New Survey Reveals Data Integration is among Top Challenges for Salesforce Users

September 22, 2015

New Survey Reveals Data Integration is among Top Challenges for Salesforce Users Findings show Salesforce is more mission-critical than ever before, but lack of integration impacts overall performance significantly

BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Progress (NASDAQ: PRGS) today announced the results of its latest worldwide survey. Conducted in conjunction with Dimensional Research, the survey delves into the management of Salesforce deployments by users, professionals and administrators. Initial findings reveal top challenges, usage patterns and future planning around Salesforce implementations. Survey respondents included more than 200 active Salesforce users and professionals from a variety of organizations, industries and regions. Click here to read the full report.

While Salesforce remains as integral as ever, this survey digs deep into the key challenges involved in continuing to make the most of this critical platform, said Michael Benedict, President, Data Connectivity and Integration, Progress. With 89 percent of respondents pursuing new Salesforce implementations over the next two years, it is clear that data and application integration is and will remain hugely important-requiring companies to seek out the proper tools, technologies and best practices to leverage Salesforce in a more meaningful way.

Key findings from the survey include:

Salesforce is More Mission-Critical than Ever Before: Survey responses indicate that Salesforce integrations are spidering into a surprising variety of applications throughout the enterprise, including support systems (46%), ERP, lead generation, marketing, shipping, licensing applications and more. Legacy applications account for 38 percent of all integrations. And, 12 percent of businesses surveyed have more than 10 applications and data sources connected to Salesforce currently.

Mission-Critical, Lack of Data Integration is Impacting Performance: Fifty-four percent (54%) of respondents indicated that application and data source integration is their most pressing challenge due to challenges around on-premise applications (48%), legacy applications (47%), connectivity (40%) and shared data sources (37%). Sixty-three percent (63%) stated integration difficulties result in slower Salesforce performance.

Innumerable Benefits Reign Supreme: Despite current challenges, the benefits of Salesforce are plentiful, ranging from ease-of-use to cost effectiveness to competitive advantage. Fifty-six percent (56%) of respondents said Salesforce is intuitive and easy-to-use. In addition, 48 percent said, despite access to real-time data and analysis, Salesforce still increased the effectiveness of their sales teams.

Survey respondents included more than 200 users, professionals and administrators currently using or managing Salesforce. Participants spanned industries including technology (22%), manufacturing (18%), financial services (13%), services (11%) and healthcare (10%), with the remaining respondents in telecom, government, retail, utilities, education, non-profit and transportation. Job titles ranged from Corporate IT, sales, product and general management, manufacturing/production, finance/accounting and marketing. Eighty-two percent (82%) of respondents were based in North America (US/Canada) with representation from EMEA (12%), Central/South America (1) and Asia Pacific (5%).

The Progress Data Connectivity and Integration business unit offers unique data connectivity solutions for enterprises needing to better manage and integrate data across relational, Big Data and cloud data sources. With proven, high-performance connectivity despite demanding data migration, integration and management scenarios, Progress data connectivity solutions are used by more than 10,000 global enterprises in 160 countries, including 96 of the Fortune 100.

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About Progress

Progress (NASDAQ: PRGS) is a global software company that simplifies the development, deployment and management of business applications on-premise or in the cloud, on any platform or device, to any data source, with enhanced performance, minimal IT complexity and low total cost of ownership. Progress can be reached at www.progress.com or 1-781-280-4000.

Progress is a trademark or registered trademark of Progress Software Corporation or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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Progress

Kim Baker, 1-888-365-2779

PR@progress.com

Source: Progress

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LINK:	http://investors.progress.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=932522...
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