The Salesforce ecosystem is buzzing about Agentforce, the new AI-powered platform designed to transform how work gets done. But as with any disruptive technology, adoption challenges and the question of ROI loom large, and many companies remain cautious about implementing this transformative tech.

Resistance to change, uncertainty about data readiness, and deployment risk often derail projects before they start. Agentforce is no exception. 

At a recent Salesforce Ben webinar, leaders from Salesforce, Pendo, and Elements.Cloud came together to unpack these challenges and chart a path forward. The conversation revealed not only why organizations are hesitant to dive into Agentforce, but also how Pendo is helping them experiment, measure, and scale their investments.

Driving successful Agentforce adoption requires visibility

“Agentforce isn’t just another feature, it’s a paradigm shift in how work gets done,” noted Brandon Stauber from Salesforce’s partner ecosystem team. That shift, however, can feel overwhelming to executives balancing risk, technical debt, and the unknowns of AI.

This is where Pendo shines. Jake Wills, lead product manager at Pendo, explained that before you can prove ROI, you need visibility into how work actually happens. That’s true both inside Salesforce and across adjacent applications.

“You can’t measure agent ROI until you understand your current workflows: where time goes, where friction lives, and which outcomes matter,” said Wills.

With Pendo’s software experience management (SXM) platform, Salesforce customers can:

  • Identify friction points across workflows.
  • Spot repetitive or error-prone tasks ready for AI intervention.
  • Measure human and agent performance together to paint a true picture of ROI.

This data-first approach transforms experimentation from guesswork into insight-driven iteration. Instead of debating whether to launch Agentforce pilots, leaders gain clarity on where to start, what to measure, and how to build momentum.

How agents make us rethink the scope of ROI

Traditional software ROI often comes down to efficiency: reducing costs, saving time, or increasing productivity. But as the panel highlighted, Agentforce helps power not only these but other types of value—ones that Pendo helps uncover.

ROI with AI is about more than faster workflows. It also includes elements like greater accuracy (i.e., fewer errors and rework) and quality of outcomes. As Ian Gott, CEO of Elements Cloud, explained, “There's no point having an answer really quickly if it's the wrong answer.” Agents also have the potential to improve customer and employee experience through eliminating friction points and automating burdensome tasks. 

Pendo plays a critical role in measuring these broader impacts. Its analytics combine quantitative data (time saved, errors reduced) with qualitative insights (sentiment, satisfaction) to give leaders a richer ROI story.

Building the business case for Agentforce

For executives, experimenting with Agentforce is one thing. Approving large-scale investments is another. The panel stressed that successful business cases must go beyond accounting for licensing costs and automation metrics to include value gained from fundamental process redesign, improved governance, and qualitative benefits.

Pendo helps teams bridge this gap by:

  • Providing comprehensive data on how agents impact workflows and people.
  • Supporting iterative experimentation that proves value in stages.
  • Capturing both quantitative outputs (e.g., case resolution time) and qualitative outcomes (employee or customer satisfaction).

In short: Pendo turns employee anecdotes into evidence, making it easier to win executive buy-in and sustain long-term Agentforce adoption.

3 tips to get your Agentforce implementation right from the start

The panel closed by sharing tactical advice for organizations preparing to deploy agents: 

  • Don’t overlook the importance of documenting business processes clearly to avoid agent “hallucinations” or workflow gaps.
  • Start implementation with low-risk, employee-facing agents before moving to customer-facing or high-complexity scenarios
  • Establish analytics foundations (something Pendo directly enables) to measure both agent performance and downstream human impact.

Start small, measure everything, scale what works

Like so much else, successful organizations will be those who experiment boldly, measure thoughtfully, and iterate quickly.

By giving Salesforce customers visibility into how work happens, where friction lies, and what outcomes matter, Pendo ensures that Agentforce investments are more than experiments. Instead, they’re measurable steps toward long-term transformation.

As Wills summed it up: “Looking at how work is really happening today—that’s what’s going to help you get the most ROI and the most transformation from implementing agents.” 

Learn more about how Pendo optimizes your Salesforce and Agentforce motions here.