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Microsoft's Nadella Banks On LinkedIn Data To Challenge Salesforce (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the microsoft-vs-salesforce dept.

Microsoft is rolling out upgrades to its sales software that integrates data from LinkedIn, an initiative that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told Reuters was central to the company's long-term strategy for building specialized business software. From the report: The improvements to Dynamics 365, as Microsoft's sales software is called, are a challenge to market leader Salesforce.com and represent the first major product initiative to spring from Microsoft's $26 billion acquisition of LinkedIn, the business-focused social network. The new features will comb through a salesperson's email, calendar and LinkedIn relationships to help gauge how warm their relationship is with a potential customer. The system will recommend ways to save an at-risk deal, like calling in a co-worker who is connected to the potential customer on LinkedIn. [...] The artificial intelligence, or AI, capabilities of the software would be central, Nadella said. "I want to be able to democratize AI so that any customer using these products is able to, in fact, take their own data and load it into AI for themselves," he said. On Monday, LinkedIn said it has surpassed 500 million members globally, one of the first big milestones for the business social network since its acquisition.

1 of 34 comments (clear)

  1. Linkedln offers advice by gtall · · Score: 2, Funny

    LkdIn: Hi there Big Guy, I see your customer A says he hates your guts, would you like me to contact him for you and explain you are a nice guy?
    Big Guy: No, I can handle this.
    LkdIn: Errrmm...how about if I send him some flowers?
    Big Guy: I'll take care of it.
    LkdIn: Flowers are very nice gesture, might I suggest a nice floral arrangement?
    Big Guy: He's my customer, I can deal with him.
    LkdIn: Have you considered candy?
    Big Guy: Will you leave me the fuck alone, I'll handle it.
    LkdIn: Not worry, I sent him a sympathy card over his death.
    Big Guy: What? He's not dead!!
    LkdIn: ...well, he will be some day, my AI programming was very firm on this.
    Big Guy: (pulls out gun, shoots self in head)
    LkdIn: Look bucko, I'm not sending you a sympathy card after that gratuitous gesture.