business intelligence - gettectonic.com
AI Agents, Tech's Next Big Bet

Business Intelligence and AI

AI in Business Intelligence: Uses, Benefits, and Challenges AI tools are increasingly becoming integral to Business Intelligence (BI) systems, enhancing analytics capabilities and streamlining tasks. In this article, we explore how AI can bring new value to BI processes and what to consider as this integration continues to evolve. AI’s Role in Business Intelligence Business Intelligence tools, such as dashboards and interactive reports, have traditionally focused on analyzing historical and current data to describe business performance—known as descriptive analytics. While valuable, many business users seek more than just a snapshot of past performance. They also want predictive insights (forecasting future trends) and prescriptive guidance (recommendations for action). Historically, implementing these advanced capabilities was challenging due to their complexity, but AI simplifies this process. By leveraging AI’s analytical power and natural language processing (NLP), businesses can move from descriptive to predictive and prescriptive analytics, enabling proactive decision-making. AI-powered BI systems also offer the advantage of real-time data analysis, providing up-to-date insights that help businesses respond quickly to changing conditions. Additionally, AI can automate routine tasks, boosting efficiency across business operations. Benefits of Using AI in BI Initiatives The integration of AI into BI systems brings several key benefits, including: Examples of AI Applications in BI AI’s role in BI is not limited to internal process improvements. It can significantly enhance customer experience (CX) and support business growth. Here are a few examples: Challenges of Implementing AI in BI While the potential for AI in BI is vast, there are several challenges companies must address: Best Practices for Deploying AI in BI To maximize the benefits of AI in BI, companies should follow these best practices: Future Trends to Watch AI is not poised to replace traditional BI tools but to augment them with new capabilities. In the future, we can expect: In conclusion, AI is transforming business intelligence by turning data analysis from a retrospective activity into a forward-looking, real-time process. While challenges remain, such as data governance, ethical concerns, and skill shortages, AI’s potential to enhance BI systems and drive business success is undeniable. By following best practices and staying abreast of industry developments, businesses can harness AI to unlock new opportunities and deliver better insights. 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

Read More
Collaborative Business Intelligence

Collaborative Business Intelligence

Collaborative BI combines BI tools with collaboration platforms, enabling users to connect data insights directly within their existing workflows. This integration enhances decision-making by reducing misunderstandings and fostering teamwork through real-time or asynchronous discussions about data. In traditional BI, data analysis was handled by data scientists and statisticians who translated insights for business users. However, the rise of self-service BI tools has democratized data access, allowing users of varying technical skills to create and share visualizations. Collaborative BI takes this a step further by embedding BI functions into collaboration platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. This setup allows users to ask questions, clarify context, and share reports within the same applications they already use, enhancing data-driven decisions across the organization. One real-life time saver in my experience is being able as a marketer to dig in to our BI and generate lists myself, without depending upon a team of data scientists. Benefits of Collaborative BI Leading Collaborative BI Platforms Several vendors offer collaborative BI solutions, each with unique integrations for communication and data sharing: Collaborative BI bridges data analysis with organizational collaboration, creating an agile environment for informed decision-making and effective knowledge sharing across all levels. 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

Read More
Informed Decision-Making

Informed Decision-Making

Informed Decision-Making Through Data Visualization: Power BI vs. Tableau Today’s businesses need to make informed decisions by leveraging organized and analyzed data. Data visualization is a key method for extracting insights from this data, and Power BI and Tableau are two leading tools that often spark debate among experts. Both are highly regarded for their ability to visualize data, and CTOs frequently compare Power BI vs. Tableau to determine the best fit for their needs. Why Power BI and Tableau Stand OutBoth tools excel at data visualization, making them top choices for business intelligence (BI) solutions. They offer seamless integration with various platforms, can handle large volumes of data, and provide predictive analytics capabilities. To help CTOs and other decision-makers boost efficiency, let’s dive into a comparison of Power BI vs. Tableau and examine how each tool measures up. Power BI Microsoft’s Power BI is a leading BI tool designed to transform data from diverse sources into insightful visual reports. It allows users to create, share, and manage analytical reports, ensuring accessibility at all times. As part of the Microsoft ecosystem, Power BI is ideal for large organizations that already use Microsoft products. Tableau Tableau delivers powerful data visualization with flexible deployment options, allowing users to seamlessly access insights. With its integration into Salesforce Data Cloud, Tableau offers a fast and scalable way to work with customer data in real time. Its strong data-handling capabilities make it popular among larger organizations and data experts. Power BI vs. Tableau: Key Differences Let’s explore the key differences between Power BI and Tableau to guide your informed decision-making. Data Visualization and User Interface Data Integration and Connectivity for Informed Decision-Making Data Handling and Performance Ease of Learning Programming Tools Support Pricing Microsoft Power BI vs. Salesforce Tableau: Pros and Cons Power BI Pros Tableau Pros Which is Better: Power BI or Tableau? When comparing Microsoft Power BI vs. Tableau, the right choice depends on your organization’s size, technical expertise, and specific needs. For smaller businesses and those already using Microsoft tools, Power BI is often the best fit. On the other hand, larger organizations managing substantial datasets might favor Tableau for its advanced capabilities. Ultimately, the decision between Power BI vs. Tableau should be based on your unique business requirements and the level of technical expertise available within your team. 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

