The AppExchange Blog
The AppExchange Blog
-
Voice of the Customer: Leyna Hoffer, Twin Cities User Group Leader
Jun 22, 2009From time to time, I will be turning over control of this blog to some of our power users in the community. We are very fortunate to have Leyna Hoffer as our first guest blogger for the AppExchange. Leyna has been a Salesforce Administrator for over 6 years and a vocal part of the Salesforce community. She received her certification last year and has also been the Leader of the Twin Cities Salesforce.com User Group for the last 1 1/2 years. In this post, she will discuss some of the apps that have dramatically changed the way she thinks about Salesforce CRM.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top 3 Apps I Can’t Live Without
I have had the good fortune to work at 4 different companies as their Salesforce.com System Administrator. I have leveraged the AppExchange at each of those companies to enhance the existing Salesforce.com functionality, and there are 3 applications that I consider to be “must-haves”.
1. Demand Tools by CRM Fusion - Demand Tools is a super, user-friendly tool that integrates with Salesforce.com to mass-modify data quickly and is the single-most valuable app I’ve downloaded from the AppExchange. Demand Tools has saved me so much time and has helped to insure greater data integrity –huge issues for any Salesforce.com Administrator. It has allowed me to automate otherwise manual data tasks; Deduping existing data, importing new data without creating new duplicates, modifying thousands of records within minutes, and more. There is so much functionality included that I have yet to discover/use all the wonderful features – the more I use it, the more I love it!
On top of all that, their customer service and support is awesome. I have always found them to be extremely responsive and helpful. They consistently go above and beyond. This is definitely a “must have” application and well worth the investment!
2. Info Center by ArrowPointe Corp.- This free application allows me to publish messages, FAQs, and important hyperlinks to my users, all in one location within Salesforce.com. This proves invaluable in improving internal communications, especially if you have remote users. This web-based solution allows users all over the world to access answers anywhere, at any time. It’s extremely quick and easy to administer too!
3. Clicktools- Clicktools is an extremely robust tool that allows me to build and deploy fully branded web-based surveys and forms. It is very flexible and powerful, providing not only the ease of creating a simple survey, but also the functionality to create a more complex survey with multiple pages, conditions, and branching. You can even use the survey results to auto-populate fields in Salesforce.com. The entire company can have visibility into customer feedback, and who doesn’t love seeing a Salesforce record filled with data that they did not have to key in themselves?I have received very personalized service from the staff at Clicktools , always willing to spend the time to help me fully understand the capabilities of the tool. I am extremely happy with the performance of this application and the support team behind it.
And finally, I find the AppExchange itself to be a “must-have”. When my users come to me with a business challenge, the AppExchange is the first place I go. The AppExchange expands the power of Salesforce.com well beyond CRM. With just a few clicks, I can download and install a solution, making me look like a real hero to my organization. AppExchange – I couldn’t do my job without you!
-
Force.com Free Edition: Deploy an AppExchange App to 100 Users for FREE!
Jun 15, 2009Have you ever wanted to deploy an AppExchange app to a new set of users but didn’t have the budget? With the new Force.com Free edition, just launched today, you can now deploy one AppExchange app to 100 users for free.* Now you can easily expand your use of Salesforce CRM to address new processes like PTO administration, Recruiting, Project Management and more.
To get started with Force.com Free edition, learn more here. Additionally, check out the Force.com Free category on the AppExchange to see all compatible apps!*Please note: Not all AppExchange apps are compatible. The application must not make use of any Salesforce CRM functionality (including account and contacts).
-
More than 300 Customers Drive Sales and Marketing Success in the Cloud
Jun 8, 2009Congratulations to AppExchange partner, Eloqua, for securing their 300th joint customer with Salesforce.com! Eloqua provides email marketing and lead scoring solutions and has been a partner on the AppExchange since 2006. Companies like Brightcove, Infoblox, Proofpoint, and Taleo are using Eloqua and Salesforce CRM to optimize their marketing programs and drive revenue through the cloud computing model. We wish them continued success with customers and the AppExchange!
-
Turbo Charge Salesforce CRM With Cast Iron
May 22, 2009Integration continues to be a top of mind issue for both customers and prospects at Salesforce. For new customers, often the question is, should integration be part of my initial CRM deployment? With existing customers, the question is often much larger - what is the role of integration in my CRM strategy? Or better yet, as I move from the sales cloud to the Service Cloud and build my own cloud applications, how should I think about integration strategy? Can I really integrate with all my back office systems in a way that shows immediate impact and doesn't break the bank?
To get answers to these questions, register now for next Thursday's webinar with Cast Iron where we will be discussing integration to help you maximize your investments in CRM and cloud computing. The reality is that to obtain a true 360 degree view of your customers requires data from other systems being integrated into your SalesforceCRM environment.
Really capturing the power of cloud computing requires integration, but that does not mean lots of money and tons of time. The old days of hand coding integration are over. On the webinar Cast Iron will be discussing integration in days for maximum business impact. Chris Spear from Extra Space Storage will be talking about their strategy and the impact of integration for their sales cloud and service cloud implementations.
The story is compelling and the impact can be immediate. Please join us.
-
Momentum in Cloud Computing
May 18, 2009Seems like all the news cycles report continue bad economic news, job losses, plant closing, and dire economic forecasts. However, Cloud Computing seems to be a rare exception. More information arrives every day to suggest that not only are clouds rolling in, but a cloudy forecast brings good news. Consider the following:
- Maxplore hires Cloud Computing Industry vet Dave Yarnold as CEO. He was VP of Sales for Success Factors and he sees a huge opportunity in field service.
