If you are looking to implement the Salesforce solutions in your organization then you need a Salesforce consulting partner with active engagement and high technical expertise. Most Salesforce’s implementation projects fail due to inadequate project management and unrealistic expectations.
According to the Access Global Group who has recently achieved the Summit status as Salesforce Partner, there are obvious considerations when starting a CRM project, such as budget, but also there are camouflaged factors, such as data migration costs.
Here are ten points that will enable you to begin on the right foot, and select a Salesforce Partner.
1. Do Your Own Research
It is highly likely that your business need is not unique, and has been previously addressed. Look for Salesforce implementation case studies related to your industry vertical and business. Find your peers from other industries who have recently adopted Salesforce.
Salesforce’s official trailblazer community or joining in-person groups are the official forums where you can get advice from your peers. You can also ask them for reviews of implementation methodology, implementation partner, the time required for learning the new technology, and ROI if the implementation has been in place long enough to complete a revenue cycle.
2. Ask Salesforce
Your designated Account Executive (AE) can help with the list of certified partners that are right for your project type. The AEs are backed by a team of Salesforce experts and try to match the partner with the business process and use the case in question. Apart from the official source, there are many vocal Salesforce admins on Social Media and Tech Forums who can help you with questions regarding implementation challenges, app feasibility, and specific features of various products.
3. Don’t Zero Down in the First Go
It is easy to be biased towards the first vendor or the one with a fancy business proposal! But if you are a CRM fresher, it is best to think along the lines of good-old business strategy; instead of evaluating expertise on paper, ask for demos, relevant studies, or Proof of Concept (POC).
An established Salesforce Implementation partner will have a plan of action in place for new clients, and will approach the project systematically; they will take time in understanding your requirements and will define SLAs prior to initiating the project.
4. Look for a Close Match
It is a general observation that if the prospective partner has a substantial understanding of your vertical and business process, implementation would be a bit easier; for example, if the partner has experience in CRM implementation for FinTech clients, they will know the workaround for common challenges in the same industry.
5. Find a Partner Who Disagrees and Discusses
Good consultants ask inconvenient questions, sometimes interrogating the whole logic of your business processes. Why? They have witnessed the failures of flawed business processes and data models.
On the other side of the spectrum are the developers who execute what you precisely ask them to, conveniently ignoring the problem at the basic level. Your implementation project is in the right hands if the partner is asking questions that make you revisit the business model – from the ground up.
6. Look for Certifications
Associate with a certified Salesforce Partner. Salesforce has a strong certification program that offers credentials for Salesforce Administrators, Consultants, Developers, Architects, and Marketers.
Depending on the number of certified experts on board, partners are awarded tiers— Registered, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Global Strategic Partner.