Dreamforce 2022 in Review: 10 Highlights for Retailers to Learn From

Dreamforce 2022 in Review: 10 Highlights for Retailers to Learn From

Salesforce came to existence 23 yrs ago in a San Francisco condominium by Founder and latest Co-CEO Marc Benioff. Dreamforce, its yearly party established to bring alongside one another the world Salesforce neighborhood for finding out, community developing, fun, and philanthropy, observed its conception 20 a long time in the past. And this 12 months, I was capable to encounter Dreamforce for my quite 1st time – in the end getting just how impactful equally Salesforce and Dreamforce are to their associates and makes alike. 

 

With so considerably to take up all through these speedy-paced, information and facts-abundant three days, down below are 10 of my most loved times. 

 

1. The Opening Keynote Presented by Co-CEOs Marc Benioff and Bret Taylor 

 

Strolling into Dreamforce was unlike any other occasion I have ever attended, with the strength of Dreamforce encompassing every phase I took. Seats loaded speedily and hrs early for the opening keynote session of Co-CEOs Marc Benioff and Bret Taylor. Enthusiasm of news to be exposed about Salesforce increased characteristics crammed the room and – rather basically – the metropolis times in advance of this actual session. I was excited to hear firsthand what all the chit chat was about, and I was not upset. As an avid believer that built-in, smart technology is vital in supporting business enterprise operations, Benioff and Taylor finally permit us in on a single of their most effective stored secrets still. And that was that serious-time facts platform, recognised as Genie, has been introduced to the currently sturdy and complex Salesforce platform. For shops in distinct, this sparked my pleasure realizing that attaining clarity from a 360-diploma angle in genuine-time on all touchpoints of their small business is crucial for optimized retail success. In the days that followed, I was thrilled to learn even extra about Genie and the benefits it features vendors, which you can also take a look at here

 

2. Knowledge-Pushed Decisions are Necessary for Business Development

 

 As one particular of in excess of 1,000 classes at Dreamforce, I was grateful to listen to Salesforce consulting lover, Slalom’s, Managing Director Jim Clarke and DECIEM’s Senior E-Commerce Director Heather Stables go over the importance of info for business enterprise expansion. Stables exposed that when their crew does not have an formal advertising and marketing division, they lean on data retrieved from their numerous engineering-primarily based sources to make strategic and income-oriented decisions that support standardize and streamline their operational attempts. Talking exclusively about their skincare corporation, The Regular, Stables shared that possessing transparency was the most essential element of their business enterprise growth. Leveraging Slalom, this transparency turned a fact for The Ordinary although also giving them info they could proactively respond to for much more successful business expansion. For all merchants, this can be mimicked if utilizing the ideal engineering. The good thing is, with customized technological know-how these types of as Slalom and Salesforce, this can be accomplished. 

 

3. The Keep of Tomorrow Could Not Be What You Be expecting It To Be 

 

Alongside one another with Robin Smith and Irina Yurevich of EPAM Programs, a Salesforce consulting husband or wife, and Michelle Grant of Salesforce, I was thrilled to share in a dynamic panel discussion about the “Store of Tomorrow: The Subsequent Technology of Engineering, Inclusion, and Obligation in a Retail Surroundings.” We discussed how technology and developments alike are impacting physical and electronic retail as nicely as what buyers hope from purchasing activities. Metaverse was a component of our dialogue, however it isn’t anticipated to be a homerun retail experience by all panelists in attendance. It is, on the other hand, expected to be an critical portion of the path to purchase for quite a few customers. Also, earning positive you hold visibility and connectivity between the numerous locations a customer may perhaps have interaction on their exclusive path to purchase was an significant highlight of this dialogue. 

 

Together with Michelle Grant of Salesforce, Nicole Leinbach of Retail Minded joined EPAM leaders in a panel dialogue about the &#8220Keep of Tomorrow&#8221.

4. Influencers and Consumer Produced Content Carries on to Sway Buyer Decisions 

 

Customers like being aware of what other customers feel and in our fashionable world of commerce, this carries on to be among the foremost influencers in buyer decisions. Maintaining this in brain, retailer Ashley Stewart had a Q&A with Slalom and shared that the the vast majority of their marketing and advertising is mainly centered on influencer and person created written content. They also lean seriously on purchase now, spend later on messaging that is built probable by firms these kinds of as Klarna, Afterpay and other quad installment payment businesses. And thanks to Salesforce companion Slalom, they are also equipped to convey a much better human component to their messaging, aligning with their wish to personalize messaging and marketing and advertising to their prospects. 

5. The Conclusion of a Consumer Journey is as Essential as The Commencing of the Journey 

 

I’ve been a long-time admirer of the buyer journey becoming a prime priority for merchants, and listening to from Shoprunner, a FedEx subsidiary – and Salesforce partner – at Dreamforce bolstered just how essential it is to hear to what shoppers want. Stressing that their target is to “simplify the e-commerce experience,” Shoprunner aims to give a holistic and straightforward see to their buyers many thanks to a option that stems from shopper loyalty and integrates with Salesforce Commerce Cloud Buy Management Process. With these easy however crucial main values, Shoprunner is assisting to redefine what client shipping and delivery appears like in a earth that often thinks quick is ideal. But what about fast with transparency, quick returns, and shoppers in manage? The conclude of the journey is as essential as the beginning of the journey, and this reminder is a very good one to apply to your possess special small business. 

