Suppose you have an excellent idea for a business and want to make it a reality. You know you need to get the right tools before launching your business. You’ve heard of Salesforce but need to learn more about it. So you start looking for someone to help you with the implementation process, and that’s precisely the role of the Salesforce Implementation Consultant.
Being a successful Salesforce Implementation Consultant takes work. It requires specific skills related to the profession of Consulting. For example, Leadership, problem-solving, decision-making, and delegating skills are essential for tackling complex customer cases, helping them boost revenue.
But there is more. Let’s find out in this blog.
Who Is a Salesforce Implementation Consultant, and Why Should You Find One?
Salesforce is the most popular cloud-based enterprise customer relationship management (CRM) solution. It provides a comprehensive set of applications that enable companies to manage customer data, engage with customers and measure results. Companies can use it for various purposes, from sales to service, marketing, and much more. The best part is that it can be easily customized to fit your company’s dynamic needs.
A Salesforce Implementation Consultant is a person who specializes in implementing Salesforce for businesses and organizations. They are experts at leveraging this software to its full potential. Also, they are capable of executing a company-wide implementation of the system to get it operational as quickly as possible. They are usually hired by the company or organization using Salesforce or by a third-party vendor who will implement it.
4 Steps in Finding the Right Salesforce Implementation Consultant
Since Salesforce has become increasingly popular in recent years, more and more companies are looking for implementation consultants to help them set up their Salesforce accounts. But how do you find the right one?
There are many different factors that you should consider when choosing an implementation consultant, from certifications to knowing your requirements.
This article will discuss four steps in finding the right Salesforce implementation consultant for your business.
1. Assess Your Requirements?
Before implementing a new tool, it is vital to understand the overall impact of using Salesforce, its compatibility, and how it will benefit your business. In this stage, you should explore the following queries internally:
- What are your business goals?
- How can Salesforce help you achieve those goals?
- What types of tasks do you want to accomplish with Salesforce?
- What type of workflows do you plan on implementing with Salesforce?
- What is your budget for implementing Salesforce?
- Are there any other requirements you want to discuss with the consultant?
2. Does the Implementation Consultant Meet Your Needs?
Check if the Salesforce Consultant is certified to implement Salesforce successfully and if they have prior experience implementing it in their company or an organization similar to yours.
Moreover, you can refer to their portfolio of successful project implementations for similar brands. Based on the inputs, you must evaluate how quickly they can get started on your project and how long it will take them to finish.
3. Is This a Good Fit for Your Company?
In this stage, you should have a conversation with the implementation consultant to discuss their rate. Check their requirements for this implementation project and the total cost of your task. See if their proposal meets your goals and requirements from step and how much it would cost to accomplish those goals using this provider’s proposed solution vs other alternatives.
4. Do You Want to Make This a Long-Term Relationship?
Find out if the shortlisted Salesforce Implementation consultant is consistent and reliable in their work and if they have an open schedule. Ideally, their past work must be relevant to your industry, which warrants a recommendation from people who have worked with them. Make sure that the consultant seems reasonably priced, or if they need a discount for a long-term contract.
A Checklist to Discuss With Your Salesforce Implementation Consultant
Salesforce implementation is a process that requires a lot of planning and preparation. The success of the implementation depends on how well you have performed the background preparation. This checklist below will help you prepare for the implementation by ensuring the salesforce implementation project is successful.
You should check the following aspects:
- A business case that clearly articulates the benefits of implementing Salesforce, including the projected number of users and devices.
- An overview of your current IT infrastructure, computing requirements, and the reasons for adopting a cloud solution (if applicable).
- A detailed plan for implementing your new solution, including roles and responsibilities assigned to individuals, timelines for implementation, disaster recovery plans, user acceptance testing plans or pilot project proposals where appropriate, and so on.
- An overview of your current data, including the type of data, frequency of updates, and the number of users.
- Layered security plans for protecting your company’s sensitive information.
- All hardware and software components that you need to set up your new system, including computers, devices, and licenses.
- A data migration plan for safely transferring data from your current system to the upgraded system.
- A list of your company’s enterprise goals, B2B and B2C, and other KPIs you need to meet.
You can use this checklist as a guide for considering the implementation of Salesforce as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) or CRM solution. It provides a thorough and systematic process for assessing and achieving success with Salesforce implementation.
Factors to Consider When Working With a Sales Consultant
With so many different consultants, knowing which is suitable for your marketing team can take much work. Here are some qualities you should assess when choosing a Salesforce consultant:
- Extensive experience
- Costs
- Sales Processes
- Industry Expertise
- Specialty
- Size of Company
Final Words
It is essential to identify if your business needs long-term dedicated support for its CRM or needs a hand in developing templates for your staff to manage the tool. Your Salesforce Implementation Consultant will not only be able to provide you with this information but be able to recommend solutions from the vendor.
But the question is, how can you be sure that the consultant you hire is qualified and experienced enough to help your business?
Cloudiate could be the way
Cloudiate is a comprehensive Salesforce consulting firm staffed by experts and professionals. They are trained in using the Salesforce platform and can assess your needs and implement the appropriate Salesforce solutions to help your business flourish. Cloudiate is officially recognized as a Salesforce partner. Check out what customers have to say about the Cloudiate solution.
To find the perfect match for Salesforce Implementation Consultants, we will help your business explore our certified experts and make an informed decision on whom we think would best suit your team and needs.
Get in touch with Cloudiate today.