UX Archives - gettectonic.com - Page 4
Sales Cloud Innovation Driven by UX Design Principles
29Feb

Sales Cloud Innovation Driven by UX Design Principles

Driving Sales Cloud Innovation Through UX Design Principles: Sales Cloud Innovation Driven by UX Design Principles Enhancing user experiences and driving innovation within Sales Cloud relies on the fundamental principles of UX design. The core philosophy revolves around understanding users’ needs and ensuring simplicity as the default, allowing for increased trust and success. Here’s how three foundational UX design principles guide the product design team at Salesforce: UX Design in Action: The principles of meeting users where they’re at, maintaining low walls and high ceilings, and favoring simplicity are integral to Sales Cloud’s UX design philosophy. By adhering to these principles, Sales Cloud strives to build confidence among users, fostering a collaborative approach to developing innovative and user-friendly products.  Sales Cloud administrators need to operate with the same thought process. Tectonic is proud to introduce our Sales Cloud Implementation Solutions. Content updated May 2024. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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February 29, 2024in Salesforce Implementation Services, Salesforce Sales Cloud
Communicating With Machines
20Sep

Communicating With Machines

For as long as machines have existed, humans have struggled to communicate effectively with them. The rise of large language models (LLMs) has transformed this dynamic, making “prompting” the bridge between our intentions and AI’s actions. By providing pre-trained models with clear instructions and context, we can ensure they understand and respond correctly. As UX practitioners, we now play a key role in facilitating this interaction, helping humans and machines truly connect. The UX discipline was born alongside graphical user interfaces (GUIs), offering a way for the average person to interact with computers without needing to write code. We introduced familiar concepts like desktops, trash cans, and save icons to align with users’ mental models, while complex code ran behind the scenes. Now, with the power of AI and the transformer architecture, a new form of interaction has emerged—natural language communication. This shift has changed the design landscape, moving us from pure graphical interfaces to an era where text-based interactions dominate. As designers, we must reconsider where our focus should lie in this evolving environment. A Mental Shift In the era of command-based design, we focused on breaking down complex user problems, mapping out customer journeys, and creating deterministic flows. Now, with AI at the forefront, our challenge is to provide models with the right context for optimal output and refine the responses through iteration. Shifting Complexity to the Edges Successful communication, whether with a person or a machine, hinges on context. Just as you would clearly explain your needs to a salesperson to get the right product, AI models also need clear instructions. Expecting users to input all the necessary information in their prompts won’t lead to widespread adoption of these models. Here, UX practitioners play a critical role. We can design user experiences that integrate context—some visible to users, others hidden—shaping how AI interacts with them. This ensures that users can seamlessly communicate with machines without the burden of detailed, manual prompts. The Craft of Prompting As designers, our role in crafting prompts falls into three main areas: Even if your team isn’t building custom models, there’s still plenty of work to be done. You can help select pre-trained models that align with user goals and design a seamless experience around them. Understanding the Context Window A key concept for UX designers to understand is the “context window“—the information a model can process to generate an output. Think of it as the amount of memory the model retains during a conversation. Companies can use this to include hidden prompts, helping guide AI responses to align with brand values and user intent. Context windows are measured in tokens, not time, so even if you return to a conversation weeks later, the model remembers previous interactions, provided they fit within the token limit. With innovations like Gemini’s 2-million-token context window, AI models are moving toward infinite memory, which will bring new design challenges for UX practitioners. How to Approach Prompting Prompting is an iterative process where you craft an instruction, test it with the model, and refine it based on the results. Some effective techniques include: Depending on the scenario, you’ll either use direct, simple prompts (for user-facing interactions) or broader, more structured system prompts (for behind-the-scenes guidance). Get Organized As prompting becomes more common, teams need a unified approach to avoid conflicting instructions. Proper documentation on system prompting is crucial, especially in larger teams. This helps prevent errors and hallucinations in model responses. Prompt experimentation may reveal limitations in AI models, and there are several ways to address these: Looking Ahead The UX landscape is evolving rapidly. Many organizations, particularly smaller ones, have yet to realize the importance of UX in AI prompting. Others may not allocate enough resources, underestimating the complexity and importance of UX in shaping AI interactions. As John Culkin said, “We shape our tools, and thereafter, our tools shape us.” The responsibility of integrating UX into AI development goes beyond just individual organizations—it’s shaping the future of human-computer interaction. This is a pivotal moment for UX, and how we adapt will define the next generation of design. Content updated October 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 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 Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more

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September 20, 2023in Data
Benefits of Salesforce Experience Cloud
11Aug

