27 Aug Why did we decide to use Salesforce again?
Halfway through Salesforce implementation, a lot of companies and professionals feel this question creep into the back of their minds. After hours of trying to get Salesforce to bend to their will and actually work as a business tool, some people start to wonder why they went down this path in the first place. One of the biggest issues we see that leads to this line of thinking is a lack of communication. This gap in effective communication trickles down to every level of the organization, making the integration much more of a headache than a solution. To combat these feelings of frustration, clear lines of communication should be established from the very beginning. Here are just a few ways we recommend keeping communication clear and frustration out of the implementation process.
Document Salesforce Implementation Reasoning
When executive stakeholders make the decision to move to a new CRM, or any other Salesforce tool, the reasoning should be clearly documented and passed down to all levels of the organization. Typically, it is the marketers and salespeople working in Salesforce day to day. Without support and clear rationale for making the switch, it’s easy for employees to get frustrated with the seemingly near-sighted decision to make a change. To combat this, we recommend offering opportunities for feedback between management and subordinates. This creates a higher level of trust and buy-in from all members of an organization.
Support From Every Angle
On the subject of support, making this change demands support from many different avenues. Internal and external support are critical to the success of Salesforce implementation. Not only are employees at risk of frustration that makes people want to quit on the entire process, managers and executives without knowing the process employees are going through might be quick to place blame on employees for not picking it up right away. One thing we know first-hand is how difficult Salesforce tools can be to learn. Even with years of experience, people struggle to find the implementation that works best for them. Internal support is critical to the success, and placing blame gets no one anywhere productive.
Bring In External Support
This brings us to another important level of support. External support. Salesforce is a great tool, but a quick Google search will show people feeling left unsupported after the initial setup. Outside consultants or training smooths the transition and ensures the tools are set up properly for success. Trying to learn the ins and outs is arduous and takes time away from the duties employees specialize in, leaving gaps in the work that really needs to be done. Consultant assistance minimizes the impact on the organization.
Keep Up On Software Updates
Just like the technology in our day-to-day lives, Salesforce technology is always changing. Think about your phone or favorite social media platform. It seems like every few weeks your adjusting to tweaks in the software or changes in the user experience. The same is true for Salesforce. They are always evolving, tweaking, and changing their tools to work better for you. Although this is great for users in the long-run, it presents challenges in adoption even after the initial training. Tech support and reading up on the latest updates help you and your entire organization keep an eye on what’s changing and how your process might need to adapt.
Adapt Technology to Fit Your Process
Your process is likely the reason you adopted a Salesforce tool in the first place. Another area of frustration is attempting to fit a square peg in a round hole. Salesforce has a lot of ways to adapt and get their technology to work for you, but it might be time to look at your own process and ask yourself if it really is the best path for achieving success. Support and honest feedback could in turn help establish a better process for your goals. Take a hard look at the way you do things and talk to someone who might be able to help you adapt Salesforce tools to make you even more profitable.
It’s no secret Salesforce is a big investment and there will be growing pains along the way. But before those thoughts of doubt take over the productivity of a team, assess your situation and make sure you have support systems in place to be successful. If you need help implementing, customizing or getting started quickly with any Salesforce tool, our Salesforce certified professionals are happy to give you the support tools you need to make this process as simple and painless as possible!