It’s that time of year again when the tech world gathers to connect, collaborate, and innovate at Dreamforce. This blog explores the standout highlights and invaluable insights from Dreamforce 2023, held in San Francisco last week from September 12 to 14, 2023. The event was billed as “the largest AI event of the year,” and it featured a wide range of announcements from Salesforce and its partners, all focused on the future of work and the role of AI in transforming businesses. Team DemandBlue is thrilled to take you on a journey through the key takeaways, inspiring encounters, and all the excitement that Salesforce’s largest AI-focused conference of the year had to offer. Let’s dive in!
Our Visionary Speakers at Dreamforce 2023
We were glad to see our Vice President of Cloud Practice, Selva Pandian and Charanya Manoharan, our Customer Success Executive present “Release management best practices with Salesforce” to a packed crowd at Dreamforce 2023.
In this Dreamforce session, DemandBlue’s Salesforce experts highlighted the critical role of release management in efficient software updates. They talked about the advantages of error prevention and on-time product delivery.
They also discussed handling common challenges and the need for careful planning, testing, and support during the release process. Plus, they clarified the differences between release management, change management, and configuration management. Lastly, they covered important aspects, such as version
control, continuous integration, testing, monitoring, and rollback procedures, along with mentioning popular tools for each area.
Day 1 – Dreamforce Mainstage Keynote The mainstage keynote, presented by Marc Benioff, Parker Harris, and Sanjna Parulker, emphasized the importance of including people with disabilities during product ideation to prevent bias.
● 20 percent of people have some form of disability, emphasizing the need to include them during product ideation to prevent bias.
● The launch of the Einstein 1 Platform and Einstein 1 Copilot was a highlight, showcasing Salesforce’s commitment to responsible AI usage.
● A notable fact is that 71 percent of company applications are currently disconnected.
● The Data Cloud impressively processes 2 trillion records per month, indicating its substantial data capabilities.
● Salesforce offers free access to the Data Cloud and Tableau for up to 10,000 profiles.
Throughout the presentation, the focus remained on delivering authentic customer experiences, as underscored by Laura, the CEO of Williams Sonoma, who stated, “When it comes to customers, there cannot be anything Artificial about their experience.”
Salesforce’s Data Cloud enhancements
At Dreamforce 2023, Salesforce introduced the Einstein 1 Platform, which is set to revolutionize the role of AI in business. This platform seamlessly combines Data Cloud, Einstein AI, and Salesforce’s metadata framework, making it easier for companies to create AI-driven applications and workflows.
The Einstein 1 Platform, powered by Genie, streamlines data from various sources, simplifying data analysis and workflow automation. Additionally, Enterprise and Unlimited edition customers can access Data Cloud for free, consolidating up to 10,000 profiles and receiving two Tableau creator licenses. Furthermore, Salesforce made an announcement of a $500 million Ventures fund, specifically aimed at supporting innovators working with Einstein 1.
Einstein 1 Platform also includes Einstein Copilot, a conversational AI assistant that helps users within their workflow by answering questions in natural language and providing trustworthy answers from secure company data in the Data Cloud. Einstein Copilot Studio enables developers to easily create custom generative AI applications using low-code prompts and skill builders.
Tableau Keynote: Reimagining Analytics for the AI Era
In this keynote, CEO Ryan Atay and Chief Product Officer Francois Ajenstat from Tableau focused on customer success and innovation. They introduced features like Playground and Pulse and discussed their work with healthcare and life science customers. Their goal is to make data and AI accessible to more people, as shown in a case study with the Texas Rangers, where Tableau contributed to revenue growth.
Back and Archive: Take control of your growing org
In a keynote by Selma Chang, Ethan Wallet, and Firas Yacoup, the focus was on critical data management insights. They highlighted the significance of data seeding, backup, and streamlined snapshot recovery with OwnBackup. During the initial archiving phase, the emphasis was on non-critical data components. The right backup and recovery tool choice hinged on factors like operational efficiency, compliance, performance, and data efficiency.
Despite lacking flashy AI features, these tools were underscored as vital in IT. Additionally, the keynote urged the early adoption of an archiving strategy during the architect phase for efficient data management practices.
Empowering nonprofits in times of change with AI, Data and CRM
In this keynote, we explored key insights on empowering nonprofits through AI, data, and CRM. Presented by Lori Freeman and other experts, the focus was on:
● Predictive AI helps identify supporter segments and create targeted content.
● Generative AI assists in generating program summaries and enhancing fundraising efforts.
The keynote emphasized that Generative AI is designed to boost people’s abilities, making good performers even better and great ones exceptional without replacing them. This technology promises to empower nonprofits with AI-driven tools for more personalized and effective engagement with their supporters and donors.