Benefits of Salesforce Experience Cloud

Salesforce Experience Cloud: Transforming Digital Customer Engagement To understand the Benefits of Salesforce Experience Cloud we must understand what a customer or partner portal is intended to do. Salesforce Experience Cloud, previously known as Community Cloud, is a powerful digital experience platform (DXP) designed to help organizations create and deliver exceptional, customer-centric experiences across multiple channels. This platform goes beyond community management, offering tools for building and managing websites, portals, mobile apps, and integrating social media. Benefits of Salesforce Experience Cloud explored. Built on Salesforce Customer 360, Experience Cloud gives businesses a comprehensive view of their customers by connecting data from various sources. With these insights, businesses can create personalized experiences tailored to each customer’s preferences and needs. Organizations can use Experience Cloud to design portals, websites, and communities, providing seamless access to relevant information, collaboration tools, and resources. The platform’s flexibility allows businesses to enhance customer satisfaction, improve partner collaboration, and boost employee productivity. Key Benefits of Salesforce Experience Cloud Salesforce Experience Cloud offers numerous benefits that help businesses deliver seamless experiences across the customer journey. Here are some of its key advantages: 1. Seamless Integration Experience Cloud integrates effortlessly with other Salesforce products like Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, providing a unified platform for comprehensive customer management. 2. Scalability and Customization The platform is highly scalable, allowing businesses to expand their communities as they grow. With extensive customization options, businesses can tailor the platform to meet their specific needs and branding requirements. 3. Security and Trust Salesforce is known for its robust security features, ensuring customer data is protected at all times. Businesses can confidently manage sensitive customer information within Experience Cloud. 4. Extensive AppExchange Ecosystem Salesforce’s AppExchange marketplace provides access to a wide range of pre-built integrations and apps that enhance the functionality of Experience Cloud, allowing businesses to customize and extend their platform capabilities. Real-World Uses of Salesforce Experience Cloud Salesforce Experience Cloud is used by businesses across various industries to improve customer engagement, enhance collaboration, and boost productivity. Some key use cases include: 1. Partner Portals Experience Cloud enables businesses to create dedicated partner portals where partners can collaborate with internal teams, access resources, and share leads. This accelerates partner engagement and streamlines business processes. 2. Self-Service Portals Businesses can offer 24/7 self-service portals, allowing customers to access product information, troubleshoot common issues, and track their interactions. These portals help reduce the workload on support teams and enhance customer satisfaction. 3. Customer Communities Experience Cloud allows businesses to create customer communities where users can find personalized content, engage with other users, and access self-service resources. This promotes collaboration and reduces the strain on customer support teams. 4. Employee Communities Internal employee communities serve as hubs for company-wide communication, training, and collaboration. Employees can access resources, share knowledge, and seek support, ultimately boosting engagement and productivity. 5. Branded Mobile Apps Businesses can use Experience Cloud to develop branded mobile apps that give customers, partners, and employees convenient access to services, resources, and information on the go. 6. Social Media Integration Experience Cloud integrates with popular social media platforms, allowing businesses to engage with customers directly, share content, and respond to inquiries. Top Features of Salesforce Experience Cloud Salesforce Experience Cloud is packed with features that enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and improve overall efficiency: Companies Using Salesforce Experience Cloud Nike and PUMA leverage Experience Cloud for personalization. Nike’s loyalty program and Puma’s mobile shopping experience are enhanced by the platform’s built-in mobile UX design and technical architecture, resulting in better customer engagement and increased sales. Bank of America and Wells Fargo use Experience Cloud to offer customer support through self-service portals and community forums, improving customer satisfaction and gathering valuable feedback. IBM uses the platform to create collaborative communities for employees and customers alike. With integrated tools like Salesforce Einstein and IBM Watson, the company has enhanced internal collaboration and customer service. Hulu uses Salesforce to power its Help Center, where customers can find answers, engage with other viewers, and leave feedback that shapes Hulu’s content. OpenTable relies on Experience Cloud for its Diner Help portal, a one-stop shop for dining-related queries, enhancing the user experience and operational efficiency. Choosing the Right Salesforce Experience Cloud Partner for Implementation When implementing Salesforce Experience Cloud, choosing the right partner is crucial to ensure success. Look for a partner with: With the right partner, like Tectonic, businesses can fully grasp the power of Salesforce Experience Cloud to deliver exceptional digital experiences that foster customer loyalty, drive business growth, and improve operational efficiency. Content updated October 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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August 11, 2023in Data, Salesforce, Salesforce Development Services, Salesforce Einstein, Salesforce Experience Cloud
The Evolution of Salesforce Data Cloud
21Jul

