Salesforce has invested in APX Labs, a company which makes software for wearable devices. This is led to speculations that Salesforce is planning to have integration between its cloud platform with this new market segment. Whereas overall popularity of wearable has seen a moderate growth worldwide, this article lists out what could be the impact of such a solution for the sales force.
Key facts about Wearable Technology
While technology like watch which can calculate has been there since 1980s, modern wearable technology came into limelight with the launch of Google Glass. Interest in the same has increased sharply in the personal usage segment. As far as the business segment is concerned, the usage has been rather limited. Industry domain wise, it is popular in healthcare where surgeons need to collaborate and conduct surgeries across locations.
Three important business cases for wearable in context of Salesforce
Needless to say, having information at the right time is crucial for the marketing team. Adding convenience is another dimension which is very important. Wearable, of course, provide the later, however, an integration with Salesforce can adding meaning and accuracy.
1. Meetings and Calendars
The salesperson can access and get reminders for the meetings in a crisp manner on the field. He can view the information which is required to be able to conduct his meeting successfully and in the most productive manner. The user doesn’t have to open his device to be able to get the information. He simply gets a beep on his watch and is presented with details right there.
2. Emails
Accessing emails on the mobile device is of utmost importance. The user can see emails which are attached to a contact record and become aware of the past communication which has happened. Again, the email pop-ups on the glass / watch and there is no need for the user to unlock his mobile and view the details.
3. Feeds and Chatter
To become abreast with what is happening on the ground, wearable integration can be a useful thing. For example, a price hike or a new opportunity won after a tough competition. These are something which can be accessed on the device. In fact, the collaboration can reach an altogether new dimension.
Future of wearable is linked to the value it adds
It may be argued that not wearable is still not a priority for enterprises. But at the same time, it can also be said that the technology has had hardly any meaning attached to businesses. As more and more application get integrated with enterprise applications like ERP and CRM, it will become more compelling for companies to start looking at this new technology. The underlying principle of having the information at the right time is the sole reason which is expected to drive businesses to use wearable. As most of the users in the CRM segment are meant to be on the move, wearable present a strong business case to this segment.
