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Salesforce CRM Implementation: 9 Steps for Winning Strategy in 2023

Picture of Igor Krasnykh   Igor Krasnykh  ·  9 minute read
 
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Over the past 20 years, Salesforce has become one of the largest software companies and one of the most valuable technology giants in the world. In 2019, Salesforce overtook Microsoft to become the global market leader in SaaS public cloud services. And in 2022, Salesforce’s annual revenue hit an all-time high of $26.49 billion.

Today, Salesforce continues to lead the CRM market with a market share of 19.8%, more than the top 4 competitors combined. More than 150,000 companies around the world have trusted this CRM provider to optimize their business processes.

In this article, we talk about this advanced CRM system, compare options for its realization, provide a Salesforce CRM implementation plan, calculate the cost of integrating this solution, and, most importantly, answer the question of how a business can get the most out of Salesforce CRM.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about implementing this system.

What Is Salesforce CRM Implementation?

Salesforce implementation is the integration of a Customer Relationship Management tool into a project to optimize all major business workflows and communications. Salesforce is an advanced CRM solution that empowers businesses to connect with people via cloud-based methodology. This approach allows you to get a total overview of the company’s productivity in terms of operations, finance, sales, marketing, and others. For each of these aspects, there are different products and tools.

The correct integration of such a CRM system into business processes allows you to improve customer satisfaction, boost financial performance, and achieve other indicators of success.

Salesforce CRM Implementation Options

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Acquiring a CRM license is the first step, but that’s not all. In fact, an essential task in implementing Salesforce CRM is to properly configure and adapt this solution for your business so that it is as effective and beneficial as possible.

As a rule, roles such as project manager, Salesforce consultant, and developers are required for full implementation. However, not all businesses have the appropriate resources for this.

Let’s look at all the available ways and means to implement Salesforce.

Do-It-Yourself Implementation: Disadvantages and Limitations of the In-house Approach

Spoiler: this option is definitely not recommended. In particular, we do not advise implementing Salesforce on your own for those who do not have enough experience and knowledge for this. Despite the fact that this in-house method is somewhat attractive and, at first glance, optimal, there is a high probability that you will get a non-scalable or even non-working solution. So, as your business grows, you will be forced to rebuild the current technical functionality. And one way or another, you will come to the need to resort to the help of specialists.

So, what are the real downsides and limitations of this approach?

  • Decreased performance. Obviously, the speed and efficiency of the implementation of the Salesforce solution itself depend on the skills and resources. Still, it is indisputably that this will be longer and more difficult than hiring a professional technical partner. And this is not only about the direct practical realization of Salesforce, but also about the theoretical aspect of research.
  • Underestimated projects. Difficulties begin at the phase of defining a roadmap in the implementation of Salesforce. On the one hand, team members may want to apply the latest developments and cutting-edge products, and on the other hand, they may defer data migration or integration to the future. And if there are obstacles at this initial stage, their elimination can be quite expensive. And processes such as data integration and migration require advanced experience, as well as strong theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
  • Limited expertise. It is essential to understand that while the in-house team may have some experience in Salesforce, its members also must have experience implementing these projects specifically in your market and your industry.

Hiring a Salesforce Implementation Partner: Benefits of Leveraging the PowerSync Experience

The approach of expert qualifications and professional expertise is, in many ways, a more optimal and beneficial solution compared to the do-it-yourself option. Hiring a trusted partner with years of experience eliminates a lot of potential problems and makes the Salesforce CRM implementation process much faster, more efficient, and more profitable.

Let’s take a look at the key benefits you will get from leveraging the PowerSync experience:

