Own Archives - gettectonic.com - Page 25
Scale Data and Analytics in the Cloud

Scale Data and Analytics in the Cloud

Winning in the Data Economy In the rapidly growing data economy, enterprises are eager to gain a competitive edge. This data economy, which revolves around the global supply and demand for data and data-driven applications, continues to expand as more organizations seek critical insights to drive their success. Scale Data and Analytics in the Cloud. The value of data isn’t a new concept. Companies acquired other companies for the sole purpose of obtaining their data – customers, prospects, etc. The value of actionable data is a bit newer. Whereas we once marketed to prospects based primarily on historical data, data-driven applications let us market at the right time on the right channel with the right message. To understand what it takes to excel in the new data economy, Tableau partner Snowflake surveyed business and technology leaders. Their research highlighted the characteristics of the leaders and laggards, emphasizing the importance of a strong data strategy for achieving successful outcomes. Industries like financial services, health and life sciences, and retail are still struggling to fully benefit from the data economy, often finding it challenging to unlock the full value of their data. Here are four key actions that can help organizations win in today’s data economy and achieve tangible results: 1. Create a Strong Data Culture A robust data culture is foundational for realizing the value of data. Organizations that prioritize becoming data-driven see significant benefits: Jennifer Belissent, Principal Data Strategist at Snowflake, emphasizes how a cloud-enabled data culture accelerates time-to-value by breaking down organizational silos. Tableau offers a playbook to help organizations build, expand, and mature their data capabilities. 2. Adopt an AI-Driven, Enterprise-Ready Analytics Platform Data leaders utilize AI-driven enterprise analytics platforms like Tableau, which provide trusted predictions and insights to scale decision-making. Traditional solutions often fall short in delivering speed to insight and self-service capabilities. Tableau, particularly with Tableau Cloud, offers an easy-to-scale solution that manages and analyzes data across various sources, supporting meaningful impact and agility. Tableau Cloud’s Advanced Management capabilities enhance security, usability, and scalability. Additionally, Tableau Accelerators—over 100 ready-to-use, in-product dashboard starters—support various industries, enabling comprehensive analysis and problem-solving. 3. Migrate to the Cloud Cloud adoption is accelerating as organizations pursue data-driven digital transformations. The cloud offers flexibility, agility, scalability, reduced IT overhead, and increased resilience and performance. Key considerations for cloud migration include: Whether opting for on-premise, hybrid, or full cloud migration, Tableau connects to data wherever it resides, fueling insights across the business. Tableau’s own journey to the cloud involved evaluating criteria, enhancing collaboration, and applying new data management processes, resulting in a unified source of truth. 4. Choose the Right Partners to Scale Cloud-Native Analytics Selecting partners that facilitate cloud-native analytics is crucial. Ideal partners should offer: Snowflake and Tableau exemplify these qualities, addressing data and organizational demands. Snowflake provides extensive data storage and processing, while Tableau offers intuitive, self-service analytics. This partnership has helped enterprises like Cart.com achieve significant revenue growth by embedding Tableau analytics in Snowflake’s platform. Embrace the Data Economy with Cloud-Native Analytics Regardless of where your organization stands in the data economy, taking steps to leverage cloud-native analytics can unlock numerous opportunities. Tableau continues to invest in its platform to help organizations thrive with data in the cloud, offering expert advice, solutions, and valuable partnerships. By adopting these strategies, your organization can become a leader in the data economy and achieve remarkable results. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
public sector and tribal government

