A Stakeholder's Guide to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement

Elevating marketing automation efforts with Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement requires careful planning and strategic execution. Business stakeholders aiming to create engaging email campaigns and landing pages while maximizing return on investment must consider several critical aspects before embarking on their Marketing Cloud Account Engagement journey. This guide provides practical advice and outlines essential pre-implementation steps.

Step 1: Goal-Setting: Laying the Foundation for Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Success

Before exploring the features Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement offers, it is important to establish clear objectives. These objectives should align with business goals, whether the aim is to generate more qualified leads, streamline marketing efforts, or outperform competitors.  These objectives will serve as the foundation for your Marketing Cloud Account Engagement strategy and guide you through the Pardot implementation.  

How to Set Goals:

  1. Gather the marketing team and key stakeholders to maximize adoption.
  2. Brainstorm and identify top marketing challenges and aspirations.
  3. Translate these into SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals.
  4. Prioritize goals based on their impact and alignment with the overall business strategy.
  5. Document goals and share them with the team to ensure alignment.

Aligning goals with business objectives ensures that Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement supports organizational success, while prioritized goals help focus on the most impactful features and functionalities.

Examples:

Step 2: Taking Inventory: Assessing Marketing Assets and Data

Prior to configuring Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, make sure to inventory existing marketing assets and data. Analyzing current marketing processes, evaluating email templates, and identifying prospect data for import ensures a smooth transition.

How to Take Inventory:

A comprehensive inventory ensures the necessary data and assets are available for Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, while identifying data gaps and inconsistencies allows for planning data cleansing and enrichment.

Examples:

Step 3: Lead Scoring and Grading: Playing the Matchmaker

Lead scoring and grading in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement help identify the most compatible leads and prioritize marketing efforts. Defining key attributes and behaviors indicating a lead's engagement and qualification level is essential.

How to Set Up Lead Scoring and Grading:

Lead scoring and grading help prioritize and focus on the most promising leads. This data-driven process ensures that marketing efforts are directed toward the most viable prospects. Additionally, automated lead qualification saves time and improves the efficiency of marketing and sales. 

Examples:

Step 4: Phased Approach: Breaking Down the Implementation into Manageable Stages

Implementing Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement is a marathon, not a sprint. Breaking down the implementation into manageable stages allows for focusing on key milestones, prioritizing tasks, and gradually building upon the Marketing Cloud Account Engagement foundation.

How to Plan a Phased Approach:

Gradual implementation allows for better adoption and refinement of features, ensuring a smoother transition and maximizing the platform's capabilities. A phased rollout enables the demonstration of quick wins, which can build momentum and enthusiasm within the team. This approach also helps in identifying areas for improvement and adjustments as the implementation progresses.

Examples:

Optimize Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement with Kenway's Expertise

Successful implementation of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement hinges on careful planning, strategic goal-setting, thorough inventory of marketing assets and data, and a phased approach to rollout. By following these steps, businesses can ensure a smooth transition and fully leverage the platform's capabilities to enhance their marketing automation efforts.

Kenway Consulting specializes in guiding businesses through the intricacies of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement implementation. Our team of experts is dedicated to helping organizations achieve their marketing automation goals. For more information on how Kenway Consulting can support your Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement journey, please contact us.

 

Unleashing Digital Transformation with Salesforce: 5 Signs You Might Be Holding Back

In today's fast-paced business landscape, Salesforce has become your indispensable ally in managing customer interactions and driving growth. Yet, while Salesforce offers a treasure trove of capabilities, many organizations struggle to unlock its full potential. It's not just about having the platform; it's about using it in a way that truly transforms your business. Let's dive into five signs that might indicate you're not fully tapping into Salesforce's power for digital transformation.

1. Your Team Isn't Fully Engaged

Imagine having a powerful tool at your disposal, but only a handful of your team members bother to use it. Low user engagement and adoption rates are like the silent whispers of untapped potential. Running a User Login report should be able to tell you how often users are actually logging into Salesforce. Perhaps it's not that your team doesn't want to utilize Salesforce; perhaps they're unsure how or why they should. Take the time to understand their needs and provide comprehensive training. Show them how Salesforce can make their lives easier, help them reach their goals, and watch as engagement levels soar, paving the way for a successful Salesforce digital transformation.

2. Your Data Feels Stale and Incomplete

Think of your Salesforce database as a garden. Neglect it, and it becomes overrun with weeds of outdated information and thorny duplicates. Clean, accurate data is the foundation of effective CRM usage. If your data feels stale or incomplete, it's time to roll up your sleeves and tend to the garden. To see if your data is stale, review the last modified date of records within Salesforce. If certain records haven't been updated or modified for a significant period, it suggests that the information may be outdated. For example, contact details, lead status, or opportunity stages that haven't been updated in months may indicate stale data. To see if your data is incomplete, inspect records for missing or incomplete fields. If essential fields such as contact information, lead source, or account details are blank or incomplete, it indicates that the data is not fully populated or maintained, leading to incomplete records.

To address these challenges and drive Salesforce transformation, implement data governance policies, conduct regular clean-ups, and instill a culture of data hygiene within your organization. Continuing best practices and implementing an ongoing process allows your Salesforce digital transformation to continue to yield valuable insights and foster stronger customer relationships beyond its implementation phase.

3. Salesforce Stands Alone

Salesforce is like the conductor of an orchestra, bringing together disparate systems and tools to create harmonious workflows. But if it's operating in isolation, it's like a soloist playing to an empty room. Integration is key to unlocking Salesforce's full potential. Connect it with your email, marketing automation, and customer support platforms to orchestrate seamless interactions across your organization. By breaking down silos and fostering collaboration combined with other best practices for Salesforce adoption, you'll unleash the true power of Salesforce as the beating heart of your business.

4. You're Only Scratching the Surface of Features

Salesforce is a treasure trove of features waiting to be discovered. Yet, many organizations barely scratch the surface, using it as little more than a glorified Rolodex. It's time to dig deeper and uncover the hidden gems within Salesforce. Explore advanced features like reporting, automation, and analytics to gain deeper insights into your customers and operations. Invest in ongoing education and encourage experimentation to unlock new possibilities. With each feature you explore, you'll uncover new ways to drive growth and innovation. 

5. One Size Doesn't Fit All

Your business is unique, with its own quirks, challenges, and opportunities. Yet, if you're using Salesforce straight out of the box without customization, it's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Embrace the power of Salesforce customization to tailor Salesforce to your specific needs and workflows. Work closely with Salesforce administrators and consultants to successfully implement Salesforce customizations by using custom fields, automation workflows, and applications that align with your business objectives. By making Salesforce your own, you'll unleash its full potential as a catalyst for business transformation.

Salesforce has the power to revolutionize your business, but only if you unleash its full potential. If you're seeing any of these signs above, it's time to take action. Invest in training, data governance, integration initiatives, and customization efforts to maximize the impact of Salesforce on your business. With each step you take, you'll inch closer to realizing the true power of Salesforce as a driving force behind your success. Ready to supercharge your Salesforce digital transformation experience? Contact us today and tap into our team of Salesforce experts.

 

Salesforce Data Cloud: What You Need to Know

What Is Salesforce Data Cloud?

