Ecommerce Archives - gettectonic.com
14Apr

Tectonic Shook Things Up at AgentForce World Tour in Denver

The Tectonic team attended Salesforce’s Denver AgentForce World Tour this week. It was a great experience to develop our AgentBlazer team and a true seismic time was had by all! AI Agents were the topic of conversation and kept things lively! One almost expected to meet an Agentic Robot around every corner. We were all excited to network with Salesforce, customers, and partners alike. Key Takeaways Autonomous AI agents can understand and interpret customers’ questions using natural language, with minimal human intervention. Here’s what you need to know. The AI Assistant Revolution: Empowering Every Employee Imagine if every person in your company—from the CEO to frontline employees—had a dedicated assistant at their fingertips. An assistant who:✔ Knows your customers inside out✔ Delivers instant, data-driven insights✔ Helps prioritize next best actions Thanks to AI agents, this future is already here—and it’s transforming how businesses operate. How AI Agents Are Supercharging Teams 1. Instant Insights, No Manual Work 🔹 Generative AI agents analyze your trusted customer data in seconds—eliminating hours of manual research.🔹 Sales, service, and marketing teams get real-time recommendations, allowing them to focus on high-impact work. 2. Scaling Teams Without Adding Headcount 🔹 AI agents handle routine tasks—customer inquiries, data entry, meeting prep—freeing employees for strategic work.🔹 Quickly ramp up productivity during peak demand without overburdening staff. 3. Proactive Problem-Solving 🔹 AI doesn’t just react—it predicts.🔹 Identifies risks, suggests optimizations, and prevents small issues from becoming big ones. 4. Personalized Support for Every Role 🔹 Sales: AI suggests the best leads, crafts follow-ups, and forecasts deals.🔹 Service: Resolves common cases instantly, escalating only when needed.🔹 Leadership: Delivers real-time business insights for faster decisions. The Future of Work Is AI-Augmented AI agents aren’t replacing humans—they’re empowering them. By automating the mundane and enhancing decision-making, they help teams:✅ Work smarter, not harder✅ Deliver better customer experiences✅ Stay ahead of the competition The question isn’t if your company should adopt AI agents—it’s how soon you can start leveraging them. Tectonic, a trusted Salesforce partner, is here to help. Ready to explore AI-powered productivity? Let’s talk about the right AI strategy for your business. AI Agents: Your Intelligent Digital Workforce What Is an AI Agent? An AI agent is an autonomous artificial intelligence system that understands, processes, and responds to customer inquiries—without human intervention. Built using platforms like Agentforce, these agents leverage machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to handle tasks ranging from simple FAQs to complex problem-solving. Unlike traditional AI, which requires manual programming for each task, AI agents continuously learn and improve from interactions, becoming smarter over time. How Do AI Agents Work? AI agents operate through a seamless four-step process: 💡 Result? Faster resolutions, happier customers, and more efficient teams. 6 Game-Changing Benefits of AI Agents Feature Impact 1. 24/7 Availability Instant support across time zones. 2. Hyper-Efficiency Handle thousands of queries simultaneously—no wait times. 3. Smarter Escalations Auto-route complex cases to the best-suited human agent. 4. Personalized Experiences Tailor responses using real-time customer data. 5. Scalability Grow support capacity without hiring more staff. 6. Data-Backed Insights Uncover trends to optimize operations & CX. “72% of companies already deploy AI—with generative AI adoption accelerating.” – McKinsey AI Agents in Action: Industry Use Cases 🏦 Finance ✔ Personalized wealth advice based on spending habits✔ Auto-summarize client cases for faster resolutions 🏭 Manufacturing ✔ Predict equipment failures before they happen✔ Optimize supply chain decisions with real-time data 🛒 Retail & Consumer Goods ✔ Smart inventory tracking (e.g., flagging stock discrepancies)✔ AI-generated promo content for targeted campaigns 🚗 Automotive ✔ Proactive vehicle maintenance alerts via telematics✔ Dynamic dealership promotions to boost sales 🏥 Healthcare ✔ Automated patient scheduling with the right specialist✔ Clinical trial matching using AI-driven eligibility checks Join the AI Revolution with Agentforce AI agents aren’t just tools—they’re productivity multipliers that help teams:✅ Work faster with automated workflows✅ Serve customers better with personalized AI assistance✅ Stay ahead with predictive insights 📈 Ready to transform your business? Connect with Tectonic today, or check out our Agentforce Quickstart offering. Connect with the Tectonic Agentforce team and launch your Agentic Revolution. AI Agents: The Ultimate Productivity Multiplier for Every Team AI agents aren’t just transforming customer service—they’re revolutionizing how every department operates. From 24/7 customer support to hyper-personalized marketing campaigns, AI agents help teams work smarter, move faster, and deliver exceptional experiences. Here’s how AI agents supercharge key business functions: 🤝 AI Agents for Service Teams Never miss a customer inquiry—even at 2 AM.✔ Instant, 24/7 support across email, chat, and social media✔ Smart escalation—AI routes complex cases to human agents with full context✔ Brand-consistent responses powered by your CRM data 🔹 With Agentforce for Service, deploy AI agents in minutes using prebuilt templates—or customize them for your unique needs. 💰 AI Agents for Sales Teams Turn every lead into a conversation—automatically.✔ Autonomous lead engagement—AI answers product questions & books meetings✔ Always-on SDRs—Agentforce Sales Development Reps qualify leads 24/7✔ Controlled escalation—Set rules for when & how AI hands off to your team 🔹 No more missed opportunities—AI keeps your pipeline full while your reps focus on closing. 🛍️ AI Agents for Commerce Teams Personal shopping assistants—powered by AI.✔ Smart product recommendations based on browsing & purchase history✔ Guided shopping experiences—AI helps customers find what they need faster✔ Omnichannel support—Engage shoppers on your site, WhatsApp, and more 🔹 Boost conversions with AI that acts like your best sales associate—for every customer. 📢 AI Agents for Marketing Teams Campaigns that write, optimize, and improve themselves.✔ AI-generated campaign briefs—audience targeting, messaging & KPIs✔ Automated content creation—draft ads, emails & social posts in your brand voice✔ Performance optimization—AI analyzes results & suggests improvements 🔹 With Agentforce Campaigns, launch better campaigns in hours—not weeks. Why AI Agents? The Bottom Line ✅ Scale operations without scaling headcount✅ Deliver instant, personalized experiences 24/7✅ Free your team to focus on high-value work “Companies using AI agents see 40% faster response times and 30% higher customer satisfaction.” Ready to deploy your AI workforce? See how Agentforce can transform your business #FutureOfWork