Subscription Models

In today’s business world, numerous companies are either adopting or considering the implementation of paid subscription models. A subscription model involves providing products or services to customers on a recurring basis, usually monthly or annually, in exchange for a regular and likely reduced fee. This approach helps companies establish predictable revenue streams, foster customer loyalty, and offer flexibility to customers. Successfully refreshing the pricing strategy for your subscription business requires two essential components: a clear picture of what success looks like and a customer-first approach. Recurring revenue serves as a cornerstone for growth and predictability in business operations. By incorporating Subscription Models, companies can initiate each quarter with a baseline revenue, providing a foundation for continued growth. Customers benefit from flexible payment options, such as pay-as-you-go, facilitating easier commitment to purchases. Subscription Models While building recurring revenue through subscriptions is advantageous, success is not guaranteed solely by its implementation. Traditional billing methods may hinder the full potential of subscription selling, necessitating collaboration between sales and finance teams to introduce new processes and technology to capture maximum value. The first step to refreshing your pricing strategy is to identify what’s not currently working. Signals of dysfunction, such as excessive discounts, constant promotions, and static price rates, indicate areas for improvement. A thorough review of these red flags helps identify the goal of your pricing refresh. Have a clear picture of the metric you are trying to move, whether it’s increasing customers in a particular segment or improving the upsell path. Paralysis of Analysis After the initial analysis stage, many companies find themselves in a state of paralysis. We call that paralysis of analysis. It’s crucial to be cautious with existing customers while applying new pricing to new customers. Set a timeline for when your new subscription pricing will be available to new customers and work backward from there. Pilot your new pricing with both new and existing customers, supporting both old and new pricing in your catalog for testing, iteration, and repetition. For new customers, test the right price point and packaging strategy, then roll it out to all new customers after the launch date. For existing customers, identify those who will benefit from the new pricing strategy and start with them. It’s imperative to pilot your new pricing with both new and existing customers, ensuring a smooth transition. Salesforce’s Next Best Action tool will help you automate this process. The adoption of recurring revenue models extends beyond technology companies. Michelin, for instance, successfully transitioned to a recurring revenue model by charging customers based on mileage instead of selling tires outright. This strategic shift increased profits and maintained Michelin’s competitive edge in the tire industry. This example underscores that any company, regardless of industry, can develop a subscription-based model for their existing lines of business. Recurring Revenue In a subscription model, customers are charged on a recurring basis for a product or service. They choose how long and how often they want to receive each offer, with the option to renew or cancel at any time. This approach creates a contract between the business and the customer, providing a steady and predictable revenue stream. It also has been proven to enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction. A subscription business model is one in which customers are charged a recurring fee for access to a product, replacing a one-time expense. This recurring fee is typically paid monthly or yearly, offering customers the flexibility to choose the frequency of their purchases. In some cases customers can even choose the delay period between shipments. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Salesforce Einstein and Einstein Automate

AI Fundamentals

The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has long been a fascination for storytellers and sci-fi enthusiasts. However, for a considerable period, most individuals didn’t give AI much serious consideration, perceiving it as a distant futuristic sci-fi possibility. Nevertheless, researchers and computer scientists have been actively working to transform the dream of AI into a tangible reality, leading some to insist that we have already entered the Age of AI. The AI Fundamentals explained. While the extent of AI’s integration into our daily lives remains uncertain, it is evident that meaningful conversations about AI require a shared vocabulary and a solid foundation of core concepts. Presently, asking ten people to define artificial intelligence is likely to yield ten different answers. This insight attempts to establish a common understanding by exploring AI’s current capabilities and digging into the methodologies employed by computer scientists in creating remarkable AI systems. AI Fundamentals Defining AI proves challenging due to distorted perceptions influenced by science fiction narratives portraying AI as a potentially malevolent force. Additionally, our tendency to benchmark AI against human intelligence contributes to this challenge. And I don’t want AI to be able to write a blog post as well as me! Acknowledging the vast spectrum of intelligence in the animal kingdom, as well as the diversity in human intelligence, prompts a need to view artificial intelligence through a similar lens. As humans we may think we are a lot smarter than a bird. But I don’t know how to fly, do you? AI Capabilities Recognizing specific AI capabilities tailored to distinct tasks is crucial, dispelling the notion of a universally proficient AI, known as general AI, which remains a distant goal. AI currently exists in specialized forms, each excelling at particular jobs. Key AI capabilities fall into several categories: It’s safe to say, artificial intelligence encompasses computer abilities associated with human intuition, inference, and reasoning. Presently, AI skills are highly specialized, covering categories like numeric predictions and language processing. The evolving landscape of AI offers a glimpse into the transformative potential of this technology, emphasizing its current application in specific domains. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Migrating from Zoho to Salesforce

