Analytics - gettectonic.com - Page 9
Salesforce Text Messaging
12Aug

Salesforce Text Messaging

Salesforce Text Messaging: Boost Customer Engagement Directly from Your CRM In this insight, we’ll explore why Salesforce SMS is a powerful tool for your business, how to make your SMS campaigns stand out, and how to send messages through Salesforce with minimal technical complexity. Salesforce Text Messaging. What is Salesforce Text Messaging? Salesforce SMS is a feature that enables users to send SMS messages directly from Salesforce. By integrating SMS with Salesforce, businesses can communicate efficiently with their customers, enhancing engagement and streamlining operations. Benefits and Use Cases of Salesforce SMS Effective customer engagement is crucial for every business, and Salesforce SMS offers an efficient way to connect with your audience. Here are some of the top advantages: 1. Enhanced Customer Engagement SMS boasts a 99% open rate, making it one of the most effective communication channels. Salesforce SMS helps businesses: 2. Real-Time Communication Timely communication is essential in customer service. Salesforce SMS enables businesses to send relevant, real-time information such as: 3. Automation and Efficiency Salesforce SMS allows for automated messaging, saving time and reducing errors. Benefits include: 4. Personalized SMS Messaging Leverage customer data in Salesforce to create personalized, targeted messages that resonate with recipients. Use Salesforce SMS to: 5. Employee Ease of Use Integrating SMS into Salesforce means employees can manage communication through a familiar platform. Benefits include: Additional Advantages of SMS in Salesforce Best Practices for Salesforce SMS Campaigns To ensure successful SMS campaigns, follow these best practices: 1. Obtain Explicit Consent It’s important to get clear consent from customers before sending SMS messages. This builds trust and ensures compliance with regulations like TCPA in the U.S. and GDPR in the EU. 2. Make Opt-in Easy Simplify the process for customers to opt-in and clarify the types and frequency of messages they will receive. 3. Provide Opt-out Options Make it easy for customers to unsubscribe at any time to maintain trust. 4. Use Clear Calls to Action (CTA) Each SMS should guide the recipient on what to do next, using actionable language such as “Click here” or “Buy now” to prompt immediate responses. 5. Monitor and Analyze Performance Regularly assess the success of your campaigns by tracking key metrics like open rates and opt-outs. Use A/B testing to optimize performance and customer feedback to refine your approach. LINK Mobility Integration with Salesforce SMS LINK Mobility‘s SMS integration (one Salesforce SMS tool) enhances your Salesforce SMS campaigns with powerful features: Enhance Customer Engagement and Efficiency with Salesforce SMS Salesforce SMS enables businesses to engage customers in real-time, enhancing relationships and operational efficiency. Whether sending order updates, appointment reminders, or personalized promotions, Salesforce SMS creates a strong foundation for meaningful communication with your customer base. Need help with Salesforce SMS? If you’re looking for assistance in configuring SMS within Salesforce or need expert guidance, Tectonic is here to help you maximize the benefits of SMS integration for your business. Contact us 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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August 12, 2024in Data, Salesforce
AI Strategy and Tectonic
11Aug

AI Strategy and Tectonic

AI Strategy and Tectonic Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have showcased the immense potential of this technology to transform both business and society. However, as organizations scale AI systems, they must ensure these systems are structured and governed responsibly to prevent bias and errors. The widespread use of AI can have significant implications, and without proper safeguards, businesses risk costly outcomes. As your organization leverages diverse datasets to apply machine learning and automate workflows, it’s critical to implement strong guardrails to maintain data quality, ensure compliance, and promote transparency within AI systems. Tectonic is here to help you implement AI responsibly, focusing on areas where it can quickly and ethically deliver real business benefits. Our comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-grade AI products and analytics solutions is designed to minimize the challenges of AI adoption, establish a solid data foundation, and optimize for positive outcomes while ensuring responsible AI use. Global enterprises turn to Tectonic as a trusted partner in their AI transformation journeys. As a leading AI consulting firm, we enhance the value of AI and cloud technologies in driving business transformation. By working with our own advanced AI technologies and an open ecosystem of partners, we deliver AI models on any cloud, all guided by the principles of ethics and trust. 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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August 11, 2024in Artificial Intelligence, Data, Enterprise, Technology
AI All Grown Up
10Aug

