Assume AI implementation is simply plug-and-play? Nicole Pomponio, 2025 Salesforce MVP and self-proclaimed “course of nerd,” has an replace for you: “Organising Agentforce is the beginning of a journey — it’s strongest whenever you constantly information your brokers, refine your processes, and evolve alongside them.”
As Director of Supply Administration Operations at SaltClick, she’s saving groups hours each day by bringing Agentforce into Slack, eliminating the context switching that’s burning individuals out. Her secret to success is a trainer’s mindset utilized to AI technique—”I do, we do, you do”—constructing foundational understanding earlier than anybody touches a button. Whereas others wrestle with AI adoption, Nicole is busy proving that when you’ve a strategy-first mindset and deal with AI as an assistant, not a alternative, magic occurs. Able to get an inside take a look at how Nicole makes Agentforce and AI work with individuals in Slack, not towards them?
What’s a typical day like for you at SaltClick?
Because the Director of Supply Administration Operations at SaltClick, my days are by no means the identical, and I completely love that! I hate to be bored.
We’re a Salesforce and Slack accomplice, so I work with almost each product within the ecosystem. A typical day is all the time completely different, however I work with our supply groups to unravel any challenges they may have and lead our venture managers. I additionally project-manage a few of our enterprise-level purchasers, specializing in the “iron triangle” of price range, timeline, and scope whereas additionally looking for potential dangers. My predominant aim is to ship the very best outcomes for our prospects. I’m an enormous “cat herder” and love course of and construction, however I additionally attempt to steadiness that out with understanding the place groups are at of their maturity fashions.
How does utilizing Salesforce and Slack merchandise show you how to succeed at SaltClick and what are some frequent blockers you’ve encountered?
Utilizing the merchandise ourselves is important to allow our prospects higher. If we didn’t use these merchandise in our day-to-day work, I don’t assume we may authentically inform prospects they’re the very best available on the market. It provides us plenty of honesty and transparency in what we will really ship to our prospects.
One of many greatest blockers is the misunderstanding {that a} new product is “plug-and-play.” Prospects may assume it’s so simple as turning on a brand new characteristic, however after we get into their Salesforce cases, the present setup can fluctuate dramatically. This usually creates a roadblock as we assist them perceive not solely the merchandise but additionally how we will efficiently implement them of their particular setting. One other problem is ensuring we’ve the freshest data of a product’s full capabilities and the way greatest to make use of them. Maintaining with coaching and documentation is essential together with hands-on coaching.
How has AI helped you overcome a few of these hurdles?
I’m an enormous advocate for AI. We set pointers in fact to make sure knowledge privateness and I feel it’s extremely highly effective for our groups to leverage instruments like ChatGPT and different notetaker apps. These instruments will help construction ideas, manage documentation, and assist us contemplate views we’d not have considered. They’re not meant to formulate your concepts for you—I need individuals to retain the flexibility to assume—however they will help you determine gaps in your thought course of. It’s necessary to assist individuals perceive that AI is a instrument to allow them, not change them.
Over 13 years working within the Salesforce ecosystem, how have you ever approached studying and staying present with new merchandise like Agentforce and options rolled out on Slack?
My strategy to studying is rooted in my previous life as a center and highschool English trainer. I take advantage of the “I do, we do, you do” methodology. First, I do the educational myself by consuming as a lot data as I can from Trailhead, YouTube movies, and conversations with different individuals. Then, we do it collectively by getting hands-on with the product. The ultimate step is you do it—I train others what I’ve realized after which enable individuals to tackle the duties on their very own. For me, one of the best ways to really comprehend one thing is to clarify it to another person. Educating is how the knowledge actually sticks. Once I began my profession 13 years in the past, Trailhead was simply rising, and it was actually onerous for me personally to community and determine issues out by yourself. Whereas there are much more assets now, it’s nonetheless about studying after which sharing that information with the group.
What’s your greatest piece of recommendation for somebody trying to get began with Agentforce?
I might emphasize that earlier than you flip something on, it’s essential to get a foundational understanding of what Agentforce and AI are. I extremely suggest working by the Trailhead modules as a result of they supply a structured expertise that builds upon itself. After getting that foundational information, then you may go and get hands-on. There are such a lot of shifting components to Agentforce, so understanding what it’s and what it does first is essential. I had many “aha!” moments when working by the Legend Path as a result of they create all of the completely different items collectively.
