Chapter 1The Challenge for Absa Group

As Absa grows, they must automate personalized service while enhancing customer experiences.

From entrepreneurs building their dreams to families safeguarding their futures, Absa is empowering financial progress across Africa. “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.” 

Since beginning its digital transformation with Salesforce seven years ago, Absa has grown into South Africa’s #2 bank and expanded to 15 countries across Africa. AI-powered tools have been key to streamlining their operations, delivering personalized experiences at scale, and helping Absa serve their 10 million customers. As Absa expands into more markets where customers are less familiar with financial services, helping each customer find the right fit from over 40 business banking products is becoming more challenging.

For example, if a small business owner turns to Absa for a loan, finding the right option can be daunting. They might click the “Tell me more” link on Absa’s website, which pulls up a PDF with generic FAQs that may or may not answer their question. Or, they could interact with the bank’s chatbot, which would present them with a preset list of options. Although able to answer simple questions about topics like bank locations, the bot wouldn’t be able to provide any more detail than could be found in the PDF at the “Tell me more” link. 

Without the right guidance, the small business owner might apply for the wrong kind of loan and risk getting rejected — diminishing their chances of successfully starting their business. Across South Africa, Absa battles one of the highest income inequalities in the world and needed a way to make the application process clearer and more accessible to all.

Absa knows that delivering a seamless, secure, and empowering banking experience is key to supporting inclusive growth across Africa. To do this, they’re turning to Salesforce AI, automation, and data-driven insights to help customers access the right products at the right time and bridge income inequality across the continent.

Chapter 2How Salesforce Helps Absa Group

Agentforce will help protect customer trust in every interaction.

At Absa, keeping customer information safe isn’t just about following compliance rules, it’s about earning and keeping the trust of the 10 million people who count on them. “Our customers share their financial lives with us, and that’s a responsibility we take extremely seriously,” said Singh.

With Agentforce, strong security is built in from the start. The Einstein Trust Layer helps keep data safe by clearly showing how information is being used, using powerful encryption to protect personal details, and making sure only the right people have access. It also automatically keeps up with the different regulatory laws across the 15 African countries Absa serves.

“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. “Agentforce only looks at the information needed to solve a specific issue, which means customers get helpful, personalized support without giving up their privacy.”

This balance — personalized support with strong security — is helping Absa create safer, more confident digital banking experiences that support financial inclusion across Africa.

Chapter 3The Salesforce Difference

Absa is redefining the future of banking with Agentforce, powered by Salesforce’s deeply unified platform. “Agentforce isn’t just AI. It’s AI deeply integrated into everything we do,” said Ramukumba. With real-time visibility across banking systems, AI-driven automation, and deep customer insights across channels, Absa will deliver faster, more personalized service at scale. And with built-in protections like the Einstein Trust Layer — designed to exceed rigorous financial industry security standards — Absa upholds its commitment to ethical AI and data transparency.

Agentforce marks the next phase of a transformation that began seven years ago when Absa modernized its banking experience with Salesforce, including Financial Services Cloud and Data Cloud. Moving to a unified platform has delivered impressive results, including a 574% boost in meaningful customer engagement and successful high-impact campaigns like Black Friday, which reached 60 million people. By focusing on personalized service, Absa has raised customer satisfaction from 77% to 85% and expanded its reach across the continent to drive greater impact.

Initiatives like the SHE business account, which provides female entrepreneurs with tailored financial solutions, mentorship, and networking opportunities, are just one example of how Absa is making a difference. 

By making AI a seamless part of every interaction, Absa isn’t just transforming banking — they’re opening doors of opportunity and financial empowerment for people across Africa.