Salesforce acquires Assistly

Acquisition brings instant customer service helpdesks into Salesforce's cloud offering

Enterprise cloud firm Salesforce has acquired a new cloud-based customer service helpdesk application through the purchase of software developer Assitly.

Salesforce expects that the $50m (£32m) deal will enable its customers to set up their own customer service helpdesks in minutes.

Assistly's technology allows small companies to set up and deliver social customer-service in minutes, through multiple channels including Facebook, Twitter, web chats, email and phone.

"The Assistly acquisition puts us at the heart of the new trend of customer service helpdesk applications that have instant sign up and zero-touch onboarding, expanding the potential reach of the Service Cloud to millions of companies around the world," said Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO, Salesforce.

Salesforce expects to make the new facility available to all of its approximately 104,000 customers. It hopes that the acquisition will make its cloud offering more attractive to SMEs.