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Advances in AI Models

Advances in AI Models

Advances in AI Models Let’s take a moment to appreciate the transformative impact large language models (LLMs) have had on the world. Before the rise of LLMs, researchers spent years training AI to generate images, but these models had significant limitations. Advances in AI Models. One promising neural network architecture was the generative adversarial network (GAN). In a GAN, two networks play a cat-and-mouse game: one tries to create realistic images while the other tries to distinguish between generated and real images. Over time, the image-creating network improves at tricking the other. While GANs can generate convincing images, they typically excel at creating images of a single subject type. For example, a GAN that creates excellent images of cats might struggle with images of mice. GANs can also experience “mode collapse,” where the network generates the same image repeatedly because it always tricks the discriminator. An AI that produces only one image repeatedly isn’t very useful. What’s truly useful is an AI model capable of generating diverse images, whether it’s a cat, a mouse, or a cat in a mouse costume. Such models exist and are known as diffusion models, named for the underlying math that resembles diffusion processes like a drop of dye spreading in water. These models are trained to connect images and text, leveraging vast amounts of captioned images on the internet. With enough samples, a model can extract the essence of “cat,” “mouse,” and “costume,” embedding these elements into generated images using diffusion principles. The results are often stunning. Some of the most well-known diffusion models include DALL-E, Imagen, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney. Each model differs in training data, embedding language details, and user interaction, leading to varied results. As research and development progress, these tools continue to evolve rapidly. Uses of Generative AI for Imagery Generative AI can do far more than create cute cat cartoons. By fine-tuning generative AI models and combining them with other algorithms, artists and innovators can create, manipulate, and animate imagery in various ways. Here are some examples: Text-to-Image Generative AI allows for incredible artistic variety using text-to-image techniques. For instance, you can generate a hand-drawn cat or opt for a hyperrealistic or mosaic style. If you can imagine it, diffusion models can interpret your intention successfully. Text-to-3D Model Creating 3D models traditionally requires technical skill, but generative AI tools like DreamFusion can generate 3D models along with detailed descriptions of coloring, lighting, and material properties, meeting the growing demand in commerce, manufacturing, and entertainment. Image-to-Image Images can be powerful prompts for generative AI models. Here are some use cases: Animation Creating a series of consistent images for animation is challenging due to inherent randomness in generated images. However, researchers have developed methods to reduce variations, enabling smoother animations. All the use cases for still images can be adapted for animation. For example, style transfer can turn a video of a skateboarder into an anime-style animation. AI models trained on speech patterns can animate the lips of a generated 3D character. Embracing Generative AI Generative AI offers enormous possibilities for creating stunning imagery. As you explore these capabilities, it’s essential to use them responsibly. In the next unit, you’ll learn how to leverage generative AI’s potential in an ethical and effective manner. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Alphabet Soup of Cloud Terminology As with any technology, the cloud brings its own alphabet soup of terms. This insight will hopefully help you navigate Read more

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UX Principles for AI in Healthcare

