By: Amanda @RainforceBlog Mcdonald
At the annual Dreamforce conference, Salesforce released its new version for winter 2015. For the Rainforce readers out there, here are the five main things you should be aware of:
1. Strengthened security
With the reoccurring trend of security breaches among software providers, this new update is significant. Salesforce has added new components to its identity services with the introduction of Login Flows. New capabilities consist of allowing developers to utilize two-factor authentication, and integration with Salesforce, Communities and Salesforce1. Additionally, social networks can be used as a tool to login, single sign-on based on the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), and, of course, this new security enhancement will still include the traditional method of username and password. The new augmentation of Login Flows is meant to strengthen security for developers.
2. Ease of Access and Usability on Mobile
More work is increasingly being done through mobile and Salesforce has definitely used this medium to its advantage. Integrating several features that involve mobile, Salesforce will now be more user friendly on portable devices. For example, developers can choose to prevent duplicates. Although this is still in beta version, it will be improved on in the future. This allows developers to keep their data clean by establishing guidelines and prevent users from keeping duplicate records, allow for saving records again, despite the fact that a duplicate may be involved, and Salesforce1 can set the duplicate rule to run as users complete fields on a record, as pointed out by Matt Brown.
Another huge improvement is with the update of Salesforce, logging calls will be done more rapidly. Reps can log calls and add notes, allowing them to move through meetings. This means that users do not have to manually fill out all fields tediously.
3. Launch of Lightning
While Salesforce is relatively user friendly and easy to navigate around, it may be difficult for the uninitiated. For this reason, Salesforce has released Lightning. This program is designed as a drag-and-drop dashboard in order to alleviate this difficulty that users may have. Customers who may not know how to code and build mobile apps will find it easier to use Lightning to aid them with this task.
Take into consideration – supply chain manufacturers can use Lightning to record updates about their product’s status – whether it be the color, pH or any standard the product has to meet. While prior to Lightning, this would have to be done on a clipboard, Lightning allows this information to be shared in real time for the entire company.
4. Release of Service Cloud1
Salesforce also announced the release of Service Cloud1, meant to act as a support app for Salesforce1. It allows for greater ease of access and streamlines work. This includes “an overhauled customer-service agent console” that can help a rep resolve cases/complaints by providing information the program believes would be of use to the agent. Moreover, the software includes instant community websites, based off of self service, reimagined to answer customer questions and concerns about products and services.
5. Update on SOS
Previously touched on before by Salesforce, the product SOS was mentioned once again at Dreamforce. For those unfamiliar, SOS is likened to “Amazon’s Mayday button”. Essentially, this gives businesses a direct route of communication with customers. It enables organizations to embed a help button in their apps. If clicked by a customer, it will engage an audio/video chat session with an agent and a customer, resulting in immediate help, resolving customer problems faster. This software is still in private beta but will most likely reveal itself further in the future.
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