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What is Heroku

What is Heroku

What is Heroku? Heroku is a modern, container-based Platform as a Service (PaaS) that enables developers to deploy, manage, and scale applications with ease. Designed for simplicity, flexibility, and elegance, it provides the fastest path for developers to take their apps to market. Key Features of Heroku: The Evolution of Heroku Heroku has recently undergone a transformation, becoming fully cloud-native with advanced integrations like Kubernetes, OpenTelemetry, and Agentforce, an AI-powered enhancement to its platform. These upgrades retain the platform’s hallmark simplicity while delivering more performance and tools, such as Graviton processors, EKS, ECR, and AWS Global Accelerator. AI-Powered Innovation: Agentforce Agentforce, Heroku’s latest feature, brings AI-powered automation to app development. It empowers both technical and non-technical users by offering natural language workflows for building applications, making it accessible to a wider range of business users. According to Betty Junod, Heroku’s Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce, the platform now seamlessly combines user-friendly experiences with cutting-edge AI capabilities: “We’ve replatformed while keeping the experience as simple as ever, but now with added horsepower, Graviton performance, and managed AI tools like Bedrock.” Agentforce is particularly impactful for non-developers, guiding them through building apps and automating processes with no-code or low-code tools. This innovation aligns with Heroku’s mission to make app creation easier and more interactive: “It’s not just apps serving information anymore; users are engaging with them in entirely new ways.” Deliver Apps, Your Way Heroku is designed to serve a variety of needs, from quick prototypes to mission-critical enterprise applications. Its fully managed ecosystem allows you to build and scale apps efficiently, leveraging the tools and languages you already know and love. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Digital Marketing for Casinos

Unveiling the Casino Experience: Harnessing the Power of Digital Marketing In the exciting world of casinos—where entertainment meets sophistication—the influence of digital marketing is undeniable. A strategic approach is packed with actionable insights designed to boost online presence, engage audiences, and drive sustained success. Discover how to craft compelling content, wield social media’s dynamic power, utilize a customer relationship platform, and optimize visibility to ensure your casino stands out in an increasingly competitive digital arena. Tectonic has a successful, winning track record in Salesforce implementation for casinos. Whether you’re promoting exclusive guest events, captivating diverse demographics, or showcasing the unique experience of your casino, this insight equips you to master the digital space with Salesforce. With these strategies, casinos can create a ever-growing online presence that not only strengthens bonds with existing patrons but also entices new guests. Generating New and Repeat Guest Traffic with Salesforce Key Takeaways Why Digital Marketing is a Critical Component for Casinos Digital marketing serves as a critical driver of customer engagement, loyalty, and revenue growth in the casino industry. Strategies such as SEO, email marketing, and social media engagement empower casinos to connect with target audiences and continuously refine their efforts to remain competitive. In today’s crowded and competitive gaming world, leveraging data-driven marketing offers the competitive edge needed to captivate and retain customers. Winning Strategies for Casino Marketing 1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):Ensure your casino is easy to find with these tactics: 2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC):Drive traffic with targeted PPC campaigns by: 3. Social Media Marketing:Create buzz with engaging social media campaigns: 4. Email Marketing:Maintain direct communication with: 5. Salesforce 360 Degree Guest View:Maintain personalized communication with: Reaching the Right Audience with Precision Audience Segmentation:Segmenting your audience by behavior, demographics, and preferences ensures more effective marketing. Navigating Legal and Ethical Challenges in Casino Marketing Compliance is essential in maintaining trust and navigating complex regulations. Measuring Success: Metrics and Optimization Key Metrics to Monitor: Campaign Optimization: Addressing Industry Challenges with Marketing 1. Rising Competition:Stand out by delivering unmatched gaming experiences and innovative promotions. 2. High Player Churn:Combat churn with data-driven marketing and personalized offerings to boost player lifetime value. 3. ROI Challenges:Optimize your mix of games and services to balance player satisfaction and profitability. The Road Ahead: Commitment to Digital Transformation With the global online gaming market projected to grow at a significant pace, casinos must embrace a future grounded in digital and data-driven marketing. Investments in technology, analytics, and talent will be pivotal in securing long-term profitability and differentiation. In an industry where chance often rules, success lies in a deliberate, strategic approach to digital marketing. This insight equips you with the tools to not only compete but thrive in this dynamic landscape. Contact Tectonic today to explore Salesforce tools to better reach, engage, and serve your guests. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Speed to Launch of Agentforce

