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1 Billion Enterprise AI Agents

Inside Salesforce’s Ambition to Deploy 1 Billion Enterprise AI Agents Salesforce is making a bold play in the enterprise AI space with its recently launched Agentforce platform. Introduced at the annual Dreamforce conference, Agentforce is positioned to revolutionize sales, marketing, commerce, and operations with autonomous AI agents, marking a significant evolution from Salesforce’s previous Einstein AI platform. What Makes Agentforce Different? Agentforce operates as more than just a chatbot platform. It uses real-time data and user-defined business rules to proactively manage tasks, aiming to boost efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction. Built on Salesforce’s Data Cloud, the platform simplifies deployment while maintaining powerful customization capabilities: “Salesforce takes care of 80% of the foundational work, leaving customers to focus on the 20% that truly differentiates their business,” explains Adam Forrest, SVP of Marketing at Salesforce. Forrest highlights how Agentforce enables businesses to build custom agents tailored to specific needs by incorporating their own rules and data sources. This user-centric approach empowers admins, developers, and technology teams to deploy AI without extensive technical resources. Early Adoption Across Industries Major brands have already adopted Agentforce for diverse use cases: These real-world applications illustrate Agentforce’s potential to transform workflows in industries ranging from retail to hospitality and education. AI Agents in Marketing: The New Frontier Salesforce emphasizes that Agentforce isn’t just for operations; it’s poised to redefine marketing. AI agents can automate lead qualification, optimize outreach strategies, and enhance personalization. For example, in account-based marketing, agents can analyze customer data to identify high-value opportunities, craft tailored strategies, and recommend optimal engagement times based on user behavior. “AI agents streamline lead qualification by evaluating intent signals and scoring leads, allowing sales teams to focus on high-priority prospects,” says Jonathan Franchell, CEO of B2B marketing agency Ironpaper. Once campaigns are launched, Agentforce monitors performance in real time, offering suggestions to improve ROI and resource allocation. By integrating seamlessly with CRM platforms, the tool also facilitates better collaboration between marketing and sales teams. Beyond B2C applications, AI agents in B2B contexts can evaluate customer-specific needs and provide tailored product or service recommendations, further enhancing client relationships. Enabling Creativity Through Automation By automating repetitive tasks, Agentforce aims to free marketers to focus on strategy and creativity. Dan Gardner, co-founder of Code and Theory, describes this vision: “Agentic AI eliminates friction and dissolves silos in data, organizational structures, and customer touchpoints. The result? Smarter insights, efficient distribution, and more time for creatives to do what they do best: creating.” Competitive Landscape and Challenges Despite its promise, Salesforce faces stiff competition. Microsoft—backed by its integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT—has unveiled AI tools like Copilot, and other players such as Google, ServiceNow, and HubSpot are advancing their own AI platforms. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has not shied away from the rivalry. On the Masters of Scale podcast, he criticized Microsoft for overpromising on products like Copilot, asserting that Salesforce delivers tangible value: “Our tools show users exactly what is possible, what is real, and how easy it is to derive huge value from AI.” Salesforce must also demonstrate Agentforce’s scalability across diverse industries to capture a significant share of the enterprise AI market. A Transformative Vision for the Future Agentforce represents Salesforce’s commitment to bringing AI-powered automation to the forefront of enterprise operations. With its focus on seamless deployment, powerful customization, and real-time capabilities, the platform aims to reshape how businesses interact with customers and optimize internal processes. By targeting diverse use cases and emphasizing accessibility for both technical and non-technical users, Salesforce is betting on Agentforce to drive adoption at scale—and position itself as a leader in the increasingly competitive AI 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

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December 27, 2024in Agentforce Platform, AI Tools, Data, Enterprise, Google, Salesforce, Technology0 Comments
Autonomous Agents on the Agentforce Platform
13Dec

