Everything to Know About Salesforce Einstein

Salesforce Einstein could be the perfect match for businesses looking to use smart recommendations to best equip their employees. To ensure that these intelligent tools are being powered with the most comprehensive data, consider adding intelligent market monitors to the Salesforce experience.

What's inside this article:

Artificial Intelligence in Salesforce Einstein
Common Examples of AI in CRM
Main Features of Salesforce Einstein
AI Solutions for Every Business Challenge
What Can You Do With Salesforce Einstein?
How to Get Started With Salesforce Einstein
Is Salesforce Einstein Any Good?
Make Sure Salesforce Einstein Is Complete

Salesforce Einstein Incorporates Intelligent Tools

Einstein is the AI-powered Salesforce product for businesses wanting to incorporate intelligent tools into their workflows. It presents intuitive features that offer predictive scoring, forecasting, and recommendations at just the right moment. As a Salesforce solution, Einstein has the backing of a tech king and is ranked highly among other AI tools. Users of Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and other Salesforce products can seamlessly integrate this intelligent technology into their CRM experience.

The Popular CRM Lives up to Hype

As a CRM, Salesforce has built a reputation for its array of products and services—there are even whole blogs dedicated to the company and its users. Dreamforce is the annual four-day event where the Salesforce community shares and celebrates success stories. What does this clue us in on? It's easy to get excited about technology that transforms how we do business.

Salesforce Einstein Terms to Know

Before fully diving into this Salesforce Einstein exploration, we should take a moment to define some keywords. These six terms are found in the Einstein Analytics Glossary along with other relevant definitions. With a better understanding of the terminology, it becomes easier to work with the intelligent features from Salesforce and other intelligent automation software tools.

App – Like folders, apps contain dashboards, lenses, and datasets to organize data projects and share data analyses with others.
Dashboard – A curated collection of charts, metrics, and tables derived from data in one or more lenses.
Lens – A view into a data set to explore or reveal insights into business questions that can be saved, shared, or added to a dashboard.
Dataflow – A set of instructions specifying what data to extract from objects or datasets from Salesforce, in addition to instructions on transforming datasets and which datasets to make available for querying.
Visualization – Either a chart or graph with an underlying query.
Query – Retrieving data from at least one data source (either datasets, Salesforce objects, user-defined data, or external data) and can be displayed in different formats or used as input to another query.

Data Is Important

As we learn more about AI, it becomes clear that data is the driving factor in making it all work. From machine learning to computer vision, all of this technology is dependent on reliable data. That's what makes Salesforce such an attractive choice for implementing AI into our workflows—the data we want to use is already there. And for where there are gaps, Salesforce allows for seamless integrations of other digital tools that process the billions of external data points that aren't otherwise found on the platform.

External Data Is Valuable

Before jumping into the technology that makes Salesforce Einstein possible, let's acknowledge the value of external data. As mentioned, data is a critical component of AI technology and external data is usually the missing component. Information like industry trends, M&A rumors, or court records is the kind of alternate data research that may be missing from your Salesforce analyses.

Artificial Intelligence in Salesforce Einstein

Einstein brings the Salesforce line, "AI for everyone" to life—its intelligent tools use advanced technology like machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. Salesforce users still get an experience that is easy to understand and quick to implement. The best AI products are those that masterfully use the technology but are still user-friendly. Simple dynamic tools that maximize CRM investment may ultimately be the best use for AI.

Where Is AI Being Used Now?

In each of the AI technologies below, we include everyday examples of instances when we encounter it. By familiarizing ourselves with these common applications, we realize that connotations of AI as a futuristic ideal are misplaced ideas. AI is here and already a regular part of daily life. That doesn't mean there aren't new advancements—in fact, there are new fields of software, like sales process mining, that continue to push how we think of business.

Salesforce Einstein Is Backed By Research

Back to the idea of AI being nothing new, it should be acknowledged that it has been a field of study for decades. It continues to be explored in academics and Salesforce has become a leader in its corporate research. After all of this work, it's now possible to process billions of data signals to present the most accurate insights to businesses interested in improving workflows through AI.

Machine Learning Requires Minimal Programming

With AI as the topic of conversation, machine learning is usually included in the discussion. Salesforce describes it as, "the concept of having computers learn from data with minimal programming." A familiar example is all of the times we shop online and are recommended new products based on our shopping habits. For a more in-depth exploration of this AI technology in CRM, read our article on How Salesforce Einstein Uses Machine Learning.

Natural Language Processing for You and Your Clients

After machine learning, natural language processing is another familiar AI technology. This is where language, common usage, and grammar rules are recognized to find patterns within large data sets. Every time we use an online translator, we use natural language processing. Salesforce applies this power to the features we use to better understand our clients as well as within its platform so that searching through Salesforce is made easy.

