So you’ve implemented Salesforce solutions in your company – many processes have been streamlined, you’ve gained a 360-degree view of the customer and basically pushed your business forward thanks to the world’s #1 CRM. Then, after the initial excitement, comes the Managed Services phase (also known as Support and Development), which is not less crucial for your business than the actual implementation! But is your partner telling you everything he should?
Today, we will raise issues that affect both the Heads of IT, Project Managers as well as Subject Matter Experts – Salesforce specialists who use this platform every day.
Here are several red flags to be aware of whenever you are partnering with a managed services provider. Will you recognize your own challenges in this article?
Is my Salesforce implementation partner being honest with me?
Open communication is key in any partner relations. Your partner should always keep you up-to-date on the status of ongoing tasks. Do you sometimes feel misinformed about how much time your partner needs to implement certain features of the system? Do you think that the tasks you commissioned are taking too long or you simply can’t get any answers regarding their status or time of completion? We understand it’s difficult when you don’t know when new features will be ready to use.
It might sound strange, but do you actually know the person on your partner’s side you are working with? Do you know who to call in urgent cases if the contact person is on holiday, sick leave, or unavailable for any other reason? Poor communication is a cause of additional frustration that no one needs.
What it should look like
In a real business partnership, you should be able to enter the dedicated system and check the current status of tasks and hour consumption at any time – for instance, through Jira or Salesforce Community. Also, it would be best to have clear operating procedures for when the contact person is unavailable. Your partner should be responsive and do his best to dispel any doubts. You pay for a service and should expect the best there is.
Delays happen too often
Sticking to deadlines is crucial. If you can’t trust your partner with doing work on time, that’s a hint that something is wrong with this relationship. If he also fails to inform you that there might be delays in delivering functionalities on schedule, it’s high time to move on and look for another Managed Services company. How can you include the new system functionalities in your planning when you don’t know when or if you’ll be able to use them at all?
What it should look like
No one can foresee everything, so delays are sometimes unavoidable. However, your partner should always let you know if there is a hold-up in sight. It’s good practice to arrange the work schedule and estimate tasks to minimize the risk of delays. You should receive an overview of the status of tasks and be able to discuss current issues with your partner during weekly (or daily/bi-weekly) calls – depending on your needs. Don’t force yourself to work with a partner that buries his head in the sand. Instead, choose the one that will face obstacles head-on!
My partner has no schedule or vision
Chaos is one of the project’s worst enemies. Not knowing when you will be able to test the solution and start using it in everyday work makes it difficult for you to plan your actions. Some partners don’t treat the project holistically, and instead, focus on very specific functionalities which on their own don’t mean much. It seems they don’t care about the general efficiency of the system. Look at it this way: what good is having a great engine, when the rest of your vehicle is unusable?
What it should look like
The work schedule and project documentation (including technical details as well as a description of business processes) are one of the first documents you should receive from your partner. Treating the project as a whole will result in your system performing the way you want it to. After all, every aspect of your Salesforce platform should support your business.
Does my partner even understand my business?
Your implementation partner should do his best to understand your business. If your partner is simply doing what he’s told without reflection, it means he doesn’t understand your business needs or can’t think outside the box. It might sound tempting to have someone like that at your disposal, but we’re only human – what if you make mistakes or your ideas are simply unrealistic? A professional partner will ask questions and challenge your ideas – and you should let him. Remember that your job as a client is not to design your own system. You pay to have it done by experts.
What it should look like
Whenever your partner sees that your certain idea might not work out, he should let you know and assist you in finding the optimal approach before any work starts. That won’t be possible without knowing what your business is about! Whether or not your system will suit your needs should not be your concern. You should be able to trust your partner with it.
My needs are not considered!
Whenever you invest money in your Salesforce platform, you want to know exactly how it is spent and that you’ll get as much out of the investment as possible. Moreover, your employees would also like to feel that the system was created with their needs in mind. In some cases, however, your partner might not be as straightforward as necessary.
Does your partner show you the solution once it’s been finished, without involving you in planning? If so, that might mean that he doesn’t know what he’s doing and is improvising. At your expense. After all, you would definitely like to co-create the solution by sharing your invaluable insights with your partner. It’s your business and you know it best!
What it should look like
Your partner should involve you and your team in the system design process, provide documentation, make demos, prepare mock-ups – until you have a full view and can decide what will work best for your business.
Does it concern you?
If you don’t recognize yourself in the pains we described above, you must already be our client! But seriously, if nothing of what you’ve read affects you, this means that you’ve found a professional implementation partner – congratulations!
However, if your business is impaired by the fact that your Salesforce instance’s potential has not been maximized, contact us. We are a tech company specializing in Salesforce implementations. For years we’ve been helping our clients get the most out of their Salesforce platforms!
Learn more about our expertise in managed services as well as our mindset and mission of helping the customers. Let’s talk about your needs and expectations, maybe it will be the beginning of a great business partnership?
