As technology evolves, cross-channel marketing will become even more sophisticated, leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics to deliver hyper-personalized and proactive customer experiences. Businesses that adopt this approach will stay ahead of the curve, fostering stronger customer relationships and achieving long-term success.
Breakthroughs in Language Models: From Word2Vec to Transformers Language models have rapidly evolved since 2018, driven by advancements in neural network architectures for text representation. This journey began with Word2Vec and N-Grams in 2013, followed by the emergence of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks in 2014. The pivotal moment came with the introduction of the Attention Mechanism, which paved the way for large pre-trained models and transformers. BERT and GPT. From Word Embedding to Transformers The story of language models begins with word embedding. What is Word Embedding? Word embedding is a technique in natural language processing (NLP) where words are represented as vectors in a continuous vector space. These vectors capture semantic meanings, allowing words with similar meanings to have similar representations. For instance, in a word embedding model, “king” and “queen” would have vectors close to each other, reflecting their related meanings. Similarly, “car” and “truck” would be near each other, as would “cat” and “dog.” However, “car” and “dog” would not have close vectors due to their different meanings. A notable example of word embedding is Word2Vec. Word2Vec: Neural Network Model Using N-Grams Introduced by Mahajan, Patil, and Sankar in 2013, Word2Vec is a neural network model that uses n-grams by training on context windows of words. It has two main approaches: Both methods help capture semantic relationships, providing meaningful word embeddings that facilitate various NLP tasks like sentiment analysis and machine translation. Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) RNNs are designed for sequential data, processing inputs sequentially and maintaining a hidden state that captures information about previous inputs. This makes them suitable for tasks like time series prediction and natural language processing. The concept of RNNs can be traced back to 1925 with the Ising model, used to simulate magnetic interactions analogous to RNNs’ state transitions for sequence learning. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Networks LSTMs, introduced by Hochreiter and Schmidhuber in 1997, are a specialized type of RNN designed to overcome the limitations of standard RNNs, particularly the vanishing gradient problem. They use gates (input, output, and forget gates) to regulate information flow, enabling them to maintain long-term dependencies and remember important information over long sequences. Comparing Word2Vec, RNNs, and LSTMs The Attention Mechanism and Its Impact The attention mechanism, introduced in the paper “Attention Is All You Need” by Vaswani et al., is a key component in transformers and large pre-trained language models. It allows models to focus on specific parts of the input sequence when generating output, assigning different weights to different words or tokens, and enabling the model to prioritize important information and handle long-range dependencies effectively. Transformers: Revolutionizing Language Models Transformers use self-attention mechanisms to process input sequences in parallel, capturing contextual relationships between all tokens in a sequence simultaneously. This improves handling of long-term dependencies and reduces training time. The self-attention mechanism identifies the relevance of each token to every other token within the input sequence, enhancing the model’s ability to understand context. Large Pre-Trained Language Models: BERT and GPT Both BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) and GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) are based on the transformer architecture. BERT Introduced by Google in 2018, BERT pre-trains deep bidirectional representations from unlabeled text by jointly conditioning on both left and right context in all layers. This enables BERT to create state-of-the-art models for tasks like question answering and language inference without substantial task-specific architecture modifications. GPT Developed by OpenAI, GPT models are known for generating human-like text. They are pre-trained on large corpora of text and fine-tuned for specific tasks. GPT is majorly generative and unidirectional, focusing on creating new text content like poems, code, scripts, and more. Major Differences Between BERT and GPT In conclusion, while both BERT and GPT are based on the transformer architecture and are pre-trained on large corpora of text, they serve different purposes and excel in different tasks. The advancements from Word2Vec to transformers highlight the rapid evolution of language models, enabling increasingly sophisticated NLP applications. 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
Transforming Retail Media: Personalization and Faster Monetization with Smarter Media Dentsu, a leading growth and transformation partner, has announced a strategic collaboration with Salesforce, the world’s #1 AI-powered CRM, to launch Smarter Media—an innovative solution designed to accelerate retail media monetization through personalized buying experiences powered by AI. Why Smarter Media Matters With shifting consumer priorities, personalized retail experiences are more critical than ever. Salesforce research highlights that: Smarter Media addresses this growing demand by enabling retailers to quickly adapt, offering tailored buying experiences that strengthen customer loyalty while driving revenue. What is Smarter Media? Smarter Media combines the power of Salesforce’s ecosystem—including Media Cloud, Sales Cloud, and Marketing Cloud Engagement—to deliver an end-to-end retail media solution. The platform assesses a brand’s retail media maturity, identifies gaps, and creates a roadmap to optimize media, technology, and skills. The solution simplifies access to advanced media technology, empowering brands to connect with customers 24/7, expand their customer base, and nurture long-term relationships. Key Features and Benefits 1. Comprehensive Assessment 2. AI-Powered Personalization 3. Built for Retail Media Success 4. Quick