Read More
Impact of Generative AI

Impact of Generative AI

Generative AI has emerged as the most dominant trend in data management and analytics, overshadowing all other technologies. This prominence began with the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, which significantly advanced the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) and demonstrated the transformative potential of generative AI (GenAI) for enterprises. Generative AI’s impact is profound, particularly in making advanced business intelligence tools accessible to a broader range of employees, not just data scientists and analysts. Before the advent of GenAI, complex data management and analytics platforms required computer science skills, statistical expertise, and extensive data literacy. Generative AI has reduced these barriers, enabling more people to leverage data insights for decision-making. Another key advantage of generative AI is its ability to greatly enhance efficiency. It can automate time-consuming, repetitive tasks previously performed manually by data engineers and experts, acting as an independent agent in managing data processes. The landscape of generative AI has evolved rapidly. Following the launch of ChatGPT, a wave of competing LLMs has emerged. Initially, the transformative potential of these technologies was theoretical, but it is now becoming tangible. Companies like Google are developing tools to help customers build and deploy their own generative AI models and applications. Enterprises are increasingly moving from pilot testing to developing and implementing production models. Generative AI does not operate in isolation. Enterprises are also focusing on complementary aspects such as data quality and governance. Ensuring that the data feeding and training generative AI is reliable is crucial. Additionally, real-time data and automation are essential for making generative AI a proactive technology rather than a reactive one. Generative AI has highlighted the need for a robust data foundation. The main challenge now is ensuring that enterprise data is trusted, governed, and ready for AI applications. With the rise of multimodal data, enterprises require a unified approach to manage and govern diverse data types effectively. In addition to generative AI, other significant trends in data management and analytics include the focus on real-time data processing and automation. Integrating generative AI with real-time data streams and automated systems is expected to drive substantial business transformation. By enabling real-time insights and actions, businesses can achieve a level of operational efficiency previously unattainable. The convergence of these technologies is transforming business operations. Unified and simplified technology stacks, integrating foundational technologies, LLMs, and real-time data platforms, are essential for driving this transformation. The industry is making strides towards creating integrated solutions that support comprehensive data management and analytics. 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

