In an effort to deliver a more seamless cross-device experience for customers, Salesforce.com has introduced Snap-In SDKs for the Web and for mobile devices. The debut of snap-in functionality enables users to quickly add tools such as Cases, Knowledge, Live Chat, SOS, and Tap-to-Call to their mobile and Web apps.
Snap-ins improve the agent experience by allowing them to use contextual customer details from app data in order to find the right solutions for specific customer problems. For example, they serve up knowledge articles that can either appear in full-screen mode, or can be minimized and float as overlays in the app interface, so that users can return to them at any point. The snap-ins are fully integrated into the Service Cloud Lightning Platform, which means that agents can access additional customer information at any point to improve and personalize individual experiences. There is also a unified SDK for iOS and Android, which speeds up development and updates.
"The functionality feeds into customers' own apps and Web sites—they don't have to run on Salesforce 1. Support is layered on top of the mobile and Web experiences, and constantly available to customers in the app and Web environments," Eric Bensley, director of product marketing at Salesforce, says.
With snap-ins promising to make cross-device engagement easier, brands may be able to better handle growing customer expectations. "There is a huge issue with cross-channel and cross-device contextual relevancy. Customers don't want to repeat themselves just because they changed channels or devices, and software companies must be able to accommodate this or their competitors will take their customer's business," says Natalie Petouhoff, vice president and principal analyst at Constellation Research.
Coinciding with the introduction of Snap-Ins SDKs is SOS two-way video, which facilitates a two-way engagement so that agents can see customers and the specific service issues they're having. Some customers have already experimented with the snap-ins across several industries. Healthcare equipment provider Stanley Healthcare, for example, is using the snap-in tools to help nurses and healthcare providers at hospitals use medical devices such as Hug bands for infants, says Michael Chou, senior director of product management at Salesforce. Through two-way video, agents can physically demonstrate how to put on the bands instead of trying to explain it. "It's a different experience when agents can see what's wrong and show the right way to do it," Chou says.
"At Stanley Healthcare, we're focused on making the customer service experience effortless and seamless," Amihai Zeltzer, associate vice president of worldwide technical services at Stanley Healthcare, said in a Salesforce statement. "Service Cloud Lightning Snap-ins will enable us to better support our users at hospitals and senior living communities, and also to better connect with the caregivers when they need it and at the place where they need help, leading to stronger relationships, faster case resolution and exceptional care for any customer using a STANLEY Healthcare product," he added.
The new tools will be widely available in June.