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B2B Customer Service with Agentforce

Agents are the Future of Customer Engagement

Agentic Customer Engagement is Here There was a time when customer service meant going into a brick and mortar building and talking to a person face to face. It was time consuming and did not guarantee a solution. The mail order business brought on the need for the 800 number to contact a merchant. The dot com boom brought customer engagement opportunities directly to our homes. Ios and Android apps brought customer engagement to our fingertips. Yet we still were dependent upon the availability of humans or at least chatbots. Customer service often repressed customer engagement, not enhanced it. Agents, like Salesforce Agentforce, brought 24 7 customer engagement to us no matter where we are, when it is, or how complicated our issue is. And agents improved customer service! What’s next? Robots and drones who deliver our items and answer our questions? Who knows. AI bots are transforming client relationships and customer service. To achieve unparalleled efficiency, these intelligent systems plan and automate difficult activities, make deft decisions, and blend in seamlessly with current workflows. Yes, it’s widely believed that AI agents will play a crucial role in the future of customer engagement, offering personalized, efficient, and consistent experiences across various channels.  Here’s why AI agents are poised to be a key driver in customer engagement: AI agents are becoming smarter every day, using machine learning and natural language processing to predict customer needs, handle complex queries with empathy and offer real-time, personalized assistance. How AI Agents Are Redefining Customer Engagement Marketing is undergoing a seismic transformation. Tectonic shift, if you will. The past decade was dominated by complex tech stacks and data integration—now, AI is shifting the focus back to what truly matters: crafting impactful content and campaigns. Welcome to the era of agentic customer engagement and marketing. The Rise of Marketing Agents Unlike traditional customer service agents handling one-to-one interactions, marketing agents amplify human expertise to engage audiences at scale—whether targeting broad segments or hyper-personalized personas. They ensure consistent, high-quality messaging across every channel while automating the intricate backend work of delivering the right content to the right customer at the right time. This shift is powered by rapid AI advancements: How Agentic Engagement Amplifies Marketing Marketing agents don’t replace human creativity—they extend it. Once strategists set guidelines, approve messaging, and define brand voice, agents execute with precision across channels. At Typeface, for example, AI securely learns brand tones and styles to generate on-brand imagery, text, and videos—ensuring every asset aligns with the company’s identity. Key Capabilities of Marketing Agents The Human-Agent Partnership AI agents don’t replace marketers—they empower them. Humans bring creativity, emotional intelligence, and strategic decision-making; agents handle execution, data processing, and scalability. Marketers will evolve into “agent wranglers”, setting objectives, monitoring performance, and ensuring alignment with business goals. Meanwhile, agents will work in interconnected ecosystems—where a content agent’s blog post triggers a social agent’s promotion, while a performance agent optimizes distribution, and a brand agent tracks reception. Preparing for the Agent Era To stay ahead, businesses should:✅ Start small, think big – Pilot agents in low-risk areas before scaling.✅ Train teams – Ensure marketers understand agent management.✅ Build governance frameworks – Define oversight and intervention protocols.✅ Strengthen data infrastructure – Clean, structured data fuels agent effectiveness.✅ Maintain human oversight – Regularly audit agent outputs for quality and alignment. Work with a Salesforce partner like Tectonic to prepare for the Agent Era. The Future is Agentic The age of AI-driven marketing isn’t coming—it’s here. Companies that embrace agentic engagement will unlock unprecedented efficiency, personalization, and impact. The question isn’t if you’ll adopt AI agents—it’s how soon. Ready to accelerate your strategy? Discover how Agentforce (Salesforce’s agentic layer) can cut deployment time by 16x while boosting accuracy by 70%. The future of marketing isn’t just automated—it’s autonomous, adaptive, and agentic. Are you prepared? The Future of Customer Experience: AI-Driven Efficiency and Innovation Businesses have long understood the connection between operational efficiency and superior customer experience (CX). However, the rapid advancement of AI-powered technologies, including next-generation hardware and virtual agents, is transforming this connection into a measurable driver of value creation. Increasingly well-documented use cases for generative AI (GenAI) demonstrate that companies can simultaneously deliver a vastly superior customer experience at a significantly lower cost-to-serve, resulting in substantial financial gains. From Customer Journeys to Autonomous Customer Missions To achieve this ideal balance, companies are shifting from traditional customer journeys—where users actively manage their own experiences via apps—to a more comprehensive approach driven by trusted autonomous agents. These agents are designed to complete specific tasks with minimal human involvement, creating an entirely new paradigm for customer engagement. While early implementations may be rudimentary, the convergence of hardware and AI will lead to sophisticated, seamless experiences far beyond current capabilities. AI-Enabled Internal and External Transformation AI is already driving transformation both internally and externally. Internally, it streamlines processes, enhances employee experiences, and significantly boosts productivity. In customer service operations, for example, GenAI has driven productivity improvements of 15% to 30%, with some companies targeting up to 80% efficiency gains. Externally, AI is reshaping customer interactions, making them more personalized, efficient, and intuitive. Virtual co-pilots assist customers by answering inquiries, processing returns, and curating tailored offers—freeing human employees to focus on complex issues that require nuanced decision-making. Linking Operational Efficiency to Customer Experience Leading organizations are demonstrating how AI-driven efficiencies translate into enhanced CX. Despite these gains, companies must raise the bar even further to fully capitalize on AI’s potential. The convergence of next-generation hardware with AI-driven automation presents an unprecedented opportunity to redefine customer engagement. From App-Driven Experiences to Autonomous Agents At Dreamforce 2024, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff highlighted that service employees waste over 40% of their time on repetitive, low-value tasks. Similarly, customers face friction in making significant purchases or planning events. Google research indicates that travelers may engage in over 700 digital touchpoints when planning a trip—a fragmented and often frustrating experience. Imagine instead a network of proprietary and third-party agents seamlessly executing customer missions—such as purchasing a car or planning a vacation—without requiring constant user input. These AI agents could: This “agentic AI” model represents a shift from passive app-based assistance to proactive, intelligent automation, significantly reducing