and Easy Adoption How Smarter Media Works Smarter Media combines Salesforce Sales Cloud’s leading sales and pipeline management tools with Media Cloud’s Advertising Sales Management application. The result is a solution that seamlessly supports both simple and complex retailer models: Real-World Value Across Retail By addressing challenges like fragmented media strategies and inaccessible technology, Smarter Media delivers transformative value for retailers: Driving Innovation Together Paul Lynch, Integrated Solutions Lead for Commerce and Retail at Dentsu UK&I, shared: “Smarter Media will democratize cutting-edge technology for brands by providing a one-stop solution to create personalized buying experiences. In today’s experience economy, maintaining compelling customer relationships has never been more vital.” Christopher Dean, SVP and GM for Communications, Media & Entertainment at Salesforce, added: “By combining Salesforce Media Cloud’s industry-specific solutions with Dentsu’s creative retail media expertise, we’re making advanced media technology accessible for retailers, helping them thrive in a competitive market.” The Future of Retail Media Smarter Media from Dentsu and Salesforce offers a transformative approach to retail media, empowering brands to deliver personalized experiences, improve customer loyalty, and accelerate revenue growth—all while leveraging cutting-edge AI and automation. With its ability to deliver value in just six months, Smarter Media is the ultimate solution for retailers looking to succeed in today’s fast-paced, customer-centric market. 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
How to Add Fields to a Custom Report Type If a report based on a Custom Report Type is missing some fields, you’ll need to edit the layout of the report type to make those fields available. For example, if an ‘Activities with Accounts and Contacts’ report type lacks certain fields in the ‘Select Columns’ step of the Report Builder, follow the steps below to resolve this. Steps to Add Missing Fields to Your Custom Report: Note: When previewing the layout, you’ll see all fields and objects, even those you don’t have permission to access. You can only access data stored in fields or objects that you have the appropriate permissions for. Once you’ve completed these steps, the missing fields will be available in the report. Additional Resources For more tips, visit the Salesforce Help page: Design the Field Layout for Reports Created From Your Custom Report. You may also want to explore more about creating a Custom Report Type and Standard Report Types for further customization. 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
Salesforce Transforms Slack into Project Management Platform with New Slack Lists Feature Salesforce Inc. has introduced Slack Lists, a new feature designed to transform Slack from a simple collaboration tool into a comprehensive project management platform. Initially rolling out in select regions, Slack Lists will soon be available to all paid Slack users, integrating project and task management directly into the Slack interface. Salesforce Announces Slack Lists for Project Management. And this answers the age old question, can Salesforce be used as a project management tool? Key Benefits and Features Collaborative Tools Slack Lists excels in fostering collaboration by allowing team members to bring relevant coworkers into conversations and create message threads for specific list items. These threads consolidate discussions about particular items, requests, or issues into single, organized conversations. This ensures tasks are not forgotten and keeps all team members informed about project progress. Executive Insights Denise Dresser, CEO of Slack, stated that Slack Lists transforms conversations into actionable tasks that drive work forward. “Now those loose steps shared in a project channel can be tracked across teams,” she explained. “With project management in Slack, teams across organizations will have everything they need to complete projects faster and increase productivity.” Practical Applications Salesforce emphasized that Slack Lists can benefit any organization within an enterprise. For example: Holger Mueller of Constellation Research Inc. noted that Salesforce has long aimed to extend Slack’s capabilities beyond core messaging and collaboration. “Salesforce has opted to go generic with Slack Lists, allowing users to create list entries for projects, service requests, and more,” he said. “This ideally makes collaboration on those projects easier, making Slack more goal-oriented and changing the future of work.” Early Adoption Marriott International Inc. participated in the pilot phase of Slack Lists before its general release. Lori Drake, Director of System Strategy at Marriott Digital Services, expressed enthusiasm about the feature, saying, “We’re excited to use lists to manage projects and track requests, and think it can unlock significant time savings for our teams.” Availability 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
An Independent Analysis of GPT-4o’s Classification Abilities Article by Lars Wilk OpenAI’s recent unveiling of GPT-4o marks a significant advancement in AI language models, transforming how we interact with them. The most impressive feature is the live interaction capability with ChatGPT, allowing for seamless conversational interruptions. GPT-4o GPT4 and Gemini 1.5 Despite a few hiccups during the live demo, the achievements of the OpenAI team are undeniably impressive. Best of all, immediately after the demo, OpenAI granted access to the GPT-4o API. In this article, I will present my independent analysis, comparing the classification abilities of GPT-4o with GPT-4, Google’s Gemini, and Unicorn models using an English dataset I created. Which of these models is the strongest in understanding English? What’s New with GPT-4o? GPT-4o introduces the concept of an Omni model, designed to seamlessly process text, audio, and video. OpenAI aims to democratize GPT-4 level intelligence, making it accessible even to free users. Enhanced quality and speed across more than 50 languages, combined with a lower price point, promise a more inclusive and globally accessible AI experience. Additionally, paid subscribers will benefit from five times the capacity compared to non-paid users. OpenAI also announced a desktop version of