanding human language, while computer vision analyzes visual content such as images and video. Real-World AI Applications Understanding the fundamentals of AI helps organizations align their needs with its capabilities. Common business use cases for AI include: Armed with this knowledge, businesses can better evaluate how AI fits into their goals and operations. Developing a Comprehensive AI Strategy Once you understand the AI landscape, the next step is developing a strategic plan to guide implementation. Establishing an AI Vision and Objectives AI adoption must align with clear financial and operational goals. Leadership teams should identify: Aligning stakeholders and executive leaders around specific use cases will drive urgency, investment, and commitment. AI Ethics and Governance AI adoption also requires guidelines for ethical usage, transparency, and accountability. Organizations should consider: Establishing these frameworks early ensures responsible and transparent AI usage. Resourcing an AI Program AI implementation requires the right talent and resources. Budget considerations should include: A Phased AI Adoption Roadmap Rather than attempting to scale AI all at once, organizations should adopt a phased approach: This roadmap balances short-term impact with long-term scalability. Choosing the Right AI Implementation Approach With your strategy in place, the next decision is how to implement AI. Three primary approaches are: The choice depends on your organization’s internal capabilities, desired level of customization, and timeline. Integrating AI into Your Operations Successful AI implementation requires careful planning and integration with existing operations. Develop an Integration Plan Consider how AI will interact with existing systems and workflows: Address Security and Privacy Ensure that AI systems comply with data privacy regulations and security protocols, especially when handling sensitive information. Drive Adoption Through Training Help staff understand how AI will augment their roles by providing training on how the algorithms work and how to interact with AI systems effectively. Monitor for Model Decay Implement processes to monitor and retrain models as needed to ensure continued performance and reliability. Embracing AI for Continuous Improvement AI should be viewed as an ongoing investment, driving continuous improvement across the organization. Encourage a Data-Driven Culture Empower teams to identify new AI use cases and experiment with AI-driven solutions. Provide the tools and frameworks to facilitate this culture of innovation. Foster Responsible AI Ensure that AI systems are transparent, accountable, and designed to augment human decision-making responsibly. Commit to Reskilling As AI capabilities evolve, continually upskill employees to ensure your workforce remains at the forefront of technological advancements. Unlocking the Future of AI The potential of AI to revolutionize businesses is clear. However, achieving success requires more than just technical capabilities. It demands thoughtful planning, strategic alignment, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By following this guide, your organization can confidently implement AI to unlock powerful data-driven insights, automate tasks, and achieve lasting competitive advantage. The future of AI is full of possibilities—are you ready to seize them? Tectonic is ready to help. How to Implement AI for Business Transformation 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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nCino and Salesforce

