Did you realize that 70% of CRM implementation projects don’t succeed, leading to significant financial setbacks for companies without yielding any visible advantages? But no worries! Having the appropriate Salesforce Consulting Partner at your side can facilitate a seamless Salesforce CRM implementation.
Collaborating with the appropriate Salesforce consulting partner is crucial to maximize sales. Whether you’re deploying Salesforce initially or enhancing an existing configuration, a certified consulting partner can offer the required proficiency and insights to customize Salesforce to your distinctive business requirements.
But with so many options available, how do you identify the right Salesforce partner for your business? In this guide, we’ll explore key considerations and steps you should take to ensure you’re working with the best Salesforce consulting partner to achieve success. So, let’s dive in!
What is a Salesforce Consulting Partner?
A salesforce consulting partner is a firm certified by Salesforce to assist businesses in optimizing their Salesforce investments. Salesforce partners are capable of creating personalized solutions, undertaking projects, and integrating various systems. These firms are specialists who can guide businesses towards innovative and improved methods of engaging with their customers.
Salesforce consultants tailor different components of the platform to suit your business needs. They help with Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, the AppExchange marketplace, and other Salesforce clouds to fine-tune the Salesforce platform for your business.
Why Does a Business Require a Salesforce Consulting Partner?
Salesforce is renowned for creating personalized business solutions. Your organization should have a robust internal IT team to assist in tailoring the solution to your requirements. The implementation process can be a lengthy period of tension to achieve an ideal solution. To avoid the stress associated with this process, businesses should engage with Salesforce consulting partners for the implementation of Salesforce solutions.
Collaborating with a Salesforce Consulting Partner can effectively propel you towards your expansion objectives. Moreover, they aid in setting up intricate details and security configurations, ensuring seamless access and usage of the CRM. While software updates may appear simple, they entail transitioning to a new system with fresh designs and features, which can be intricate. A competent Salesforce Integration Partner streamlines this process, resulting in superior customer experiences, efficient workflows, enhanced communication, boosted productivity, reduced operational expenses, and improved security.
Tips to Choose the Right Salesforce Consulting Partner
Active participation and proficiency in a technical domain are essential for executing Salesforce solutions. This is the primary reason businesses seek Salesforce Implementation Partners. A CIO report indicates that 18-69% of CRM Implementation Projects fail due to issues with data quality, insufficient project management, and unrealistic expectations.
It’s crucial to consider several factors before initiating a CRM project, such as budget, migration expenses, and other elements. Hence, organizations should leverage the expertise of Salesforce Consulting Companies to maximize their Salesforce investment.
Without professional guidance, it’s challenging to make a decision on which one to select, so consider these tips as a helpful guide.
1. Industry Research
Some questions can help you in industry research. For example, do they have experience working with other enterprises within your industry? Can the Salesforce Implementation Partners offer testimonials for related organizations?
In most cases, businesses don’t have unique needs and can find similar solutions that other industry peers have adopted in the past. Look for case studies related to your industry vertical for a better perspective. Find out which of your competitors recently adopted Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
Official forums like the trailblazer community or other groups help advise how to become a Salesforce Consulting Partner or choose the right one. In addition, you can request them for reviews of different implementation methodologies, Partners, ROI, and time required for adopting new technology.
2. Get Assistance From Salesforce Certified Partner
If you need professional help, your assigned Account Executive can assist with the certified Salesforce partner companies that fit your project well. Salesforce experts are backing up Account Executives who can help you match with the Salesforce partner community through business processes and other techniques.
Apart from these sources, you will find various vocal Salesforce admins on social media sites and Technology Forums that help you with questions about implementation challenges, certain product features, and app feasibility.
3. Never Select the First Option
It’s certainly easier to choose the first vendor or the one who offers a convincing business proposal. However, if you’re a CRM fresher, you should use a good old-school business strategy. That includes evaluating expertise on paper, demo proposals, Proof of Concept, and relevant studies.
An established consulting partner will have a proper action plan for new customers, and they will approach your project systematically. They will understand your needs by taking the time to define SLAs beforehand to start the project.
4. Identify Salesforce Certifications
Always choose a certified Salesforce Consulting Partner. It’s a fact that Salesforce now has a strong and quality certification program that provides credentials for Consultants, Administrators, Marketers, and Architects.
You should select which option to pursue based on the number of experts on board, awarded partners, and registered and strategic partners.
5. Seek Technical Expertise
Ensuring the Salesforce Consultant has the technical expertise required to handle your business is imperative. That expertise includes providing clouds customizations and integration for solutions.
6. Ongoing Support
Regardless of how well a Partner offers a Salesforce Marketing Cloud or Salesforce Commerce Cloud service if they don’t provide ongoing support, you must reconsider. After the initial engagement, you may require on- and off-solution support from the Salesforce Consultant.
7. Financial Budget
You should know that Salesforce Projects are not cheap, so you should look for the most economical option when choosing a Salesforce Implementation Partner. Hence, whoever decides should look for a time-efficient and comprehensive consultant.
It’s common for organizations to have unrealistic expectations regarding some implementation parts, which leads to failure or extra expenses.
You should adopt a reliable method for estimating the implementation budget that calculates the total ownership cost.
8. Choose Long-Term Engagement
Business-critical implementations and internal resources aren’t specifically expert Salesforce certified. That’s why it is wise to associate yourself with a Salesforce Partner who can support the business throughout the process, from implementation to evolution.
9. Proven Methodology
Have you selected your Partner yet? If yes, then ask yourself these questions before you move any further. Once both sides have agreed on the scope of work, you should discuss its execution.
It may include all stakeholders’ responsibilities, contingency plans, and SLAs regarding some facts from the very beginning.
10. Additional Capabilities
Salesforce Consulting companies offer some basic and prominent features, but you should also look for additional capabilities. Knowing what other abilities the Partner is bringing to the offer is essential.
Are they experienced enough to offer solutions for other products you utilize for your business? Every organization wants a top salesforce consultant that can refine and increase sales and help them achieve marketing goals through their expertise.
Consider Innovadel Technologies as Your Salesforce Consulting Partner
Innovadel Technologies is a certified Salesforce Consulting Partner and is considered one of the ranking consultant companies in the UK and USA that offer high-quality and reliable solutions.
We specialize in custom Salesforce development solutions tailored to meet your unique business needs. Here’s what we do:
- Salesforce Consulting
- Salesforce Implementation
- Salesforce Integration
- Salesforce Development
- Salesforce AppExchange Development
- Salesforce Migration
- Salesforce Development Outsourcing
Our Salesforce development offerings cater to a wide range of requirements, with adaptable choices for extra services. Additionally, we provide beneficial consulting services to assist in business goals and security planning, as well as to facilitate your product’s listing on Salesforce AppExchange for enhanced exposure and attracting new clientele.
Final Thoughts
A systematic strategy is essential to finalize the perfect fit Salesforce Consulting Partner for your enterprise. Define project requirements and ensure everyone who will be involved in the customer experience should have an understanding of the implementation process. It will lead to supreme business performance and better teamwork.