Agentic Era of UX

The Agentic Era of UX The future of digital experience has arrived, but it’s fragmenting into countless micro-applications. The missing piece in AI user experience? The experience itself. It’s been almost a year and a half since generative AI burst onto the scene, heralded as transformative. But what have we actually seen in terms of user experience? Many companies released AI-powered summaries or search features, claimed them as revolutionary, and received applause—until the applause faded. The so-called “next era” of tech hasn’t yet delivered on its promise. We were given “the most profound technology since fire,” yet many implementations feel like candles that barely flicker. Many UX designers continue advocating for AI to solve genuine user needs. Technology must serve users, not just exist for its own sake. The core issue now is broader: AI has often been treated as a quick fix rather than a true UX transformation. Where user experience traditionally supports the entire journey, AI is being wedged into small, isolated tasks, losing the holistic perspective. For most companies, AI feels like a string of individual “use cases” rather than a full, cohesive UX meal. Many consulting firms push companies to prioritize use cases in terms of complexity and value, often resulting in chatbots that address a handful of user needs. There are notable exceptions, though. For example, Loom went beyond simple AI features to enhance the user’s entire workflow, supporting end-to-end functionality for video recording, transcription, editing, and even task management. Welcome to the Agentic Era of AI We’re now on the verge of the “agentic” era of AI. Industry leaders are abuzz with the potential of AI agents. OpenAI’s Sam Altman calls agents AI’s “killer function,” while other leaders predict this future is within reach, possibly within 3–18 months. The agentic promise is profound: AI agents, or “agentic workflows,” break down complex tasks into manageable steps, helping users complete intricate projects with autonomy. As Ezra Klein describes, imagine telling an AI to plan your child’s dragon-themed birthday party in Brooklyn, and the agent handles everything from booking to ordering the cake—transforming a casual AI prompt into tangible results. Today’s general-purpose models can’t handle this level of complexity independently. But agentic workflows make this possible by chaining AI actions, allowing systems to execute tasks step-by-step. A Vision for Agentic UX Design’s role in this era is to bring a vision of agentic UX to life. In traditional digital experiences, we build systems that assist users along their journey, but we still expect users to navigate the journey themselves. With an agentic UX, an AI partner supports the user at every step. This vision means UX will be defined by three pillars: Early examples are emerging, like Adobe’s Gen Studio, Intercom’s Copilot, and Dovetail’s Magic Experience, each taking steps toward a future where AI provides ongoing, meaningful support to users. An agentic UX doesn’t necessarily need to label itself “agent-powered.” Dovetail, for instance, offers a suite of “Magic” features where the AI partner plays a supporting role, from summarizing transcripts to highlighting key points. Over time, as AI evolves, these agents will assume greater responsibility in user journeys, shifting from supportive to proactive. Strategically Reinvent for the Agentic Era Adapting to the agentic era presents an opportunity—and a risk for those who ignore it. Currently, organizations are focused on laying the infrastructure for “AI readiness.” While that’s essential, it can obscure the longer-term vision of what’s possible. Until business leaders fully grasp the agentic UX’s potential, it’s up to design to step into a strategic role and make this vision vivid, relatable, and exciting. This requires more than launching a quick proof of concept; it demands a reimagining of digital experience. Here’s a recommended approach: It’s been a challenging year for design, with layoffs and value debates. But with the agentic era approaching, the strategic potential for UX is immense. Now is the time to rally, to guide organizations into a new era of digital experience where users are truly supported every step of the way. 4ox Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Alphabet Soup of Cloud Terminology As with any technology, the cloud brings its own alphabet soup of terms. This insight will hopefully help you navigate Read more

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Net Promoter Score Explained

Net Promoter Score Explained

When a friend or colleague takes the time to tell you about a product or service, you probably pay attention. Your friend is more reliable than a Yelp review, right? Word of mouth is the most common way people hear about brands. But how can you tell if your existing customers like your company enough to recommend it to their friends? One way is by tracking your Net Promoter Score (NPS). Is NPS really the best way to measure customer loyalty? Some service leaders aren’t convinced. We wanted to explore the pros and cons of this popular (and sometimes controversial) metric by reviewing what it is, why it’s important, and why some Service Trailblazers choose to measure loyalty in other ways. What is a Net Promoter Score? The Net Promoter Score is a customer experience metric that captures how likely a customer is to recommend your products, services, or brand. Created by Fred Reichheld in 2003, NPS has since been widely adopted. To find NPS, businesses ask customers: “On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely would you be to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?” Typically, companies follow up with an open-ended question to understand why a customer chose their score. Customers are categorized as promoters, passives, or detractors based on their scores: By understanding these categories, businesses can gain insights into customer loyalty and take action to improve customer experiences and foster stronger relationships. How to Calculate Net Promoter Score A company’s NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. For instance, if you have responses from 100 customers, with 30 promoters and 18 detractors, your NPS would be 12. Why is the Net Promoter Score Important? Companies use NPS to gain insights into individual customer experiences and understand the overall perception of their products, services, and brand. NPS feedback helps address individual issues, enhance product offerings, and apply customer service principles effectively. An improving NPS indicates positive changes that matter to customers, while a sudden drop signals potential issues that need attention. What is a Good Net Promoter Score? NPS can range from -100 to +100. While anything above 0 indicates more promoters than detractors, industry-specific benchmarks provide a more nuanced view. For example, the average NPS in the insurance industry is 74, whereas in healthcare, it’s only 45. According to Bain & Company, the creators of NPS, a score above 0 is considered good. Scores over 20 are favorable, over 50 are excellent, and above 80 are world-class. Comparing your NPS to industry benchmarks helps gauge your customer experience relative to competitors, though it’s important to consider the context, such as company size and market scope. What is a Bad Net Promoter Score? Any NPS below zero is considered bad, as it means more customers are dissatisfied than satisfied. A significantly lower NPS compared to competitors may indicate the need to re-evaluate your customer service experience and address gaps that cause dissatisfaction. What Can You Measure Using NPS? NPS provides insights into: Bain & Company’s data shows that companies with long-term profitable growth have an NPS twice as high as the average company. How to Run Surveys and Collect Feedback Running an NPS survey involves asking a single question, collecting responses, and calculating your NPS. Surveys can be distributed via email, text, in-store, or online at checkout, using a survey builder or NPS app for automation. When to Run NPS Surveys The timing of NPS surveys varies: Staggering surveys over time can provide a more organic picture of customer satisfaction. How to Collect NPS Feedback Following up with an open-ended question like, “What’s the primary reason for your score?” helps gather actionable insights. This feedback can highlight areas for improvement and strengths to build on. How to Improve Your Net Promoter Score Improving NPS requires both individual and broad strategies: Implementing Net Promoter Score Invest in NPS survey software that integrates with your CRM platform. Automate survey distribution and workflows to manage responses efficiently. Designate responsibilities for customer follow-ups and NPS analysis. Measuring Your NPS is Just the Beginning Your NPS provides valuable insights into customer loyalty and satisfaction. However, the follow-through on these insights is crucial for engaging customers and delivering better experiences. Measuring your NPS is the first step towards enhancing your overall customer experience. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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MuleSoft Certifications Now Unified with Salesforce Certifications