Leveraging Agentforce

At Dreamforce 2024, Salesforce customers showcased the power of Agentforce by creating over 10,000 autonomous agents, each designed to address specific business challenges. The message was clear: “If you can describe it, Agentforce can do it.” By leveraging Agentforce, customers are able to create a flexible, on-demand digital workforce that operates without limitations, making it easy to build and deploy agents using familiar Salesforce tools and language. Why This Matters: Recent Salesforce research reveals that U.S. consumers often spend up to nine hours interacting with customer service to resolve a single issue. Moreover, 67% of consumers are frustrated when their issues aren’t resolved immediately and may abandon one-third of customer service interactions. This presents a massive opportunity to enhance the customer experience with AI-powered agents. “Piloting Agentforce made a noticeable difference during our busiest period — back-to-school season. We saw a 40% increase in case resolution, surpassing the performance of our old bot. Agentforce helps manage routine tasks, allowing our service teams to focus on more complex cases.” – Kevin Quigley, Director of Process Improvement, Wiley What’s New: Several new solutions are now available to all customers: Going Deeper: Agentforce is fully integrated into the Salesforce Platform, combining powerful data, AI, and the Salesforce Customer 360 ecosystem. This integration unlocks infinite agent capacity and proactive actions across all roles and channels, with full context on every customer interaction. Industry-Specific Examples: Agentforce’s flexibility allows it to serve various industries with tailored solutions: Customer & Analyst Quotes: “Agentforce is enhancing Saks’ ability to provide personalized customer support, automating routine tasks like order tracking, which allows our teams to focus on delivering a high-touch experience.” – Mike Hite, Chief Technology Officer, Saks Global “With Agentforce, OpenTable is automating routine tasks, saving time for our reps to focus on strengthening customer relationships and providing exceptional service to diners and restaurants worldwide.” – George Pokorny, Senior VP of Global Customer Success, OpenTable “By integrating Agentforce with Data Cloud and MuleSoft, we’re unlocking the full potential of our data, driving faster decisions and reimagining how we serve clients.” – Caroline Basyn, Chief Digital & IT Officer, The Adecco Group “Agentforce will revolutionize ezCater’s food management services, blending AI and human interaction to ensure seamless, personalized experiences for every customer.” – Erin DeCesare, CTO, ezCater Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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December 13, 2024in Agentforce Platform, Data, Mulesoft, Salesforce, Technology0 Comments
2025: The Rise of AI Agents and Industry-Focused Innovation
13Nov

2025: The Rise of AI Agents and Industry-Focused Innovation

Over the past few years, CX vendors have rapidly integrated generative AI (GenAI) across the customer experience landscape. This wave of innovation has brought advancements like auto-summarization, customer response recommendations, and intent analysis, especially within Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions. However, as these capabilities become standard, differentiation now hinges on more advanced AI solutions, orchestration of cross-platform workflows, and collection of industry-specific datasets. AI Agents and Industry-Focused Innovation. Agentic AI, where bots autonomously handle tasks without human intervention, is emerging as a critical differentiator. This shift is reshaping sector-specific processes. Take network providers, for instance; they can leverage agentic AI to detect service outages, create affected customer segments, and proactively send alerts. Salesforce exemplifies this trend with its Agentforce platform, which debuted at Dreamforce 2024, introducing 100 pre-configured, autonomous bots designed for specific industries. By 2025, such bots will likely proliferate, expanding across ecosystems like Workday to facilitate cross-functional automation. Toward a More Autonomous Enterprise As autonomous AI agents advance, they are poised to manage complex, multi-step workflows collaboratively. This move will help organizations move closer to an autonomous enterprise model, where human oversight drives the deployment, testing, and optimization of AI agents. In this model, collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom will serve as operational hubs for managing and refining AI-driven processes. While this full vision may take longer to achieve, 2025 promises substantial advancements in sector-specific efficiencies through AI agents. Not all industries, however, are equally poised to benefit; while healthcare, financial services, and retail lead in AI-enabled CX solutions, other sectors such as hospitality, travel, and education still lag. The Need for Sector-Specific Use Case Libraries CX vendors could empower businesses by providing industry-specific AI use case libraries, building confidence in AI-agent-driven experiences. For example, bots in the finance sector could streamline billing, invoice processing, and ledger management, while spotting and correcting errors. Other industries would benefit from AI innovations tailored to their unique challenges, but such solutions will require co-innovation across CX platforms. 2025 Strategic Technology Trends Gartner’s top technology trends for 2025 provide a framework for CIOs aiming to future-proof their organizations. These trends fall into three themes: AI imperatives, new computing frontiers, and human-machine synergy. These trends will push organizations to adopt cloud, AI, and sustainability-focused architectures, despite challenges. As AI capabilities evolve, so will the risks, emphasizing the need for robust security and ethical frameworks. Salesforce charges up its game with its Agentforce platform, which debuted at Dreamforce 2024, introducing 100 pre-configured, autonomous bots designed for specific industries. By 2025, such bots will likely proliferate, expanding across ecosystems like Workday to facilitate cross-functional automation. Preparing for 2025: Upskilling for the Future As organizations embrace these transformative trends, they must also address a persistent skill gap. Pluralsight’s recent survey reveals that 20% of organizations have deployed AI, while 55% are planning to. However, without strategic business alignment, technology adoption won’t necessarily translate to customer value. For organizations, a focus on responsible innovation and proactive skills development in AI, cloud security, and sustainability will be vital. By preparing for these 2025 trends, businesses can navigate the complexities of the tech landscape and position themselves for long-term success. AI Agents and Industry-Focused Innovation As you prepare for 2025. Tectonic can help you align your goals with your road map. Contact us today! 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

