Are you a Salesforce Consultant or planning to become one? Salesforce consultants are already seeing their roles change as AI agents become more common in the systems they work with. Salesforce’s generative AI agent platform, Agentforce, was unveiled in September 2024, replacing the Einstein Copilot AI assistant, and has grown quickly since then. In December of that year, Agentforce 2.0 was released with new ready-to-use skills. Agentforce 3.0 launched in June 2025, giving companies better tools to manage and control their AI agents. The Salesforce platform with Agentforce now includes smart agents that can handle many tasks on their own.
Did you know that the main difference between agents and assistants is that agents will take the actions in Salesforce for you? These agents can update records, assign leads to the right salespeople, answer common questions, and take care of everyday support tasks. This saves time and helps teams work faster.
Because of this, consultants will spend less time building automations or adjusting settings. Instead, they will focus more on helping companies understand how to use AI in the best way. This means helping people feel comfortable using AI, making sure it is used safely, and setting clear rules for how it should work.
Consultants will also support teams as they get used to working with AI. They will help update business processes and show how to get the most value while avoiding problems. The job is becoming more about giving smart advice and helping teams grow with the help of AI.
For those who want to understand this role better, the Salesforce Agentforce Specialist Certification Guide explains the skills and knowledge consultants need as AI becomes a bigger part of Salesforce.
The tasks that AI should take over:
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People and Agents: a shared workspace
AI agents are growing quickly and will soon be in almost every business. Their adoption is expected to jump 327%, according to Salesforce. Yes, agents can do simple, repeated tasks well, but they cannot do everything. Salesforce consultants still have important skills like creativity, good judgment, and understanding tricky situations. As AI grows, it is important to learn how to work with it. This means knowing when to let AI handle tasks and when humans need to step in.
Working with AI agents uses many skills people already have, like clear communication and setting rules. Agents need goals and regular checks to make sure they work well. People also bring ethics and feelings, which help us use AI in the right way. For example, AI follows rules exactly, but people can decide when to change those rules for real situations. The consultants will guide AI, fix problems AI can’t solve, and help teams use both people and machines well.
The blended workspace:
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What the modern Salesforce consultant will need in 2025-2026
“Every employee will need to learn new human, agent, and business skills to thrive in the digital labor revolution,” says Nathalie Scardino, President and Chief People Officer at Salesforce.
The role of the Salesforce consultant is shifting. Configuration, automation, and integration are still important, but they are no longer enough. AI agents are starting to take over repetitive tasks. That means consultants must move into new areas to stay valuable. These areas include AI agent design, ethics, and data management. Let’s break it down:
Building effective AI agents
AI agents don’t just run on clicks and settings. They follow instructions, known as prompts, and respond based on what they’ve learned. Consultants will need to understand how to design these prompts in ways that are clear, safe, and useful. It’s not only about what the agent should do, but also when, why, and for whom. This includes setting limits on actions, guiding how agents respond to edge cases, and regularly reviewing their behavior to avoid errors. Prompt writing, testing, and adjusting will become part of the everyday toolkit. And if you still think this shift is something for the future, that’s a common misconception, as AI is already everywhere, and the changes are happening now.
For example, a prompt might instruct an AI agent to qualify leads only if they meet certain sales criteria and to alert a team member if it encounters unusual data.
Ethics for AI agents
As AI agents make more decisions, ethics becomes very important. It’s not enough for AI to be fast or accurate; it must be fair and responsible. Consultants should help clients watch for bias or unfair results. For example, if an AI favors some leads over others, is it doing so fairly?
Transparency matters. Users want to understand why the AI made certain choices. Consultants can help build simple explanations that show how the AI works. Planning for mistakes is also key. Consultants help clients create ways to review and fix AI decisions when needed. This builds trust in the system.
Finally, privacy and data rules must be followed. AI uses data that can be sensitive, so consultants must guide clients on handling it properly. By focusing on fairness, clarity, review, and privacy, consultants help clients use AI safely and confidently.
Managing data clearly
Data is the foundation of every AI system. If the data is messy or unclear, the AI can give wrong answers. For example, if a company has duplicate customer records or outdated contact details, an AI agent might send the wrong offer to the wrong person, or worse, ignore a key client completely. That’s why consultants should help clients create data contracts. These are simple agreements about how data is shared, who owns it, and how it can be used.