Across industries, customers expect personalized engagement and seamless interactions. Salesforce has long been a leading engine for driving and refining these aspects of the customer journey, and now they’re pushing those capabilities further with Salesforce Data Cloud. With Salesforce Data Cloud, you can create a truly centralized view of your customers with data from throughout your enterprise.

Here’s an overview of Salesforce Data Cloud, some of its key features and use cases, and tips for using it successfully.

What is Salesforce Data Cloud?

Salesforce Data Cloud allows you to unify, segment, and activate your data inside and outside of Salesforce. It can source data from Snowflake, backend databases, Azure, Synapse, or other Salesforce instances.

It allows you to create a 360-degree view of your customers inside of a single platform. With the insights that 360-degree provides, you can develop a deeper understanding of the customer journey and deliver more personalized experiences.

Example Use Cases

Salesforce Data Cloud is an evolution of what used to be called Salesforce CDP. The latter product was sunsetted and overhauled into Salesforce Data Cloud in 2023.

How Does Salesforce Data Cloud Work?

Salesforce Data Cloud pulls data from the various platforms you use to create a unified profile of your customers. Transaction data, demographics, marketing insights, and more are all consolidated into a single view. 

It uses metadata to provide a common language for all of your data, regardless of whether it’s stored in a Salesforce platform or other low-code application. It also helps prepare your data to use AI applications. 

Salesforce Data Cloud Capabilities and Benefits

Salesforce Data Cloud has several key capabilities that make it a powerful tool for consolidating customer data and taking action on it. 

Zero Clone ETL

Whereas other platforms must ingest data to use it, Salesforce Data Cloud can immediately act on data from various sources without having to import it. Zero ETL reduces the volume and complexity of your data. It also makes it easier to protect sensitive information since data doesn’t have to reside in multiple tools.

This makes Salesforce Data Cloud especially beneficial for healthcare organizations that need to follow strict regulations for data privacy and protection while implementing data-driven marketing programs.

360-Degree Customer View

Salesforce Data Cloud breaks down data silos between the many applications you use to build a 360-degree view of your customers. With a full, accurate picture of the customer journey, you can derive marketing insights and provide customized experiences.

Built for the Enterprise

Salesforce Data Cloud was created to provide customer data to anyone in a customer-facing role. Customer data platforms are typically targeted to marketers. However, marketing teams aren’t the only ones engaging with customers or playing a role in the customer journey. Salesforce Data Cloud opens up the capabilities of a 360-degree view to everyone.

Tips for Implementing Salesforce Data Cloud

Implementing Salesforce Data Cloud is a complex process. Successfully integrating your data requires careful coordination of people, processes, and technology. Use these tips to set yourself up for success.

Identify Stakeholders and Users

A successful implementation incorporates feedback from those who will use and be impacted by the platform. Start engaging with stakeholders and users early to ensure their needs are met, and they receive the training to use Salesforce Data Cloud effectively.

Identify Your Data Sources

Before diving into implementation, get a clear idea of where you will source data from. Example sources may include the following:

Improve the Quality of Your Backend Data

Salesforce Data Cloud is a powerful tool, but it can’t work magic if the data being ingested is of poor quality. Before implementing it, it’s essential that you improve data governance and management practices. 

For example, if there is no Master ID number used across platforms for every customer, then there’s no way to accurately track transactions and interactions by customer. You can’t be sure that the transaction data in your BI platform lines up with the mailing list in your marketing automation tool.

When you have a solid understanding of your data and a consistent approach to managing it, you can be confident that the information and automations in Salesforce Data Cloud are working as you expect.

What’s Next for Salesforce Data Cloud?

Salesforce is constantly improving Data Cloud. Looking ahead, expect the number of ready-made connectors to increase, making it even easier to integrate disparate third-party data sources to create a unifying customer profile.

In the future, you also may be able to use Salesforce Data Cloud to modify data that’s hosted on these other platforms. So, if a customer service representative sees an error in a customer’s purchase history, they can correct it within Salesforce Data Cloud without needing to access the data source. 

The Key to a Successful Implementation: Expertise

Salesforce Data Cloud is still in its early stages. Implementing it on your own can be challenging, as best practices for specific use cases are still being developed.

Working with an established Salesforce consultant like Kenway can make a difference. They can bring learnings from previous implementations, as well as expert insights on Salesforce in general, to help you navigate the process. An expert can also refine your data governance and management capabilities before and during onboarding so you can execute activations with confidence.

In addition to the technical aspects of implementation, a consultant can also help you get buy-in from stakeholders throughout the organization to purchase Salesforce Data Cloud. At Kenway, we help our clients make the business case for investing in technology, with potential use cases and ROI.

Are you interested in exploring Salesforce Data Cloud's potential for your organization? Connect with a Kenway Salesforce expert to learn more. 

Salesforce Data Cloud FAQs

Is Salesforce Data Cloud A CDP?

Salesforce Data Cloud is billed as the next generation of customer data platforms (CDP). It allows you to centralize customer data from across the enterprise into a single platform so everyone customer-facing can leverage insights to deliver better experiences.

How Much Does Salesforce Data Cloud Cost?

Salesforce Data Cloud’s pricing structure is based on usage. The Data Cloud Starter for Marketing costs $108,000 per year, which includes 10 million Data Services Credits and 5TB of data storage While the list price is $108,000, there may be room for negotiation and deals on Data Cloud purchases. Contact your Salesforce Account Executive for pricing discussions and potential discounts. You can also purchase add-ons and additional credits.

Mastering Manufacturing Sales Forecasting: Kenway Consulting Unveils the Power of Salesforce OmniStudio

In the dynamic world of global supply chains, accurate forecasting isn't just a strategy—it's a necessity. However, building accurate consensus forecasts can be cumbersome and challenging. Acquiring the holistic data needed to properly forecast typically involves multiple systems, individuals, and workflows, many of which are manual. Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud can help to consolidate much of this into a single platform with its suite of native forecasting tools. Yet, its real value lies in an often overlooked and underutilized feature which is a gamechanger for your forecasting needs: OmniStudio. Using Salesforce OmniStudio and industry/forecasting best practices, Kenway Consulting can help streamline your forecasting and optimize your demand-supply join-up. 

The Importance of Accurate Forecasting

Accurate forecasting is the foundation of effective supply chain management, driving efficiency, cost reduction, and strategic decision-making throughout the entire organization. Companies that prioritize and invest in accurate forecasting are better positioned to navigate market dynamics and achieve long-term success. 

The consequences of inaccurate forecasting are far-reaching, impacting both the bottom line and customer satisfaction:

Accurate forecasting isn't just a beneficial aspect of supply chain management; it's a critical driver of organizational success. By investing in precise forecasting methods, businesses can optimize their operations, minimize costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. Ultimately, accurate forecasting empowers businesses to adapt to market dynamics, mitigate risks, and maintain a competitive edge in the manufacturing industry.

Overcoming Data Integration Challenges to Optimize Forecasting

Forecasting, if done correctly, relies on numerous data points, often coming from disparate systems. Your CRM may contain information on your accounts, opportunities (deals), pipeline, and latest activity. Your ERP houses historical sales, statistical forecast models, and forward-looking supply. Further complicating this, sales forecasts are often built on a platform external to both.