Speed to Launch of Agentforce

Agentforce isn’t just another AI platform that requires months of customization. At most customers, they quickly saw its power, launching transformative generative AI experiences in just days—no AI engineers needed. For companies with larger admin teams, the benefits can be even greater. Unlike other platforms, Agentforce places a strong emphasis on data privacy, building on the trust that Salesforce is known for, making these virtual assistants invaluable. We began with employee-facing use cases, saving our team several hours per week. Now, with Agentforce, we’re seeing even more opportunities to drive efficiencies and better serve our customers. “We’re excited to leverage Agentforce to completely overhaul recruitment and enrollment at Unity Environmental University. Instead of traditional forms or chatbots, our students will soon engage with an autonomous recruitment agent directly on our website, offering personalized support throughout the college application process.”– Dr. Melik Khoury, President & CEO, Unity Environmental University “For first-generation college students, the 1:385 coach-to-student ratio makes personalized guidance challenging. By integrating Agentforce into our platform, we’re deploying cutting-edge solutions to better support students. These agents enable our coaches to focus on high-touch, personalized experiences while handling vital tasks like sharing deadlines and answering common questions—24/7.”– Siva Kumari, CEO, College Possible “Agentforce offers organizations a unique opportunity to move beyond incremental improvements and achieve exponential ROI. By automating customer interactions, improving outcomes, and reducing costs, it integrates data, flows, and user interfaces to mitigate risks and accelerate value creation. This agent-based platform approach allows businesses to harness AI’s full potential, revolutionizing customer engagement and paving the way for exponential growth.”– Rebecca Wettemann, CEO and Principal Analyst, Valoir “Autonomous agents powered by Salesforce’s Agentforce are revolutionizing customer experiences by providing fast, accurate, and personalized support around the clock. With advanced AI making decisions and taking actions autonomously, businesses can resolve customer issues more efficiently, fostering deeper interactions and enhancing satisfaction. This innovation enables companies to reallocate human resources to more complex tasks, boosting individual productivity and scaling business growth. Agentforce is setting new standards for seamless sales, service, marketing, and commerce interactions, reinforcing its leadership in customer experience.”– Michael Fauscette, CEO and Chief Analyst, Arion Research LLC “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” — Alan Kay, Computer Science Pioneer Technology progresses in what biologists call punctuated equilibrium, with new capabilities slowly emerging from labs and tinkerers until a breakthrough shifts the axis of possibility. These pioneering feats create new paradigms, unleashing waves of innovation—much like the Apple Macintosh, the iPhone, and the Salesforce Platform, which revolutionized the enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) model and sparked an entire industry. The Age of Agentforce Begins At Dreamforce 2024, Salesforce Futures reflected on the launch of Agentforce, inspired by visions like the Apple Knowledge Navigator. In 2023, we used this inspiration to craft our Salesforce 2030 film, which showcased the collaboration between humans and autonomous AI agents. Now, with Agentforce, we’re witnessing that vision come to life. Agentforce is a suite of customizable AI agents and tools built on the Salesforce Platform, offering an elegant solution to the complexity of AI deployment. It addresses the challenges of integrating data, models, infrastructure, and applications into a unified system. With powerful tools like Agent Builder and Model Builder, organizations can easily create, customize, and deploy AI agents. Salesforce’s Atlas Reasoning Engine empowers these agents to handle both routine and complex tasks autonomously. A New Era of AI Innovation At Dreamforce 2024, over 10,000 attendees raced to build their own agents using the “Agent Builder” experience, turning verbal instructions into fully functioning agents in under 15 minutes. This wasn’t just another chatbot—it’s a new breed of AI that could transform how businesses operate and deliver superior customer experiences. Companies like Saks, OpenTable, and Wiley have quickly embraced this technology. As Mick Costigan and David Berthy of Salesforce Futures explain, “When we see signals like this, it pushes us toward the future. Soon, we’ll see complex, multi-agent systems solving higher-order challenges, both in the enterprise and in consumer devices.” Shaping the Future Agentforce isn’t just a product—it’s a platform for experimentation. With hundreds of thousands of Salesforce customers soon gaining access, the full potential of these tools will unfold in ways we can’t yet imagine. As with every major technological shift, the real magic will lie in how people use it. Every interaction, every agent deployed, and every problem solved will shape the future in unexpected ways. Platform Evolution Adam Evans, Salesforce SVP of Product, notes that Agentforce builds on the company’s transformation over the past four years, following the pattern of Salesforce’s original disruption of enterprise software. Unlike traditional solutions, Agentforce eliminates the need for customers to build their own AI infrastructure, providing a ready-to-use solution. At the core of Agentforce is the Atlas Reasoning Engine, delivering results that are twice as relevant and 33% more accurate than competing solutions. This engine integrates Salesforce Data Cloud, Flow for automation, and the Einstein Trust Layer for governance. Early Customer Results Early Agentforce deployments highlight how organizations are using autonomous agents to enhance, rather than replace, human workers: George Pokorny, Senior VP of Global Customer Success at OpenTable, shared, “Just saving two minutes on a ten-minute call lets our service reps focus on strengthening customer relationships, thanks to seamless integration with Service Cloud, giving us a unified view of diner preferences and history.” Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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The Subscription Economy

