The Salesforce World Tour, that took place on the 19th May 2016 at ExCel London, was undoubtedly a success, but then we knew it always would be. We could tell you how packed the venue was and how awesome the keynotes were, but if you were there, then you would know that anyway! This year, we have gone with 7 things the ROD team learnt, by attending the most anticipated event on the technology calendar…..
In no particular order:
1) That Peroni gives you a headache – This delightfully delicious beer that is enjoyed around the world….packs a punch! When you have been on your feet all day networking, or enjoying the many break out session, it is easy to forget to take on water. A Peroni, might slide down easy and quench the thirst, but beware the morning after…when the workman take up residence inside your head!
2) The Salesforce community is awesome – Being customers of Salesforce, as well as recruiters within the Salesforce space, we always knew the ecosystem was a close-knit community, but yesterday’s event took this to whole a new level. For the seventh year in a row, the ROD team have been staggered by the many faces that continue to attend year after year. It might be an opportunity to learn something new, or see the latest products and releases in action, but without doubt it feels more like a gathering of ‘old’ friends. An opportunity to to catch up and chat technology, work and life with like-minded and equally passionate people.
3) Say ‘No’ to heels – As a seasoned Salesforce event attendee, Theresa Durrant, Founder of Resource On Demand knows full well the suffering that can be inflicted by a pair of lovely looking heels. During the course of yesterday’s event she covered just over 5.3 miles and considers packing a pair of ‘flats’ as an essential part of her preparations for the getting the best out of the day.
4) ISV’s are fuelling growth – We couldn’t help but notice how this year there seemed to be many more ISVs in attendance then ever before, which goes to show how the ecosystem continues to encourage innovation and creativity among technology experts. There are already some fantastic apps already on the appExchange, but after chatting to a number of the ISVs, it is clear to see this is just the tip of the iceberg.
5) That the ‘Experts’ really love what they do – You may have thought Phil Walton was just a Star Wars nut (yes he was the gent leading around Darth Vader and crew), but it was evident that he really gets a kick out of what he does. He is a fantastic contributor to the Salesforce ecosystem as a whole, and we absolutely love him (#philwaltonfans).
6) That Aston Martins are amazing – It’s easy to fall in love with this iconic car and brand, or secretly harbour thoughts about being a secret agent, travelling the world and fighting evil. But after the fantastic keynote given by Dr Andy Palmer, President & CEO of Aston Martin, we think they are even more amazing…..The names Cloud…ROD Cloud!
7) Learning can be fun – If you did manage to follow the bear, then hopefully you too had the opportunity to flex some grey matter in the Admin / Developer areas. Unlike previous years where cheat sheets and force.com books were handed out to those who managed to get to the queue first, this year you had to prove your worthiness in order to bag a prize. Whilst the queue to build an app, or use the process builder under the watchful eye of an Expert was a tad long (45 minute wait), it was deliciously fun. However, I did hear a few people begging in the queue in order to bag a coveted t-shirt or cuddly toy, without taking part, but kudos to the Rangers as they did not give in to their plight!