nCino and Salesforce

Leaders in cloud innovation reinforce alliance to provide best-in-class solutions to the financial services industry by extending successful partnership to 2031. Updated commercial terms are expected to improve nCino’s subscription gross margins. Wilmington, N.C. – December 21, 2023 – nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCNO), a pioneer in cloud banking for the global financial services industry, today announced an expanded partnership with Salesforce to accelerate the delivery of best-in-class cloud solutions to the financial services industry. This builds on nCino and Salesforce’s long-standing collaboration, established in 2011, to empower financial institutions with digital innovations that increase efficiency, transparency, and reduce risks while driving customer growth and loyalty. “Our strategic partnership with Salesforce has enabled nCino to transform the financial services industry by providing industry-specific solutions that drive efficiencies, deliver intelligence, and help institutions modernize for a more agile future,” said Pierre Naudé, Chairman and CEO of nCino. “We’re glad to again be expanding our work with Salesforce and are committed to utilizing each other’s strengths to further benefit financial institutions of all sizes around the globe.” “nCino’s success is a testament to the enormous opportunity in front of ISVs building on Salesforce,” said Brian Landsman, Executive Vice President, Global Technology Partners, at Salesforce. “Salesforce is the world’s #1 AI CRM, trusted by thousands of partners to power purpose-built solutions for highly specialized industries. The expansion of our work with nCino will only accelerate how our customers are reimagining the future of personalized financial services.” As part of the agreement, nCino will deepen its connectivity to Salesforce platform tools including CRM, powered by AI and automation, and Financial Services Cloud. These innovations will empower financial institutions utilizing nCino and Salesforce to further modernize customer experiences like onboarding, loan origination, deposit account opening, and portfolio management. The expanded agreement also includes updated commercial terms which are expected to improve nCino’s subscription gross margins, minimum payment commitments from nCino during the first four fiscal years of the term of the extension, and an extension of the term of the agreement to 2031. About nCinonCino (NASDAQ: NCNO) is the worldwide leader in cloud banking. Through its single software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, nCino helps financial institutions serving corporate and commercial, small business, consumer, and mortgage customers modernize and more effectively onboard clients, make loans, manage the loan lifecycle, and open accounts. Transforming how financial institutions operate through innovation, reputation and speed, nCino is partnered with more than 1,850 financial services providers globally. For more information, visit www.ncino.com. Salesforce, Financial Services Cloud and others are among the trademarks of Salesforce, Inc. nCino Media ContactsNatalia [email protected] Safe Harbor StatementThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally include actions, events, results, strategies and expectations and are often identifiable by use of the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “might,” or “continues” or similar expressions. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon nCino’s historical performance and its current plans, estimates, and expectations, and are not a representation that such plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent nCino’s expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change and, except as may be required by law, nCino does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially including, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to the market adoption of our solution and privacy and data security matters. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect nCino’s business and financial results are included in reports filed by nCino with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available on our web site at www.ncino.com or the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov). Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in other filings nCino makes with the SEC from time to time. 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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Improve Customer Experience

Shifting Trends in Customer Experience

Shifting Trends in Customer Experience Technology Amid Economic Challenges The customer experience technology market has expanded significantly over the past decade. However, the current economic climate is causing a slowdown in sales for this previously unstoppable industry. This shift reflects changes in how decision-makers approach purchasing customer experience software today. The Rise and Current State of CCaaS In recent years, there has been a surge in the adoption of CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) within the customer experience technology stack. CCaaS is a cloud-based customer service solution that allows companies to operate a contact center without maintaining physical infrastructure or extensive on-premises equipment. Many leaders in CCaaS companies describe their current sales cycles as “weird,” indicating that inflation and global economic instability have finally impacted customer experience technology. Challenges in the Sales Process Brian Millham, Salesforce’s Chief Operating Officer, noted that Salesforce is experiencing “elongated deal cycles, deal compression, and high levels of budget scrutiny.” This means that getting a B2B sales prospect to say “yes” takes longer, clients are paying less, and more people are involved in the decision-making process, causing further delays. This results in frustration for software sales teams, uncertainty for marketing budgets, and broader impacts on related industries. Impact on Other SaaS Providers Workday, a SaaS application business, has lowered its revenue forecasts for the year, citing that larger customers are taking longer to finalize deals in a wavering economy. CEO Carl Eschenbach highlighted that although win rates remain strong, there is increased deal scrutiny compared to previous quarters. This sentiment is echoed across vendors selling customer experience or employee experience software. Marketing Budget Constraints Marketing leaders at customer experience software companies have described the current situation as a “tin-can” scenario when looking for marketing budgets. Despite many companies claiming that their customers are their top priority, economic anxiety leads to cuts in customer experience technology investments. Leaders are questioning the critical need for such technology, and many industries are answering with caution, reflecting a shift in technology purchasing decisions. The Role of AI in Customer Experience There were high expectations for new AI additions to software products, but the results have been mixed. Cosimo Spera, founder of Minerva CQ, noted that many companies testing AI solutions to improve customer experience have reported slow adoption by agents, resulting in increased agent handling time and costs without significant improvements in customer satisfaction or net promoter scores. Joe Fernandez, who founded Klout and is now building AllUp, remarked that companies are in a “wait and see” mode regarding AI, preferring to see stable outcomes before investing heavily in new products. Customer Experience Declines A recent WSJ article reported that customer experience in the U.S. has declined for the third year in a row, based on a Forrester report analyzing consumer perceptions. Consumers are skeptical, feeling that higher prices are not yielding better experiences. This global trend impacts various industries, underscoring the interconnected nature of today’s economy. Rethinking Contact Center Strategies Contact center consultant Michele Crocker, who has nearly 30 years of industry experience, advises companies to rethink their contact center operations rather than making sweeping cuts. She suggests optimizing organizational design and staffing, eliminating unnecessary recurring subscriptions, renegotiating vendor prices, auditing IT expenses, and considering more shared services. Crocker emphasizes the need for a leadership talent assessment to ensure the right leaders are in place to implement strategic growth agendas. She also highlights the potential savings in software costs through renegotiations and the importance of closely monitoring software licenses to avoid waste. A Contrarian Approach In times of economic downturn, a contrarian approach might be beneficial. Despite the slowdown in B2B spending, doubling down on customer experience initiatives could yield significant long-term benefits. Superior customer experiences lead to higher retention rates, increased word-of-mouth referrals, and greater customer loyalty. As many companies cut back on customer experience programs, those that maintain or enhance their efforts will be well-positioned to excel once the economy stabilizes. 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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Salesforce Quote-to-Cash

