🤝 AI Agents in Marketing & Sales: Big Wins, Big Warnings

According to the World Economic Forum, AgenticAI are fueling the next major business revolution. Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a tool—it’s a member of your Marketing & Sales team. It can draft campaigns, qualify leads, negotiates deals, and update your CRM -autonomously. But as Klarna’s recent -22% drop in satisfaction after replacing 700 agents shows: power without planning is a risk.

At BBVA we had the privilege of leading one of Europe’s most ambitious CRM transformations using Salesforce… more than 10 years ago. But in 2025, that playbook alone won’t cut it. We’ve entered the cognitive era—where AI doesn’t just recommend, it acts, learns, and evolves across the full customer journey.

🎯 What Is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI refers to autonomous systems that execute complex tasks independently. These aren’t just tools—they’re operators. In Marketing & Sales, that means for example qualifying and routing leads, generating personalized content, etc. Leaders as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Mistral AI, Salesforce… offer different agent development platforms.

➕ Why Leaders Are Enthusiastic:
·     Velocity & Scale – Salesforce’s Agentforce now runs up to 50% of internal ops with 93% accuracy.
·     Efficiency Gains – B2B sales teams save 8+ hours/week per rep.
·     Marketing Momentum – 75% of tasks shift from production to strategy by 2025, acording to Forrester/Gartner.

➖ Why Leaders Are Nervous:
·     Klarna’s Misstep – Replaced 700 reps, only to see a -22% drop in customer satisfaction.
·     Trust Gap – 40% of agentic AI deployments will fail by 2027 due to poor planning or shallow integration, acording to Forrester/Gartner.
·     Pushback from Teams – Agents deployed without oversight or training can undermine morale and outcomes.

🧭 Proposing a Framework: Building an Agentic Operating Model
AI can take initiative. But only humans can give it direction to the strategic efforts, and connecting with customers. This requires a joint strategic approach:
1️⃣ Reimagine workflows, data, and processes
Don’t just map journeys—map the data flow and process logic.
2️⃣ Build cross-functional squads
Form teams with sales, marketing, data science, and ops, and use platforms as part of the process.
3️⃣ Govern and iterate within boundaries
Track cycle times, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction. Hold short reviews to refine prompts, and compliance—because agents, like people, need onboarding and boundaries.

👇 What’s next for this AI business transformation?
It’s a reminder: AI must drive value and deepen trust. Companies like Moeve are using intelligent platforms to guide customers’ decarbonization journeys.

Each company is different: What part of your Marketing or Sales process is ready for AI agents today? Where should humans stay firmly in the loop—and why? 🚀