Blog: Sound Advice for a Happier Salesforce Adoption
Have you been considering purchasing Salesforce to help run your business? Good idea. Are you afraid your users won’t fully adopt it? Valid concern. With system changes being a commonality for growing operations, companies should look for ways to soften the blow for affected employees.
Where Do the Issues Lie?
In my experience, it’s not uncommon for user adoption to be a big issue when implementing Salesforce or any other new system. Let’s review why some users don’t fully embrace a new methodology.
- People don’t like change. Even if the current system is inefficient, clunky, inaccurate, and causing other issues, at least users know what they’re dealing with.
- People don’t trust the setup. Too often, companies rush to get their systems up and running and don’t properly plan their implementation. This can cause errors and extra work, and be a nightmare for everyone.
- There are too many steps to get things done. Salesforce is full of automation capabilities that can cut steps and time in half, but you have to know how to set those up. Companies trying to implement Salesforce without experienced partners usually miss out on a lot of automation that could enhance efficiency while speeding up the process.
- Users don’t know how to use it. I see this all the time. Companies implement systems, show their users a little bit, and have them figure out the rest. When users are not fully and properly trained, it discourages adoption.
- There is a lack of support. Too many companies try to implement and support Salesforce with limited, inexperienced staff. This causes gaps in support and adds to user frustration.
- Messy data is a red flag. When users see duplicate records and inaccurate data, they have difficulty accepting the system as their source of truth.
How Do You Fix It?
So, given the above, what is a company to do? Here are some corresponding solutions to get past the above user problems and bring on a happier Salesforce adoption.
- Make the change exciting for your users. This takes planning, but there are plenty of ways to get users ready. Your implementation plan should include things like sneak previews, pilot groups, proof of concept tidbits, and more. You can have a lot of fun with this and get creative in presenting things to your team.
- If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. There are so many things to consider when building an implementation plan. This could actually be its own series of blog posts for this topic, but I’ll keep it brief here. Do not rush the implementation. Make sure all company needs are identified and considered. Build your blueprint. Get input from others. Get management buy-in. Set up your pilot group. The list goes on. If your implementation is not done correctly, rushing through it will cost you more in the end. If you want to do the implementation yourself but need help building the plan, contact a qualified partner for help.
- Take advantage of Salesforce tools. Items like flows, triggers, validation rules, etc., are extremely helpful. Also, look on the App Exchange for free or cheap tools to help you accomplish your goals. The sky is the limit; however, you need the right person to do the job. If you cannot hire a highly qualified Salesforce admin or developer, find a consulting partner to help. The price tag might seem high initially, but you will save money in the end.
- Train, train, and train. When you train your team thoroughly the first time, they will be excited about the system. Give them live training, e-learning, documentation — whatever it takes. If you are unsure how your team learns best, perform some training evaluations to find out. If you’re not sure about what your strategy should be, engage a Salesforce implementation partner who can help.
- Obtain the right resources. Do not just make an existing employee your Salesforce admin or developer and expect them to figure it all out. If they have another job to do, there really isn’t enough time in the day for them to do their job and also try to learn Salesforce. Yes, they can learn some quick things, but to truly support your team in their Salesforce journey, one person “figuring it out” is not ideal. The best way to get the support you need is to have experienced people supporting you. That might be a Salesforce consulting partner or a full-time developer with a lot of experience.
- Use data management tools. Salesforce offers tools for setting up your matching rules and duplicate management. Use them at the beginning of your Salesforce journey; it will save you hours and hours of cleanup down the road. Also, utilize validation rules and/or screen flows to capture complete and correct data.
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Investing in a tool like Salesforce is a big commitment but worth it. You just need to make sure that you do things right from the start. A solid implementation plan with thorough planning and execution, proper training, good data management, automation, and the right resources will all provide a better user experience. With all those ducks in a row, you will increase your adoption and overall success. And remember, if you don’t have the resources internally, outsourcing can be a considerable time, money, and headache saver. I don’t know about you, but I like to avoid headaches.
