The possibilities of what the AI-data-CRM combination can mean for businesses looking to build success now was the golden thread that ran through the events of the day.

Representatives from industries including banking, retail and telecoms discovered more on how Salesforce Customer360 is driving customer engagement and success for business amidst strong economic headwinds.

The global CRM leader's annual event in the region — formerly known as Salesforce Live — is not your average company event but rather a dynamic gathering of partners, customers, experts and stakeholders from across industries for a day of sharing and learning, says Salesforce.

In the numerous breakout sessions, these selected customers and partners shared their digital transformation projects and learnings, driven by Salesforce's latest innovations. 

Salesforce says that its updates on its growth in the region and news on its skills and talent programme highlighted once again why it is the number one ranked CRM in the world.

Innovations for customer success now

Most notable among the solutions announced by Salesforce was the recently launched AI Cloud, a new suite of products designed to be enterprise ready for businesses to leverage the power and potential of generative AI for business, the CRM adds.

With AI Cloud, Salesforce's existing product portfolio, across all applications and workflows, can be augmented with AI capabilities. AI Cloud will boost productivity across all applications and workflows as it integrates with existing Salesforce technologies including:
  • Einstein
  • Data Cloud
  • Tableau
  • Flow, and
  • MuleSoft.

Sustained growth in the region


In his keynote address, Zuko Mdwaba, Salesforce Area VP / Africa executive and South Africa country leader, reported that Salesforce growth in South Africa is ahead of the global average — a not-insignificant achievement considering Salesforce set up a legal entity in South Africa a mere 18 months ago.

This growth is evident in Salesforce's growing number of partners and certifications, according to the CRM. Partner Certifications grew by 61% while Partner Certified Individuals grew by 58%, as at the end of Q1 of FY24. Partners that hold Certifications grew by 39%.

It's equally positive for the rest of Africa, says Salesforce, as:
  • Partner Certifications for all of Africa grew by 60%
  • Partner Certified Individuals by 57%, and
  • Partners who hold Certifications grew by 41%.

The growth was further evidenced at the event where 10 customers (ABSA, Capitec, Clicks, HearX, MultiChoice, Namibia Brewery Limited, NetFlorist, Sasol, Standard Bank and The Invigilator) were represented.

Collective effort for a collective challenge

Salesforce says that it remains steadfastly committed to helping solve one of South Africa's key challenges : the digital skills gap and job creation.

In 2022 Ursula Fear, senior talent programme manager at Salesforce South Africa, announced the Salesforce ecosystem is expected to create 31 800 new jobs and generate USD$5.1-billion in new business revenue in South Africa by 2026.

Further to this commitment Fear announced Salesforce's partnership with Collective, a private sector-led initiative aimed at addressing the massive gap between the oversupply of digital jobs and the undersupply of people with the skills to fill them in South Africa.

"It's a collective effort to equip our country's youth with the digital skills needed to radically increase employment and make a meaningful contribution to the economy. Salesforce believes business is a platform for change and that it is by coming together that we can do different — Collective X is one of the vehicles through which Salesforce is realising its commitment to fit-for-purpose skills and sustainable job creation in South Africa," Fear says.

Delegates at the event were also invited to give back at the event by packing 20 000 meal kits for Rise Against Hunger, an NPO working to eradicate childhood hunger in Southern Africa.

The event was sponsored by 19 partners including:
  • six Emerald: BlueSky
  • Cloud23
  • Cloudsmiths
  • Deloitte Digital
  • EXAH, and
  • PwC.

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