Acronyms for Quote-to-Cash

Here is a helpful glossary of quote-to-cash acronyms you will hear in the Salesforce Ecosystem. Acronym Meaning Defintion ACV Annual Contract Value The annual revenue generated from each customer contract, each year. ARR Annual Recurring Revenue The annual revenue generated from all customer contracts (ie. the company-level revenue), a metric used by subscription-based businesses (such as those offering SaaS – software as a service). CLM Contract Lifecycle Management CLM tools manage the complexities of the contract lifecycle: the creation of the contract itself, which can range from a simple, single-page agreement to a massive list of specifications and amendments. Then you have the negotiation process and the approval process. And finally, you must manage the post-approval period, which generally consists of administering the contract, enforcing terms, and data reporting (source). CPQ Configure Price Quote CPQ tools enable sales teams to quickly and accurately generate quotes. Salesforce CPQ is an add-on product that sits on top of Sales Cloud. There are multiple CPQ tools that can be integrated with Salesforce. MDQ Multi-Dimensional Quoting Commonly used for quoting with multiple years/terms/segments where you may have a ramp-up in price over the course of the segments and/or a ramp-up in the quantity of the product being sold. SKU Stock Keeping Unit “A unique number assigned by a retailer to items in their inventory” (source). A SKU in the computer system ties directly to a physical product through a bar code. TCV Total Contract Value The total revenue generated from each customer contract, for all years. For example, a 3-year contract with $1 mil ACV will be $3 mil in TCV. 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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Salesforce Government Cloud

Salesforce Government Cloud: Ensuring Compliance and Security

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 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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Salesforce roles and responsibilities