MuleSoft Certifications Now Unified with Salesforce Certifications

MuleSoft Certifications Now Unified with Salesforce Certifications As of May 6, 2024, MuleSoft certifications have been officially integrated into the Salesforce Certification program, with management now handled through Webassessor. This move simplifies the certification process, enabling professionals to manage both their Salesforce and MuleSoft credentials within a single platform, streamlining maintenance and tracking. This article delves into the merging of MuleSoft certifications with Salesforce’s Trailhead platform, highlighting what this means for professionals in both ecosystems. The update offers a significant improvement in managing certifications, particularly for those working across both platforms, as Salesforce has owned MuleSoft since 2018. We’ll cover what this change entails for current certification holders, key dates in the transition, and the new opportunities this unified platform brings—including new certifications. What is MuleSoft? MuleSoft is a leading integration platform that enables businesses to connect applications, data, and devices seamlessly. As an Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), MuleSoft facilitates the integration of cloud-based and on-premise applications, ensuring smooth workflows across various systems. Acquired by Salesforce in 2018, MuleSoft powers the integration layer of the Salesforce ecosystem, playing a crucial role in enabling businesses to unify their systems and create connected experiences. With the increasing demand for digital transformation and connected systems, MuleSoft expertise is becoming ever more valuable in the job market. MuleSoft Certifications and Training MuleSoft certifications validate expertise in designing, building, and managing integrations using the Anypoint Platform. Prior to this transition, MuleSoft certifications were handled through the MuleSoft Training portal, which was separate from Salesforce’s broader certification system. While this independent platform was functional, it required separate accounts and processes, making exam registration and certification management more cumbersome. By integrating MuleSoft certifications into Trailhead, Salesforce has simplified this process, offering a unified, more user-friendly experience for managing certifications. Transition Timeline The following key dates marked the transition: What This Means for Current MuleSoft Certification Holders For those already certified through MuleSoft, the migration to Salesforce’s certification system should have occurred automatically. MuleSoft credentials were transferred to their Trailblazer profiles for anyone with existing Webassessor accounts. A confirmation email was sent to ensure that the transition was successful. For those without a Webassessor account, one was created on their behalf, with login details provided via email by April 2024. Certification Maintenance MuleSoft certification holders with maintenance pending as of January 1, 2024, are not required to complete additional tasks through the old system. The expectation is that certification holders will have ample time to familiarize themselves with the new Trailhead process before maintenance requirements are introduced in 2025. New Certifications on Trailhead With the migration, certifications such as the MuleSoft Certified Catalyst Specialist and MuleSoft Certified Hyperautomation Specialist have also been integrated into Trailhead. Though not entirely new, these certifications were part of the legacy MuleSoft program, originally launched in late 2022 and early 2023. Summary The integration of MuleSoft certifications into Salesforce’s Trailhead platform marks a significant step towards a unified, more efficient credentialing process. This transition simplifies certification management, making it easier for professionals to stay current across both platforms. By merging these certifications, Salesforce is empowering professionals to fully leverage the combined capabilities of Salesforce and MuleSoft, further enhancing their skill sets in an increasingly interconnected digital landscape. 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 apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Salesforce-Powered Nonprofit Events