The Evolution of Salesforce Data Cloud

The Evolution of Salesforce Data Cloud Salesforce’s journey to Data Cloud started with its acquisition of Krux in 2016, which was later rebranded as Salesforce DMP. This transformation gained momentum in 2019 when Salesforce introduced its customer data platform (CDP), incorporating Salesforce DMP. Subsequent acquisitions of Datorama, MuleSoft, Tableau, and Evergage (now Interaction Studio) enriched Salesforce CDP’s functionality, creating today’s robust Data Cloud. Understanding Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) A customer data platform (CDP) aggregates customer data from multiple channels to create a unified customer profile, enabling deeper insights and real-time personalization. A CDP serves as a centralized customer data repository, merging isolated databases from marketing, service, and ecommerce to enable easy access to customer insights. Salesforce’s “State of Marketing” report highlights the impact of CDPs, noting that 78% of high-performing businesses use CDPs, compared to 58% of underperformers. This analysis explores the evolution of CDPs and their role in transforming customer relationship management (CRM) and the broader tech ecosystem, turning customer data into real-time interactions. Key Functions of a Customer Data Platform (CDP) CDPs perform four main functions: data collection, data harmonization, data activation, and data insights. Origins of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) CDPs evolved as the latest advancement in customer data management, driven by the need for a unified marketing data repository. Unlike earlier tools that were often limited to specific channels, CDPs enable real-time data synchronization and cross-platform engagement. Advances in AI, automation, and machine learning have made this level of segmentation and personalization attainable. The Future of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) The next generation of CDPs, like Salesforce’s Data Cloud, supports real-time engagement across all organizational functions—sales, service, marketing, and commerce. Data Cloud continuously harmonizes and updates customer data, integrating seamlessly with Salesforce products to process over 100 billion records daily. With Data Cloud, organizations gain: Benefits of a Customer Data Platform (CDP) CDPs provide comprehensive insights into customer interactions, supporting personalization and cross-selling. Beyond segmentation, they serve as user-friendly platforms for audience analysis and data segmentation, simplifying day-to-day data management. Data Cloud allows organizations to transform customer data into personalized, seamless experiences across every customer touchpoint. Leading brands like Ford and L’Oréal utilize Data Cloud to deliver connected, real-time interactions that enhance customer engagement. The Need for Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) CDPs address critical data management challenges by unifying disjointed data sources, resolving customer identities, and enabling seamless segmentation. These capabilities empower companies to maximize the potential of their customer data. CDP vs. CRM CDPs are an evolution of traditional CRM, focusing on real-time, highly personalized interactions. While CRMs store known customer data, CDPs like Data Cloud enable real-time engagement, making it the world’s first real-time CRM by powering Salesforce’s Customer 360. Selecting the Right CDP When choosing a CDP, the focus often falls into two areas: insights and engagement. An insights-oriented CDP prioritizes data integration and management, while an engagement-focused CDP leverages data for real-time personalization. Data Cloud combines both, integrating real-time CDP capabilities to deliver unmatched insights and engagement across digital platforms. Content updated October 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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July 21, 2023in Data, Mulesoft, Salesforce, Salesforce Data Cloud
Use Salesforce Data Protection Services
24May

Use Salesforce Data Protection Services

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

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May 24, 2023in Salesforce, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, Salesforce Shield
Sales Cloud Innovation Driven by UX Design Principles
18May

Enhance UX With Keyboard Accessibility

Enhancing User Experience (UX) with Keyboard Accessibility Keyboard accessibility plays a crucial role in creating more inclusive and scalable products. While many individuals can navigate a computer using a mouse, there are those with mobility- or dexterity-related accessibility needs who rely on alternative devices like head wands or switch controls. The foundation of these alternative interactions is keyboard access. Enhance UX With Keyboard Accessibility for greater user experiences. In a world where approximately 16% of the population has at least one disability, prioritizing keyboard accessibility becomes paramount. Salesforce, a company committed to equality, incorporates this principle into its product design, ensuring that every user, regardless of their abilities, can effectively engage with their products. Enhance UX With Keyboard Accessibility But what does keyboard accessibility entail? Essentially, it means that any action achievable with a mouse should also be accomplishable with a keyboard. This foundational principle accommodates various user needs, such as screen readers for the blind or voice commands. The consistent factor across these diverse modes of interaction is the reliance on keyboard access. Let’s explore an alternative interaction pattern called “click to create” that serves as a keyboard-accessible substitute for drag-and-drop functionalities, addressing accessibility issues in the Email Builder of Marketing Cloud. This pattern allows users, including those with mobility challenges, to add content through keyboard strokes. By incorporating “click to create” into a new keyboard-accessible version of the Email Builder, Salesforce ensures compliance with keyboard accessibility standards and facilitates content creation for all users. To elevate keyboard accessibility during the product design process, consider these five key moments: By integrating keyboard accessibility considerations at each of these key moments, designers, product managers, and engineers can collaboratively contribute to creating products that are accessible to all users. The mantra “Can I do it with a keyboard?” serves as a constant reminder to prioritize inclusivity throughout the product development cycle, making accessibility a shared responsibility among all contributors. 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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May 18, 2023in Salesforce
Salesforce Lightning
03Nov

Why Migrate From Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning?

