Dreamforce 2024 once again showed why it’s the go-to event for business and tech leaders. This year’s focus? Using AI and data to unlock growth and simplify complex innovations for everyone.
We got to dive into insightful sessions, hands-on workshops, and real-world discussions about how these technologies are transforming industries. Below are some of the biggest takeaways that can help move your business forward.
Dreamforce 2024 Announcements You Need to Know
Agentforce: The Future of AI Automation
One of the major announcements at Dreamforce 2024 was Agentforce, an AI-powered tool designed to revolutionize customer interactions across sales, marketing, service, and operations. Imagine having a smart assistant that handles routine tasks, answers questions, and guides customers through processes—all without human intervention.
With Agentforce, your teams can finally focus on more strategic, high-impact work, while your customers receive immediate, accurate support. It’s a win-win.
Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or looking to scale existing initiatives, Agentforce can be tailored to your needs. Start small with simple tasks, like handling FAQs or resetting passwords, and gradually expand to more complex workflows and automation.
The key is to align Agentforce with your business goals from the start. At Coastal, our True North approach helps you ensure that each step you take with AI fits seamlessly into your existing strategy, driving meaningful results that support your long-term objectives.
Agentforce Workshop: Transforming Customer Interactions with AI
Coastal was honored to participate in a hands-on Agentforce workshop before Dreamforce. Sam Taylor, our Director of Innovation and a seasoned Salesforce expert, spent the day exploring how Agentforce simplifies customer interactions with autonomous agents.
As Sam put it, “Salesforce isn’t reinventing the wheel with Agentforce. They’re taking the best of the AI community and making it easy to use, on a platform that’s built to grow.” While Agentforce holds immense promise, its current pricing structure—$2 per conversation—means businesses will need to carefully consider its cost-effectiveness for their specific use cases.
Salesforce Data Cloud Enhancements: A Step Toward More Informed Decisions
Salesforce’s updates to Data Cloud allow businesses to process unstructured data—like video and audio—and integrate with over 50 additional data sources. These improvements are designed to help organizations consolidate more diverse types of information, enabling faster access to insights.
The key value here isn’t just in handling more data but in making it easier for businesses to turn it into helpful information. With these enhancements, businesses can potentially speed up decision-making, but the challenge remains in determining how best to apply these capabilities to their unique needs. It’s essential to think about how this influx of data can align with specific goals to drive growth.
Free AI Certifications: Building Your Team’s Capabilities
Salesforce is offering free AI certifications through Trailhead until the end of 2025. This is a great opportunity for businesses to help their teams build valuable AI skills without the cost.
It’s not just about getting a certificate—it’s about learning practical AI skills that can help your team work smarter. Coastal is taking advantage of this to expand our AI capabilities, and we encourage our clients to use these resources to prepare their teams for the growing role of AI in business.
New Slack Integrations: Streamlining Collaboration with AI
Dreamforce also introduced new AI features for Slack, including integration with Agentforce. This allows teams to automate tasks like responding to internal requests or gathering information without extra effort.
For example, instead of manually tracking down a piece of data or handling repetitive tasks, Slack’s AI features can do the legwork for you. While these updates can save time, it’s important to figure out where automation helps and where the human touch is still needed to maintain effective team collaboration.
Looking Ahead: Turning Dreamforce 2024 Insights into Action with Coastal
Dreamforce 2024 was packed with innovation. The real challenge now is making sense of these technologies and ensuring they drive meaningful outcomes for your business.
At Coastal, we go beyond simply adopting new tools. Our True North approach focuses on aligning innovations with your specific goals, crafting a strategic roadmap where every milestone points to business impact.
Whether you’re just starting your Salesforce journey or looking to enhance your existing platform, True North can help you:
- Identify Business Impact: We use our C.A.R.E. model to assess the potential impact of each initiative, focusing on Cost Savings, Acquisition, Retention, and Expansion.
- Evaluate Your Current State: We conduct a thorough assessment of your current Salesforce landscape, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
- Define Your Future State: We work with you to define a clear vision for your Salesforce future, aligning technology with your business goals.
- Prioritize and Roadmap: We develop a clear, actionable plan, prioritizing initiatives based on their potential business impact.
