What we can expect from Dreamforce 2018
Next week is Dreamforce 2018. The biggest four days of the year! Here’s what we have to look forward to.
It would be wrong to think of Dreamforce as just a technology conference – it’s so much more than that! It’s an opportunity to transform your career, transform your organisation and spur on change.
This will be my fifth Dreamforce, and the one thing that always amazes me is just how inspired you are – both personally and professionally – when you get on that plane to come home. I’m not sure anyone expects that going into a technology conference.
It would be wrong to think of Dreamforce as just a technology conference — it's so much more than that!
Sure, you’ll definitely walk away with some key product learnings. But, at its core, Dreamforce is an opportunity to take a step back from the day-to-day, think about what's possible and be inspired.
Dreamforce 2018: The key themes
I’m expecting the Fourth Industrial Revolution to be a hot topic again this year. We’re in a changing world, with innovation, data and technology radically transforming our economies, societies and lives. This presents a big opportunity – or a big threat – for businesses trying to compete in this day and age.
Traditionally, businesses have connected with customers when it’s timely or relevant for the business, not when it's timely and relevant for the customer – but that’s all about to change. In the State of the Connected Customer Report, 84% of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to winning their business.
And we now have the data to know what our customers are interested in and when. The businesses that’ll thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution are going to be those that embrace technology to deliver highly personalised, relevant customer interactions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has a starring role to play in this new 4IR world, providing the ability for businesses to deliver these personalised interactions at scale. Yet, the management of customer data remains a sticking point for many businesses. Recently, the Artificial Intelligence in Asia report found that Asian consumers are largely dissatisfied with a lack of transparency in how their data is handled by companies, with 69% saying companies keep them in the dark about how their data is used.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has a starring role to play in this new 4IR world.
Organisations also need to be thinking about how AI can be used to empower a workforce, not replace a workforce. It’s businesses’ responsibility to help people adapt to the changing nature of work by training them for the jobs of tomorrow. While 63% of Asian consumers think AI will lead to better job opportunities, only 18% feel they’re ready for the changes that AI will bring to the workplace.
What Asia can takeaway from Dreamforce
Earlier in the year, I spoke about Asia leading the charge on innovation, with digital transformation and customer experience firmly on the boardroom agenda. This is still very much the case, with an innovation race underway in Asia.
Going into Dreamforce, there’ll no doubt be plenty of learnings and inspiration to help fast-track this innovation agenda. However, I do think there are more complexities in Asia that will need to be overlaid once we get home, such as how to traverse countries and languages, and tackle the sheer scale of audiences we address in Asia.
The big Dreamforce agenda items you can’t miss
If there’s one Dreamforce session you should move heaven and earth to get to (or at least watch via Salesforce Live), it’s the Opening Keynote. Every year, I get goosebumps walking into the keynote auditorium, which sounds ridiculous but it’s true. The session, led by Salesforce Chairman and Co-CEO Marc Benioff, sets the tone for the week ahead and gives you a taste of the key themes that will run throughout.
The relevant product keynotes are also important sessions to get to, as they reveal the product innovation that will be championed over the next 12 months.
If there's one Dreamforce session you should move heaven and earth to get to it's the Opening Keynote.
Each year, some amazing brands take to the Dreamforce stage, sharing their Salesforce journeys. So have a look through the agenda, identify those brands you find particularly interesting or inspirational, and earmark those sessions.
What I’m looking forward to
Leading the Marketing Cloud team for Asia, I’m really interested in the Marketing Cloud Keynote on Intelligent Marketing for the Empowered Consumer. There’ll be some amazing customer Trailblazers – Ticketmaster, BBVA, Warner Bros. and Women of Email – sharing how they’re using the platform to better understand, personalise and engage their customers, with no doubt plenty of insights to take home.
I also can’t wait to learn more about the latest with Interaction Studio, Google Analytics 360 and Salesforce DMP, and how our customers can get the most value from these technologies.
Dreamforce isn’t just about the tech
When people head to Dreamforce, it’s natural to be thinking technology. But it would be remiss not to capitalise on some of the personal development, wellness and giving back opportunities available. By investing in your own self-growth, you return home from Dreamforce feeling unstoppable!
Asian customer Trailblazers to look out for
We have some incredible customers flying the flag for Asia at Dreamforce, including Cathay Pacific, who will be sharing their story in the session International Airlines Elevate Customer Experiences with Marketing Cloud on Tuesday, 25 September at 12pm.
In this session, we’ll get the chance to hear all about Cathay Pacific’s digital transformation that's underpinned by a vision to recognise and respond to the evolving needs of its customers, all in order to increase its competitiveness in the airline industry. They will also be participating in a broadcast on Salesforce LIVE, so keep an eye out for this recording.
I’m also extremely excited to see content from Toll Logistics (part of Japan Post), in a session on Wednesday, 26 September at 10:30am, they’ll be sharing the lessons they learnt from an ambitious organisation-wide modernisation program that went to market in just eight months, across the complex environment that is APAC.
A big audience takeaway from this session will be the importance of speed and agility in a digital transformation. It’s easy to get caught up in the detail of features and functionality, and forget the biggest competitive edge is a business’s ability to move at speed. Another takeaway is how to use technology to break down internal silos – a critical determinant of success in these projects.
Some final advice
Dreamforce is such an incredible learning opportunity. To make the most of it, you need to block out all distractions from home and really immerse yourself in the experience.
Don’t forget to leave time to meet other brands and network with other Trailblazers. You’re all going through similar challenges, so take the opportunity to learn from one another and appreciate the power of the Salesforce Ohana.
If you aren’t able to attend Dreamforce in person, you can still blaze a virtual trail to San Francisco, and get in on all of the action, inspiration and innovation via the Salesforce LIVE Dreamforce 2018 broadcast.