Process debt is AI’s silent killer, and Salesforce’s Apromore move just raised the stakes

Transformation leaders are hitting a wall with AI, not because of the models themselves, but because of the tech, data, and process debt they’re built on. No organization can scale intelligence on a foundation of broken systems, bad data, and opaque workflows, and CIOs and transformation leaders can no longer ignore this. Salesforce’s acquisition of Apromore gives the former another chance to confront the process debt undermining its AI programs.

The single most prominent decision leaders now face is whether to treat process debt as an AI blocker or let it quietly sabotage every Agentforce deployment they attempt.

Why front-office visibility is now non-negotiable for AI leaders

The acquisition builds on Salesforce’s $10.3 million investment in Apromore in 2022, which HFS Research explored here. For CIOs, the real shift is that front-office processes can now be mapped, measured, and fixed with far greater precision. The process mining firm analyzes event logs to produce end-to-end process maps, identify bottlenecks, and simulate changes before real-world implementation to quantify the return on investment. Our 2023 study gave an in-depth look at Apromore’s capabilities in the process intelligence market.

Enterprises can expect Salesforce’s new process mining capabilities to shift the needle from delivering insights on “what” happens at the front office to understanding “how” it happens. For CIOs, this means finally exposing the broken workflows that hinder deal velocity, customer experience, and AI outcomes, issues that would otherwise remain hidden until process mining brings them to the surface.

However, the secret sauce of this acquisition lies in how process mining will help enterprises adopt Agentforce. Apromore might just be the final piece of this puzzle for those hoping to crush technology, data, and process debts within their Salesforce ecosystem.

Why every struggling Agentforce rollout is a process problem first

Agentforce will only be as strong as the foundation beneath it. Poor data quality, disconnected systems, and spaghetti processes stop innovation before it even begins, which is why enterprises report limited Agentforce success today despite significant investment in licenses. Historically, Salesforce has done a good job of helping enterprises tackle their technology and data debt, but process debt has remained the missing piece of the puzzle.

With Apromore, CIOs can now tackle the trio of AI-blocking debt, i.e., technology, data, and process. MuleSoft connects the stack, Data 360 cleans the data foundation, and Apromore reveals how work actually flows. But the value only materializes if CIOs align these three layers rather than buying them in isolation.

• Technology debt: MuleSoft creates a connectivity layer that allows old and new systems to connect. This makes legacy systems usable without a complete overhaul, providing Agentforce with an efficient and connected infrastructure. It also gives transformation leaders a realistic path to modernization without completely replacing legacy systems.
• Data debt: Data 360 pulls enterprise data from different enterprise systems into a single source of truth. This not only enhances analytics and automation but also gives Agentforce access to high-quality data, supporting accurate decision-making.
• Process debt: Apromore’s capabilities show how work is done in the organization. This insight is fed into Agentforce to provide business context from real workflows to make better decisions.

HFS views the acquisition as Salesforce’s move to capture a larger share of the enterprise operations market to drive revenue while repositioning itself as a one-stop shop for front-office transformation rather than just a CRM provider. Some enterprises might see this as positive, with Salesforce serving as the sole owner of their front-office transformation. Others would be wary of locking themselves deeper into the Salesforce ecosystem.

The front office is messy, and that’s where Salesforce + Apromore will be tested

Salesforce’s core battlefield is customer-facing interactions, which are rarely standardized, have disconnected systems, and are typically human-driven. Process mining tools remain largely untested in this space. If enterprises don’t address these challenges, Apromore’s process maps will have data gaps and dark spots where processes leave the Salesforce environment, either for another system or through human intervention. This highlights the connection between technology, data, and process debt and how they must be settled together in the front office.

Salesforce is building the toolkit for enterprises to connect systems, organize data, and highlight inefficient processes through MuleSoft, Data 360, and now Apromore. But this will only become a reality if Salesforce pulls the pieces together in an affordable and consumable way rather than just adding to the marketing noise and pricing complexity. The firm should leverage its services ecosystem to make that happen, but it’s ultimately up to enterprises to choose the right partner.

The Bottom Line: Salesforce has the complete toolkit to crush enterprise debt. Now the onus is on transformation leaders and C-suite executives to make that happen.

It’s time for enterprises to acknowledge the reality of how debt is hindering their transformation efforts. While Salesforce has pulled the puzzle pieces together, leaders must bring together tech, data, and operations teams to act on these insights. Ignore that, and AI ambitions will just end up as another layer of disconnected tools. With Apromore now in the mix, enterprises have a toolkit to eliminate technology, data, and process debt simultaneously, positioning them to leverage Agentforce effectively.