Generative AI Tools

One of the most significant use cases for generative AI in business is customer service and support. Most of us have likely experienced the frustration of dealing with traditional automated systems. However, today’s advanced AI, powered by large language models and natural language chatbots, is rapidly improving these interactions. While many still prefer human agents for complex or sensitive issues, AI is proving highly capable of handling routine inquiries efficiently. Here’s an overview of some of the top AI-powered tools for automating customer service. Although the human element will always be essential in customer experience, these tools free up human agents from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more complex challenges requiring empathy and creativity. Cognigy Cognigy is an AI platform designed to automate customer service voice and chat channels. It goes beyond simply reading FAQ responses by delivering personalized, context-sensitive answers in multiple languages. Cognigy’s AI Copilot feature enhances human contact center workers by offering real-time AI assistance during interactions, making both fully automated and human-augmented support possible. IBM WatsonX Assistant IBM’s WatsonX Assistant helps businesses create AI-powered personal assistants to streamline tasks, including customer support. With its drag-and-drop configuration, companies can set up seamless self-service experiences. The platform uses retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to ensure that responses are accurate and up-to-date, continuously improving as it learns from customer interactions. Salesforce Einstein Service Cloud Einstein Service Cloud, part of the Salesforce platform, automates routine and complex customer service tasks. Its AI-powered Agentforce bots manage “low-touch” interactions, while “high-touch” cases are overseen by human agents supported by AI. Fully customizable, Einstein ensures that responses align with your brand’s tone and voice, all while leveraging enterprise data securely. Zendesk AI Zendesk, a leader in customer support, integrates generative AI to boost its service offerings. By using machine learning and natural language processing, Zendesk understands customer sentiment and intent, generates personalized responses, and automatically routes inquiries to the most suitable agent—be it human or machine. It also provides human agents with real-time guidance on resolving issues efficiently. Ada Ada is a conversational AI platform built for large-scale customer service automation. Its no-code interface allows businesses to create custom bots, reducing the cost of handling inquiries by up to 78% per ticket. By integrating domain-specific data, Ada helps improve both support efficiency and customer experience across omnichannel support environments. More AI Tools for Customer Service There are numerous other AI tools designed to enhance automated customer support: While AI tools are transforming customer service, the key lies in using them to complement human agents, allowing for a balance of efficiency and personalized 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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August 10, 2024in AI Tools, Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Salesforce, Salesforce Einstein
Demandbase One for Sales iFrame
09Aug

Demandbase One for Sales iFrame

Understanding the Demandbase One for Sales iFrame in Salesforce The Demandbase One for Sales iFrame (formerly known as Sales Intelligence) allows sales teams to access deep, actionable insights directly within Salesforce. This feature provides account-level and people-level details, including engagement data, technographics, intent signals, and even relevant news, social media posts, and email communications. By offering this level of visibility, sales professionals can make informed decisions and take the most effective next steps on accounts. Key Points: Overview of the Demandbase One for Sales iFrame The iFrame is divided into several key sections: Account, People, Engagement, and Insights tabs. Each of these provides critical information to help you better understand and engage with the companies and people you’re researching. Account Tab People Tab Engagement Tab Final Notes: The Demandbase One for Sales iFrame is a powerful tool that provides a complete view of account activity, helping sales teams make informed decisions and drive results. 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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August 9, 2024in Data
Benefits of Loan Software for Government Agencies on Salesforce
08Aug

Benefits of Loan Software for Government Agencies on Salesforce

The Benefits of Loan Software for Government Agencies on Salesforce Government agencies managing loans face unique challenges in financial administration, and integrating loan software with Salesforce can greatly enhance their efficiency, accuracy, and transparency. This streamlined solution addresses key areas such as document management, borrower engagement, and robust reporting, making processes more efficient and improving service delivery. Centralized Document Management Loan software offers a central hub for managing extensive paperwork, helping government agencies manage loan applications, agreements, and compliance documents. Key benefits include: This centralized approach saves time and helps agencies maintain audit-ready records. Improved Borrower Management Loan software on Salesforce offers a seamless borrower management experience through custom borrower portals. Features include: By improving borrower relationships, agencies can foster trust and boost repayment rates. Powerful Reporting and Dashboards Salesforce’s loan software provides comprehensive reporting tools to support data-driven decision-making: These tools provide insights that help agencies manage loans efficiently while aligning with fiscal goals. Efficient Payment Processing Loan software simplifies payment workflows, providing: This automation improves payment accuracy and speeds up processing times for both agencies and borrowers. Conclusion Integrating loan software with Salesforce offers government agencies significant benefits, from enhanced document management to improved borrower engagement, advanced reporting, and efficient payment processing. These solutions help agencies better serve citizens while maintaining compliance and fiscal responsibility. 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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August 8, 2024in Salesforce Implementation Services, Salesforce Optimization, Salesforce Public Sector Solutions
Unified Omnichannel Retail Platform
08Aug

