Claws and Effect: Beware, They're Plotting to Take Over the World! ????

Dreamforce Diary - Day Two

Today was all about accelerating the flywheel, streamlining our tooling, aligning our strategic objectives, and diving deep into the world of data and AI. But what really stood out was how without data, we will not realize the power of AI. AI only works when our disparate siloed data sources are connected, in short-order at Miovision and with Matt Fisher 's team via Einstein and the advances of Salesforce 's approach to Data. We loved leaning into how we will work quickly to better leveraging Slack to seamlessly capture and connect our internal stakeholders to enhance our customer experience, allowing our sales team easier access and leverage Salesforce to deliver our commitment and key tenant to be customer-focused.

The standout moment of the day was the invaluable time spent getting work done alongside Jesse Bruyn , Ben Kelly , Lexi Hill , Heather Gallagher , Olivier Kaija and Kevin Howe . We hashed out our strategic objectives, talk about our needs and gaps, prioritized and focussed on the few things we MUST do now, for the present and the near future. This alignment is absolutely critical for our success. Thank you to our integrated Salesforce Partner Canada team for your investment and passion in supporting our ability to transform, demonstrate agility and scale with speed.

One key takeaway that resonated with all of us is the foundational role of data in our journey with AI. Without a solid data foundation, AI remains an elusive concept. It's imperative that we map our internal processes, existing tools, and data to gain actionable insights. After all, without insights from data, we're just navigating blindly. The robots will NOT take over. Take a breath and get started today with mapping your existing data structures and architectures to better understand the steps you must take to advance your own capabilities.

In a small breakout room, I had the privilege of hearing Martin Kihn , the creator of the Customer Data Platform, [ <-- Buy and Read his book!] author, and cat lover of the world-famous Jerry. Marty shared a thought-provoking perspective on the evolving role of AI. He pointed out the irony that, while we're moving towards AI-driven writing, a significant portion of our time as marketers and consumers is spent watching, listening, or scrolling. Seems like two disparate trains leaving the station in different directions.

Martin highlighted the fact that over 70% of consumers now prefer video over text. He used examples like Mastercard simplifying its logo to just two circles, eliminating words in many contexts, and even incorporating a distinct sound to enhance the Mastercard experience. He discussed the phenomenon of consumer narcissism and how today's customers have little patience for cumbersome or complicated experiences.

In essence, Martin Kihn emphasized the importance of retaining a human touch as we propel ourselves into this rapidly changing landscape. It's not just about adopting AI and automation; it's about making sure that our customers continue to feel valued and understood, even in a world increasingly dominated by technology. Contextual, human and first party data is critical to fully realize a better and integrated view of your customers.

But what added an exciting layer to our discussions today was how Lexi and Ben from Slack helped us functionally understand the power of Slack in this context. They shed light on how we can seamlessly deliver, align and execute our focus and account based management, allowing us to capture and connect our internal stakeholders through Slack to better drive and deliver customer experiences. This will allow us to remove tension along our various customer journeys, and allow our customers to gain more value from our various tools and Miovision capabilities.

Ben Kelly 's insights on sales integrations directly into Slack , all connected and appended to Salesforce in real-time, were eye-opening. It's clear that with the right tools and integrations, we can enhance collaboration and decision-making within our organization, ultimately benefiting our customers.

Just like Martin Kihn famous cat Jerry, I have two cats of my own, Luna and Saul. Cats may best represent the challenge we face in understanding what our customers truly want, delivering what they may need, and ensuring we earn their trust—never assume we've won them over and continue to work to better understand their needs and motivations.

Day Two of Dreamforce has left me inspired and with a fresh perspective on the evolving landscape of data, AI, and the human touch. Tomorrow promises more exciting insights, and I can't wait to see where this journey takes us next as we leverage technologies like Slack to fulfill our promise of being customer-focused.