ChatGPT to facilitate real-time reasoning across audio, vision, and text interfaces. How to Use the GPT-4o API The new GPT-4o model follows the existing chat-completion API, ensuring backward compatibility and ease of use: pythonCopy codefrom openai import AsyncOpenAI OPENAI_API_KEY = “<your-api-key>” def openai_chat_resolve(response: dict, strip_tokens=None) -> str: if strip_tokens is None: strip_tokens = [] if response and response.choices and len(response.choices) > 0: content = response.choices[0].message.content.strip() if content: for token in strip_tokens: content = content.replace(token, ”) return content raise Exception(f’Cannot resolve response: {response}’) async def openai_chat_request(prompt: str, model_name: str, temperature=0.0): message = {‘role’: ‘user’, ‘content’: prompt} client = AsyncOpenAI(api_key=OPENAI_API_KEY) return await client.chat.completions.create( model=model_name, messages=[message], temperature=temperature, ) openai_chat_request(prompt=”Hello!”, model_name=”gpt-4o-2024-05-13″) GPT-4o is also accessible via the ChatGPT interface. Official Evaluation GPT-4o GPT4 and Gemini 1.5 OpenAI’s blog post includes evaluation scores on known datasets such as MMLU and HumanEval, showcasing GPT-4o’s state-of-the-art performance. However, many models claim superior performance on open datasets, often due to overfitting. Independent analyses using lesser-known datasets are crucial for a realistic assessment. My Evaluation Dataset I created a dataset of 200 sentences categorized under 50 topics, designed to challenge classification tasks. The dataset is manually labeled in English. For this evaluation, I used only the English version to avoid potential biases from using the same language model for dataset creation and topic prediction. You can check out the dataset here. Performance Results I evaluated the following models: The task was to match each sentence with the correct topic, calculating an accuracy score and error rate for each model. A lower error rate indicates better performance. Conclusion This analysis using a uniquely crafted English dataset reveals insights into the state-of-the-art capabilities of these advanced language models. GPT-4o stands out with the lowest error rate, affirming OpenAI’s performance claims. Independent evaluations with diverse datasets are essential for a clearer picture of a model’s practical effectiveness beyond standardized benchmarks. Note that the dataset is fairly small, and results may vary with different datasets. This evaluation was conducted using the English dataset only; a multilingual comparison will be conducted at a later time. 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
Supercharge Your Salesforce with SharpLaunch Streamline Your Sales ProcessIntegrate Salesforce with SharpLaunch to simplify and automate your commercial real estate (CRE) operations. Key Features Push Leads Directly to SalesforceSay goodbye to manual data entry. Automatically transfer valuable leads from SharpLaunch to Salesforce and focus on closing deals. Continuously Sync DataKeep your CRM updated effortlessly. Lead data captured in SharpLaunch syncs automatically to your Salesforce fields, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date information. Boost ProductivityBy connecting SharpLaunch with Salesforce, you can streamline workflows, reduce administrative tasks, and accelerate your sales cycle. Why SharpLaunch Stands Out Fully Customizable Designs Tailor every digital asset to match your brand.From property websites to interactive maps, SharpLaunch delivers personalized, client-facing solutions that elevate your brokerage’s presence. Enterprise-Level Integrations Unify your tech stack seamlessly.SharpLaunch integrates with any tools you’re already using, fitting into your workflows to maximize efficiency with minimal effort. World-Class Service Enjoy dedicated, personalized support.Skip the chatbots and ticket queues. Work directly with your Customer Success Manager from setup to success. Complete Data Ownership Keep control of your information.With SharpLaunch, you retain full ownership of your data, ensuring sensitive client and property information stays secure and private. Ready to Transform Your Salesforce Experience? Connect SharpLaunch to Salesforce today and empower your sales team to close deals faster while maintaining full control over your data and brand identity. 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
Salesforce Unlimited Plus (UE+) is designed as an advanced offering that incorporates several specialized features tailored for different industries, making it particularly suitable for larger organizations and enterprises that require robust, integrated solutions for complex business processes and customer relationship management. Salesforce Unlimited+ Edition Explained. Target Audience UE+ is targeted toward large enterprises that need extensive CRM functionalities combined with AI and data analytics capabilities. This solution is ideal for organizations that: • Manage complex customer relationships across multiple channels. • Require deep integration of data and processes across departments. • Are looking to leverage advanced AI capabilities for predictive insights and automation. • Need industry-specific solutions that can be customized for unique business requirements. The integration of various Salesforce clouds (e.g., Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Data Cloud) with enhanced features like AI and specific industry capabilities makes UE+ a comprehensive solution for organizations aiming to streamline their operations and gain a competitive edge through advanced technology adoption. Here are the five Salesforce editions for every purpose: ·Starter/Essentials: Ideal for small businesses, offering basic contact, lead, and opportunity management. ·Professional: Tailored for mid-sized companies with enhanced sales forecasting and automation capabilities. ·Enterprise: Geared towards larger organizations, providing advanced customization, reporting, and integration options. ·Unlimited: Offers comprehensive functionality, customizability, 24/7 support, and access to premium features like generative AI. ·Unlimited Plus: Most robust solution for businesses of all sizes, featuring additional functionalities and enhanced capabilities. Key Considerations: ·Business Size: Consider the number of users and