Unified Omnichannel Retail Platform

Salesforce has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PredictSpring, a leading unified omnichannel retail platform in the retail POS market. This acquisition aims to enhance Salesforce’s Customer 360 capabilities by integrating PredictSpring’s technology into physical retail environments. Jeff Amann, EVP of Salesforce Industries, emphasized the potential synergies: “Consumers demand a retail experience that seamlessly blends physical and digital shopping. The combined talent, resources, and innovation of Salesforce and PredictSpring will empower brands and retailers to drive frictionless and personalized engagement across all touchpoints.” PredictSpring’s modern POS software offers a fast checkout service centered around customer experience. It advocates for intelligent and user-friendly technology to revolutionize in-store operational efficiency. On its website, PredictSpring details how its unified retail platform enables consistent shopping experiences by incorporating features such as diverse payment options, inventory access, customer data management, and personalized recommendations. This alignment supports Salesforce’s 360-degree customer view, multi-tender payment management, and streamlined customer experiences. PredictSpring also provides Cloud POS solutions, enabling mobile transactions within stores, and includes features like Store Operations, Clienteling, Endless Aisle, and Store Fulfilment to enhance worker efficiency and shopper experience. Its Content Management System (CMS) allows retailers to create customizable experiences matching company branding, promotions, and loyalty programs. Already a Salesforce partner, PredictSpring has integrated Commerce Cloud and Service Cloud. Its customers include Movado, LoveSac, Steve Madden, Suitsupply, Bouclair, and Deceim. Nitin Mangtani, Founder & CEO of PredictSpring, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are excited about the future of PredictSpring and what this means for the retail industry at large. We’re energized by the opportunity to make an even greater impact on the future of shopping as part of Salesforce.” Why PredictSpring mPOS? Retailers have become acutely aware of the detrimental impact that outdated legacy point of sale systems are having on their brand’s reputation and overall customer satisfaction. The consequence is evident in prolonged queues and an unsatisfactory shopping experience. However, the remedy to this challenge presents itself in the form of a modern solution: the mobile point of sale (mPOS). Forward-looking brands are embracing the concept of prioritizing mobile-first POS systems as the natural progression, and the integration process is surprisingly straightforward – a seamless extension to existing point of sale infrastructure. Facilitate cash payments with a mobile point of sale, streamlining the payment experience. With the Modern POS, store devices are wirelessly connected to a cash drawer so payment can be taken from anywhere in-store, leading to a higher engagement and conversion rate with customers. According to research released by Capterra, “48% of retail workers prefer using mPOS”. PredictSpring True Omnichannel Replace the need for separate technology stacks with a completely unified retail platform. PredictSpring ensures in-store experiences benefit from the same functionality as online ones. This includes the same payment options, company-wide inventory access, customer data management and personalized product recommendations. With these capabilities, stores are empowered by a truly Modern POS that provides seamless cross-channel personalization, inventory management, order management and order fulfilment. Encompassing the power of a full Modern POS, the system offers brands 50+ 00TB modules of integrated technology, including mPOS, clienteling, order fulfilment, order management and inventory management features. The Modern POS platform provides store associates with a 360 view of customers and access to a global inventory, resulting in a fully integrated brand experience at every touchpoint. This way, when a customer visits in-store they can interact with the physical products and receive a high-touch service while also still benefiting from the same access to inventory, reviews and recommendations as an online customer. APIs and Integrations PredictSpring is built for integrations. With the REST API, developers can access and seamlessly integrate PredictSpring functionalities into existing operations as well as other third-party applications. The platform’s API layer allows data to be shared securely across channels while minimizing risk. With this added flexibility comes the ability to create individually personalized and completely seamless experiences both online and in-store. Leverage easy integrations to offer more payment options for global customer bases. PredictSpring supports integrations with third-party payment providers such as Adyen, Elavon and Stripe to simplify the collection of global payments. PredictSpring fully supports omni channel order management. Ensure orders arrive on time while incurring the lowest costs with item-level smart order routing and rules-based configurations. Leverage inventory, location and fulfilment data to ensure order routing is optimized for orders on all channels – whether in-store or eCommerce. Leverage enterprise-wide inventory data and integrate with third-party logistics platforms to maintain a full, real-time picture of inventory. As well as cycle counts and easy inventory adjustments, the platform supports integration with RFID to ensure accurate inventory data. As well as offering BOPIS and curbside pickup solutions, the PredictSpring platform natively supports find in store and ship to store capabilities to maximize fulfilment options. Pick and pack allows fulfilment from any location with orders also able to be routed from store to store. PredictSpring allows the device’s own camera to be used as a barcode scanner, with no additional hardware required, to ensure easy order tracking functions for associates. Salesforce Commerce Cloud With a secure integration with Salesforce Commerce Cloud, PredictSpring offers even more flexibility. Users can choose to utilize features as a combined offering or independently to suit requirements. With this partnership, PredictSpring customers can benefit from the deployment of key Salesforce features including, customer data insights, order management, cart synchronization, product information management and more. AI-Based Voice Assistant Natural Language Based Voice Assistant for Modern POS Retail in the digital era is a story of constantly rising customer expectations. These days, customers demand seamless omnichannel experiences, so they can shop whenever and wherever they want. They expect personalized in-person shopping experiences, instant gratification, and fast, reliable delivery options. The only way to continue to meet these expectations at scale without breaking the bank is to harness the capabilities of AI—which is where the PredictSpring Modern POS comes in. As Modern POS systems have evolved into a complete operating system for stores with functionality ranging from checkout, returns, store fulfillment, clienteling,