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Salesforce and Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines (SIA), a Headline Partner of the APEX FTE Asia Expo in Singapore on 11-12 November 2025, is teaming up with Salesforce to co-develop cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for the airline industry. This collaboration, centered at the Salesforce AI Research hub in Singapore, aims to deliver greater value and innovative benefits to the sector. As part of this initiative, SIA is integrating Salesforce’s Agentforce, Einstein in Service Cloud, and Data Cloud into its customer case management system, enabling the airline to provide more consistent, personalised, and efficient service to its customers. SIA will deploy Agentforce, an AI system that uses autonomous agents to handle specific tasks, streamlining customer service operations. This allows SIA’s customer service representatives to focus on delivering enhanced, personalised attention during customer interactions. Data Cloud, Salesforce’s hyperscale data engine, powers Agentforce by consolidating relevant data, enabling AI agents to provide customer service representatives with tailored advice and solutions, further enhancing the customer experience. Mr. Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Airlines, highlighted the airline’s commitment to innovation: “As the world’s leading digital airline, Singapore Airlines is dedicated to investing in and leveraging advanced technologies to enhance customer experiences, improve operational efficiencies, drive revenue generation, and boost employee productivity. Over the past 18 months, the SIA Group has been an early adopter of Generative AI solutions, developing over 250 use cases and implementing around 50 initiatives across our end-to-end operations. Salesforce is a pioneer in Agentic AI, and integrating Agentforce, Einstein in Service Cloud, and Data Cloud into our customer case management system marks the first step in our collaboration. Together, we will co-create AI solutions that drive meaningful and impactful change, setting new standards for service excellence in the airline industry.” In addition to Agentforce, SIA will utilise Einstein Generative AI capabilities within Service Cloud to summarise customers’ previous interactions with the airline. This feature provides customer service representatives with actionable insights, enabling them to better understand and anticipate customer needs, tailor solutions, and reduce average response times. The result is a more efficient, proactive, and personalised customer service experience. Marc Benioff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Salesforce, emphasised the transformative potential of this partnership: “The rise of digital labour, powered by autonomous AI agents, is not just reimagining the customer experience – it’s transforming business. We’re thrilled to partner with Singapore Airlines, a trailblazer in this AI revolution, to elevate their already outstanding customer service to unprecedented heights, augment their employees, and collaborate on groundbreaking AI solutions for the airline industry. With our deeply unified digital labour platform, we’re bringing humans together with trusted, autonomous AI agents, unlocking new levels of productivity, innovation, and growth.” This collaboration between Singapore Airlines and Salesforce represents a significant step forward in the airline industry’s adoption of AI-driven solutions. By combining SIA’s industry expertise with Salesforce’s innovative AI technologies, the partnership aims to redefine customer service standards, enhance operational efficiency, and set a new benchmark for excellence in the aviation sector. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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data cloud and data silos