Salesforce-Powered Nonprofit Events

Salesforce has cemented its position as the #1 CRM, becoming an essential tool for businesses improving their marketing, sales, and support processes. But there’s another powerful feature you should explore: managing events directly within Salesforce. Salesforce’s versatility allows you to organize a successful event of any size, whether it’s online, offline, or a hybrid meeting. However, like any business endeavor, a well-thought-out strategy is crucial to ensure your event planning turns into a major success. In this insight, you’ll learn how events contribute to a business’s lifecycle, how to manage them effectively, and the essential tools you’ll need for successful event management in Salesforce. The Role of Events in Nonprofits If your company hasn’t yet ventured into event organization, it’s time to reconsider. Events are a great way to fuel engagement, foster data-driven decisions, and build a thriving community. On a larger scale, event planning offers a range of business benefits, including: Common Event Management Challenges Even with the best intentions, event planning comes with challenges that can derail your efforts if not addressed. Let’s review some common challenges and how Salesforce can help: How Salesforce Elevates Event Management Salesforce brings significant advantages to event planning, offering: Your Salesforce Event Planning Checklist To ensure your event management with Salesforce is effective, follow this simple checklist: Our Thoughts Building a robust event management process with Salesforce is not only a logical choice but a strategic one. It ensures smooth event execution, supports business growth, and boosts your brand’s equity. By leveraging the right tools, such as Salesforce, your event planning process becomes more efficient, data-driven, and ultimately more successful. For expert support in managing Salesforce-powered events, consider reaching out to a partner like Tectonic to guide you through the process. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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AI Data Foundation

AI Data Foundation

In the era of AI, the Data Foundation is crucial for empowering AI-driven customer experiences. Data Cloud emerges as a unifying force, seamlessly integrating data to fuel transformative AI encounters and elevate customer-centricity. Beyond mere data management, Data Cloud represents a significant advancement, enabling profound insights by harmonizing diverse data sources with CRM data from the Salesforce platform. This convergence facilitates the unlocking of actionable insights critical for informed decision-making. In a strategic collaboration, Salesforce and AWS extend their partnership to enhance AI capabilities. AWS AI services are integrated into Salesforce’s Einstein Trust Layer, empowering Data Cloud with seamless access to AWS data services and compute resources. Additionally, Data Cloud and other Salesforce offerings are now accessible through the AWS Marketplace, streamlining procurement processes. This insight explores how Data Cloud unifies vast and varied business data with CRM data from the Salesforce Einstein Platform. It serves as a robust foundation for AI-powered customer experiences, providing businesses with unprecedented insights into their data universe. With Data Cloud, businesses can seamlessly combine CRM data with diverse sources, including transactional data, IoT device data, and social media interactions. This consolidation fosters a single source of truth, enhancing decision-making and the relevance of AI models. Unlike traditional approaches that involve laborious data movement, Data Cloud operates on AWS infrastructure, enabling seamless data connectivity and preparation without the need for ETL processes. Leveraging Apache Iceberg and Salesforce’s contributions, Data Cloud ensures data consistency, flexibility, and interoperability, essential for AI-driven insights. Moreover, Data Graphs offer a novel approach to assemble and rapidly access data collections from disparate sources, facilitating grounded AI experiences. Through Model Builder and Einstein Copilot Studio, businesses can seamlessly access Data Cloud data in Amazon SageMaker for custom AI model creation without ETL overheads. This partnership between Salesforce and AWS represents a paradigm shift in data management and AI integration. By combining Salesforce’s customer-centric approach with AWS’s scalable infrastructure, Data Cloud empowers businesses to harness AI as a practical tool for growth and innovation in the digital era. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Salesforce Unified Knowledge