Why Switch from Salesforce Classic to Lightning? Salesforce is actively advancing the Lightning interface, and the reasons are compelling. The Lightning platform offers numerous advantages, including an improved user interface, quicker development times, and extensive customization options. With user-friendly features like drag-and-drop functionality, Lightning enhances the overall user experience (UX). Many companies are opting to migrate from Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning to leverage these benefits and more. Salesforce Classic Salesforce Classic served as the primary interface until 2016, but today, it is considered outdated. Investing in Lightning Experience is driven by the desire to deliver a superior user experience, adopt features solving business challenges, enhance processes, and gain access to Lightning innovation and rapid app development technology. Given that Salesforce Lightning is faster, provides advanced customization features, and boasts easier navigation compared to Classic, transitioning to Lightning in 2023 can be a strategic decision for your business. Lightning also integrates Salesforce Einstein, offering reporting, analytics, and generative AI capabilities. Salesforce Lightning In contrast to Classic, the Lightning development platform enables non-technical users to effortlessly create customized apps without programming knowledge. Due to its sleek UI, faster performance, regular feature releases, and comprehensive usability, Salesforce Lightning has become the preferred CRM for businesses. Migration However, migrating from Salesforce Classic to Lightning, or any other CRM to Lightning, presents challenges, including high implementation time. Opting for a phased rollout is an effective approach to overcome these challenges. While challenges may arise, a strategic plan executed by experienced Salesforce Lightning Support can ensure a seamless and timely migration. If you’re ready to migrate to Salesforce Lightning, especially if your Salesforce is highly customized, it’s crucial to document all changes made in Classic and identify corresponding solutions in Lightning. If handling the complexities of Classic seems daunting, consider engaging a Salesforce Migration partner like Tectonic to conduct a full Salesforce audit before migrating to Salesforce Lightning, ensuring a smooth transition. Content updated December 2023. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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November 3, 2022in Data, Generative AI, Salesforce, Salesforce Einstein, Technology
Digital Transformation for Life Sciences
19Aug

Digital Transformation for Life Sciences

In hindsight, one remarkable aspect of the COVID crisis was the speed with which vaccines passed through regulatory approval processes to address the pandemic emergency. Approvals that would typically take years were expedited to mere months, a pace not usually seen in the life sciences industry. It was an extraordinary situation, as Paul Shawah, Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Veeva Systems, notes: “There were things that were unnaturally fast during COVID. There was a shifting of priorities, a shifting of focus. In some cases, you had the emergency approvals or the expedited approvals of the vaccines that you saw in the early days, so there was faster growth. Everything was kind of different in the COVID environment.” Today, the industry is not operating at that same rapid pace, but the impact of this acceleration remains significant: “What it did do is it challenged companies to think about why can’t we operate faster at a steady state? There was an old steady state, then there was COVID speed. The industry is trying to get to a new steady state. It won’t be as fast as during COVID because of unique circumstances, but expectations are now much higher. This drives a need to modernize systems, embrace the cloud, become more digital, and improve efficiency.” Companies like Veeva, alongside enterprise giants such as Salesforce, SAP, and Oracle, specialize in this market and play crucial roles in life sciences digitization. According to a McKinsey study, about 45% of tech spending in life sciences goes to three key technologies: applied Artificial Intelligence, industrialized Machine Learning, and Cloud Computing. Over 80% of the top 20 global pharma and medtech companies are operating in the cloud to some extent. However, a study by Accenture found that life sciences firms are among the lowest in achieving benefits from cloud investments, with only 43% satisfied with their results and less than a quarter confident that cloud migration initiatives will deliver the promised value within expected time frames. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Frank Defesche, SVP & GM of Life Sciences at Salesforce, sees it as the latter, stating: “The life sciences industry faces increased competition, evolving patient expectations, and ongoing pressure to bring devices and drugs to market faster. With rising drug costs, frustrated doctors, and varying regulatory scrutiny, life sciences organizations must find ways to do more with less.” The industry also contends with an unprecedented influx of data and disparate systems, making it difficult to move quickly. Addressing changes one by one is too slow and costly. Defesche believes that a systemic solution, fueled by connected data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), is key to overcoming these challenges. Paul Shawah of Veeva emphasizes the unique challenges of the life sciences sector: “Life sciences firms primarily do two things: discover and develop medicines, and commercialize them by educating doctors and getting the right drugs to patients. The drug development cycle includes clinical trials, managing everything related to drug safety, the manufacturing process, and ensuring quality. They also manage regulatory registrations. On the commercial side, it’s about reaching out to doctors and healthcare professionals.” Veeva’s Vault platform is designed for life sciences, with customers like Merck, Eli Lilly, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Shawah acknowledges it’s “still relatively early days” for cloud computing adoption but notes successes in areas like CRM, where Veeva achieved over 80% market share by standardizing processes and reducing technical debt. Other areas, like parts of the clinical trials process, remain largely untapped by cloud computing. Shawah sees opportunities to improve patient experiences and make the process more efficient. AI represents a significant area of opportunity. Shawah explains Veeva’s approach: “I’ll break AI into two categories: traditional AI, Machine Learning, and data science, which we’ve been doing for a long time, and generative AI, which is new. We’re focusing on finding use cases that create sustainable, repeatable value. We’re building capabilities into our Vault platform to support AI.” Joe Ferraro, VP of Product, Life Sciences at Salesforce, emphasizes AI’s critical role: “We are born out of the data and AI era, and we’re taking that philosophy into everything we do from a product standpoint. We aim to move from creating a system of record to a system of insight, using data and AI to transform how users interact with software.” Ferraro highlights the need for change: “Organizations told us, ‘Please don’t build the same thing we have now. We are mired in fragmented experiences. Our sales and marketing teams aren’t talking, and our medical and commercial teams don’t understand each other.’ Life Sciences Cloud aims to move the industry from these fragmented experiences to an end-to-end, AI-powered experience engine.” The COVID crisis highlighted the critical role of the life sciences industry. There’s a massive opportunity for digital transformation, whether through specialists like Veeva or enterprise players like Salesforce, Oracle, and SAP. Data must be the foundation of any solution, especially amidst the current AI hype cycle. Ensuring this data is well-managed is a crucial starting point for industry-wide change. 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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August 19, 2022in Generative AI, Life Sciences Cloud
Salesforce Automation
17Aug