Migrating from Zoho to Salesforce

Migrating from Zoho to Salesforce is a major undertaking that can significantly enhance a business’s CRM processes as it scales. To ensure a smooth transition, careful planning, data preparation, and execution are essential for accurate and efficient data transfer. In this guide, we’ll outline a step-by-step approach to migrating from Zoho to Salesforce, covering everything from pre-migration planning to post-migration follow-up. Step 1: Pre-Migration Planning 1. Evaluate Your Business RequirementsBegin by assessing your current and future CRM needs. Identify critical functionalities in Zoho that you depend on and determine which Salesforce features will either replace or enhance them. Consider: This evaluation ensures that Salesforce is configured to align with your business processes during the migration. 2. Assign a Project TeamForming a dedicated project team is crucial for a successful migration. Include stakeholders from various departments, designate a project manager to oversee the migration, and enlist CRM specialists familiar with both Zoho and Salesforce. You might also consider hiring a certified Salesforce consultant or partner to assist with technical aspects. 3. Backup Your DataBefore starting the migration, back up your data from Zoho. Export all relevant information, including: This backup ensures you have a complete copy in case any issues arise during the migration. Step 2: Preparing Salesforce for Migration 1. Customize Salesforce to Fit Your NeedsNow is the time to tailor Salesforce to reflect your existing business processes. Review the custom fields, objects, workflows, and automations in Zoho, replicating or enhancing them in Salesforce. Salesforce’s high customization level allows you to optimize your CRM for your team’s specific needs. 2. Set Up IntegrationsIf you’ve been using third-party tools integrated with Zoho, establish the corresponding integrations in Salesforce. The Salesforce AppExchange offers a range of integrations, from email marketing platforms to accounting systems. Ensure the necessary tools are connected before migrating your data. Step 3: Data Migration 1. Map Data FieldsTo facilitate accurate data transfer between Zoho and Salesforce, map your Zoho data fields to their Salesforce counterparts. For instance, “Account Name” in Zoho should correspond to “Account” in Salesforce. Create equivalent custom fields in Salesforce if they exist in Zoho. 2. Cleanse Your DataData cleansing is vital to ensure only relevant, accurate, and up-to-date information is migrated. Remove duplicates, outdated contacts, and incorrect data from Zoho. This step streamlines the migration process and enhances the quality of your Salesforce database. 3. Choose a Migration ToolSelect an appropriate tool for migrating data between CRMs, such as: Depending on your data’s complexity, choose a tool that provides additional support, such as mapping or automation features. 4. Perform a Test MigrationConduct a test migration using a subset of your data before proceeding with the full migration. This allows you to verify that everything transfers correctly and identify any issues with data formatting, relationships between objects, or custom fields. Adjust your mapping and migration processes based on the test results. Step 4: Full Data Migration Once you’re satisfied with the test migration results, proceed with the complete data migration from Zoho to Salesforce. This process may take time, depending on your data‘s size and complexity, so plan for downtime or staggered migrations to minimize disruptions to your team’s workflow. Step 5: Post-Migration Setup and Testing 1. Validate Your DataAfter the full migration, verify that all data has been transferred accurately. Check for discrepancies between Zoho and Salesforce records, ensuring that relationships (e.g., contacts linked to accounts) remain intact. 2. Recreate Automation and WorkflowsRe-establish any automations, workflows, or triggers that were functioning in Zoho within Salesforce. Utilize Salesforce’s automation tools, like Process Builder or Flow, to replicate these processes. Adjust them as necessary to leverage Salesforce’s advanced capabilities. 3. Train Your TeamSuccessful migration extends beyond data transfer; it’s crucial to ensure your team is equipped to use Salesforce effectively. Conduct training sessions focused on new features and workflows, providing documentation or cheat sheets to facilitate adjustment. 4. Monitor System PerformancePost-migration, monitor your Salesforce instance for any performance issues or data inconsistencies. Make necessary adjustments and ensure that integrations are functioning as expected. Step 6: Post-Migration Follow-Up 1. Run Parallel OperationsConsider operating both systems in parallel for a brief period to confirm Salesforce is fully functional before phasing out Zoho. This allows your team to continue using Zoho if critical issues arise in Salesforce during the transition. 2. Optimize Your Salesforce InstanceOver time, identify opportunities to further customize and optimize Salesforce to meet your evolving needs. Regularly review workflows, automations, and reporting to fully utilize Salesforce’s advanced features. Who Should You Work With A successful migration from Zoho to Salesforce involves key stakeholders from various departments to ensure the new CRM setup aligns with company processes. Typical Migration Timelines The duration of a Zoho to Salesforce migration typically depends on your data’s complexity and the required customizations. For smaller businesses with straightforward CRM setups, the process may take 4 to 6 weeks, encompassing planning, data mapping, testing, and training. However, larger organizations with extensive custom fields, workflows, and third-party integrations may require 3 to 6 months. Allow ample time for thorough testing and validation to ensure data accuracy and system functionality before going live. User training and post-migration follow-up are also critical for a smooth transition. Conclusion Migrating from Zoho to Salesforce is a growth step in enhancing your company’s CRM capabilities and positioning it for future growth. By meticulously planning your migration, cleansing your data, and configuring Salesforce to meet your business requirements, you can facilitate a smooth transition and leverage Salesforce’s powerful features from day one. With the right preparation and support, your business will be well-equipped to scale, streamline operations, and achieve long-term success using Salesforce. If you need assistance with your migration, don’t hesitate to contact Tectonic for a quote. Content updated September 2024. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented

Read More
Salesforce for Transportation and Logistics

Transportation, Logistics, The Cloud, and CRM

Transportation and logistics and crm. Typically, the state of transportation and logistics (T&L) mirrors the state of the economy, with FedEx earnings serving as a reliable indicator of how the rest of the players in the industry are doing. However, the past few years have been anything but normal. The pandemic led to a surge in demand, marked by container-filled ports and a nationwide hunt for truck drivers. After navigating two years of high intensity, T&L now faces challenges such as inflation, the Ukraine war, ongoing supply chain disruptions, the threat of recession, climbing interest rates, higher fuel costs, and overly cautious consumer behavior. Where are the Challenges? Compounding these issues is a staffing crisis in the industry, with a global shortage of warehouse workers, dock personnel, drivers, pilots, and rail crews that is expected to persist. In such uncertain times, successful transportation and logistics companies are taking strategic steps to future-proof themselves. One key strategy involves unifying customer data on a single platform to enhance efficiency and readiness for various scenarios. Smart transportation and logistics organizations plan for best, expected, and worst-case scenarios by monitoring critical signals such as capacity in key lanes, customer spending by lane, and customer lifetime value. Unifying customer data across sales, service, and operations enables informed decision-making, focusing investments where needed and optimizing resources. Manual Processes Despite this, much of T&L business, especially in sales, marketing, and customer service, relies on manual processes like phone calls, spreadsheets, and email. Centralized customer data is crucial for applying intelligence and analytics to process trends, segmenting customers, and analyzing their value. Companies investing in data unification report significant cost savings and efficiency benefits, including a 25% reduction in IT costs. Centralized customer data is also leveraged to enhance shipper experiences. T&L leaders use artificial intelligence (AI) to predict customer retention and potential churn, allowing proactive steps to be taken. Real-time data intelligence empowers customer service agents to make informed decisions swiftly. Access to shipper-specific on-time delivery performance provides valuable insights and strengthens client relationships. Transportation and Logistics and CRM More than half of T&L organizations are investing in cloud connectivity and data sharing, with 18% deriving the most value in sales and marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), distribution, and end-to-end visibility. These strategic investments are proving instrumental in navigating the complexities of the current economic landscape. Is it time to explore Salesforce CRM for your company? Contact Tectonic today. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Slack and AI

Just When You Thought We Were GPT’d Out, Here Comes Slack and Generative AI

Since its public introduction in 2014, Slack has transformed from its original concept, a searchable log of all conversation and knowledge, into a comprehensive productivity platform that has reshaped how work and co-working is conducted. Get ready! Here comes Slack and Generative AI! In a recent release, Salesforce Slack unveiled a next-generation platform. A platform designed to facilitate seamless automation and integration for users of all technical levels, regardless of coding proficiency. This platform simplifies the utilization of data within Slack, offering enhanced automation and intelligence, allowing for the creation of no-code workflows, custom integrations, and the incorporation of generative AI. Steve Wood, Slack’s SVP of Product and Platform, highlights the significance of placing automation and generative AI tools directly into users’ hands as a pivotal step in Slack’s journey to redefine not only how people work but also how machines and humans interact in the future. Wood delves into the unique features of the new Slack platform, emphasizing its modular architecture grounded in building blocks like functions, triggers, and workflows. These components are remixable, reusable, and seamlessly integrate with the data flow within Slack. The platform enables developers to create tailored solutions, such as integrating with Salesforce, fostering more efficient collaboration, and automating workflows across various business functions. The introduction of generative AI, like Slack GPT, further enhances the platform’s capabilities.  Slack GPT can use Einstein GPT to gain actionable data from Salesforce Customer 360 and Data Cloud.  Wood underscores the potential of this combination to revolutionize work interactions by simplifying automation into reusable building blocks, accessible to both humans and machines. He emphasizes the transformative power of pairing data with AI and automation, anticipating a significant shift in how technology is leveraged in the workplace. Slack and GPT Wood also explains the recent Slack GPT news, detailing its native integration into the Slack user experience. Slack GPT brings generative AI directly into the platform, allowing users to summarize conversations, catch up on missed messages, and edit content effortlessly. The integration of Einstein GPT into Slack expands the conversational interface to Customer 360, providing real-time customer insights directly in Slack. This can be used to automatically generate case summaries based on data from Service Cloud AND Slack. As AI evolves over time, Wood shares his excitement about observing how people utilize Slack GPT in real-world scenarios. The focus remains on empowering platform users through native generative AI and leveraging data and behaviors to enhance the product continuously. Historical Content Wood emphasizes the historical context stored within Slack, highlighting the collective past as a valuable resource for future decision-making. Integrating AI technologies into this rich dataset within Slack presents a substantial opportunity for improving workflows and tools. Regarding the integration of Slack with Salesforce Customer 360, Wood stresses the importance of having relevant information easily accessible in one place. Slack serves as the hub where work occurs, and by incorporating generative AI, the platform aims to enhance transparency, alignment, and effectiveness in decision-making. Drawing in and analyzing the data from Slack as well as the other Salesforce platforms provides vital customer information. In reflection on the rapid adoption of this technology, Wood acknowledges the unique challenges presented by the unknown behavior of generative AI. Stability, accuracy, and safety are top concerns, with ethical and responsible development practices crucial for building trust. The future, as Wood sees it, hinges on maintaining a commitment to ethical development, ensuring customers feel confident in trusting the transformative capabilities of generative AI in the workplace and the Slack platform. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Use Salesforce Data Protection Services