Read More
Tableau Einstein is Here

Tableau Einstein is Here

Tableau Einstein marks a new chapter for Tableau, transforming the analytics experience by moving beyond traditional reports and dashboards to deliver insights directly within the flow of a user’s work. This new AI-powered analytics platform blends existing Tableau and Salesforce capabilities with innovative features designed to revolutionize how users engage with data. The platform is built around four key areas: autonomous insight delivery through AI, AI-assisted development of a semantic layer, real-time data access, and a marketplace for data and AI products, allowing customers to personalize their Tableau experience. Some features, like Tableau Pulse and Tableau Agent, which provide autonomous insights, are already available. Additional tools, such as Tableau Semantics and a marketplace for AI products, are expected to launch in 2025. Access to Tableau Einstein is provided through a Tableau+ subscription, though pricing details remain private. Since being acquired by Salesforce in 2019, Tableau has shifted its focus toward AI, following the trend of many analytics vendors. In February, Tableau introduced Tableau Pulse, a generative AI-powered tool that delivers insights in natural language. In July, it also rolled out Tableau Agent, an AI assistant to help users prepare and analyze data. With AI at its core, Tableau Einstein reflects deeper integration between Tableau and Salesforce. David Menninger, an analyst at Ventana Research, commented that these new capabilities represent a meaningful step toward true integration between the two platforms. Donald Farmer, founder of TreeHive Strategy, agrees, highlighting that while the robustness of Tableau Einstein’s AI capabilities compared to its competitors remains to be seen, the platform offers more than just incremental add-ons. “It’s an impressive release,” he remarked. A Paradigm Shift in Analytics A significant aspect of Tableau Einstein is its agentic nature, where AI-powered agents deliver insights autonomously, without user prompts. Traditionally, users queried data and analyzed reports to derive insights. Tableau Einstein changes this model by proactively providing insights within the workflow, eliminating the need for users to formulate specific queries. The concept of autonomous insights, represented by tools like Tableau Pulse and Agentforce for Tableau, allows businesses to build autonomous agents that deliver actionable data. This aligns with the broader trend in analytics, where the market is shifting toward agentic AI and away from dashboard reliance. Menninger noted, “The market is moving toward agentic AI and analytics, where agents, not dashboards, drive decisions. Agents can act on data rather than waiting for users to interpret it.” Farmer echoed this sentiment, stating that the integration of AI within Tableau is intuitive and seamless, offering a significantly improved analytics experience. He specifically pointed out Tableau Pulse’s elegant design and the integration of Agentforce AI, which feels deeply integrated rather than a superficial add-on. Core Features and Capabilities One of the most anticipated features of Tableau Einstein is Tableau Semantics, a semantic layer designed to enhance AI models by enabling organizations to define and structure their data consistently. Expected to be generally available by February 2025, Tableau Semantics will allow enterprises to manage metrics, data dimensions, and relationships across datasets with the help of AI. Pre-built metrics for Salesforce data will also be available, along with AI-driven tools to simplify semantic layer management. Tableau is not the first to offer a semantic layer—vendors like MicroStrategy and Looker have similar features—but the infusion of AI sets Tableau’s approach apart. According to Tableau’s chief product officer, Southard Jones, AI makes Tableau’s semantic layer more agile and user-friendly compared to older, labor-intensive systems. Real-time data integration is another key component of Tableau Einstein, made possible through Salesforce’s Data Cloud. This integration enables Tableau users to securely access and combine structured and unstructured data from hundreds of sources without manual intervention. Unstructured data, such as text and images, is critical for comprehensive AI training, and Data Cloud allows enterprises to use it alongside structured data efficiently. Additionally, Tableau Einstein will feature a marketplace launching in mid-2025, which will allow users to build a composable infrastructure. Through APIs, users will be able to personalize their Tableau environment, share AI assets, and collaborate across departments more effectively. Looking Forward As Tableau continues to build on its AI-driven platform, Menninger and Farmer agree that the vendor’s move toward agentic AI is a smart evolution. While Tableau’s current capabilities are competitive, Menninger noted that the platform doesn’t necessarily set Tableau apart from competitors like Qlik, MicroStrategy, or Microsoft Fabric. However, the tight integration with Salesforce and the focus on agentic AI may provide Tableau with a short-term advantage in the fast-changing analytics landscape. Farmer added that Tableau Einstein’s autonomous insight generation feels like a significant leap forward for the platform. “Tableau has done great work in creating an agentic experience that feels, for the first time, like the real deal,” he said. Looking ahead, Tableau’s roadmap includes a continued focus on agentic AI, with the goal of providing each user with their own personal analyst. “It’s not just about productivity,” said Jones. “It’s about changing the value of what can be delivered.” Menninger concluded that Tableau’s shift away from dashboards is a reflection of where business intelligence is headed. “Dashboards, like data warehouses, don’t solve problems on their own. What matters is what you do with the information,” he said. “Tableau’s push toward agentic analytics and collaborative decision-making is the right move for its users and the market as a whole.” Like1 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

Read More
Collaborative Business Intelligence

Collaborative Business Intelligence

Collaborative Business Intelligence: Connecting Data and Teams In today’s data-driven world, the ability to interact with business intelligence (BI) tools is essential for making informed decisions. Collaborative business intelligence (BI), also known as social BI, allows users to engage with their organization’s data and communicate with data experts through the same platforms where they already collaborate. While self-service BI empowers users to generate insights, understanding the data’s context is critical to avoid misunderstandings that can derail decision-making. Collaborative BI integrates BI tools with collaboration platforms to bridge the gap between data analysis and communication, reducing the risks of misinterpretation. Traditional Business Intelligence Traditional BI involves the use of technology to analyze data and present insights clearly. Before BI platforms became widespread, data scientists and statisticians handled data analysis, making it challenging for non-technical professionals to digest the insights. BI evolved to automate visualizations, such as charts and dashboards, making data more accessible to business users. Previously, BI reports were typically available only to high-level executives. However, modern self-service BI tools democratize access, enabling more users—regardless of technical expertise—to create reports and visualize data, fostering better decision-making across the organization. The Emergence of Collaborative BI Collaborative BI is a growing trend, combining BI applications with collaboration tools. This approach allows users to work together synchronously or asynchronously within a shared platform, making it easier to discuss data reports in real time or leave comments for others to review. Whether it’s through Slack, Microsoft Teams, or social media apps, users can receive and discuss BI insights within their usual communication channels. This seamless integration of BI and collaboration tools offers a competitive edge, simplifying the process of sharing knowledge and clarifying data without switching between applications. Key Benefits of Collaborative Business Intelligence Leading Collaborative BI Platforms Here’s a look at some of the top collaborative BI platforms driving innovation in the market: Conclusion Collaborative BI empowers organizations by improving decision-making, democratizing data access, optimizing data quality, and ensuring data security. By integrating BI tools with collaboration platforms, businesses can streamline their operations, foster a culture of data-driven decision-making, and enhance overall efficiency. Choosing the right platform is key to maximizing the benefits of collaborative BI. 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