overall business scale when choosing an edition. ·Features Needed: Identify the specific features crucial for your sales, service, or marketing processes. ·Scalability: Choose an edition that accommodates your projected growth and future needs. ·Budget: Evaluate the cost of each edition against its offered features and value proposition. Sales Cloud Unlimited Edition+ Features: Account and Contact Management: Complete visibility of customer profiles including activity history and communications. Opportunity Management: Tracking and details of every sales deal at each stage. Pipeline Inspection: A comprehensive tool that allows sales managers to monitor pipeline changes, offering AI-driven insights and recommendations to optimize sales strategies. Einstein AI Capabilities: Includes tools like Einstein Conversation Insights which transcribe and analyze sales calls, highlighting key parts for review and deeper analysis. Customizable Reports and Dashboards: Enhanced capabilities for building real-time reports and visualizations to track sales metrics and forecasts. Advanced Integration Features: Integration with external data and systems through various APIs including REST and SOAP. Automation and Customization: Extensive options for workflow automation and personalization of user interfaces and customer interactions using the Flow Builder and Lightning App Builder. Developer Tools: Access to tools like Developer Sandbox for safe testing and app development environments. Service Cloud Unlimited+ Features: Einstein Bots: AI-powered chatbots to handle customer inquiries automatically, available 24/7 across various communication channels. Enhanced Messaging: Integration with popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp, SMS, and Apple Messages to facilitate seamless customer interactions. Feedback Management: Tools to gather and analyze customer feedback directly within the CRM. Self-Service Capabilities: Including customizable help centers and service catalogs that allow customers to find information and resolve issues independently. Field Service Tools: Comprehensive management of field operations including work order and asset management. Real-Time Analytics: Advanced reporting features for creating in-depth analytics to monitor and improve customer service processes. Additional features include Data Cloud, Generative AI, Service Cloud Voice, Digital Engagement, Feedback Management, Self-Service, and Slack. Salesforce Unlimited+ for Industries UE+ for Industries: UE+ for Industries includes Unlimited+ for Sales and Service together with industry-specific data models and capabilities to help customers drive faster time to value within their sectors: •Financial Services Cloud UE+ for Sales and Financial Services Cloud UE+ for Service helps banks, asset management, and insurance agencies connect all of their customer data on one platform and embed AI to deliver personalized financial engagement, at scale. •An insurance carrier can use Financial Services Cloud UE+ to connect engagement data like emails, webinars, and educational content with third-party conference attendance, social media follows, and business performance data to understand what is motivating agents, helping drive more personalized relationships and grow revenue with Data Cloud and Einstein AI. •Health Cloud UE+ for Service helps healthcare, pharmaceutical, and other medical organizations improve response times at their contact centers and offer digital healthcare services with built-in intelligence, real-time collaboration, and a 360-degree view of every patient, provider, and partner. •A hospital can use the bundle to quickly create a personalized, AI-powered support center to triage and speed up time to care with self-service tools like scheduling and connecting patients and members with care teams on their preferred channels. •Manufacturing Cloud UE+ for Sales brings together tools for manufacturing organizations to build their data foundation, embed AI capabilities across the sales cycle, and maximize productivity, empowering them to scale their commercial operations and grow revenues. •A manufacturer can now look across the entire book of business to see how companies are performing against negotiated sales agreements and then use AI-generated summaries to determine where to prioritize their time and resources. By Tectonic’s AArchitecture 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
Salesforce Unveils New AI-Powered Features for Education Cloud Salesforce recently announced a suite of new features for its Education Cloud platform designed to simplify tasks for educators and students. AI Powered Education Cloud is here. These features range from student-focused tools, such as helping students stay on track with their degree requirements, to admin-focused capabilities like standardizing an institution’s entire student data corpus. New AI Capabilities Available in June Features Coming in October Enhancing Education with AI Salesforce positions these new features as tools to alleviate teacher burnout and enhance student career prospects. “With industry-specific AI and data tools, Education Cloud will help K-12 and higher ed institutions provide more individualized support for every student while increasing efficiency and helping to reduce staff burnout,” said Salesforce Vice President Bala Subramanian in a prepared statement. “This will free educators and staff to focus on improving student outcomes like career readiness, well-being, and graduation rates.” 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
Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud Digital Engagement for Unified Customer Interactions Salesforce has unveiled new enhancements to Service Cloud Digital Engagement, aimed at unifying unstructured conversational data from various digital channels, departments, and devices within a single platform. Built on the Einstein 1 Platform, these enhancements enable service leaders to gain a more holistic view of customers, enhancing the value delivered in every interaction. Importance of Enhancements Detailed Enhancements Service Cloud Digital Engagement is designed to deliver seamless, personalized conversational experiences across channels at scale. By connecting to Salesforce Data Cloud, which unifies structured and unstructured enterprise and customer data, companies can engage in more meaningful conversations. Key enhancements include: With Service Cloud built on the Einstein 1 Platform, companies can integrate sales, service, and marketing data into one platform, facilitating more relevant customer experiences and driving business growth. Salesforce’s Perspective Kishan Chetan, EVP & GM of Service Cloud, commented, “As customers interact with companies across more touch points and channels, they are looking for more personalization and a higher-touch experience. With Service Cloud built on the Einstein 1 Platform, companies can bring in sales, service, and marketing data on one platform to deliver more relevant customer experiences and drive business growth.” Customer Reactions Olivia Boles, Director of Operations Projects at PenFed, said, “Being able to see all the communication — chat transcripts, emails, phone calls — on the member’s profile page has totally transformed the agent and member experiences.” Availability 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
Salesforce Service Cloud users are set to receive more Einstein 1 generative AI tools in June and October. A key development is the expansion of automated customer conversations across more sales and marketing platforms. Generative AI and Service Cloud family of tools is growing. This insight aims to uncover the numerous use cases of generative AI in the modern contact center. We’ll help you understand how generative AI can fast track your contact center’s efficiency, improve data analysis capabilities, streamline QA and coaching processes, and make customers’ experiences better. Today, Salesforce launched Unified Conversations for WhatsApp, which automates bot responses to customer inquiries related to targeted marketing messages on the popular messaging app. Additionally, Salesforce plans to extend support to Line, a messaging app popular in Japan, later this year. These services are built on Salesforce’s Einstein 1 generative AI platform. The platform’s bots aggregate structured and unstructured CRM, product, service, and other data through Salesforce Data Cloud to generate personalized responses. These new features enable conversations to be routed to the digital channels where a Salesforce user’s customers are the most active. And to move omnichannel as customers needs change. Salesforce is also introducing a “bring your own channel” connector to support digital channels not natively covered by the platform. Current examples might include TikTok, Discord, and South Korea’s KakaoTalk, according to Ryan Nichols, Chief Product Officer for Salesforce Service Cloud. Generative AI and Service Cloud “It’s about getting data from all your conversations with customers from Service Cloud into Data Cloud and using that to not just deliver excellent customer service, but also grow your business,” Nichols said. Salesforce Einstein Conversation Mining, a Service Cloud feature currently in beta, aggregates conversations across customer channels to surface insights on the topics customers need help with. This aims to turn inbound customer service from a cost center into a revenue center, a goal long pursued at conferences like Dreamforce and ICMI. This massive change drives more than revenue, it drives ROI. Performance metrics such as time-to-answer and hold-time reduction have traditionally pressured agents to minimize call duration to retain their jobs. Now Salesforce is going to help them. While some skeptics question if generative AI can achieve this ambitious goal, Constellation Research analyst Liz Miller suggests it might be possible. Having previously managed a contact center herself, Miller recognizes the transformative potential of generative AI. With the aid of data, bots, and copilot counterparts assisting humans, agents could save time and access the right information to upsell customers during service engagements. Here are some of the ways Generative AI will change customer service forever. 1. Monitor and Ensure Compliance Maintaining compliance is crucial for fostering customer trust, preserving a positive brand image, and avoiding hefty privacy and compliance fines. In a contact center, compliance mistakes can quickly escalate into costly lawsuits and revenue losses. Generative AI allows your compliance team to proactively manage compliance by quickly identifying trends and addressing issues in real time. Instead of waiting for a compliance issue to escalate, you can fine-tune your AI model to provide compliance insights whenever necessary. For instance, you can ask: This approach offers more comprehensive insights than scorecards, which often lack context and accuracy. Generative AI’s analytical capabilities provide actionable insights to improve compliance across your contact center. 2. Get Insights About Your Call Center Performance at a Glance Generative AI language models make it easier than ever to gain insights into your contact center’s performance. Simply ask the model for the information you need. For example, you can inquire about the real-time average handling time (AHT) by asking, “What is the average handling time today?” But that’s just the beginning. With an advanced language model, you can compare metrics across different quarters or generate ideas for coaching plans by asking for each agent‘s strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for improvement. 3. Automate Post-Call Work Generative AI assistants can act as real-time notetakers, summarizing 100% of calls and freeing agents from manual note-taking. This automation makes after-call work effortless, generating comprehensive and compliant notes with a single click. 4. Capture Coachable Moments Easily Incorporating real-world coachable moments into your sessions is essential for tangible performance improvements. Generative AI can identify areas where agents typically struggle without requiring hours of call listening and note-checking. Traditional methods mean compromising on the specificity of coaching due to time constraints, especially when managing large teams. Generative AI solutions, however, enable call center managers to obtain detailed insights about each agent’s performance quickly. This allows for personalized coaching plans that address individual shortcomings efficiently. You can ask: 5. Improve Decision Making With Efficient Root-Cause Analysis Effective decision-making can transform your contact center. However, many managers struggle to identify the root causes of performance issues. Generative AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data and customer interactions, uncovering patterns and trends in customer and agent behavior. These insights help pinpoint the issues most impacting performance and customer satisfaction, allowing you to make informed decisions. The process is nearly fully automated, freeing your team from time-consuming data collection tasks. 