How to find the right Salesforce Partner

How to choose the right Salesforce Partner

So, you’ve made the big decision to transform your business for the better through Salesforce. The next step is finding the right partner to execute your vision to be exactly as you wish.

Get the most out of CRM with the right partner

Being a registered Salesforce partner ourselves, we know exactly what makes a project a success and can only imagine the opposite is what dooms companies for total failure. Poorly executed implementations can not only cost businesses thousands of pounds but also critical business opportunities.

A big part of your success depends on who you partner with, so we have decided to share some expertise on how to find the right Salesforce consultant to help you set your project up for prosperity.

First of all, what is the Salesforce Partner Ecosystem?

The Salesforce partner ecosystem is essentially a network of registered Salesforce partners based around the globe. The Salesforce AppExchange acts almost like a partner directory and showcases the very best of third-party apps, so you might find it useful to look here first to see if any partners have developed apps specific to what you need.

Steps to follow when searching for your Salesforce partner:

1. Identify your requirements early on in the process

Identifying exactly what you want out of the platform prior to the implementation should be a no brainer.

What were your reasons for investing in the platform to begin with? How are you expecting Salesforce to help you achieve your business goals?

After consulting with your Salesforce partner, they should know the answer to these questions too and may even offer suggestions on how to exceed your goals. A good Salesforce partner should also make it clear what is expected from your behalf at the start of the project.

2. Look for a Salesforce partner with the right industry experience

Healthcare, financial services and nonprofits are examples of huge industries in which Salesforce partners often brag a wealth of experience. If your business is part of a fairly niche industry, you’d be much better off finding a partner with experience in that particular industry – even if it takes a little longer to find them.

We would always advise that industry experience is much more crucial than the size of the consulting partner.

For example, we have developed and implemented a bespoke calendar booking system accessible by third parties which is used by our client Insight Healthcare to empower patients to self book appointments. This application would not be of any use to our other clients, but that makes it all the more valuable and unique to Insight Healthcare.

3. Search for reviews, certifications and case studies

Client testimonials, reviews, case studies and Salesforce certifications are the best sources of evidence to see how successful your partner has been in the past. We take great pride in showcasing off our best and biggest projects we have completed for clients in the past and given that 70% of our projects are repeat business and many new clients came to us after hearing good recommendations, we know how important a good reputation is.

4. Get a feel for the team you'll be working with in the consultation

Ensure you know who you’ll be communicating with and who is carrying out the technical work – they should be working closely together. You need to know that, should errors or changes occur, they will be seen to urgently, making communication the most important part of the project.

At Sandyx, our clients either initially consult with Stuart, our presales consultant who is an expert at identifying what our clients need and how to achieve it, or Chris, our head of service delivery who oversees every step we take in each project and provides regular updates to project leaders.

Embark on your innovation journey with confidence

Now you’ve found the right partner and feel assured that they can reflect your goals, it’s time to start the project. This can still be a long and sometimes gruelling process, involving plenty of testing sessions and detailed weekly reviews, but it will all be worth it when your team is seeing enhanced results from using a tailored version of Salesforce. If you’re still on the hunt for the right Salesforce partner, get in touch with Sandyx today for a no-obligation consultation to see if we can help you achieve your goals.