- Right90 secures a new patent blending OLTP and OLAP to deliver better forecasting. You can expect more news from them this week.
- Cast Iron finds itself in full glossy color in the Wall Street Journal as a great example of a company using the down turn to build competitive advantage.And even the iPhone crowd needs great cloud business apps like Salesforce. And with all the news coverage on Force.com being 5X faster to develop on than the old school platforms, expect the clouds to keep rolling in. Next stop, Denver tomorrow for Cloudforce.
See you there.
-
Have Apps, Will Travel: 9 New Mobile Apps You Can't Miss!
May 7, 2009More than ever, time is money. Get more done on the go with these great new mobile apps from the Force.com AppExchange!
We have several new solutions from Force.com Labs that make use of Visual Force pages and help you manage everything from email templates to approvals- all from your iPhone, Blackberry or Windows Mobile device.
Also, take a look at 4 new mobile extensions of native solutions from Appirio, Glovia.com, Jobscience and Maxplore!
To check out the full set, click here. To learn how you can get started with Salesforce CRM mobile, click here. -
Webinar: Contract Management Made Easy
Apr 15, 2009Here is an awesome 40 minute webinar on how Symantec is using the AppExchange solution, Apttus, to manage contracts within Salesforce CRM. Apttus is built natively on Force.com and is driving success for a number of Salesforce.com customers including BakBone Software and Ingres.
In this presentation, you'll see how easily you can create contracts based on information in your opportunity records and streamline your approval processes. Christine Coats and Gail Orkin of Symantec discuss how Apttus is improving visibility and efficiency for both their legal and sales operations teams. Also, Kirk Krappe, CEO of Apttus, provides a solution overview and demo. Check it out!
-
Check Out Our New Site Features!
Apr 1, 2009Thanks for the introduction, Clara!
As Clara mentioned, we recently launched a new version of the AppExchange which has been built 100% on the Force.com platform and makes use of Force.com Sites. The product team redesigned the site with the goal to make it even easier for customers to find and evaluate applications. We have also streamlined the publishing process so that partner listings can be easily updated and tracked.
Check out all of the new features and enhancements including:
1. New App Lists
In addition to seeing the most popular apps and latest listings, you can now view top Force.com native solutions and staff recommended apps.
2. Multi-Dimensional Search
Search for apps by industry, edition, price, and function- all at the same time.
3. Product Comparison Matrix
Add up to three apps to your ‘Saved Apps’ section, and click ‘compare’ to see how apps stack up against each other in a side-by-side matrix.
4. Improved User Reviews
Rate apps on multiple dimensions like ease of use, support and value. Also, now you can comment on user reviews that are out of date or inaccurate.Want to see these features in action? Watch this brief demo.
Also, the AppExchange team is constantly trying to solicit feedback from our customers and partners. Have an idea for how we can make the site better? Don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at svarni@salesforce.com.
-
Introducing Sara Bright, a redesigned AppExchange, and The Facebook Era!
Mar 31, 2009I have some exciting news to share. After three years with the AppExchange team wearing many different hats from product marketing to product line management, I am transitioning to a new role at salesforce.com. Yesterday, I launched my new book, The Facebook Era: Tapping Online Social Networks to Build Better Products, Reach New Audiences, and Sell More Stuff (Prentice Hall), at Harvard Business School (read about it in the NY Times>>). The Facebook Era is about how social networks like Facebook and Twitter are changing the expectations of and possibilities for business, and what new tools are available to sales and marketers to reach customers more effectively.
Starting today, I will be focused 100% on our social networking alliances here at salesforce.com, such as what we have been doing with Facebook and Twitter. As you might have guessed from my more recent blogs and our company announcements, making social media work for the enterprise continues to be an exciting area of innovation and investment for us. We appreciate the ideas and success stories many of you in the community have shared which are helping to shape the direction of these initiatives!
The AppExchange, of course, continues to be an important part of our strategy and business. Thanks to your enthusiasm and usage, the AppExchange today is bigger and more successful than ever, connecting tens of thousands of customers with innovation from developers and ISV partners from around the world. Together, we have taken the AppExchange to a new place: delivering Checkout partner commerce in November 2008 and a newly redesigned AppExchange site just a few weeks ago which is built 100% natively on our platform using the new Force.com Sites technology. The new AppExchange incorporates ideas and feedback from hundreds of salesforce.com customers and partners over the last two years.
Sara Bright, who is the lead product marketer on AppExchange and played a critical role in the site redesign, will be taking over this blog. In fact, in her first post she will walk through the specific features and architecture of the new site. Please join me in welcoming her officially to the AppExchange Blog!
-
Talk confirmed at Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco, April 2, 2009 (2:40pm)
Mar 9, 2009* Please note date change
Track: Strategy & Business Models
Location: 2022
Preparing for A New Kind of Customer Relationship in the Facebook Era
Spam from strangers is out, trusted product recommendations from friends are in. The 90s was about the World Wide Web of information and the power of linking information. Today, it’s about the World Wide Web of people and the power of the social graph. Online social networks are changing everything we thought we knew about sales, marketing, and product development—and empowering companies with new tools, insights, and ability to transform customers and employees into true partners.This session explores how real companies are successfully tapping the rich data and communication media on services like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace to bootstrap brand and product conversations, virally reach new audiences, and transform existing customers into a loyal sales force. Hear how new social networking concepts such as transitive trust, hypertargeted campaigns, persona profiles, and fringe-relationship “options” are rewriting the rules of sales and marketing, and what companies and developers must do to thrive and win in the Facebook Era.
Bookmark