Agentforce and Heroku: A Powerful Partnership for Real-Time Customer Engagement
By Kane Hooper: Certified Heroku Architect and Salesforce AI Specialist.
With the release of Agentforce, Salesforce companies have the ability to build their own AI controlled agents and workflows. While Agentforce has many potential channels, two of the most valuable, from a customers perspective, are websites and mobile applications.
Salesforce’s core platform for building complex and valuable websites and mobile apps is Heroku. With Heroku and Agentforce, Salesforce companies can provide custom agents to their customers that allow them to interact with their Salesforce data in real-time which can be made available to customers through the website or apps interface.
Understanding Heroku: A Quick Guide Before We Get to Agentforce
What is Heroku?
Heroku is one of the core offerings from Salesforce. It is a platform that allows companies to build complex and valuable web and mobile apps that integrate with Salesforce data in realtime. For example it allows GKR Karate to manage all of their student memberships and classes throughout their over 1,000 global dojos. Their membership website integrates with Salesforce in realtime to update student information, manage billing and provide analytics of student engagement.
The only limitation of what sorts of applications can be built on Heroku is imagination.
Integrating Agentforce into Heroku applications
One of the key benefits of Agentforce is the ability for customers to interact with the Salesforce information in realtime and through AI technology perform actions that would have otherwise required human intervention.
Agentforce chatbots can be embedded in Heroku web and mobile apps to give AI power to customer interactions.
When deployed in this setup, the chatbot can access Salesforce data in real time, meaning that every interaction is up-to-date and contextually relevant. Heroku's platform provides the infrastructure and scalability needed to support the chatbot's interactions with millions of customers, while Agentforce leverages its AI capabilities to deliver personalised and effective customer service.
For example:
- A customer on an e-commerce site built on Heroku can ask Agentforce about their recent orders, and the chatbot can instantly pull the information from Salesforce.
- A customer using a mobile banking app built on Heroku can inquire about their account balance or transaction history, with Agentforce pulling the data directly from Salesforce in real time.
This real-time interaction is what makes Agentforce such a powerful addition to Heroku-based apps, enabling businesses to automate customer support, reduce response times, and improve overall customer satisfaction.
Use Cases for Agentforce on Heroku
Retail Industry:
Agentforce can serve as a virtual sales assistant in a retail e-commerce app built on Heroku. Customers can ask about product availability, shipping details, and return policies. Based on the customer's purchase history stored in Salesforce, Agentforce can offer personalised product recommendations.
Healthcare:
In a patient portal application built on Heroku, Agentforce can handle appointment scheduling, prescription refills, or basic healthcare inquiries, all while pulling data from Salesforce to ensure accuracy and personalisation. This streamlines the patient’s experience and reduces the workload on administrative staff.
Financial Services:
In a finance-related mobile app, Agentforce could assist with account management, investment tracking, and budgeting advice. Since it has real-time access to the customer’s financial data stored in Salesforce, the chatbot can offer tailored advice and solutions.
The Agentforce-Heroku Solution
When combined, Agentforce and Heroku create a potent solution for businesses seeking to enhance customer experiences and streamline operations. Here's how they work together:
- Application Development: Developers build a mobile application or website using Heroku's platform. This could be a customer support portal, a sales assistant, or a marketing tool.
- Agentforce Integration: The Agentforce chatbot is embedded into the Heroku application. This allows customers to interact with the chatbot directly within the context of the application.
- Real-time Data Exchange: Agentforce connects to Salesforce in real-time, enabling it to access and update customer data. This ensures that the chatbot provides accurate and up-to-date information.
- Scalability and Reliability: Heroku's infrastructure ensures that the application and chatbot can handle increasing customer traffic and maintain high availability.
The Synergy Between Heroku and Agentforce
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Full Customisation and Flexibility
The combination of Heroku and Agentforce enables businesses to create fully customisable applications that cater to their unique needs while providing personalised customer interactions. Heroku allows developers to build applications in a variety of languages and frameworks, meaning there are virtually no limitations to what kind of application can be created. Meanwhile, Agentforce ensures that customer interactions within those apps are informed by real-time Salesforce data. -
Seamless Integration with Salesforce Data
The ability to sync data in real time between Salesforce and Heroku apps is a game changer. Heroku Connect enables data from Salesforce to be accessible in Heroku apps, while updates made in Heroku are immediately reflected in Salesforce.
Agentforce builds on this by utilising that synchronised data to provide up-to-date, contextually relevant interactions. For example, if a customer interacts with a mobile app built on Heroku to check their account status, Agentforce can instantly pull the latest data from Salesforce to provide accurate and personalised responses. This seamless flow of data ensures that businesses can offer a unified customer experience across all touchpoints. -
Scalability and Cost Efficiency
Heroku’s scalability is one of its strongest advantages. Businesses that experience rapid growth or seasonal traffic spikes can rely on Heroku’s infrastructure to handle increased loads without sacrificing performance. This means businesses can start small and scale as needed, without having to overhaul their entire infrastructure.
Agentforce adds another layer of efficiency by automating customer interactions. Businesses can scale their customer support operations without increasing staff by relying on Agentforce to handle common customer inquiries, provide recommendations, and troubleshoot issues. Together, Heroku and Agentforce offer a scalable, efficient solution for growing businesses. -
Industry-Specific Applications
The synergy between Heroku and Agentforce is evident across various industries:- Retail: In a Heroku-powered e-commerce platform, Agentforce can serve as a virtual sales assistant, answering questions about product availability, shipping, and returns. Based on customer preferences stored in Salesforce, Agentforce can offer personalized product suggestions.
- Healthcare: A healthcare provider can build a patient portal on Heroku, where patients can interact with Agentforce to schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and access medical information. Agentforce provides tailored advice and support by pulling real-time data from Salesforce.
- Financial Services: In a financial app, Agentforce can act as a virtual financial advisor, providing customers with personalised investment recommendations or transaction summaries based on their account information stored in Salesforce. Heroku powers the application’s logic and user interface, while Salesforce provides the customer data, making the experience smooth and personalised.
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Real-Time, Personalised Customer Experiences
Today’s customers expect personalised, real-time interactions from the businesses they engage with. Heroku and Agentforce work together to meet these expectations by combining scalable application development with dynamic, data-driven customer interactions. By leveraging real-time Salesforce data, businesses can offer relevant, contextual experiences that build customer trust and loyalty.
Whether customers are shopping online, booking a doctor’s appointment, or managing their finances, the combination of Heroku and Agentforce ensures that their experience is fast, personalised, and seamless.
Conclusion: Harnessing the Power of Heroku and Agentforce
The synergy between Heroku and Agentforce represents a significant opportunity for businesses looking to improve customer engagement and streamline operations. Together, they offer a scalable, customisable solution that leverages the power of Salesforce’s CRM capabilities while providing real-time, personalised customer interactions.
Heroku empowers businesses to build innovative, robust applications that can grow with demand, while Agentforce ensures that customer interactions are seamless and informed by real-time data. By harnessing the power of both platforms, businesses can not only enhance customer experience but also improve operational efficiency and drive growth amidst the fierce competition of this AI driven digital realm businesses are experiencing.
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