Salesforce just made headlines for cutting 4,000 customer service jobs, with CEO Marc Benioff proudly declaring he “needs less heads” now that AI agents handle half their support interactions. Microsoft chopped 15,000 roles this year. Meta cut 3,600. The message from Silicon Valley is clear: Humans are becoming optional in customer support.
We respectfully disagree.
Don’t get us wrong, we love technology. We’ve built our entire business around helping organizations get the most from their data tools. But when it comes to supporting people who use complex platforms like Tableau, we believe human expertise is irreplaceable.
The Problem with AI-First Support
Benioff’s comment about “needing less heads” reveals a fundamental misunderstanding about what good support looks like. Sure, AI can handle basic questions and routine requests. But Tableau users are seeking more than answers, they want understanding.
When someone’s struggling with a complex calculated field, trying to optimize dashboard performance or navigating governance challenges across their organization, they need more than a chatbot. They need someone who’s been there, solved similar problems and can guide them through not just the “what” but the “why” and “how.”
AI might tell you the steps to create a parameter. A human expert helps you understand when parameters are the right solution and when they’re not.
Our Human-Centric Approach
While others are cutting support staff, we’re investing in ours. Here’s what makes our approach different:
Assist by InterWorks pairs you with real Tableau experts who understand your unique challenges. No phone trees, no chatbots, no generic responses. Just knowledgeable humans who can troubleshoot, teach and guide you toward better solutions.
KeepWatch by InterWorks provides managed Tableau Server services with actual people monitoring your environment. When something goes wrong (and in complex data environments, something always does), you get proactive support from experts who know your setup inside and out.
Why Human Expertise Matters More Than Ever
The irony is that as technology becomes more sophisticated, the need for human expertise increases. Today’s Tableau environments are more complex than ever:
- Multi-cloud deployments
- Advanced security requirements
- Integration with dozens of data sources
- Governance across global teams
- Performance optimization at scale
These challenges require judgment, creativity and experiences. These qualities come from years of hands-on work, not reading the manual in your training data.
The Real Cost of “Efficiency”
Companies like Salesforce are celebrating 17% cost reductions from cutting support staff. That tells you a lot about where their values are and who they are talking to. Certainly, for customers wrestling with inadequate support, this is not welcome news. So, what’s the real cost to users?
- Longer resolution times for complex issues
- Generic solutions that don’t fit specific use cases
- Lost opportunities for optimization and best practices
- Frustrated users who can’t get the help they need
At InterWorks, we measure success differently. We track how quickly we can get you unstuck, how much we can teach you in the process, and how much more effective you become with Tableau as a result.
A Partnership, Not Just a Service
When you work with our support teams, you’re gaining a partner. Our experts become extensions of your team, understanding your goals, your constraints and your ultimate destination.
We’ve seen this approach work thousands of times. Users don’t just get their immediate problems solved: They become more confident, more capable and more strategic in how they use Tableau.
The Future Is Human + Technology
We’re not anti-AI, we’re huge fans. We use technology to make our entire company a small giant. We use AI to augment human expertise, not replace it.
While other companies are betting everything on automation, we’re betting on the power of combining great technology with great people. Technology should further our relationships, not eliminate them.
Ready to experience support that puts humans first? Learn more about Assist by InterWorks and KeepWatch by InterWorks, or reach out to see how real experts can make a real difference for your Tableau environment.
