9.3M Jobs and $1.6T in Revenue: The Salesforce Business Partner Ecosystem

Salesforce was one of the first in the cloud computing space to dream up a business model built on partnership. We recognized early that our success hinged on building a vibrant business partner ecosystem. Even the name “App Store” was coined and trademarked by Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff before being gifted to Apple. We believe it takes a village to help organizations of any size, B2C or B2B, make their business processes more efficient and accessible, and to get the most value from their data to personalize customer experiences.

From the beginning, Salesforce has been deeply invested in the success of each customer, developer, and partner we work with. Our Slack-first Customer 360 suite is the foundation that brings sales, service, marketing, commerce, IT, and analytics together through digital workflows. Our partners are Customer 360 experts. Whether they build solutions on our platform or provide implementation support, they help extend Salesforce into new industries and drive unparalleled customer success.

According to IDC, our ecosystem of partners is on track to grow to nearly 6X the size of Salesforce itself by 2026. And together with our partners, the Salesforce ecosystem is expected to create 9.3 million new jobs and $1.6 trillion in new business revenue for our customers by 2026.  

Expert Salesforce-credentialed partners

The Salesforce business partner ecosystem helps customers grow faster and reach further. Throughout a customer’s journey, experts bring deep Salesforce know-how and industry best practices to offer solutions across products, industries, and regions. 

Our partner ecosystem includes consulting partners, digital agencies, independent software vendors, and resellers that bring apps and expertise to solve any customer challenge. Seventy percent of Salesforce implementations are led by our 132,000 credentialed Salesforce experts.

Partners make an incredible impact across Salesforce and are involved in some way with almost every Salesforce customer. In fact, nine out of 10 Salesforce customers rely on partner apps and experts. And 100% of the Fortune 100 have installed a Salesforce partner solution. Whether it’s a business niche, industry, or data capability, partners help fulfill customer needs and make the Slack-first Customer 360 platform stronger.

The Salesforce AppExchange of apps and solutions

The Salesforce AppExchange is the #1 trusted enterprise cloud marketplace, featuring more than 6,900 apps and experts. In fact, more than 91% of Salesforce customers, from small businesses to enterprise companies, have installed at least one app from the AppExchange. In all, there have been more than 9.6 million app or solution installs.

Proven AppExchange apps and certified expertise help customers extend the capability of the Salesforce Customer 360. These peer-reviewed apps are available for nearly any business process, and they can be customized to meet your company’s specific needs. The appetite for these solutions is not slowing down.

Salesforce developers

Developers range in experience from the business user to the hardcore coder, and we are here to support all of them. The Salesforce developer community is a million strong, and we give them all access to the Salesforce Customer 360 platform and a toolbox of App Cloud services. They use these tools to build powerful apps at record speed –  they are dedicated and  innovative, frequently turning out new solutions and capabilities. 

On top of all of this, aspiring and established professional developers can grow their careers with Trailhead, our free online learning platform. From low-code to hand coding, developers of all skill levels can learn for free and at their own pace, earning badges and credentials – as well as community and knowledge – along the way.

From our earliest days, Salesforce has built a team mentality around problem solving and business success. Working with Salesforce includes bottomless resources at the ready to solve any issue or connect any technology. With our partner apps and experts, limitless educational opportunities and development resources, we are here for you, your business, and your customers.

IDC White Paper, sponsored by Salesforce, “The Salesforce Economic Impact,” doc #US48214821, September 20, 2021