Google Takes Aim at the Enterprise: Announces Salesforce for Google Apps:
Google and Salesforce.com have announced the launch of a jointly developed product that integrates the key features of Google Apps with the key features of Salesforce.com, the leader in web-based CRM software with more than 41,000+ corporate customers. Called “Salesforce for Google Apps,” the new product is available immediately at no cost to Salesforce.com customers, and includes tight integration with Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Talk.
google appsAs someone who once worked in a sales organization that utilized Salesforce.com, and currently depends on Google Apps daily, the integration certainly appears to be something that could be immensely useful and propel Google’s office and enterprise ambitions forward. I had a look at the four key integration points in a demo on Friday, and here’s how I’d describe them, in as non-businessy a way as possible:
Gmail: While previously (at least when I used it) Salesforce allowed you to send emails through their interface, you can now use Gmail natively, and have the correspondence tracked through Salesforce. This allows you, your colleagues, and your managers to keep tabs on Gmail communication with your sales leads.