Data contracts make sure everyone on the team understands the rules. For example, who updates the data? How often? What happens if data is missing or incorrect? Good data contracts also help with compliance. They ensure data is handled according to privacy laws and company policies.
Consultants don’t have to manage the data themselves, but they can guide clients to keep data clean and well-organized. This helps AI agents work better, and clients trust the results.
Monitoring and performance analysis
AI agents do not work perfectly all the time. Consultants need to check regularly how these agents perform. This means looking at the results the AI produces to see if they are accurate and useful. It also means watching for mistakes or unexpected behavior that could cause problems.
Consultants should set up ways to measure AI performance, such as tracking key indicators or comparing AI decisions to real outcomes. This helps find when the AI needs adjustment or retraining.
Regular monitoring allows consultants to catch issues early and keep the AI working well as conditions or data change. It also helps clients understand if the AI is meeting their goals and where it might improve.
By focusing on monitoring and performance analysis, consultants make sure AI agents stay reliable and continue to deliver value over time.
Essential skills consultants need to lead AI-driven projects:
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Example of Agentforce in action
This case study shows how K2 Partnering Solutions, the parent company of Focus on Force, helped SpotOn unlock the value of Salesforce Agentforce, creating a clear roadmap for AI adoption and measurable business impact.
Client
SpotOn is a technology company providing payments, point-of-sale, and customer engagement platforms to thousands of merchants across diverse industries.
Challenge
SpotOn needed a clear strategy to introduce Salesforce Data Cloud and Agentforce into its service model. Data was siloed across platforms, limiting personalization and reporting. Leadership also wanted to evaluate Slack-based AI agents for internal support and gain a roadmap for licensing, adoption, and scaling.
Solution
K2 Partnering Solutions delivered targeted advisory across Data Cloud, Agentforce, and licensing. We defined an ingestion and mapping strategy, recommended segmentation models, and built a phased roadmap prioritizing marketing and service use cases. For Agentforce, we identified “quick win” Slack-native AI agents to streamline approvals, FAQs, and case handling. We also modeled licensing options, comparing consumption credits with user-based pricing, and delivered a three-year adoption roadmap.
Benefits
SpotOn gained strategic clarity, reducing risk of overspend on unused licenses. Data Cloud readiness accelerated by 3–6 months, while projected internal case resolution times dropped 25–30%. Leadership gained confidence to scale AI adoption responsibly.
Where and what Agentforce can do
AI agents like Agentforce can support different Salesforce clouds across a wide range of tasks. Here are examples of what they can do and how consultants can prepare to add value.
- Sales Cloud: AI agents can qualify leads, assign them to the right reps, update opportunity stages, and send follow-up reminders. They can spot stale deals, notify reps of changes, or even draft emails based on previous client interactions.
As a consultant, you can review the lead lifecycle, spot where things slow down, and define rules AI agents should follow when updating records or suggesting next steps to users. Collaborate with sales ops to align on what “qualified” or “stuck” actually means.
- Service Cloud: Agentforce can route cases based on topic, urgency, or customer tier. It can provide smart suggestions for replies, update ticket statuses, and escalate when needed. Over time, it can analyze patterns to suggest workflow improvements.
As a consultant, you can analyze case routing rules, define case categories clearly, and set up fallback logic. You can also help prepare a knowledge base for the agent to pull accurate responses from.
- Marketing Cloud: AI agents can personalize messages, segment audiences, and help build automation journeys. They can test content variations, track open rates, and adapt based on engagement.
As a consultant, you can map current campaign flows, identify decision points where AI input adds value, and ensure consent and data compliance are maintained. You can also recommend performance-based A/B testing strategies for the AI to follow.
- Data Cloud
Agentforce can detect duplicates, clean messy records, and monitor for data anomalies. It can also flag records missing key values and recommend enrichment actions.
As a consultant, you can define what “clean data” looks like for your client, work with data stewards to determine trusted sources, and configure enrichment rules that keep data actionable but safe. - Experience Cloud: AI agents can help users in community portals by answering common questions, recommending helpful articles, or creating a case when the issue needs a human. They improve self-service by being available 24/7 and reducing pressure on support teams.
