Salesforce is the number one customer relationship management (CRM) tool in the world. More than 150,000 companies are using Salesforce to manage many aspects of their business, including sales, commerce, marketing, and of course, customer relations.
Salesforce allows companies to merge numerous complex business segments into one easy-to-use system. However, Salesforce implementation is a process that needs to be carefully considered. Working with a Salesforce implementation company can expedite the process and quickly get the system up and running.
In this article, we will explain the best practices to keep in mind when implementing Salesforce and provide you with a Salesforce Implementation checklist to follow to get everything right and ensure success.
Implementation of the Salesforce Sales Cloud or Service Cloud
Implementing the Salesforce Sales and Service Clouds is one of the most important aspects of any Salesforce project. It is a critical process, so it’s always best to rely on a reputable and experienced Salesforce implementation consultant during this project phase. There are some general guidelines that you’ll want to keep in mind when implementing the Sales and Service Clouds.
First and foremost, you should define your goals and figure out what you would like to see in your future sales and service processes. As a general rule of thumb, this phase of the process is coordinated in workshops, with the ideal output being a defined scope for the rest of the implementation project.
It is of the utmost importance that you receive ongoing support throughout this early stage of the project, so you should ask many questions and hold high-level talks with the various stakeholders in your company. Once you reach a consensus and a vision is established, you should document everything in detail to have an easy point of reference that can guide the migration and development phases later on in the process.
Implementation of the Salesforce Marketing Cloud
The sales and service clouds are integral components of Salesforce operations, equally important is implementing the marketing cloud that will enable your company to take its marketing strategy to the next level. Again, it’s best to entrust this task to an experienced company offering Salesforce implementation services.
The Salesforce Marketing Cloud allows you to generate consistently impressive interactions with your current and prospective customers. There are various ways to set this up, but typically, you will want to automate as many of the systems involved with your marketing blueprint as possible. You can program and automate personalized communications via the E-Mail Studio, the Social Studio, the Mobile Studio, and the new Journey Builder. All of this will make your marketing efforts more effective and less time-consuming in the long run.
Implementation of Salesforce Pardot
Companies that want to get even more out of their Salesforce Sales Clouds while attracting a steady stream of new customers often choose to go one step further and implement Salesforce Pardot. By using Salesforce Pardot, you’ll be able to attract web traffic and generate scoring profiles which will enable you to target your campaign and tailor your sales funnels for optimal performance.
Using Salesforce Pardot’s Engagement Studio, you can even send automated sales campaign materials directly linked to your already established sales funnels and processes, which can dramatically increase engagement, boost conversions, and result in higher revenue. Most companies see positive effects from this strategy in short time frames.
From Planning to Implementation
When implementing Salesforce, you must choose the correct cloud solutions. Therefore you should carefully consider your Salesforce implementation methodology. Whether you plan on using Salesforce for sales, service, marketing, or as an all-in-one solution, you should always ensure that you implement Salesforce in a custom and tailored way that makes sense for the company and is in line with the vision established by management and the stakeholders.
Salesforce is not a one size fits all solution. There are single-cloud and multi-cloud strategies, and each requires thorough analysis and an in-depth understanding of the platform. Therefore, whenever possible, you should work with experienced Salesforce implementation partners who know the ins and outs of implementing Salesforce cloud solutions in various situations for different companies.
Selecting a Methodology
One of the most important considerations when implementing Salesforce is the Salesforce implementation methodology you select. A few options are available, but by far, most companies who have successfully adapted Salesforce use an Agile methodology. There are two Agile methodologies to consider, and each has its pros and cons.
It’s widely believed that scrum is the best method. With the scrum method, you slowly release features and functions that have already been power tested and are relatively free of bugs. The waterfall method is the second option, which is falling out of favor but still employed by some operators. With waterfall, you essentially release everything all at once and then try to fix issues as and when they arise.
The main problem with waterfall is that although it offers all of the features on day one, there are often significant bugs that negatively impact the user experience (UX). Most customers would prefer to have limited features at first, as long as they are working, then to have a ton of features on launch day that don’t even work properly..
Salesforce Set-Up & Configuration
The actual process of migrating your data and implementing the system involves several steps, including customizing and configuring the platform according to the company’s needs, implementing the required modules, fine-tuning the interfaces, and then double-checking that all of the correct data has migrated securely to the relevant cloud servers. Rules are then defined, and duplicates removed.
To prevent your teams from being overwhelmed, it’s best to implement only those features and modules which are needed to achieve the company’s objectives. Otherwise, the sheer volume of functions can delay the progress of the project and add confusion to an already complex system. Once the platform has been configured and your employees trained, Salesforce is a tool that simplifies many aspects of running your business, but there is certainly a learning curve involved, and it’s best to take things slow; one step at a time.
It’s also important that you designate power users who can beta test each system before launch. These users should perform all of the tasks required of your employees and document everything. If any bugs are detected, they can correct it before launch. Plus, your staff will have reference documents to help them troubleshoot if they encounter a problem while navigating the system post-launch. Companies choose to utilize their power users as trainers in most cases because these users already know the system.
Conclusion
Salesforce is a powerful tool that allows companies to manage multiple complex aspects of their enterprise in one easy-to-use system. However, implementing Salesforce is a process that needs preparation. Working with a Salesforce implementation partner such as Ad Victoriam Solutions can accelerate the process and ensure that everything gets migrated and set up correctly.