Day 2 – AI for Core Clouds
Sales Keynote
In the Sales Keynote, presented by Ketan Karkhanis, Connie Dea, MaryAnn Patel, Kristen House, and Julie Bordata, the focus was on elevating sales performance. They unveiled a spectrum of upgrades, including enhancements in buyer engagement, sales processes, collaboration, analytics, and more. Additionally, they introduced productivity-boosting features like Einstein Sales Copilot and seamless integrations with Sales Cloud. This keynote underscored Salesforce’s unwavering commitment to maximizing sales results and operational efficiency.
Service Cloud Keynote
In this keynote, led by Bill Patterson, Brenda Bown, Noopur Bakshi, and Ashley Dudgeon, the central theme revolved around Einstein 1 Service, which aims to empower organizations for scalable operations, increased productivity, and cost reduction. A crucial takeaway was the impact of a negative chatbot encounter, with 68 percent of customers opting out after just one bad experience. Moreover, it was emphasized that fewer than 20 percent of companies have achieved successful automation scaling.
Marketing Cloud Keynote
In the Marketing Keynote featuring Ruth Hartmann, Prasanna Vijaykumar, Steve Hammond, and Kelly Eliyahu, the focus was on using CRM data for personalized audience engagement. A noteworthy highlight was Einstein Copilot, which not only suggests new campaigns but also creates them with the required content, making marketing efforts more efficient and engaging.
It highlighted the growing significance of data-driven marketing, emphasizing how CRM data plays a crucial role in enabling personalized interactions with the audience and in the success of marketing campaigns.
Breaking through Generative AI uncertainty and driving results
Liz Herbert emphasized the potential for AI to significantly boost the global GDP by $15.7 trillion by 2030. he highlighted the importance of productivity in driving new business initiatives. Furthermore, she stressed that not all AI models are equally reliable. She reminded us to consider the costs when using AI. This keynote showed AI’s big economic potential and the need to use it wisely.
Architect Keynote: The future is well-architected
In the Architect Keynote, we’ve got some exciting developments on the horizon. First off, B2C Commerce Cloud and Marketing Cloud will soon become core platform members. This shift promises to empower businesses. The introduction of “Apex guru insights” will be a game-changer for identifying code issues within the Scale Center and streamlining operations. Moreover, scale testing is no longer an option but a necessity, now accessible in sandboxes for UE and Signature customers. These architectural developments are sure to shape the future of Salesforce, driving efficiency and productivity for users across the board.
Day 3 – Wrapping up with AI & Beyond!
AI and Data Keynote
At the AI and Data Keynote with Clara Shih, Murali Krishnaprasad, Claire Cheng, and Alex Vignone, big takeaways include a massive 20x boost in marketing ROI and more than doubling customer loyalty. That’s just the beginning. AI models are now having meaningful dialogues among themselves, crafting tailor-made and precise customer experiences. Plus, here’s the kicker – you have the chance to craft your very own AI copilot using the user-friendly skills builder. It’s all about placing AI’s customization power at your fingertips.
Slack Keynote: Meet the Future of Intelligent Productivity
Dreamforce 2023 was the stage for a captivating sales keynote led by Lidiane Jones, the CEO of Slack, and Noah Weiss, the Chief Product Officer of Slack. Their keynote introduced an uplifting AI-driven vision that makes work simpler and open to everyone. They showcased innovative tools like Slack Canvas and Slack Lists, designed to boost teamwork, regardless of technical expertise. AI-driven features like chat summarization demonstrated the potential of AI in the workplace. In addition, Slack introduced Slack Sales Elevate to accelerate deal closures for sales teams.
In a nutshell, Slack’s vision portrays a future where work is smarter, more inclusive, and effortlessly efficient, all thanks to AI and automation.
“Over 200,000 companies power productivity with Slack.”
Admin Preview: Winter ’24 Release Readiness Live
● At the Admin Preview for the Winter ’24 Release, Salesforce, featuring Ella Marks, Diana Jaffe, Larry Tung, Cheryl Feldman, and Julie Thompson, unveiled exciting enhancements. Notable highlights included: Flow improvements with a focus on API version upgrades and custom data structures, boosting user capabilities and efficiency.
● User Access enhancements promised better performance, with accelerated account sharing recalculation and robust event monitoring, ensuring enhanced security and accessibility.
● Lightning Experience received updates, including Dynamic Forms enhancements and improved Quick Actions.
● In the Q&A session, Salesforce experts, including Ella Marks and Diana Jaffe, addressed user inquiries, shedding light on ongoing developments.
“A lot of innovation incorporated comes directly from community feedback.”
To sum it up, Dreamforce was an absolute blast! We had a fantastic time connecting with our awesome community clients, partners, and friends all week. We teamed up to work on exciting missions, and it was a real joy to see everyone come together to make a big impact.
Let’s catch up next year in San Francisco. Until then, stay connected! If you need any assistance with Salesforce solutions, reach out to DemandBlue.