Read More
April 14, 2025in Agentforce Platform, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Generative AI, Salesforce0 Comments
Tectonic Salesforce Integrations
25Mar

Digital Experience and Ecommerce Dictionary

Essential Ecommerce and Digital Experience Terminology The world of ecommerce and digital experiences is constantly evolving, bringing with it a steady stream of new buzzwords and concepts. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it serves as an excellent introduction to some of the latest trends and terminology shaping online shopping experiences. Accessibility Ensuring that web content is accessible across all devices is only part of the equation—compliance with international regulations is crucial to supporting individuals with disabilities. Here are key terms related to digital accessibility: Content Marketing Content marketing has evolved beyond catalogs and newsletters. It’s now an integral part of the shopping experience, helping customers discover and engage with brands in meaningful ways. Data-Driven Strategies Leading brands leverage data-driven ecommerce to deliver personalized, seamless shopping experiences. This ever-evolving space includes key concepts such as: Mobile Commerce Consumers expect to shop seamlessly across multiple devices. Mobile commerce trends ensure a smooth experience, no matter where they browse. Omnichannel Experiences Shoppers today expect a cohesive experience whether they shop online, on social media, or in-store. Here are key omnichannel concepts: Tech & Digital Experience Platforms To meet changing consumer expectations, retailers are adopting advanced technologies that streamline operations and enhance user experiences. Social Commerce Social commerce enables direct purchases through social media platforms, streamlining the shopping journey from discovery to checkout. Security & Privacy Data privacy is a growing concern among consumers. Here are key regulations shaping ecommerce security: Search Search functionality is crucial for delivering relevant results and optimizing user experience. Emerging trends include: Final Thoughts The ecommerce webscape is always changing, with new technologies and trends shaping the way consumers shop online. By staying abreast of these key terms, businesses can enhance customer experiences and remain competitive in the digital marketplace. Explore these topics further with our resources and 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, 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
March 25, 2025in Data, Laws, Technology0 Comments
Salesforce Foundations Announced
15Mar

Salesforce Foundations

Salesforce Foundations: Your Essential CRM Power-Up Transform Your CRM with Unified Capabilities Salesforce Foundations delivers a powerful suite of integrated features that enhance your existing CRM with no additional cost. Available on a limited basis in Summer ’24, this offering provides: ✔ 360° Customer Insights – Unified profiles powered by Data Cloud✔ Cross-Cloud Productivity – Streamlined workflows across sales, service, marketing, and commerce✔ Adaptable Interface – Configurable UX improvements to match your operational needs Contact your Salesforce account executive to enable Foundations in your org Core Capabilities by Function Sales Acceleration Service Excellence Data Intelligence Commerce Tools Marketing Power Implementation Guide Eligibility & Activation Key Considerations Why Customers Choose Foundations “After implementing Foundations, we reduced our sales cycle by 15% through better visibility into customer interactions across teams,” reports Michael Chen, Revenue Operations Director at TechCorp. Productivity Benefits Getting Started Transform your CRM experience today – Foundations delivers enterprise-grade capabilities without enterprise complexity. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
March 15, 2025in Data, Enterprise, Salesforce, Salesforce Foundations0 Comments
Rise of Agentic Commerce
14Mar