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August 8, 2024in Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Autonomous AI Service Agents
07Aug

Autonomous AI Service Agents

Salesforce Set to Launch Autonomous AI Service Agents. Considering Tectonic only first wrote about Agentic AI in late June, its like Christmas in July! Salesforce is gearing up to introduce a new generation of customer service chatbots that leverage advanced AI tools to autonomously navigate through various actions and workflows. These bots, termed “autonomous AI agents,” are currently in pilot testing and are expected to be released later this year. Autonomous AI Service Agents Named Einstein Service Agent, these autonomous AI bots aim to utilize generative AI to understand customer intent, trigger workflows, and initiate actions within a user’s Salesforce environment, according to Ryan Nichols, Service Cloud’s chief product officer. By integrating natural language processing, predictive analytics, and generative AI, Einstein Service Agents will identify scenarios and resolve customer inquiries more efficiently. Traditional bots require programming with rules-based logic to handle specific customer service tasks, such as processing returns, issuing refunds, changing passwords, and renewing subscriptions. In contrast, the new autonomous bots, enhanced by generative AI, can better comprehend customer issues (e.g., interpreting “send back” as “return”) and summarize the steps to resolve them. Einstein Service Agent will operate across platforms like WhatsApp, Apple Messages for Business, Facebook Messenger, and SMS text, and will also process text, images, video, and audio that customers provide. Despite the promise of these new bots, their effectiveness is crucial, emphasized Liz Miller, an analyst at Constellation Research. If these bots fail to perform as expected, they risk wasting even more customer time than current technologies and damaging customer relationships. Miller also noted that successful implementation of autonomous AI agents requires human oversight for instances when the bots encounter confusion or errors. Customers, whether in B2C or B2B contexts, are often frustrated with the limitations of rules-based bots and prefer direct human interaction. It is annoying enough to be on the telephone repeating “live person” over and over again. It would be trafic to have to do it online, too. “It’s essential that these bots can handle complex questions,” Miller stated. “Advancements like this are critical, as they can prevent the bot from malfunctioning when faced with unprogrammed scenarios. However, with significant technological advancements like GenAI, it’s important to remember that human language and thought processes are intricate and challenging to map.” Nichols highlighted that the forthcoming Einstein Service Agent will be simpler to set up, as it reduces the need to manually program thousands of potential customer requests into a conversational decision tree. This new technology, which can understand multiple word permutations behind a service request, could potentially lower the need for extensive developer and data scientist involvement for Salesforce users. The pricing details for the autonomous Einstein Service Agent will be announced at its release. 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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August 7, 2024in Generative AI
Data Cloud and Genpact
07Aug

Data Cloud and Genpact

Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services and solutions firm delivering outcomes that shape the future, announced today its integration with Salesforce Data Cloud to offer AI-driven industry-specific cloud solutions to transform operations and drive competitive advantages for enterprises. Genpact’s integration with Data Cloud will solve issues associated with disconnected and unstructured data, including poor quality, accessibility, and scalability. By combining Genpact’s deep industry knowledge in consumer goods, life sciences, manufacturing, banking, and insurance, with Data Cloud, businesses can improve decision-making, optimize operations, and drive growth. “To navigate an increasingly complex business environment, business leaders must unlock the full potential of their data assets – but they can only do so if they have a more holistic view,” said Riju Vashisht, Chief Growth Officer, Genpact. “Our partnership with Salesforce combines our data, technology, and AI expertise and a global talent pool with the Salesforce Data Cloud, helping businesses break down data silos, gain real-time insights, and deliver personalized experiences at scale.” Data Cloud offers a 360-degree view of the customer every team can act on by seamlessly connecting, unifying, and activating data that lives in silos across an organization. This allows Genpact to better enable automation, analytics, and personalized engagement. Genpact has also launched a comprehensive training program for its employees on Salesforce’s Einstein AI and Data Cloud platforms to enhance skills and boost innovation to stay ahead in the AI landscape.  “Data Cloud is the platform powering organizations’ data and AI driven engagement. Data Cloud seamlessly harmonizes and unifies structured and unstructured data to deliver integrated experiences,” said Rahul Auradkar, EVP and GM, Unified Data Services and Einstein, Salesforce. “The AI revolution is about data, Data Cloud in concert with Salesforce Einstein 1 platform drives predictive and generative AI, automation, and analytics for customer engagement.” Genpact’s collaboration with Salesforce underscores the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality solutions and achieving client satisfaction within the Salesforce ecosystem. Visit here for more information about Genpact and Salesforce. About Genpact Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services and solutions firm delivering outcomes that shape the future. Our 125,000+ people across 30+ countries are driven by our innate curiosity, entrepreneurial agility, and desire to create lasting value for clients. Powered by our purpose – the relentless pursuit of a world that works better for people – we serve and transform leading enterprises, including the Fortune Global 500, with our deep business and industry knowledge, digital operations services, and expertise in data, technology, and AI. 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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August 7, 2024in Einstein 1 Platform, Generative AI, Salesforce Data Cloud, Salesforce Einstein
AI for Consumers and Retailers
02Aug