  • Flexibility and speed. When you involve the PowerSync partner, you get an advanced team whose specialists are immediately ready to start implementing a Salesforce solution for your business. This approach also implies assigning roles, allowing the PowerSync team members to work closely together, each performing their own functions to offer the best solutions.
  • Experience and specificity. When developing a Salesforce solution, it is necessary to consider not only the unique specifics and tasks of each project, but also universal win-win approaches. PowerSync specialists have extensive expertise in various industries and directions, allowing our team to find the most optimal solutions that fully match the goals and needs of a particular business. In addition, when hiring a PowerSync partner, you can rest assured that the solution you implement will be fully compliant with all the latest and cutting-edge global trends.
  • Best practices. We, at PowerSync, fully listen to the client’s requests and fully implement them, but we also take a proactive approach and contribute to what the business needs. We always rely on our extensive experience, as well as on realized successful cases in which similar challenges were solved. We use someone else’s experience (both positive and negative) in your interest.
  • Control and independence. Although the Salesforce partner takes full responsibility for implementing the solution to your project, this should not be an absolute dependency. The PowerSync approach involves training and full inclusion of the customer in all processes, which allows the client to independently manage the solution and expand it in the long term after the end of our cooperation. And these services are no less important than the implementation of the Salesforce system itself.

Entrust the Salesforce implementation to PowerSync

Get the most out of CRM, integrated by professionals. Use our experience to your advantage and get a cutting-edge solution for your project.

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Step-by-step Guide: Salesforce CRM Implementation Process

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Hiring a Salesforce Partner

So, for the successful Salesforce CRM implementation in your business, the only right decision is to resort to hiring a professional partner. Salesforce contractors will be with you at all stages of the implementation of the system, study the current position of the company and its workflows, as well as determine the main values ​​​​and key objectives of your business.

All this will lead to recommendations of really optimal solutions that will work best for the project. In addition, a Salesforce partner will train your entire team in all the necessary skills to effectively manage the implemented system in the future.

Definition of Stakeholders, Decision-Makers, and Project Lead

After hiring an external partner, you must identify a project lead from your organization. This person will be the link between the Salesforce partner and your team.

In addition, it is viral to identify all those who are directly related to the project and whose needs must be met when implementing the Salesforce solution. At this stage, it is necessary to approve the leading roles of the project and analyze their interests: end-users (those who will use the system), a project manager (one who is responsible for the workflow and project results), a decision-maker (one who determines the timelines, budget, and so on).

Interaction with all stakeholder groups and taking into account their insights will allow you to have a complete understanding of the needs of your business within the implementation of Salesforce.

Setting Key Goals and Prioritizing Requirements

With the key roles in place, it’s now time to define what you need and what you want from Salesforce. It is important to analyze day-to-day tasks, set up workflows, and agree on high-level goals. It is necessary to define the long-term and short-term objectives of the project, answer the fundamental questions, and align the interests of all stakeholders. The key goal to be achieved at this stage is the definition of priority goals, the alignment of a shared vision, and the prioritization of requirements.

Planning Timeline and Budget

Salesforce CRM implementation cost varies significantly from project to project. By assessing Salesforce priorities, knowing your business needs, and evaluating your expectations, you can fully evaluate potential costs and, more importantly, balance and optimize your project budget. As a business owner, you must study the various options and approaches for end-to-end CRM implementation on Salesforce, and hence the different cost projections.

And the next critical task is to establish the Salesforce CRM implementation timeline. Set optimally estimated project timeframes, define deadlines for timely processing of tasks, and schedule dates for crucial phases such as deployment, testing, and so on.

Getting Insights from End-Users

Separately from all stakeholders, it is necessary to single out a group of end-users since they will be most affected by the result of CRM implementation Salesforce. You must keep in touch with them, provide support, discuss the data quality, answer all questions, and eliminate all concerns. 

It is important to understand that getting insights from the users and customers is essential at all Salesforce CRM implementation steps since their feedback will largely allow you to optimize the workflow and fix the system in time.

Maintaining the Data

Ensuring the proper transfer of data with all rights is extremely important. Without adequate maintenance, data can become inconsistent or compromised. In addition, the presence of repetitive data in the system can lead to a deterioration in the quality of service provision. The win-win approach is to have an alternative system in case of any failures in the main one. Also, remember to use tools to protect and enhance your Salesforce data.

Gradual and Phased Launch

Do not launch the entire system immediately, but gradually implement Salesforce features. Remember that your team needs time to adapt, and employees must be trained at every stage so that they are more productive and their workflow becomes more advanced. 

Constantly process the feedback received, answer all questions, add numerous available features gradually, and then you will avoid the inefficient Salesforce CRM implementation strategy. Gradual transition to the new Salesforce CRM will allow the team to adapt and adjust the implementation process more quickly as new tools or features are added.