Unify Your Data Silos

Unify Your Data Silos: Deliver Connected, Personalized Experiences 🔹 65% of customers expect businesses to tailor experiences to their evolving needs. (State of Data and Analytics Report, 2023) Have you ever received a marketing promotion for something you just bought? Or had to repeat your purchase history before getting help from customer service? These disjointed experiences frustrate customers and result from data silos that prevent a unified view of the customer journey. With enterprises using over 1,000 applications on average, data ecosystems are highly complex. Many businesses attempt to centralize data in lakes, warehouses, or lakehouses, yet 73% of enterprise data remains unused for analytics (Forrester). Why? Because much of this data stays locked in backend systems, failing to power the real-time applications and workflows that drive customer engagement and business success. Break Down Data Silos to Create Seamless Customer Experiences By unifying your data, you can personalize every interaction—from online reviews and service records to browsing history and purchases. And by securely activating this data within your CRM and AI-driven workflows, you can deliver smarter, faster, and more impactful customer experiences. Unlock Business Growth with Unified Data When your teams have access to a complete, real-time customer profile, they can turn insights into action across every touchpoint: ✅ Sales Teams receive real-time guidance during calls, offering tailored recommendations based on customer behavior.✅ Service Agents proactively address issues with instant alerts and AI-powered resolutions.✅ Marketers deliver personalized, cross-channel messaging, adapting dynamically to customer actions.✅ Retailers optimize shopping experiences by responding in real time to cart abandonment and browsing patterns.✅ IT Teams build real-time apps to detect fraud, assess economic trends, and enhance security. Checklist: Build a 360° View of Your Customer ✅ Basic Data: Demographics, job title, email, and IP address.✅ Interaction Data: Email opens, website visits, CTRs, customer service calls, and social media activity.✅ Behavioral & Attitudinal Data: Purchase history, order values, survey feedback, and online reviews. Turn Raw Data Into Actionable Insights with Data Cloud Data Cloud transforms fragmented data into a single, trusted source of truth, deeply integrated with the Salesforce Platform. It enables organizations to: ✔ Connect and unify all customer data without complex data pipelines.✔ Activate insights in real-time across sales, service, and marketing workflows.✔ Power trusted AI solutions using all enterprise data for better decision-making. See How Formula 1 Uses Data to Drive Fan Engagement 📺 Watch how F1 personalizes fan experiences “With over 500 million fans worldwide, we needed personalized journeys and always-on capabilities.”— Matthew Kemp, Senior CRM & Customer Operations Manager, F1 Checklist: Unite Your Data for Better Customer Experiences ✔ Make data easy to store, manage, and analyze from any source.✔ Think holistically about behavioral, interaction, and attitudinal data.✔ Use a platform that transforms raw data into actionable insights.✔ Audit your systems for data silos causing disconnected experiences.✔ Ensure data is accessible in everyday workflows with trusted solutions like Data Cloud. 📊 Data-driven businesses don’t just manage customer experiences—they revolutionize them. 🚀 Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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AI and Robotics Revolution