AI for Consumers and Retailers

Before generative AI became mainstream, tech-savvy retailers had long been leveraging transformative technologies to automate tasks and understand consumer behavior. Insights from consumer and future trends, along with predictive analytics, have long guided retailers in improving customer experiences and enhancing operational efficiency. AI for Consumers and Retailers improved customer experiences. While AI is currently used for personalized recommendations and online customer support, many consumers still harbor distrust towards AI. Salesforce is addressing this concern by promoting trustworthy AI with human oversight and implementing powerful controls that focus on mitigating high-risk AI outcomes. This approach is crucial as many knowledge workers fear losing control over AI. Although people trust AI to handle significant portions of their work, they believe that increased human oversight would bolster their confidence in AI. Building this trust is a challenge retailers must overcome to fully harness AI’s potential as a reliable assistant. So, where does the retail industry stand with AI, and how can retailers build consumer trust while developing AI responsibly? AI for Consumers and Retailers Recent research from Salesforce and the Retail AI Council highlights how AI is reshaping consumer behavior and retailer interactions. AI is now integral to providing personalized deals, suggesting tailored products, and enhancing customer service through chatbots. Retailers are increasingly embedding generative AI into their business operations. A significant majority (93%) of retailers report using generative AI for personalization, enabling customers to find products and make purchases faster through natural language interactions on digital storefronts and messaging apps. For instance, a customer might tell a retailer’s AI assistant about their camping needs, and based on location, preferences, and past purchases, the AI can recommend a suitable tent and provide a direct link for checkout and store collection. As of early 2024, 92% of retailers’ investments were directed towards AI technology. While AI is not new to retail, with 59% of merchants already using it for product recommendations and 55% utilizing digital assistants for online purchases, its applications continue to expand. From demand forecasting to customer sentiment analysis, AI enhances consumer experiences by predicting preferences and optimizing inventory levels, thereby reducing markdowns and improving efficiency. Barriers and Ethical Considerations Despite its promise, integrating generative AI in retail faces significant challenges, particularly regarding bias in AI outputs. The need for clear ethical guidelines in AI use within retail is pressing, underscoring the gap between adoption rates and ethical stewardship. Strategies that emphasize transparency and accountability are vital for fostering responsible AI innovation. Half of the surveyed retailers indicated they could fully comply with stringent data security standards and privacy regulations, demonstrating the industry’s commitment to protecting consumer data amidst evolving regulatory landscapes. Retailers are increasingly aware of the risks associated with AI integration. Concerns about bias top the list, with half of the respondents worried about prejudiced AI outcomes. Additionally, issues like hallucinations (38%) and toxicity (35%) linked to generative AI implementation highlight the need for robust mitigation strategies. A majority (62%) of retailers have established guidelines to address transparency, data security, and privacy concerns related to the ethical deployment of generative AI. These guidelines ensure responsible AI use, emphasizing trustworthy and unbiased outputs that adhere to ethical standards in the retail sector. These insights reveal a dual imperative for retailers: leveraging AI technologies to enhance operational efficiency and customer experiences while maintaining stringent ethical standards and mitigating risks. Consumer Perceptions and the Future of AI in Retail As AI continues to redefine retail, balancing ethical considerations with technological advancements is essential. To combat consumer skepticism, companies should focus on transparent communication about AI usage and emphasize that humans, not technology, are ultimately in control. Whether aiming for top-line growth or bottom-line efficiency, AI is a crucial addition to a retailer’s technology stack. However, to fully embrace AI, retailers must take consumers on the journey and earn their trust. 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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August 2, 2024in Generative AI
Snowpark Container Services
01Aug