Read More
Predictive Analytics

Predictive Analytics

Industry forecasts predict an annual growth rate of 6% to 7%, fueled by innovations in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and data engineering. In 2023, the global data analytics market was valued at approximately $41 billion and is expected to surge to $118.5 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.1%. This significant expansion reflects the growing demand for advanced analytics tools that provide actionable insights. AI has notably enhanced the accuracy of predictive models, enabling marketers to anticipate customer behaviors and preferences with impressive precision. “We’re on the verge of a new era in predictive analytics, with tools like Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics revolutionizing how we harness data-driven insights to transform marketing strategies,” says Koushik Kumar Ganeeb, a Principal Member of Technical Staff at Salesforce Data Cloud and a distinguished Data and AI Architect. Ganeeb’s leadership spans initiatives like AI-powered Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics, Marketing Cloud Connector for Data Cloud, and Intelligence Reporting (Datorama). His expertise includes architecting vast data extraction pipelines that process trillions of transactions daily. These pipelines play a crucial role in the growth strategies of Fortune 500 companies, helping them scale their data operations efficiently by leveraging AI. Ganeeb’s visionary work has propelled Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics into the forefront of business intelligence. Under his guidance, the platform’s advanced capabilities—such as predictive modeling, real-time data analysis, and natural language processing—are now pivotal in transforming how businesses forecast trends, personalize marketing efforts, and make data-driven decisions with unprecedented precision. AI and Machine Learning: The Next Frontier Beginning in 2018, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, a leading engagement platform used by top enterprises, faced challenges in extracting actionable insights and enhancing AI capabilities from rapidly growing data across diverse systems. Ganeeb was tasked with overcoming these hurdles, leading to the development of the Salesforce Einstein Provisioning Process. This process involved the creation of extensive data import jobs and the establishment of standardized patterns based on consumer adoption learning. These automated jobs handle trillions of transactions daily, delivering critical engagement and profile data in real-time to meet the scalability needs of large enterprises. The data flows seamlessly into AI models that generate predictions on a massive scale, such as Engagement Scores and insights into messaging and language usage across the platform. “Integrating AI and machine learning into data analytics through Salesforce Einstein is not just a technological enhancement—it’s a revolutionary shift in how we approach data,” explains Ganeeb. “With our advanced predictive models and real-time data processing, we can analyze vast amounts of data instantly, delivering insights that were previously unimaginable.” This innovative approach empowers organizations to make more informed decisions, driving unprecedented growth and operational efficiency. Real-World Success Stories Under Ganeeb’s technical leadership, Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics has delivered remarkable results across industries by leveraging AI and machine learning to provide actionable insights and enhance business performance. In the past year, leading companies like T-Mobile, Fitbit, and Dell Technologies have reported significant improvements after integrating Einstein. Ganeeb’s proficiency in designing and scaling data engineering solutions has been critical in helping these enterprises optimize performance. “Scalability with Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics goes beyond managing data volumes—it ensures that every data point is converted into actionable insights,” says Ganeeb. His work processing petabytes of data daily underscores his commitment to precision and efficiency in data engineering. Navigating Data Ethics and Quality Despite the rapid growth of predictive analytics, Ganeeb emphasizes the importance of data ethics and quality. “The accuracy of predictive models depends on the integrity of the data,” he notes. Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics addresses this by curating datasets to ensure they are representative and free from bias, maintaining trust while delivering reliable insights. By implementing rigorous data quality checks and ethical considerations, Ganeeb ensures that Einstein Analytics not only delivers actionable insights but also fosters transparency and trust. This balanced approach is key to the responsible use of predictive analytics across various industries. Future Trends in Predictive Analytics The future of predictive analytics looks bright, with AI and machine learning poised to further refine the accuracy and utility of predictive models. “Success lies in embracing technological advancements while maintaining a human touch,” Ganeeb notes. “By combining AI-driven insights with human intuition, businesses can navigate market complexities and uncover new opportunities.” Ganeeb’s contributions to Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics exemplify this balanced approach, integrating cutting-edge technology with human insight to empower businesses to make strategic decisions. His work positions organizations to thrive in a data-driven world, helping them stay agile and competitive in an evolving market. Balancing Benefits and Challenges – Predictive Analytics While predictive analytics offers vast potential, Ganeeb recognizes the challenges. Ensuring data quality, addressing ethical concerns, and maintaining transparency are crucial for its responsible use. “Although challenges remain, the future of AI-based predictive analytics is promising,” Ganeeb asserts. His work with Salesforce Einstein Data Analytics continues to push the boundaries of marketing analytics, enabling businesses to harness the power of AI for transformative growth. 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