CRM Cloud Salesforce

What is a CRM Cloud Salesforce? Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform for Salesforce clients to provide service and support to their business customers. Salesforce based Service Cloud on its Sales Cloud product, a popular CRM software for sales professionals. Salesforce Sales and Service Clouds are considered core products. Numerous other Salesforce cloud-based products exist. Cloud-based CRM is customer relationship management software that is hosted on the CRM provider’s servers and accessed by its customers through the internet. This kind of software is also called software as a service (SaaS). What is Salesforce Service Cloud, a cloud-based CRM? Salesforce Service Cloud stands as a robust customer relationship management (CRM) platform tailored for Salesforce clients, facilitating seamless service and support for their business clientele. Rooted in Salesforce’s renowned Sales Cloud product, Service Cloud caters to the needs of sales professionals. In essence, a cloud-based CRM, like Salesforce Service Cloud, operates as CRM software hosted on the provider’s servers, accessible to clients via the internet. This software-as-a-service (SaaS) model simplifies access and usage, offering flexibility and scalability to businesses. The SaaS model also makes for ease of implementation and managed services by a third party as everything is accessible in the cloud. Understanding CRM Cloud Salesforce: CRM, or customer relationship management, represents a technology aimed at efficiently managing all interactions and relationships between a company and its customers. The overarching objective is to enhance business relationships, achieved through streamlined processes and improved profitability. When referring to CRM, it typically encompasses a CRM system or platform—a multifaceted tool facilitating contact management, sales management, productivity enhancements, and more. This software zeroes in on nurturing organizational relationships with individual entities, be it customers, service users, colleagues, partners, or suppliers, throughout their lifecycle, spanning from acquisition to support and beyond. The Role of CRM Software: CRM software empowers sales and marketing teams to track and optimize customer interaction journeys, thereby enriching the overall customer experience. By meticulously mapping each touchpoint in the customer journey, CRM solutions bolster customer engagement and satisfaction, fostering long-term relationships. Who Benefits from CRM Software? A CRM system extends its benefits across various business functions, including sales, customer service, business development, marketing, and more. It serves as a centralized repository for customer and prospect information, enabling comprehensive contact management, opportunity identification, service issue resolution, and campaign management. With heightened visibility and data accessibility, teams can collaborate effectively, boosting productivity and driving business growth. The Significance of CRM for Businesses: As the largest and fastest-growing enterprise application software category, CRM software holds increasing importance in modern business operations. Forecasts suggest a substantial surge in worldwide spending on CRM, underlining its pivotal role in organizational strategies centered around customer-centricity and technological enablement. Key Functions of CRM Systems: CRM solutions play a pivotal role in acquiring, retaining, and nurturing customer relationships by organizing and synthesizing customer and prospect data from diverse sources and channels. These platforms facilitate a comprehensive understanding of customer behavior and preferences, driving informed decision-making and personalized engagement strategies. Moreover, modern CRM platforms offer seamless integration with complementary business tools, such as document management, accounting, and surveys, providing businesses with a holistic view of their customers and empowering them to forge stronger relationships and accelerate growth. When people talk about CRM, they usually refer to a CRM system or platform, a tool that helps with contact management, sales management, productivity, and more. Who is CRM software for? A CRM system gives everyone — from sales, customer service, business development, recruiting, marketing, or any other line of business — a better way to manage the external interactions and relationships that drive success. With visibility and easy access to data, it’s easier to collaborate and increase productivity. Everyone in your company can see how customers have been communicated with, what they’ve bought, when they last purchased, what they paid, and so much more. CRM software is increasing in importance as it is the largest and fastest-growing enterprise application software category. Worldwide spending on CRM is expected to reach USD $114.4 billion by 2027. If your business is going to last, you need a strategy for the future that’s centered around your customers and enabled by the right technology. You have targets for sales, business objectives, and profitability. But getting up-to-date, reliable information on your progress can be tricky. How do you translate the many streams of data coming in from sales, customer service, marketing, and social media monitoring into useful business information? More administration means less time for everything else. An active sales team can generate a flood of data. Reps are out on the road talking to customers, meeting prospects, and finding out valuable information – but all too often this information gets stored in handwritten notes, laptops, sticky notes on laptops, or inside the heads of your salespeople. Details can get lost, meetings are not followed up on promptly, and prioritizing customers can be a matter of guesswork rather than a rigorous exercise based on fact. And it can all be compounded if a key salesperson moves on. But it’s not just sales that suffers without CRM. Your customers may be contacting you on a range of different platforms including phone, email, or social media — asking questions, following up on orders, or contacting you about an issue. Without a common platform for customer interactions, communications can be missed or lost in the flood of information — leading to a slow or unsatisfactory response. Salesforce Data Cloud unifies all the data and provides a 360 degree customer view. Even if you do successfully collect all this data, you’re faced with the challenge of making sense of it. It can be difficult to extract intelligence. Reports can be hard to create and they can waste valuable selling time. Managers can lose sight of what their teams are up to, which means that they can’t offer the right support at the right time – while a lack of oversight can also result in a lack of accountability from the

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Salesforce OEM AppExchange

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. 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. Like 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 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 Alphabet Soup of Cloud Terminology As with any technology, the cloud brings its own alphabet soup of terms. This insight will hopefully help you navigate Read more

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