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November 13, 2024in Agentforce Platform, Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Salesforce, Technology
AI Agents and Digital Transformation
18Oct

AI Agents and Digital Transformation

In the rapidly developingng world of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries and reshaping how we interact with digital systems. One of the most promising advancements within AI is the development of AI agents. These intelligent entities, often powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), are driving the next wave of digital transformation by enabling automation, personalization, and enhanced decision-making across various sectors. AI Agents and digital transformation are here to stay. What is an AI Agent? An AI agent, or intelligent agent, is a software entity capable of perceiving its environment, reasoning about its actions, and autonomously working toward specific goals. These agents mimic human-like behavior using advanced algorithms, data processing, and machine-learning models to interact with users and complete tasks. LLMs to AI Agents — An Evolution The evolution of AI agents is closely tied to the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs). Models like GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) have showcased remarkable abilities to understand and generate human-like text. This development has enabled AI agents to interpret complex language inputs, facilitating advanced interactions with users. Key Capabilities of LLM-Based Agents LLM-powered agents possess several key advantages: Two Major Types of LLM Agents LLM agents are classified into two main categories: Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) A Multi-Agent System (MAS) is a group of autonomous agents working together to achieve shared goals or solve complex problems. MAS applications span robotics, economics, and distributed computing, where agents interact to optimize processes. AI Agent Architecture and Key Elements AI agents generally follow a modular architecture comprising: Learning Strategies for LLM-Based Agents AI agents utilize various learning techniques, including supervised, reinforcement, and self-supervised learning, to adapt and improve their performance in dynamic environments. How Autonomous AI Agents Operate Autonomous AI agents act independently of human intervention by perceiving their surroundings, reasoning through possible actions, and making decisions autonomously to achieve set goals. AI Agents’ Transformative Power Across Industries AI agents are transforming numerous industries by automating tasks, enhancing efficiency, and providing data-driven insights. Here’s a look at some key use cases: Platforms Powering AI Agents The Benefits of AI Agents and Digital Transformation AI agents offer several advantages, including: The Future of AI Agents The potential of AI agents is immense, and as AI technology advances, we can expect more sophisticated agents capable of complex reasoning, adaptive learning, and deeper integration into everyday tasks. The future promises a world where AI agents collaborate with humans to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and unlock new opportunities for growth in the digital age. AI Agents and Digital Transformation By partnering with AI development specialists at Tectonic, organizations can access cutting-edge solutions tailored to their needs, positioning themselves to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving AI-driven market. Agentforce Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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October 18, 2024in Agentforce Platform, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Enterprise, Salesforce Copilots, Technology
Agentforce and Thinking AI
21Sep