Salesforce Automation

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, efficiency reigns supreme, and the optimization of processes is paramount for success. Salesforce automation tools stand as indispensable allies in this pursuit, empowering businesses to automate repetitive tasks, eliminate errors, and liberate valuable time for employees to focus on mission-critical endeavors. From sales to marketing and customer service, Salesforce offers a comprehensive suite of automation tools designed to enhance efficiency, productivity, and ultimately, profitability. This insight serves as a guide to the value and various components of Salesforce automation. At the core of Salesforce’s effectiveness lies its sophisticated suite of automation tools, reshaping how organizations manage and streamline their sales operations. For administrators entrusted with overseeing the Salesforce environment, mastering these automation tools transcends mere skill; it’s a strategic necessity. Salesforce Automation Tools empower administrators to craft and deploy intricate workflows, facilitating seamless coordination of tasks and processes within the CRM platform. From lead generation to deal closure, these tools offer a comprehensive array of features that can metamorphose manual, time-consuming tasks into streamlined, automated processes. As businesses aspire for agility and efficiency in their operations, administrators assume the role of architects, leveraging Salesforce automation tools to erect a robust foundation for success. This deep dive into Salesforce Automation Tools aims to arm administrators with the knowledge and insights required to navigate the platform’s intricacies adeptly. We will dive into the fundamental components of automation, including workflow rules, process builder, and flow builder, unraveling their functionalities and showcasing how they can be tailored to suit specific business requirements. Through real-world examples and practical guidance, this exploration seeks to empower administrators to unleash the full potential of Salesforce Automation Tools, transforming them into proficient conductors of the CRM symphony. As we embark on this journey, administrators will cultivate a comprehensive understanding of Salesforce’s automation capabilities, enabling them to optimize processes, enhance productivity, and elevate the overall user experience. Whether you’re a seasoned Salesforce administrator or a newcomer to the platform, this deep dive promises invaluable insights and hands-on expertise to navigate the dynamic realm of Salesforce automation with confidence and proficiency. What is Salesforce Automation? Salesforce automation represents a sophisticated sales management solution that automates pivotal sales components such as lead management, sales forecasting, and team performance management. Leveraging Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products enables the automation of repetitive and redundant tasks and processes. Workflow rules enable organizations to design and enforce business processes systematically. For example, as leads progress through the sales pipeline, workflow rules can automatically assign tasks to sales representatives, update opportunity stages, and notify relevant stakeholders. By establishing these rules, administrators lay the groundwork for a more streamlined and error-resistant workflow, allowing teams to focus on high-impact activities while the system handles routine, rule-based tasks. Understanding the foundations of Salesforce automation through workflow rules is crucial for administrators seeking to optimize their CRM environment. As businesses evolve, the ability to adapt and scale automation becomes paramount. This foundational knowledge not only empowers administrators to create efficient workflows but also sets the stage for exploring more advanced automation tools within the Salesforce ecosystem, ensuring a robust and responsive foundation for the dynamic world of CRM. Centralized Data Storage and Enhanced Lead Tracking Centralizing customer-related data stands as one of the most significant advantages of Salesforce automation. This consolidation facilitates streamlined lead tracking, performance monitoring, and revenue prediction. By automating non-revenue-generating tasks, which can consume up to two-thirds of a sales representative’s time, sales teams can redirect their efforts towards high-impact, revenue-generating activities, thereby fostering overall business growth. Automated Sales Processes: Boosting Productivity The automation of repetitive sales processes emerges as a direct response to research indicating the imperative to enhance sales productivity. Through automation, sales representatives can leverage their time