Salesforce Research Program

What am I signing up for?

Signing up means you’ll receive email invitations to participate in research with Salesforce. You’ll be helping us improve Salesforce products, both existing features and those that are still in development. We may ask you to test a prototype, or we might interview you to better understand your job and experience with one of our products.

Who are you looking for?

We are looking for people who use business software at work; whether you use Salesforce or not. We speak to brand new users and experts alike, and since we design for a broad range of customers, our priority is to understand every perspective.

So what would I do during a study?

You can decide which studies to participate in. We’ll always contact you with information about the activity and the method used before we make any final arrangements.

Most sessions last about one hour and are conducted one-on-one with a researcher.

• Remote via a web conference: In-person conversations aren’t aways the most practical way to reach you so we conduct most sessions remotely using online web conferencing tools. You will need to have access to a computer and a high-speed internet connection.
• In-person at a Salesforce office: For those that live or work in the San Francisco bay area or near our other U.S. office locations. In-person sessions usually involve focus groups or learning how you use mobile devices (phones & tablets).
• Online surveys: Typically take 5-10 minutes to complete and you can do so at your leisure.
• In the Field: Salesforce researchers hit the pavement and come visit you. We won't show up at your office unexpectedly – we’ll always ask you first, tell you about the details of the study, and make a proper appointment. To make the most of our visit, we may ask you to help wrangle some of your colleagues to join in the conversation too.

What’s in it for me?

While you don’t receive anything just for signing up for our program, for each live session you will receive an honorarium, an incentive, that you can redeem for fun money or donate to charity.

You’ll also get a sneak peek at what’s coming. Plus, you’ll help build a product that you (and our other customers) will actually use. We’re successful because advocates like you tell us what you need.

How soon will you contact me?

As new studies are launched, we contact people we think might be a good match for the research topic. You might hear from us within a few days to a few months of signing up. We’ll usually reach out to you via email to tell you about the type of study and we might include a link to a questionnaire to assess your eligibility. Just keep an eye on your inbox and know that even if you never participate in a study, we still think you’re awesome!

What's the time commitment?

A typical session lasts one hour, but can vary. It depends on how much we have to show you and the methodology used. Sessions will almost always happen during business hours (Monday - Friday, 8am to 6pm Pacific). Remote sessions may take place outside of typical business hours, depending on your local time zone.

I don't use Salesforce products. Can I still sign up?

Yes – we also want to hear from people who aren’t familiar with Salesforce. A fresh perspective is still very helpful.

If I sign up, are you going to spam or sell my information to other companies?

Nope. We don’t like spam either. All the information you provide is kept confidential in accordance with salesforce.com’s privacy policy. We only use it to help us match you with suitable studies. We will only contact you to invite you to a study or to clarify the information you provided.

How old do I have to be?

You have to be at least 18 years old before you can sign up.

I’m ready to sign up! Where do I start?

Sign up here!

My contact information has changed since I signed up. Can I update it?

Yes, please do. Just complete our update form.

I already signed up but no longer want to participate. How do I opt-out?

We’re sad to see you go. You can opt out here.

I’m in. Have any pro-tips?

• Sign up quickly: Research is fun and our customers know it, but it also means open time slots get snatched up quickly. Our programs team schedules on a first-come, first-serve basis. We might not always be able to schedule you for your first pick, but it helps to act fast when you get invited and also give us a couple day/time options to work with.
• Good connection: Make sure you’re in a quiet space with good internet connectivity before logging into your session. We prefer to hear you loud and clear.
• No screenshots or recordings: Some of our stuff is top-secret and we wish to keep it that way. If you’re already a customer, your non-disclosure agreement is covered by our Master Services Agreement. We’d hate to get the lawyers involved, so thanks in advance for your discretion. If you are not a customer we will ask you to sign an NDA in advance.
• Keep us updated: If you’re running behind or have a conflict, please let us know. Sometimes unavoidable things come up and we completely understand. We can often reschedule to accommodate for Plan B.
• Real feedback: Our researchers love you already. And they’re also unbiased. They didn’t create the things they’re showing you, so it won’t hurt their feelings if you don’t like what you see. It’s important for you to be honest and articulate with your true feelings. Otherwise, we can’t make the proper improvements, so tell us what you what you really think.