Agentforce and Thinking AI

Agentforce is how humans with AI drive customer success together, equips organizations with autonomous agents that boost scale, efficiency, and satisfaction across service, sales, marketing, commerce, and more New Agentforce Atlas Reasoning Engine autonomously analyzes data, makes decisions, and completes tasks, providing reliable and accurate results With Agentforce, any organization can build, customize, and deploy their own agents quickly and easily, with low-code tools New Agentforce Partner Network allows customers to deploy pre-built agents and use agent actions from partners like Amazon Web Services, Google, IBM, Workday, and more Customers like OpenTable, Saks, and Wiley are turning to Agentforce because it is integrated with their apps, works across customer channels, augments their employees, and scales capacity for business needs SAN FRANCISCO — September 12, 2024 – Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the world’s #1 AI CRM, today unveiled Agentforce, a groundbreaking suite of autonomous AI agents that augment employees and handle tasks in service, sales, marketing, and commerce, driving unprecedented efficiency and customer satisfaction. Agentforce enables companies to scale their workforces on demand with a few clicks. Agentforce’s limitless digital workforce of AI agents can analyze data, make decisions, and take action on tasks like answering customer service inquiries, qualifying sales leads, and optimizing marketing campaigns. With Agentforce, any organization can easily build, customize, and deploy their own agents for any use case across any industry. The future of AI is agents, and it’s here. Our vision is bold: to empower one billion agents with Agentforce by the end of 2025. This is what AI is meant to be.” MARC BENIOFF, CHAIR, CEO & CO-FOUNDER, SALESFORCE “Agentforce represents the Third Wave of AI—advancing beyond copilots to a new era of highly accurate, low-hallucination intelligent agents that actively drive customer success. Unlike other platforms, Agentforce is a revolutionary and trusted solution that seamlessly integrates AI across every workflow, embedding itself deeply into the heart of the customer journey. This means anticipating needs, strengthening relationships, driving growth, and taking proactive action at every touchpoint,” said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce. “While others require you to DIY your AI, Agentforce offers a fully tailored, enterprise-ready platform designed for immediate impact and scalability. With advanced security features, compliance with industry standards, and unmatched flexibility. Our vision is bold: to empower one billion agents with Agentforce by the end of 2025. This is what AI is meant to be.” In contrast to now-outdated copilots and chatbots that rely on human requests and struggle with complex or multi-step tasks, Agentforce offers a new level of sophistication by operating autonomously, retrieving the right data on demand, building action plans for any task, and executing these plans without requiring human intervention. Like a self-driving car, Agentforce uses real-time data to adapt to changing conditions and operates independently within an organizations’ customized guardrails, ensuring every customer interaction is informed, relevant, and valuable. And when desired, Agentforce seamlessly hands off to human employees with a summary of the interaction, an overview of the customer’s details, and recommendations for what to do next. Industry leaders like OpenTable, Saks, and Wiley are already experiencing the transformative power of Agentforce. For example, Agentforce is helping organizations like Wiley provide customers with dynamic, conversational self-service. Agentforce is configured to answer questions using Wiley’s knowledge base already built into Salesforce so it can automatically resolve account access. It also triages registration and payment issues, directing customers to the appropriate resources. With Agentforce handling routine inquiries, Wiley has seen an over 40% increase in case resolution, outperforming their old chatbot and giving their human agents more time to focus on complex cases. Why it Matters An estimated 41% of employee time is spent on repetitive, low-impact work, and 65% of desk workers believe generative AI will allow them to be more strategic, according to the Salesforce Trends in AI Report. Every company has more jobs to be done than the resources available to do them. As a result, many jobs go unaddressed or uncompleted. Agentforce provides relief to overstretched teams with its ability to scale capacity on demand so humans can focus on higher-touch, higher-value, and more strategic outcomes. The future of work is a hybrid workforce composed of humans with agents, enabling companies to compete in an ever-changing world. Supporting Customer Quotes “Piloting Agentforce has made a noticeable difference during one of our busiest periods — back-to-school season. It’s been exciting to go live with our first agent thanks to the no-code builder, and we’ve seen a more than 40% increase in case resolution, outperforming our old bot. Agentforce helps to manage routine responsibilities and free up our service teams for more complex cases.” – Kevin Quigley, Senior Manager, Continuous Improvement, Wiley “Every interaction that restaurants and diners have with our support team must be accurate, fast, and reflective of the hospitality that restaurants show their guests. Agentforce has incredible potential to help us deliver that high touch attentiveness and support while significantly freeing up our team to address more complex needs.” – George Pokorny, SVP Customer Success, OpenTable “As we advance our personalization strategy, we believe Agentforce and its AI-powered capabilities have the potential to make a real impact on our approach to customer engagement, raising the bar in luxury retail. Agentforce will improve our effectiveness across customer touchpoints, empowering our employees and augmenting their ability to deliver the elevated and more individualized shopping experiences for which Saks is known.” – Mike Hite, Chief Technology Officer, Saks Global 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

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September 21, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Google, Salesforce, Technology
Salesforce and Tenyx
10Sep

Salesforce and Tenyx

Salesforce has announced its acquisition of AI voice agent firm Tenyx, with the deal expected to close in the third quarter. While the financial terms have not been disclosed, Tenyx’s co-founders, CEO Itamar Arel and CTO Adam Earle, along with their team, will join Salesforce as part of the acquisition. This move comes after Salesforce, under pressure from activist investors, previously shifted away from acquisitions and increased its share buybacks following the dissolution of its mergers and acquisitions committee. However, the company is now pursuing strategic acquisitions to boost revenue growth. Conversational AI forthe Enterprise Tenyx Voice is an Interactive Virtual Agent (IVA) built from the ground up leveraging today’s modern AI stack. Built by a team with a proven track record in voice AI, and leveraging a unique core AI and voice platform, Tenyx promises to redefine customer interactions for the enterprise. Tenyx Voice is an Interactive Virtual Agent (IVA) built from the ground up leveraging today’s modern AI stack. Built by a team with a proven track record in voice AI, and leveraging a unique core AI and voice platform, Tenyx promises to redefine customer interactions for the enterprise. Industries and Use Cases If 2023 was the year of large language models (LLMs), 2024 is shaping up to be the year of voice agents. When ChatGPT made waves globally, startups, tech firms, and entrepreneurs rushed to discover business use cases for the new technology. The ideal applications targeted tasks that are costly, time-consuming, and hard to scale. Voice agents and automated customer service systems quickly emerged as one of the most promising solutions. However, many companies deploying these systems aren’t fully considering their impact on customers. That’s why Tenyx is launching its inaugural Voice AI Consumer Report. We surveyed hundreds of Americans across different age groups, races, geographies, and genders to better understand their preferences and experiences with AI-powered voice agents. Here are the key findings: What this means: Frustrating Calls Hurt Your Brand Imagine calling customer service for a quick solution, only to be met by an automated voice agent that can’t understand your request or handle complex issues. It’s a common and frustrating experience. Our data shows that nearly 7 in 10 people express frustration or annoyance with today’s automated voice agents—sentiments that can severely damage customer loyalty and business outcomes. “Our report highlights a major disconnect between consumer expectations and the performance of current automated voice agents,” says Itamar Arel, CEO of Tenyx. “While these systems promise efficiency and cost savings, they often fall short when it comes to addressing consumers’ nuanced needs.” Incomplete AI Systems Drive Customer Churn Subpar AI systems are driving customers away. Two-thirds of respondents said they wouldn’t return to a company after a negative experience with its AI voice agent. In fact, 67% still prefer interacting with human agents over automated ones. Why? Current AI voice agents struggle with complex issues and fail to provide the empathy and problem-solving skills that human agents, or more advanced AI systems, offer. Selective Deployment and Industry-Specific Agents Matter Our data shows that consumers are more accepting of voice agents in certain industries than others. Sectors like healthcare, restaurants, and telecoms saw the highest satisfaction with AI voice agents, while airlines, banking, and hotels ranked the lowest. This highlights the importance of selective deployment and tailoring voice agents for specific industries to better meet customer needs. Looking Ahead: The Promise of Perfect Automation Despite the skepticism, there’s hope. Two-thirds of respondents indicated they’d embrace automated voice agents if these systems could match the performance of human agents. This is exactly what we’re working on at Tenyx—building scalable, reliable AI agents that serve businesses and customers globally. “As leaders in voice AI technology, Tenyx is dedicated to closing the gap between consumer expectations and technological capabilities,” Arel says. “Our mission is to equip businesses with AI solutions that not only streamline operations but also boost customer satisfaction.” 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