more effectively, focusing on tasks that directly contribute to revenue generation and organizational success. Understanding the Crucial Role of Salesforce Automation The importance of Salesforce automation cannot be overstated in the realm of sales management. By offering centralized data storage, streamlined lead tracking, and enhanced performance monitoring, Salesforce automation revolutionizes the sales landscape. Discover – Controllers in Salesforce: What It Is, Types and Features. Key Benefits of Salesforce Automation The benefits of Salesforce automation are manifold. Firstly, it facilitates the consolidation of customer-related data, enabling efficient lead tracking, reminder setting, and performance monitoring. Additionally, automation saves time and minimizes errors, allowing sales representatives to concentrate on revenue-generating activities such as deal closure and client relationship building. Moreover, Salesforce automation ensures a personalized and consistent customer experience, empowering sales reps to tailor interactions based on customer preferences and behaviors. Furthermore, Salesforce automation fosters efficient collaboration and communication within sales teams, providing a centralized platform for accessing essential information and insights. Additionally, it offers valuable analytics and insights to optimize sales strategies, analyzing customer behavior, sales performance, and market trends to drive revenue growth. Components of Salesforce Automation Lead Management: Involves collecting, tracking, and analyzing customer data and interactions to streamline the sales pipeline and convert leads into customers. Sales Forecasting: Enables organizations to make educated decisions and prepare for future development by forecasting sales revenue based on market analysis and demands. Team Performance Management: Involves monitoring sales team performance, identifying areas for improvement, and providing feedback and coaching to enhance team performance. Email and Social Media Marketing: Automates marketing platforms to communicate better with consumers and prospects, customizing campaigns based on customer preferences and behaviors. Workflow and Approval Processes: Ensures that sales processes follow established procedures and workflows, reducing manual errors and enhancing organizational performance. Data and Analytics: Tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) and provides actionable insights to inform decision-making and drive revenue growth. Streamlining Appointment Scheduling: Assists in scheduling sales appointments efficiently, mitigating the risk of double-booking meetings. Prioritizing Leads: Analyzes leads based on various metrics to maximize sales and productivity. Salesforce automation has revolutionized sales operations, fostering efficiency, effectiveness, and customer-centricity. As technology continues to evolve, Salesforce automation remains a critical tool for businesses striving to stay ahead of the competition and achieve their sales goals. In the dynamic world of Salesforce, administrators

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August 17, 2022in Data, Marketing Automation, Salesforce, Salesforce Implementation Services, Technology
Industry Cloud
09Aug

Tectonic’s Salesforce Industry Experience

Tectonic’s Salesforce Industry Experience spans 16+ years of work focused on certain industry areas. Tectonic has worked in all of the following industries implementing and customizing Salesforce: Put Tectonic’s Industry Experience to work for your organization. Our industry and Salesforce expertise will have you up and running in no time. Casino Case Study Government Case Study Healthcare Payer Case Study Tectonic’s Salesforce Industry Experience Implementing Salesforce can be complex. Getting it wrong can be costly. From 5 to 5000 users, across Sales, Service and Marketing clouds, Tectonic has the process and patterns to help you plan, design and implement your solution right the first time. Whether this is your first Salesforce implementation or expansion of users or additional clouds, we can guide you from inception to delivery. Misalignment of your business needs and your system configuration create low adoption and usage rates that erode your Salesforce ROI. Tectonic’s technology professionals use our proven industry expertise and collaborate with business partners to deliver business value. From minor tweaks and retraining to reimplementation, we assess your situation and execute a customized solution to meet your needs. 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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August 9, 2022in Mulesoft, Salesforce, Salesforce Managed Services
Value of Queues in Salesforce
28Jun