Snowpark Container Services

Snowflake announced on Thursday the general availability of Snowpark Container Services, enabling customers to securely deploy and manage models and applications, including generative AI, within Snowflake’s environment. Initially launched in preview in June 2023, Snowpark Container Services is now a fully managed service available in all AWS commercial regions and in public preview in all Azure commercial regions. Containers are a software method used to isolate applications for secure deployment. Snowflake’s new feature allows customers to use containers to manage and deploy any type of model, optimally for generative AI applications, by securely integrating large language models (LLMs) and other generative AI tools with their data, explained Jeff Hollan, Snowflake’s head of applications and developer platform. Mike Leone, an analyst at TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group, noted that Snowpark Container Services’ launch builds on Snowflake’s recent efforts to provide customers with an environment for developing generative AI models and applications. Sridhar Ramaswamy became Snowflake’s CEO in February, succeeding Frank Slootman, who led the company through a record-setting IPO. Under Ramaswamy, Snowflake has aggressively added generative AI capabilities, including launching its own LLM, integrating with Mistral AI, and providing tools for creating AI chatbots. “There has definitely been a concerted effort to enhance Snowflake’s capabilities and presence in the AI and GenAI markets,” Leone said. “Offerings like Snowpark help AI stakeholders like data scientists and developers use the languages they prefer.” As a result, Snowpark Container Services is a significant new feature for Snowflake customers. “It’s a big deal for the Snowflake ecosystem,” Leone said. “By enabling easy deployment and management of containers within the Snowflake platform, it helps customers handle complex workloads and maintain consistency across development and production stages.” Despite the secure environment provided by Snowflake Container Services, it was revealed in May that the login credentials of potentially 160 customers had been stolen and used to access their data. However, Snowflake has stated there is no evidence that the breach resulted from a vulnerability or misconfiguration of the Snowflake platform. Prominent customers affected include AT&T and Ticketmaster, and Snowflake’s investigation is ongoing. New Capabilities Generative AI can transform business by enabling employees to easily work with data to inform decisions and making trained experts more efficient. Generative AI, combined with an enterprise’s proprietary data, allows users to interact with data using natural language, reducing the need for coding and data literacy training. Non-technical workers can query and analyze data, freeing data engineers and scientists from routine tasks. Many data management and analytics vendors are focusing on developing generative AI-powered features. Enterprises are building models and applications trained on their proprietary data to inform business decisions. Among data platform vendors, AWS, Databricks, Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle are providing environments for generative AI tool development. Snowflake, under Slootman, was less aggressive in this area but is now committed to generative AI development, though it still has ground to cover compared to its competitors. “Snowflake has gone as far as creating their own LLM,” Leone said. “But they still have a way to go to catch up to some of their top competitors.” Matt Aslett, an analyst at ISG’s Ventana Research, echoed that Snowflake is catching up to its rivals. The vendor initially focused on traditional data warehouse capabilities but made a significant step forward with the late 2023 launch of Cortex, a platform for developing AI models and applications. Cortex includes access to various LLMs and vector search capabilities, marking substantial progress. The general availability of Snowpark Container Services furthers Snowflake’s effort to foster generative AI development. The feature provides users with on-demand GPUs and CPUs to run any code next to their data. This enables the deployment and management of any type of model or application without moving data out of Snowflake’s platform. “It’s optimized for next-generation data and AI applications by pushing that logic to the data,” Hollan said. “This means customers can now easily and securely deploy everything from source code to homegrown models in Snowflake.” Beyond security, Snowpark Container Services simplifies model management and deployment while reducing associated costs. Snowflake provides a fully integrated managed service, eliminating the need for piecing together various services from different vendors. The service includes a budget control feature to reduce operational costs and provide cost certainty. Snowpark Container Services includes diverse storage options, observability tools like Snowflake Trail, and streamlined DevOps capabilities. It supports deploying LLMs with local volumes, memory, Snowflake stages, and configurable block storage. Integrations with observability specialists like Datadog, Grafana, and Monte Carlo are also included. Aslett noted that the 2020 launch of the Snowpark development environment enabled users to use their preferred coding languages with their data. Snowpark Container Services takes this further by allowing the use of third-party software, including generative AI models and data science libraries. “This potentially reduces complexity and infrastructure resource requirements,” Aslett said. Snowflake spent over a year moving Snowpark Container Services from private preview to general availability, focusing on governance, networking, usability, storage, observability, development operations, scalability, and performance. One customer, Landing AI, used Snowpark Container Services during its preview phases to develop LandingLens, an application for training and deploying computer vision models. “[With Snowflake], we are increasing access to AI for more companies and use cases, especially given the rapid growth of unstructured data in our increasingly digital world,” Landing AI COO Dan Maloney said in a statement Thursday. Future Plans With Snowpark Container Services now available on AWS, Snowflake plans to extend the feature to all cloud platforms. The vendor’s roadmap includes further improvements to Snowpark Container Services with more enterprise-grade tools. “Our team is investing in making it easy for companies ranging from startups to enterprises to build, deliver, distribute, and monetize next-generation AI products across their ecosystems,” Hollan said. Aslett said that making Snowpark Container Services available on Azure and Google Cloud is the logical next step. He noted that the managed service’s release is significant but needs broader availability beyond AWS regions. “The next step will be to bring Snowpark Container Services to general

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August 1, 2024in Snowflake
360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot
30Jul