The Subscription Economy: A $1.5 Trillion Opportunity by 2025The subscription economy has expanded by 435% over the last decade and is projected to reach a staggering $1.5 trillion market size by 2025, cementing its status as a dominant business model. Companies leveraging subscription and servitization strategies are unlocking consistent revenue streams and delivering tailored services that foster customer loyalty and satisfaction. The Challenge of Managing RenewalsWhile the subscription economy thrives, managing renewals effectively remains a critical challenge. Without a robust system, businesses risk: This is where Salesforce CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) becomes essential. It not only automates the renewal process but also empowers businesses to deliver accurate, timely, and personalized renewal experiences. The Role of Salesforce CPQ in Renewal ManagementSalesforce CPQ streamlines the renewal process by automating workflows, ensuring pricing accuracy, and creating personalized customer experiences. Key benefits include: With Salesforce CPQ, renewals become a strategic opportunity to retain customers, drive revenue growth, and deliver exceptional service. The Importance of Renewal Metrics Tracking the right renewal metrics is crucial for understanding performance and identifying areas for improvement. These metrics provide actionable insights that drive better customer retention and revenue growth. 1. Renewal Rate 2. Churn Rate 3. Renewal Revenue 4. Net Revenue Retention (NRR) 5. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) 6. Time to Renewal (TTR) 7. Renewal Upsell Rate 8. Renewal Discount Utilization Enhancing Renewal Metrics with Salesforce CPQ Salesforce CPQ transforms how you track and manage renewal metrics through automation, analytics, and workflow optimization. Here’s how: 1. Automate Renewal Tracking 2. Enhance Reporting and Analytics 3. Optimize Workflows 4. Analyze and Improve 5. Train and Support Teams Conclusion Salesforce CPQ revolutionizes renewal management by automating processes, reducing errors, and delivering actionable insights through renewal metrics. By implementing these tools and strategies, you can improve customer retention, increase revenue, and build stronger customer relationships. Whether managing hundreds or thousands of renewals, Salesforce CPQ ensures your business stays ahead with precision and care. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Salesforce AI Research Introduces BLIP-3-Video

