Behind the Scenes of Slack’s Acquisition Announcement

On July 21st, 2021, Slack officially became a part of Salesforce at the price tag of $27.7 billion. This was undoubtedly Slack’s most significant event in the past year. As a frontend intern on Slack’s Customer Acquisition team this summer, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be directly involved with announcing the closing of one…

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Catherine Yu
•11 min read•intermediate•
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Overview

This article provides an insider's perspective on the acquisition of Slack by Salesforce, detailing the author's experience as a frontend intern on the Customer Acquisition team during this significant event. It highlights the technical and collaborative challenges faced while preparing for the announcement and the subsequent web updates.

What You'll Learn

1

How to effectively use Slack for remote onboarding

2

Why communication is crucial in high-stakes projects

3

How to implement web updates using Hack and JavaScript

4

When to use feature toggles for product rollouts

Key Questions Answered

What was the significance of Slack's acquisition by Salesforce?
Slack's acquisition by Salesforce, finalized on July 21, 2021, for $27.7 billion, marked a pivotal moment in tech history, representing one of the largest mergers. This event not only reshaped Slack's operational dynamics but also aimed to enhance the integration of Slack's capabilities with Salesforce's offerings.
How did the author contribute to the Salesforce Day One launch?
The author worked on the web portion of the Salesforce Day One campaign, which involved creating a new landing page and updating existing content across Slack's website. This required collaboration with over 40 stakeholders and managing legal approvals for changes.
What technologies were used for Slack's website updates?
Slack's website updates were primarily developed using Hack, a typed version of PHP, along with JavaScript and LESS for interactivity. This choice of technology allowed for efficient updates while leveraging existing design components.
What challenges did the author face during the internship?
The author faced challenges such as rapidly changing project requirements and the need for effective communication among a large number of stakeholders. These challenges highlighted the importance of adaptability and collaboration in a high-stakes environment.

Key Statistics & Figures

Acquisition price
$27.7 billion
This was the price at which Slack was acquired by Salesforce.
Number of stakeholders involved
40+
The Salesforce Day One launch involved collaboration with over 40 stakeholders across two companies.
Average daily visitors to Slack's site
400,000
The Customer Acquisition team's work impacts the average of 400,000 users visiting Slack's site daily.
Pages improved for Largest Contentful Paint
2,300
The author contributed to improving the LCP of more than 2,300 pages on desktop to be under 2.5 seconds.

Technologies & Tools

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Backend
Hack
Used for creating the HTML of Slack's website.
Frontend
Javascript
Used for adding interactivity to Slack's web pages.
Frontend
Less
Used for styling updates on Slack's website.
Tools
Houston
A unified product rollout system used to manage feature toggles.

Key Actionable Insights

1
Utilizing Slack's features like Huddles and Workflows can streamline remote onboarding processes.
These tools enhance communication and collaboration, making it easier for new team members to integrate into the company culture, especially in a remote work environment.
2
Regular updates in project channels can significantly improve team communication and project transparency.
By sharing progress updates every few days, team members stay informed, which is crucial for maintaining alignment in projects with multiple stakeholders.
3
Implementing feature toggles can facilitate smoother product rollouts and allow for quick adjustments based on user feedback.
Using tools like Houston for managing feature toggles helps in coordinating complex updates across various platforms without disrupting user experience.

Common Pitfalls

1
Underestimating the complexity of seemingly simple tasks can lead to delays and miscommunication.
The author learned that tasks requiring legal approval or involving multiple stakeholders often have hidden complexities that can impact timelines.

Related Concepts

Remote Onboarding Best Practices
Effective Communication In Project Management
Web Development With Hack And Javascript