 

6. The Evolution of Loyalty in Retail Leans Closely on Buyer Experience 

 

On Day 2 of Dreamforce, I was fortuitous to sign up for a panel discussion that involved Salesforce’s Michelle Grant and Slalom’s Shivanni Majewski and Bethany Platter. As buyers ourselves, we all agreed that the working experience of searching &#8211 both of those the good and the damaging &#8211 influences our future acquire selections. As retail professionals, we also agreed that the facts leading to a transaction subject. This dynamic dialogue is a single not to be neglected whether you are a tiny, mid-size or massive company, as buyer loyalty does not perform favorites to sizing but fairly to practical experience. How manufacturers and retailers keep in touch with their prospects is a major factor in loyalty, as well. Employing intelligence created from past purchases, vendors can be more strategic with when and why they get in contact with prospects for potential purchasing possibilities. But it should really not be ignored with how this comes about possibly. Email promoting remains a sturdy conversation avenue, but SMS alerts and even social media influence a loyal customer’s route to buy. I problem you to assume about why you are loyal to the spots you are as a customer your self, and then feel about if your enterprise mimics some of your most loved customer loyalty ordeals. The specifics genuinely do issue below, as we each reviewed in this panel at Dreamforce. 

 

Slalom "Customer Loyalty" Panel at Dreamforce 2022

Retail Minded&#8217s Nicole Leinbach joined Slalom at Dreamforce to focus on customer loyalty alongside with Salesforce&#8217s Michelle Grant.

 

7. Shop Optimization Really should Contain Employee Optimization 

 

When it’s extremely hard to opt for a preferred minute of my 7 days at Dreamforce, I’d be lying if I did not say the retail keynote was one particular of my prime three. As a self-described retail geek, I was giddy with enjoyment to hear from Salesforce’s Rob Garf and Michelle Grant with special guests from Gucci and Casey’s. As Garf shared in this partaking keynote, “more and more suppliers are turning to automation and AI” to assistance with retailer and personnel optimization. The authentic takeaway for me, even so, was basically that 1 just can’t be profitable with out the other. Retailer leaders have to have to empower their staff members to genuinely boost their retail outlet. Assistance, in certain, is elevated when workforce are specified the prospect to be elevated them selves. With increased duty and option, they can truly fully grasp their inventory and clients on a deeper level. Genie made an overall look listed here, as nicely, reinforcing that customer magic can be delivered with content shopping experiences when the two the retail store and their staff members are positioned to produce the very best buyer care.

 

8. The Associate Ecosystem at Salesforce Felt Like Family 

 

One particular of the lots of intriguing discoveries I experienced when at Dreamforce was the first-hand practical experience of looking at just how important Salesforce views their companions. From my eyes, they felt far more like loved ones than just associates with thrilled colleagues satisfied to see each individual other, function together and collaborate to make merchants extra attained. It was an extraordinary experience to watch so lots of providers doing work together, finally seeking to provide heightened activities for merchants with as a lot ease, agility and transparency as possible. It didn’t damage that these exact companions liked some laughs and authentic exciting together the way. Wanting again, I specifically relished my time at the “Women in Retail, Consumer Goods & Commerce Networking Event” from Dentsu exactly where I satisfied so a lot of fantastic gals leaders. By the conclude of the celebration, I understood I had fulfilled women of all ages I would be keeping in contact with in the decades to comply with. 

 

9. Belief and Transparency is the Legitimate Evaluate of Success 

 

On Day 3 of Dreamforce, I started to assume about what have confidence in intended in a enterprise partnership. Without having hesitation, I immediately believed of transparency. Immediately after all, how can you have rely on if you can’t have an understanding of all the information of a little something? When we glimpse at retail in individual, there are so several moving pieces at any single time that belief is vital in producing positive issues will do the job out productively. This was bolstered when I read from Salesforce spouse OSF Electronic in a session at Dreamforce in which they discussed linked client experiences built all around united associates performing alongside one another. By way of a various ecosystem of partners, OSF Digital is in a position to assist shops produce personalized consumer ordeals that nurture purchaser loyalty and bolster profits, as very well. But let’s facial area it. This can’t come about without a very clear being familiar with of what is getting area. Transparency offers merchants the capability to have this knowledge, nevertheless stores cannot get this with no the correct technological know-how. Figuring out there is technological know-how like Genie that integrates with other technologies from the many Salesforce companions I received to know while at Dreamforce proves trust and transparency go hand-in-hand. With each other, they lead to thriving ordeals no matter if it arrives to buyers, inventory, transactions or additional. 

 

Retail Minded&#8217s Nicole Leinbach chats with the OSF Electronic group while at Dreamforce 2022.

10. Retail is Not Retail Without having Dreamforce 

 

As Bret Taylor reported on Working day One of Dreamforce, “San Francisco is not San Francisco without having Dreamforce.” And I concur. But I also feel retail is not retail without the need of Dreamforce. 

Encountering Dreamforce as a very first-time attendee and self-described retail geek was &#8211 no pun meant &#8211 a desire appear legitimate. I left there motivated, inspired and admittedly, a little bit drained. It was a non-end, schooling-abundant knowledge that also available leisure and networking that I benefit from both equally a personal and skilled point of view. I’m grateful for the knowledge, but I am additional grateful for the merchants that get to advantage from the Salesforce spouse ecosystem that is making retailers far more worthwhile and extra enjoyable one Dreamforce at a time. 

For every single “wow” there’s a associate app + expert to energy the “how.”

Learn what is suitable for you on salesforce.com/associates.

 

 

The write-up Dreamforce 2022 in Assessment: 10 Highlights for Merchants to Study From appeared 1st on Retail Minded.

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