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September 10, 2024in Salesforce
Salesforce to Enhance AI-Powered Tools With Tenyx
07Sep

Salesforce to Enhance AI-Powered Tools With Tenyx

Salesforce to Acquire Tenyx, Enhancing AI-Powered Solutions Salesforce has announced its decision to acquire Tenyx, a California-based startup specializing in AI-driven voice agents. This acquisition aims to bolster Salesforce’s AI capabilities and further its commitment to enhancing customer service through innovative technology. The deal, set to close in the third quarter of 2024, will integrate Tenyx’s advanced voice AI solutions with Salesforce’s existing services. About Tenyx Founded in 2022, Tenyx has quickly established itself in various industries including e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, and travel. The startup, led by CEO Itamar Arel and CTO Adam Earle, is renowned for developing AI voice agents that create natural and engaging conversational experiences. Salesforce’s Strategic Move This acquisition is part of Salesforce’s broader strategy to reinvigorate its growth and strengthen its AI capabilities. Following a year of focus on share buybacks and a reduction in acquisitions under pressure from activist investors, Salesforce is now pivoting to integrate cutting-edge technology. This move reflects a renewed emphasis on acquiring top-tier AI talent to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge. Industry Context The acquisition aligns Salesforce with a growing trend in the tech industry, where major players like Microsoft and Amazon are also investing heavily in AI. Microsoft recently acquired talent from AI startup Inflection for $650 million, while Amazon brought in co-founders and employees from Adept. These strategic acquisitions highlight the escalating competition for AI expertise and tools. What This Means for Salesforce With Tenyx’s technology, Salesforce will enhance its AI-powered solutions, particularly within its Agentforce Service Agent platform. This integration aims to deliver more intuitive and seamless customer interactions, setting new standards in customer experience. Conclusion Salesforce’s acquisition of Tenyx is a strategic move to advance its AI-driven solutions and maintain its leadership in customer service technology. By integrating Tenyx’s innovative voice AI, Salesforce is positioned to redefine customer engagement and service standards. The deal is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of Salesforce’s fiscal year 2025, concluding on October 31, 2024, pending customary closing conditions. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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September 7, 2024in Salesforce, Technology
Service Cloud Digital Engagement
17Aug