The world’s leading CEOs are increasingly preparing for the imminent AI and robotics revolution, signaling a profound shift in the future of work. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently offered a compelling vision of this future, where the boundaries between human and digital labor become increasingly blurred. In a striking declaration, Benioff stated that he would be the last Salesforce CEO to oversee a workforce composed solely of humans, underscoring the transformative impact of AI and robotics on the workplace. His remarks, which touched on the “digital labor revolution,” the multi-trillion-dollar economic opportunity it represents, and the rise of “agents” and robots, provide a thought-provoking glimpse into the evolving relationship between humans and technology in the professional sphere. Benioff elaborated on the concept of the “digital labor revolution,” describing it as a monumental opportunity worth between three and twelve trillion dollars. He emphasized that this revolution encompasses not only AI-driven agents and the “agentic age” but also the dawn of a “robotic age.” He highlighted China’s advancements in robotics as particularly noteworthy, pointing to the global competition in this rapidly evolving field. “The digital labor revolution is this three to twelve trillion dollar opportunity,” Benioff explained. “It involves agents and digital agents and the agentic age, but it also beholds a robotic age. And in the robotic age, who is going to make the robots? I think that that’s very impressive what the Chinese have been able to do with this robotic age. So the robots, the agents, AI—this is all part and parcel of the future.” When questioned about the implications for the workforce, Benioff made it clear that the integration of robots and AI agents into the workplace is inevitable. He envisions a future where humans work alongside these technologies in a collaborative manner. “The robotic age means for the workforce that we are going to work hand in hand with agents and robots,” he said. “I’ve told my employees, my customers, I’ll be the last CEO of Salesforce who only managed humans.” Benioff’s statement is more than a prediction; it is an acknowledgment of a rapidly approaching reality. His reference to the multi-trillion-dollar economic potential of AI and robotics highlights the scale of the opportunity, while his recognition of China’s progress in robotics underscores the global race to lead in this transformative domain. The concept of the “agentic age,” where AI agents operate autonomously, further underscores the shifting dynamics of the workplace, as traditional roles and processes are redefined by technological advancements. The implications of Benioff’s remarks are far-reaching. The integration of AI and robotics into the workforce will not simply augment human labor; it will fundamentally reshape it. This transformation will require a significant shift in mindset for both workers and leaders. Employees will need to adapt to collaborating with AI-powered agents and robots, acquiring new skills to remain relevant in an evolving job market. Companies, meanwhile, will face the challenge of integrating and managing a hybrid workforce, ensuring seamless collaboration between human and digital workers. Ethical considerations, such as the potential for job displacement and the responsible use of AI, will also need to be addressed proactively. Benioff’s words serve as a wake-up call, urging businesses and individuals alike to prepare for a future where humans and machines work side by side. This new era promises unprecedented levels of productivity and innovation, but it also demands careful planning and adaptation. As the lines between human and digital labor continue to blur, the organizations and individuals that embrace this change and invest in the necessary skills and infrastructure will be best positioned to thrive in the age of AI and robotics. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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Outsourcing Salesforce Admin for Small Businesses: Why It’s Smart and Cost-Effective Time is one of the most valuable assets for small businesses. Between juggling projects and tight deadlines, it’s easy for essential but complex systems like Salesforce to become overwhelming. Often, a single employee—a manager, receptionist, or clerk—takes on the role of the unofficial Salesforce Admin, handling technical issues alongside their primary duties. While this may work in the short term, it can quickly lead to inefficiencies, stress, and burnout. Outsourcing Salesforce administration is a strategic solution that brings expert help to the table. What Does It Mean to Outsource Salesforce Admin Work? Outsourcing involves hiring external specialists to manage specific functions, allowing your team to focus on core business activities. For small businesses using Salesforce, this can mean partnering with experienced Solution Implementation partners to set up a solid CRM foundation, followed by outsourcing ongoing management and support. When technical issues occur—such as login problems or a process breakdown—an external support team can be transformative. Instead of burdening your internal team with troubleshooting, outsourcing enables immediate, expert support, resulting in smoother, more efficient operations. Firms like StarrData can help with both initial setup and ongoing admin support, so your team can focus on growth. The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Salesforce Admin Expert Support: Outsourcing gives you access to certified Salesforce Admins with specialized knowledge and skills. These experts stay updated on Salesforce’s latest releases and best practices, enabling them to handle everything from routine tasks, like user management and field modifications, to complex projects like data migrations and custom code troubleshooting. This level of expertise alleviates the burden on your team while enhancing your Salesforce system’s effectiveness. Cost-Effectiveness: Hiring a full-time Salesforce Admin can be costly, especially in regions where salaries may exceed $100,000 annually. In addition to salary, you’ll need to consider benefits, onboarding, and training costs. For many small businesses, these expenses outweigh their Salesforce needs. Outsourcing offers a cost-effective alternative, providing expert support at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire, allowing you to pay only for the services you need. Flexibility: Outsourcing provides flexibility, allowing you to tailor support to your unique needs, whether you need occasional help or a dedicated team. You can scale services up or down based on business demands, such as needing extra help for user management and report generation during busy seasons. Scalability: As your business grows, so do your Salesforce needs. An outsourced team can adapt to your evolving requirements, providing additional resources and expertise without the time and expense of hiring new staff. This scalability is essential for small businesses aiming to remain agile and competitive. Enhanced Focus for Internal Admins: If your organization already has a Salesforce Admin, outsourcing can complement their work. By delegating routine issues to an external team, your internal Admin can focus on high-impact tasks like system optimization, customizations, and critical troubleshooting—boosting productivity and job satisfaction. Continuity and Reliability: Outsourcing offers continuity, ensuring uninterrupted service during high-demand periods or when your internal Admin is unavailable. With a dedicated team ready to handle urgent issues, you can maintain operational efficiency and customer satisfaction without downtime. Getting Started with Outsourcing Salesforce Admin Work If you’re considering outsourcing your Salesforce admin, start by researching potential partners specializing in Salesforce support. Companies like StarrData offer STaaS (StarrData Team as a Service) and Admin contracts tailored to small business needs. Set up consultations with potential partners to discuss your specific requirements and determine how their services can fit into your workflows. Clear communication during this phase is crucial to ensure alignment with your business objectives. Conclusion Outsourcing Salesforce admin work is a smart move for small businesses looking to increase productivity and streamline operations. By leveraging external expertise, you can focus on growth while ensuring your Salesforce system remains a reliable, efficient tool for your business. This strategic choice reduces the burden on your team and provides access to specialized skills that can drive your business forward.

Salesforce and Ather Energy Partner

Salesforce and Ather Energy Partner to Revolutionize EV Dealership Operations Salesforce has joined forces with IPO-bound electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy to introduce a cutting-edge automotive dealer management system aimed at enhancing dealership operations and customer experiences across India. As part of the collaboration, Ather Energy—operating over 350 dealerships—has developed “Ather Dealer Central,” a next-generation dealer management system (DMS) built on the Salesforce platform. This AI-powered solution seamlessly integrates lead management, customer relationship management (CRM), and dealership functions into a unified mobile app, enabling real-time decision-making and improved customer satisfaction. “Our collaboration with Salesforce and the launch of ‘Ather Dealer Central’ redefines how EV dealerships operate. This intelligent platform connects every aspect of the dealer ecosystem, offering unprecedented insights, mobility, and efficiency to enhance customer service,” said Ravneet S. Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy. The partnership leverages Salesforce’s advanced AI capabilities to streamline sales, support services, and dealership operations, providing a smarter and more connected retail experience. “As India’s EV market continues to evolve, customer experience will be a key driver of growth. Consumers are looking for seamless, personalized interactions when making eco-conscious choices. Our collaboration with Ather Energy demonstrates how technology can transform mobility, helping businesses deliver smarter, more connected experiences,” said Mankiran Chowhan, Vice President – Financial Services and Consumer Industries, Salesforce India. This announcement comes as Ather Energy prepares to file an updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) this week, ahead of its anticipated IPO in April—potentially at a revised valuation. Salesforce continues to expand its AI-driven offerings, recently launching Agentforce to help businesses build and manage autonomous AI agents for sales, customer service, and marketing. Additionally, last week, Salesforce announced a partnership with Pothys Swarna Mahal, the jewellery division of Chennai-based Pothys Group, to integrate AI-powered solutions for enhanced customer engagement and personalized shopping experiences. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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itsm