While a full integration of systems can enhance the accuracy of forecasting, it can be costly and challenging to maintain. Organizations run into significant challenges upholding a single source of truth. Alternatively, navigating various systems and data sources comes with its own set of challenges:

Why Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud? 

Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud (MC) positions itself as a hybrid CRM/ERP. In addition to offering Salesforce’s user-friendly core capabilities, MC also brings forecasting capabilities such as Advanced Account Forecasting and Sales Agreement Management. Forecast calculations can be tailored to meet requirements from different business units and forecast periods can be easily adjusted leading to an insight-drive. 

For many organizations, especially small and medium sized businesses (SMB), this is an intriguing combination. It’s lightweight enough to be managed with minimal internal resources yet robust enough to replace tech-heavy ERP’s. However, in the instance where more robust capabilities are needed, such as advanced forecast models or detailed supply network planning, Manufacturing cloud has an additional capability which helps organizations that require both CRM’s and ERP’s. Salesforce OmniStudio, which is included in the Manufacturing Cloud license, is a collection of powerful digital engagement tools used to create apps, custom components, and guided experiences.

Imagine you use Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud for its CRM capabilities and a separate system for forecasting. Sales reps are often blind to the level of detail that an ERP/forecasting module can deliver. But with OmniStudio, you can easily connect systems and expose valuable data points to the people who are closest to your customers: Sales Reps. In the context of forecast enablement, here’s some powerful examples of what you can do with OmniStudio in Manufacturing Cloud:

Allow for real-time data write-backs to other systems directly from Manufacturing cloud:

Dynamically display messages in Salesforce based on external data:

Surface data points from external systems in Manufacturing Cloud:

Best of all, this can all be done with clicks, not code, eliminating costly integrations and preventing technical debt. It’s also worth noting that OmniStudio is also available at no cost for Health Cloud, Financial Services Cloud, and CPQ +. If you are using any of these platforms as an input to your Sales Forecasting, OmniStudio can still be leveraged in the above fashion, despite not having some of the forecasting tools native to Manufacturing Cloud.

Unlocking Success: Embracing Cloud Solutions in Manufacturing with OmniStudio

96% of small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the manufacturing industry claimed to have moved a part of their operations to the cloud in the past year. In response to the growing need to adapt quickly with the changing market trends, businesses are adopting the tools and technology that will help their teams stay future-ready. Salesforce's Manufacturing Cloud, coupled with the power of OmniStudio, equips your team with the tools needed to navigate the complexities of forecasting, demand planning and customer engagements. 

Embrace innovation, accuracy, and efficiency in your manufacturing business with Kenway Consulting, as we lead the charge in transforming the manufacturing landscape. Contact us to get started.

Navigating the Salesforce Ecosystem: A Strategic Approach to Organizational Governance

Embarking on a journey within the Salesforce ecosystem requires more than just technological prowess; it demands a nuanced understanding of people, processes, and strategic governance. Building a Salesforce Center of Excellence (CoE) with a focus on organizational governance is essential for aligning Salesforce initiatives with business goals, streamlining decision-making processes, promoting consistency, enhancing collaboration, mitigating risks, facilitating continuous improvement, and maximizing ROI. By establishing clear governance structures and practices, organizations can ensure that Salesforce implementations contribute directly to business success, while also fostering innovation and growth. With robust governance in place, teams can collaborate effectively, share knowledge, and adapt to changing business needs and technological advancements.

Technology is Not the Sole Solution

It is crucial to acknowledge that successful transformations hinge not only on technology but also on the intricate dynamics of people and processes. Recognizing this is fundamental to laying the groundwork for a resilient and adaptive Salesforce ecosystem.

Building Centers of Excellence (CoE) with focus on Organizational Governance

When adopting a strategic approach to organizational governance, it is imperative to consider several best practices to maximize adoption.

Foundational Principles

Structuring Your Approach

Considerations in structuring one's approach entail a comprehensive evaluation of various factors.

Cross-Cloud and Cross-Functional Alignment

Alignment across various organizational functions ensures the full spectrum of value within the Salesforce ecosystem is recognized.

Continuous Improvement

Emphasize the mantra of 'Progress over Perfection,' fostering a culture of ongoing improvement. Continuous improvement is crucial because it allows organizations to adapt and evolve in response to changing environments, customer needs, and technological advancements. Continually improve by doing the following:

Deliver Tailored Solutions

Ensuring optimal alignment with unique requirements and objectives.

In essence, supporting Salesforce investments necessitates a holistic strategy that combines strategic alignment and cross-functional collaboration across business and technology teams, effective governance, and a steadfast focus on delivering measurable business value. The key lies in finding the delicate equilibrium between standardization and flexibility, steering organizations toward successful outcomes within the dynamic Salesforce ecosystem.

If you're ready to take the next step in your Salesforce journey, connect with one of our consultants to learn more. Let's navigate the Salesforce ecosystem together and unlock its full potential for your organization's success.

 

Best Practices for Salesforce Adoption in an Enterprise Setting

Salesforce is a powerful tool that can revolutionize the way businesses manage their customer relationships and streamline their operations. However, to fully harness its potential, it's crucial to ensure successful Salesforce adoption within your enterprise. To maximize the benefits of Salesforce, it's crucial to prioritize and encourage high levels of adoption within your organization, ensuring that employees fully utilize the platform's capabilities to achieve your business goals.

RISKS OF LOW SALESFORCE ADOPTION

A lack of adoption of Salesforce in your enterprise can have far-reaching consequences, affecting efficiency, customer relationships, competitiveness, data accuracy, and overall business success.

1. Inefficient operations

Salesforce automates tasks and data management, but with low adoption, manual and outdated processes persist, leading to inefficiencies and errors. Teams may miss out on opportunities, as Salesforce's sales and lead management tools go underutilized. This results in poor customer relationships, as vital customer information remains untracked, leading to inadequate service and missed chances for personalized interactions.

2. Incomplete or inaccurate data entry

Is Data the new oil? Arguably, data is the world’s most valuable resource and the value is created when it is collected, accurate and connected to other relevant data. With misleading analytics and reporting errors, bad decisions can be made based on wrong or missing data. Collaboration and communication can suffer, hindering teamwork and transparency within the organization.

3. Increased costs

With low salesforce user adoption, resources and investments would not provide the expected return. Additionally, it can place your enterprise at a competitive disadvantage as many competitors leverage Salesforce for efficiency and customer satisfaction.

4. Missed Opportunities

Salesforce offers powerful reporting and analytics tools that provide essential insights into business performance. Low adoption may result in missed opportunities for data-driven decision-making and improvements. Moreover, security and compliance may be compromised as employees bypass security measures, increasing the risk of data breaches.

BEST PRACTICES FOR SALESFORCE ADOPTION IN AN ENTERPRISE SETTING

1. Involve Key Stakeholders from the Start

One of the most critical steps in ensuring successful Salesforce adoption is to involve key stakeholders right from the beginning. These individuals may include executives, department heads, and end-users who will directly interact with the platform. By demystifying the process, involving them in the decision-making process and gaining their buy-in, you create a sense of ownership and commitment that is vital for successful implementation. 

2. Define Clear Objectives and Goals

Before you roll out Salesforce in your enterprise, establish clear objectives and goals. What specific outcomes are you looking to achieve with the platform? By setting specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timebound goals (aka the SMART Goal), you create a roadmap for your Salesforce adoption strategy and can assess its success more effectively.

