Over the past few years, organizations across the globe have been required to accelerate their technology investments to operate amid massive market disruptions. Companies that were already firmly rooted in digital and cloud technology endured challenges more effectively than their counterparts. The question is no longer whether to invest in these platforms — it’s how to strategically optimize those investments to accelerate business value.

Salesforce is one of the platforms leading the mandate for change. Today’s leading enterprises are maximizing the value of Salesforce through a holistic approach to business transformation and they are creating essential business systems that are agile enough to thrive amidst disruptions and uncertainty. These companies will outperform competitors and deliver consistent wins that accelerate progress.

The State of Salesforce report focuses on ways companies can unlock the next wave of value with Salesforce. We look forward and share insights into how business leaders around the globe envision Salesforce, and how Salesforce enables organizations to withstand constant change.

Explore: The State of Salesforce 2022-2023: Unlocking the Next Wave of Business Value

Below is a summary of the four trends identified in the report — trends that show the importance of using Salesforce across your entire business, not just in discrete business units or departments.

Trend #1: Unlock value by using cross-cloud solutions

The next wave of business value lies in using the cross-cloud capabilities provided by Salesforce to optimize digital operations. Leading companies are pursuing operational excellence to unlock results like profitability, higher productivity, streamlined processes and employee retention. With Salesforce, they have access to intelligent workflows, global partner networks and the features that provide customers and employees with a true 360-degree experience.

Businesses must tap into the power of the entire Salesforce platform and product suite to gain the benefits of a true cross-cloud experience. You’ll achieve results through automation, integration and collaboration to reduce costs, ramp up productivity and deepen connections among users.

Companies that embrace cross-cloud solutions come out ahead. More than 75% of organizations say Salesforce increases their business productivity, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction.

— The State of Salesforce Survey, 2022

Trend #2: Unlock value by becoming a trusted enterprise

We’ve entered the era of the trusted enterprise. People want to engage with businesses they trust, whether as customers, partners or employees. Building a trusted enterprise comes down to using digital technology in ways that live up to stated values regarding ethics, transparency, security, privacy and safety. Leading companies are using Salesforce to create responsive, trustworthy and intelligent systems that safeguard users’ peace of mind and implement AI with integrity.

Establishing a trusted enterprise requires coordinated effort and alignment between your business culture and technology. With Salesforce and its broader ecosystem as the lynchpin between your values and processes, you’ll seamlessly clean up and secure user data and design trustworthy AI that drives engagement and growth for your organization.

Becoming a modern, trusted enterprise means embracing AI, but taking care to do so ethically. 60% of executives cite customer and employee trust concerns as a top blocker to using AI, while 57% cite issues around transparency and the ethical use of data.

— The State of Salesforce Survey, 2022

Trend #3: Unlock value by innovating smarter

Leading enterprises are building systems and technology that can respond to fast-paced changes in the market. Modern business requires an innovative mindset that’s ready to support new visions and updated methods that bring them to life. The organizations that are modernizing most effectively are taking advantage of what Salesforce refers to as “configuration not code” and embracing the constantly evolving Salesforce ecosystem to innovate infinitely.

The core Salesforce platform and its numerous new releases ensure that your business always has access to the latest features and capabilities. When your leadership is aligned with innovation-based goals in mind, you’ll effectively orchestrate and execute enterprise-wide transformation.

Innovating smarter means finding the right partners to help you get the most out of Salesforce: 83% of customers work with an external partner to manage Salesforce, leveraging their insight and expertise to support ongoing innovation and take advantage of new features.

— The State of Salesforce Survey, 2022

Trend #4: Make sustainability a transformation catalyst

Environmental impacts and disruption within the global economy have made sustainability a strategic business imperative, and IBM and Salesforce are leading transformational environmental change. Progress is possible, and both organizations offer ways business leaders can embrace eco-friendly strategies and technology that move everyone forward.

Data-driven environmentalism is quickly moving to the forefront, requiring business leaders to account for not just their internal operations but for the far-reaching impact of their products and services. Data-driven transparency and insights help your organization achieve truly transformative sustainability objectives where core values are integrated into the very fabric of your enterprise. To begin this journey and establish a scalable and measurable approach, companies must focus on their data, culture and leadership. Platforms like Salesforce provide the technology necessary to integrate all aspects of sustainability into core business functions and transform the entire enterprise.

Turning sustainability ambition into action is essential for businesses moving forward. 90% of companies cite long-term sustainability as one of the most important challenges facing their organization over the next 18 months.

Thank you for your interest in The State of Salesforce 2022-23 report. I’m excited to be able to share this year’s findings with you. Please download the report and share it with your colleagues. Reach out to me or my team if you have any questions about the report or how IBM can help you unlock value from your Salesforce investment.

Learn more about the IBM Salesforce Consulting services and read the full report