Salesforce AI Research Introduces BLIP-3-Video

Salesforce AI Research Introduces BLIP-3-Video: A Groundbreaking Multimodal Model for Efficient Video Understanding Vision-language models (VLMs) are transforming artificial intelligence by merging visual and textual data, enabling advancements in video analysis, human-computer interaction, and multimedia applications. These tools empower systems to generate captions, answer questions, and support decision-making, driving innovation in industries like entertainment, healthcare, and autonomous systems. However, the exponential growth in video-based tasks has created a demand for more efficient processing solutions that can manage the vast amounts of visual and temporal data inherent in videos. The Challenge of Scaling Video Understanding Existing video-processing models face significant inefficiencies. Many rely on processing each frame individually, creating thousands of visual tokens that demand extensive computational resources. This approach struggles with long or complex videos, where balancing computational efficiency and accurate temporal understanding becomes crucial. Attempts to address this issue, such as pooling techniques used by models like Video-ChatGPT and LLaVA-OneVision, have only partially succeeded, as they still produce thousands of tokens. Introducing BLIP-3-Video: A Breakthrough in Token Efficiency To tackle these challenges, Salesforce AI Research has developed BLIP-3-Video, a cutting-edge vision-language model optimized for video processing. The key innovation lies in its temporal encoder, which reduces visual tokens to just 16–32 tokens per video, significantly lowering computational requirements while maintaining strong performance. The temporal encoder employs a spatio-temporal attentional pooling mechanism, selectively extracting the most informative data from video frames. By consolidating spatial and temporal information into compact video-level tokens, BLIP-3-Video streamlines video processing without sacrificing accuracy. Efficient Architecture for Scalable Video Tasks BLIP-3-Video’s architecture integrates: This design ensures that the model efficiently captures essential temporal information while minimizing redundant data. Performance Highlights BLIP-3-Video demonstrates remarkable efficiency, achieving accuracy comparable to state-of-the-art models like Tarsier-34B while using a fraction of the tokens: For context, Tarsier-34B requires 4608 tokens for eight video frames, whereas BLIP-3-Video achieves similar results with only 32 tokens. On multiple-choice tasks, the model excelled: These results highlight BLIP-3-Video as one of the most token-efficient models in video understanding, offering top-tier performance while dramatically reducing computational costs. Advancing AI for Real-World Video Applications BLIP-3-Video addresses the critical challenge of token inefficiency, proving that complex video data can be processed effectively with far fewer resources. Developed by Salesforce AI Research, the model paves the way for scalable, real-time video processing across industries, including healthcare, autonomous systems, and entertainment. By combining efficiency with high performance, BLIP-3-Video sets a new standard for vision-language models, driving the practical application of AI in video-based systems. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Agentic AI is Here

Agentic AI Revolution

The Agentic AI Revolution: Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way The era of agentic AI is here, and the message is clear—if you’re not leading the charge, you’re falling behind. Companies like Wiley and OpenTable are reshaping their industries with autonomous AI agents that don’t just assist but also analyze, strategize, and execute tasks with unparalleled efficiency. As these organizations demonstrate, the key to AI success lies in rewriting the rules of your industry rather than playing catch-up. Rewriting Industry Standards with Agentic AI Wiley: The education giant leveraged Agentforce, a digital labor platform for deploying autonomous AI agents, to transform its customer service operations. By onboarding representatives 50% faster and improving case resolution by 40%, Wiley streamlined its processes in just a few weeks. AI agents now handle registration and payment inquiries, directing students to resources and reducing the workload on human representatives. OpenTable: As the go-to reservation platform for 1.7 billion diners annually, OpenTable deploys AI agents to manage reservation changes and loyalty points. This allows employees to focus on customer relationships. Even a two-minute efficiency gain per interaction translates to massive operational savings. Salesforce Help Site: With over 60 million annual visits, the Salesforce Help site integrated Agentforce to resolve 83% of queries without human involvement. In just weeks, Agentforce doubled its capacity, handling over 32,000 automated conversations. These examples showcase a new era of digital labor where AI agents orchestrate high-value, multistep tasks, working tirelessly to deliver results. Far from replacing humans, they supercharge productivity and innovation, enabling companies to do more than ever before. How to Empower Your Workforce with AI Empowering your workforce for the next wave of AI doesn’t require months of preparation or millions of dollars. You don’t need to build or train your own large language model (LLM). Instead, integrating AI with existing data, automation, and workflows is the key to success, as demonstrated by leaders like Wiley and OpenTable. Here’s how to get started: 1. Real-Time Data Access AI thrives on real-time, high-quality data. Platforms like Salesforce Data Cloud unify structured and unstructured data, connecting it seamlessly to the LLM. Techniques such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and semantic search ensure AI agents can access the most relevant data for any task. 2. Advanced Reasoning AI agents aren’t just about answering queries—they execute complex, multistep tasks. For example, they can process returns, reorder items, and even flag anomalies. Powered by reasoning engines, these agents draw data from systems like CRM, refine plans, and adapt dynamically until the task is completed correctly. 3. Built-In Security AI agents must operate within clear guardrails, knowing their limits and handing tasks off to humans when necessary. Strong permissions and security protocols are essential to ensure data protection and prevent unauthorized actions. 4. Action-Oriented Workflows Generative AI’s real value lies in action. By integrating tools like Salesforce Flow for task automation and MuleSoft APIs for system connectivity, AI agents can execute business workflows such as fraud detection, customer outreach, and case management. 5. Human-AI Collaboration The future of work isn’t AI replacing humans—it’s AI and humans working together. While agents handle data-intensive and repetitive tasks, humans bring strategic thinking, empathy, and creativity. This synergy leads to smarter decisions and redefines workflows across industries. Why Training Your Own LLM May Not Be the Answer Many companies assume training a proprietary LLM will give them a competitive edge. In reality, this process is costly, time-intensive, and requires constant updates to remain accurate. An LLM trained on static data quickly becomes outdated, much like a GPS that fails after the first detour. Instead, companies are turning to out-of-the-box AI solutions that integrate seamlessly with their existing systems. These tools offer the flexibility to scale quickly and adapt in real time, enabling businesses to stay competitive without the heavy lift of building from scratch. Scaling AI for the Future Many organizations remain stuck in pilot phases with AI due to data quality issues and a limited understanding of use cases. Companies like Wiley and OpenTable, however, have cracked the code: integrating prebuilt AI systems with robust data flows, automation, and workflows. By embracing agentic AI, forward-thinking organizations are creating digital labor forces that unlock new efficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and position themselves for long-term success. The trillion-dollar AI opportunity awaits—will you lead or trail behind? Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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ai in supply chain