3. Create a Dedicated Adoption Team

Forming a dedicated Salesforce adoption team is essential. This team should consist of individuals with expertise in Salesforce and a deep understanding of your organization's unique needs. Their role will be to manage the Salesforce implementation process, provide guidance and support, and ensure that the platform aligns with your objectives.

For organizations new to Salesforce or looking to optimize their current usage, seeking external expertise can be a valuable resource to execute Salesforce implementation best practices. Consulting with Salesforce experts and partners can help you identify best practices and unlock hidden potential in the platform.

4. Provide Comprehensive Training

Effective training is key to successful Salesforce adoption. Develop a training program tailored to the needs of different user groups within your enterprise. Offer both initial training sessions and ongoing resources to keep your employees updated with the latest features and best practices. By investing in training, you empower your teams to make the most of the Salesforce platform.

5. Implement a Change Management Strategy

Implementing Salesforce often entails changes in workflows and processes. A change management strategy is crucial to help employees adapt smoothly. Address potential resistance to change by communicating the benefits of Salesforce and offering support throughout the transition.

6. Customize Salesforce to Your Needs

Salesforce is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your organization's specific requirements. Work closely with your Salesforce implementation team to configure the platform according to your business processes. This will make Salesforce a seamless part of your daily operations.

7. Ensure Proper Integration with Existing Processes

Integrating Salesforce with your existing business processes is a critical aspect of user adoption. An effective adoption plan starts before the tool is rolled out. Your Salesforce adoption team should work closely with your IT department to ensure that the platform integrates smoothly with your existing systems and workflows. This integration ensures a seamless transition for your users and reduces resistance to change.

8. Promote a Culture of Collaboration

Salesforce can foster a culture of collaboration and transparency within your organization. Encourage teams to share information, track their progress, and collaborate on projects using the platform. This not only boosts Salesforce adoption but also enhances overall productivity.

9. Monitor and Measure Adoption Metrics

It's essential to monitor and measure Salesforce adoption metrics regularly and on an ongoing basis. From the clear objectives and goals that have been agreed upon by the team, choose which metrics are your Key Performance Indicators such as user engagement and system utilization. Tracking these can help identify areas that may need attention and celebrate successes along the way.

The best way to do this is to utilize the Salesforce adoption dashboard. A Salesforce adoption dashboard is a visual representation of how well Salesforce is being adopted and used within an organization by providing key metrics and insights into how various features of Salesforce are being utilized by employees and teams. The purpose of the adoption dashboard is to help organizations assess the effectiveness of their Salesforce implementation and ensure that the platform is being leveraged to its full potential. 

Achieving successful Salesforce adoption in an enterprise setting is a multifaceted process that requires careful planning, stakeholder engagement, training, customization, and continuous improvement. By following the best practices outlined above, your organization can harness the full potential of Salesforce, driving growth, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Successful adoption is an ongoing journey, and staying committed to refining your Salesforce strategy will yield long-term benefits for your enterprise. With proper integration, executive sponsorship, effective communication, and a change management plan, you'll pave the way for a successful Salesforce adoption that enhances your business processes and empowers your teams.

HOW KENWAY CAN HELP

Our experts at Kenway are here to help you make the most of Salesforce's capabilities, ensuring a custom solution based on your unique needs and are seamlessly integrated throughout your tech ecosystem. Whether we're focused on a Salesforce project or a broader tech initiative, these processes are at the heart of what we do.

Reach out to us today to learn how Kenway Consulting can help with all your Salesforce needs.

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Salesforce Best Practices: Establishing Your Data Governance & Data Stewardship Framework

As the most widely used—and the most robust—customer relationship management (CRM) platform on the market, Salesforce has evolved far beyond just a prospect- and customer-facing system. Nearly two-thirds of executives say that they rely on CRM data for every stage of the customer lifecycle, not just sales, marketing, and support. From website visits to customer org charts, you can use Salesforce to create a trusted 360-degree view of your customers. 

This powerful view is what drives customer relationships, improves the customer experience, and allows your organization to glean more actionable insights to guide your business strategy. However, there’s a major hurdle your enterprise may face in realizing the full breadth of Salesforce’s capabilities: unreliable, incomplete, and poorly integrated data. These data issues, if present in your Salesforce instance, will inhibit your enterprise from ever realizing that golden or trusted customer record. In a recent survey, 44% of CRM users said their company loses 10% of revenue due to poor data quality. 

So, how can you best position your organization to get ahead of these potential pitfalls? One solution to solving these challenges is to implement a data governance framework that includes a resilient data stewardship framework within the platform.

Defining Data Governance vs. Data Stewardship

Data governance and data stewardship are often confused with one another. Though the terms are related, there are distinct differences.

Data Governance

Data governance is a collection of clearly defined policies, procedures, standards, processes, roles, and responsibilities that ensures the effective and efficient use of data in enabling an organization to achieve its goals. Data governance policies and procedures ensure that the combination of data across clouds, objects, and profiles can be leveraged optimally for users.   

In this era of digital transformation, platforms like Salesforce are likely consuming massive amounts of data from other platforms across an enterprise’s tech stack or sharing data with those platforms. In order to realize the true power of the data that Salesforce generates and consumes, it’s essential to have clear policies and procedures related to object creation, field values, business processes, and rules within the platform. Your Salesforce data governance strategy will inform how your unique instance is designed and architected to accommodate that framework.

Data Stewardship 

Data stewardship is the practical oversight and management of an organization’s data assets. Data stewards are responsible for implementing the tactical aspects of a data governance plan. If data governance consists of the policies and procedures for how data is captured and managed, it’s the data stewards that are responsible for the active policing of those rules and procedures. 

For organizations that use Salesforce, data stewards ensure that the front-line user enters data correctly so that the business can leverage it inside the platform for tasks that can range from forecasting, to reporting and advanced analytics, to investment strategy planning. They work hands-on with the data, which they can quickly explore, manage, and correct. The Salesforce admin is usually tasked with data stewardship responsibilities until the complexity and size of the org would benefit from dedicated stewards for specific data assets within the myriad Salesforce clouds that are being leveraged by the enterprise.

Why Salesforce Data Governance and Stewardship Matters

An effective data governance plan with a data stewardship framework enables you to mitigate risk, empower people with the right data at the right time, and drive business growth.

Improve Data Quality

As with any system, the old adage “garbage in, garbage out” applies to Salesforce. No matter how well-designed, user-friendly, and integrated your Salesforce org is, its output is dependent on the quality of the data entered or ingested into the system. Without a data steward maintaining data integrity throughout its lifecycle, user adoption suffers, and the value of your Salesforce investment declines dramatically.

Strategize and Compete More Effectively

Improving operational effectiveness, decision-making, strategy development, and execution all depend on data, more specifically, data quality. Data is key to identifying and exploiting competitive and comparative advantages. Having a well-defined data strategy enables a strong Salesforce governance that empowers data stewards and positively impacts everyone in the enterprise, from executives to frontline staff, with the information they need to plan and act more effectively.

