Five Things to Keep Top of Mind from Dreamforce 2014

[AmyP]

If the massive turnout for the Tuesday afternoon keynote at Dreamforce 2014 – 145,000 on-site attendees and more than 5 million online viewers – is any indication of the significance of information shared, surely it’s no surprise that I’m still sorting through session and conversation notes to surface those insights that matter most. As a first-time Dreamforce attendee passionate about analytics and technology, here are five things I plan to keep top of mind:

1. Disruption of the traditional analytics market is upon us – just ask Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff or Jai Das, Managing Director with Sapphire Ventures and Alteryx board member. Empowering analysts in the line of business by enabling them to make smarter, more informed decisions on that data through implementing advanced analytics is what we do best – see for yourself.
2. “Speed is now the currency of business” – in other words, how quickly and efficiently you service your customers is as vital as any other traditional aspect of doing business. Being that Alteryx empowers data analysts to deliver deeper insights in hours, not the weeks typical of tradit... , this is one insight that simply could not be overlooked.
3. Customers may or may not always be right – but they do rule – ask any professional focused on customer retention and growth. Leveraging customer analytics to create stronger, longer lasting relationships with your customers is no longer a nice to have, it’s a must have. Reason being, customers’ expectations for a better experience continue to rise. Equally influential is the increasingly widespread availability of easy-to-use analytical tools for analysts and business users alike.
4. Technology for “kids these days” – cornerstone to the Dreamforce experience is giving back – and there are ample opportunities to do so over the four days spent in San Francisco. Kudos to the Salesforce Foundation for continuing to raise an incredible enthusiasm for technology with today’s youth. Beyond just checking out “cool apps”, inspiring kids to be genuinely curious about how “it”, aka technology, works is definitely something to keep top of mind.
5. Find your spark! – Life is too short to not be engaged with what lights you up and inspires you. For someone like me, who’s passionate about analytics and technology, attending Dreamforce is a chance to fuel that fire. Being immersed in intellectually stimulating conversations with like-minded individuals is inspiring, as is being a part of the “reinvention of analytics” movement.

I'd love to hear your comments on the top of mind insights shared here — what's your spark?