Salesforce Unified Knowledge

Salesforce Inc. is introducing a novel feature within its Data Cloud data lake, addressing the growing need for organizations to develop their own artificial intelligence models. This new feature, termed Unified Knowledge, integrates data from various third-party sources into the Data Cloud, facilitating the collection and curation of data crucial for training AI models, particularly for customer service agents. Unified Knowledge enables the importation of unstructured data into the Data Cloud, where it undergoes transformation, tagging, and quality assurance processes. This feature, developed in collaboration with Zoomin, primarily targets the enhancement of Salesforce’s Einstein for Service customer support application. However, its data integration capabilities extend to other Salesforce applications like Sales Cloud, Health Cloud, Financial Services Cloud, and Field Service. The administrative setup process for Unified Knowledge is described as relatively straightforward. Within Salesforce’s knowledge management tool, tagging tools are available, and once content is integrated into the system, much of the content can be automatically processed. Data from external sources such as Microsoft’s SharePoint, Atlassian’s Confluence, Google Drive and YouTube, Amazon Web Services’ S3 storage, Adobe’s Experience Platform, Guru Technologies’ Guru, Zendesk’s customer service platform, and company websites can be utilized to train customer-facing answer bots, streamline employee access to internal information, and facilitate quick searches within company knowledge bases. Unified Knowledge is available in a free beta test for Salesforce customers with Service Cloud Unlimited Edition, Einstein 1 Service Edition, or the Knowledge Add-On. A freemium version of Unified Knowledge will continue to be included with those applications, with Salesforce Lightning Knowledge being a requirement and Classic Knowledge not being supported. In essence, Unified Knowledge aims to consolidate organizational knowledge from disparate third-party systems into Salesforce, thereby improving service agent efficiency, resolving customer cases faster, and enhancing the quality and accuracy of generative AI content. By Tectonic Salesforce Marketing Architect, Shannan Hearne. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Generative AI Self-Service and Unified Knowledge

Generative AI Self-Service and Unified Knowledge

Salesforce Announces Unified Knowledge to Boost Service Efficiency and Customer Experience Salesforce has introduced Unified Knowledge, a groundbreaking solution designed to integrate organizational knowledge from various third-party systems into Salesforce. This integration aims to enhance service agents’ efficiency and expedite customer case resolutions. By leveraging customer data in Salesforce Data Cloud, Unified Knowledge helps generate accurate and relevant AI-driven content, enabling faster and more personalized customer experiences. Generative AI Self-Service and Unified Knowledge. Key Importance Detailed Insights Built on the Einstein Trust Layer, Einstein for Service uses AI to boost service team productivity and customer experience. Traditionally, these AI capabilities have relied on unstructured and structured customer data within Data Cloud. Unified Knowledge enhances these AI models by incorporating Salesforce knowledge articles and resources from third-party platforms such as SharePoint, Confluence, Google Drive, and company websites. This robust data foundation empowers Einstein for Service and its generative AI capabilities to deliver precise answers to agents and AI assistants in real time. Generative AI Self-Service and Unified Knowledge Unified Knowledge, developed through a strategic partnership with Zoomin, offers several key capabilities: In addition to Service Cloud, Unified Knowledge integrates information into Salesforce Field Service, Sales Cloud, Health Cloud, and Financial Services Cloud. Salesforce’s Perspective Kishan Chetan, EVP and GM of Service Cloud, stated, “In service, more knowledge and more context translates to better answers for agents and customers. Agents and self-serve customers already benefit from a complete customer profile with information in Data Cloud. Now, with Unified Knowledge, they also have access to all external organizational data, creating a truly comprehensive foundation to fuel both the successful adoption of generative AI and the delivery of faster, more meaningful customer experiences.” Customer Reaction Dharam Rai, VP of Global Customer Success & Experience at Sonos, commented, “Unified Knowledge is helping us deliver proactive, predictive, and preventative service to our customers. We have over 500 agents educating our customers on different aspects of our products. Now, all our resources and data points can be unified through the same system quickly, enabling our agents to provide solutions faster. Every agent can deliver consistent and repeatable service to improve customer engagement and increase organizational productivity.” Availability Unified Knowledge is available today in open beta for Salesforce customers with Service Cloud Unlimited Edition, Einstein 1 Service Edition, or the Knowledge Add-On. Knowledge Answers in Bots will be generally available in June 2024, while Einstein Copilot for Mobile Workers and Search Answers are available now. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Technical Debt

