Google is working on a partnership agreement with Salesforce.com in which the G Poppa would add its productivity apps to Salesforce’s CRM suite, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
The article follows speculation from Justin Maynard, an analyst at Credit Suisse, who argued that a Google/Salesforce partnership could help the latter compete against Microsoft’s forthcoming CRM applications.
“We don’t think there is any merit to takeover conjecture,” Maynard says, according to Barron’s. “However, our read it that a partnership agreement is in the works and could be announced sometime in the next month.”
Maynard says a relationship between the two companies could touch on search, advertising and applications. “From a Salesforce.com perspective,” he writes, “we think a closer link with Google is positive as it would minimize potential competition, fortify efforts against Microsoft and enhance the [Salesforce.com] offering through better integration with Google online services.”