Value of Queues in Salesforce

Salesforce Queues serve as a streamlined and collaborative solution for the management of records and tasks. The value of queues in Salesforce is the ease of access they provide for records. They offer an organized and automated method to structure, distribute, and assign work items among users or teams efficiently. Visualize a Salesforce Queue as a virtual container or repository that holds a collection of records or tasks. These items encompass leads, cases, opportunities, or any standard/custom object in your Salesforce org. Instead of manually assigning individual records to specific users, the queue becomes the focal point for distributing work seamlessly. Value of Queues in Salesforce The utility of Salesforce Queues shines in situations where multiple users or teams collaborate in handling incoming requests or overseeing a specific record type. For instance, a customer support team may utilize a queue for incoming cases, allowing any team member to access and work on cases from the shared queue. Significance of Salesforce Queues: In sales and support teams, the influx of leads and issues demanding resolution is often substantial. Without proper assignment of this workload, inefficiencies and mismanagement can arise. Salesforce Queues play a pivotal role in addressing this challenge. A queue acts as an orderly arrangement of records, especially leads, ensuring systematic prioritization and handling. Through the use of queues, collaborating team members can efficiently distribute and manage the workload associated with these records. This collaborative framework empowers employees to share responsibilities and address tasks as they become available. Records remain within the queue until claimed by an individual user. The implementation of queues benefits both the organization’s workforce and its customers. It prevents employee overload by ensuring a balanced distribution of tasks while ensuring prompt attention to customer concerns. As a result, this approach guarantees that no records are overlooked or left unattended. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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June 28, 2022in Salesforce
Salesforce Success Story
19Jun

Case Study: Service Cloud Marketing Cloud Hospitality

Resort company builds loyalty and drives sales increase across all sites using data and segmentation. hospitality salesforce service marketing case study. Industry: Hospitality Located at the epicenter of Honolulu’s most exciting neighborhoods, resort offers guaranteed oceanfront panoramic views in guestrooms and luxury suites. The hotel also has its own golf course. Problem: Implemented : Technologies integrated : Our solution? Results: Tectonic has assisted customers in generating a live view of their visitors so they can pleasantly surprise and amuse them with customized service during every engagement. Salesforce offers customized solutions for the travel and hospitality industries, assisting companies in this field to provide outstanding client experiences, optimize workflows, and spur expansion. These solutions make use of the Salesforce Customer 360 platform to improve communication, organize data, and give visitors a customized experience. Salesforce offers digital transformation technology for travel, tourist, and hospitality industries. If you are considering a Salesforce hospitality implementation, contact Tectonic today. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

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June 19, 2022in Data, Salesforce, Salesforce Hospitality Travel and Transportation, Salesforce Implementation Services, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, Salesforce Success Stories, Technology
snowpark container services
08Feb