AI in Supply Chain

AI has the potential to transform supply chain management by boosting efficiency, enhancing forecasting, and improving customer satisfaction. However, it’s crucial for leaders to weigh the associated costs, technical challenges, and risks to ensure a smooth and strategic implementation. By addressing these disadvantages, companies can fully unlock AI’s benefits while minimizing its drawbacks.

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user q and a

Marketing Cloud Engagement Send Times

How do I ensure emails from Marketing Cloud Engagement go to my recipients in the correct time zone? To configure a user’s time zone in Marketing Cloud Engagement, navigate to Setup > Users > [Select User] > Edit, and then select the desired time zone from the “Time Zone” dropdown menu within the “Locale Settings” section; this will update the user’s interface to display times according to their chosen time zone.  Key points to remember: If you need assistance configuring this in Marketing Cloud Engagement, contact Tectonic today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Salesforce Business Automation

Streamlining Business Automation: A Guide to Successful Salesforce Implementation Salesforce is a lightning jolt for business automation, offering powerful tools to enhance efficiency and productivity. However, implementing Salesforce is a complex process that requires strategic planning and execution. This insight will walk you through best practices for Salesforce implementation, helping you avoid common pitfalls and maximize the platform’s benefits. From defining clear business objectives to post-implementation performance measurement, we’ve got you covered. Understanding Salesforce Implementation Implementing Salesforce is more than simply installing software—it’s a strategic process that must align with your business goals. Successful implementation requires understanding each critical phase, including: Each phase builds toward a solution that drives operational improvements and delivers measurable results. The Role of Salesforce in Business Automation Salesforce transforms business processes by automating repetitive tasks, integrating workflows, and providing real-time analytics. These capabilities empower teams to focus on strategic activities, fostering growth and improving customer engagement. The platform’s automation features enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and deliver actionable insights, making it an essential tool for any data-driven organization. Best Practices for Salesforce Implementation 1. Define Clear Business Objectives Set specific, measurable, and strategic goals that Salesforce can address. Identify business challenges and align objectives with user needs to ensure widespread adoption and long-term success. 2. Conduct a Thorough Needs Analysis Analyze existing processes, identify gaps, and engage stakeholders to gather input. A detailed needs analysis ensures Salesforce is configured to address real pain points and deliver value. 3. Develop a Comprehensive Roadmap Create an implementation roadmap outlining timelines, responsibilities, resources, and risk mitigation strategies. A clear roadmap keeps the project on track and fosters effective communication. 4. Prioritize Data Quality and Governance Start by cleansing existing data to remove inaccuracies and duplicates. Implement governance policies to maintain data integrity, ensuring Salesforce delivers accurate insights. 5. Customize Thoughtfully Tailor Salesforce to enhance existing workflows rather than disrupting them. Engage users to understand their needs and avoid unnecessary complexity that could hinder usability or future updates. 6. Engage Certified Salesforce Partners Collaborate with experienced Salesforce partners to leverage best practices, avoid common pitfalls, and tailor the platform to your unique requirements. The Importance of User Adoption and Training User adoption is crucial for Salesforce’s success. Engage end-users early, involve them in the process, and provide tailored, hands-on training. Post-launch, offer continuous support and advanced training to help users unlock Salesforce’s full potential. Strategies to maximize adoption include: Post-Implementation Success Once Salesforce is live, focus on monitoring performance, gathering feedback, and fostering continuous improvement. 1. Measure Success with KPIs Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate Salesforce’s impact on your business objectives. Identify trends, address challenges, and ensure the platform remains aligned with your goals. 2. Establish a Feedback Mechanism Encourage users to share feedback and suggest improvements. Regularly review input to refine the system and ensure it evolves with your organization’s needs. 3. Provide Ongoing Support Maintain a dedicated support team to address queries and troubleshoot issues promptly. Continuous training sessions keep users updated and confident in leveraging new features. Avoiding Common Pitfalls Awareness of potential challenges can help you mitigate risks. Common pitfalls to avoid include: By addressing these challenges proactively, you set your Salesforce implementation up for success. Embracing the Salesforce Journey Implementing Salesforce is a transformative opportunity for your business. With strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to continuous improvement, Salesforce can revolutionize your operations. If you’re seeking a streamlined solution, consider leveraging tools like Sweep, an AI-powered visual workspace that simplifies Salesforce implementation. With Sweep’s no-code interface, you can design processes, customize fields, and automate workflows effortlessly. Ready to transform your business with Salesforce?Connect with our experts today and unlock the full potential of Salesforce for your organization. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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AI is revolutionizing BI by transforming it from a retrospective tool into a proactive, real-time decision-making engine.

