In an unprecedented move signaling the vitality of the UK economy and a positive trajectory in AI-led digital transformation, global CRM leader Salesforce has announced a significant investment of $4 billion in its UK business over the next five years. The news, announced during Salesforce’s biggest UK event yet, World Tour London: AI Day, underscores the company’s commitment to fuel innovation and support its growing customer base in the UK.
Salesforce’s recent growth in the UK is largely attributed to businesses investing in digital transformation and leveraging AI, with Salesforce providing tools for this revolution. This fresh investment marks an addition to the $2.5 billion previously invested in the UK over the past five years.
Salesforce’s commitment to the UK was lauded by UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who called it a “ringing endorsement” of the UK economy. Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce, also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working with innovative UK-based companies in this new era of AI-driven digital transformation.
The announcement aligns with the UK’s objective to grow its status as a technology leader, a view echoed by Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO, Salesforce UKI. With its focus on the safe and responsible use of AI, Salesforce is strategically positioned to bring secure, trusted, generative AI to UK businesses.
Salesforce, named the #1 CRM provider in the UK by IDC Software Tracker, continues to innovate with generative AI, a transformative technology set to redefine how businesses operate. The company recently launched Einstein GPT, the world’s first generative AI for CRM, and the AI Cloud, a holistic platform fusing AI, data, analytics, and automation. Also, Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Impact is a philanthropic initiative aimed at providing equitable access to trusted generative AI technologies.
In the course of the World Tour London: AI Day event, Salesforce plans to introduce its latest generative AI capabilities, demonstrating its potential to transform sales and service teams’ interaction with customers. Major UK businesses such as Aston Martin Lagonda, Heathrow Airport, and Santander UK are among those set to showcase their digital transformations powered by Salesforce.
According to research by IDC, Salesforce and its ecosystem of customers and partners in the UK are projected to create 271,700 new jobs and £52 billion ($66 billion) in new business revenues by 2026. Salesforce has further committed to combating the digital skills crisis, with initiatives to support digital skills training and a call for a national online digital skills platform.
In recognition of its commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, Salesforce was named the UK’s #3 Best Workplace in 2023 and #2 Workplace for Women by the UK’s Great Place to Work list. The company’s 1-1-1 model of corporate philanthropy underscores its social responsibility, with employees committing to volunteer an additional 100,000 hours in 2023.
Salesforce Ventures, the company’s investment arm, continues to support the UK startup community through its Generative AI Fund, part of its commitment to encourage the development of responsible generative AI. Other investments in the UK include Genesis Global, Onfido, Sequence, and Sylvera.
Salesforce’s bold investment move symbolizes not only its belief in the future of AI in the UK, but also the strength of the UK economy as a whole. The generous investment is set to fuel innovation, create new jobs, and boost business revenues, all of which will benefit the wider UK business ecosystem and continue to position the UK as a global tech hub.
Price Increases Announced
Salesforce, has also announced a significant list price increase of an average of 9% across its diverse product range, from August 20023. This includes Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Industries, and Tableau. The move does come seven years after their last price hike, a period during which Salesforce has delivered 22 new releases, thousands of new features, and invested more than $20 billion in research and development.
The price adjustment reflects Salesforce’s commitment to customer success and the company’s strides in providing trusted generative AI solutions to businesses across the board. As companies worldwide explore the potential of generative AI in enhancing efficiency and productivity, Salesforce continues to innovate, launching solutions such as AI Cloud, Einstein GPT, Sales GPT, and Service GPT in recent months.
Working with Salesforce enables customers to streamline operations and achieve swift value realization by partnering with a single company that deploys innovative technology across multiple domains including sales, service, marketing, commerce, and beyond.
The revised list pricing will be effective from August 2023 and will apply globally to new customers and existing ones purchasing new clouds. The adjusted rates will be as follows: Professional Edition at $80 USD (an increase of $5), Enterprise Edition at $165 USD (up by $15), and Unlimited Edition at $330 USD (an increase of $30). Similar price increases will also be implemented for Industries, Marketing Cloud Engagement and Account Engagement, CRM Analytics, and Tableau, keeping with the company’s comprehensive strategy.
This decision by Salesforce to raise prices after nearly a decade is an indication of its ongoing investment in research, development, and new feature offerings, in addition to its commitment to customer success by delivering innovative and trusted AI-based enterprise solutions.
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