Protect Your Reputation and Brand Image

Poor data stewardship and data governance in Salesforce can diminish trust in the data utilized in your analytics’ teams and tools, leading to internal friction and lost productivity. It can also cause reputational risk in the eyes of your customers, partners, and vendors who need assurance that you can maintain data accuracy and privacy. Effective data governance and stewardship protect you from these risks.

The Challenges of Creating an Effective Data Governance and Data Stewardship Framework

Because of the power and flexibility of the platform, Salesforce data stewards can have a significant impact on the end-user experience without having to code. For example, a single admin can implement and police a small to medium-sized enterprise’s data governance and management strategy by “clicks” and straightforward platform configuration.  

Plus, your Salesforce platform is likely touched by a plethora of your enterprise’s resources, from technical to functional. Their approaches to managing data, documenting their work, and communicating with one another may differ. These issues further highlight the need to have a clearly articulated and understood data management strategy that includes strict governance protocols that are consistently enforced.  

Data volume is another challenge since Salesforce holds an enormous amount of information. Addressing these concerns only grows more important as you collect and create larger volumes of data over time, increasing the complexity of organizing, managing, and utilizing information. Forty-one percent of business leaders say data complexity is a major hurdle to understanding their data. The more data you have, the more important it is to implement Salesforce data storage best practices.

Best Practices for Establishing a Salesforce Data Stewardship Framework within Your Data Governance Model

A solid data governance framework guides your data stewardship practices and sets you up for Salesforce success. With the unique challenges and capabilities of Salesforce in mind, here are some Salesforce data management best practices to consider as you develop your data stewardship framework:

1. Err on the Side of Strict Data Governance

Ensure Salesforce users are only seeing the records they need to see. Leverage profiles, roles, and permission sets to mitigate oversharing. Utilize validation rules, minimize the use of free-form text fields, and leverage other field types to ensure that users are entering data in a consistent manner.

2. Consider How Data Will Be Used in the Future

Architect and design your Salesforce solution to accommodate how data will be used in the short and long term. For example, adding validation rules to keep erroneous data out will help make a standard data model that allows an admin to act as a first-line data steward.

3. Optimize Your Data Model

Ensure good data literacy. Data stewards should be well versed in their understanding of the relationships between objects used across your Salesforce clouds. Set up a data model that can cleanly organize data so that it’s easy to sort and analyze down the line.

4. Only Keep the Fields You Need

Consistently assess field usage across objects and clouds. If fields aren’t being used or don’t need to be there, remove them.

5. Ensure Leadership Awareness and Alignment

When your data strategy aligns with your overall business strategy it’s easy for leaders to buy into the overarching data strategy and the data governance rules and policies that underpin it. This helps increase adoption and adherence to your governance strategy. It is important that your organization understands that this is done “with and for” them rather than “to” them.

6. Consider the Data Lifecycle

To prevent the endless cycle of “garbage in, garbage out,” it’s important to maintain data quality throughout its lifecycle. So, if you’re integrating data, apply governance as far upstream as possible.

7. Build Quality Checks into Your Processes

Include policies and procedures around consistent data checks and updates during development activities and key project milestones.

8. Staffing Considerations

How you assign data stewardship tasks will depend on the size of your organization and your budget. Here are some general rules of thumb to consider as you plan for staffing:

Develop Confidence in Your Salesforce Data Governance and Stewardship Framework

It’s common for companies to struggle with Salesforce implementation, data quality, manual processes, inadequate reporting, and a lack of trust in their data. Also, mergers and acquisitions and new software implementations can cause (and expose) data quality gaps. You may want to consider working with a Salesforce partner if you struggle with these challenges or want to avoid these pitfalls:

The right Salesforce partner can change the way you use the platform. If the partner has experience both inside and outside Salesforce, they can design a holistic modern data governance and management solution that is absorbed into your Salesforce platform.

Case Study: Achieving Regulatory Compliance with Salesforce

Meeting new regulatory requirements is always a challenge, especially at large organizations with legacy systems and processes. When one of the country’s largest banking institutions needed to update its processes in order to continue to be compliant with new regulations, it turned to Kenway. Our Salesforce subject matter experts recognized that Salesforce could be used to solve the problem.

We configured custom objects and workflows to automate the benchmarking analysis process and incorporated Salesforce data governance best practices into these processes to ensure that data was entered completely and accurately. With the combination of new processes backed by a solid data governance plan, the firm was able to increase productivity and reduce costs. 

To learn more about how Kenway helped this firm leverage Salesforce for this critical project, read the case study here.Make Salesforce Work Better for You

At Kenway, we help you leverage the full capabilities of Salesforce by considering data strategy, management, governance, and stewardship holistically across your technology ecosystem. Whether we are working solely on a Salesforce engagement or on a broader technology initiative, these processes are integrated into every project.

If you want to seize the full range of opportunities Salesforce offers, and get rid of data quality, integration, and accessibility issues once and for all, reach out to our experts

Make Salesforce Work Better for You

At Kenway, we help you leverage the full capabilities of Salesforce by considering data strategy, management, governance, and stewardship holistically across your technology ecosystem. Whether we are working solely on a Salesforce engagement or on a broader technology initiative, these processes are integrated into every project.

If you want to seize the full range of opportunities Salesforce offers, and get rid of data quality, integration, and accessibility issues once and for all, reach out to our experts.


Data Stewardship Framework FAQs

What is data management in Salesforce?

Data management describes the practices used to ensure data is available, accurate, and usable for Salesforce users. 

What is the difference between data governance and data stewardship?

Data governance is the set of policies, procedures, standards, processes, roles, and responsibilities that promote the efficient and effective use of data in an organization. Data stewardship is the day-to-day oversight and management of data. Data stewardship activities are informed by the data governance plan. 

What is stewardship in data governance?

Stewardship is the tactical work of implementing a data governance plan. Data stewards are responsible for the day-to-day oversight and management of a company’s data assets.

Why is data stewardship important?

Data stewardship is an important part of your organization’s data governance plan. It also directly impacts data quality and accessibility. Businesses need consistent access to high-quality data in order to plan and strategize more effectively, improve the customer experience, and stand out from the competition. Data stewards ensure that the volume of data businesses manage is functional and available to meet these needs.

What makes a good data steward?

A good data steward should have technical and functional expertise with the platform(s) that they oversee. They should be able to:

What is a data stewardship model?

A data stewardship model is a framework outlining practices and policies for maintaining data integrity and accessibility. It is informed by the policies, procedures, and role assignments established by a company’s data governance framework.

In Salesforce, what are the two aspects of data that an enterprise data governance program aims to improve?

Enterprise data governance improves an organization’s trust in data. The enterprise’s data is consistent, has integrity, and allows teams and individuals to use the information in actionable ways. This leads directly to the second improvement which is data governance tool adoption. The best fit data governance tool could enable an organization to effectively manage its data assets by establishing policies, procedures, and controls that ensure data accuracy, consistency, and integrity. Such tools facilitate collaboration among different departments, enhance decision-making capabilities, and provide visibility into the data strategy, usage, and ownership.

What are Salesforce data governance best practices and top tips?

  1. Make use of global picklists. Ensure that data values have consistency throughout your Salesforce instance.
  2. Build in validation rules. Users will make mistakes and integrations will perform in unanticipated ways. Ensure your data values conform to your expectations.
  3. Have one point of input per entity that is pushed to all related objects. Ensure that every entity maintains referential integrity and can be used with confidence throughout Salesforce.

