Comments on: 43? Yeah, that’s the four before the three http://www.salesforcetimes.com/43-yeah-thats-the-four-before-the-three/ Salesforce.com news from around the web Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:09:29 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Kevin Richardson http://www.salesforcetimes.com/43-yeah-thats-the-four-before-the-three/#comment-528 Kevin Richardson Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:17:50 +0000 http://www.salesforcetimes.com/?p=382#comment-528 Good memory Michael. I believe I remember hearing Benioff say that ("If people are still calling us Salesforce.com by 2009 then we've failed.) at Dreamforce 2007. I expect to see more and more emphasis on what partners are building on the platform, thus again changing their emphasis. I think it's an interesting road they are traveling...killer app to collaborative app to platform. They will no doubt hit road bumps along the way to changing the paridigm. But it's those game changer shifts that keeps a company innovating ahead of it's competition. In our organization the fact that Salesforce is still called "Salesforce.com" is confusing and limiting the mindset. At the same time, we need more examples of all of that OTHER stuff (ERP, HR, Accounting, MRP, etc) that force.com can do to pit it against other name brands in those spaces. Good memory Michael. I believe I remember hearing Benioff say that (“If people are still calling us Salesforce.com by 2009 then we’ve failed.) at Dreamforce 2007.

I expect to see more and more emphasis on what partners are building on the platform, thus again changing their emphasis. I think it’s an interesting road they are traveling…killer app to collaborative app to platform. They will no doubt hit road bumps along the way to changing the paridigm. But it’s those game changer shifts that keeps a company innovating ahead of it’s competition.

In our organization the fact that Salesforce is still called “Salesforce.com” is confusing and limiting the mindset. At the same time, we need more examples of all of that OTHER stuff (ERP, HR, Accounting, MRP, etc) that force.com can do to pit it against other name brands in those spaces.

]]> By: A virgence in the Force. SFDC morphs into Force.com | Salesforce Times http://www.salesforcetimes.com/43-yeah-thats-the-four-before-the-three/#comment-527 A virgence in the Force. SFDC morphs into Force.com | Salesforce Times Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:21:52 +0000 http://www.salesforcetimes.com/?p=382#comment-527 [...] becoming more and more obvious that Salesforce.com is morphing into Force.com. As noted in the comments to this post, Salesforce is shifting its focus from being a CRM company to being known as a platform [...] [...] becoming more and more obvious that Salesforce.com is morphing into Force.com. As noted in the comments to this post, Salesforce is shifting its focus from being a CRM company to being known as a platform [...]

]]> By: Michael Cawston-Stewart http://www.salesforcetimes.com/43-yeah-thats-the-four-before-the-three/#comment-526 Michael Cawston-Stewart Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:37:43 +0000 http://www.salesforcetimes.com/?p=382#comment-526 The Benioff quote I am half remembering is something along the lines of; "If people are still calling us Salesforce by 2009, then we've failed." I recall something of a rebranding idea a while ago... turning it into "Force.com" and making it an entire solution, instead of just a CRM product. I think it was around the time they got into that slick Adobe AIR situation. (and Dreamforce 2007) The Benioff quote I am half remembering is something along the lines of; “If people are still calling us Salesforce by 2009, then we’ve failed.” I recall something of a rebranding idea a while ago… turning it into “Force.com” and making it an entire solution, instead of just a CRM product.

I think it was around the time they got into that slick Adobe AIR situation. (and Dreamforce 2007)

]]> By: admin http://www.salesforcetimes.com/43-yeah-thats-the-four-before-the-three/#comment-525 admin Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:30:18 +0000 http://www.salesforcetimes.com/?p=382#comment-525 Amen Kevin... If you check out Salesforce.com's current branding...you'll notice that ever since Dreamforce 2007 when force.com was announced, they have placed more and more emphasis on the force part of Salesforce. Benioff is also being mentioned less and less - new users no longer receive an email from SFDC's CEO (last time I checked) which suggests they are moving in the direction you stated - less focus on Benioff and CRM and more on being the platform of choice. It's a bigger context and it's interesting watching it all unfold. Amen Kevin…

If you check out Salesforce.com’s current branding…you’ll notice that ever since Dreamforce 2007 when force.com was announced, they have placed more and more emphasis on the force part of Salesforce.

Benioff is also being mentioned less and less – new users no longer receive an email from SFDC’s CEO (last time I checked) which suggests they are moving in the direction you stated – less focus on Benioff and CRM and more on being the platform of choice. It’s a bigger context and it’s interesting watching it all unfold.

]]> By: Kevin Richardson http://www.salesforcetimes.com/43-yeah-thats-the-four-before-the-three/#comment-524 Kevin Richardson Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:35:34 +0000 http://www.salesforcetimes.com/?p=382#comment-524 I find it interesting that CNET refers to SFDC as an "online CRM software platform." Kind of a mixed back. Is CRM part of the offering...yes (if that's what you want). Is the platform a par of it? Yes (if that's what you need). It took Jeffrey Bleustein of Harley Davidson 8 years to convince Wall Street that Harley is a lifestyle company rather than a motorcycle manufacturer. It's obvious that Benioff is working to change the perception of his company with the investment community. Once he does, no doubt the market cap will blow the roof off. Wait for the announcements of Salesforce.com as full ERP sink in and get teeth...or SFDC as a POS system for a major retailer...that's when Wall Street may start to "get it." The other thing that's proving prophetic is the statements that SaaS is more resistant to economy upheavals than traditional software companies. No doubt companies are scaling back...and they can scale back their licenses. At the same time, new customers are entering the fold because they can buy only what they need and scale when they are ready. I find it interesting that CNET refers to SFDC as an “online CRM software platform.” Kind of a mixed back. Is CRM part of the offering…yes (if that’s what you want). Is the platform a par of it? Yes (if that’s what you need).

It took Jeffrey Bleustein of Harley Davidson 8 years to convince Wall Street that Harley is a lifestyle company rather than a motorcycle manufacturer. It’s obvious that Benioff is working to change the perception of his company with the investment community. Once he does, no doubt the market cap will blow the roof off.

Wait for the announcements of Salesforce.com as full ERP sink in and get teeth…or SFDC as a POS system for a major retailer…that’s when Wall Street may start to “get it.”

The other thing that’s proving prophetic is the statements that SaaS is more resistant to economy upheavals than traditional software companies. No doubt companies are scaling back…and they can scale back their licenses. At the same time, new customers are entering the fold because they can buy only what they need and scale when they are ready.

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