Many organisations are exploring the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance their operations, and Salesforce’s Agentforce has emerged as a powerful tool in this landscape. In the last 4 months, SalesFix enjoyed hosting lunch’n’learns and creating educational content about AI and Agentforce, and we’ve received numerous inquiries about how to integrate Agentforce into existing Salesforce systems. Whether your focus is on streamlining customer service or empowering your sales team, this blog will outline the key steps involved in getting started with Agentforce.
The First Step: Connecting with Your Salesforce Resource
Start by reaching out to your Salesforce Account Executive. They can provide valuable insights tailored to your specific needs and help you to align Agentforce with your business objectives.
Checking Your Salesforce Edition
Agentforce is available for Enterprise Edition and above. To check your edition, go to ‘Setup’ and search for ‘Company Information’. You’ll see a field called ‘Organisation Edition’. If you have Enterprise or above, you’re ready to move forward!
Unlocking the Power of Agentforce with Salesforce Foundations
Salesforce Foundations is your gateway to Agentforce. It provides the essential platform and initial resources, including 1,000 Agentforce conversations and 250 Data Cloud Credits. Think of it as the launchpad for your Agentforce implementation. It also brings all of your data together in your organisation in a more intuitive user interface, making access to important information simple and effective.
Once you’ve used those credits, you can always get in touch with your Salesforce Account Executive to buy more. Salesforce has also launched the ‘Digital Wallet’, making it easier for you to track the usage of Agentforce and your other Salesforce services.
For Service and Sales Cloud customers, enabling Salesforce Foundations unlocks access to a suite of powerful features across Sales, Marketing, Commerce, Data Cloud, and, of course, Agentforce. To enable Salesforce Foundations and start leveraging these resources, follow this link for detailed instructions.
Things To Consider Before Implementing Agentforce
It can be very easy to jump straight to an assumption that Agentforce and AI is the solution to all problems/inefficiencies. Current declarative automations such as Flows, Approval Process, and Escalation Pathways can resolve a lot of basic automation.
Before implementing Agentforce and other AI, we would suggest thinking about:
- Data – the quality of your data and metadata is central to the success of implementing Agentforce and AI. If you regularly audit your data, have processes set up to ensure data quality is at the forefront of what you do, you might be in a good position to start thinking about using Agentforce
- Processes – Well-defined and documented processes are essential. Agentforce can automate and optimise these processes, but it can’t create them from scratch. If your processes are unclear or undocumented, implementing Agentforce may not provide you with the outputs you expect/require.
- Change Management and Communication – have you considered how and when you will communicate your AI journey to staff and clients? Where AI is still quite new to most, implementing AI in your systems might be met with resistance as it can be quite confronting to some people. Make sure you have a well thought out communication plan before implementing AI, so you can take people on the journey with you, rather than surprise them! Having a proactive communication plan is central to you AI implementation.
- Defining Success and ROI – Before implementation, define what success looks like. How will you measure the return on investment (ROI)? Establish clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track progress and demonstrate the value of Agentforce.
Implementing and Optimising Agentforce: Maximising Your ROI Across Service and Sales
If you’ve addressed the above considerations and feel confident in your data, processes, and change management plan, you’re ready for the exciting part: implementation and configuration. This is where partnering with a Salesforce Consulting Partner like SalesFix can be invaluable.
- Discovery – A thorough discovery process is essential for successful Agentforce implementation. This involves a deep dive into existing processes and requirements, with the goal of identifying areas where Agentforce can deliver the most significant impact across both service and sales teams. Prioritising key areas of focus and developing a tailored strategy are crucial outcomes of the discovery phase. This strategic approach ensures that Agentforce is implemented in a way that aligns with specific business objectives and delivers measurable results.
- Implementation and Configuration – The implementation and configuration phase involves a detailed process of building Agentforce capabilities and conducting thorough testing. This often includes local testing to ensure the initial requirements are met, followed by full User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to confirm that Agentforce aligns with existing processes, policies, and the needs of various user groups, including service agents and sales representatives. Seamless integration with the existing Salesforce environment is a key objective during this stage. Experienced Salesforce consultants can play a crucial role in managing the technical aspects of this process.
- Training and Change Management – Introducing AI-powered tools like Agentforce necessitates effective training and change management strategies. Users, whether they are service agents or sales representatives, need to be empowered to confidently utilise the new technology. Addressing potential concerns and clearly demonstrating the benefits of Agentforce within their daily workflows are essential for successful adoption. A well-structured training programme can facilitate this transition and maximise user engagement.
- Ongoing Support and Optimisation – Post-implementation, ongoing support and optimisation are vital for maximising the return on investment in Agentforce. This typically involves monitoring performance, identifying areas for improvement, and making necessary adjustments to ensure that Agentforce continues to meet evolving business needs across both service and sales operations. Regular reviews and updates can help maintain the effectiveness of the AI-powered solution and ensure it continues to deliver value.
Your Agentforce Journey: A Quick Recap
- Connect with your Salesforce Account Executive.
- Understand your Salesforce Edition.
- Explore Salesforce Foundations.
- Partner with a Salesforce Consulting Partner to guide you through a proven process.
Ready to transform your client experience using Agentforce? Contact us today for a free consultation. Let our Salesforce experts help you unlock the full potential of AI-powered service and sales.
Written by:
James Cowley
Salesforce Consultant/Business Analyst
& SalesFix AI Specialist