What are the benefits of implementing a data governance framework in Salesforce?

Salesforce Health Cloud Tips and Tricks for Effective Healthcare Data Integration

Salesforce Health Cloud is an extension of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software that puts your customers at the center of your healthcare business to drive outcomes and reduce costs. A key enabler to support successful implementations is to use Health Cloud's Patient 360, one of the many salesforce tools available, to create comprehensive patient profiles that include medical history, treatment plans, medications, and social determinants of health. This holistic view aids in personalized care in this healthcare CRM model.

Medical records are commonly stored in applications called “Electronic Health Records” or EHRs. An EHR can be thought of as a digital medical chart that contains things such as a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, etc. For context, common EHRs include Epic, Cerner, Allscripts, Athena, eClinicalWorks, NextGen, and more. While EHRs are great for handling medical information, they have not been built to deliver on highly personalized patient engagement. Salesforce Health Cloud’s Patient 360 offers the ability to integrate with EHRs to enable a 360-degree view of the patient, giving medical providers the ability to engage with patients with a holistic understanding of their history of care and transform the patient experience. The beauty of integrating an EHR with Salesforce Health Cloud is that the EHR continues to be the source of truth for all medical records and Salesforce brings all the data together for a connected healthcare journey.

Integrating data into Salesforce Health Cloud is crucial for providing comprehensive patient care and maintaining accurate health records. Here are some tips and tricks for effective healthcare data integration in Salesforce Health Cloud:

1. Design the EHR / Salesforce Health Cloud Integration Pattern

Start with a clear definition and scope of the business requirements of the integration to guide technical decisions. Choose the integration method that best suits your needs, whether it's real-time, batch, or a combination of both. Real-time integration is ideal for critical patient data, while batch integration can handle less time-sensitive updates. If real-time is not required, batch integration is preferable as it is better suited to high-volume data, it induces less strain on systems and performance, and it is less costly and complex to build. The downside is that batch integration has higher data latency than real-time integration. The optimal approach that is best for you depends on your specific requirements and the systems involved. 

Another consideration in integration with Salesforce Health Cloud is whether to make the integration bi-directional.  A typical use case for bi-directional sync is provider availability and appointment scheduling functionality. Leveraging the bi-directional integration is common but may present additional complexity with sharing information across platforms.  So, ensuring proper design of bi-directional data flows is imperative to keep both systems in sync which is critical for healthcare data integration. Ultimately, integration will enable automation and scalability.

2. Leverage Pre-Built Connectors and Accelerators

Many EHR vendors offer pre-built connectors or APIs for integration. Utilize these tools to streamline the integration process and reduce development time. Alternatively, teams can leverage integration platforms such as MuleSoft Anypoint that offers accelerators for healthcare implementations, which is a collection of technical assets with pre-built integration templates and reference architectures to help speed delivery for common use cases.

3. Use Healthcare Standards for Data Exchange

Data management in healthcare has its own standards for sharing data. While many accelerators offer templates to help, it’s important to standardize data formats, codes, and terminologies to maintain consistency between the EHR and Salesforce Health Cloud.

Below are some of the common healthcare standards to be aware of as part of the implementation while considering data management in healthcare:

A lightweight, flexible and web-friendly standard for data exchange that supports JSON, XML, HTTP, OAuth and enables easier access to data via APIs compared to older standards such as HL7 v2.

A messaging standard that enables the electronic interchange of clinical and administrative data between different healthcare systems. These messages contain segmented data fields (segments) that use a coded format to represent patient information, lab orders, billing data etc. It uses an asynchronous, point-to-point communication model between sender and receiver. HL7 v2 has rigid message structures and relies on custom interfaces, making it less flexible. It has been widely adopted with 90% of hospitals using it but lacks advanced data exchange features compared to newer standards like FHIR.

An open, standards-based technology platform that enables healthcare applications to securely run on electronic health record (EHR) systems and access patient data and it leverages FHIR and OAuth standards. It aims to spur innovation by making it easy for developers to create apps that work seamlessly across healthcare systems.

X12 is a widely used standard for electronic data interchange (EDI) that facilitates business transactions between organizations and has specifically been adopted by healthcare. It uses structured transaction sets that follow predefined formats and codes to represent documents. X12 messages can be exchanged in real-time through APIs or as batch transactions through FTP. Its structured approach can sometimes lack flexibility offered by newer API-based exchange methods like FHIR.

4. Data Mapping and Transformation

Salesforce Health Cloud provides a rich set of standard and custom objects to store and access specialized health information, and this works in conjunction with EHRs. This is known as the Health Cloud Data Model. A subset of this data model is called the Clinical Data Model and is used to structure patient records and clinical data. Data mapping and transformation is performed between the EHR and Salesforce. It provides a consistent way to represent and manage patient, provider, location and healthcare data in Salesforce.

Implement strong patient matching logic to link records across systems. Consider if a Master Patient Index (MPI) system is needed to manage patient demographics and eliminate duplicate or mismatched patient records between systems.

5. Prioritize Healthcare Data Security and Compliance

Data security and compliance are critically important in healthcare data security systems due to the sensitive nature of patient health information and the growing number of data privacy laws and regulations that need to be considered. An EHR contains protected health information (PHI) such as patient names, diagnoses, medications etc. This requires stringent access controls. Healthcare data security must be managed in compliance with HIPAA regulations regarding PHI privacy, security and breach notification.

Below are factors for consideration:

6. Focus on Sufficient Error Handling

Even with the best intentions and testing techniques, data integration errors are bound to happen. Develop robust error handling procedures to deal with data integration errors and create alerts and notifications to quickly identify and address issues. It is imperative to monitor and troubleshoot integration processes effectively, because if it cannot be measured, then it cannot be improved. The first step is to define the logging requirements and determine what information needs to be documented. Such as error details, timestamps, actions, API requests and so on. Moreover, log levels, debug logs, unique identifiers, log repository and retention policies can also be implemented. 

7. Don’t Forget about Data Governance

Institute data governance practices to maintain healthcare data integration integrity. Proper data governance will help maintain data quality, accuracy, and consistency during and after integration and Data Governance is a key pillar to maximize the value of the data integration between the EHR and Salesforce Health Cloud. Strong data governance principles, policies and procedures help manage the complexity of healthcare data integration and are imperative for patient care, safety, privacy and regulatory compliance.

HOW KENWAY CAN HELP GUIDE A SUCCESSFUL SALESFORCE HEALTH CLOUD IMPLEMENTATION 

Salesforce tools such as Health Cloud can transform the way you interact with patients and improve collaboration among the many people involved in delivering care. Working with an expert implementation partner allows you to set the foundation to realize the benefits of that transformation.  

Kenway works with healthcare organizations to unlock the full potential of Health Cloud and reduce the complexity of implementation. By taking a holistic approach and leveraging Salesforce best practices, we help identify the role that Health Cloud should play in your operations, as well as the processes needed for an effective solution.  

Each healthcare organization is different, and we take pride in learning the nuances of each client’s processes, within Health Cloud and beyond. With a Health Cloud implementation guided by our experts, you can be confident that your patients and your partners will see the difference.  