Boost Service Rep Productivity

Tips to Boost Service Rep and Field Service Tech Productivity Serviceblazer Allie Lawler shares top tactics for improving the productivity of service reps and field technicians. With over a decade of experience in the customer service industry, she has firsthand knowledge of how the landscape has changed, becoming more demanding and complex. Increased caseloads, rising customer expectations, and the pressure to generate revenue are placing significant stress on service teams. Research shows that 65% of service reps and 66% of mobile workers report that cases have become more complex. This complexity, combined with the rise of autonomous AI and heightened customer demands, can lead to burnout. Lawler explains that 69% of decision-makers in the service industry say that service rep attrition is a moderate to major challenge, which underscores the need for strategic solutions. Here are her top three strategies to boost productivity using Service Cloud and Salesforce Field Service, helping service teams thrive in today’s challenging environment. 1. Simplify Disjointed Processes One of the biggest productivity challenges for service reps and field techs is disjointed workflows. Although we picture service professionals actively engaging with customers, studies show that 61% of their day is spent on administrative tasks, internal meetings, and navigating fragmented systems. These disjointed processes slow down response times, increase the likelihood of errors, and hurt the customer experience. Streamline User Experience: A better-designed user experience can significantly reduce the time spent on non-customer-facing tasks. For instance, using Salesforce Lightning pages with Related Record and Dynamic Related List Components allows service reps to access all relevant information — from case details to account data — in one place. Quick-access buttons for workflows and automation further cut down the time spent searching for information, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. Improve Accessibility: Enhanced accessibility benefits the entire team. Features like clear labeling and visual icons on Lightning Pages improve usability for everyone. These small changes can make navigating the system easier, especially for reps with visual impairments or those looking for a more intuitive experience. Make Pages Dynamic: Instead of overwhelming reps with unnecessary fields, conditional visibility can simplify the interface. By only displaying relevant fields at the right time, reps can focus on what’s important, reducing distractions and improving workflow efficiency. For mobile field technicians, ensuring they only see actionable information—like work order details or scheduling notes—can help them serve customers faster without wading through irrelevant data. 2. Empower Reps and Technicians to Make Decisions Autonomy is key to increasing both productivity and job satisfaction. Giving reps the ability to make decisions without needing constant managerial approval empowers them to solve issues faster and reduces customer wait times. Enable Exception-Based Approvals: One way to grant reps more decision-making power is through exception-based approvals. For example, allowing service reps to offer small discounts or credits without needing manager approval increases efficiency. Setting approval thresholds — such as allowing reps to approve discounts under 2%, but requiring approval for anything higher — strikes a balance between empowering reps and managing risk. Expand Field Technicians’ Roles: Field technicians can be given the ability to upsell services or renew contracts while they’re onsite, further enhancing productivity. With Field Service Mobile extensions, techs can access tools that allow them to complete tasks, upsell services, or even renew contracts directly from their mobile devices. This not only speeds up service but also contributes to revenue generation. 3. Use Metrics to Drive Motivation Keeping service reps and technicians motivated is crucial for maintaining productivity. Lawler suggests using both individual and team metrics to create a culture of accountability and improvement. Build a Leaderboard: A leaderboard that highlights top performers encourages healthy competition and gives reps something to strive toward. Recognition of their efforts helps create a motivated and engaged workforce. Provide Access to Personal Metrics: Giving reps access to their own performance metrics fosters a sense of ownership and encourages continuous improvement. For example, Lawler recommends using dynamic dashboards on the service reps’ homepages, showing them key metrics like case closures and current caseloads. Field technicians can also view their performance metrics by using deep links from the Field Service app to the Salesforce mobile app. This allows them to track their appointments, customer satisfaction scores, and overall performance, creating a sense of pride and motivation to improve. Boosting Productivity: A Summary By making small but impactful changes to the user experience, granting autonomy, and recognizing achievements, service organizations can significantly enhance productivity. Streamlining workflows, empowering decision-making, and motivating with metrics will help both service reps and field techs thrive — leading to happier customers and more successful teams. 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

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August 17, 2024in Data
Salesforce Data and AI Prevent Food Waste
05Jul