Use Salesforce Data Protection Services

Ensuring Data Security in Salesforce: Use Salesforce Data Protection Services How is Data Protected in Salesforce? Salesforce.com employs cutting-edge Internet security technology, including Secure Socket Layer (SSL) with server authentication and data encryption, ensuring the protection of user information during access via supported web browsers. Why Use Salesforce Data Protection Services? Data Security is imperative to meet evolving privacy standards and safeguard sensitive information shared over the internet. Unauthorized access could pose significant risks to the entire organization, making data security a crucial aspect. Salesforce GDPR Certification: Yes, Salesforce is GDPR certified, as confirmed in Section 11 of the Data Processing Addendum, where Salesforce commits to providing reasonable assistance to customers. Salesforce CCPA Compliance with Customer 360: Salesforce 360 facilitates CCPA compliance by seamlessly connecting Marketing Cloud to Sales Cloud, ensuring a cohesive flow of customer data across the organization. Introduction to Salesforce Shield: Salesforce Shield comprises three security tools – Shield Platform Encryption, Event Monitoring, and Field Audit Trail – embedded into critical business applications to enhance trust, compliance, and governance. Data Protection and Privacy Regulations: Salesforce assists companies in complying with various data protection and privacy regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, PIPA, LGPD, PIPEDA, and more, offering guidance on common privacy principles. Guidance for Data Management and Privacy Compliance: Salesforce provides tools for efficient data management and privacy compliance, covering aspects such as data deletion, consent management, restriction of processing, data access and portability, and privacy center functionalities. Encryption of Data at Rest with Salesforce Shield Platform Encryption: Salesforce Shield Platform Encryption encrypts data at rest within servers, databases, search index files, and the file system, preserving functionality and ensuring secure storage. Use Salesforce Data Protection Services: To enable Data Privacy and Protection in Salesforce, users can navigate through Lightning Experience or Salesforce Classic, accessing the setup and entering “Data Protection and Privacy” in the Quick Find box. Various Data Security Settings in Salesforce: Salesforce offers multiple data security settings, including Object-Level Security through profiles, Permission Sets, Permission Set Groups, Ownership-Based Sharing Rules, Criteria-Based Sharing Rules, and Guest User Sharing Rules. Salesforce Data Ownership and Digital Chain of Custody: Salesforce Data Ownership involves maintaining a Digital Chain of Custody, ensuring meticulous tracking of data through each replication process. This guarantees data remains under control and protected at all times. Salesforce and DLP Functionality: Salesforce does not have built-in Data Loss Prevention (DLP) functionality. It relies on third-party apps like Nightfall to provide DLP capabilities, crucial for maintaining compliance with regulations such as HIPAA and PCI. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Slack and Salesforce

