by Luke Orell 

October 4, 2022

Is it possible that the only global event that is supposed to pull businesses out of technology conundrums could be creating digital dysfunction? 

Dreamforce is Salesforce’s (and arguably the world’s) biggest SaaS technology event bringing together thousands of partners, from 40,000 to 100,000 in-person attendees and over 1,000,000 virtual attendees, from all around the world. As one of the world’s largest SaaS events, Dreamforce draws in partners, Trailblazers, and users to San Francisco for a three day Saas extravaganza experience. Dreamforce is the ultimate playground for SaaS junkies; with countless workshops, speaking events, networking opportunities, parties, and entertainment. So, how could an event so good cause businesses so much harm? 

Hear Me Out – What is Digital Dysfunction? 

Digital dysfunction is the block of flow and data between business units and processes – unhealthy behavior and interaction between systems, people and functions. Blocking process, blocking data flow, blocking interactions, and blocking functionality revenue. 

How Does Dreamforce Cause Digital Dysfunction? 

Simply put, shiny object syndrome (S.O.S.). Dreamforce was created as the superior tech thought-leader event, where you expect to learn about the latest and greatest in all things Salesforce ecosystem and beyond. As an attendee, you hear about all the new capabilities and offerings now available. It is easy to feel you must consider adding these new innovations to your current Salesforce and tech stack architecture. These are the world’s leading and emerging technologies. Of course you want to adopt the latest and greatest, right? 

Do Not Be Pressured into Believing You Need ALL the Shiny New Objects

Look at your business strategy first, and ask, “Does this tool help us achieve our business goals?” Upon revisiting your strategies alongside your people and process, you may find: 

1. Pass. You may not need the shiny object.
2. Timing. You may need it, just not yet.
3. Alternatives. You may need something similar, just a different one.
4. Build. You may find that you could build it. 

Worse still, that new tool you seek, ‘because it’s really cool,’ may actually disrupt processes, amplify your digital dysfunction, and take you off course; causing you to scurry to put out the fires this new tech caused and setting you back. That scenario may seem a little dramatic, but we have seen this happen time and time again. 

Ultimately, the tech might be cool, the need feature, the new thing, but how does it relate to your entire customer journey? What is the impact this tech will have on appending processes? Will it harm your revenue acceleration, or will it encourage it? 

Finding the Right Solution at Dreamforce

If you have to find creative ways to bring a new technology into your business, if implementation is difficult, and if the technology is not widely accepted by your team, that may be a sign to stop. These new trendy tools could end up causing data flow issues, dead ends, further disconnected silos, confusion, frustration, and make you revert back to poor processes. So, when walking into the 25k square feet at Moscone Center dedicated to booths and partners, enter with caution. It is likely that you may be swallowed up by the thousands of these solutions that are or are not relevant to your business if you are not prepared. So, how do you find what is relevant and make the most of the opportunity to see all this tech and creativity in one place? Virtual or otherwise? 

Attending an event like Dreamforce requires preparation and then integration of understanding. Go in with clear goals, a laser-focus, and the right mind-set. Dreamforce could be the answer to your revenue prayers or you could spend further time and money implementing silos. 

Avoid Digital Dysfunction at Dreamforce – Go in with a Plan

Ask yourself, “What is going to drive that ROI?” As RevOps technology experts, oftentimes we see that when businesses have been on this digital journey and are in different stages of cloud adoption, they are tempted by these shiny new tools and start thinking they need these things to improve their processes. This comes without considering how adding in that tool will effect and work alongside their people, processes and other technologies. This only amplifies the challenge of integrating that tech into their business. 

Yes, there are solutions that can improve your RevOps process and these technologies can be the rocket fuel for your revenue, but how do you delineate? Definitely take the time to go to the expo, not just for the swag (which we all love of course), and have a plan.

Rocket Your RevOps Strategy at Dreamforce 

As Salesforce advocates from way back, our co-founder was one of the first 50 employees in Australia. We love a good Dreamforce campfire. We love the technology on show and we know that you can easily walk away buzzing from the experience, but the trick is not to get stuck implementing shiny tech for the sake of shiny tech. Be a purveyor and protector of your focus, time, money, and go into Dreamforce knowing which part of your funnel needs help and find the right partner, provider and technology that will underpin the best way to take care of your customer. 

Otherwise, I hope you had fun and bought us back some swag!