Bonjour! Hopefully, this very fancy French opening has caught your attention. I promise the rest will be in English since I’ve exhausted most of my French vocabulary.
Last week we shared some insights from our team on how to prepare for a Salesforce implementation. Click here if you missed that. Today, we are focusing on the importance of System Champions, Tools for Success, and Planning for the Future.
Identify System Champions
System champions play a vital role before and during a Salesforce implementation. These are knowledgeable and enthusiastic individuals who act as advocates for the system within your organization.
Business Analyst, Taylor Scott, explains that you need someone high enough in your organization who can communicate the long-term vision of the system implementation and has the leadership skills to ease end user anxiety. Another Provisio Business Analyst, Pamela Oswandel, likes to joke with her clients, “Remember: The new system is more scared of you than you are of it.”
For some creative ideas on how to alleviate fears and create a sense of excitement around the implementation, take a look at this blog.
The more excited your end users are, the easier it will be to train and launch the new software. “As an implementer,” says Scott, “I’ve found that having a sense of urgency and excitement are important for the client; they get the most out of the weekly meetings and tend to enjoy training.”
System champions can also assist with training sessions by serving as trainers or providing support. They can also provide useful feedback during Discovery and Configuration meetings. Their feedback helps the implementation team identify areas for improvement, optimize internal processes, and enhance the system to better meet user needs.
Utilize Free Tools for Success
I almost called this section “Do Your Homework” but gross. Who wants to do homework? What you CAN do is access some super engaging, targeted online training. Salesforce’s Trailhead is the official Salesforce learning platform, so you know the information will be up-to-date and accurate. You can also join a community to connect with other Salesforce professionals, ask questions, and get support.
Trailhead will help prepare you for the technical aspects of your implementation and introduce you to Salesforce best practices, user adoption strategies, and the broader Salesforce ecosystem.
Plan for the Future
Finally, consider how you can leverage Salesforce and this project to scale and grow your program. Are there clients/communities that you want to serve or serve better/differently in the future that this project could allow you to do? Are there other Salesforce tools you can implement to work toward that future vision? Engaging with an implementation partner like Provisio guarantees you will have valuable expertise and guidance throughout your journey.
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw
By following some of this advice, we hope you can avoid some of the challenges that come with a technology change and have a little bit of fun in the process. We wish you great success on your Salesforce implementation!
Marjorie lives in Saint Louis, Missouri. She received her Master’s degree in English from Truman State University. Her responsibilities at Provisio Partners include content creation and technical writing.