Salesforce Einstein Understands the Big Picture

Computer vision is the other AI technology that Salesforce uses in Einstein. It learns to interpret and understand visual images. For Salesforce users this becomes helpful in understanding brand recognition online as well as more easily sorting some processes through automated classification. As with all AI tools, computer vision is built on reliable data sources to analyze and deliver insights.

Common Examples of AI in CRM

Of the many ways to understand how AI is used in CRM, one way is to consider the most-used outcomes. There are three main examples that best explain how the technology can be used. Through predictive scoring, forecasting, and recommendations, AI can transform what standard customer relationship management means. The right AI tools use billions of data points to accomplish these valuable outcomes.

Sales Teams Do More With Predictive Scoring

Salespeople love any technique that provides data-driven insights to improve their workflow. Predictive scoring does just that. With lead scoring, sales teams get a quick glance at the likelihood of conversion for each lead and Einstein will also explain the reasoning for how it arrived at that answer. For more on lead scoring, check out our guide on the Best Ways to Use Lead Scoring for Sales Automation.

Past Data Informs Intelligent Forecasting

After predictive scoring, forecasting is another often used AI feature in CRM. Again, past data helps fuel these insights and with continued use, these features become more adept in making conclusions. Ideally, AI tools can use billions of data points and signals to arrive at accurate judgments. This is a particularly valuable tool for sales managers needing to predict quarterly bookings and quota tracking.

Data-Driven Recommendations Means Less Second Guessing

Out of predictive scoring and forecasting, it is the intelligent recommendations that may help businesses most. With data-driven suggestions, there can be less second-guessing about the intricate decisions that employees may have to make about client relationships. From recommending the next service to offer to suggesting which marketing material to send next, Einstein's recommendations take into account all of the valuable client data already stored on the CRM. To ensure that the AI technology is working with the most relevant information, you can also add in intelligent market monitors to supercharge prospecting for salespeople.

Main Features of Salesforce Einstein

Once you understand how machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision work, it's easy to get excited about how they're used. From sales insights to marketing recommendations, the features of Salesforce Einstein live up to their hype. Although they accomplish different business goals, each of these intelligent features is developed with users in mind. This means they are easy to use with minimal programming and empower employees to perform their best work.

Boost Productivity and Discover Relevant Patterns

One of our favorite features is Einstein Discovery. With it, users can boost productivity and discover relevant patterns in data. It automatically offers explanations as to how it arrived at its conclusions so that employees understand where the data-driven insights came from. For more about this feature, check out Discover Insights With Salesforce Einstein.

Intelligent Features for Salespeople

Einstein Discovery is a great tool for sales teams. With it, salespeople receive the right insights at the right time. And because it automatically describes how it reached its data-driven recommendations, salespeople feel in control over the tool. As we know, when salespeople have the best sales tools, they can focus on building positive client relationships.

Einstein Knows the Next Best Action

AI and automation don't mean the end to human salespeople or personalized interactions. In fact, the opposite is probably true. Features like Einstein Next Best Action don't replace genuine sales relationships for example. Instead, they're enhanced through intelligent recommendations for employees or customers delivered at just the right time.

Salesforce Einstein Helps Manage the Team

For managers who want to guide their teams to success and stay up to date on client progress, Einstein Next Best Action delivers everything they need. Here, managers can custom make recommendations to employees specific to whatever workflow needs extra insights. From the perfect add-on offer to a simple troubleshooting solution, managers can best equip their teams to perform their best work.

Classify Underlying Intent and Sentiment

When what we say matters most, Einstein Language is the tool to help figure it all out. It quickly analyzes and understands how a client may be feeling and streamlines the communication process by automatically routing it to the correct department or employee. Here, natural language processing begins to classify the underlying intent and sentiment in any client communication. There's more to be said about this feature and natural language processing—for a better understanding check out How Salesforce Uses Natural Language Processing.

Exceed Client Expectations

Customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to both small businesses and large organizations. Einstein Language can be the key to ensuring every client need and inquiry is promptly addressed. By maximizing CRM investments with the best tools, your business is already on its way to exceeding client expectations.

AI Solutions for Every Business Challenge

The best digital tools are the ones that work together. Salesforce knows this and that's why it's so easy to use Einstein across many other Salesforce products. Even further, it's easy to integrate other products through Salesforce's enterprise cloud marketplace, AppExchange. There it is easy to find the perfect solution to any business challenge.

