How to Choose the Right Salesforce Consulting Partner?

Salesforce CRM has become an essential tool for companies that want to get better at customer relationships, automate the processes and increase productivity in general. Still, there is only so much the platform can do without a proper implementation and customization of the system. Entering a Salesforce consulting partner, the right Salesforce consultant can be a game changer for the success of your organization. In this article, we will discuss the key points to outsource your Salesforce consulting partner and also how to make the right decision for the betterment of your business.

Essential Factors to Consider When Selecting a Salesforce Consulting Partner

There are few important factors that define your requirement scope other than going into the nitty gritty details of your perfect match; mainly these are your business requirements and budget, timeline, internal resources.

1.1 Business Needs

• When it comes to choosing a Salesforce consulting partner the first thing you have to do is figure out what your organization needs. Various companies have their own objectives, which are to be able to provide better customer service with Service Cloud, higher productivity in sales processes thanks to Sales Cloud or smart decision making by using analytics powered by Salesforce Einstein. It’s imperative for you to outline the problems you want to tackle with Salesforce.
• If you are looking for sales efficiency, you would want a partner who is good with Sales Cloud and its automation capabilities. In case you want to improve customer support a partner with less experience over Service Cloud will be beneficial. To ensure a better success rate of your implementation, you must marry the partner’s expertise with your business goals.

1.2 Budget Considerations

• The budget you have will guide you to a good part when selecting. Salesforce projects are different in terms of cost depending on how expensive or difficult a project the implementations are, which features do we need and are they required etc., and the terms of engagement.
• Discuss budget with partners upfront and identify a solution that will deliver the most bang for your buck and within your budget.
• You must find the middle ground when it comes to affordability and quality. It may seem like the lowest price is the best value, but going with the lowest bidder means you might get either less quality implementation or weak support. Vice versa the most expensive options are not always the best of your needs.

1.3 Project Timeline

• Salesforce every implementation comes with a time frame, and it is important to know how long a project is going to take from start to finish. Different partners will provide various timelines depending on their technique, assets and industry knowledge. Find out the implementation timeline of potential partners and whether they can deliver within the time frame of your project.
• With a partnership that can handle and prioritize your timelines without sacrificing quality, your project will stay on time. Remember that having unrealistic timelines in the wild could result in rushed or botched implementations while having overly optimistic ones may lead to added delays.

1.4 Internal Capabilities

• Assess your own internal capacity and competencies. Perhaps you have a solid IT infrastructure, and the team is proficient with Salesforce, therefore you need a partner more for Enablement & not just another full implementation. But if your resources are scarce a partner who provides end-to-end implementation, all the way to project management and training may be more suitable.

Key Aspects to Evaluate When Choosing a Salesforce Consulting Partner

After you have reviewed what is inside your walls, the next step for vetting a consulting partner is examining their qualifications, history and capabilities.

2.1 Experience and Expertise

• The first question out of the way is how experienced the partner is in Salesforce landscape. How long have they been doing Salesforce implementations? What experience do they have with companies in your industry? Salesforce consulting is a complex space and having a partner with implementation street cred is key to getting through the weeds of your specific implementation.
• Wide range of salesforce products i.e. (Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud etc.) is another very important consideration, A multi-cloud consultant may be able to solve integration challenges and provide a more complete solution pertaining to different parts of the Salesforce ecosystem.

2.2 Relevant Salesforce Certifications

• That Matter Consultants are judged by their Salesforce certifications, which show how well they know the staff. There are several certifications from Salesforce that verify the competencies of a particular person in different Salesforce products. Partners are looking for partners with certified Salesforce Architects, Administrators and Developers that have completed the requirements to configure implement & optimize a Salesforce solution.
• For example, a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect or Certified Application Architect is the sign that partners who can help you execute complex implementations. You need your partner to be certified with the latest salesforce best practices and standards in order for successful implementation.

2.3 Client Testimonials and Feedback

• The best practice to know service quality and “worth the money” as a potential Salesforce consulting partner has client testimonials and feedback. Find partners who will supply case studies and references from clients with the same/affinity industry. It will help you understand their history of successes and how they deal with client relations or handle client expectations.
• Browse online reviews and salesforce independent salesforce AppExchange where you can find clients rated by consulting firms. Positive client feedback is a good indication the partner is capable and dependable.

 2.4 Range of Services Provide

• Salesforce consulting partners should offer beyond the shallow end service of just basic implementations. You must have a consultant who does not work on just implementation, but every aspect of their life… right from initial planning & customizing to implementation support post go live. Many consulting partners have one of the services which may include data migration, training & integration with third party systems to some others like custom app development, specialized capabilities.
• Determining the Whole suite of services offered by a prospective partner will also help you weigh if they not only provide you need to stand long distance and support it in the future.

 2.5 Communication and Collaboration Skills

• On its own, without having clear and confident communication, not to mention strong collaboration able implementation would not happen well in Salesforce. Your partner must be giving you 100% transparency (proactive), communicating every single step of the process. They should be able to collaborate closely with your own internal team too to make sure that all goals and levels/expectations are aligned.
• Choose a partner who invests in learning your orgs culture, business workflows and the challenges it faces. Good collaboration and a well-defined end-to-end solution will have smooth implementation ensuring the final solution fits your business needs.

 2.6 Ongoing Support and Maintenance

• Salesforce is an evolving and ever-growing platform with new sets of features released frequently. A Recommended Salesforce Consulting Partner that will provide additional ongoing support and maintenance services to keep your Salesforce instance current and well-tuned. This helps you to maximize the return of your investment in Salesforce and ensure that the system is functional as your business serve is evolving as well.

 2.7 Compatibility and Cultural Alignment

• Also crucial is evaluating the cultural alignment with your organization and consulting partner. This involves knowing how they work with, engagement and tactics for their customers. If the culture is right, it can facilitate a sustained and collaborative relationship that makes your team comfortable working with the partner at all stages of implementation and afterward.

Why Verifying Salesforce Certifications is Crucial

3.1 Skills and Knowledge in Test

• A certification from Salesforce is evidence that your partner has the technical and functional expertise to get an implementation of a high-quality. These certifications are given after strict testing and applied hands on with experience so you can bet that certified professionals know what they are doing on your project.

3.2 Commitment to Best Practices and Standards

• Salesforce has built-in best practices and standards when it comes to the configuration as well as customization of the platform. Certified consultants are instructed to follow these practices, which in turn will guarantee that an implementation goes smoothly and meets your need as a business but also keeps the system intact.

 3.3 Enhanced Problem-Solving Capabilities

• Consultants with a certification have the ability to problem-solve, which is big as many challenges will come up during a Salesforce implementation. From working through integration problems or debugging performance hiccups, certified experts have the skills for nearly any issue that you may face.

 3.4 Ongoing Professional Development

• Development Salesforce certifications are based on continuous knowledge to ensure consultants are up to date with the most recent enhancements and features from the platform. You are more likely to have partners that bring new thought and innovation to your implementation because they are committed to continuous professional development.

Final Thoughts

The decision on Salesforce Consulting partner is among the most important moves for your Salesforce implementation, will determine how successful it will be in the long run. After doing some homework on your business needs, comparing dozens of potential partners in terms of experience and certifications you will be able to get the partner that will help you unlock value from your Salesforce investment with a partner. Find the right partner and you will be able to leverage Salesforce to full potential making your processes efficient and finally driving business growth.