Technical Debt

In the software industry, “Technical Debt” is perhaps the most frustrating term. This may be controversial, and clean architecture enthusiasts might disagree, but let’s dip into this topic. Defining Technical Debt During interviews, candidates are often asked to define “tech debt,” and surprisingly, each one provides a different answer. The industry seems to lack a consensus. These responses can generally be classified into a few categories: Common Issues with Definitions: The Ubiquity of Tech Debt Regardless of the definition, every company has tech debt. There’s always some code that is difficult to modify, not optimized, or based on an outdated framework. For instance, in 2014, parts of Amazon’s retail website were written in Perl, even though Java had become the standard. Despite its age and the lack of Perl expertise, this code was crucial and used daily by millions. Consensus on Tech Debt Despite varied definitions, one thing is consistent: tech debt is viewed negatively. Candidates often express concern when a company admits to having tech debt. Some even state they would not want to work for a company with tech debt. The Cost of Tech Debt The primary argument against tech debt is its cost. However, unlike financial loans with clear interest rates, tech debt is difficult to quantify. Observations of team velocity, for example, showed slower progress with monolithic architectures compared to microservices initially. Yet, as the number of microservices grew, maintenance burden increased, slowing progress despite cleaner architecture. Similarly, velocity comparisons between Android and iOS teams revealed that clean architecture principles did not always correlate with faster development or fewer bugs. Respecting Legacy Code The conversation about tech debt often implies that past decisions were mistakes. This presumption overlooks the context in which those decisions were made. For example, at Amazon, the use of an internal key-value storage system (Beaver) instead of DynamoDB was criticized, until it was pointed out that DynamoDB did not exist when the project started. Assuming good intentions and understanding the original constraints can provide valuable insights into past choices. Reevaluating Technical Debt Technical debt, like financial debt, can accumulate interest over time, making it more challenging to address the longer it is ignored. However, debt itself is not inherently bad. Just as financial debt can enable significant investments like buying a house or starting a company, technical debt can facilitate rapid development and market entry. For example, a startup’s initial mobile app, built quickly using React Native by a single front-end engineer, enabled the company to acquire thousands of clients and secure funding, ultimately allowing for the development of a native app by a dedicated team. Technical debt should be viewed as a tool rather than a liability. It can be beneficial if managed properly, enabling projects and growth. It is crucial to respect the decisions made by predecessors, recognizing the context and constraints they faced. Properly leveraging technical debt can provide time, attract clients, and unblock projects, turning it into a strategic advantage rather than a hindrance. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Unified Knowledge for Service Agents

Unified Knowledge for Service Agents

Salesforce has introduced a new intelligence source for service agents called Unified Knowledge. This solution aggregates information from third-party sources and integrates it into Salesforce, enhancing the customer data available in Data Cloud. Unified Knowledge Overview Enhanced Service with Unified Knowledge Unified Knowledge aggregates data from sources like SharePoint, Confluence, Google Drive, and brand websites, making it accessible within Salesforce Service Cloud. While Service Cloud has primarily utilized data from Data Cloud via Einstein for Service to assist service agents, Unified Knowledge expands this by including additional third-party information. Broader Integration Across Salesforce Although Service Cloud is a primary focus, Unified Knowledge will also integrate with Salesforce Field Service, Sales Cloud, Health Cloud, and Financial Services Cloud. This solution was developed in partnership with Zoomin Software. Technical Approach and Future Plans The initial version of Unified Knowledge does not utilize Data Cloud. Instead, it stores third-party knowledge in the KnowledgeArticle object on Core and uses Zoomin for integration. Salesforce plans to eventually transition this solution to Data Cloud for both storage and integration. This transition involves multiple dependencies and significant refactoring of the Knowledge product. For now, the current approach allows for quicker market entry. Once moved to Data Cloud, customers will need Data Cloud credits to use Unified Knowledge. Response by email from Salesforce: “The beta version of Unified Knowledge does not leverage Data Cloud. The third-party Knowledge is stored on Core in the KnowledgeArticle object, and Salesforce uses ZoomIn to integrate with third-party systems. Salesforce’s long-term vision is to move to Data Cloud — initially for the storage of third-party knowledge, and eventually for the connector/integration piece as well. This involves multiple dependencies on Data Cloud however and significant refactoring of the Knowledge product, so in order to get this solution to market more quickly, this initial version is built on Core. Once we move Unified Knowledge to Data Cloud, customers will have to purchase Data Cloud credits to use the product.” Benefits and Features of Unified Knowledge Unified Knowledge enhances the information available to service agents, potentially leading to better service experiences. Its generative AI capabilities include: By expanding the data available to service agents, Unified Knowledge aims to improve service quality and efficiency. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Enhanced WhatsApp Channel In Salesforce Service Cloud

