This is the presentation I gave at DreamForce 2014 on the Salesforce Center of Excellence I worked to implement at Rakuten

1. Empowering Global Innovation
James Burns
Director - Platform
Community Solution Advisors

3. Empowering Global Innovation:
How Rakuten applies the Salesforce.com CoE globally
David J Ramos (Dave)
Group Manager
@anotherdatageek

4. About Rakuten
Who is
a Center of Excellence
What’s

5. Rakuten is…
INNOVATIVE – Annually ranked among Top 20 Globally by Forbes since 2012
#1 #9

6. Rakuten is…
E-Commerce Digital & Content Travel & Reservation
Pro Sports Finance ..and more

7. Rakuten is…
Ecosystem
E-Commerce
Credit
Card
Banking
Securities Telecom
Travel
E-Money Digital Goods
Portal &
Content
Database
Loyalty
Program
Log-In

8. Rakuten is…
• E-commerce in 14 countries and regions
• All services and businesses in 28 countries

9. About Rakuten
Who is
a Center of Excellence
What’s

10. Salesforce.com in Rakuten
1
4
1
4
3
32
1

11. Rakuten Platform Ecosystem
ConsumerBizTeamsG&ATeams

12. Front Office

13. • Synergy
• Shared development & reuse
• Best practices
• Code libraries
• Efficient utilization
Challenges & Opportunities
• Limited collaboration
• Islands of expertise
• Siloed decision making
• Same biz - different process
• No reuse
 High cost
 High complexity
 Slow innovation

14. What is a CoE?

15. But which model is right for us?
Formal Command & Control
One instance Many BU
Localized Customization
Single Global Team
Moderate Command &
Control
BU grouped in Few
Instances
Localized Customization
Multiple Teams w/ 1 CoE
Supporting
Informal Command &
Control
Many Instances (Current)
Best Practice Only
Multiple Independent
Teams

16. What are others like us doing?
Salesforce.com CoE Case Studies

17. How to we start?
Keep It Simple Stupid!
We do not need a complex framework to start

18. Rakuten CoE Workshop
Attendees included 35+ global members (Biz & Tech)
Shared
the problems
Discussed
the solutions
Planned
the roadmaps

19. About Rakuten
Who is
a Center of Excellence
What’s

20. Rakuten CoE Workshop
Find Common Challenges
Skilled Resources
Technical Debt (Old & Custom Code)
Cost
System Integrations
Lack of processes

21. Rakuten CoE Workshop
Establish a Charter
 Connect
 Develop
 Deploy
Deliver Global Enterprise
 Strategy & Best Practice
 Architecture
 Shared Development Team
 Central Administration
 Systems Integration
 Data Management
 Reporting & KPI

22. Establishing the CoE
Did I mention to... Keep It Simple Stupid!
Common Process &
Pains
Best Practice &
Knowledge Sharing
Targets for
Collaboration & Shared
Development
Project Execution &
Consolidation

23. About Rakuten
Who is
a Center of Excellence
What’s

24. Growing the CoE
1. Development
Center
2. Knowledge
Management
4. Design
Standards
3. Architecture
Governance

25. Vision for Salesforce in Rakuten
Business Intel
Data
Warehouse
E Comm
Backend
Finance/Billing
Digital Contract
Mgmt
KYC & screening
HR System/DB
Reviews &
Ratings
CTI
Full replication
Full replication
Metrics & KPI
Metrics & KPI
APIs
Selected
Metrics

26. Full integrated Global CoE
Finance
Card
Edy
Insurance
Life
Bank
Smart Pay
Securities
ECC
Ichiba (JP)
EU (FR, UK, DE, AT,
ES)
AM (US, BR)
Asia (TW, TH, ID, MY)
Marketing
LinkShare
LinkShare JP
Loyalty
MediaForge
Others
Travel
Fusion
Grommet
Kobo
Viki
Logistics
Salesforce CoE (CITD)
Support &
Admin
Development
Center
Architecture &
Standards
Knowledge
Sharing
Strategy
Group BU/DU
Leaders
Group BU/DU
Leaders
Group BU/DU
Leaders
Group BU/DU
Leaders

27. Q&A