Amaze Your Customers With Slack and Service Cloud For Improved Customer Service

Surpass your customers’ expectations with the combined power of Service Cloud and Slack. Drive down operating costs, enhance team productivity, and exceed customer expectations by leveraging the capabilities of Service Cloud and Slack. Understanding the current service landscape: The digital transformation, accelerated by the pandemic, has propelled customers and businesses into a new era, marked by the extensive use of diverse tools for day-to-day operations. Since 2020, Salesforce’s data indicates that achieving transparency and fostering active engagement are crucial to meeting heightened customer expectations, evident in a notable 47% surge in video support. However, a significant number of organizations face a challenge as their technology systems do not fully align with these evolving expectations. We all know it’s hard to make a good paper mache airplane if you only have a piece of paper. And technology is no different. According to Intercom, 46% of support leaders express that their tech stack acts as a hindrance to achieving organizational goals. Operating across various applications diminishes team productivity and hinders business expansion. To effectively cater to your customers, service teams must innovate and adapt to the multitude of tools, contact channels, isolated teams, and fragmented data. Support operations personnel need to address key questions: The solution lies in adopting Slack as the productivity hub, coupled with Salesforce’s Service Cloud integration. This dynamic combination unlocks your full productivity potential, fostering increased customer loyalty. Break down organizational silos and expedite case resolution for enhanced customer experiences. In the ever-evolving digital marketplace, customers demand seamless service without being transferred between agents or repeating their information. A staggering 83% of customers expect complex issues to be addressed by a single point of contact. However, traditional tiered-support models fall short of meeting these expectations. The solution lies in providing teams with a comprehensive view of the entire customer journey. By leveraging the combined capabilities of Service Cloud and Slack, organizations can achieve significant cost reductions and enhance service team productivity. Service Cloud has been shown to lower support costs by 27%, while Slack increases employee productivity by 26%, according to the 2022 Salesforce Success Metrics Global Highlights study. Swarming Swarming, facilitated by Service Cloud and Slack, revolutionizes the support approach. Unlike traditional tiered support, swarming brings service agents, engineers, and issue analysts together in real-time, eliminating the need for case escalations and customer department bouncing. The swarm team collaborates efficiently, sharing information with customers proactively. The Field Service mobile app further facilitates instant connections with experts, reducing the need for unnecessary on-site visits. Service Cloud and Slack, working together, use out-of-the-box workflows to automatically assemble cross-functional experts and create Slack channels for collaborative efforts on complex cases. This approach eliminates messy handoffs and siloed decision-making, promoting transparency. Swarming ensures that everyone involved can access the entire conversation, participate in Slack huddles, and search for resolutions to similar cases. Automation and streamlined collaboration are paramount for providing exceptional service experiences. The time factor, particularly time to resolution and time on hold, is a significant barrier. Many service agents (78%) struggle to balance speed and quality due to the challenge of working across multiple systems. The integration of Service Cloud and Slack addresses this issue by extending workflows throughout the organization. Soon, Slack GPT will further enhance CRM and conversational data, providing AI-generated summaries and enabling the creation of no-code workflows. Workflow Builder and Flow Builder, no-code tools from Slack and Salesforce, respectively, collaborate seamlessly to automate daily tasks and enhance transparency, agility, and cross-team collaboration. Successful Integration The success of this integration is evident in the substantial improvements seen by service organizations using Slack, including a 32% increase in Net Promoter Score, 27% decrease in service/support costs, 30% increase in agent productivity, and a 30% increase in customer retention. The ever-changing level of customer expectations underscores the importance of service professionals as frontline ambassadors for your brand. With 88% of customers valuing their experience with a company as much as its products, swarming becomes a strategic approach to surpass expectations. Slack Connect facilitates direct access to support for partners, vendors, and B2B customers through a dedicated channel, fostering collaborative issue resolution. Slack clips and white-glove service further enhance the support process. Clips allow users to record audio, video, and screen shares, creating a searchable database of demonstrations. Private support channels in Slack provide key customers with white-glove service, allowing them to record and upload technical issues for prompt resolution. slack and service cloud In the current remote and decentralized business workforce, Service Cloud and Slack offer an opportunity to exceed customer expectations, transform service cases into lasting relationships, cut costs, and boost team productivity. If your average call handle time is too long, if your data is too siloed, or if your customer service teams are overwhelmed, contact Tectonic today to explore a Slack and Salesforce Service Cloud Integration. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Google Analytics and Salesforce Integration

Google Analytics and Salesforce Integration

Syncing Google Analytics Data to CRM Analytics To integrate Google Analytics and Salesforce Integration using the Google Analytics connector, follow these steps: Important Note: As of July 1, 2023, the main product Google Analytics has been decommissioned and replaced with the new product Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The Salesforce announcement GA4 Set to Replace Universal Analytics gives an overview on this. Creating a Connection Required Settings: Google Analytics 4 Integration To sync Google Analytics 4 data to Salesforce Data Pipelines: Connector Considerations: Google Analytics Salesforce Sales Cloud Integration User Identification Analytics provides two methods to identify users: Required Salesforce Sales Cloud Objects and Fields: Integration Steps: Testing and Viewing Imported Data: Notes: Google Data Studio and Salesforce Integration Connecting Salesforce with Google Data Studio allows for powerful visualizations that combine sales and marketing data. This integration helps in understanding which channels generate the most leads and income. Google Analytics 4 Connection Setup: Connection Details: Advanced Properties: Considerations: By following these steps, you can seamlessly integrate Google Analytics data into your CRM Analytics and Salesforce Data Pipelines, ensuring robust data analysis and informed decision-making. Decide How to Identify Your Users: Analytics offers two ways to programmatically identify your users: Client ID and User-ID. To support Data Import for Salesforce Sales Cloud, you must implement Client ID. You may optionally choose to also implement User-ID. Client ID pseudonymously identifies a browser instance and is best suited for businesses focused on lead generation and new customer acquisition. User-ID enables the analysis of groups of sessions, across devices, using a unique, persistent, and non-personally identifiable ID string representing a user. This option is best for businesses with high rates of logged-in users. How to Import CRM/ERP Data with Google Analytics 4 Using a CSV File: Transitioning to Google Analytics 4: As of March 2023, Google has automatically created GA4 properties for users unless they opt-out. Until July 1, 2023, you can continue to use and collect new data in your Universal Analytics properties. After this date, you must export your historical reports as Universal Analytics will be phased out. How Does Google Help Salesforce Marketing Cloud Users? Google Analytics provides invaluable insights into user behavior, helping Salesforce Marketing Cloud users optimize campaigns and understand customer journeys. Integration with the Google platform allows businesses to combine offline sales data with digital analytics, optimizing digital marketing strategies and improving campaign effectiveness. Additional Integration: Using datasets from Google Analytics and Google BigQuery, businesses can create interactive Tableau CRM dashboards to visualize campaign activities and performance metrics. By following these guidelines, organizations can leverage Google Analytics data effectively within their Salesforce ecosystem, enhancing decision-making and strategic planning. Content updated July 2024. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Salesforce Data Cloud Explained