Ready to turn Dreamforce inspiration into results? Let Coastal help you navigate the complexities of digital transformation and find your True North.
Additional Dreamforce Resources
AI is Data: Free Salesforce Data Workshop
In this one-hour workshop, we’ll help you define concrete use cases to tackle your top data challenges while creating a roadmap to unlock AI’s potential.
Find Your Salesforce Gaps & Opportunities
Set your Dreamforce strategy in motion in 5 minutes with the Coastal Compass assessment. Find what’s working, uncover gaps, and get practical recs for high-impact changes.
On-Demand Dreamforce Sessions
Watch session recordings, packed with strategies from industry leaders and Salesforce experts. Recordings will be available by October 8th. Join the Captains Club to get first access.
Highlights from Coastal’s Dreamforce 2024 INSPIRE Sessions
Coastal’s INSPIRE lounge was buzzing during Dreamforce, filled with industry leaders, peers, and experts gathering for meaningful conversations and hands-on learning.
📸 View Photo Album to Experience the Magic
INSPIRE was an exciting hub for networking, discussions, and new strategies, featuring over 15 expert-led sessions. Here are some of the highlights:
- Salesforce Financial Services Cloud plus Data & Analytics: Experts shared the latest strategies for using data and AI to optimize operations and deliver more personalized customer experiences via FSC.
- True North Roadmap for Salesforce Projects: Attendees got clear, actionable steps to guide their digital transformation, helping them navigate common challenges and craft a clear plan.
- Smart Collections: Coastal showcased how Salesforce can automate collections processes, improve efficiency, and boost cash flow while maintaining strong customer relationships. This demonstration highlighted the practical applications of Salesforce in managing financial operations and enhancing customer experience.
- Manufacturing Excellence: Industry leaders explored how Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud, and Data Cloud are driving sales performance and increasing profitability in manufacturing.
- Faith Breakfast: A thought-provoking discussion on how faith-based organizations are leveraging AI to expand their reach, enhance engagement, and shape the future of their missions.
- Healthcare Provider Lunch: UCSF Health and Definitive Healthcare shared how Salesforce + EMR Connect is revolutionizing patient care, creating more connected healthcare ecosystems, and driving better outcomes. This session provided insights into the specific tools and strategies that Salesforce is offering to improve patient care and healthcare operations.
- Data & AI Parts I & II: Chandra Nayak, Principal Partner Architect at Snowflake and Vivek Mahapatra, VP of GTM Salesforce AI dove deep into how businesses can harness the power of data and AI to transform operations and fuel growth.
- Beyond the Core: Coastal and UF Lastinger Center discussed how universities are pushing the boundaries of Salesforce Education Cloud to unlock new possibilities across their campuses.
- Nonprofit AI Fundraising: Nonprofit leaders learned how to use AI to do more with less. This included building deeper relationships with donors, boosting engagement, and growing revenue.
- Veterans Mental Health Panel: An inspiring session on how tech is transforming mental health care for veterans by providing more personalized, accessible support.
- Customer Obsessed LIVE Podcast: A candid conversation between Amy Kodl and Eric Berridge, discussing all things Snowflake, Salesforce, and staying human in the world of AI, plus Amy’s unique insights on supporting women in tech.
- Sales Excellence Accelerator: Coastal and Salesforce shared how leading companies are using Salesforce to shorten sales cycles, increase win rates, and drive revenue growth.
- Migration Made Simple (EDU & Nonprofit Clouds): Experts offered step-by-step guidance on how to navigate cloud migrations without the usual headaches, ensuring a smooth transition.
- Unscripted Keynote Debrief: Coastal CEO Eric Berridge and G2 CEO Godard Abel shared unfiltered insights on the future of Salesforce and where the tech industry is headed.
- Hospitality Personalization: Attendees learned how to create a personalization strategy that keeps guests engaged and loyal, driving lasting success in the hospitality industry.
- Credit Union Breakfast: Leaders from credit unions explored how Salesforce is transforming member experiences, streamlining operations, and driving sustainable growth.
- Revenue Lifecycle Management: We showed how transitioning from CPQ to Revenue Lifecycle Management (RLM) can unlock the full potential of Salesforce and drive growth.
Explore All Sessions →
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