Last week’s Dreamforce conference brought together two former software industry adversaries to offer a new set of cloud-based services that promise to enable businesses and other institutions to capitalize on the flood of new data expected to be produced by the Internet of Things (IoT).

Salesforce.com has been promoting the idea of the “Internet of the Customer” for a couple of years. It employed its unparalleled aspirational marketing skills to paint a picture of a better world for the people (customers) who sit behind the things, if the companies that serve them tap the data to build better products and deliver better services. Microsoft has also been promoting the virtues of a more mobile and connected world that requires greater collaboration and productivity software tools along with greater database systems and information services.

Salesforce used Dreamforce to unveil a new IoT Cloud powered by a purpose-built platform called “Thunder”, and announce a new alliance with Microsoft with IoT implications.

Click here to read THINKstrategies’ perspectives in Sandhill.com regarding the market potential of this announcement.

Contact us if you’d like to discuss how your company should respond to this important initiative.

Internet of Things IoT Microsoft Salesforce.com