So, you are considering, or are in the process of Salesforce implementation to help grow your business, connect with your customers, develop workflows and integrate your data.

Congratulations!  Many other companies have realized success through the use of Salesforce.

But, you may be wondering where to begin and how to implement the platform.  Here is our list of the critical things you need to do when implementing Salesforce. 

5 Critical factors to tackle for Salesforce Implementation

1. Set key goals and communicate them 
2. Change management 
3. Train the managers
4. End user training
5. Training reinforcement

Define why you want to Implement Salesforce and how you will measure its success

As with any major initiative, Salesforce implementation requires companies to define both why they want to launch Salesforce and how they will measure its success.

Companies invest significant financial and human resources when implementing CRM and enterprise platforms such as Salesforce.  Therefore, the most successful companies clearly define the results they seek.

Start first with why you want to implement Salesforce.  

The V2MOM model outlines what you want to achieve and allows you to communicate it clearly to your organization.  Consider the key parameters below that help define why and how Salesforce will help your business attain its goals.

1. Vision – define what do you want to achieve
2. Values – define what is important to your organization
3. Methods – define how you want to achieve your result
4. Obstacles – determine what is preventing you from being successful
5. Measures – define success results, activities and metrics

Executing Change Management is Critical to a successful Salesforce Implementation

Once you complete the V2MOM exercise, you should implement a change management process.  Employees generally resist change and prefer their old and comfortable way of doing things.  So you must prepare them to adopt the change.

Change starts at the top.  Senior executives and managers must understand and believe in the change occurring.  

At the outset of the project, companies should assign executive sponsors to design and oversee the project.  These executives will set and communicate vision.  They must  communicate the vision, manage the execution, set training and monitor the results.  

Train the Managers

The activities, and results, of the company roll through the managers.  Managers must receive training on two fronts:

1. Managers must be trained on what the company expects to accomplish with Salesforce.  Why did the company choose to implement Salesforce?  What are the goals and metrics?  How will their teams be affected and what results are expected?  With this critical information, the managers can properly motivate, lead and coach their teams to successful adoption.
2. Managers must also receive Salesforce training so they can execute projects themselve.  As competent end-users they can, in turn, train their staff and lead by example.

Instructor Led, End-user Training Is a Key Step in Salesforce Implementation

Quality end-user training must be given to staff to achieve high user adoption rates, which are critical to the organization’s success with Salesforce. 

There are several options available to deliver end-user training.  But, many successful companies believe Instructor Led Training (ILT) is the most effective.

​​ILT classes are conducted in classroom-like environments and take place over one or more days.  Companies can hold live classes in a physical venue.  However, facilitators can also teach classes virtually via video conferencing applications. 

Stony Point offers Instructor Led training classes across various Salesforce topics and can help prepare students to pass Salesforce certification exams.  Stony Point courses are available to teach employees new to Salesforce.  Other classes are available to help up-skill employees already knowledgeable in Salesforce learn new skills and prepare for more certifications.

Training Reinforcement

Like any skill, learning never stops.  

• Most students only retain a portion of what they learn in a class
• Further, employees can always learn more skills or learn current skills in greater depth

Best in class companies offer ongoing training to help keep their end-users up to speed.  Two options for training reinforcement include:

1. Additional Instructor Led Training Classes
   • Employees needing to brush up on skills, or learn new skills, should continue to take Salesforce Training classes.  
   • The Stony Point Class Pass program offers steep discounts for companies wishing to put employees through multiple classes,
   • Much as major theme parks offer annual passes to members, Class Pass grants access to all of Stony Point’s instructor-led, hands-on Salesforce training and certification prep classes for a full year.  Companies can place an employee through multiple classes, throughout the year, for little more than the cost of a single class.
2. Context Aware Help:
   • Oftentimes, employees need immediate help trying to complete a task.  In that moment, they may not be able to locate reference material or access a manager to ask.
   • In such cases, context aware help, such as Stony Point’s Digadop program can provide the direction they need. 
   • Stony Point’s Digadop embeds context-aware help directly into Salesforce to offer immediate guidance at the specific spot in which the user is working.
   • The platform knows what to display based upon the page, profile, or application being used.  When clicked, the user will gain access to training materials such as videos, cheat sheets or other assets previously uploaded by administrators.

So, What’s Next?

Want professional training services for your end users and managers? Stony Point offers world-class instructor-led Salesforce training. With classes for beginners all the way to experts, we can help you train your employees to be more efficient and productive.

Did you already purchase training but still see your employees struggling with adoption? Digadop Help by Stony Point is a Digital Adoption platform designed to increase user adoption. With customizable, targeted help, you can create a different help experience for each employee, no coding needed. Digadop Help reinforces the training you paid for and builds on it.