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CEE Lags in AI Adoption, Front-Office Assistants Could Change That

CEE Lags in AI Adoption, Front-Office Assistants Could Change That, TheRecursive.com
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AI adoption in business has so far concentrated on back-office functions: finance automation, supply chain optimization, HR analytics. These implementations cut costs and improved efficiency, but they rarely changed how companies compete. The next test is in the front office, where marketing, sales, and customer service directly drive revenue and retention.

In the EU in 2024, only 6.5% of enterprises in Bulgaria and 3.7% in Romania reported using any AI technology, compared to the EU-average of 13.5%, according to Eurostat. This gap shows how ready many companies here are for front-office AI solutions, but also how little of it they’ve adopted so far. This at a time when 78% of organizations globally now use AI in at least one business function.

This is where Next Consult, prominent Salesforce partner, is making its move. The new Augmented Front-Office Assistants are designed to automate high-volume customer-facing processes while improving the quality of interactions. For CEOs under pressure to deliver growth with leaner teams, it offers a way to scale without having to sacrifice performance.

Augmented Assistants Are Way Beyond Chatbots

The concept goes further than traditional chatbots or workflow automation.  Every AI assistant is purpose-built to handle a specific front-office function, whether it’s launching a campaign, closing a deal, or resolving a customer issue. Instead of handling isolated tasks, the assistant functions as a set of role-specific AI agents, developed with AgentForce technology, and integrated into core business systems. They each strengthen a business critical function:

  • Marketing: segment audiences dynamically, generate multichannel campaigns, and optimize spend in real time;

  • Sales: qualify and prioritize leads, automate CRM hygiene, and strengthen forecasting accuracy;

  • Customer support: resolve common requests instantly, provide live agents with AI-driven prompts, and flag churn risks before they escalate.

The difference is in execution. These agents learn from company data, act autonomously within defined parameters, and constantly improve at a fast pace.

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The aim is to extend human capacity, not replace it,” says Orlin Dochev, Next Consult founder and CEO. “Executives want their people focusing on strategic growth, not on manual updates or repetitive interactions.

Strategic Relevance

For top management, the value proposition is direct. Marketing leaders can cut time-to-market on campaigns from weeks to days. Sales organizations can align pipeline activity with revenue targets more reliably. Customer service can move from reactive to preventive engagement.

Each assistant addresses pain points that typically slow down growth: inefficient handoffs, incomplete data, and missed opportunities. In aggregate, they provide a front office that is faster, more consistent, and more responsive to customers.

Why Now?

The launch comes at a moment when AI is shifting from exploratory pilots to mainstream enterprise deployment. The front office, with its direct impact on revenue, is a natural candidate.

At the same time, budgets are tightening and competition is intensifying. CEOs are tasked with growing top-line results while containing costs, a tension that makes scalable automation appealing. What sets this initiative apart is its reliance on Salesforce’s enterprise-grade AI infrastructure, ensuring integration and security standards large organizations already trust. This way, the team is in full control to set parameters, review outputs, or allow full automation based on preferences.

A Glimpse Ahead

Next Consult will showcase the Augmented Front-Office Assistants at an exclusive executive event this November. For C-level leaders across the region, it’s an opportunity to explore how AI can reshape growth strategy through everyday integrations.

As customer expectations rise and competition stiffens, the front office can get its own AI revolution.

C-levels can now secure an early bird spot for free at Next Consult’s upcoming event in Bulgaria this November.

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Next Consult is an experienced business and digital transformation consultancy, as well as a reputable partner of Salesforce, SAP, Tableau, UiPath, Certinia.