If you’re ready to begin your Salesforce Health Cloud journey, we’re ready to help. Connect with us to learn more. 

 

Salesforce Data Cloud and Customer 360: Free Consulting Workshop

Salesforce is now offering Data Cloud to its customers for free! 

Recently announced at Dreamforce 2023, all existing Salesforce customers with Sales Cloud or Service Cloud (Enterprise or Unlimited licenses) now have access to Salesforce Data Cloud. This complimentary package includes two Tableau Creator licenses at no additional cost and Data Cloud licenses for up to 10,000 profiles. 

Salesforce Data Cloud is a rapidly evolving product within the Salesforce ecosystem, built natively on Salesforce Lightning, and seamlessly integrates with existing orgs. Salesforce is democratizing access to their customer data platform, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can harness the power of a data platform to connect, unify, and harmonize data, and thus creating a single source of truth for customers (Customer 360). This encompasses external data from company websites, mobile apps, and various business applications/products, as well as internal data from Salesforce orgs. In turn, this will facilitate improvements in sales, marketing, and operations through enhanced personalization, advanced segmentation, improved customer experiences, and more accurate predictions and recommendations. Salesforce Data Cloud offers advanced capabilities to make customer data management seamless. 

The complimentary Tableau licenses offer access to a best-in-class business intelligence tool that is leading the adoption of AI and specifically Generative AI with the recently announced AI assistant called Einstein Copilot for Tableau. Tableau integration with Salesforce offers unparalleled opportunities to accelerate data discovery and new insights. 

It's worth noting that Salesforce Data Cloud doesn't store data within native Salesforce Objects; instead, it resides in an off-core data lake as an integral part of the packaged solution. 

Source: Salesforce 

Key Salesforce Data Cloud Integrations

Here are some noteworthy native Salesforce Data Cloud connectors: 

Companies can also benefit from the pre-built Customer 360 Data Model, which serves as the standard data model for Data Cloud. The Customer 360 Data Model is designed to enhance interoperability and streamline the integration of data across various cloud applications. It can be extended to establish data lakes, support data analytics, facilitate machine learning, and more. 

Salesforce Data Cloud serves as a pivotal entry point for capitalizing on AI investments. Specifically, AI is seamlessly integrated into Data Cloud to facilitate the harmonization of data from diverse sources and formats, automatically detect and rectify data discrepancies and anomalies, enhance customer data through enrichment, and elevate insights by predicting customer churn, forecasting, and making customer recommendations. Additionally, customers have the capability to leverage Salesforce Einstein Discovery for creating their own bespoke AI models. We consider this approach a pragmatic means of aligning business objectives and goals with the power of AI. 

In addition to the Customer 360 features and AI capabilities, a standout feature is the pre-built connectors to both Google BigQuery and Snowflake. These connectors enable effortless access to data with zero duplication. Essentially, this means that you can access your BigQuery/Snowflake data without the need for replication or an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process. 

Explore Salesforce Data Cloud with Kenway

If you are considering how Salesforce Data Cloud aligns with your Salesforce roadmap, Kenway Consulting is delighted to offer you a complimentary one-hour workshop. These workshops can assist you in understanding the value proposition and making informed decisions regarding your Salesforce product roadmap. To schedule your workshop, please contact us at [email protected]. 


FAQs:

1. Is Salesforce Data Cloud Secure?

Yes, Salesforce Data Cloud is indeed secure. Salesforce boasts a robust track record of prioritizing data security in Salesforce, with substantial investments made to safeguard their customers' data. Salesforce Data Cloud incorporates a range of security measures to ensure the protection of customer data. These measures include: 

2. When Was Salesforce Data Cloud Released?

Salesforce Data Cloud was released in 2023, as a rebrand of Salesforce Customer Data Platform (CDP) and Genie. It was first announced at Dreamforce 2022 and became generally available in early 2023. 

3. What are some tips for using Salesforce Data Cloud effectively?

4. Can Salesforce Data Cloud help with data privacy compliance? 

Yes, Salesforce Data Cloud can help with data privacy compliance in a number of ways. 

In addition to these features, Salesforce Data Cloud also includes a number of tools and resources to help you with data privacy and compliance. For example, Salesforce provides a Data Privacy Center that provides guidance on how to comply with various data privacy regulations. Salesforce also provides a number of pre-built data privacy reports that can help you to assess your compliance with these regulations.

Overall, Salesforce Data Cloud is a powerful tool that can help you to improve your data privacy and compliance posture. 

 

Critical Considerations for Successful CRM Software Implementation

The success (or failure) of software implementation at the enterprise level can have a significant impact on the bottom line. As critical as this is for companies, the implementation and subsequent adoption of that software are often at the mercy of disorganized and/or broken processes and planning schedules—not to mention an ever-evolving environment wrought with post-pandemic challenges, an impending recession, political turmoil… the list goes on. 

This is especially true for CRM software implementations. If implemented incorrectly, it could result in several negative consequences for the business. For example, some significant risks we see most often revolve around user adoption. In the interest of getting up and running quickly, many enterprises focus only on the technology aspect of their implementation. There’s little time to focus on people and processes, and user adoption suffers. As a result, the technology doesn’t deliver the outcomes the company needs, and millions of dollars go to waste.

There is, however, a better way. It starts with meeting that risk head-on by addressing people and processes. You must identify the people that will be using the platform, and how they will need to leverage it on day one and beyond, as well as what their current processes are and how those will be impacted in the future. Then—and only then—can you determine how the technology solution will enable those changes and ultimately lead to a successful implementation. 

Why Every Enterprise-Level Organization Needs an Optimal Software Implementation Strategy

The ultimate objective of any implementation, especially a CRM implementation is to free up time so sales, marketing, and customer support teams can focus on more strategic work. With more time dedicated to strategic work, go-to-market (GTM) teams can drive growth and increase revenue. Realizing that objective starts with the implementation process.

A well-executed software implementation project plan allows your enterprise to automate manual processes, streamline data capture, and improve handoffs between various teams and departments. These benefits manifest into an improved customer experience that can increase retention and streamline the acquisition of new customers.

To help paint the picture, if the implementation is executed incorrectly, it can result in the following issues:

These  implementation pitfalls undermine your ability to realize the full ROI of the system. Instead of being a tool for accelerating growth and easing day-to-day workflows, it becomes another headache that users have to work around instead of with. It’s also costly—according to the Consortium for Information and Software Quality, poor software quality cost the United States $2.08 trillion in 2020 alone.

4 Considerations for CRM Software Implementation

Any CRM software can solve business challenges, but it isn’t as simple as plug-and-play. Implementing a CRM system requires careful planning and execution to ensure a smooth and successful launch. These are the elements of a successful process.

1. Software Implementation Project Planning and Preparation

Planning and preparation is critical to effective change management. It can be tempting to skip this step, especially when you already have a CRM in place. However, the software implementation process is an opportunity to rethink your current state and gather feedback from users on how to make the CRM effective for them. 

To create your software implementation project plan, take the following steps:

  1. Gain consensus on the problems this implementation is trying to solve for and the scope to be addressed. This process will likely involve stakeholders from sales and marketing, as well as contributions from finance, operations, and any other departments that may interact with the CRM. This is an important step for ensuring the CRM meets the needs of your diverse user base.
  2. Develop a project charter that aligns project resources on the core business and technical objectives of the implementation. The project charter will act as your North Star. As you work with various stakeholders from different departments, you may need to reference the charter to help guide decision-making and resolve conflicts. 