Read More
AI and Big Data

AI and Big Data

Over the past decade, enterprises have accumulated vast amounts of data, capturing everything from business processes to inventory statistics. This surge in data marked the onset of the big data revolution. However, merely storing and managing big data is no longer sufficient to extract its full value. As organizations become adept at handling big data, forward-thinking companies are now leveraging advanced analytics and the latest AI and machine learning techniques to unlock even greater insights. These technologies can identify patterns and provide cognitive capabilities across vast datasets, enabling organizations to elevate their data analytics to new levels. Additionally, the adoption of generative AI systems is on the rise, offering more conversational approaches to data analysis and enhancement. This allows organizations to extract significant insights from information that would otherwise remain untapped in data stores. How Are AI and Big Data Related? Applying machine learning algorithms to big data is a logical progression for companies aiming to maximize the potential of their data. Unlike traditional rules-based approaches that follow explicit instructions, machine learning systems use data-driven algorithms and statistical models to analyze and detect patterns in data. Big data serves as the raw material for these systems, which derive valuable insights from it. Organizations are increasingly recognizing the benefits of integrating big data with machine learning. However, to fully harness the power of both, it’s crucial to understand their individual capabilities. Understanding Big Data Big data involves extracting and analyzing information from large quantities of data, but volume is just one aspect. Other critical “Vs” of big data that enterprises must manage include velocity, variety, veracity, validity, visualization, and value. Understanding Machine Learning Machine learning, the backbone of modern AI, adds significant value to big data applications by deriving deeper insights. These systems learn and adapt over time without the need for explicit programming, using statistical models to analyze and infer patterns from data. Historically, companies relied on complex, rules-based systems for reporting, which often proved inflexible and unable to cope with constant changes. Today, machine learning and deep learning enable systems to learn from big data, enhancing decision-making, business intelligence, and predictive analysis. The strength of machine learning lies in its ability to discover patterns in data. The more data available, the more these algorithms can identify patterns and apply them to future data. Applications range from recommendation systems and anomaly detection to image recognition and natural language processing (NLP). Categories of Machine Learning Algorithms Machine learning algorithms generally fall into three categories: The most powerful large language models (LLMs), which underpin today’s widely used generative AI systems, utilize a combination of these methods, learning from massive datasets. Understanding Generative AI Generative AI models are among the most powerful and popular AI applications, creating new data based on patterns learned from extensive training datasets. These models, which interact with users through conversational interfaces, are trained on vast amounts of internet data, including conversations, interviews, and social media posts. With pre-trained LLMs, users can generate new text, images, audio, and other outputs using natural language prompts, without the need for coding or specialized models. How Does AI Benefit Big Data? AI, combined with big data, is transforming businesses across various sectors. Key benefits include: Big Data and Machine Learning: A Synergistic Relationship Big data and machine learning are not competing concepts; when combined, they deliver remarkable results. Emerging big data techniques offer powerful ways to manage and analyze data, while machine learning models extract valuable insights from it. Successfully handling the various “Vs” of big data enhances the accuracy and power of machine learning models, leading to better business outcomes. The volume of data is expected to grow exponentially, with predictions of over 660 zettabytes of data worldwide by 2030. As data continues to amass, machine learning will become increasingly reliant on big data, and companies that fail to leverage this combination will struggle to keep up. Examples of AI and Big Data in Action Many organizations are already harnessing the power of machine learning-enhanced big data analytics: Conclusion The integration of AI and big data is crucial for organizations seeking to drive digital transformation and gain a competitive edge. As companies continue to combine these technologies, they will unlock new opportunities for personalization, efficiency, and innovation, ensuring they remain at the forefront of their industries. 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

Read More
Pulse for Salesforce

Pulse for Salesforce

Salesforce Unveils Pulse for Salesforce: Integrating Tableau Analytics with CRM to Revolutionize Data-Driven Decision-Making In today’s data heavy business world, where data-driven decision-making is essential for success, the fusion of advanced analytics with customer relationship management (CRM) systems is more crucial than ever. Addressing this need, Salesforce has introduced Pulse for Salesforce, a groundbreaking tool that integrates Tableau’s powerful analytics directly into the Salesforce CRM environment. Meeting the Demand for Actionable Insights This launch aligns with a broader trend in the business intelligence (BI) market, where companies strive to make data analytics more accessible and actionable for non-technical users. Recent studies indicate that while 80% of business leaders view data as critical to decision-making, nearly one-third feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available. Moreover, 91% of these leaders believe their organizations would significantly benefit from generative AI (Gen AI) technologies. Pulse for Salesforce marks a significant milestone in Salesforce’s ongoing strategy following its $15.7 billion acquisition of Tableau in 2019. Tableau, a leader in data visualization and BI since its founding in 2003, has been central to Salesforce’s mission of enhancing customer data management and analysis. The integration of Tableau’s capabilities within Salesforce’s CRM platform represents a major step forward in providing a comprehensive, data-driven solution. Ryan Aytay, President and CEO of Tableau, on the New Integration “Historically, sales leaders and teams have lacked personalized, accessible data insights in their daily flow of work, and analysts often spend considerable time on ad hoc requests and repetitive queries, slowing down decision-making and business growth,” says Ryan Aytay, CEO of Tableau. “By integrating Tableau Pulse’s AI-driven insights into Salesforce, we’re addressing these needs and enhancing data-driven decision-making to help businesses accelerate growth.” Boosting CRM Productivity with Salesforce’s AI Platform Pulse for Salesforce is built on Salesforce’s Einstein 1 AI Platform and leverages Gen AI to provide contextual metrics and insights directly within the Salesforce interface. This seamless integration streamlines decision-making for sales teams by reducing the need for manual data searches or reliance on analysts for ad-hoc queries. Key Features of Pulse for Salesforce Practical Applications and Data Security A practical application of Pulse for Salesforce is performance monitoring. Sales leaders can track team win rate trends directly from their homepage, quickly identifying areas or individuals needing additional support. Similarly, individual sales representatives can monitor their conversion rates and use natural language queries to analyze data by industry, potentially leading to more targeted sales efforts. The integration also addresses data security concerns, a critical issue in the age of AI-powered analytics. Pulse for Salesforce employs the Einstein Trust Layer, a secure AI architecture built into the Einstein 1 Platform, ensuring that customer data remains protected while benefiting from the advanced capabilities of generative AI. Collaboration Salesforce partnered with key industry players and partners to bring this innovative solution to market. With Pulse for Salesforce, organizations can now fully harness the power of integrated analytics and CRM to drive informed decision-making, enhance productivity, and ultimately accelerate business growth. 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

