Organizational Excellence for Customer Engagement: The CETO Framework and Agentic AI

In today’s digital-first world, organizations face a paradox: while investments in platforms like Salesforce and AI promise transformative customer engagement, many businesses struggle to realize their full value. The culprit? Fragmented digital transformation efforts, siloed teams, and a lack of cohesive governance. Publicis Sapient’s Customer Engagement Transformation Office (CETO) offers a strategic solution—one that unites people, processes, and technology to unlock the true potential of Salesforce and Agentic AI at scale.

The Challenge: Fragmentation in the Age of AI

Despite the proliferation of advanced tools—Salesforce Data Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and now Agentic AI—many organizations find themselves hampered by disconnected initiatives. When technology is implemented in isolation, without a holistic strategy, the result is inefficiency, inconsistent customer experiences, and missed opportunities for growth. The hidden costs of this fragmentation are significant: redundant processes, slow decision-making, and an inability to deliver seamless, personalized engagement across channels.

Introducing the Customer Engagement Transformation Office (CETO)

CETO is Publicis Sapient’s holistic governance model designed to break down these barriers. Unlike traditional Centers of Excellence, CETO is a strategic governance entity that brings cross-functional alignment to all customer engagement initiatives. It is the heart of organizational excellence, ensuring that every investment in Salesforce and AI is connected to business outcomes and customer value.

How CETO Drives Transformation

Embedding Agentic AI (Agentforce) for Scalable Impact

Agentic AI, exemplified by Publicis Sapient’s Agentforce, is a new class of AI that acts autonomously to drive both customer-facing and internal operations. Within the CETO framework, Agentic AI is not an add-on—it is embedded at the core of both strategy and execution.

Agentic AI in Action

Practical Guidance: Implementing CETO and Agentic AI

1. Establish Executive Steering

A successful CETO begins with an Executive Steering Committee that sets direction and ensures alignment between customer engagement strategies, Agentic AI initiatives, and business goals. This top-down commitment is critical for breaking through organizational inertia and prioritizing value-driven outcomes.

2. Build the CETO Team

The CETO itself is responsible for driving execution, cross-cloud collaboration, and continuous innovation. It is accountable for embedding Agentic AI capabilities within both customer engagement strategies and operational plans.

3. Enable Technical Teams and Project Pods

Technical Enablement Teams and Project Pods provide the foundation for execution. They implement use cases defined by CETO, leveraging Agentic AI to enhance both customer experiences and internal operations. This structure ensures that technology and business outcomes remain tightly coupled.

4. Foster a Culture of Collaboration and Learning

CETO’s success depends on a culture that values cross-functional collaboration, continuous learning, and agility. By empowering stakeholders and breaking down silos, organizations can accelerate adoption and maximize the impact of their Salesforce and AI investments.

Real-World Outcomes: Value Realization at Scale

For example, Publicis Sapient has helped leading brands accelerate time-to-market, automate complex processes, and deliver omnichannel personalization at scale—demonstrating the power of a unified, intelligence-driven approach.

Frameworks for Value Realization

CETO is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Publicis Sapient’s approach includes:

The Path Forward: From Fragmentation to Excellence

The future of customer engagement is not just about technology—it’s about organizational excellence. By adopting the CETO framework and embedding Agentic AI, organizations can move beyond fragmented digital transformation efforts to achieve seamless, scalable, and measurable customer engagement. Publicis Sapient stands ready to guide you on this journey, helping you unlock the full value of your Salesforce and AI investments and build a foundation for continuous innovation and growth.

Ready to transform your customer engagement strategy? Connect with Publicis Sapient to learn how CETO and Agentic AI can help you achieve organizational excellence and deliver lasting business impact.