Salesforce CRM Implementation Review

So, constantly review the implementation process and keep track of aspects that have been overlooked or that can be improved. The system will not be effective if it is not used properly. Listen to your team’s feedback, and ensure your employees enjoy working with the Salesforce program.

The level of user satisfaction directly depends on this — when your team completely switches to Salesforce CRM, you will feel an improvement in the performance of your business as a whole.

Ensuring Proper Maintenance and Support

Salesforce CRM implementation scope of work does not end with the actual launch. This is a continuous process that goes on throughout the life of a system in the business. Updates and changes are permanent, so it is critical to provide top Salesforce implementation support on an ongoing basis. And if in the first stages, your technical partner will deal with this, then after the completion of cooperation, this responsibility will be assigned to your team.

Take care to regularly test current workflows, make changes in time, and constantly improve the existing system. This will allow your solution always to remain efficient and competitive.

Salesforce CRM Implementation Cost

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The first and foremost is to see the difference between the continuing cost of Salesforce and implementation costs. There is direct one-time spending for implementing the system, but there are also permanent costs for such business services as Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Commerce Cloud, Manufacturing Cloud.

So, if you decide to implement a Salesforce solution in your business, you must prioritize the necessary costs, plan the project budget, and optimize spending — some aspects must be released first, and some can be done later.

The cost of implementing a Salesforce system depends on the following:

  • size and complexity of the project;
  • required features and products;
  • number of licenses;
  • systems and tools you want to add;
  • price of moving Salesforce implementation data from old CRM;
  • CRM setup price;
  • the cost of team training and further support.

In addition, the final Salesforce CRM cost is affected by the number of hours spent on implementation, training, and adaptation.

Despite the fact that the investment may seem expensive, it will pay for itself in full and quite quickly. So, how much does it cost to build an advanced Salesforce solution? Here are Salesforce consulting cost models.

Consider PowerSync as your reliable Salesforce implementation partner

We provide Salesforce CRM services at affordable prices and at the highest level of quality. Write or call us right now and our advanced specialists will start working on your project.

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Do You Need a Salesforce CRM Implementation Partner?

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Salesforce CRM system is the leading solution in the market, but its success for your business depends on hiring the right implementation partner.

At PowerSync, we provide advanced CRM implementation services, offer full support at all key steps in the implementation of Salesforce of the CRM, and use our expertise to boost your eCommerce. Our team automates your bottlenecks, optimizes your business process, and as a result increases your income.

Among our progressive Salesforce services are Magento 2 Salesforce Integration Extension, Subscription Management Solution for Salesforce, Salesforce Development Services, Salesforce Business Process Automation.

At PowerSync, we use our 10 years of experience in the area of customer interaction and a deep understanding of Salesforce to effectively identify problems and come up with powerful solutions. Our experts will help you scale your project with Salesforce, optimize the solution for your workflows, and lead your business to grow.

FAQ

What is involved in a Salesforce implementation?

Salesforce implementation checklist covers the following aspects and steps: hiring a Salesforce partner; definition of stakeholders, decision-makers, and project lead; setting key goals and prioritizing requirements; planning timeline and budget; getting insights from end-users; maintaining the data; gradual and phased launch; Salesforce CRM implementation review; ensuring proper maintenance and support.

How long does It take to implement Salesforce?

Salesforce implementation time varies for each business, depending on requirements and other project specifics. As a rule, the terms are from 3 to 4 weeks, but sometimes it can take much longer. Hiring a professional partner maximizes implementation speed and also minimizes costs.

How much does a Salesforce implementation cost?

The price is very different for each specific project. It depends, first of all, on the employment model you have chosen and on a number of other factors, such as the size and complexity of the project, required features and products, number of licenses, systems, and tools you want to add, CRM setup price, the cost of team training, the cost of further support, and so on.

Who should lead your salesforce CRM implementation?

The best option is to hire a professional Salesforce CRM implementation partner. Such an approach outperforms do-it-yourself implementation in many ways, including flexibility and speed, experience and specificity, Salesforce implementation best practices, control and independence, and more.
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