Absa Group scales personalized banking with Agentforce

AI-powered personalized support and instant answers help customers make confident decisions across Africa's second-largest bank.

Absa, one of South Africa’s largest banking groups, offers banking solutions across retail, business, and investment sectors in 15 African countries, serving 10 million customers. As South Africa's #2 bank, they are focused on empowering communities and driving financial inclusion across the continent.

As Absa expanded, scaling personalized service became increasingly complex, especially when serving customers with varying levels of financial literacy. With over 40 business banking products, helping clients navigate their options often meant relying on outdated tools. The bank’s existing chatbot could only handle basic inquiries and often redirected users to generic PDFs, making it difficult for customers to find the right solution for their needs.

"Absa is more than just a bank, we're a catalyst for change," said Lindelani Ramukumba, Business Banking CIO at Absa. "Our mission is to uplift communities across Africa and help millions achieve their financial goals." Without more intelligent support, customers risked applying for unsuitable products, particularly small business owners and entrepreneurs who couldn’t afford delays or mistakes in their financial journey.

To address this, Absa introduced Agentforce, an AI-powered assistant that offers real-time, tailored guidance. Unlike the previous chatbot, Agentforce understands natural language, asks clarifying questions, and delivers personalized answers instantly. Whether a customer says “I want to open a Business Evolve Core account” or asks “Which credit card suits my spending habits?”, Agentforce responds with accuracy and relevance.

This innovation builds on a seven-year digital transformation powered by Salesforce. Absa eliminated 90% of its legacy systems and integrated tools like Service Cloud, Data Cloud, and CRM Analytics, creating a seamless experience across all channels. As a result, 80% of communications are now personalized, doubling open rates and improving campaign performance.

The impact of Agentforce has been significant. It has doubled the efficiency of Absa’s 5,000 contact center representatives, enabling them to provide 24/7 support. The bank has delivered 60 million personalized messages and improved customer satisfaction from 77% to 85%, while generating a 574% boost in meaningful engagement.

Looking ahead, Absa plans to expand Agentforce’s use in dispute resolution and fraud prevention. Today, charge disputes can take up to 45 minutes to resolve. With Agentforce, this drops to under five minutes, and up to 50% of fraud-related requests will be handled automatically. These improvements are especially valuable to small businesses that depend on timely cash flow management.

"With Agentforce, our customers can sleep easier, knowing that if something goes wrong with a transaction, we'll handle it quickly and precisely," said Ramukumba.

Security is a cornerstone of the solution. Agentforce uses the Einstein Trust Layer to ensure encrypted data handling, strict access controls, and regulatory compliance across all 15 countries where Absa operates. The system only accesses the information needed for each interaction, preserving customer privacy while enabling efficient service.

"What matters to our customers isn't just that we protect their data, but that we use it responsibly to solve real problems," said Ramukumba.

By integrating AI seamlessly into every touchpoint, Absa is redefining how banking works across Africa. Programs like the SHE business account, which supports female entrepreneurs with tailored financial tools and mentorship, show how digital solutions can empower broader social change.

"Agentforce isn't just AI. It's AI deeply integrated into everything we do," said Ramukumba. "We're not just keeping pace with digital transformation, we're actively defining what banking will look like for millions of Africans tomorrow."