360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot

360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot vs. Traditional Customer Support: An Analysis In the evolving tech space of customer service, businesses continue to seek ways to enhance customer satisfaction while optimizing costs. One notable resource in recent years is the increasing reliance on chatbots, with the 360 SMS chatbot emerging as a powerful SMS tool for efficient customer support. But how does it measure up against traditional customer support methods? This comparative analysis explores the effectiveness and efficiency of the 360 SMS SFDC Chatbot in contrast to conventional approaches. Understanding Traditional Customer Support Traditional customer support involves human interaction where agents handle inquiries via phone calls, emails, or in-person interactions. These methods are valued for their personalized service and ability to handle complex queries effectively. However, they come with some challenges: Introducing the 360 SMS SFDC Chatbot The 360 SMS SFDC chatbot automates business conversations independently within Salesforce environments without extensive coding. This no-code solution integrates seamlessly with Salesforce, accessing customer data to provide personalized interactions and streamline customer support processes. Key Advantages of the 360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS SFDC Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot: Traditional Customer Support: 360 SMS Salesforce Chatbot: While traditional customer support offers personalized service and handles complex queries effectively, the 360 SMS SFDC chatbot provides 24/7 availability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. By combining both approaches, businesses can enhance customer experiences, optimize operational costs, and meet evolving market demands effectively. Embracing innovative solutions like the 360 SMS Salesforce chatbot is crucial for staying competitive, meeting customer expectations, and transforming organizational efficiency in today’s dynamic business environment. 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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July 30, 2024in Salesforce
Cloud PBX
30Jul

Cloud PBX

The Clock is Ticking on the Big UK Traditional Telephony Switch-Off As the UK approaches the traditional telephony switch-off, millions of small businesses are prioritizing the digitization of their voice communications. The move to cloud-powered replacements – Cloud PBX – is not just about meeting the January 2027 deadline; it’s an opportunity to modernize and leverage the benefits of cloud-based communications. The switch-off represents a chance for businesses to embrace a mobile-first, omnichannel approach to communication, unifying voice, video, emails, messaging, webchat, and more. This integration empowers employees to work smarter and enhances the customer experience. For small businesses and their IT service provider partners, modernization depends on deploying feature-rich, affordable technology that simplifies complexity and delivers tangible efficiency gains. Choosing the right product and vendor is crucial. “Cloud-powered, unified communication is no longer just for larger enterprises; small businesses must also embrace transformational change to keep pace with modern work trends. What may seem like a major undertaking can be easier than they think,” says Arya Zhou, Head of Global Sales at Yeastar. Yeastar’s recently launched P520 IPPBX digitizes voice calling and seamlessly integrates it with video, messaging, and customer experience into one platform. Discover the Yeastar P520 The Yeastar P520, part of the P-Series Appliance Edition, supports up to 20 users and 10 concurrent calls. It combines a compact, lightweight hardware body with powerful software capabilities. It supports Yeastar’s Linkus UC Client for various platforms, integrates with Microsoft Teams, and provides comprehensive call analytics and graphical call reports to improve communication efficiency and productivity. The P520 offers advanced call center features, including: Additionally, it includes team chat with presence and file sharing, integrated lightweight video conferencing, PBX-native external contacts management, extension groups, and ready-made integrations with popular CRMs and helpdesks. All these features come with single-point configuration and enterprise-grade security. “The Yeastar P520 is ideal for smaller teams looking to enhance their communication infrastructure,” says Zhou. “It delivers advanced communication capabilities and improved productivity tailored for SMBs and startups, without high costs.” 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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July 30, 2024in Salesforce
Generative AI Replaces Legacy Systems
29Jul

Securing AI for Efficiency and Building Customer Trust

As businesses increasingly adopt AI to enhance automation, decision-making, customer support, and growth, they face crucial security and privacy considerations. The Salesforce Platform, with its integrated Einstein Trust Layer, enables organizations to leverage AI securely by ensuring robust data protection, privacy compliance, transparent AI functionality, strict access controls, and detailed audit trails. Why Secure AI Workflows Matter AI technology empowers systems to mimic human-like behaviors, such as learning and problem-solving, through advanced algorithms and large datasets that leverage machine learning. As the volume of data grows, securing sensitive information used in AI systems becomes more challenging. A recent Salesforce study found that 68% of Analytics and IT teams expect data volumes to increase over the next 12 months, underscoring the need for secure AI implementations. AI for Business: Predictive and Generative Models In business, AI depends on trusted data to provide actionable recommendations. Two primary types of AI models support various business functions: Addressing Key LLM Risks Salesforce’s Einstein Trust Layer addresses common risks associated with large language models (LLMs) and offers guidance for secure Generative AI deployment. This includes ensuring data security, managing access, and maintaining transparency and accountability in AI-driven decisions. Leveraging AI to Boost Efficiency Businesses gain a competitive edge with AI by improving efficiency and customer experience through: Four Strategies for Secure AI Implementation To ensure data protection in AI workflows, businesses should consider: The Einstein Trust Layer: Protecting AI-Driven Data The Einstein Trust Layer in Salesforce safeguards generative AI data by providing: Salesforce’s Einstein Trust Layer addresses the security and privacy challenges of adopting AI in business, offering reliable data security, privacy protection, transparent AI operations, and robust access controls. Through this secure approach, businesses can maximize AI benefits while safeguarding customer trust and meeting compliance requirements. 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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July 29, 2024in Data, Generative AI, Laws, Salesforce, Technology
Leeds and Other Heatmap Solutions
28Jul

