Dreamforce 2023 Preview

Key Themes

As we get ready for Dreamforce 2023, the Volition team wanted to take a few moments and share some of the key themes that we will be watching out for in San Francsico.

1. Leveraging Generative AI for Salesforce

Anyone attending Dreamforce 2023 will rightfully anticipate that AI will be a central theme of the conference. Companies can leverage AI-powered tools to make their CRM more effective and efficient; at the forefront is Salesforce’s own Einstein GPT, which allows Salesforce users to better understand and leverage data coming from the CRM and its connected sources. Beyond Einstein, we at Volition are excited about companies that are deeply embedded in the Salesforce ecosystem, leveraging AI to automate key areas like document generation, workflow automation, and predictive analytics. 

2. Seamless Data Flow Between Salesforce and Other Applications

According to a recent Salesforce study, organizations today use over 1,000 applications, up 10% from 2022. However, only 29% of these applications are currently integrated into companies’ core systems, causing data silos and disconnected departments¹. 

One area we’ve seen positively impact the Salesforce ecosystem is seamless data transfer, both in and out of Salesforce. This includes solutions that can accurately take Salesforce data out of the CRM so that companies can better analyze, store, and implement it across all their systems – including our portfolio company Grax, a data management, backup, and archiving tool for Salesforce applications. It also includes companies that can accurately feed data into Salesforce, such as form builders that gather customer or contract data to help inform the CRM.

3. Customer Insights & Analytics

The main purpose of a CRM is to help businesses manage and optimize their customer interactions, relationships, and communications throughout the customer lifecycle. However, companies are currently inundated with fragmented data and information regarding their customers, making it difficult to parse through and identify the most relevant information. 

There is a strong need for solutions that can help consolidate data from multiple sources, such as social media, email, and web interactions while surfacing predictive analytics on interesting leads. This offers the benefit of a more comprehensive view of customer data from various relevant sources, which enables more personalized sales strategies, better customer engagement, and improved conversions across the sales process.

-Dave and Estelle

 [1] Salesforce