How to Select the Best Salesforce Implementation Partner?
The Salesforce Implementation is an integral part of rolling out any business’s core product– CRM (Customer relationship management) system – to focus on all the key business metrics and interactions.
The current market share of Salesforce stands at 23.8% which is dominating half of the CRM software market. As of 2024, the count of salesforce employees has increased to 79,390. Further to this, Salesforce doubled its revenue to $31.35 billion in 2024.
While that’s insightful, Salesforce implementation into business proceedings is not that easy! You need assistance and consideration and therefore you have to find the best Salesforce implementation partner.
This blog post is a foolproof guide to finding and finalizing the steps to hire a Salesforce Implementation partner.
Factors to Consider While Choosing a Salesforce Consulting Partner
A Salesforce Consulting Company would help in analyzing the goals of a business and further specifying the real needs of the business, while also analyzing the market, competitors, etc., and coming up with an appropriate solution.
Organizations who wish to use the Salesforce platform, have to make sure that there would be a rightful selection for the Salesforce Consulting partner from the several options available to them within the Salesforce ecosystem. Here are the checklists of factors that will help you evaluate the expertise of the Salesforce consultant;
1. Get to Know Your Requirements Properly
This is one of the initial and most important steps to consider before embarking on the journey of finding a dedicated Salesforce developer.
You should have a clear understanding of current business processes, specific needs, goals, and pain points. This way tailor your efforts to a consultant who has the expertise to meet your needs.
Furthermore, when having the conversation with the consultant you would be able to be involved in more productive conversations that will help you evaluate the consultant’s expertise more brightly.
Therefore, investing time and effort in gaining a precise understanding of your needs will help you find the right consultant.
2. Look for a Certified Salesforce Consultant Partner
It is certainly considered to be better to be associated with a skilful as well as certified Salesforce consulting partner. Salesforce provides quite a strong certification program that also presents credentials for Salesforce consultants, developers, architects, and marketers.
While being dependent on the number of certified experts in the company, the partners are also awarded tiers— Registered, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Global Strategic Partner.
The companies hiring Salesforce Consulting Partners must ensure that the employees of the Partner company or the project team members are qualified with the required Salesforce certifications. These certifications would provide authenticity to the Partner company and ensure the reliable services of Salesforce.
Read all about Salesforce certification verification in detail here in this blog!
3. Avoid Being in a Rush
You should avoid being in a rush while making the selection of top Salesforce consulting firms. The organizations should explore all the proposals they have received rather than choosing a consultant who first sends the proposal.
A good amount of time should be taken for this decision while comparing many and also ensure to seek the demos along with proof of concept (POC), case studies, and other relevant things, from them. The best Salesforce consulting company will be able to draw an implementation strategy while also acknowledging the business needs before working with new clients.
4. Don’t Let Budget Decide Your Selection
Each business decision is influenced by cost, and selecting the right consulting partner is no different. Often businesses practice choosing a consulting partner that offers them the lowest bid.
It is not advisable to let the budget decide your selection. Focusing solely on the budget
often leads to compromising on the quality of work. Therefore, it is best practice to prioritize the expertise and experience of the consultant over the cost.
Implementing Salesforce is a long-term investment, choosing a consultant based on cost might result in suboptimal solutions affecting long-term success.
DianApps as a Salesforce consultant offers you a low budget that might not have included all the necessary services or might have some hidden costs that are initially identifiable. Therefore, you should carefully evaluate the scope of the work to protect from hidden costs.
There have been some cases wherein the organizations have been often running with quite wrong anticipations over some of their parts of implementations.
By considering these factors you should not let the budget be the deciding factor while making the selection for the consultant who’ll bring long-term value.
Know why DianApps is a top Salesforce Consulting Partner?
5. Evaluate the Industry-Specific Expertise of the Salesforce Consultant
Every industry presents unique challenges, hence the ways to address those challenges should be unique. It is the best tip for choosing the right Salesforce consulting partner to evaluate their industry-specific expertise.
Industry-specific expertise ensures that the consultant has a deep understanding of the industry, its challenges, requirements, and best practices. This knowledge enables them to deliver Salesforce tailored to your industry.
A Salesforce consultant with industry-specific knowledge can provide strategic guidance aligned with the industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.
6. Ask About the Team’s Strengths
Salesforce is a vast expertise, it requires expertise from multiple professionals like consultants, developers, quality analysts, and consultants. You should hire a Salesforce consulting company that has the required team strength to complete your project within the specific deadlines. After being assured of this tip, businesses can move ahead toward the next step.
7. Get Under the Hood of the Consultant’s Project Management Strategy
Project management strategy can also be termed as the roadmap for your Salesforce project. When you have specific goals in mind, you should have well-defined strategies to meet those goals.
A well-defined strategy can also help you identify the potential risks that might occur during the implementation process. You should discuss with the consultant to find out the challenges and strategies to mitigate them. This discussion will give you additional insights into the expertise of the consultant.
8. Consider Ongoing Support Offered By Salesforce Consultant
When choosing a Salesforce consultant also consider the ongoing support provided by them. A consultant who offers post-implementation support can help you combat the issues that may arise after implementation. This ensures that your business continues enjoying the great capabilities offered by Salesforce.
Beyond solving the issues, ongoing support also includes training and support to make sure your team can maximize the use of Salesforce CRM.
Have a detailed discussion with the consultant regarding the ongoing support to reduce the scope of miscommunication.
Final Take
The selection of the best Salesforce consulting company is a strategic decision. Following the tips discussed above will suggest to you what to look for when hiring the right one.
Are you looking for a trustworthy Salesforce consulting services provider who is driven by the best methods to drive success for businesses?
DianApps started in 2018 with a mission of helping businesses find ways to grow in a time when resources are restrained, competition is harsh, and customer expectations are changing with Salesforce CRM.
Recognized as the Salesforce Certified Consulting Partner, we stand with our clients every step of the way to help them stand out as a leader. Let’s connect with us to discuss what you want to achieve, and how we can help you get there.
Continue reading: Steps to choose the right Salesforce Consulting Partner