Salesforce Move Into IT Service Management

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Signals Bold Move into IT Service Management (ITSM)Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has once again made headlines, this time with a bold announcement about the company’s expansion into IT Service Management (ITSM). During a recent appearance on the Motley Fool podcast, Benioff revealed that Salesforce is “building new apps, like ITSM.” This follows a subtle hint he dropped during an earnings call, where he teased, “At our TrailheadDX event… You might get a glimpse of the new ITSM product that’s coming if you look hard.” While the ITSM product didn’t take center stage at the event, Salesforce’s intentions to make significant strides in the ITSM space are clear. This move is particularly intriguing given the evolving dynamics between the ITSM and CRM markets, where Salesforce and ServiceNow are increasingly encroaching on each other’s territories. ServiceNow’s CRM Ambitions: A Challenge to Salesforce ServiceNow, the dominant player in the ITSM market, has been making bold moves into CRM, a domain where Salesforce has long been the leader. In fact, Salesforce outsells its closest competitor, Microsoft, by nearly four-to-one in the CRM space. However, ServiceNow is determined to carve out a significant share of the CRM market. Earlier this week, ServiceNow announced its agreement to acquire Moveworks for $2.8 billion. In an interview with CNBC, ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott emphasized that this acquisition would strengthen the company’s front-office capabilities and bolster its ambition to become “the market leader” in CRM. Unlike traditional CRM competitors who often compete on price, ServiceNow offers a unique value proposition. Its CRM solution integrates with middle- and back-office workflows, encompassing order management, inventory, invoicing, and more. This end-to-end approach provides a more data-rich CRM experience, setting ServiceNow apart from Salesforce. While Salesforce still holds an edge in ease-of-implementation and core CRM functionality—particularly as ServiceNow relies on partners for marketing CRM capabilities—ServiceNow’s differentiated approach poses a long-term threat. Its strong foothold among IT teams, who are increasingly influencing customer-facing technology decisions, adds to its competitive advantage. Salesforce’s ITSM Push: A Strategic Countermove? Benioff’s announcement about Salesforce’s ITSM ambitions could be seen as a strategic countermeasure to ServiceNow’s CRM expansion. Over the years, the two tech giants have steadily encroached on each other’s markets, leveraging their respective strengths to diversify their offerings. As the lines between enterprise technologies continue to blur, the competition between Salesforce and ServiceNow is heating up. With the rise of AI and data platforms, businesses are seeking more integrated and innovative solutions, setting the stage for a fascinating battle of innovation and market dominance. Benioff Takes Aim at Microsoft—Again Adding another layer to this competitive narrative, Benioff didn’t miss the opportunity to critique Microsoft during the podcast. While he expressed amazement at the rapid advancements in AI over the past two years, he also took a jab at Microsoft’s offerings. “I think a lot of our customers have been very disappointed with a lot of the solutions that have been given to them—or even shoved at them,” Benioff said. “Even Microsoft has really disappointed so many of our customers. Copilot has a dozen copilots across its product lines, none of which are connected. It’s not one source of data or one piece of enterprise code.” This isn’t the first time Benioff has targeted Microsoft. He has previously expressed skepticism about its approach to AI, even comparing its Copilot feature to the infamous “Clippy” assistant from the past. A High-Stakes Battle of Innovation As the tech industry continues to evolve, the competition between Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Microsoft is intensifying. With Salesforce venturing into ITSM, ServiceNow pushing into CRM, and Benioff’s recurring critiques of Microsoft, the coming months promise to bring even more innovation—and perhaps a few more pointed remarks. The battle lines are drawn, and the stakes are high. As these tech giants vie for dominance, businesses stand to benefit from the wave of innovation and competition driving the industry forward. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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Salesforce Marketing Intelligence