Rise of Agentic Commerce

The Rise of Agentic Commerce: How AI Agents Are Reshaping Ecommerce As online retailers experiment with agentic AI to enhance ecommerce, shoppers are already engaging with AI-driven experiences through subscriptions. Meanwhile, businesses are deploying AI agents behind the scenes to streamline their digital storefronts. In 2025, ecommerce platforms aren’t just pitching AI-powered recommendation engines—they’re embracing full-fledged agentic AI solutions. These intelligent agents are changing the way both retailers and consumers interact with digital shopping environments. Tech Giants and Startups Lead the Charge Agentic AI is becoming a key component in the ecommerce tech stack, joining machine learning, AI-powered search, and generative AI. Major players like Google and Meta have already integrated these capabilities, while Amazon and OpenAI are leveraging subscription models to attract users. Startups, as well as integrations for platforms like Shopify and Adobe’s Magento, are also fueling this AI-driven shift. Salesforce made a significant push for agentic AI at its 2024 Dreamforce event, showcasing its Agentforce capabilities. Luxury retailer Saks was an early adopter, using Agentforce to enhance personalization. Just months later, OpenAI introduced its Operator agent, with eBay, Etsy, and Instacart among its first users. But what exactly is agentic commerce, and how does it reshape online shopping? What Is Agentic Commerce? Agentic commerce refers to the use of AI agents in ecommerce. These agents, built on large language models (LLMs), go beyond chatbot-style interactions. They make decisions and execute actions autonomously, transforming how both consumers and merchants engage with online retail. For shoppers, this means AI-powered assistance throughout the learning, discovery, and purchasing journey. For retailers, agentic AI helps automate backend operations, streamlining tasks that previously required manual intervention. Consumers have already embraced AI chatbots in shopping experiences. Salesforce reported that AI-driven interactions boosted retail revenue during the 2024 holiday season. Adobe Analytics echoed this trend in a March 2025 survey, revealing that AI-assisted shopping led to higher engagement. “Online shoppers are seeing the benefits of AI-powered chat interfaces, which reduce the time needed to receive personalized information,” said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights. “In Adobe’s survey, 92% of shoppers who used AI said it enhanced their experience, and 87% were more likely to use AI for larger or complex purchases.” Retailers are taking note. A February 2025 survey by Digital Commerce 360 found that AI investment is a top priority, with only 11.11% of ecommerce businesses planning to forgo AI implementation this year. AI-Powered Agents in Action Tech companies are responding to this growing demand. Adobe recently introduced its Experience Platform Agent Orchestrator, designed to manage AI agents across Adobe’s ecosystem and third-party platforms. Adobe’s research underscores the increasing role of AI in shaping customer engagement strategies. “This shift is redefining how businesses approach customer interactions,” Pandya noted. “AI agents are taking on more complex tasks and delivering highly personalized recommendations.” Retailers are already putting agentic commerce to the test. OpenAI’s Operator agent, for example, can autonomously navigate a web browser—searching, typing, and clicking to complete purchases. Users can ask Operator to order groceries, select gifts, or book tickets, streamlining transactions through AI-driven automation. Currently, Operator is available only to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Pro subscribers at $200 per month. However, OpenAI plans to expand access as it refines the technology. “We have a lot of work ahead, but we’re eager to put these tools into people’s hands,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during an Operator demo. “More AI agents will be rolling out in the coming weeks and months.” The Subscription Model for AI-Powered Shopping Amazon is also bringing agentic AI to ecommerce with Alexa+. Priced at $19.99 per month—or free for Amazon Prime members—Alexa+ allows users to make purchases through Amazon.com, Whole Foods, Ticketmaster, and other retailers via voice commands. As these AI-powered tools gain traction, the pressure is on developers to deliver value that justifies their price tags. Whether through subscriptions or seamless integrations, the future of ecommerce is rapidly shifting toward intelligent, automated experiences. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
March 14, 2025in Agentic AI, AI Chatbots, Generative AI, Google, Salesforce, Technology0 Comments
Autonomous AI Service Agents
03Jan

How Do Autonomous Agents Work?

