AI continues to impact business operations, most notably in customer relationship management (CRM) and customer experience (CX). According to Linda Saunders, country manager and senior director of solution engineering for Africa at Salesforce, the technology also influences the ICT supply channel ecosystem by magnifying the supply-and-demand dynamic in channel relationships.
Although many organisations are eager to adopt AI, the high failure rate of pilot projects shows a need for more awareness, caution, education and guidance.
Despite this, adoption is growing. Saunders said CRM is an area of significant activity.
“We’re seeing a lot of uptake in the customer service space," she said. "Transparency is really important. We don’t start without a clear value case, but also by understanding the cost case.”
Salesforce does not commit to AI initiatives without first understanding a customer's challenges and objectives, she noted.
“That often requires investment from our customers and also trust," Saunders explained. "The more context we have about your organisation and how you need to achieve things – what your objectives and challenges are – the more complete the solution we can put forward for discussion. And it is a discussion, because prioritisation is a big part of this journey. When we look at our platform, we try to simplify the discussion.”
This is where “system of context” is especially relevant, added Saunders. She said this involves data management, compliance, connectivity and activation.
"That system of context is what we start unpacking with our customers," she said. "Obviously, context without somewhere to have work done also becomes a little bit irrelevant… that data activation happens at that work layer. Systems of work is our bread and butter.”
The company has expanded this capability and its service portfolio to cover areas like sales service, marketing, commerce, IT service management and HR.
Saunders said AI remains a complex subject, and one that is part of the digital transformation process, most notably as a catalyst for more intensive relationship management within the ICT supply channel.
“I think there’s a definite need for us to evolve our relationships," she said. "When you think about the traditional relationship of a supplier – you’re a vendor, we contract you for function and for price – that old model is not serving us particularly well. Partnerships are about shared business value across your vendors as well as your customers – including your customer’s customers. Because ultimately, if you are not driving value for your customers, it’s a moot point.”
Regulatory complexity
Saunders added that while regulation adds to the complexity, with multiple stakeholders interested in the outcomes, it is possible to comply without hindering innovation.
She said Salesforce has been able to have conversations that balance compliance with innovation. "I think there is an ability to have both, but it is very much centred on ensuring those discussions are about making sure we are driving the right outcomes and working backwards from there."
She also underlined the importance of education and framework to understand the potential risk of using a commercial AI model.
“There is definitely a need, from an education perspective, to empower people to own the responsibility they have in terms of these engagements with technology," she said. "That, combined with the right discussions and right sentiment around outcomes, will get us to a place where we can have both.”
AI is already impacting the workplace, she noted, and South African organisations cannot afford to wait.
“If you, as an organisation, are not thinking about AI, are you going to be relevant?" she asked. "Not only relevant in the commercial sense to your customers, but relevant in terms of the employees you’re trying to hire? Would those employees be keen to join an organisation that doesn’t offer them the ability to maximise their potential?”
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