Read More
Salesforce on AI

Salesforce on AI

Marketing success hinges on delivering consistent, timely, and engaging content. According to the Salesforce State of Marketing report, 78% of high-performing marketers identify data as their most critical asset for creating cohesive customer journeys. Yet, only 49% report having a unified view of customer data sources. This disconnect highlights a significant challenge many marketing teams face in effectively leveraging their data. For organizations already invested in Salesforce, incorporating AI-driven business intelligence (BI) tools offers numerous benefits. These include reduced time to deliver insights, enhanced automation, increased innovation, improved agility, and cost savings. However, realizing these benefits depends on having high-quality data and robust data strategies. This insight explores AI-driven BI from a Salesforce perspective, highlighting its benefits, applications, and future trends. By understanding the potential of AI in BI, organizations can better harness their data to drive success and innovation. The Role of AI in Business Intelligence Integrating AI into BI systems elevates data analysis by offering deeper insights and predictive capabilities. Here’s how AI enhances BI: These examples demonstrate AI’s ability to improve BI systems by enhancing data accuracy, providing real-time insights, and improving forecasting. Salesforce’s AI Capabilities in BI Salesforce’s AI capabilities in BI are embodied in the versatile tool, Salesforce Einstein. Easily integrated with BI, Einstein automates tasks and delivers personalized insights. Companies using Einstein have reported a 20% increase in sales productivity. Here’s how Einstein can be utilized in various scenarios: These examples illustrate how Salesforce’s AI tools, particularly Einstein, can transform BI by automating routine tasks and delivering personalized insights, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and business growth. Future Trends in AI and BI The future of AI and BI promises even more advanced capabilities and innovations. As AI evolves, so too will the tools for BI. Here are some trends expected to emerge in the near future: These trends show that AI and BI are evolving rapidly. Companies that stay ahead of these developments will be well-positioned to leverage AI for greater innovation and efficiency. Next Steps AI-powered BI, especially with Salesforce, is transforming how businesses operate by providing deeper insights and better decision-making capabilities. To stay competitive and foster innovation, organizations must embrace AI. The quest is no longer just to be data-driven. It is to be data-decisioned. Here are some actionable steps: By taking these steps, businesses can fully leverage AI-driven BI and maintain a competitive edge in the fast-evolving digital playinf field of 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

Read More
Cool AI Tools for Business

Cool AI Tools for Business

This insight is to share the best AI tools to save you time and money. Instead of listing them with zero explanation, we show you how to use these tools and what we’ve created with them. Cool AI Tools for Business. You can then customize it manually or with AI. Although Decktopus is great, it’s not the only AI presentation tool out there. Just submit a video clip of yourself talking in any language. Read the instructions to ensure the AI can learn effectively. If you don’t want to clone yourself, use HeyGen to create presentations by choosing a voice actor and giving it a script. It supports any language, just like your AI clone. One of the coolest things about this tool is a way to create a really nice professional headshot. 4. Murf AI: Text-to-Speech AIMurf AI turns text into realistic voices for ads, voiceovers, translations, and more. Unlike old text-to-speech synthesizers, Murf uses professional voice actors in multiple languages. As a business person, use Murf for voiceovers, sales pitches, and more. You can create similar clips in different languages and voices. ContentShake’s content editor suggests improvements for your posts. This tool can help draft content and draw inspiration. For example, we asked it to create a blogging site about “How to use Artificial Intelligence in business and sales,” and got results in about a minute. You can customize the site by clicking and dragging elements. It’s great for small businesses without professional web designers. 8. Grammarly: AI ProofreaderGrammarly analyzes your text in every window, spotting and highlighting mistakes. We use it every day at Tectonic. Grammarly makes it easy to fix mistakes with suggested corrections. It’s a Chrome extension, so it works in every tab. However, ChatGPT makes silly assumptions and hallucinations. It predicts words but doesn’t know or experience things. As a content writer, you may struggle as you find it can’t write engaging blog posts that attract visitors. Test these Cool AI Tools for Business, as most are free, saving you time and money so you can focus on your business! Like1 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