Autonomous agents like Florida Bay’s understand and respond to requests, and then act without human intervention. Give the agent a goal, and it generates tasks for itself, completes them, and moves on to the next one until the goal is achieved. Unlike traditional chatbots that follow predefined rules, autonomous agents operate in dynamic environments, making them perfect for complex tasks in customer service, marketing, commerce, sales, and more. While autonomous agents don’t need human help to complete their tasks, they still need you to describe the ideal goals and main objectives you want to achieve. Once in action, the agent can save your business significant time and resources and allow you to focus on improving the overall customer experience and driving growth–just like at Florida Bay. You might think setting up an agent takes a lot of time, but autonomous agents‌ require less time to build compared with traditional bots. And they can do more when you set them up with the right data and actions. Let’s take a look at the key components that make them effective. Data Data is the foundation of an autonomous agent‘s functionality. It’s what enables an agent to make informed decisions and execute tasks autonomously. At Florida Bay, the concierge agent analyzes opt-in data about the Smith family, including family member profiles, past travel history, and more, to gain a deeper understanding of their preferences. With these insights, the agent can personalize every aspect of their trip and provide a seamless and enjoyable vacation. Decision-Making When an autonomous agent analyzes data, it uses advanced decision-making algorithms to prioritize and execute tasks efficiently. For the concierge agent at Florida Bay, that means evaluating various options and scenarios to ensure that every decision aligns with the Smith family’s preferences and goals. Action Execution After making data-driven decisions, the agent seamlessly transitions to executing the planned actions. For the concierge agent, those planned actions might be autonomously reserving hotel rooms, arranging transportation, and more. This not only enhances the customer experience but also allows the business to save an immense amount of time and focus on other critical tasks that provide even better customer service. Learning and Adaptation Over time, the agent continuously learns from each interaction and adapts to improve future performance. It analyzes feedback and outcomes to refine its algorithms and decision-making processes to better meet the customer’s needs. In addition, autonomous agents are adaptable to various situations and can provide data-driven solutions to simplify and improve efficiency in a wide range of areas. Let’s take a look at that next. Autonomous Agents in Action Autonomous agents are becoming increasingly universal and offer support in a wide range of fields. Here are some industries where they bring significant benefits and support to CRM platforms. Healthcare An autonomous agent can engage with patients, providers, and payers to resolve inquiries, provide summaries, and take action. For example, a patient services agent can answer simple patient questions, help schedule appointments with the best physician, review coverage benefits, generate medical history summaries, and approve care requests. Example: A patient needs to schedule a follow-up appointment with a specialist. They use the healthcare provider’s agent to request the appointment. The autonomous agent checks the availability of the best-suited specialist, confirms the patient’s insurance coverage, and schedules the appointment. The agent also generates a summary of the patient’s medical history and sends it to the specialist in advance. This streamlined process ensures that the patient receives timely care and reduces the administrative burden on healthcare staff. Financial Services Banks can autonomously manage transaction disputes through various channels such as the banking app, SMS, website, or phone. Prebuilt service flows allow agents to file complaints, meet regulatory reporting requirements, verify transaction history, alert merchants, and even issue provisional credits or new cards. These autonomous agents only escalate to a human for final authorizations, saving time and allowing human experts to focus on more complex interactions. Example: A customer notices a fraudulent transaction on their bank statement and reports it through the banking app. The autonomous agent verifies the transaction history, files the complaint, and issues a provisional credit to the customer’s account. The agent also alerts the merchant and schedules a follow-up with a human representative for final authorization. This process, which used to take several days, is now completed within hours, significantly improving customer satisfaction and reducing the workload on human service reps. Insurance Insurance companies can autonomously update coverage, extend better pricing to qualified policyholders, update beneficiaries, schedule and deploy claims adjusters, and even issue claims checks or policy renewals—all without human intervention. Wealth advisors reported that 67% of their daily work is non–value-added administrative work. Autonomous agents can reduce this by planning, scheduling, and summarizing client meetings, drafting client communications, and ensuring compliance by routing communications to the proper licensed supervisors. Example: An insurance policyholder wants to update their beneficiary information. They use the insurance company’s mobile app to make the change. The autonomous agent verifies the policyholder’s identity, updates the beneficiary’s information, and sends a confirmation email. The agent also ensures that the change is compliant with regulatory requirements by routing the communication to a licensed supervisor for a final review. This process, which previously required a phone call and manual processing, is now completed in seconds, freeing up the policyholder’s time and reducing administrative workload. Retail Autonomous agents can share campaign insights, proactively manage customer outreach, and resolve cases for retailers. A personal shopper autonomous agent acts like a digital concierge for online shoppers, using generative AI to help customers on ecommerce sites, chat, or messaging apps like WhatsApp. While basic chatbots only solve predefined questions, autonomous AI agents learn from shoppers’ behavior and preferences and can provide natural language searches, conversational responses, and quick cart additions for instant checkout. Example: A customer is shopping for a new pair of shoes on an ecommerce site. The personal shopper autonomous agent, integrated into the chat feature, engages with the customer and analyzes their past purchases and preferences.

