How Salesforce Boosts AI-Driven Sales with Revenue Cloud
Sales teams are moving past manual quote reviews and slow approvals. Salesforce is pushing that shift with Revenue Cloud, tying AI to every step from configure to cash so deals move faster with fewer errors.
As Meredith Schmidt, Executive Vice President of Revenue Cloud and Solutions at Salesforce, puts it, Salesforce is "the number one AI CRM where people and AI agents work side by side to drive customer success." The aim is simple: reduce busywork, improve accuracy, and give sellers more time with customers.
What the Kaseya partnership shows
Salesforce's work with Kaseya is a live example. Revenue Cloud is being used to automate and simplify complex sales motions, so reps can focus on outcomes instead of process. "We're working together to automate and simplify complex processes, giving sellers more time to focus on what matters most: the customer," Meredith says.
This isn't just a tooling upgrade. She calls it "true digital transformation" - rethinking how the business engages buyers, not just adding another system on top.
Self-service that actually sells
Modern buyers want control. That's why the strategy centers on self-service channels backed by AI and clean workflows. Meredith frames it as "fixing the revenue engine, standing up modern buying channels and using AI to drive smarter engagement."
The result Kaseya is targeting: effortless transactions that grow loyalty and revenue, not more portals that create more work.
The third wave of CPQ
We've moved past spreadsheets (wave one) and beyond subscriptions alone (wave two). "Now, companies need more than just a standalone CPQ tool," Meredith says. "They need the flexibility to move quickly to respond to changing market dynamics and competitive pressure."
This "third wave of CPQ" integrates AI agents across the entire quote-to-cash process. It shifts from point tools to a full revenue platform that can capture sales from any channel and any revenue model.
Why quote-to-cash is prime for AI
Quote-to-cash is data-heavy, rules-driven, and operationally complex. Every step - pricing, approvals, terms, compliance - depends on accurate data checks across multiple systems.
Manual work here creates bottlenecks and risk. Teams spend hours on repetitive tasks that have to be done perfectly to avoid downstream issues in billing or revenue recognition.
One platform, fewer blockers
Meredith argues that consolidating quote-to-cash on a single platform is the unlock. It cuts handoffs, reduces errors, and gives AI the unified data it needs to recommend next steps and surface upsell paths.
The impact spans sales, finance, and operations: more capacity, faster cycles, and "smarter decisions, automate complex processes and surface revenue opportunities in real time."
What sales leaders can do now
- Map your current quote-to-cash flow. Flag the top three delays (pricing, approvals, contracting, billing handoffs).
- Launch one self-service motion (renewals, add-ons, or standard bundles) with clear guardrails for pricing and terms.
- Define where AI agents help: price validation, discount guidance, approval routing, and contract clause suggestions.
- Unify product, pricing, and approval policies in one system. Fragmented rules kill speed.
- Track the right metrics: quote cycle time, approval turnaround, discount leakage, win rate, AR days, and renewal rate.
- Pilot with one segment or region, then scale. Document playbooks as you go.
Where to go from here
Explore the platform details and use cases for Salesforce Revenue Cloud.
If your team needs practical skills on AI in sales operations, see curated options at Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
Bottom line: this third wave of CPQ is about speed, accuracy, and seller focus. "This third wave is driven by the opportunity for AI and agents across the entire quote-to-cash process," Meredith says. The teams that simplify and automate now will close cleaner deals, faster.
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