Enhanced WhatsApp Channel In Salesforce Service Cloud

Setting up an enhanced WhatsApp channel in Salesforce Service Cloud allows your support team to assist customers over WhatsApp with advanced features like messaging session transfers, collaboration with supervisors, and interactive content sharing. This insight provides a guide on how to create an enhanced WhatsApp channel, including upgrading from a standard channel or migrating a number from an external business service provider. Required Salesforce Editions and User Permissions To configure WhatsApp channels, you need the following user permissions: Note: Standard WhatsApp channels will be retired in mid-2025. Upgrade to enhanced channels before July 30, 2025, to avoid interruptions. Step 1: Prepare to Create Your Channel Step 2: Create Your Channel in Setup Step 3: Activate Your Channel If activation is not completed within 14 days, reverify your WhatsApp number through Meta Business Manager or repeat the setup flow in Messaging Settings. Enhanced WhatsApp Channel In Salesforce Service Cloud Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Blockers to IT Success and Salesforce Implementation Solutions

Blockers to IT Success and Salesforce Implementation Solutions

The CIO’s website recently delved into the primary obstacles to achieving success in IT. Tectonic echoes these concerns and offers insights and remedies based on our Salesforce Implementation Solutions. Issues such as data challenges, technical debt, and talent shortages can significantly hinder the progress of IT organizations and departments in executing high-value projects. Several CIOs have shared their approaches to tackling these challenges. Tectonic poses solutions based upon the Salesforce ecosystem. Carm Taglienti, Chief Data Officer and Distinguished Engineer at Insight, reflects on the dual nature of the recent surge in artificial intelligence (AI). While AI advancements have undoubtedly enhanced efficiency and productivity across technology departments, lines of business, and business units, the rapid proliferation of AI technologies, particularly generative AI, has disrupted numerous IT plans. Taglienti emphasizes the need for organizations to adapt swiftly to these technological shifts to avoid derailing critical projects. Tectonic recently looked at challenges the public sector face in regards to AI. Read more here. The rapid evolution of technology poses a continuous challenge for IT leaders. The relentless pace of technological advancements, exemplified by the rise of AI, demands proactive resource allocation to stay competitive. Ryan Downing, CIO of Principal Financial Group, underscores the necessity of adopting a strategic approach to navigate the complexities of multicloud environments effectively. Tectonic echoes the multicloud challenge. We address this for our clients with Salesforce implementation, optimization, consulting, and ongoing managed services. Salesforce remains the world’s number one CRM solution for a reason. Cloud solutions for marketing, personalization, patient data privacy, manufacturing, feedback management, and more are just a small sampling of the IT solutions Salesforce and Tectonic present. Unaddressed data issues pose a significant impediment to realizing the full potential of analytics, automation, and AI. Many organizations are grappling with legacy systems and inadequate data management practices, hindering their progress in succesfully deploying advanced technologies. Working with a Salesforce partner can address this challenge. The scarcity of skilled talent remains a pressing concern for CIOs, as highlighted in the State of the CIO Study by Foundry. Despite efforts to train internal staff and leverage contractors, filling critical tech positions remains challenging, impeding transformation initiatives. Managed services providers help address this skill gap. Technical debt and legacy systems present additional hurdles for IT departments. The maintenance of outdated infrastructure drains resources and limits innovation, forcing CIOs to strike a delicate balance between modernization efforts and operational demands. Addressing cybersecurity threats and compliance with evolving regulations further strains IT resources, necessitating proactive measures to safeguard organizational assets and maintain regulatory compliance. Striking the right balance between sustaining existing operations, fostering growth, and driving transformative initiatives is another challenge facing CIOs. Scott Saccal of Cambrex emphasizes the importance of aligning resource allocation with strategic objectives to avoid market displacement. The allure of new technologies, coupled with executive pressure to explore shiny objects, can divert focus from core priorities, hampering strategic execution. Shadow IT and the lack of organizational agility pose additional barriers to IT success, highlighting the need for CIOs to foster collaboration, align IT initiatives with business goals, and cultivate a culture of adaptability within their departments. ‘Shadow IT’ refers to the unsanctioned use of software, hardware, or other systems and services within an organization, often without the knowledge of that organization’s information technology (IT) department. CIOs must navigate a myriad of challenges, from technological disruptions to talent shortages, while maintaining a laser focus on strategic objectives to drive organizational success in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Tectonic is here to consult and achieve your IT challenges. Contact us today. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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group-based messaging with graphical identifier actuators

