“All I Want for Work Christmas"— A Vision for AI-Powered Transformation
Last Christmas, my work wishlist was all about Data Cloud—a platform to harmonize data streams, establish a common language, and lay the groundwork for AI-driven insights. It felt like preparing for something big, laying the tracks for a train designed to handle the immense power and speed of the AI-driven tools we knew were on the horizon, we could hear rumbling in the distance. This year, that train isn’t just approaching—it’s here, moving at lightning speed.
After testing an AI-powered agent at the Salesforce Financial Services Summit and World Tour in NYC right before Thanksgiving, I saw how these tools could turn whiteboard dreams into actionable realities. I didn’t need to rely on translating my ideas to a development team. I could prompt the agent directly—and watch it deliver results. Now, at the top of my Santa Work List is an AI agent that can help bring more of these ideas to life.
Could AI agents be the key to the “AI’MPACT” leaders have been dreaming of? Just a few use cases quickly popped to mind:
1. For Wealth Advisors: Top of Mind Relationship Connections
Advisors know that understanding a client’s full financial and personal picture is the key to building trust and delivering exceptional service. What if an agent could map those connections—capturing a client’s complete financial relationships, family dynamics, and generational intersections? Imagine supporting a client as they navigate complexities like helping aging parents, guiding children, complex business relationships or managing legacy planning. Advisors already understand the importance of balancing personal and business needs within a family. An agent could take this further, prompting timely, meaningful interactions that strengthen relationships across generations, supporting the full team that interacts with the client and their family.
2. For Commercial Bankers: Next-Level Preparation
Whether you're a seasoned leader entering a new market or a rising star taking on a new role, preparation is everything. But gathering the right context—meeting notes, business dynamics, and customer opportunities—can feel overwhelming.
What if your agent could create a personalized briefing memo? For example, imagine heading into a meeting with a prospective client and receiving an instant summary of their business performance, recent interactions, and top growth opportunities. While it won’t do the work for you, it will help you show up prepared, confident, and ready to focus on what matters most: understanding your customer’s needs.
3. For Consumer Banking: Compelling Engagement That Reduces Churn
We’ve all seen the data: if a new customer takes specific actions in the first 90 days, their likelihood of staying increases significantly. Yet too often, this insight gets translated into generic marketing drips—emails and texts that overwhelm rather than engage.
What if an agent could drive a smarter approach? By analyzing customer behavior and triggers, it could prompt personalized, well-timed actions—like a call, email, or text that feels helpful rather than transactional. While the human banker might lead the conversation, the agent could surface real-time insights and suggestions to ensure the interaction is as valuable as possible. It’s not about replacing the human but enabling them to offer more compelling support. The result? Higher retention, greater satisfaction, and stronger relationships.
How to Get Started - The AIMPACT Framework
Making these dreams a reality requires a strong foundation. That’s where the AIMPACT framework comes in:
Adopt Data Standards: Ensure clean, unified, and reliable data for AI-driven insights.
Invest in Training: Equip teams with skills to maximize AI tools.
Map Relationships: Build tools to track and enhance understanding of complex client connections.
Personalize Customer Engagement: Deliver meaningful, dynamic interactions that prioritize customer value.
Align AI with Governance: Establish ethical guidelines and compliance standards for AI use.
Continuously Improve: Test, measure, and iterate to refine AI solutions.
Transform Customer Experience: Leverage AI to empower teams, reduce churn, and strengthen client relationships.
AIMPACT in Action
AI isn’t a replacement for human talent—it’s an enabler. It empowers teams to connect, lead, and serve better. With tools like Data Cloud to harmonize our data and AI agents to reason with it, we can achieve the kind of transformation that drives real impact for our customers and teams.
So, as I sit down with leftover turkey sandwich and pumpkin pie this Black Friday, I’m writing my Santa Work List. At the very top of my list is an AI agent—because the future is closer than we think.