Salesforce Marketing Intelligence

Introducing Marketing IntelligenceYour AI-powered marketing analytics solution built on the Salesforce Platform to enhance campaign performance and eliminate wasted spend. OverviewAccessing, harmonizing, and analyzing marketing data remains a highly manual and time-intensive process. Many marketers spend up to a week each month collecting, cleansing, and modeling data for reporting and analysis. As a result, nearly 41% of marketers’ time is consumed by repetitive tasks, leading to delayed performance reporting—when it’s too late to make optimizations that reduce waste and enhance customer value. Marketing Intelligence, our native Salesforce marketing analytics solution, addresses these challenges. Leveraging Data Cloud, Agentforce, Einstein AI, and Tableau Next, it continuously integrates, harmonizes, and transforms third-party marketing performance data into actionable insights—enabling marketers to optimize campaign spend and performance effortlessly. How Marketing Intelligence WorksMarketing Intelligence empowers marketers to seamlessly manage, analyze, and act on performance data—ensuring data-driven decisions that maximize ROI with minimal manual effort. Manage Your Data Marketing Intelligence automates data management with prebuilt connectors, AI-powered enrichment, and a marketing-specific semantic data model. Marketers can connect and harmonize performance data in just three clicks. See a full demo Understand Your Data Marketing Intelligence accelerates insights with out-of-the-box dashboards, built-in attribution reporting, and Agentforce-powered campaign optimization. Act on Your Data Leverage Agentforce to autonomously optimize campaigns around your business goals, 24/7. “We see potential with the future of Marketing Intelligence to drive faster results and deeper analysis by utilizing AI and Agentforce to enhance the platform’s analytical capabilities.”— Spike Therrien, Performance Marketing Lead, Land O’Lakes What’s NextWe’re expanding our unified data and Agentforce capabilities to provide a holistic view of marketing performance across paid, owned, and earned media—directly within the app. Upcoming enhancements include: Stay ahead of the curve with Marketing Intelligence—your AI-powered marketing analytics solution designed to drive efficiency and maximize campaign impact. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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advanced analytics

Maximizing Sales Performance with Salesforce Sales Analytics

Salesforce, a leading CRM platform, provides powerful sales analytics tools that empower businesses to make data-driven decisions, boost productivity, and drive revenue growth. This guide highlights the importance of Salesforce Sales Analytics, its key features, and how to leverage them to optimize your sales team’s performance. Key Features of Salesforce Sales Analytics 1. Reports and Dashboards Salesforce’s reporting capabilities enable users to create custom dashboards and reports for real-time insights into lead conversion, sales performance, and other critical metrics. These visual tools help businesses track trends and make informed decisions effortlessly. 2. Einstein Analytics Powered by AI and machine learning, Einstein Analytics offers: 3. Sales Cloud Analytics Sales Cloud Analytics helps businesses: 4. Forecasting Tools Salesforce’s AI-powered forecasting tools provide accurate revenue projections by analyzing: How Different Teams Benefit from Sales Analytics ✅ Executives – Gain a high-level view of sales, service, and pipeline performance with real-time dashboards highlighting key business metrics. ✅ Sales Managers – Monitor team performance, track quota attainment, analyze pipeline changes, and optimize sales cycles to accelerate deal closures. ✅ Sales Representatives – Get insights into personal sales performance, pipeline activities, and quota attainment, allowing for quicker decision-making and identification of new business opportunities. ✅ Operations Teams – Analyze sales performance by customer, region, and source to optimize negotiation strategies and business development efforts. Setting Up the Salesforce Sales Analytics App 1. Launch Analytics Studio Navigate to Analytics Studio via the Sales Home page and click on the Apps button. 2. Search for Sales Analytics If the Sales Analytics App does not appear by default, use the search bar to locate it. 3. Access the Default Dashboard The default dashboard provides key metrics, including: 4. Customize Widgets Modify data representation by selecting the Edit button and customizing widgets to align with your business needs. 5. Adjust Goal Widgets Update goal widgets to match your sales targets and business objectives. 6. Explore Additional Dashboards Salesforce offers role-specific dashboards for Sales Managers, Executives, and other stakeholders to gain tailored insights. 7. Utilize the Lens Feature for Visualizations Leverage Lens to create object-specific visualizations, such as opportunities by time, stage, owner, and more. Conclusion Integrating Salesforce Sales Analytics with Tableau CRM creates a comprehensive Business Intelligence (BI) solution. However, businesses looking for a simpler or more cost-effective alternative may consider exporting Salesforce data into third-party analytics platforms for additional flexibility and ease of use. By leveraging Salesforce Sales Analytics, businesses can enhance forecasting, improve decision-making, and drive sales performance with real-time insights. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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Salesforce Sales Engagement for Nonprofits

