Chicago
Cloud Computing Demystified
Next week is Cloudforce Chicago. The following 4 resources will help you prepare.
- This extremely well done video by Salesforce explains "What is clound computing?"
- A recent Wall Street Journal article entitled, "The Industry is on a Cloud" discusses the "Cloud" industry. Oracle, Microsoft, Sun HP, Amazon and Salesforce are all mentioned.
- Cliff Saran of Computer world asks, "Should IT directors consider building their next business app on Force.com?"
- Read how moving processes to the cloud can save money and eliminate hassle.
Tips to Drive CRM User Adoption
Check out this must read article from the Washington Post for some excellent CRM rollout tips. The tips include:
- Rollout the software implementation gradually to avoid overwhelming the sales force.
- Once the sales team is working effectively within the CRM application, it is important to consistently assess their results against expectations that have been set. Invite the sales team to review weekly or monthly reports and share feedback.
- A CRM solution that easily integrates into existing daily routines is key.
- Demonstrate clearly to those involved that the new system being proposed will benefit them. The main resistance to adoption is that end users (i.e. sales people) see CRM as a tool for management to "spy" on them versus being a tool to actually help them sell more.
Read the full article here.
Avoid these 5 Salesforce Misconceptions
A recent article by David Taber in CIO magazine discusses 5 misconceptions of Salesforce.
- Buy the software, and sales results improve in a few weeks.
- Salesforce.com usage can be simply mandated.
- Salesforce.com is a glorified contact manager, with lots of metrics to help executives monitor sales reps.
- SaaS CRM's initial lower costs should sell you.
- The best way to deploy Salesforce.com is "big bang" style.
In the article comments, Jeremy Kraybill makes an excellent point, saying, "I think the #1 misconception is one that is perpetuated by this very article - that Salesforce.com is CRM! Their platform has evolved very far beyond CRM these days into what I consider to be the best cloud computing platform for general business applications."
Join Marc Benioff in Chicago as he presents the Keynote Address
Join us for an action-packed afternoon and learn how new Spring ’09 features and Force.com capabilities can help you achieve sky-high success. Plus, all attendees save 10% on Training & Certification Courses.
Cloudforce Tour - Chicago, Monday, May 4th, 2009
Learn how salesforce.com customers are reaching new heights in cloud computing with exciting results:*
Space is limited, register here today!
http://www.salesforce.com/events/customer/local-user-groups/70130000000EkM5AAK.jsp?d
5 CRM Strategies That Backfire
A recent Computerworld article discussed 5 CRM strategies that can backfire.
According to the article, they are:
Bad Strategy #1: Believe the Illusion of Forever
Bad Strategy #2: Too Many Goals
Bad Strategy #3: Wrong Yardstick When evaluating CRM system success and progress
Bad Strategy #4: Build Rome in a Day
Bad Strategy #5: Focus on Costs, Not Business Impact
Click here to read the full article.
Force.com IDE 15.0.2 Now Available
What is the IDE?
The developer force blog states, "the Force.com IDE provides a unified interface for building and deploying Force.com applications. Designed for developers and development teams, the IDE provides tools to accelerate Force.com application development."
What's new?
The Spring '09 release of the Force.com IDE contains the following major new features:
- Apex Editor Code Assistance
- Code completion provides in-line suggestions for system classes, user defined classes, method variables and parameters, and schema objects and fields (just hit Ctrl+Space).
- As you type, parse errors are underlined in red and marked next to the scrollbar.
- Apex Class outline view updates in real time, even before you save changes.
- New Metadata Support in Spring '09
- Force.com Sites
- Customer Portals
- Partner Portals
- Enhancements to Schema Objects, Profiles, and Reports
- Spring '09 Upgrade Wizard
- Seamlessly upgrade the contents of any Force.com project created in the Winter '09 (v14) IDE.
- Projects will not be upgraded until you are ready, but until you upgrade a project you will be unable to synchronize files with the server.
Click here for more information, or to download the new IDE.
AON Hiring for Sales Analyst Position
This position is responsible for providing analytical and technical support to the internal sales operations team by serving as a national administrator of Salesforce.com, delivering sales reports (using crystal reports) and project work.
Download Sales Analyst Position Summary
Interested candidates may contact Laura Stonikas at laura_stonikas@aon.com
Save The Date - Monday, May 4th
The next Chicago Salesforce.com User Group meeting will take place on Monday, May 4th, after the CloudforceTour adjourns. Users who wish to attend the Cloudforce Networking Session/Expo will have time to do so starting at 5:30PM.
The User Group Meeting will begin at 6PM, evening theme, "Stay Late, Learn More". Our Group Therapy breakouts will have two tracks:
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Users/Administrators
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Developers/Technical/Cloud Computing
Chicago User Group members will receive an email next week with additional details.
Best regards,
The Chicago User Group Leaders!
Cecile, Denise, Caroline & Chris
Introducing Our New Team Leaders
Cecile & I would like to welcome our two new co-leads, they have graciously stepped up to assist us in managing our amazing, fast-growing user group community.
Introducing...
Caroline Dreier, New Media Project Manager, DMX
- User Group Communications
-
Meeting Planning/Moderator
Chris Rakowski, CRM Specialist, Tribune Company
- User Group Communications/User Group Blog
- Personal Blog http://www.crakowski.com
Welcome Caroline & Chris!
Denise & Cecile
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