Read More
January 3, 2025in Agentforce Platform, Data, Generative AI, Salesforce
AI Agent Trends
19Nov

AI Agent Trends

AI Agents: Key Statistics and Trends for 2025 “The agent revolution is real and as exciting as the cloud, social, and mobile revolutions,” remarked Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff. “It will provide a level of transformation that we’ve never seen.” With the general availability of Agentforce, the era of AI-powered agents is officially here. These intelligent software agents, designed to perform tasks autonomously or in collaboration with humans, are already transforming businesses by driving efficiency and improving customer outcomes. AI Agents in Action Companies across the globe are leveraging AI agents to achieve remarkable results. For example, Wiley has seen a 40% boost in case resolution rates with Agentforce, far surpassing their previous bot’s performance. Other success stories from Saks and Opentable reinforce the ROI potential of this groundbreaking technology. Salesforce research highlights data from consumers, employees, and business leaders worldwide, demonstrating how AI agents address key pain points while unlocking significant opportunities for enterprises and individuals alike. Why Consumers Need AI Agents Traditional customer service processes often frustrate consumers, leading to inefficiency and dissatisfaction: AI agents are transforming this landscape with immediate, personalized assistance that minimizes wait times and eliminates repeated explanations. Consumer sentiment indicates a growing acceptance of this technology: Why Enterprises Need AI Agents For enterprises, inefficiency is a persistent challenge. Time-consuming administrative tasks often prevent workers from focusing on strategic, customer-centric activities: AI adoption is increasingly a priority for revenue-generating teams, with measurable benefits: Salesforce experts emphasize that while AI has already proven its value in service, sales, marketing, and commerce, the surface of its potential has only just been scratched. The Agent-First Future As organizations adopt an agent-first approach, they unlock opportunities to redefine operations, increase efficiency, and drive innovation: AI agents are not just the future—they’re the present solution to enduring challenges, empowering businesses to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
November 19, 2024in Agentforce Platform, Data, Enterprise, Salesforce, Technology
Winter 25 Release Notes
01Nov

Winter 25 Release Experience Cloud

Salesforce Winter ’25 Release: 6 Key Enhancements to Experience Cloud The Salesforce Winter ’25 Release brings a fresh suite of updates to Experience Cloud, focusing on design customization, SEO optimization, and streamlined navigation for enhanced user engagement. We’ve summarized six major updates and additional enhancements that make this release a significant step forward for Experience Cloud sites. 1. Enhanced Design Options for LWR Sites Winter ’25 empowers site designers with more granular control over the look and feel of LWR (Lightning Web Runtime) sites. New customization options in the Experience Builder Theme panel now allow for specific styling of individual components like columns and buttons, offering a new level of precision in visual design. Additional features include a Scoped Header and Footer layout that allows fixed positioning for headers and footers, enhancing user experience with persistent navigation elements. Site admins can define unique color palettes for buttons across various states (default, hover, focus), and apply color schemes to individual columns, which can now be set in the Theme panel. Further text customizations for headings have also been added, allowing a personalized touch for every element on LWR sites. 2. SEO-Friendly URLs for Accounts and Contacts (Generally Available) To drive organic traffic, the Winter ’25 Release introduces SEO-friendly URL slugs for Account and Contact pages, replacing traditional record IDs with easily readable URLs. This enhancement allows search engines to better index content, making it easier for users to find your pages. Site managers can configure SEO-friendly URLs directly in the Administration panel and import slugs in bulk for faster setup. 3. Data Providers for LWR Sites (Beta) Experience Cloud now includes an option to configure data providers on LWR site pages, enabling seamless integration with data from various sources, including Apex and Record providers. Admins can specify data sources within Experience Builder, allowing for real-time data updates across components and pages, providing a more dynamic and responsive experience for users. 4. Revamped Navigation and New Components The Navigation Menu component has been revamped, allowing admins to design a more intuitive navigation experience for both desktop and mobile users. The beta Site Header component further enhances branding with logo placement and customizable headers, while the Grid component now ensures consistent cell height, improving the visual balance of page layouts. Tailored navigation menus for desktop and mobile screens can be customized for color, spacing, text styles, and more to provide an optimized experience across devices. 5. Expanded Data Cloud Integration for Event Tracking Winter ’25 expands Data Cloud integration to capture checkout, order, and cart events on enhanced LWR sites. Ecommerce-focused organizations can now record user interactions—like checkout initiation and address input—automatically, giving businesses richer insights into customer behavior. Data captured through these events can be viewed within Data Cloud, allowing admins to understand user engagement and optimize site design accordingly. 6. Salesforce File Linking for LWR Sites (Beta) The new File Upload Lightning Web Component enables file uploads directly from an LWR site to Salesforce, an option previously available only on Aura sites. This update streamlines the file transfer process, allowing guest users to upload files securely, which are then accessible within Salesforce. Additional Experience Cloud Enhancements In addition to the primary updates, Winter ’25 introduces several valuable, albeit smaller, features: Availability of Features Some Winter ’25 features will be accessible immediately after release, while others require setup by admins. Consider notifying users about these updates to ensure a smooth transition and to leverage the full potential of new functionalities. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
November 1, 2024in Data, Marketing Automation, Salesforce Development Services, Salesforce Experience Cloud
How Skechers Solved Its Ecommerce Challenges
21Oct

