7 Tips That Help You Find The Best Salesforce Partners In The Market

Salesforce CRM can provide significant value, especially for today’s forward-looking sales team. Your business can benefit from hassle-free contact management delivered by Salesforce, giving access to essential customer data and their interaction history. According to Grandview Research, over 91% of companies with more than 10 employees use a CRM tool. With Salesforce, you get a complete picture, including insights and engage-enhancement strategies.

To effectively implement Salesforce in your business operations, you need a reliable Salesforce partner. From simple admin tasks to full design scope for implementation and development of your project, the right team can make a difference in how successful your campaigns are. A report by Salesforce states that the lack of a coherent CRM strategy contributes to why CRM projects fail.

While some parts of Salesforce integration, such as business KPIs, organization strategy, and budget estimates, are pretty straightforward, other more complex factors like data migration, user training, and integration with other applications might require technical expertise.

When hiring a Salesforce consulting partner, it is necessary to consider a few factors. This is because one-third of Salesforce projects fail, according to a report by CIO.

Here are some tips on finding the best Salesforce consultant for your business:

1. Don’t Hire the First Consultant You Find

When collaborating with a Salesforce consultant for their technical expertise, it’s essential to do proper research before signing the dotted line. Always check out their work experience, the type of clients they’ve worked with, and reviews from clients. Review their portfolio to narrow down options and find someone who has helped other companies like yours solve similar issues you have.

One way to find the right fit is by looking for Salesforce implementation case studies related to your industry and niche. Visit the prospect’s website; check their social media channels, blogs, and ratings to get a clearer view of their work methods and performance.

While it’s easy to be biased towards the first vendor of the one that first contacts you with a fancy business proposal, it’s best to use an established business strategy – ask for demos and relevant proof of work. An established Salesforce partner should take time to understand your project and have a plan in place.

2. Know What You Want In Salesforce

It’s crucial to be informed about Salesforce. What exactly are you looking for in this CRM? Identifying your goals solves the confusion in choosing the top Salesforce partners. Salesforce software comes in diverse forms to solve different business challenges. Options include Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, and many more. 

Do your primary research on Salesforce as a software and the use of its various blocks before searching for a Salesforce partner. Once you understand the framework’s potential, you will quickly decide which solution aligns with your business needs.

Salesforce also provides various free demo videos on its website to provide you with precious insights into the possibilities with Salesforce CRM.

3. Get Help from Salesforce Support

Another way is to explain your goals to your designated Salesforce Account Executive (AE). They can help you list certified partners suitable for your project type. The AEs collaborate with a team of Salesforce experts, matching businesses with partners based on location and business preferences. They will also clear your doubts about your partner recommendations and guide you in choosing the right Salesforce Consulting partner that suits your needs.

In addition, seek advice from your business network and other companies in your industry. Ask them for recommendations about the best consultants in the market. Besides, there are many Salesforce admins on Tech Forums and social media who you can interact with to ask questions regarding challenges, specific features of each Salesforce product, and app feasibility. 

4. Check Industry Experience

A partner with experience formulating and implementing in your industry will have an edge in handling your projects. They will understand the scope of your project and be able to guide you on how to solve your problem effectively. This will help you meet your deadlines and enjoy a smooth implementation. The partner should also be able to train your staff and provide pos-implementation support.

Even if the Salesforce partner’s experience cuts across diverse horizontals, this could still be an advantage for you as they can understand your pain points. Either way, experience plays a crucial role in selecting a Salesforce partner.

Ask these questions to know if they’re a fit:

• Have they worked on similar projects in the past?
• Can they provide a demo?
• What departments have they worked with – Sales, marketing, operations?
• Do they possess any documentation?

5. Verify Technical Expertise

A successful Salesforce implementation requires a team of experts. Ensure that your prospective partner has the right mix of Admins, Business Analysts, Consultants, and QAs. In addition, they must be up to date with the regular Salesforce updates. They should ensure regular support to help you navigate these changes without hassle.

Also, your Salesforce partner should have a technically solid team as these determine the project delivery, support, communication, and support that you will enjoy throughout the contract. One way to verify their level of expertise is to request case studies of their successful implementations. Check their areas of knowledge and certification. Are they developers, administrators, or specialists? Are they design experts? Do they specialize in a particular area like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, or Marketing Cloud? You can then choose based on your specific requirements and what they can offer.

6. Evaluate Too Affordable Quotes

Budget can be a significant factor in choosing a Salesforce partner. However, while looking for affordable options, be realistic with your budget. Salesforce projects are not inexpensive. Demand for Salesforce professionals and the software’s benefits make its implementation pricey.

Estimate your project based on the following criteria:

• Your type of project. Understand that cost may vary depending on the implementation – Sales Cloud or Service Cloud.
• Include Data Migration Costs as they can be high and play a major role in the project’s success.
• Incorporate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). This includes the cost of the product licenses, services, internal labor, and long-term maintenance cost.

Having realistic expectations of your project cost will help you estimate how much you need to invest in your project. You don’t want to partner with a consultant that will not meet your long-term business goals. It would be best if you chose a consulting partner that claims to provide endless support at any time after the project period.

7. Salesforce Certification

Is your prospective a certified Salesforce Partner? With so many Salesforce Consultants, one way to identify the experts is a Salesforce Certification. They should have been vetted and approved by Salesforce. 

A certification is like a Salesforce stamp of approval. A consultant with such proof of expertise will be an assurance that you will receive quality Salesforce services. Certified experts are more likely to focus on your needs, efficiently resolve your issues, and provide reliable support. They have robust mechanisms for proactively identifying risks before the issues infiltrate,

Always ask about a firm’s certifications before hiring a developer, architect, developer, or marketer. Those awarded platinum tiers or who have the strategic partners are the ones you want on your team. They must also have a good customer satisfaction score (CSAT).

In Conclusion

It’s a competitive world out there, and Salesforce can help you accelerate your business growth. However, like other technology, Salesforce implementation has an evolving nature and requires effort from various departments to create a unified Salesforce ecosystem. So, it’s essential to select the best Salesforce consulting partner to improve your business operations. Following these tips will benefit your business in several ways as long as they are the right fit for your company.