What has stunned you most about working with Agentforce inside Slack?
I used to be stunned by how seamless and simple it’s to leverage what you construct in Agentforce and make it accessible in Slack. It doesn’t really feel like one other enormous, difficult factor to be taught. It’s so thrilling as a result of it’s pulling collectively structured knowledge from Salesforce and mixing it with the unstructured, conversational knowledge from Slack. That is extremely highly effective, particularly because it’s onerous to maintain up with documentation and information bases. To have the ability to floor and condense every part proper within the circulate of labor is a big time saver.
How do you see Agentforce and Slack working collectively to assist individuals?
I feel what’s actually highly effective about Agentforce and Slack working collectively is the way it surfaces and condenses all the knowledge any individual may want proper within the circulate of labor. We’re Slack-first all the best way, and our individuals love that they by no means have to go away Slack.
It brings every part collectively and makes their jobs quite a bit simpler. I’m enormous on having enjoyable at work—I inform corny jokes on a regular basis as a result of I need individuals to have a very enjoyable and empowering day and Slack helps make the day-to-day work far more environment friendly. Once they don’t must go to a number of techniques and context change as a lot, particularly in our distant world the place burnout may be very actual, it makes such a distinction.
Having an agent work like an assistant—not there to take your job, however that can assist you get by your day quicker—has been actually thrilling. It provides individuals time and power to consider and do different issues as a result of they don’t must go discover all this data. It’s excellent there for them.
It’s been actually cool, truthfully. The extra you may plug into Slack, the much less I’ve to go away it. I’m an enormous cell particular person too as a result of I wish to be on the go and nonetheless get individuals the solutions they’re searching for. The facility of getting every part proper there—not simply discovering and summarizing data, however really taking motion too—is a big timesaver. I can say ‘yeah, this seems good to me, let’s go for it!’ and I don’t must deal with all these steps myself. It’s a recreation changer!
How do you speak concerning the affect of AI brokers working alongside people?
I undoubtedly give it some thought by way of hours saved. After we’re being actually sincere about metrics—like, do I really monitor how a lot time I’m spending simply sending an e mail or doing particular person duties? In all probability not except you’re used to dwelling the marketing consultant life or within the behavior of logging billable time. But when we take into consideration what number of extra duties I’m getting by in a day, I’m saving important hours.
I’d additionally communicate to it by way of course of optimization and effectivity. I’m not having to go to 5 completely different techniques anymore. Quite a lot of the behind-the-scenes work, if I’m connecting the precise techniques and getting the precise knowledge, may simply be automated or surfaced on-demand.
There’s quite a bit to say about understanding what’s taking over probably the most time in your day, the place the information for these items lives, after which how we will really give individuals extra time again of their day as a result of these processes are actually enhanced. It’s actually about figuring out these routine duties and letting AI deal with them, permitting individuals to give attention to higher-value work.
What’s your strategy to vary administration with Agentforce in Slack?
My strategy to vary administration is all about understanding the place an organization or particular person is at and dealing to assist them perceive the opportunity of the expertise and the way it may affect their day positively. Step one is to evaluate their present state, together with how their knowledge is organized and what their present processes appear like. Then, we determine their desired outcomes, the precise use instances, and the important thing stakeholders who ought to be concerned. It’s necessary to search out champions and in addition perceive the sentiment of anybody which may not be in favor of the modifications to make sure everybody feels heard. The aim is to verify our purchasers perceive what they’re attempting to perform, get their groups on board, and actively contain them in testing. We wish to make sure that as soon as the answer is stay, it’s really serving to them. Following good change administration is crucial for fulfillment as a result of a lot of what’s being developed by AI is course of.
As you proceed to iterate with AI and Agentforce, what are a number of the belongings you’re most excited to attempt sooner or later?
I’m biased, however I’m most excited to see what we will accomplish with Salesforce and Slack. On a nerdy notice, I’m additionally actually excited concerning the prospect of brokers speaking to different brokers. I’d like to see a future the place my Slack agent can speak to a different particular person’s agent, having a managed dialog and even taking actions. It’s like a next-level step I’m actually trying ahead to.