6. Reduce Manual Work and Focus on Improvement Improving contact center performance requires extensive data, which is resource-intensive to collect manually. Generative AI simplifies this by analyzing customer interactions and providing actionable insights on demand. This saves time and money, allowing you to focus on improvements that deliver a higher ROI. 7. Scale What Works Discovering and scaling best practices is essential for team-wide success. Generative AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) models can analyze customer interactions to identify effective strategies and coaching opportunities. For example, if a representative handles challenging situations well, AI can generate tips for other team members based on these successful interactions. Generative AI can identify top-performing agents and analyze their calls to extract best practices, providing a more comprehensive approach than focusing on a single agent. Queries you might use include: 8. Generate Agent Scripts Generative AI enables you to draft and fine-tune agent scripts for various customer interactions. Instead of relying
Generative AI has brought transformative advancements across industries, and test automation is no exception. By generating code, test scenarios, and even entire suites, Generative AI enables Software Development Engineers in Test (SDETs) to boost efficiency, expand test coverage, and improve reliability. 1. Enhanced Test Case Generation One of the biggest hurdles in test automation is generating diverse, comprehensive test cases. Traditional methods often miss edge cases or diverse scenarios. Generative AI, however, can analyze existing data and automatically generate extensive test cases, including potential edge cases that may not be apparent to human testers. Example: An SDET can use Generative AI to create test cases for a web application by feeding it requirements and user data. This enables the AI to produce hundreds of test cases, capturing diverse user behaviors and interactions that manual testers may overlook. pythonCopy codeimport openai openai.api_key = ‘YOUR_API_KEY’ def generate_test_cases(application_description): response = openai.Completion.create( engine=”text-davinci-003″, prompt=f”Generate comprehensive test cases for the following application: {application_description}”, max_tokens=500 ) return response.choices[0].text app_description = “An e-commerce platform for browsing products, adding to cart, and checking out.” test_cases = generate_test_cases(app_description) print(test_cases) Sample Output: 2. Intelligent Test Script Creation Writing test scripts manually can be labor-intensive and error-prone. Generative AI can simplify this by generating test scripts based on an application’s flow, ensuring consistency and precision. Example: If an SDET needs to automate tests for a mobile app, they can use Generative AI to generate scripts for various scenarios, significantly reducing manual work. pythonCopy codeimport hypothetical_ai_test_tool ui_description = “”” Login Page: – Username field – Password field – Login button Home Page: – Search bar – Product listings – Add to cart buttons “”” test_scripts = hypothetical_ai_test_tool.generate_selenium_scripts(ui_description) Sample Output for test_login.py: pythonCopy codefrom selenium import webdriver from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys def test_login(): driver = webdriver.Chrome() driver.get(“http://example.com/login”) username_field = driver.find_element_by_name(“username”) password_field = driver.find_element_by_name(“password”) login_button = driver.find_element_by_name(“login”) username_field.send_keys(“testuser”) password_field.send_keys(“password”) login_button.click() assert “Home” in driver.title driver.quit() 3. Automated Maintenance of Test Suites As applications evolve, maintaining test suites is critical. Generative AI can monitor app changes and update test cases automatically, keeping test suites accurate and relevant. Example: In a CI/CD pipeline, an SDET can deploy Generative AI to track code changes and update affected test scripts. This minimizes downtime and ensures tests stay aligned with application updates. pythonCopy codeimport hypothetical_ai_maintenance_tool def maintain_test_suite(): changes = hypothetical_ai_maintenance_tool.analyze_code_changes() updated_scripts = hypothetical_ai_maintenance_tool.update_test_scripts(changes) for script_name, script_content in updated_scripts.items(): with open(script_name, ‘w’) as file: file.write(script_content) maintain_test_suite() Sample Output:“Updating test_login.py with new login flow changes… Test scripts updated successfully.” 4. Natural Language Processing for Test Case Design Generative AI with NLP can interpret human language, enabling SDETs to create test cases from plain-language descriptions, enhancing collaboration across technical and non-technical teams. Example: An SDET can use an NLP-powered tool to translate a feature description from a product manager into test cases. This speeds up the process and ensures that test cases reflect intended functionality. pythonCopy codeimport openai openai.api_key = ‘YOUR_API_KEY’ def create_test_cases(description): response = openai.Completion.create( engine=”text-davinci-003″, prompt=f”Create test cases based on this feature description: {description}”, max_tokens=500 ) return response.choices[0].text feature_description = “Allow users to reset passwords via email to regain account access.” test_cases = create_test_cases(feature_description) print(test_cases) Sample Output: 5. Predictive Analytics for Test Prioritization Generative AI can analyze historical data to prioritize high-risk areas, allowing SDETs to focus testing on critical functionalities. Example: An SDET can use predictive analytics to identify areas with frequent bugs, allocating resources more effectively and ensuring robust testing of high-risk components. pythonCopy codeimport hypothetical_ai_predictive_tool def prioritize_tests(): risk_areas = hypothetical_ai_predictive_tool.predict_risk_areas() prioritized_tests = hypothetical_ai_predictive_tool.prioritize_test_cases(risk_areas) return prioritized_tests prioritized_test_cases = prioritize_tests() print(“Prioritized Test Cases:”) for test in prioritized_test_cases: print(test) Sample Output: Gen AI and Test Automation Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize test automation, offering SDETs tools to enhance efficiency, coverage, and reliability. By embracing Generative AI for tasks like test case generation, script creation, suite maintenance, NLP-based design, and predictive prioritization, SDETs can reduce manual effort and focus on strategic tasks, accelerating testing processes and ensuring robust, reliable software systems. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
