You Asked for Game-Changing AI, Salesforce Delivered
This week on Funnel Frontier: AI that makes decisions, streamlines workflows, and handles customer service for you? Yes, please! That will come in handy, especially since customer self-service is failing hard...
This week:
- You asked for game-changing AI, Salesforce delivered
- Self-service isn’t saving the day—here’s why it’s failing hard
- Here’s how NOT to handle customer service
- Inbox overload? Waste less time on emails with these tips
- How to use AI to generate quality marketing content
Stat of the Week
Ninety-eight per cent of current software buyers rate sales automation as the most essential feature in CRM software. (Capterra)
You asked for game-changing AI, Salesforce delivered
Salesforce just dropped Agentforce, an AI tool that’s about to handle your follow-ups smoother than you after a triple espresso.
Built with the mighty Atlas Reasoning Engine, Agentforce doesn’t just answer questions—it makes decisions, streamlines workflows, and handles customer service, sales, and marketing like a pro.
Yes, there you have it, yet another AI feature… But, what makes this one revolutionary? Agentforce’s low-code design will allow you to build and customize your own AI agents, handling anything from routine inquiries to intricate sales strategies.
Integrated seamlessly with platforms like Slack and Salesforce, it promises faster response times, boosted customer satisfaction, and higher productivity.
Early birds like OpenTable and Wiley are already seeing a 40% boost in case resolution rates.
And, there’s much more to it honestly… if you want to geek out on the technical details, Salesforce dives into the nitty-gritty.
So, whether you’re dealing with customer chaos or sales slumps, Agentforce is ready to scale your operations and let your team focus on what matters most—like strategizing, not staring at a mountain of emails.
The Week @ CRM.org
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Weekly Bloom
Five Benefits of Silence. Serenity now? If silence was a stock, it’d be “to the moon.”
Self-service isn’t saving the day—here’s why it’s failing hard
You’d think that with all the tech at our disposal, self-service would be a breeze, right? Well, not quite.
A recent Gartner study found that only 14% of customer service issues are fully resolved via self-service. Even for “simple” inquiries, the success rate isn’t much better at 36%.
So, why the struggle? Customers often feel like they’re playing a frustrating game of Where’s Waldo—hunting for relevant content or solutions that just aren’t there.
A big issue is that 43% of customers report that self-service content isn’t helpful or accessible. Essentially, companies are leaving customers hanging.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Gartner suggests that businesses can turn things around by enhancing self-service content quality, using AI chatbots for smarter guidance, and making sure customers don’t get stuck in endless loops of FAQs.
In other words, it’s time for a service upgrade—because your customers deserve better than a digital scavenger hunt.
Stellar Strategies: Tips & Tricks for Sales, Marketing & Service
Here’s how NOT to handle customer service
You know what they say—you learn best from mistakes. But it’s even better when you can learn from someone else’s blunders… So, this week, we’re diving into bad customer service!
One of the worst offenders? Long Wait Times—nobody enjoys being on hold for what feels like an eternity. And, it truly did take Delta Airlines an eternity to respond to their customers.
In 2023, their top frequent flyers waited an insane 41 hours to reach customer service. While Delta does offer a callback option, customers claimed that they were still having to wait over 30 minutes once answering the call.
The fix? Ensure you have enough support staff or virtual agents, and streamline your processes before leaning too hard on AI for a quick patch-up.
Want more bad examples (and how to avoid them)? Check out the full list here.
Inbox overload? Here’s how to waste less time on emails
If your inbox feels like a bottomless pit of unread emails, you’re not alone. The solution? Start with Inbox Zero—a strategy where you deal with, delegate, or delete every email as soon as it arrives.
But don’t stop there! Use filters and folders to prioritize the most important messages, so nothing critical gets buried.
And here’s a power move: schedule dedicated time to batch-process your emails, instead of reacting all day long.
One more smart move—leverage automation tools like templates and canned responses to speed up your replies.
Want to keep your inbox in check? Check out more email management tips here.
This is how you can use AI to generate quality marketing content
Relying on AI alone for your content? That’s like letting a robot write your love letters!
AI-generated content often lacks the human touch that makes marketing truly resonate.
But don’t write off AI just yet. It’s a pro at handling the grunt work.
Treat AI as a collaborator: Let AI handle tasks like keyword research or trend analysis, freeing up your time for creative work.
Make content non-replicable: AI drafts are just the start. Add your personal touch to make the final content stand out.
Use AI to spark ideas: Stuck? AI prompts can help generate fresh ideas. Just be sure to input creative, specific prompts to get the best outputs.
AI is here to streamline content creation, but your human touch is what will make it truly stand out.
Start turning those AI drafts into marketing gold now. More info here.
Galactic Gourmet
CRM blips from around the web
SugarCRM Recognized as Top CRM Provider. SugarCRM has been named one of the top CRM providers in the 2024 CRM Industry Leader Awards, solidifying its position among the industry’s best.
Zayo and RingCentral Join Forces. Zayo teams up with RingCentral to modernize business communications, promising improved connectivity and collaboration solutions for enterprises.
Pipedrive Strengthens AI Offering. Pipedrive launches Pipedrive Pulse, expanding its AI portfolio to help businesses make faster, smarter decisions.
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