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Is user adoption of Salesforce Analytics Cloud the next wave?
Salesforce Wave filled an analytics void when it was released -- but there are caveats. Learn more about the benefits and challenges of moving to Salesforce Analytics Cloud.
Emerging in the analytics market in October 2014, the Salesforce Analytics Cloud came on the scene with great fanfare and much buzz. While Salesforce isn't an analytics provider, its applications need analytics to enable business users to take informed action.
Needless to say, when Wave emerged, it was much anticipated. Executives, sales reps, marketers and others had been clamoring for business intelligence tools that were easy to use; provided a variety of charts and graphs for data visualization; and, most important, were native to the Salesforce platform. It meant they could look at the data directly in the application they were working in and wouldn't have to export the data or switch between applications. Native data means faster, better business decisions.
Now that's all good news for users. But there are some caveats here, too. Consider that many analytics users have already heavily invested in their current tools and may not be ready to spring for an additional system. For others, getting the data into Salesforce may be an issue. And for still others, there may be alternatives with better data visualization options.
We explore some of these issues in our new guide to the Analytics Cloud. First, we look at some of the benefits of Wave. For Verizon, getting analytics up and running was much faster using Wave. Meanwhile, a healthcare organization is focusing on cutting costs and helping providers offer better care, after ingesting third-party data into Wave.
We also look at Wave a year into its evolution, and whether users are ready to see the value in it. For some, it's still a wait-and-see story as they weigh the price of the Salesforce Analytics Cloud against the investments in their current tools before they make the leap.
Finally, Adam Bataran of Bluewolf Consulting provides tips for organizations that aren't ready for a full-fledged move to Wave but are eager to explore it. Bataran offers practical ways to get started.
The Salesforce Analytics Cloud is still fledgling, but companies are starting to see the benefits. They just have to tackle the hurdles of cost, legacy infrastructure and data quality issues first.