The Complete Guide to Sales Prospecting Tools Sales prospecting tools: Two men examining a touchscreen displaying dashboards and charts. With the right tools, you can spend more time building relationships that convert prospects into loyal customers. Learn how technology can help you identify and engage the right prospects more efficiently. Selling has become more challenging, with 69% of sales professionals agreeing that their jobs are harder now. That’s why sales prospecting tools are crucial—they streamline the process, making it faster and more accurate. When equipped with the right tools, you can focus more on nurturing customer relationships, turning prospects into long-term clients. In this guide, we’ll explore what sales prospecting tools are, key features to look for, and the biggest benefits they provide. What Are Sales Prospecting Tools? Sales prospecting tools are software solutions designed to help sales teams identify, engage, and convert potential customers. These tools enhance the sales prospecting process, enabling sales reps to quickly and effectively reach new buyers. They often integrate with existing platforms, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and email marketing systems, to optimize outreach and engagement. Typically, prospecting tools focus on outbound marketing, helping sales reps connect with potential customers who may not yet be familiar with the company or product. Types of Sales Prospecting Tools Selecting the right sales prospecting tool depends on your current prospecting methods and future goals. Below are the most common categories of prospecting tools: Lead Generation Tools Lead generation tools help sales teams identify prospects who are ready to purchase. These tools streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and flag potential buyers based on their online activity. For example, they might alert a rep when a prospect searches for solutions related to your product or service. Some lead generation tools also enable mass outreach, such as power dialers that allow sales reps to call multiple prospects simultaneously. Choosing the right lead generation tool depends on how your target customers prefer to engage. For instance, if you have better results from social media interactions than phone calls, a power dialer may not be the best fit. Evaluate your analytics and future goals to determine which tool will maximize your success. CRM Software CRM software manages all customer and prospect interactions across sales, service, marketing, and more. Acting as a single source of truth, CRM platforms centralize all sales activity in one location, allowing leaders to assign prospects and track progress more effectively. With AI-powered features, CRM tools can guide reps on the next best steps and personalize workflows, improving conversion rates. CRMs also provide critical insights for targeting prospects more likely to convert. Social Media Prospecting Tools Social media has become a powerful channel for sales prospecting. Specialized tools scrape social platforms for data to help sales reps identify prospects ready for outreach. For instance, they can track user activity related to the business problem your product solves and notify reps when users engage with relevant content. The integration of AI in social media prospecting tools has further boosted their effectiveness. As AI continues to evolve, expect more sophisticated features in this space. Why Are Sales Prospecting Tools Important? In today’s competitive market, your prospects are also being contacted by your competitors—most of whom are using advanced sales prospecting tools. If you’re not using similar tools, you risk falling behind. Sales prospecting tools help level the playing field by streamlining research and outreach, allowing reps to connect with the right prospects at the right time. However, these tools must be used strategically. Simply contacting more people won’t guarantee more sales. Personalization and targeting remain key. Using the insights provided by these tools, sales reps can tailor their messages and approaches, making each outreach effort more effective. Benefits of Using Sales Prospecting Tools When fully integrated into your sales processes, prospecting tools can deliver substantial benefits, including: Key Features to Look for in Sales Prospecting Tools To ensure your sales prospecting tool adds value to your business, consider the following features: Compliance Keeping up with constantly changing rules around prospecting—especially across different channels—can be daunting. A good prospecting tool automates compliance, ensuring your emails, calls, and social media outreach meet best practices and regulations. Ease of Use Your prospecting tool should simplify your workflow, not complicate it. Look for intuitive interfaces and tools that can automate repetitive tasks, such as dialing multiple numbers or sending emails in bulk. AI-Powered Analytics Tools with AI capabilities can generate valuable insights, such as identifying the best time to call a prospect or suggesting which channel is most likely to yield a response. System Integration Your prospecting tool should seamlessly integrate with existing systems, such as CRMs and marketing automation platforms, to ensure data flows smoothly and insights are actionable across your entire workflow. Customizable and Scalable Your sales process is unique to your business. Opt for customizable and scalable tools that can adapt as your needs change, ensuring you get maximum ROI from your investment. Make Prospecting Work for Your Business Without the right tools, your team is at a disadvantage compared to competitors using advanced sales prospecting technologies. Finding a tool with the right features and customizing it for your specific needs—such as pricing structures and campaign strategies—can empower your team to prospect more efficiently, yielding better results in less time. Content updated October 2024. 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