How Skechers Solved Its Ecommerce Challenges

Skechers Boosts Direct-to-Consumer Sales with Ecommerce Platform Upgrades Skechers, now a global brand in 2024, credits its recent ecommerce platform upgrades for saving time and increasing direct-to-consumer sales. However, it wasn’t always equipped with the right technology to support its massive growth. During Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference in San Francisco, Eric Cheng, Skechers USA Inc.’s director of ecommerce architecture, shared insights into how key technology decisions helped the brand expand and enhance its website and content capabilities. “Today, we’re present in over 180 countries worldwide,” Cheng said, speaking on stage at the Moscone Center. Skechers’ journey began in 1992, and its expansion has taken the brand across borders, reaching millions of customers worldwide. “We connect hundreds of millions of customers through our retail stores and ecommerce platform to deliver a unique experience,” Cheng noted, emphasizing the need to meet the diverse demands of each market. Skechers ranks No. 273 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American e-retailers by online sales, where it is categorized as an Apparel & Accessories retailer. Digital Commerce 360 projects that Skechers will reach 0.65 million in online sales by 2024. Ecommerce Platform Challenges Cheng acknowledged that Skechers’ digital transformation wasn’t immediate: “The journey did not just happen overnight; it took time and effort.” Skechers faced challenges in three key areas: content management, scalability, and customer experience. The legacy system was inadequate, lacking robust tools for efficient content delivery, previewing scheduled content, and handling localization. As Cheng described, launching a marketing page often required the content team to be on standby at midnight—an unsustainable approach for 17 countries. How Skechers Solved Its Ecommerce Challenges To overcome these hurdles, Skechers partnered with Astound Digital. Together, they implemented Salesforce Service Cloud and Manhattan Active Omni for order management. Kyle Montgomery, senior vice president of commerce at Astound Digital, joined Cheng on stage and highlighted the goal: “Their vision was to unify, supply, and scale.” This transformation enabled Skechers to bring 17 countries in Europe, Japan, and North America onto a single platform. Jennifer Lane, Salesforce’s director of success guides, also emphasized the flexibility achieved using Salesforce’s Page Designer and localization solutions from Salesforce’s AppExchange. Integrations with Thomson Reuters for tax, CyberSource for payments, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud for personalization further enhanced Skechers’ capabilities. The Results Cheng highlighted three key improvements after the ecommerce overhaul. First, content creation and localization tools improved operational efficiency by over 500%. The time to launch in new markets was dramatically reduced from five months to just a few weeks. Additionally, Skechers saw a notable sales boost, with a 24.5% increase in its direct-to-consumer segment during Q1 2023. Skechers’ success demonstrates the significant impact of a well-executed ecommerce platform upgrade, allowing the brand to scale globally while improving customer experience and operational efficiency. Contact Tectonic to learn what Salesforce can do for you. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
October 21, 2024in Google, Salesforce, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, Technology
Data Cloud Model
08Oct

Data Cloud Model

While many Salesforce products like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Education Cloud, Health Cloud, and various industry clouds are built on a common ‘core’ platform that shares the same datastore (an Oracle relational database), Salesforce Data Cloud operates on (Data Cloud Model) a distinct architecture and technology stack. This insight explores the data models and related concepts that underpin the platform. Data Cloud Architecture and Storage Starting with the storage layer, Salesforce Data Cloud integrates multiple services: This combination enables Data Cloud to provide a petabyte-scale data store, overcoming the scalability and performance constraints of traditional relational databases. The physical architecture of Data Cloud is represented as a set of data objects, which form the foundation for how data is ingested, harmonized, and activated within the platform. Key Data Cloud Objects Data Source A Data Source is the initial data layer in Data Cloud, representing an external platform or system from which your data originates. Data Sources can include: Data Stream A Data Stream is an entity extracted from a Data Source, such as ‘Orders’ from Commerce Cloud, ‘Contacts’ from Sales Cloud, or ‘Subscribers’ from Marketing Cloud. Once a Data Source is connected to Data Cloud, Data Streams provide access to these entities and require assignment to a category: Profile, Engagement, or Other. A single Data Source can contain multiple Data Streams. Data Source Object (DSO) Data Streams are ingested into Data Source Objects (DSOs), which serve as temporary staging stores containing data in its raw, native format (e.g., CSV files). Minor transformations can be applied to fields during data ingestion. Data Lake Object (DLO) The next step in the data flow is the Data Lake Object (DLO). DLOs are typed, schema-based, materialized views that reside in the data lake (Amazon S3) and are generally stored as Apache Parquet files. This format, along with Apache Iceberg’s abstraction layer, supports efficient data storage and retrieval. DLOs are the first objects available for inspection and preparation of data, including field mapping and additional transformations. Data Model Object (DMO) Unlike DSOs and DLOs, which use a physical data store, Data Model Objects (DMOs) provide a virtual, non-materialized view into the data lake. Queries against a DMO return results based on the current data snapshot in DLOs, without storing them. DMOs can aggregate attributes from different Data Streams, Calculated Insights, and other sources. DMOs inherit their category from the first DLO mapped to them, and only DLOs with the same category can be mapped to the DMO. Like Salesforce objects, DMOs offer a canonical data model with pre-defined attributes (standard objects), and you can also create custom DMOs (custom objects). DMOs can have one-to-one or many-to-one relationships with other DMOs. Currently, there are 89 standard DMOs in Data Cloud, and this number is growing to support more use cases. DMOs are organized into various subject areas, including: Data Spaces Data Spaces offer logical partitions, allowing data to be segregated between different brands, regions, or departments, without the need for multiple Data Cloud instances. They also align with a Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), enabling you to stage and test Data Objects in separate environments without affecting production data. Data Sources, Data Streams, and DLOs can be shared across Data Spaces, while DMOs and other platform features are isolated based on user permissions. Final Thoughts With the drop in storage costs and advancements in technology, companies now have vast datasets at their disposal. Every customer interaction, whether it’s a purchase, an email open, or a web page view, can be captured and stored. When properly organized, this data allows businesses to understand customers better, predict their needs, personalize interactions, and much more. However, one of Salesforce’s challenges is that its original platform, built over 20 years ago, was designed for a different era and struggles with handling voluminous, “big” data. Salesforce Data Cloud addresses these limitations with a modern architecture that overcomes the constraints of relational databases. Data Cloud is poised to become the backbone of the Salesforce platform, supporting the data needs of customers and products for the next two decades. If you’re interested in learning how to implement and integrate Salesforce Data Cloud in your organization, following best practices, reach out today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
October 8, 2024in Data, Google, Salesforce, Salesforce Data Cloud, Snowflake, Technology, Unified Knowledge
Salesforce Agentforce Integration
07Oct