AI in Business Intelligence

AI in Business Intelligence: Applications, Benefits, and Challenges AI is rapidly transforming business intelligence (BI) by enhancing analytics capabilities and streamlining processes. This shift is reshaping how organizations leverage data for decision-making. Here’s an in-depth look at how AI complements BI, its advantages, and the challenges it introduces. The Evolution of Business Intelligence with AI BI has traditionally focused on aggregating historical and current data to provide insights into business operations—a process known as descriptive analytics. However, many decision-makers seek more: insights into future trends (predictive analytics) and actionable recommendations (prescriptive analytics). AI bridges this gap. With advanced tools like natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML), AI enables businesses to move beyond static dashboards to dynamic, real-time insights. It also simplifies complex analytics, making data more accessible to business users and fostering more informed, proactive decision-making. Key Benefits of AI in Business Intelligence AI brings significant benefits to BI, including: Real-World Applications of AI in BI AI’s integration into BI goes beyond internal efficiency, delivering external value by enhancing customer experiences and driving business growth. Notable applications include: Challenges of AI in Business Intelligence Despite its potential, integrating AI into BI comes with challenges: Best Practices for AI-Driven BI To successfully integrate AI with BI, organizations should: Future Trends in AI and BI AI is expected to augment rather than replace BI, enhancing its capabilities while keeping human expertise central. Emerging trends include: Conclusion AI is revolutionizing BI by transforming it from a retrospective tool into a proactive, real-time decision-making engine. While challenges remain, thoughtful implementation and adherence to best practices can help organizations unlock AI’s full potential in BI. By integrating AI into existing BI workflows, businesses can drive innovation, improve decision-making, and create more agile and data-driven operations. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more

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user questions and answers

Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Send Times

Scheduled email sends are going out of Marketing Cloud at unexpected hours. Can this be fixed? To configure a user’s time zone in Marketing Cloud, navigate to Setup > Users > [Select User] > Edit, and then select the desired time zone from the “Time Zone” dropdown menu within the “Locale Settings” section; this will update the user’s interface to display times according to their chosen time zone.  Key points to remember: Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Tectonic if you need assistance configuring, have additional concerns, or just want to make Marketing Cloud greater. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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2024 The Year of Generative AI