Salesforce AI Innovations: Empowering Student Success and Faculty Efficiency Salesforce is introducing new Education Cloud AI Innovations, AI-powered tools designed to streamline the educational journey, enabling students to chart clear paths to graduation, translate their coursework into resume-ready skills, and connect with mentors who can guide them toward their career goals. Enhancing Faculty and Staff Efficiency with AI New generative AI capabilities are set to automate time-consuming tasks for faculty and staff, allowing them to focus on what matters most—driving student success. Personalizing Student Experiences with AI Institutions like the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Texas Tech are leveraging Salesforce for Education to create personalized student experiences and improve staff efficiency through AI-driven solutions. Salesforce Introduces AI-Powered Student Success Tools for Education Cloud Today, Salesforce unveiled cutting-edge AI tools for Education Cloud, including Intelligent Degree Planning and Skills Generator. These innovations are designed to help institutions craft personalized graduation pathways, translate coursework into tangible skills, and facilitate impactful mentorship programs. Additionally, Salesforce introduced Data Cloud for Education and Einstein Copilot Recruitment & Admissions Actions. These tools will enable institutions to automate routine tasks, enhance recruitment and enrollment processes, and bolster student support. Why It Matters Education professionals face the highest burnout rates across industries, and students are feeling the impact—only 11% of college students believe they are workforce-ready. As the education sector approaches an enrollment cliff, confidence in the value of a college degree is declining, and educators are leaving the profession in significant numbers. Schools must find ways to reduce staff workload while improving student experiences and outcomes. Explore Education Cloud Elevate the educational experience with the #1 AI CRM for learner and institution success. DIVE IN AI Innovation for Lifelong Student Success The new AI capabilities for Education Cloud, built on Salesforce’s Einstein 1 Platform, will help higher education and K-12 institutions unlock the power of their data to deliver trusted AI solutions. These innovations are designed to improve staff efficiency while enhancing student experiences and learning outcomes. Key features include: AI in Action for Faculty and Staff Salesforce is delivering new AI and data tools to automate tasks related to recruitment, enrollment, and student experience management. New features include: With these industry-specific AI and data tools, Education Cloud is poised to help K-12 and higher education institutions offer more individualized support to every student while increasing operational efficiency and reducing staff burnout. The Salesforce Perspective “Every institution wants to provide the best possible experiences for their students and staff. With industry-specific AI and data tools, Education Cloud will help K-12 and higher ed institutions offer more personalized support to every student while increasing efficiency and helping to reduce staff burnout. This will free educators and staff to focus on improving student outcomes, such as career readiness, well-being, and graduation rates.”— Bala Subramanian, VP & GM of Education 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
Salesforce Education Cloud is a comprehensive solution designed for higher education institutions, offering powerful tools to manage every aspect of the student lifecycle—from recruitment and admissions to student success and alumni engagement. However, to fully maximize the benefits of Salesforce Education Cloud, institutions need a partner that understands the unique challenges and needs of higher education. Our team specializes in implementing Salesforce Education Cloud, ensuring that your institution has the right tools to drive success at every stage of the student journey. Student 360 Customization We can help tailor Salesforce’s Student 360 to fit your institution’s specific needs, providing a unified, comprehensive view of each student. By integrating all your data sources seamlessly, we empower your staff with actionable insights that enhance student success and support. Customized Solutions for Your Institution Our Tectonic team focuses on delivering custom configurations aligned with your institution’s unique processes and goals. This tailored approach ensures you have the precise tools needed to support and optimize every stage of the student lifecycle. Continuous Optimization As your institution evolves, so should your Salesforce Education Cloud solution. We’re committed to helping your system grow with you, optimizing it to meet changing demands and driving ongoing success and improvement. AI and Automation to Streamline Processes From automating admissions workflows to using predictive analytics for student retention, Salesforce’s AI and automation features keep your institution ahead of the curve. We collaborate closely with your team to streamline repetitive tasks, set up AI-driven insights, and ensure your staff can leverage these tools to improve efficiency and make data-informed decisions. Alumni Engagement and Fundraising Salesforce Education Cloud offers advanced tools to foster alumni relationships and manage donor relations. We help you customize these tools to segment alumni databases, execute targeted outreach campaigns, and strengthen fundraising efforts, ensuring lasting engagement with graduates. By partnering with Tectonic, your institution will harness the full potential of Salesforce Education Cloud, driving student success and strengthening alumni connections for the long term. Content updated August 2024. 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