Salesforce Agentforce Integration

The rise of AI-powered solutions is transforming customer service, support, and automation. For organizations such as nonprofits, national associations, and large enterprises, delivering seamless customer experiences has become crucial. Salesforce’s Agentforce, a next-generation conversational AI tool, plays a vital role in this transformation. Designed to elevate customer support and interaction, Agentforce provides an intelligent and scalable solution for integrating AI chatbots into content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot. Salesforce Agentforce Integration. In this detailed feature review, we will dive into the extensive capabilities of Salesforce Agentforce, analyzing its role as a conversational tool, its technical requirements, and the benefits it provides for nonprofits, national associations, and businesses. We’ll also compare its applications across various CMS platforms like Drupal, WordPress, and HubSpot, exploring its potential as a powerful AI assistant for website automation and customer interaction. Salesforce Agentforce: A Technical Perspective Salesforce Agentforce is an advanced AI-driven conversational assistant that seamlessly integrates into the Salesforce environment. By tapping into Salesforce CRM’s vast data resources, Agentforce serves as an intelligent interface, automating everything from initial customer inquiries to more personalized interactions. Utilizing natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, it continually refines responses and scales interactions, making it an indispensable tool for organizations aiming to enhance customer service workflows. Agentforce integrates smoothly with Salesforce Service Cloud, automating both live chat support and chatbot responses. Additionally, it can connect with third-party platforms, including popular CMS solutions like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot, allowing organizations to centralize customer service operations in one interface. Core Features and Technical Architecture of Agentforce Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Processing (NLP) Agentforce’s NLP capabilities are its backbone, allowing it to understand complex human language and respond contextually. This empowers it to manage initial inquiries as well as more sophisticated support requests. Agentforce’s NLU also enables it to work across different languages, dialects, and industry-specific terminology, making it particularly valuable for global organizations and national associations serving diverse audiences. Machine Learning for Continuous Improvement Agentforce’s machine learning feature enhances its ability to improve accuracy and understanding over time. Each interaction helps the chatbot evolve, making it more effective at delivering relevant, real-time responses. This model integrates directly with Salesforce’s data infrastructure, giving Agentforce access to historical data and interactions to offer highly personalized, context-aware answers. Deep Integration with Salesforce CRM As a Salesforce-native tool, Agentforce can harness CRM data in ways other AI tools cannot. By accessing customer histories, purchase data, and previous interactions, it creates personalized experiences that build customer trust. Nonprofits and associations can use this data to improve donor or member interactions, offering targeted support and outreach. Agentforce can also be tailored to retrieve specific datasets, such as an individual’s support history or ongoing service case updates. Cross-Platform Flexibility and API Integration Agentforce offers flexible APIs that enable integration with third-party systems, including CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot. This flexibility ensures that AI-powered chatbots can be deployed on organizational websites, providing a seamless experience for customers, donors, and members alike. Whether it’s a nonprofit using Drupal or a business on WordPress, Agentforce acts as the central hub for support and engagement, offering fluid interactions on top of your CMS. HubSpot users can further leverage Agentforce’s marketing features to align lead generation with personalized, chat-based interactions. Use Cases for Agentforce in Nonprofits, National Associations, and Businesses Nonprofit Organizations For nonprofits managing donor, volunteer, and beneficiary relationships, Agentforce offers scalable, automated support: National Associations National associations can use Agentforce to handle high volumes of inquiries from members and professionals: Businesses For service-based enterprises, Agentforce is essential for customer service: Salesforce Agentforce and CMS Integration: WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot WordPress and Salesforce Agentforce Integration For WordPress users, Agentforce offers customizable chatbot widgets that enhance customer engagement, handle ecommerce inquiries, and integrate with WooCommerce for product support. Drupal and Agentforce Integration Drupal’s modular architecture allows Agentforce to automate membership management, provide multilingual support, and distribute content for nonprofits and associations. HubSpot and Agentforce Integration HubSpot users benefit from Agentforce’s ability to automate lead nurturing, sales and marketing workflows, and customer support, all while keeping HubSpot and Salesforce CRM data synchronized. Tectonic and Salesforce Agentforce Integration At Tectonic, we understand that adopting AI-powered solutions like Salesforce Agentforce is only the first step toward delivering exceptional customer experiences. We specialize in crafting, training, and implementing tailored AI chatbot solutions that enhance engagement, streamline processes, and drive growth, all while seamlessly integrating with your current website or mobile app. As a full-service digital strategy firm, Tectonic excels in integrating advanced tools like Salesforce Agentforce into platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot, ensuring your automation strategies are executed with precision. From custom chatbot implementations to comprehensive digital strategy services, our team is dedicated to optimizing your website for engagement and lead generation. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
October 7, 2024in Agentforce Platform, AI Tools, Data, Enterprise, Salesforce, Salesforce Service Cloud
Commerce Cloud and Agentic AI
04Oct

