What are the different types of advancements in business? How does Salesforce use new technology to improve decision-making?
To continue meeting customers’ ever-evolving needs, Marc Benioff says Salesforce is dedicated to making technological and social advancements. These advancements include incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace and providing educational opportunities.
Continue reading to learn about Salesforce’s social and technological advancements.
How Salesforce Pursues Advancement
In Trailblazer, Benioff explains that three people influenced his decision to prioritize advancement in business: First, his grandfather, a lawyer and local politician responsible for the advent of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), instilled in him the importance of contributing to social causes. Second, before Benioff founded Salesforce, he worked at a company that then-Secretary of State Colin Powell challenged to donate resources to underprivileged youth. Third, Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs, told him that Salesforce needed to invent new technologies to stay relevant in a rapidly changing market.
(Shortform note: That Benioff was influenced over the course of his childhood and career to pursue technological and social advancement illustrates the importance of lifelong mentorship. Research suggests that most executives credit mentors with their success. We typically think of childhood mentors (like Benioff’s grandfather) as the most important influences in our lives, but experts explain that mentorship continues to be valuable throughout the lifespan since one’s moral education is never complete. By remaining open to positive influences, like Powell and Jobs, who persuaded him to pursue technological and social advancements for the sake of the greater good, Benioff set himself—and his company—up for greater success.)
In addition to the educational value Salesforce provides via Dreamforce, the company aims to advance global society by providing educational opportunities for a variety of people, including students, professionals, and marginalized communities. For example, its online learning platform Trailforce trains professionals for competency in emerging technologies such as AI, Vetforce provides job training to veterans, and other programs give schoolchildren access to technologies and mentors. Benioff says that by ensuring individuals have access to the resources they need to thrive in the digital age, Salesforce closes the skills gap that contributes to social inequality (and therefore to global conflict) and promotes economic development.
(Shortform note: Digital skills are crucial for job seekers looking to compete in the job market, but which digital skills are needed are changing rapidly. Massive layoffs at the biggest tech companies, including Salesforce, at the beginning of 2024 signal a shift in priorities from broad technological innovation to a narrowed focus on artificial intelligence (AI) development. According to experts at the WEF, the rapidity of technological change requires continual access to learning opportunities outside of the traditional education system. By providing inclusive access to such opportunities, Salesforce helps professionals navigate technological transitions smoothly and equips them with the tools they need to contribute positively to the economy.)
Benioff says Salesforce has also spearheaded several technological advancement initiatives. For example, at Steve Jobs’s behest, Salesforce created AppExchange, a platform where any developer can sell apps for business use. This effectively democratized app creation, leading to a flourishing network of novel solutions to diverse business needs and driving efficiency, agility, and competitiveness across industries.
(Shortform note: Via AppExchange, Salesforce leverages two economic principles—network effects and open innovation—to optimize technological advancement. As Parker, Van Alstyne, and Choudary explain in Platform Revolution, network effects are a feature of platforms in which the platform’s value increases as its user numbers grow. Open innovation is a business strategy where a company pulls innovative ideas and technologies from outside sources. Combining these two principles in AppExchange facilitates technological advancement: Instead of having to innovate on its own with limited resources, Salesforce leverages the collective creativity and expertise of a diverse community of developers, resulting in a continuous stream of new software solutions.)
Additionally, Benioff says Salesforce has made progress with AI applications, like its line of Einstein technologies designed to enhance and automate organizational decision-making, business administration, and customer service.
(Shortform note: Trailblazer was published before the advent of generative AI, a type of system that can create new content based on its statistical analysis of massive amounts of data and is revolutionizing the global market in unpredictable ways. To meet this challenge, Salesforce has continued to create innovative AI applications while keeping an eye on customers’ privacy concerns.)