Read More
Breaking Down Data Silos with Zero Copy Data Federation

Breaking Down Data Silos with Zero Copy Data Federation

Siloed data slows communication, delays data-driven insights, and creates extra work. Learn ways for Breaking Down Data Silos with Zero Copy Data Federation. Overview In today’s data-driven business world, organizations amass vast amounts of data across various touchpoints, centralizing it in data warehouses or lakes to derive business insights. While this data is primarily used for analytics and machine learning, it remains largely inaccessible to business users in Sales, Service, and Marketing, hindering their ability to make data-driven decisions. To address this challenge, Salesforce and Amazon have collaborated to create Zero Copy Data Federation between Salesforce Data Cloud and Amazon Redshift. This integration empowers businesses by providing seamless access to Redshift data within Salesforce Data Cloud, enhancing data integration, and enabling real-time insights without the need for data replication. Benefits of Zero Copy Data Federation This new solution allows businesses to: Salesforce Data Cloud Salesforce Data Cloud unifies all company data into the Einstein 1 Platform, offering a comprehensive 360-degree view of the customer. It integrates diverse datasets such as telemetry data and web engagement data, creating a holistic customer profile that is easy to access and understand. This unified view enables Sales, Service, and Marketing teams to build personalized customer experiences, drive data-driven actions, and leverage trusted AI across all Salesforce apps. Amazon Redshift Amazon Redshift is a fast, fully managed, petabyte-scale data warehouse service designed for efficient data analysis using existing business intelligence tools. It offers superior price-performance compared to traditional data warehousing solutions and supports datasets ranging from a few hundred gigabytes to petabytes. Redshift’s AI-powered massively parallel processing (MPP) architecture facilitates quick, cost-effective business decision-making. Zero Copy Data Federation Zero Copy Data Federation, a feature of Salesforce Data Cloud, enables secure, real-time access to Redshift data without copying it. This capability maintains data in its original location, eliminating replication overhead and ensuring current information access, thus enhancing data integration while preserving data integrity and efficiency. Data federated from Amazon Redshift is represented as a native data cloud object, powering various Data Cloud features, including marketing segmentation, activations, and process automation. This allows businesses to enrich unified customer profiles in Salesforce Data Cloud with transactional data from Redshift, gaining insights, harnessing predictive and generative AI, and delivering highly personalized experiences. Setting Up Zero Copy Data Federation To configure Zero Copy Data Federation in Salesforce Data Cloud: Use Cases Zero Copy Data Federation enables various use cases: Conclusion Zero Copy Data Federation between Salesforce Data Cloud and Amazon Redshift empowers businesses to dismantle data silos, enhance customer experiences, and drive operational efficiencies. By enabling real-time access to Redshift data within Salesforce Data Cloud, organizations can make informed decisions, personalize customer interactions, and optimize resources across various functions. This integration sets a new benchmark for data-driven business success in the digital age. Check out the Salesforce Zero Copy Data Federation announcement for more details. 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