Commerce Cloud and Agentic AI

Recognizing the demand from both B2B and B2C buyers for seamless, consistent commerce experiences across online and offline channels, Salesforce has introduced an AI-powered, unified commerce version of its Commerce Cloud platform. Salesforce, a leader in merging ecommerce and CRM software, has taken a significant step toward unified commerce with this next-generation update to Salesforce Commerce Cloud. This move aligns with the expectations of both B2B buyers and consumers, who increasingly seek integrated and personalized interactions. The company states that Commerce Cloud now “natively connects all aspects of commerce—B2C, direct-to-consumer, and B2B commerce; order management; and payments—with sales, service, and marketing, all on a single platform.” This integration offers businesses a complete view of the customer journey through a shared catalog and user profile. By unifying elements like catalogs, pricing, orders, and marketing segments, companies can deliver personalized interactions, boost customer loyalty, and drive revenue across all touchpoints. Unified Commerce: A $1.5 Trillion Opportunity Salesforce cites research from Adyen, which indicates that adopting unified commerce strategies could present a $1.5 trillion opportunity for retailers globally. In North America, 76 of the top 2000 online retailers use Salesforce’s ecommerce platform. In 2023, these retailers generated over 6 billion in web sales. Salesforce’s B2B clients include major companies such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, GE Renewable Energy, and Chambers Gasket. AI-Powered Commerce Cloud Salesforce emphasizes that AI powers key aspects of its next-generation Commerce Cloud, enabling the platform to autonomously manage tasks like product recommendations and order lookups by leveraging data from digital and in-store interactions, orders, inventory levels, customer reviews, unified profiles, and CRM information. The AI-backed “Agentforce” agents are designed to assist employees in delivering personalized interactions, strengthening customer relationships, and improving profit margins. According to Justin Racine, Principal of Unified Commerce at Perficient, Salesforce’s efforts to unify the commerce experience across its broad range of products align with the needs of both B2B buyers and consumers. He notes that modern buyers expect brands to connect and communicate with them based on their previous behaviors, preferences, and purchases. Unlocking Revenue with Agentforce Michael Affronti, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Commerce Cloud, highlights that this new version embodies unified commerce by providing businesses with a single, integrated platform. The platform consolidates the entire commerce journey, with AI-powered Agentforce agents unlocking new revenue streams and delivering personalized experiences across every channel. Furniture designer and manufacturer MillerKnoll has already benefited from the unified platform. Frank DeMaria, Vice President of Digital Engineering & Platforms, mentions that the integration of sales, service, marketing, and other functions has helped the company offer personalized experiences and improve online sales and customer satisfaction across its portfolio of brands, including HermanMiller. Key Features of the New Commerce Cloud Racine adds that Salesforce’s new release unifies its product suite under a cohesive platform, providing marketers and business users with a comprehensive 360-degree view of the customer. This enables brands to build experiences and ordering workflows that are predictive rather than reactive. The integration of Agentforce represents a breakthrough, blending AI with brand interactions to unlock potential gains for merchandisers and buyers, and Racine is excited to see how these technologies enhance revenue and customer loyalty. 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 Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
October 4, 2024in Data, Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Subscribe to our mailing list. Join our mail list to receive our newsletter

We'll keep you up to date with our latest news, insights, free resources, and much more.
Don't worry, we won't spam you.
gettectonic.com