As a consultant, you can work with customer support to find out what users ask most often, help organize that information into reusable content for the AI agent (like FAQs or knowledge articles), and set up clear rules for when the agent should escalate to a real person.
Collaboration in the age of AI
Working with AI agents is a team effort. Salesforce consultants bring deep knowledge of business needs and processes. AI developers bring technical skills to build and improve the agents.
Good collaboration means sharing clear goals and expectations from the start. Consultants explain what the client wants and how the AI should help users. Developers use this information to create solutions that fit those needs.
Consultants also help translate technical details into business terms. They can guide clients on what is possible and what might take more time or effort. Regular communication is important. Checking progress often helps catch problems early and keeps everyone on the same page.
This teamwork leads to better AI agents that truly support the business. Consultants who work well with developers add value beyond configuration, they become trusted partners in AI projects.
What consultants can start doing today?
AI is already part of the Salesforce world, and it’s not going away. Consultants who want to stay relevant don’t need to become engineers, but they do need to grow their skill set, especially as 61% of companies plan to integrate AI into their CRM systems within the next three years.
- Explore AI features in Salesforce: Spend time using tools like Agentforce, which leverages the data and capabilities of the Einstein 1 Platform, in a sandbox environment to get hands-on experience. This practical approach helps you understand AI’s strengths and limits. By trying different features, you will see how AI can support sales, service, and marketing teams. Hands-on practice builds confidence and helps you spot real opportunities for AI use.
- Learn prompt basics: Practice writing simple instructions for AI agents. Notice how small changes in wording can change AI responses. This skill is important because clear prompts lead to better results. Experimenting with prompts helps you learn how to guide AI to produce useful outputs and avoid misunderstandings.
- Build foundational knowledge: Read about AI ethics, data privacy, and responsible AI use to understand the bigger picture. Knowing these topics prepares you to guide clients safely and fairly. It also helps you recognize risks like bias or misuse early. Being informed builds trust with clients and supports ethical AI adoption.
- Review your current projects: Identify repetitive tasks that AI could help automate or improve. Think about where AI can save time or reduce errors. Mapping current workflows helps you find the best places to apply AI agents. This prepares you to make strong recommendations that deliver real value.
- Develop communication skills: Practice explaining AI concepts in plain language to non-technical people. Clear communication builds trust and helps clients feel confident using AI tools. Using simple examples or stories makes AI easier to understand. Good communication also helps manage expectations and reduce fears about AI.
- Connect with experts: Join Salesforce and AI communities, attend webinars, and ask questions to learn from others. Networking exposes you to new ideas and practical tips. It also helps you stay updated on trends and new technologies. Building relationships with other professionals supports your growth and problem-solving.
- Start small: Offer to pilot an AI feature with a client or your team to gain real-world experience. Small projects let you learn without major risks. They give you feedback to improve your approach. This hands-on experience builds your skills and shows clients the value of AI.
- Keep a learning habit: Dedicate time weekly to study AI developments or practice new skills. Consistency builds confidence and deepens understanding. Over time, regular learning helps you stay ahead as AI tools evolve. It also makes adapting to new changes easier.
Check your knowledge
Before diving deeper into AI tools like Agentforce or preparing for Salesforce certifications, it’s important to check where you stand.
Focus on Force is a great resource for this. It doesn’t just help you study, it also helps you test your knowledge and see if you’re ready to pass a certification exam.
You’ll find:
- Practice exams that simulate the real test
- Detailed explanations to understand each answer
- Study guides that focus on key topics
Conclusion: continuous learning and professional development
AI technology is changing fast. What works today might be outdated next year. For Salesforce consultants, keeping skills up to date is essential.
This means keeping up with new AI tools, features, and best practices in Salesforce. You can take training courses, join webinars, read helpful blogs, and talk with other people working in the same field. Getting certified in AI can also show your skills and help you get more projects.
Learning does not need to be difficult. Even small steps, like testing AI agents in a sandbox, trying different prompts, or talking to clients about their AI needs, can help you grow your knowledge over time.
Consultants who keep learning are ready for new challenges and bring more value to their clients. They stay ahead by understanding what AI can really do.
Ready to grow your skills? Check out the Generative AI training to advance your career. Learn how to use AI in ways that matter to your work.