Salesforce Sales Engagement for Nonprofits

Supercharge Your Nonprofit’s Donor Outreach with Salesforce Sales Engagement It’s time for the annual donor campaign. The fundraising team is juggling hundreds—if not thousands—of emails, phone calls, and follow-ups. The budget depends on surpassing last year’s donations, but with limited staff and time, reaching every potential donor feels impossible. The executive director asks, “How can we maximize donor engagement without increasing headcount—or at least focus our resources on the most likely givers?” Sound familiar? Every nonprofit faces the challenge of doing more with less. Fortunately, Salesforce offers a solution to keep your team organized, on task, and working smarter: Salesforce Sales Engagement. What Is Salesforce Sales Engagement? Salesforce Sales Engagement acts as a high-powered assistant for fundraising, membership, or program teams. This productivity hub, embedded within Salesforce, streamlines daily activities through automation, organization, and AI-powered insights. Key benefits include:✅ Cadences & Work Queues – Ensure no email, call, or task slips through the cracks.✅ Centralized Outreach – Keep all donor interactions in one place for seamless engagement.✅ AI-Driven Optimization – Analyze performance and refine strategies based on data. Previously known as High-Velocity Sales, Sales Engagement accelerates development cycles and scales outreach efforts effortlessly. By prioritizing critical tasks and automating others, your team can focus on building meaningful relationships and securing commitments faster. Engagement Cadences: Your Fundraising Playbook in Action Cadences serve as step-by-step roadmaps, guiding teams on how and when to engage with donors, members, or program participants. Whether you’re running a donor drive, promoting event registrations, or managing renewals, cadences ensure consistency and efficiency. Two Types of Cadences: 1️⃣ Standard Cadences – A structured sequence of touchpoints (emails, calls, LinkedIn messages) over time, such as a 30-day donor onboarding journey.2️⃣ Quick Cadences – A single, repeatable action, like automatically sending a thank-you email after a donation. With Cadence Builder, customizing workflows for different donor segments is fast and easy. Actions dynamically adjust based on engagement—so if a donor opens an email, they might receive a follow-up call; if they don’t, a reminder email is sent instead. Best of all, your team doesn’t have to track or remember each step—Sales Engagement assigns tasks automatically to individual work queues, ensuring nothing gets missed. Data-Driven Decision-Making with Built-In Analytics To improve outreach, you need to measure it. Sales Engagement provides powerful dashboards and reports to evaluate performance and optimize your approach. ✅ Track email open rates, call response rates, and donor engagement trends.✅ Identify successful messaging and refine underperforming campaigns.✅ Tie engagement metrics to fundraising goals to measure real impact. Unlike basic email tracking, Sales Engagement helps nonprofits connect data-driven insights with mission outcomes—empowering smarter decision-making without complex process changes. Already Using Salesforce Flows for Outreach? If your nonprofit relies on Salesforce Flow for outreach, you may wonder if Sales Engagement is necessary. The answer? Yes—if you want to do more with less effort. While flows are great for automation, Sales Engagement goes further with built-in call scripts, AI-powered task prioritization, and adaptable cadences. It offers a more intuitive, flexible approach to donor engagement, reducing manual work and boosting efficiency. Ready to Transform Your Fundraising Strategy? Salesforce Sales Engagement isn’t just for corporations—it’s a game-changer for nonprofits, helping teams increase donations, memberships, and event participation with less effort and greater impact. Are you ready to work smarter, engage better, and raise more? Let’s get started. Contact Tectonic today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud Explained

Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud Explained

Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud is a specialized industry solution built on the Salesforce platform, designed to meet the unique needs of energy and utility companies. It helps these organizations manage customer relationships, streamline operations, and drive digital transformation in an increasingly complex and regulated industry. The cloud solution provides tools for customer engagement, field service management, and regulatory compliance, among other functionalities. Key Features of Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud: Benefits of Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud: Use Cases: Implementation Considerations: In summary, Salesforce Energy and Utilities Cloud is a comprehensive solution designed to help energy and utility companies enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and achieve regulatory compliance. By leveraging advanced technologies and industry-specific functionalities, utilities can drive digital transformation and improve overall performance. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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Salesforce Unveils Agentforce 2dx

Salesforce Unveils Agentforce 2dx

Salesforce Unveils Agentforce 2dx: A Major Leap in AI Agent Capabilities Proactive, Autonomous AI Agents to Bridge the Skills Gap Salesforce has announced a major upgrade to its AI agent platform with Agentforce 2dx, a next-generation solution designed to move beyond reactive, chat-based interactions. With enhanced efficiency, agility, and scalability, Agentforce 2dx enables AI agents to operate autonomously, integrating seamlessly with existing data systems, business logic, and user interfaces. The Future of Work: AI Agents Filling the Labor Gap “Companies today have more work than workers, and Agentforce is stepping in to fill the gap,” said Adam Evans, EVP and GM of Salesforce’s AI Platform. Unlike traditional AI chatbots that rely on rigid programming or manual prompts, agentic AI dynamically adapts to live data and evolving business needs, making it far more effective in real-world applications. Introducing AgentExchange: A Marketplace for AI Agent Templates Alongside Agentforce 2dx, Salesforce is launching AgentExchange, an online marketplace where businesses can access and share pre-built AI agent templates and actions. From launch, AgentExchange will feature: The AI Agent Race Heats Up Salesforce’s announcement comes amid intensified industry focus on AI agents. Microsoft and AWS have recently made significant moves, with Microsoft research revealing that 72% of business leaders expect AI agents to be fully integrated into their operations soon—21% within the next year and 39% within two years. Meanwhile, AWS is reportedly forming a dedicated AI agent division, led by Swami Sivasubramanian, VP of AI and Data, reporting directly to CEO Matt Garman. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has been vocal about the future of AI agents, predicting that tomorrow’s CEOs will need to manage both human employees and AI-powered agents. With Agentforce 2dx and AgentExchange, Salesforce is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation, empowering businesses to automate, scale, and innovate like never before. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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Financial Services Sector