Snowpark Container Services

Snowpark Container Services is a fully managed solution designed to simplify deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications within the Snowflake ecosystem. Key Features Benefits of Snowpark Container Services in Native Apps Integrating Snowpark Container Services into Snowflake Native Apps enables developers to create solutions for various use cases, including: Developers benefit from Snowflake’s Native Apps Framework safeguards, which ensure secure and efficient operations. Development Workflow for Snowpark Container Services Here’s a quick guide to the development cycle for building and deploying containerized services within Snowflake. 1. Develop Code Locally 2. Build and Push an Image 3. Provision Resources 4. Deploy and Test Services Getting Started To build containerized applications with Snowpark Container Services: For a deep dive into architecture and workflows, explore Snowflake’s guides and tutorials on Snowpark Container Services and Native Apps. The Snowflake Native Applications Framework allows developers to package Snowflake features into standalone applications that can be installed across multiple accounts. This framework now supports advanced features for managing resource provisioning and deploying container services. Below is an overview of how to integrate container services into a Native App. Key Components 1. Manifest File The manifest file defines the configuration and setup properties for the application, including: Example Manifest File: Specifying Container Images yaml Copy code manifest_version: 1 version: name: V1 label: “Version One” comment: “The first version of my amazing Snowflake Native App” artifacts: readme: readme.md setup_script: scripts/setup.sql container_services: images: – /provider_db/provider_schema/provider_repo/server:prod – /provider_db/provider_schema/provider_repo/web:1.0 Here: Setting a Web UI as the Landing Page For apps with a web UI, specify a default_web_endpoint field to make the UI the landing page. yaml Copy code default_web_endpoint: service: ux_schema.ux_service endpoint: ui Here, service corresponds to the name defined in the CREATE SERVICE command, and endpoint refers to the service’s endpoint in the specification file. Using Streamlit as a Landing Page Alternatively, you can specify a default_streamlit field to use Streamlit as the landing page. Note: default_web_endpoint and default_streamlit are mutually exclusive—you can only use one. 2. Setup Script The setup script executes during the application installation and upgrade processes. It contains SQL statements for creating: Resource Provisioning for Snowpark Container Services The setup script also includes logic for provisioning resources like compute pools. However, these provisioning procedures are executed post-installation to ensure the consumer has granted the necessary privileges. Managing Compute Pools and Privileges Consumer-Controlled Resource Provisioning A foundational principle of the Snowflake Native Apps Framework is that consumers maintain full control over the resources the application accesses. This includes compute resources. Privileges Required To enable an application to provision resources, specific privileges must be requested in the manifest file: Example Privileges in the Manifest File yaml Copy code privileges: – CREATE COMPUTE POOL description: “Enable application to create its own compute pool(s)” – BIND SERVICE ENDPOINT description: “Enables application to expose service endpoints” Note: These privileges are not granted by default. The installation user may need to request them from another user with the appropriate permissions within the organization. By wrapping container services into a Snowflake Native App, developers can: This approach ensures that both providers and consumers retain control over their resources and data, while maximizing the capabilities of Snowflake Native Apps. Managing Privileges and Deploying Services in Snowflake Native Apps Once a Snowflake Native App is installed, consumers can grant the necessary privileges through various supported mechanisms. Here’s an overview of how to configure privileges, deploy services, and manage app components effectively. Granting Privileges 1. Snowsight UI Configuration Snowflake Native Apps with Snowpark Container Services provide a custom Snowsight configuration UI. When privileges are granted via this UI, it triggers the app’s grant_callback procedure specified in the manifest file. This procedure receives a list of privileges as input, making it ideal for initiating resource provisioning, such as creating compute pools. For containerized apps, this is the recommended approach. Example Manifest Configuration: yaml Copy code manifest_version: 1 configuration: log_level: debug trace_level: always grant_callback: setup.grant_callback 2. Streamlit Integration Using Snowflake’s Permissions SDK, developers can create Streamlit-based pop-ups to request privileges. After privileges are granted through the pop-up, resource provisioning can begin. Specify Streamlit as the landing page in the manifest using the default_streamlit field. This configuration allows Streamlit to invoke the necessary resource provisioning procedures. 3. SQL Worksheet Consumers preferring SQL-based interaction can grant privileges and execute resource provisioning procedures directly through the SQL worksheet. Example Grant Callback Procedure: sql Copy code CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE setup.grant_callback(privileges ARRAY) RETURNS STRING AS $$ BEGIN CREATE COMPUTE POOL IF NOT EXISTS backend_compute_pool MIN_NODES = 1 MAX_NODES = 1 INSTANCE_FAMILY = CPU_X64_XS; CALL services.start_backend(‘backend_compute_pool’); RETURN ‘Callback successful’; END; $$; GRANT USAGE ON PROCEDURE setup.grant_callback(ARRAY) TO APPLICATION ROLE app_public; This procedure creates a compute pool and then calls another procedure to set up services within the pool. Deploying Services Once compute pools are created, the application can deploy one or more services. Scenario 1: The App Has All Required Resources If the app has everything it needs, it can directly execute CREATE SERVICE commands in the grant_callback procedure to set up its services. For services requiring warehouses, the app can request the CREATE WAREHOUSE privilege in the manifest and create warehouses as needed. Scenario 2: The App Needs Additional Consumer Resources If the app requires additional objects (e.g., external access integrations or secrets) from the consumer, references can be used. A reference includes a register_callback procedure that binds the required resources. This procedure can also trigger service creation after the reference is bound. Example Register Callback Procedure: sql Copy code CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE v1.register_single_callback(ref_name STRING, operation STRING, ref_or_alias STRING) RETURNS STRING LANGUAGE SQL AS $$ BEGIN CASE (operation) WHEN ‘ADD’ THEN SELECT SYSTEM$SET_REFERENCE(:ref_name, :ref_or_alias); CASE (:ref_name) WHEN ‘external_access_backend_reference’ THEN CALL services.start_service_with_egress(); WHEN ‘secret_reference’ THEN CALL services.start_service_using_secret(); END CASE; WHEN ‘REMOVE’, ‘CLEAR’ THEN SELECT SYSTEM$REMOVE_REFERENCE(:ref_name); ELSE RETURN ‘Unknown operation: ‘ || operation; END CASE; RETURN ‘Operation ‘ || operation || ‘ succeeds.’; END; $$; This procedure: Packaging Service Specifications Service creation requires specification files, which must be included in the app package (typically alongside the manifest.yml). These files define the service

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February 8, 2022in Data, Snowflake

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