Seamless Integrations Within Salesforce

Einstein easily works with many Salesforce products, including Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Service Cloud. There's no additional data preparation or need to manage models. Once the relevant data is already in Salesforce, any features with Einstein capabilities can use that data to make intelligent recommendations and forecasts. Next, we'll go over how Salesforce products are further elevated by adding in external apps directly into Einstein.

Seamless Integrations Outside of Salesforce

As mentioned, AppExchange is the online marketplace for plugging in thousands of apps that extend Salesforce's existing offers. Included in these solutions are intelligent market monitors that seamlessly integrate directly with Salesforce Einstein to identify hidden opportunities and generate leads in a net new market. The value of AppExchange is its ability to bridge Salesforce into nearly every department and industry. And like all other Salesforce products, users get personalized recommendations for relevant apps and can sort through solutions by curated pages and collections.

What Can You Do With Salesforce Einstein?

One of the only reasons to adjust a current workflow is with a considerable number of examples proving that the adjustment will enhance business performance in some way. That's why we've collected the top three use cases for Salesforce Einstein. Salesforce suggests using a top-down approach to identify the best use case for any given organization. Across sales, service, and marketing departments the following scenarios are probably familiar to your business.

Sales Teams Need The Right Information

Consider a sales team concentrated on renewing contracts for existing clients but faced with having to combine data across multiple systems. Salesforce uses this business challenge to offer Einstein Next Best Action that the sales team can use to create a custom workflow that centralizes all of the information needed. Now salespeople can easily receive intelligent recommendations at the point-of-impact based on custom insights and assigned business rules.

Improve Your CSAT Scores

Whether you're a small business that puts your clients first or a larger organization with its own service department, customer satisfaction (CSAT) is important across the board. Think of a business with limited resources of both time and money. Instead of building their own team of developers, they can use Einstein Discovery to help manage client satisfaction through relevant data insights. Once again Salesforce is there to best equip teams to perform their most excellent work.

Marketing Needs Creative Analyses

Salesforce describes a marketing team that leans on their creative skills but perhaps is less equipped to analyze data. Like in our first use case, Einstein Next Best Action is prescribed to give smart recommendations on which marketing tactics to pursue. These data-driven suggestions are based on predictions and other factors that marketers can follow up with to learn more. For businesses that use account-based marketing, there are additional AI tools that can help strategically provide a clearly defined set of target accounts in net new markets.

How to Get Begin With Salesforce Einstein

Now that we understand the AI technology behind Salesforce Einstein, its many features and use cases, we can begin to think about how to start using it in practice. Starting off an AI project may seem daunting, especially if your business hasn't done so before. But rest assured that if you're using Salesforce, you're already at a good start.

You Already Started

Before starting any new workflow implementations, doing a fair share of research is expected. This total guide to Salesforce Einstein is the perfect start. A brief, yet comprehensive overview of all the background and other relevant information and suggestions you may possibly need. For a more dedicated guide, read our Simple Preparations for Salesforce Einstein.

Define Clear Business Goals

After a reasonable amount of research, there will already be ideas popping up about how to best use AI to improve experiences both for employees and clients. Use these thoughts to begin to define actionable business goals. Will there be a focus on best-equipping salespeople with the right tools? Is sales automation the first goal?

Implement, Reassess, and Adjust Your Goals

Once these questions are settled and a business goal is clearly defined, the next step is to figure out if all the data you need is available. Look to your existing Salesforce products and datasets, chances are everything you need is already there. Essentially, Salesforce AI takes on most of the complexities of intelligent technology so that its users don't have to. What's left to do is implement and continue checking in on the new processes to ensure that everything continues to run smoothly and achieve your business goals.

Is Salesforce Einstein Any Good?

Considering the state of AI and how far it's come to deliver user-friendly intelligent analyses that provide predictive scoring, smart recommendations, and forecasts through data-driven insights—we consider it a big win for Salesforce users wanting to expand the performance capabilities of their teams. As mentioned, AI isn't a dream of the future; it's here now and organizations have the opportunity to make it a standard part of their business.

Imagining the Future of Work

If AI is here, how do we imagine the future of work? It won't be run by job-eliminating robots, that's probably for sure. It may depend on the authentic client relationships developed by the very human ability to genuinely connect. Salesforce Einstein helps with this by best equipping salespeople with the most relevant information needed to anticipate client needs and automate time-draining tasks.

Ethical AI Is a Salesforce Priority

As for the state of AI, one of the most pressing matters may be the construction of ethical practices. The business choices we make matter, from hiring practices down to the digital tools we use. Salesforce is doing its part by committing to AI that is responsible, accurate, and ethical. For users, this means that your business can trust Salesforce Einstein to do their best by you and in turn your clients.

Make Sure Salesforce Einstein Is Complete

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