Beyond Bots: AI Is Reshaping Customer Service (and Everything Else)

With an estimated 90% of enterprise data in unstructured formats such as PDFs, emails, and social media posts, harnessing this vast resource has been a significant hurdle for companies.

Salesforce recently launched the Data Cloud Vector Database, designed to eliminate the need for extensive fine-tuning of Large Language Models (LLMs) by using all business data to enrich AI prompts. The platform seamlessly integrates various data types across business applications and workflows, significantly increasing business value and return on investment (ROI). Integrating unstructured data like documents and transcripts with structured data like purchase histories and product inventories empowers AI, automation, and analytics across various applications.

Rahul Auradkar, Salesforce’s executive vice president and general manager for unified data services and Einstein, highlights the significance of this development, stating, “The Data Cloud Vector Database relieves the challenge of costly and complex processes to harness the value of unstructured data. Now, our customers can reason over the full spectrum of their enterprise data to power their business applications more effectively.”

According to Salesforce, one critical application of this technology is in customer service. The platform enhances efficiency and customer satisfaction by proactively presenting relevant knowledge articles to service agents when a case is created. This capability enables quick identification of similar cases and automation integration, reducing case resolution time and improving the overall customer experience.

The new Einstein Copilot Search feature, available in February, will include enhanced AI search capabilities. These capabilities allow interpreting and responding to complex queries by tapping into diverse data sources, including unstructured data. This AI assistant can solve problems and generate content by accessing real-time unstructured and structured business data, providing customers with insights and knowledge previously unattainable with foundational LLMs.

For instance, in customer service, Einstein Copilot Search can link a customer’s concerns from unstructured emails and phone call transcripts to their structured support ticket history. This gives service representatives a detailed understanding of customer issues and their historical context, along with AI-generated, data-backed resolution suggestions.

The transformative potential of this technology is not limited to customer service, claims Salesforce. It extends to various business areas, including marketing, commerce, sales, and IT. It offers new ways to leverage data for more informed decision-making and innovative strategies.

Image credit: iStockphoto/Julia Garan