Future of Financial Services

The Future of Financial Services: AI Agents, Consumer Trust, and Digital Transformation Fewer than half of consumers are fully satisfied with the service they receive from banks, insurance providers, and wealth management advisors. This underscores the urgent need for financial service institutions (FSIs) to prioritize standout customer experiences—both human and digital—leveraging AI agents to enhance personalization, efficiency, and responsiveness. Why Customer Experience is Key Consumer loyalty has long been driven by competitive pricing, fees, and interest rates. However, with declining rates making promotional incentives less feasible, FSIs are refocusing on customer service as a key differentiator. AI-powered digital experiences provide an opportunity to exceed customer expectations, offering speed, convenience, and hyper-personalization at scale. A significant portion of consumers are willing to stay with an institution that offers an exceptional experience, even if it raises its rates or fees. For instance, 46% of consumers—and 55% of high earners in the U.S. (households making over $100,000 per year)—value experience over pricing alone. Digital self-service is a primary component of this enhanced experience, with many consumers preferring to complete tasks online rather than through traditional phone or in-branch interactions. Institutions like Credit Unions are already meeting this demand by deploying self-service tools that provide instant resolutions, 24/7. AI Agents: Transforming the FSI Landscape AI agents represent a major leap forward in customer service, automating interactions and resolving issues without human intervention. However, trust in these AI-driven systems remains a work in progress. Only 41% of wealth management clients report being fully satisfied with their institution’s speed and effectiveness, and satisfaction levels are even lower among banking and insurance customers. Despite some skepticism, AI adoption is accelerating. Half of consumers expect AI to significantly impact their financial relationships, a belief even more pronounced among Millennials and Gen Z. The percentage of customers anticipating AI-driven transaction speed improvements has risen from 46% in 2023 to 65% today. Yet, consumer education on AI’s capabilities remains a challenge. AI agents have the potential to act as financial advisors, enhancing financial literacy, optimizing savings, and even increasing earnings. Salesforce’s Agentforce aims to bridge this gap, offering digital financial assistants that can answer questions like, “Am I saving enough for retirement?” or “Can I afford this vacation?”—delivering expert insights instantly and at scale. Building Trust in AI-Powered Finance Despite AI’s promise, trust issues persist. While 54% of consumers express confidence in AI agents, only 10% fully trust them. This skepticism is fueled by concerns over data privacy, security, and transparency. Many consumers are wary of how FSIs handle their personal information and are seeking greater clarity on AI’s role in financial decision-making. A Salesforce study revealed that 73% of consumers want to know when they’re interacting with AI, highlighting the importance of transparency in AI implementation. “For AI to succeed in financial services, trust and compliance must be built into the foundation,” said Eran Agrios, SVP & GM of Financial Services at Salesforce. “FSIs need to ensure their AI strategies are not only effective but also worthy of customer confidence.” AI in Action: Case Studies in Financial Services Financial institutions leveraging Agentforce are already seeing tangible benefits: Integrating Agentforce with ERP for Maximum Impact To maximize the potential of AI agents, FSIs must integrate them seamlessly into their broader enterprise ecosystems. Best practices for integration include: The Next Two Years: Defining the Future of AI in Finance As AI continues to disrupt the financial sector, FSIs that embrace AI-first strategies will outperform competitors in efficiency, security, and customer experience. Here’s what the future holds: The Takeaway Financial institutions that invest in AI-driven experiences today will define the future of finance. By adopting transparent, compliant, and consumer-centric AI strategies, FSIs can build trust, drive efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer experiences that set them apart in an increasingly AI-powered world. 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. 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AI-Driven Salesforce Explained

AI-Driven Salesforce Explained

AI-driven Salesforce refers to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Salesforce’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform to enhance its capabilities, automate processes, and deliver smarter, data-driven insights. Salesforce has embedded AI into its ecosystem through Salesforce Einstein, its proprietary AI technology. Here’s a breakdown of how AI drives Salesforce: 1. What is AI-Driven Salesforce? AI-driven Salesforce leverages machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), predictive analytics, and automation to help businesses make smarter decisions, improve customer experiences, and streamline operations. It transforms raw data into actionable insights and automates repetitive tasks, enabling teams to focus on strategic activities. 2. Key Features of AI-Driven Salesforce a) Salesforce Einstein Einstein is the AI layer built into Salesforce that powers intelligent features across the platform. Key capabilities include: b) AI-Powered Insights c) Personalization d) Automation e) Predictive Intelligence 3. Benefits of AI-Driven Salesforce a) Enhanced Customer Experience b) Increased Efficiency c) Data-Driven Decision Making d) Improved Sales Performance e) Scalability 4. Use Cases of AI-Driven Salesforce a) Sales b) Marketing c) Customer Service d) Commerce 5. The Future of AI in Salesforce In summary, AI-driven Salesforce empowers businesses to work smarter, not harder, by leveraging data and automation to deliver better customer experiences and drive growth. It’s a game-changer for sales, marketing, service, and beyond! Content updated January 2025. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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