Salesforce Data and AI Prevent Food Waste

FareShare’s Tech-Driven Fight Against Food Waste and Insecurity Every year, around 10 million tons of perfectly edible surplus food goes to waste in the UK, while millions struggle to afford to have enough to eat. This waste not only exacerbates food poverty but also has a significant environmental impact, with greenhouse gases from rotten or wasted food accounting for about half of all global food system emissions. Salesforce Data and AI Prevent Food Waste. Charity FareShare is acutely aware of the severity of the situation. CEO George Wright emphasizes, “If food waste was a country, it would be the third biggest producer of global greenhouse gas emissions behind America and China.” Globally, 30% of food is wasted, and in the UK, it’s 25%, encompassing food thrown away at home, ploughed back into the ground, or wasted in the hospitality and retail industries. FareShare, which started 30 years ago, originally aimed to tackle this issue by redistributing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. Now, FareShare operates 35 warehouses across the United Kingdom, employing around 600 people and 15,000 volunteers. They collect surplus food from 700 food companies and work with 8,500 charities to redistribute it to school clubs, community centers, and faith groups. Growth Amid Crisis Although FareShare had grown into a national organization, it was still relatively small when COVID-19 hit. Wright explains, “FareShare was about £3 million in terms of fundraising. COVID came and everything boomed.” During the pandemic, demand for FareShare’s services skyrocketed. Collaborations with high-profile figures like footballer Marcus Rashford brought more focus and support. The charity’s fundraising surged from £3 million to as high as £75 million before stabilizing at around £23 million. The amount of food distributed increased from 5,000 tons in the early days to 55,000 tons. The cost-of-living crisis has further exacerbated food insecurity, with the number of people in need more than doubling from six million to 13 million. Wright notes, “The bottom 20% of our society is economically cut adrift. Therefore, we’ve seen demand explode for more and more food. Last year, we did 55,000 tons, that’s 130 million meals. We could easily double or treble that if we had access to the food and the finance.” Salesforce Data and AI Prevent Food Waste To meet this growing demand, FareShare is ramping up its use of technology, particularly Salesforce. Over the past seven years, FareShare has utilized Salesforce’s Sales and Service Cloud to manage customer contacts and some food offers. Recently, FareShare conducted a full review of its operations and technology use, deciding to significantly increase its investment in Salesforce. FareShare is now exploring how Nonprofit Cloud and Data Cloud can benefit the organization. Wright explains, “Why reinvent the wheel? If there’s something great out there, use it and use it quickly.” Nonprofit Cloud provides FareShare with a unified view of its supporters, enabling better management of food and monetary donors. Data Cloud offers a centralized data source, replacing disparate spreadsheets, to improve data management. The aim is to have a holistic view of supporters, including donation history and preferences, to enhance their experience and demonstrate the impact of their contributions. AI components within Salesforce further boost productivity by suggesting tailored communications, drastically reducing the time required for tasks like crafting donor emails. Future Prospects FareShare is in the early stages of integrating Nonprofit Cloud and Data Cloud, aiming to establish these key systems before expanding into the full Salesforce ecosystem. Wright emphasizes the broader benefits of this partnership: “We’re not just getting the tools, we’re getting ways of working.” The primary objective for the additional Salesforce technology is improving fundraising. FareShare needs enhanced tech to scale its supporter base, generate more income, and effectively communicate the impact of donations. Wright envisions leveraging the wider Salesforce ecosystem to connect surplus food with charities in need, optimizing logistics to maximize social impact and minimize costs. The Bigger Picture FareShare sees AI playing a crucial role in tackling food waste and sustainability, potentially linking food sources and surplus across the country to charities in need. Wright concludes, “There’s more food wasted than we tackle and more charities that need more food. If we could connect those with a logistics solution, we could optimize for maximum use of food, minimum use of miles to get it to them. Maximum social impact, minimal cost. There’s a big tech opportunity there.” By harnessing the power of technology and strategic partnerships, FareShare aims to continue its mission to reduce food waste and food insecurity, creating a more sustainable and equitable future. Salesforce Data and AI Prevent Food Waste Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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July 5, 2024in Salesforce for Nonprofits
AI Center New Era of Cross Industry Collaboration
20Jun

AI Center New Era of Cross Industry Collaboration

On Tuesday, Salesforce celebrated the launch of its new AI center in London with a complimentary training event that was attended by over a hundred software developers and administrators. This event was part of the center’s “AI Now Tour,” aimed at equipping developers from various industries with the skills to build the next generation of AI applications. AI Center New Era of Cross Industry Collaboration is an exciting new stage of artificial intelligence. A lot of “artificial intelligence” captures human creativity that is original. Regulators need to insist on training data transparency. No doubt the center will stand up plenty of conversations around regulations. This initiative underscores Salesforce’s commitment to training 100,000 developers worldwide. Attendees represented diverse sectors including automotive, financial services, retail, consumer goods, travel, hospitality, health and life sciences, and insurance. Needless to say, everyone has an appetite for AI. Reasons People Have Appetite for AI and Reasons They Do Not According to some polls, people are more concerned than excited about artificial intelligence (AI): Paul O’Sullivan, the new head of the Salesforce AI center and the UK&I CTO, discussed the center’s event and content strategy with publication TechInformed. He emphasized a plan to host “deep industry events” with a sector-specific focus, as well as cross-industry events to explore new business models. “Cross-industry opportunities are crucial in the AI landscape,” O’Sullivan noted. “For example, the future of self-driving cars impacts not just the automotive and OEM sectors but also insurance—who will be insured in the future? The driver, the car manufacturer, or the algorithm engineer?” He added that the center will foster thought leadership and cross-industry collaboration, offering new business models for customers. Despite the developer training courses being fully booked until the end of September, O’Sullivan highlighted that the 14,000 sq. ft. center, located in the Blue Fin building near Waterloo, is open to all businesses interested in exploring AI, not just Salesforce customers. In partnership with business growth agencies like London & Partners, O’Sullivan aims to extend training opportunities to local universities and apprenticeship program supporters. “We want to leverage our relationships to support the next generation, including students in art, design, and creative fields,” he said. AI Center New Era of Cross Industry Collaboration The new AI center, part of Salesforce’s $4 billion investment in the UK over the next five years, is located near iconic London landmarks such as the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The opening event was attended by notable UK business and industry figures, including Howard Dawber, the Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, and Janet Coyle CBE, Managing Director of Grow London at London & Partners. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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June 20, 2024in Salesforce
Dynamic Content Powered Email
08Jun

