So, you may have decided that your business could benefit from Salesforce, but did you know there are a few things that you should think of/be aware of prior to any Salesforce development taking place?
We have put together some considerations and tasks that you should address prior to progressing with your Salesforce implementation.
1. Evaluation and Analysis
In the very beginning of your Salesforce development journey, it is important to sit down with your team and do an evaluation and analysis of your current business processes and outcomes. What works? What does not? What would you like to change? How could the current process become more streamlined? What is it you want to achieve that currently, you do not?
Your new Salesforce system should always aid your current processes and help them become more streamlined. Focus on the outcome you want to achieve and the easiest way to get there instead of thinking about the steps you currently take. In many cases we find that customers have built a process to work around the systems and limitations they have, not the process they would actually want.
2. No ‘one size fits all’
When it comes to a Salesforce system, there really is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Every business has their own set of goals, strategies and wishes along with different datasets they want to store and interrogate. This consideration would be part of the evaluation and analysis stage. You need to identify what you hope Salesforce will be able to do for your business – what features and tools would you like? What would you like the system to be able to do for your business? If you identify your specific goals and requirements, you can ensure that you choose the right tools and apps that best fit your business and your users.
3. Integration
A CRM system in general should always work seamlessly alongside your existing applications if you intend to keep them. Salesforce can integrate with many of your ERP, finance, and CPQ systems, and allows you to build your own integrations if a plug-in doesn’t already exist.
4. User Adoption/Experience
It’s important to get feedback from those who will be using the system to find out what they need/hope the new Salesforce system can do. Easy to use? Easily accessible? There could be quite a list! Simple user adoption and experience is critical. These people will be using the system daily - make it too complicated and it may affect your business. They need to buy into the system, be comfortable using it and see the added value.
5. Cloud
Any worthy modern CRM system will be Cloud based. Your sales team who are on the road, or your Marketing Manager that is working in another country, will all need to be able to access the system quickly and easily, anywhere and anytime. That’s why Salesforce is a good choice to make as they are a leader in cloud-based CRM.
6. Bespoke Build
It’s essential that you customise your ‘out of the box’ Salesforce package for numerous reasons. You need to ensure that your new system ticks all of your boxes, so investing in Salesforce development will ensure you have a system that meets your needs. At Stimulus, we offer Salesforce development and integration and can help you to customise your system.
In the meantime, why not take a look at our Salesforce tutorial videos?