What made you select the Salesforce ecosystem as a profession path?
I really began my profession as a trainer, however I used to be first launched to the Salesforce ecosystem once I was constructing reviews. I used to be so impressed with how highly effective the system was that I simply fell in love. I labored in admin and dev roles for over a decade. After having my second son, I took a step again to re-evaluate what I wished to do. That’s once I determined to make the leap into being a Challenge Supervisor at SaltClick. I really like the ops and process-nerd facet of it, and it was the very best choice I’ve ever made. SaltClick has been such a defining second in my journey.
The perfect a part of the journey has been the group and that’s true of SaltClick as nicely. It’s not cutthroat; everyone seems to be so type, supportive, and useful. I really don’t assume I might be the place I’m with out the individuals and the assist of the group.
Oh my god, it’s meant every part to me. I’ve shared this a couple of occasions as a result of I wish to advocate for Particular wants dad and mom in all places, and I’ll share somewhat bit extra right here about what was occurring once I determined to make the shift into the Salesforce and Slack world.
Round that point, we have been coming to the belief that my oldest son was having some challenges. He’s a tremendous little human, but it surely was undoubtedly shifting some issues in our world. For me, it grew to become a confidence factor too. You’re taught in some cultures that being a mother is one crucial issues and that was true for me, and you’ve got this picture of what that’s going to be like—after which it’s not. You begin to actually query your self.
It was this fascinating time the place I didn’t know what I used to be going to do with my profession or the way to assist my baby. Might I get these two worlds to align and get on a strong path the place I felt good about what was occurring?
Quick ahead to now, and it’s been night time and day. We bought him the assistance he wanted, and I really feel like I bought assist from the group too. As corny as which may sound, we discovered what he wanted, which helped us get the place we’re immediately. With the ability to bounce again into the group with the assist I acquired—to now be ready the place I’m on the Group Advisory Board and I’m an MVP—truthfully, it’s not one thing I ever thought would occur.
For me, it’s very reflective of imposter syndrome. I’m hoping I actually am making that a lot of an affect, as a result of behind my thoughts I’m wondering: do I deserve this? Have I accomplished sufficient? I wish to achieve this far more. However it’s such a cool expertise, and I’m so grateful.
What do you get pleasure from in your free time? Hobbies?
Okay, tremendous nerdy. I’m an enormous e-book nerd, but it surely’s not even fiction—I learn lean six sigma, change administration stuff, actually course of and operations nerdy issues. I’ll learn emotional intelligence books too.
I like to cook dinner and bake. I’m an avid runner, and I’m coaching for a 10K proper now, so I’ve been pushing myself to get again into operating. I used to be doing half marathons earlier than, in order that’s been actually enjoyable getting again into it.
After which I simply spend as a lot time as I can with my household. Within the morning, I get a couple of strong hours with the kiddies, after which within the night we simply attempt to soak all of it up. Nevertheless it’s actually simply attempting to maintain up with them. I’m assuming I’ll have extra hobbies once I become older—proper now I’m simply attempting to maintain up!
Nicole’s high 3 Agentforce learnings
- My primary tip, which I repeat on a regular basis, is to consider your Agent and AI technique earlier than you begin constructing something. It’s necessary to know what drawback you wish to clear up, what your agent can and might’t see and might and might’t do, and what success seems like. This feeds your whole subsequent steps within the Agent lifecycle.
- My second tip is that Agentforce will not be one thing you simply activate and it “works.” We have now to do the work; ensuring the information wanted is obtainable and able to use, ensuring we’ve nicely crafted prompts that inform and information our brokers and we’ve to check, monitor and iterate. Organising Agentforce is the beginning of a journey — it’s strongest whenever you constantly information your brokers, refine your processes, and evolve alongside them.
- Choosing simply three ideas is difficult, so my third is to continue to learn and share your information. Don’t skip constructing foundational information in AI so that you perceive how expansive and impactful AI may be and don’t skip SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE. We’re at a crucial time in technological developments and we have to hold our fellow people in thoughts. Let’s be certain that nobody will get left behind.
Wish to meet extra Agentblazers like Nicole?
Examine again quickly for extra tales and be part of the group for the newest Agentforce content material.