Was 2024 the Year Generative AI Delivered? Here’s What Happened Industry experts hailed 2024 as the year generative AI would take center stage. Operational use cases were emerging, technology was simplifying access, and general artificial intelligence felt imminent. So, how much of that actually came true? Well… sort of. As the year wraps up, some predictions have hit their mark, while others — like general AI — remain firmly in development. Let’s break down the trends, insights from investor Tomasz Tunguz, and what’s ahead for 2025. 1. A World Without Reason Three years into our AI evolution, businesses are finding value, but not universally. Tomasz Tunguz categorizes AI’s current capabilities into: While prediction and search have gained traction, reasoning models still struggle. Why? Model accuracy. Tunguz notes that unless a model has repeatedly seen a specific pattern, it falters. For example, an AI generating an FP&A chart might succeed — but introduce a twist, like usage-based billing, and it’s lost. For now, copilots and modestly accurate search reign supreme. 2. Process Over Tooling A tool’s value lies in how well it fits into established processes. As data teams adopt AI, they’re realizing that production-ready AI demands robust processes, not just shiny tools. Take data quality — a critical pillar for AI success. Sampling a few dbt tests or point solutions won’t cut it anymore. Teams need comprehensive solutions that deliver immediate value. In 2025, expect a shift toward end-to-end platforms that simplify incident management, enhance data quality ownership, and enable domain-level solutions. The tools that integrate seamlessly and address these priorities will shape AI’s future. 3. AI: Cost Cutter, Not Revenue Generator For now, AI’s primary business value lies in cost reduction, not revenue generation. Tools like AI-driven SDRs can increase sales pipelines, but often at the cost of quality. Instead, companies are leveraging AI to cut costs in areas like labor. Examples include Klarna reducing two-thirds of its workforce and Microsoft boosting engineering productivity by 50-75%. Cost reduction works best in scenarios with repetitive tasks, hiring challenges, or labor shortages. Meanwhile, specialized services like EvenUp, which automates legal demand letters, show potential for revenue-focused AI use cases. 4. A Slower but Smarter Adoption Curve While 2023 saw a wave of experimentation with AI, 2024 marked a period of reflection. Early adopters have faced challenges with implementation, ROI, and rapidly changing tech. According to Tunguz, this “dress rehearsal” phase has informed organizations about what works and what doesn’t. Heading into 2025, expect a more calculated wave of AI adoption, with leaders focusing on tools that deliver measurable value — and faster. 5. Small Models for Big Gains In enterprise AI, small, fine-tuned models are gaining favor over massive, general-purpose ones. Why? Small models are cheaper to run and often outperform their larger counterparts when fine-tuned for specific tasks. For example, training an 8-billion-parameter model on 10,000 support tickets can yield better results than a general model trained on a broad corpus. Legal and cost challenges surrounding large proprietary models further push enterprises toward smaller, open-source solutions, especially in highly regulated industries. 6. Blurring Lines Between Analysts and Engineers The demand for data and AI solutions is driving a shift in responsibilities. AI-enabled pipelines are lowering barriers to entry, making self-serve data workflows more accessible. This trend could consolidate analytical and engineering roles, streamlining collaboration and boosting productivity in 2025. 7. Synthetic Data: A Necessary Stopgap With finite real-world training data, synthetic datasets are emerging as a stopgap solution. Tools like Tonic and Gretel create synthetic data for AI training, particularly in regulated industries. However, synthetic data has limits. Over time, relying too heavily on it could degrade model performance, akin to a diet lacking fresh nutrients. The challenge will be finding a balance between real and synthetic data as AI advances. 8. The Rise of the Unstructured Data Stack Unstructured data — long underutilized — is poised to become a cornerstone of enterprise AI. Only about half of unstructured data is analyzed today, but as AI adoption grows, this figure will rise. Organizations are exploring tools and strategies to harness unstructured data for training and analytics, unlocking its untapped potential. 2025 will likely see the emergence of a robust “unstructured data stack” designed to drive business value from this vast, underutilized resource. 9. Agentic AI: Not Ready for Prime Time While AI copilots have proven useful, multi-step AI agents still face significant challenges. Due to compounding accuracy issues (e.g., 90% accuracy over three steps drops to ~50%), these agents are not yet ready for production use. For now, agentic AI remains more of a conversation piece than a practical tool. 10. Data Pipelines Are Growing, But Quality Isn’t As enterprises scale their AI efforts, the number of data pipelines is exploding. Smaller, fine-tuned models are being deployed at scale, often requiring hundreds of millions of pipelines. However, this rapid growth introduces data quality risks. Without robust quality management practices, teams risk inconsistent outputs, bottlenecks, and missed opportunities. Looking Ahead to 2025 As AI evolves, enterprises will face growing pains, but the opportunities are undeniable. From streamlining processes to leveraging unstructured data, 2025 promises advancements that will redefine how organizations approach AI and data strategy. The real challenge? Turning potential into measurable, lasting impact. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more

