Perficient Strengthens AI-Driven Salesforce Practice with Kelley Austin Acquisition

In a bid to accelerate its AI-led transformation services, Perficient has acquired Kelley Austin, a Salesforce specialist headquartered in Dallas. The deal marks a major expansion of Perficient’s Salesforce services - particularly in autonomous agent technology (Agentforce), unified enterprise data (Data Cloud), and cloud-based revenue operations.

Deal Summary

• Acquirer: Perficient, a global consultancy with a strong AI-first orientation.
• Target: Kelley Austin, LLC, a Salesforce consulting firm with North American reach.
• Capabilities Added: Expertise in Salesforce Revenue Cloud, Data Cloud, and Agentforce (Salesforce’s AI-agent platform).
• Industry Focus: Kelley Austin brings significant experience in Telecommunications, Media & Technology (TMT) and Consumer Business Services (CBS) sectors.
• Talent & Certifications: The Kelley Austin team brings more than 400 Salesforce certifications, bolstering Perficient’s technical bench.
• Leadership: Kelley Austin’s managing partners, Hunter Austin and Waylon Kelley, will join Perficient in leadership roles.
• Strategic Rationale: The acquisition supports Perficient’s 360° partnership with Salesforce, enabling the delivery of AI agent-based enterprise solutions built around Data Cloud and Agentforce.
• Go-To-Market Moment: Perficient plans to highlight its expanded capabilities, including real-world Agentforce implementations, at Dreamforce 2025.

Industry Context

The Salesforce consulting ecosystem is evolving rapidly as AI and data become central to enterprise transformation. Rather than simply building CRM implementations, consultancies are being pressed to deliver “agentic” solutions - autonomous agents that drive workflows, customer engagement, and decision-making.

Perficient’s acquisition of Kelley Austin comes at a moment when AI agents (like Agentforce) are emerging as a competitive differentiator. Enterprises view these agents as a way to reduce manual effort, accelerate response times, and unify data to drive smarter outcomes. By folding in a specialist with deep Agentforce and Data Cloud experience, Perficient positions itself as a leader in next-generation Salesforce consulting.

Lower-Middle-Market Roll-Up Perspective

From a roll-up standpoint, this transaction illustrates several strategic principles:

1. Capability Build vs. Scale Acquisition: Perficient is not simply buying more clients - it is acquiring domain-specific talent (Agentforce + Data Cloud) that enhances its strategic offering.
2. Leadership Continuity: By bringing Kelley Austin’s partners into its executive team, Perficient safeguards client trust and institutional know-how.
3. Scalable Innovation: The deal enables Perficient to scale its AI agent delivery model, combining its AI-first consulting framework with Salesforce’s Agentforce.
4. Partnership Leverage: The move builds on Perficient’s deepening 360° alliance with Salesforce, reinforcing its platform with certified expertise and accelerated go-to-market.
5. Talent and Certification Depth: The integration brings a high concentration of certified Salesforce professionals, which supports Perficient’s ambition to execute complex, large-scale Salesforce + AI engagements.

Why This Sector Is Attractive for Roll-Ups

• High Demand for AI Agents: Enterprises are increasingly prioritizing agent-based automation to drive productivity and customer interaction.
• Data Unification Needs: With data scattered across systems, companies need partners who can help them build a unified, actionable data foundation.
• Recurring & Strategic Services: Agentforce and Data Cloud engagements offer consultancies recurring revenue and long-term client engagement.
• Platform Differentiation: System integrators that combine AI, data, and Salesforce capabilities are better positioned to win transformational business.
• Private Equity-Backed Growth: Consulting firms capable of executing high-value AI + cloud strategies attract PE support, enabling aggressive scaling.

Conclusion

Perficient’s acquisition of Kelley Austin is a defining move in its AI-first journey, strengthening its technical backbone in Salesforce-based agents, data strategy, and revenue operations. The deal not only boosts Perficient’s ability to deliver “agentic enterprise” transformations but also signals its commitment to scaling innovation through capable talent and strong partnerships.

For consulting leaders and operators, this is a clear illustration of how specialized, capability-led M&A can differentiate a services firm in a crowded ecosystem. For investors, it reinforces the thesis: consultancies that can integrate AI, cloud, and data at scale are among the most compelling roll-up targets in 2025 and beyond.