Leeds and Other Heatmap Solutions

With over 80% of people shopping online – and the numbers are bound to rise – it’s important to know how your would-be customers behave on your website: where they click, how they scroll, and what motivates them to take specific actions. Heatmap analytics does it, allowing you to dominate CRO and UX through effective behavior data interpretation. This insight will look at Leeds and Other Heatmap Solutions. Powered by heatmap software and heatmap tools, heatmap analytics can help you convert customers at scale by optimizing their on-site and mobile experience. Make no mistake: the quality of user behavior tracking can make a difference between a closed sale and a bounce. Leads Heatmap Software is an innovative tool that transforms complex lead data into easy-to-understand, color-coded heatmaps within Salesforce CRM. This solution uses advanced data visualization techniques, enabling users to quickly identify high-potential leads. Interactive Heatmaps Leverage dynamic, real-time heatmaps to visualize lead density and quality, making it easier to pinpoint high-potential areas. Real-Time Updates Stay up-to-date with the latest information as heatmaps automatically refresh with new leads or changes to existing data, ensuring you always have the most current view. Enhanced Analytics Dive deeper into lead behavior and trends with comprehensive analytics tools that provide detailed reports and predictive insights. Detailed Lead Profiles Access in-depth lead profiles directly from the heatmap, including contact details, engagement history, and quick shortcuts for a complete view of each lead. Online Chat Integration Interact with leads instantly using integrated online chat, facilitating immediate and personalized communication. All website pages have a purpose, whether that purpose is to drive further clicks, qualify visitors, provide a solution, or even a mix of all of those things. Heatmaps and recorded user sessions allow you to see if your page is serving that purpose or going against it. What Is a Heatmap? Generally speaking, heatmaps are graphical representations of data that highlight value with color. On a website heatmap, the most popular areas are showcased in red (hot) and the least popular are in blue (cold). The colors range on a scale from red to blue. Heatmaps are an excellent method of collecting user behavior data and converting it into a deep analysis of how visitors engage with your website pages. It can analyze: That information will help you identify user trends and key into what should be optimized to up engagement. Setting up website heatmapping software is a great start to refining your website design process and understanding your users. When to Use Heatmaps The truth is that heatmaps can actually be invaluable when testing and optimizing user experiences and conversion opportunities. There are many times you should be using them. Redesigning Your Website Updating, or even upgrading, your website isn’t just a task on your to do list. Careful thought, attention, and creativity should be put into the revamp if you want it to be worth the time and resources. Heatmaps can help with studying your current design to identify what your visitors are engaging with and what they’re ignoring. You’ll be tapped into what makes your visitors tick so that you can build a site meant specifically for your unique audience. Analyzing Webpage Conversions Trying to figure out why certain pages aren’t converting the way you thought they would? Use a heatmap. You’ll be able to identify exactly what’s attracting attention and deduce why. The same goes for buttons and pages that are showing a higher rate of conversion than anticipated. By keying into the design, copy, and other elements that are working for you, you’ll know exactly how to optimize your under-performing webpages. Testing New Updates As your business grows and you develop new ideas, naturally you’ll want to test them. A/B testing allows you to measure and analyze visitor response to a project or design, but you can take it a step further with heatmapping. Leverage the data graph by examining exactly what captures your visitors’ attention. At the end of the testing period, you may be able to pull designs or elements that received high levels of engagement from the page that didn’t perform as well into the successful one. How To Analyze Visually Using the color-coded visualizations, you can read your webpage for engagement levels and attention “hot spots.” Where the map reads red, that’s where visitors are showing the highest points of interactivity. Blue reflects low numbers. You can spot design issues or opportunities to move buttons, forms, and the like with a visual read. Data Points Reviewing raw data tables will give you more specific insights into your page’s performance. You can examine HTML elements and pixel locations of clicks to really understand what’s drawing people in. You can even filter your clicks and views in order of popularity with certain software. This takes the guessing out of your redesign and testing efforts. Tableau has instant, real-time reporting in place for users looking for actionable insights. With smart dashboards and a drag and drop interface, navigating the product is easy. Their cloud storage means omni-channel data access from anywhere. You can perform ad hoc analyses whenever it’s convenient for you. You can also share your reports with anyone to boost business impact. With built in A/B testing and consolidated heatmaps, Freshmarketer puts in the extra effort to plot out visitor interactions. Recorded in real time, you can analyze heatmaps based by device, which the software automatically detects. Offering scrollmaps and click maps, Freshmarketer strives to “go beyond traditional heatmaps.” Looker offers similar services to the other software options listed, but they also supply a unique security management feature to protect your data. Also partnered with Google Cloud, you’ll have access to reporting from anywhere in the world. Primarily a data analysis solution, you’ll have access to other data intelligence and visualization features as well. Hotjar is one of the most popular website analytics software suites, offering free heatmaps for desktop, mobile, and tablet within its basic subscription plan. You can create heatmaps and synergize them with other free features like user session recordings, surveys, and

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July 28, 2024in Google Analytics

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