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Salesforce vs. Veeva

Salesforce vs. Veeva

Salesforce vs. Veeva: A High-Stakes Battle for Pharma CRM Dominance The pharmaceutical software industry is witnessing a seismic shift as Salesforce Inc. (CRM) positions itself to challenge Veeva Systems Inc. (VEEV), the long-time leader in pharmaceutical customer relationship management (CRM). Salesforce has already signed over 40 customers for its upcoming life sciences platform, including a major player among the top three global pharmaceutical companies, according to a Bloomberg report citing Jeff Amann, Salesforce’s executive vice president for industry-specific software. Notably, some of these new clients are transitioning away from Veeva, signaling a potential reshaping of the market. Veeva’s Longstanding Reign Veeva, which commands an estimated 80% share of the pharmaceutical CRM market, has built its dominance through highly specialized software tailored for the life sciences sector. The company, projected to generate .72 billion in revenue this fiscal year, provides not only CRM tools but also solutions for drug development tracking and analytics. Historically, Veeva’s CRM offerings were built on Salesforce’s platform under a non-compete agreement that allowed both companies to thrive without overlapping in the life sciences space. This partnership dissolved in late 2022 when Veeva decided to break away from Salesforce’s infrastructure, opting to develop its own suite of applications. This decision effectively ended the collaboration and opened the door for Salesforce to directly target Veeva’s core market with its own life sciences CRM solution. Salesforce’s Strategic Push Salesforce’s move into the pharmaceutical sector comes at a time of increasing demand from life sciences companies seeking alternatives to Veeva’s platform. According to Amann, many of these companies expressed a desire to avoid the disruption of switching away from Salesforce’s ecosystem, prompting the company to develop a dedicated life sciences product. The market has responded to this shift. On Tuesday, Veeva’s shares dropped over 3%, closing at $217.43, while Salesforce’s stock ticked up to $344.43, reflecting investor confidence in Salesforce’s strategy. Salesforce is now doubling down on its efforts, expanding its development teams and refining its life sciences product, which is set for a September launch. The company is reportedly engaged in discussions with several leading pharmaceutical firms as it seeks to erode Veeva’s market share. Veeva’s Counterattack Despite the emerging competition, Veeva remains confident. Paul Shawah, Veeva’s executive vice president, pointed out that most of its large clients, including industry giants like GSK Plc and Novo Nordisk A/S, have reaffirmed their loyalty. While Veeva has lost one of its top 20 customers to Salesforce, Shawah emphasized that Veeva’s deep focus on the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry gives it a significant edge in product optimization and pricing. Veeva is also using its newfound freedom from Salesforce to expand its product offerings. Previously restricted by its agreement with Salesforce, the company is now developing a CRM that will operate entirely on its own platform. This move allows Veeva to explore areas like customer service and patient management—domains that were previously off-limits. Shawah has cautioned potential defectors about Salesforce’s readiness to compete in life sciences, asserting that Veeva’s years of experience in the sector make its offerings more reliable and cost-effective. A Battle That Will Shape the Industry The competition between Salesforce and Veeva represents a classic clash between a market leader and an innovative challenger. Salesforce, a global CRM powerhouse, is leveraging its scale, AI capabilities, and integration strengths to gain a foothold in the pharmaceutical market. Meanwhile, Veeva is doubling down on its specialized expertise and long-standing relationships with life sciences companies. As the rivalry intensifies, its impact will extend beyond market share. The technological evolution of pharmaceutical CRM solutions—including advancements in AI, data management, and compliance—will likely accelerate, reshaping how pharmaceutical companies manage customer relationships and navigate complex regulatory environments. The outcome of this battle will set the tone for the future of CRM in life sciences, influencing both the competitive landscape and the technological trajectory of the industry. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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