Dynamic Content Powered Email

Elevating Email Marketing with Dynamic Content Customers don’t want to feel like just another number to your brand. Relying on a generic “batch and blast” email marketing strategy is likely to land you in the customer’s spam filters—or worse, prompt them to unsubscribe. However, with Dynamic Content Powered Email, you can create a relevant and timely experience they’ll remember for all the right reasons. The Power of Personalization In an era where privacy and security dominate the headlines, it’s surprising that 83% of consumers are willing to share personal data for more personalized experiences. This isn’t just an interesting tidbit—it’s proof that people expect and value personalized experiences from brands. This tradeoff—data for personalization—presents a significant opportunity for marketers who can uphold their end of the bargain. Nowhere is this more evident than in the inbox. Dynamic email content allows for the creation of personalized messages that update when the email is opened, meeting readers’ expectations for tailored communication. The Importance of Dynamic Email Content Modern email marketing must prioritize engaging and relevant content to avoid poor performance and potential relegation to spam folders. Recent developments, such as the loss of third-party cookies, make it increasingly challenging to acquire the right data for personalization. Let’s explore some tactics and resources to achieve quick email marketing wins without the heavy lifting, by automating impactful experiences in the inbox. Understanding Dynamic Email Content Dynamic email content, often called live email content, refers to messages that change based on the subscriber’s personal preferences or history with your website. Unlike static ads, dynamic content offers a tailored shopping experience, increasing engagement and fostering brand loyalty. For example, using dynamic elements such as live polls or customized product recommendations can make subscribers feel valued and understood. Interactive emails enhance the overall experience and encourage deeper engagement. Case Studies in Dynamic Email Success Dynamic content engages audiences and prompts action, crucial for both business success and email program health. Email engagement metrics influence whether your emails are delivered to the inbox or spam folder, making engaging content essential for ISP trust. Not just customer trust. Leveraging First- and Zero-Party Data First-party data is now more important than ever. Email provides a direct line to subscribers, enabling the collection of valuable insights into their preferences and behaviors. This data can fuel further personalization efforts. For example, UK hospitality brand icelolly.com used dynamic email content to display searched and abandoned deals, resulting in a 35% higher open rate, a 201% increase in click-through rate, and a 45% increase in conversion rate. Popular Types of Dynamic Email Content Implementing Dynamic Email Content Simply Personalization with dynamic email content doesn’t have to be resource-intensive. No-code solutions or templates can streamline the process, allowing ongoing implementation with minimal effort. For instance, PrettyLittleThing used automation in birthday emails to show the correct star sign content based on the opening date, driving a 38% increase in click-through rates. Dynamic Content Powered Email has emerged as a powerful tool for marketers aiming to meet and exceed consumer expectations. By incorporating dynamic elements—such as live polls, countdown timers, and personalized images—marketers can create engaging, memorable experiences that build stronger customer relationships and drive brand 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 Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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June 8, 2024in Salesforce
Salesforce hospitality and analytics
03Jun

Hospitality Email Marketing Ideas

Recently we were asked by a hospitality client to come up with some email marketing campaign ideas. We want to share them with you all. Hospitality Email Marketing Ideas. – Pre-Arrival stream 3 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week out- (“We are excited to have you staying with us. This is what you need to know before arriving on The Ranch” “Parking Instructions” etc) – Post Stay email stream (“Please give a review” / “Share your Ranch photos on social media” / “Book Another Stay”) – Abandon Web Browser (“You have not completed your reservation…” “You left items in your cart” “The date’s you were looking at are nearly sold out”) – Good Will (“Daily Happy Birthday Email or Anniversary Email” “Emailer to the Community” “Discount for Next Stay if You Book By”} – Program Announcements (“:Upcoming 7 and 9 Day Programs” “New Programs” “At Home Programs Launching or Updates” } – Monthly or Quarterly Updates (“Milestones in the Sustainability Program” “Satisfied Customer Testimonials”) -True Newsletters – Content Announcements (“A New Blog Post” “A New Product”} – Upcoming Events {Concerts” “Local Events in the area that might attract repeat guests”} – Bonus Brainstorm (“Since you stayed with us last year for the XYZ event…” “Since you enjoyed your stay, bring your whole company/family etc next time” What Hospitality Email Marketing Ideas have you had success with at your location? Share in the comments section below. By Tectonic Salesforce Marketing Architect, Shannan Hearne 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

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June 3, 2024in Salesforce

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