During this stage, it’s also important to ensure the proper executive sponsorship is in place and project resources are identified, with roles and responsibilities understood. Throughout the software implementation process, the executive sponsor will ensure that the project receives the attention and resources needed for success.

  1. Develop a project plan and timeline, outlining deliverables and due dates. 
  2. Identify current and future users of the tool. Select champions or super users early in the process who will help drive user adoption. 
  3. Document current and future state use cases and business requirements. While you may not know all of your potential future use cases, it’s a good idea to start thinking about them now. When you enter the selection and evaluation phase, you want to look for tools that are flexible enough to meet those future needs.
  4. Document current state technical designs to inform future state solution designs. With your current solution, how does data flow from system to system? Are there any APIs in place? What about security features? Documentation is especially important if you’re reliant on one person to be the keeper of this information. Taking the technical design from their head to an easily accessible single source of truth ensures that all parties involved in implementing the CRM system are on the same page. 
  5. Document future state technical solution design to inform tool selection and evaluation. 

2. CRM Solution Selection and Evaluation

Once you have established your requirements, use cases, and expected outcomes, you can start looking for a CRM solution that meets your needs. 

  1. Identify and evaluate products and solutions against documented use cases and technical and functional requirements.
  2. Compare features and functionality of a CRM’s offerings and how easily it can expand to meet the needs of the business.
  3. Assess vendor support and service options.
  4. Determine budget and costs.

3. Deploying and Implementing the CRM

After selecting a solution, it’s time to begin the hands-on aspect of implementation. The steps of this phase are fairly straightforward, but there are some important things to keep in mind to ensure a smooth software implementation process.

  1. Install and configure software. While many CRMs  are customizable, it’s important not to over-customize. Taking a configuration-first approach reduces the complexity of your CRM, which makes it easier to maintain and update in the future. 
  2. Train and educate users and stakeholders on usage. This step is just as important as the installation and configuration process. According to Salesforce and Forrester, CRM users say better onboarding and training is the most powerful way to improve the effectiveness of the CRM. 
  3. Migrate existing data into the CRM. 
  4. Test and QA to ensure the system is working properly. 

4. Maintenance and Support

After implementing the CRM, you will need to plan for ongoing maintenance and support. This includes dealing with day-to-day troubleshooting as well as performing major updates:

  1. Perform regular system and security updates. Many CRMs provide best-in-class security features, but it’s also up to the customer to protect the data stored in the system. On an ongoing basis, you will need to monitor the latest updates, perform regular health checks, and train users to practice safe CRM usage. 
  2. Monitor and optimize performance. If your CRM is performing slowly or if you’re experiencing unplanned downtime, it can lead to lost productivity, decreased revenue, and user frustration. By monitoring your CRM on a regular basis, you can address customizations or data management issues that cause performance to lag. 
  3. Provide user support and troubleshooting. Whether users are having trouble with a picklist or an integration keeps breaking, plan to address these unexpected day-to-day issues. 
  4. Plan for backups and disaster recovery. Most CRMs include a backup feature, which can help preserve your data in the event of a loss. In addition to regularly backing up data, you need a disaster recovery plan that outlines what to do in the event of a natural disaster. 

When to Bring in the Experts for Implementing Your CRM System

Working with experts like Kenway Consulting to help with implementing your CRM is a smart move for businesses that want to be sure that best practices are infused in the process. With the help of experts, you can avoid common implementation mistakes and achieve your desired outcome, which is to streamline operations, increase revenue and gain a better understanding of the customer journey. 

At Kenway, we have experience implementing several popular CRM systems, and Salesforce is a particular specialty of ours. Here’s how we can help you ensure a smooth and successful software implementation process.

Salesforce Expertise

Our experts have the knowledge and experience to properly plan, design, and implement Salesforce in accordance with your company’s specific needs and requirements. For example, Salesforce users rely on our experts to identify the right modules and products and configure them to optimize performance. We also ensure that data migration is done in a way that adds to the quality of the data, allows for business continuity, and enables increased effectiveness post-migration. 

User Training and Support

Training is a critical aspect of implementing any CRM, and Salesforce is no exception. Getting it right requires resources as well as insight into the questions and adoption challenges users may face. Our experts have years of experience onboarding users. We can provide the training and support that will support their buy-in and adoption. 

Ongoing Maintenance and Support as Needed

For most clients, we believe that you should be able to manage your Salesforce org with your own internal resources. However, in the event that you need additional resources to help with ongoing maintenance and support, we’re happy to pitch in to ensure that the system is always up-to-date, secure, and running at optimal performance. 

Get Help with Your Current CRM Solution

If you already have a CRM in place and you need help cleaning up errors incurred during the implementation process, we can help with that too. Here’s our approach.

Assess the Problem

The first step in cleaning up an implementation that’s gone awry is to assess the current state of the system and associated processes and identify the areas requiring improvement. This may involve reviewing system data and customizations, as well as identifying any missing or incorrect configurations. 

Create a Plan of Action

Once the problem areas have been identified, we develop a plan of action to address them. This may involve cleaning up or removing incorrect data, updating or modifying customizations, or reconfiguring the system to ensure that it is properly configured. 

Provide Training and Support

It may be necessary to provide training and support to users to ensure that they understand how to use the system correctly and effectively. Ongoing maintenance and support can also help to prevent future issues and ensure that the system remains functional and effective. We can recommend and provide the right solution for your business.

Beyond cleaning up errors, we can also help you make the most of your CRM. When a financial firm needed help implementing new processes for compliance, we developed a solution using their existing Salesforce org. The firm now automates the processes needed for compliance and, with a data governance plan in place, maintains data accuracy across platforms. 

Ensure a Successful CRM Implementation 

Implementing CRM software in an enterprise-level organization is a complex and multi-faceted process that requires careful planning and execution. Every phase of the process—from preparation to ongoing maintenance—can be an opportunity to optimize your solution. On the other hand, if any steps are overlooked, it can lead to poor user adoption, unplanned expenses, and potentially even purchasing the wrong CRM. 

By following the critical steps for implementation and enlisting the help of experts, you can avoid these pitfalls. Kenway is ready to help you ensure a smooth software implementation that delivers the outcomes you expect.

To find out how our experts can ensure the success of your CRM implementation, reach out to us.

CRM Implementation FAQs 

What is a software implementation plan?

A software implementation plan is a step-by-step roadmap that outlines what should occur at every phase of the implementation process. The plan should include CRM use cases and requirements, as well as an outline for training and educating users. 

What is CRM implementation?

CRM implementation is the process of onboarding a customer relationship management (CRM) system. The implementation process is made up of multiple phases: planning and preparation, identifying the right solution, installation and configuration, and ongoing maintenance and support. 

What are the steps for CRM implementation?

While every CRM implementation process is different, they should include the following phases:

Why should you examine your current process before implementing a CRM solution?

Implementing a CRM is an opportunity to assess your current processes and decide what’s working and what isn’t. Without undergoing this evaluation, you may bring over bad habits or ineffective practices that undermine your ability to achieve the outcomes you want from the new CRM.