Patent for Group-Based Messaging With Graphical Identifier Actuators

Salesforce has secured a patent for a group-based communication interface designed to facilitate efficient communication within and across different channels. The patented method involves users selecting multiple channels through graphical identifiers on the interface and posting messages across those chosen channels. Group-Based Messaging With Graphical Identifier Actuators. According to GlobalData’s company profile on Salesforce, social media analytics emerged as a key area of innovation from their patents. As of February 2024, Salesforce’s grant share stands at 69%, calculated based on the ratio of granted patents to the total number of patents. Group-Based Messaging With Graphical Identifier Actuators Patent Granted One of the recently granted patents (Publication Number: US11923998B2) describes a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for posting messages across multiple channels within a communication system. This method includes receiving a user’s message posting request, displaying channel identifiers on the interface, allowing users to select multiple channels, and subsequently posting the message across those selected channels. The apparatus consists of a processor, memory, and executable instructions stored in the computer-readable medium to carry out the method. The Patent Additionally, the patent outlines further features such as message updating across channels, receiving requests via web browsers or software applications, and ensuring user authorization for channel access. The innovation aims to streamline communication processes by enabling users to efficiently share messages across various channels within the communication system. This patent represents a significant advancement in improving user experience and interaction within digital communication platforms. What could be coming next from Salesforce? Group-Based Messaging With Graphical Identifier Actuators 1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory comprising program code, the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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Zero-Copy Integrations

Zero-Copy Integrations

At the recent Salesforce World Tour NYC event, Salesforce introduced a new global ecosystem of technology and solution providers designed to assist its customers in leveraging third-party data through secure, bidirectional zero-copy integrations with Salesforce Data Cloud. Tyler Carlson, VP of business development and strategic partnerships at Salesforce, highlighted the key challenge faced by many customers: integrating data from various platforms without creating multiple iterations and losing data lineage. Currently, some startups offer “reverse” ETL services, copying data from customers’ data warehouses or platforms back into systems of engagement. However, this approach requires duplicating data, creating storage spaces, and maintaining data synchronization pipelines. To address these challenges, Salesforce introduced the Zero Copy Partner Network, which brings together ISVs and SIs to eliminate custom integrations and complex data pipelines. This network aims to provide businesses with a more efficient, secure, and user-friendly way to connect data to their applications compared to traditional ETL processes. Zero-copy integration allows teams to access data directly from its source, either through queries or virtual access, without the need for data duplication. Salesforce has pioneered zero-copy bidirectional integrations with Data Cloud partners like Amazon Redshift, Databricks, Google Cloud’s BigQuery, and Snowflake. While integrations with BigQuery and Snowflake are generally available, those with Redshift and Databricks are still in pilot but expected to launch later this year. Salesforce is expanding this network to include its ISV ecosystem, enabling them to build on top of zero-copy connectors to offer enrichment datasets and business applications with zero-copy integration. Additionally, the company is extending this capability to its SI ecosystem, ensuring that global SIs are certified and ready to assist customers with distributed zero-copy integration patterns. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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