Salesforce Data Cloud Explained

Salesforce Data Cloud, previously recognized as Salesforce CDP/Genie, made its debut at Dreamforce 2022, hailed by Salesforce as one of the most significant innovations in the company’s history. A hyperscale data platform built into Salesforce. Activate all your customer data across Salesforce applications with Data Cloud. Data Cloud facilitates the intake and storage of real-time data streams on a massive scale, empowering automated tasks that result in highly personalized experiences. Data can be sourced from diverse Salesforce data outlets, including Mulesoft, Marketing Cloud, and others, along with customers’ proprietary applications and data sources. Subsequently, it can dynamically respond to this real-time data by automating actions across Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, Commerce, and more, inclusive of automating actions through Salesforce Flow. What is the Salesforce data cloud? Data Cloud is the fastest growing organically built product in Salesforce’s history (i.e. Salesforce built it themselves, not via acquisitions). Data Cloud could be described as the ‘Holy Grail of CRM’, meaning that the data problem that’s existed since the infancy of CRM is now finally solvable. Data Cloud is the foundation that speeds up the connectivity between different ‘clouds’ across the platform. However, Data Cloud is also a product that can be purchased. While not all Salesforce customers have licensed Data Cloud, being at the foundation means they are still taking advantage of Data Cloud to a degree – but this all becomes even stronger with Data Cloud as a personalization and data unification platform. What is the history of Data Cloud? Salesforce has gone through several iterations with naming its CDP product: Customer 360 Audiences → Salesforce CDP → Marketing Cloud Customer Data Platform → Salesforce Genie → Salesforce Data Cloud. In some instances, changes were made because the name just didn’t stick – but what’s more important to note, is that some of the name changes were to indicate the significant developments that happened to the product. Salesforce Data Cloud Differentiators Data Cloud, in itself, is impressive. While many organizations would consider it expensive, if you were to flip the argument on its head, by buying your own data warehouse, building the star schema, and paying for ongoing compute storage, you’d be looking to spend 5 to 10 times more than what Salesforce is charging for Data Cloud. Plus, data harmonization works best when your CRM data is front and center. There are other key differentiators that helps Data Cloud to stand out from the crowd: Is data cloud a data lakehouse? That means that Data Cloud is now not just a really good CDP, it’s now a data lake which will be used in sales and service use cases. But it also means that we can start to fundamentally move some of our higher-scale consumer products like Marketing and Commerce onto the platform. Is Snowflake a data Lakehouse? Snowflake offers customers the ability to ingest data to a managed repository, in what’s commonly referred to as a data warehouse architecture, but also gives customers the ability to read and write data in cloud object storage, functioning as a data lake query engine. What is the benefit of Salesforce data cloud? Data Cloud empowers Salesforce Sales Cloud with AI capabilities and automation that quickly closes deals and boosts productivity across every channel. It drives customer data from all the touchpoints and unifies it separately in individual customer profiles. Salesforce Data Cloud is a powerful data warehouse solution that allows companies to effectively manage and analyze their data. What is the difference between Salesforce CDP and data lake? Talking abut Salesforce CDP is a little bit like a history lesson. While a CDP provides a unified, structured view of customer data, a data lake, on the other hand, is more of a raw, unstructured storage repository that holds a vast amount of data (more than just customer data) in its native format until it’s needed. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
Revolutionizing Public Sector Efficiency