Read More
Salesforce Service Cloud Intelligence

Salesforce Service Cloud Service Intelligence Enhancements

Service Intelligence, a data-centric solution, showcases vital performance metrics within the contact center. Recent Service Intelligence Enhancements have given even greater insights. In a significant launch, Salesforce introduced Service Intelligence. Service Intelligence an advanced analytics app for Service Clou. It is aimed at boosting agent efficiency, reducing costs, and elevating customer satisfaction. Service Intelligence Enhancements and updates within this Salesforce product aim to bolster operational efficiency and take customer satisfaction to unprecedented heights. Representing a new milestone for Service Cloud, the Winter ’24 innovations redefine how businesses approach customer service and optimize operations. Fueled by Data Cloud, Salesforce’s real-time hyperscale data engine, Service Intelligence provides users with direct access to all their data within Service Cloud, eliminating the need to switch between screens for information. Pre-built and customizable dashboards in Service Intelligence offer a comprehensive view of essential metrics, including customer satisfaction and individual and team workloads. With Einstein Conversation Mining, service professionals can leverage AI to analyze customer chat and email conversations, uncover insights, assess the likelihood of complaint escalation, and proactively address issues with customers. The relevance of AI is emphasized, with an 88% increase in AI adoption among service professionals from 2020 to 2022. With 63% acknowledging that AI will help them serve customers faster. Service professionals are embracing AI enabling to make informed decisions swiftly, gaining a competitive edge. Service Intelligence Enhancements As of 2023, Service Intelligence is now generally available. Key features include pre-built service dashboards offering AI-powered insights through Einstein Conversation Mining, providing visibility into key metrics across cases. Einstein Conversation Mining employs AI to analyze customer conversations. Einstein Conversation mining enables quick identification of trends and top customer issues. Tableau integration allows users to seamlessly explore data in Tableau directly from a Service Intelligence dashboard, maintaining data context from their service console. Service Intelligence encompasses Data Cloud, CRM Analytics, and Einstein Conversation Mining. There by offering a wealth of information such as customer data and key performance indicators (KPIs) to help service teams enhance operations and reduce costs. Einstein for Service accelerates customer communication and satisfaction by generating email responses based on knowledge articles. The Winter ’24 release introduces the Lightning Article Editor and Article Customization in Salesforce Service Cloud, marking a significant advancement in knowledge management. The Lightning Article Editor simplifies content creation and editing. Thus enabling support and customer service teams to produce informative material efficiently. These enhancements in Service Cloud streamline operations, empower agent performance, and usher in a new era of customer satisfaction. Explore these exciting updates to transform your organization’s strategy. Embrace the future of service excellence with the Winter ’24 release for Service Cloud. Like Related Posts 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 50 Advantages of Salesforce Sales Cloud According to the Salesforce 2017 State of Service report, 85% of executives with service oversight identify customer service as a Read more Salesforce Artificial Intelligence Is artificial intelligence integrated into Salesforce? Salesforce Einstein stands as an intelligent layer embedded within the Lightning Platform, bringing robust Read more CRM Cloud Salesforce What is a CRM Cloud Salesforce? Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform for Salesforce clients to Read more

Read More
Big Data and Data Visualization

Big Data and Data Visualization Explained

Data Visualization: Turning Complex Data into Clear Insights Data visualization is the practice of converting information into visual formats, such as maps or graphs, to make data more accessible and understandable. The primary purpose of data visualization is to highlight patterns, trends, and outliers within large data sets, allowing users to quickly glean insights. The term is often used interchangeably with information graphics, information visualization, and statistical graphics. The Role of Data Visualization in Data Science Data visualization is a crucial step in the data science process. After data is collected, processed, and modeled, it must be visualized to draw meaningful conclusions. It’s also a key component of data presentation architecture, a discipline focused on efficiently identifying, manipulating, formatting, and delivering data. Importance Across Professions Data visualization is essential across various fields. Teachers use it to display student performance, computer scientists to explore AI advancements, and executives to communicate information to stakeholders. In big data projects, visualization tools are vital for quickly summarizing large datasets, helping businesses make informed decisions. In advanced analytics, visualization is equally important. Data scientists use it to monitor and ensure the accuracy of predictive models and machine learning algorithms. Visual representations of complex algorithms are often easier to interpret than numerical outputs. Historical Context of Data Visualization Data visualization has evolved significantly over the centuries, long before the advent of modern technology. Today, its importance is more pronounced, as it enables quick and effective communication of information in a universally understandable manner. Why Data Visualization Matters Data visualization provides a straightforward way to communicate information, regardless of the viewer’s expertise. This universality makes it easier for employees to make decisions based on visual insights. Visualization offers numerous benefits for businesses, including: Advantages of Data Visualization Key benefits include: Challenges and Disadvantages Despite its advantages, data visualization has some challenges: Data Visualization in the Era of Big Data With the rise of big data, visualization has become more critical. Companies leverage machine learning to analyze vast amounts of data, and visualization tools help present this data in a comprehensible way. Big data visualization often employs advanced techniques, such as heat maps and fever charts, beyond the standard pie charts and graphs. However, challenges remain, including: Examples of Data Visualization Techniques Early computer-based data visualizations often relied on Microsoft Excel to create tables, bar charts, or pie charts. Today, more advanced techniques include: Common Use Cases for Data Visualization Data visualization is widely used across various industries, including: The Science Behind Data Visualization The effectiveness of data visualization is rooted in how humans process information. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky’s research identified two methods of information processing: Visualization Tools and Vendors Data visualization tools are widely used for business intelligence reporting. These tools generate interactive dashboards that track performance across key metrics. Users can manipulate these visualizations to explore data in greater depth, and indicators alert them to data updates or important events. Businesses might use visualization of data software to monitor marketing campaigns or track KPIs. As tools evolve, they increasingly serve as front ends for sophisticated big data environments, assisting data engineers and scientists in exploratory analysis. Popular data visualization tools include Domo, Klipfolio, Looker, Microsoft Power BI, Qlik Sense, Tableau, and Zoho Analytics. While Microsoft Excel remains widely used, newer tools offer more advanced capabilities. Data visualization is a vital subset of the broader field of data analytics, offering powerful tools for understanding and leveraging business data across all sectors. 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

Read More
  • 1
  • 2
gettectonic.com