Revolutionizing Public Sector Efficiency

Salesforce: Transforming and Revolutionizing Public Sector Efficiency Salesforce, known worldwide as the premier CRM solution, continues to innovate with its adaptable features tailored to diverse audiences. It excels in delivering cutting-edge solutions, addressing unique needs across various industries and sectors. Particularly, the public sector stands to gain substantial benefits from Salesforce’s capabilities, offering a suite of solutions poised to optimize operations within any public office setting. Understanding the Role of Salesforce in the Public Sector The public sector encompasses the administrative segment responsible for managing essential citizen concerns at state, local, federal, and governmental agency levels. While carrying out critical tasks, these entities can significantly enhance efficiency with the right tools. Salesforce is dedicated to optimizing and streamlining processes within the public sector, recognizing its vital importance. Government offices face similar expectations to private enterprises, with citizens anticipating service quality on par with commercial experiences. Therefore, public entities must deliver efficiency, agility, and direct engagement to demonstrate proximity to the populace. In response to these expectations, Salesforce has developed a range of solutions tailored to the specific demands of the public sector. Revolutionizing Public Sector Efficiency Salesforce’s offerings for the public sector include meticulously crafted applications designed to meet its unique requirements. These flexible and secure e-government tools aim to revolutionize the sector’s experience, providing a comprehensive view of citizens and enhancing the efficacy of public employees. By simplifying processes and fostering innovation, these solutions drive efficiency at both organizational and individual levels, facilitating smoother operations. Integrated into Public Sector Solutions, these offerings leverage Salesforce’s standard functionalities and Service Cloud capabilities. Additionally, they enable the creation of an Experience Cloud site, allowing citizens seamless access to government services. Known as a Citizen Portal. Some of the available solutions cater to general tasks managed by public sector agencies, including: Thanks to these solutions, citizens can effortlessly navigate various processes, such as applying for licenses or permits. Through an online portal accessible at all times, individuals can interact seamlessly with public service agencies. Intelligent forms dynamically adjust based on user input, simplifying the submission process. From an employee standpoint, work processes are streamlined, with all citizen requests conveniently consolidated in one location. The system offers recommendations to guide employees, simplifies task delegation, and ensures seamless collaboration across departments. Key Advantages of Salesforce Solutions for the Public Sector Salesforce solutions offer numerous advantages to the public sector, aligning with citizens’ and employees’ current demands. These include: Salesforce emerges as an invaluable ally in the public sector’s modernization journey, transforming processes to be more agile and efficient. For organizations seeking to implement Salesforce solutions tailored for the public sector, the Tectonic team stands ready to assist. In the ever-evolving landscape of public administration and government services, the need for advanced, secure, and user-friendly technology solutions has never been more crucial. Enter Salesforce Public Sector Cloud—a dynamic platform designed to transform how government agencies engage with citizens, deliver services, and drive efficiency in their operations. Overview of Salesforce Public Sector Cloud: Salesforce Public Sector Cloud is a specialized offering tailored to meet the unique needs of government entities at all levels. Whether it’s federal, state, or local government agencies, the platform is engineered to enhance collaboration, streamline processes, and ultimately improve the delivery of public services. Key Features and Capabilities: Real-World Impact: Several government agencies have already embraced Salesforce Public Sector Cloud, realizing tangible benefits in their day-to-day operations. From improved citizen satisfaction to streamlined internal processes, the impact of this cloud solution is evident across various use cases. Challenges and Considerations: While Salesforce Public Sector Cloud offers numerous advantages, it’s essential to consider potential challenges. These may include customization complexities, data migration issues, and the need for comprehensive training for government personnel. A thoughtful and well-executed implementation strategy is crucial to overcoming these challenges. Salesforce Introduces Public Sector Einstein 1 for Service: Salesforce today announced Public Sector Einstein 1 for Service, including CRM, trusted AI, and data capabilities. What’s new in compliance: Salesforce also now offers several Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) compliant tools to help government agencies drive efficiency and productivity while meeting regulatory requirements. These tools include:  Content updated April 2024. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More

Keys to Writing Meaningful Email Content

By Tectonic’s Salesforce Marketing Consultant, Shannan Hearne Email marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their prospects and customers. Writing meaningful email content takes time and practice. It’s essential to recognize that your recipients and subscribers face a constant barrage of emails. The challenge becomes making your email stand out in the inbox, prompt subscribers to open, read, and respond to your desired Call to Action.  Here are proven methods to enhance the interest, effectiveness, and credibility of your emails: Stay Relevant: Set a Content Hierarchy: Tell a Story: Keep it Simple: Trim it Back and Clean it Up: Grab Their Attention: Include a Preheader: Save Time with AI: Drive Results with a Strong CTA: Test. Test. Test Again: By adhering to these email content tips, you can create emails that are engaging, effective, and eagerly anticipated by your readers. Whether focusing on relevance, storytelling, simplicity, or testing, these strategies will highlight the interest, effectiveness, and trustworthiness of your brand. Start crafting those emails and monitor their success. If you are struggling with the challenge of writing meaningful email content, Tectonic consultants can help. Contact us today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
gettectonic.com