Salesforce Implementation FAQ: Choosing a CRM, a Salesforce Partner and Running the Project
A Salesforce project succeeds best when the goals, users, business processes, schedule, budget and model for ongoing development are clearly defined before implementation starts. A good Salesforce partner helps you compare options, design the solution, manage the project and support your organisation after go-live.
Every organisation, industry and Salesforce implementation is different, but the same questions come up again and again when choosing a CRM system. How should you compare CRM systems? How much does a Salesforce project cost? What does a Salesforce partner actually do? What is expected of you during the project? This article answers the questions we hear most often.
In this article:
- Comparing CRM systems and Salesforce partners
- Salesforce implementation cost and licences
- The Salesforce partner’s role in the project
- The client’s responsibilities in an implementation project
- Managing schedule, budget and changes
- User adoption and support after the project
Before the project: choosing a CRM system and a Salesforce partner
What is a Salesforce project?
A Salesforce project usually covers the design and implementation of a Salesforce solution, integrations, data migration, user training and support after the project. The scope can range from a light implementation to a broad renewal of business processes.
How should you compare CRM systems?
Start by listing the needs that are most critical for your business. For example:
- Which teams need to work in the same system (sales, marketing, customer service, e-commerce and so on)?
- Which features do these teams need in their daily work (automations, forms, segments, processes, reporting and so on)?
Once the list is clear, it is easy to rule out systems that do not cover these needs.
How do you choose the right Salesforce partner?
CRM partners are usually compared once the system has been chosen. If you are comparing system X with its partner against system Y with its partner, it is worth asking about and considering these points:
- References from your industry or from similar implementations
- How comfortable and smooth the communication feels in introductory meetings
- The partner’s service offering:
- Does it focus on one CRM system or several?
- Does it offer all services within that CRM system?
- Does it offer support and ongoing development services after the project?
At a later stage, it is worth looking more closely at the project plans, the proposed team and other details of the project content.
What kind of references does Ceili have?
Ceili has many public customer references, which you can read in our customer stories: https://ceili.fi/en/newsroom/cases/
We are also permitted to name several references in sales discussions, so this is definitely worth asking about (and it usually comes up anyway).
In addition, Ceili has several customers whose names or implementation details we are not allowed to share. In these cases, we can usually describe the industry and the Salesforce Clouds involved at a high level or anonymously, so you get a full picture of Ceili’s expertise.
How does Ceili handle complex business processes in Salesforce?
Many of our customers work in industries with complex processes: several subsidiaries, several product or service brands, or several sales processes, each with its own pipeline and stages. We have successfully built many kinds of demanding processes in Salesforce. One of Salesforce’s greatest strengths is exactly this: it is highly customisable.
How does Salesforce licence pricing work?
With Salesforce, licence pricing is negotiated directly with Salesforce. Before that discussion, it helps to know how many of your users will use the system in each area. Not everyone needs a Service Cloud licence for customer service, for example, if some people only work in sales in Sales Cloud.
Some Salesforce products are also credit-based, which means the cost depends on how much the system is used. Ceili is happy to help with licence discussions together with Salesforce.
How much does a Salesforce implementation cost?
The cost of a Salesforce implementation depends on the project scope, integrations, the amount of data to migrate, the number of users and how much the processes are customised. That is why the exact cost should always be estimated based on your organisation’s needs.
For example, a project with many integrations, complex processes or a lot of data to migrate from a legacy systems cost more than a simpler project. Ceili is happy to prepare a tailored proposal based on your needs.
What does a Salesforce partner do in an implementation project?
A Salesforce partner brings Salesforce expertise, challenges your current ways of working where needed and proactively suggests ideas and solutions. The partner also manages the project, carries out the technical build and provides support and ongoing development after the project, so you are not left alone with the new system.
What is expected of the client in a Salesforce implementation project?
What is expected of the client depends on the project content and what has been agreed. Typically, the client commits time to the project in these areas:
- Requirements workshops for the relevant people (2 to 5 sessions, about 1 to 2 hours each plus preparation)
- User training for the relevant people (1 to 3 sessions, about 1 to 2 hours each plus preparation)
- Review meetings with key people at an agreed interval (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly about 1 hour each plus preparation)
- Communication and internal management by the client’s project manager (about 1 working day per week)
- Testing by key people
- Internal change management and communication
- Internal support after go-live
How does development work progress in a Salesforce project?
Development starts with detailed definition work together with the client. Ceili sends preparation material before the joint definition workshop, so the client can prepare internally with the right team. This makes the final requirements and decisions in the workshop smooth.
Based on the definition and requirements, Ceili builds the agreed solutions in Salesforce and tests them carefully.
After Ceili’s testing, it is the client’s turn to test. Any change requests are then worked on, and a new test cycle begins. Once the solution works as intended, it is deployed to production.
What does a typical Ceili project team look like?
The project team is always defined per project, because every project is unique. Depending on the need, the team may include a project manager, an architect, a consultant, a developer or several of these. We also pay attention to individual skills: if the project includes Marketing Cloud, we bring in a marketing specialist, and if it includes integrations, we bring in an integration specialist. Our sales team also works closely with the project team, so knowledge moves seamlessly from the sales phase to delivery.
After the project, the customer usually moves to our support services, but the Ceili experts you know do not disappear. We allocate the right expert or experts based on your support needs.
During the project: schedule, budget and user adoption
Can we change the schedule if circumstances change?
Yes. Ceili is a flexible Salesforce partner, and we understand that staff changes, shifting timelines and surprises mean project schedules sometimes need to flex. We still aim to stick to the agreed schedule for the sake of both the client’s and Ceili’s experts, so the project manager always plans any changes together with the client.
What if our needs change during the project?
We aim to define the project content, and the items left for the development backlog, as clearly as possible with the client during the sales phase. That way both the client and Ceili understand what they are committing to. If the needs grow or shrink, the plan can be changed within certain limits. One such limit may be protecting the goals of the original project. We would rather take one plan carefully to the finish line and only then start the next phase or development step. Not everything can or should be done at once.
How do you keep a Salesforce project on budget and on schedule?
Ceili’s project managers and sales team are experienced professionals. This experience goes into planning budgets and schedules, so allocations can be estimated well in advance. They are also monitored closely during the project, and the client receives status updates as agreed. If the budget or schedule looks like it might slip, we react quickly and proactively, and any changes are discussed and decided together with the client.
How do you make sure users adopt Salesforce?
A well-planned implementation is the key to a successful project. Two things play an especially important role:
- Choosing the project team: the team should include key people from the relevant teams, for example admins, product owners, business management, sales, customer service, marketing and IT. Think about the team from the implementation point of view: who is the system for, who will use it and who should it serve? When the key people can influence the implementation from the very start, users are far more likely to adopt the system and want to use it.
- Change management: a new system often changes ways of working or at least means learning something new. Reserve enough time and resources for learning and for the changes. If onboarding falls short, the system will not be used because it feels difficult. Change management should not be left to the end of the project either: communicate and explain the upcoming change before, during and after the project, and make open communication and feedback possible.
After go-live: Salesforce support and ongoing development
How do we get support after the project, for example with a small everyday question?
Ceili offers support and ongoing development services to its customers. These are always agreed per customer, so support allocation can be small or large depending on your needs. Support needs are often higher for a few months after the project and may decrease after that. Ceili has its own support team, which is happy to help with all kinds of needs and routes them to the right experts within Ceili.
What if we want to develop Salesforce further, for example add an integration or a new Cloud?
Further development can be done as part of the support agreement between Ceili and the client, or as a separate new project with its own budget, schedule and team. The size of the need usually determines the most sensible way forward. This ensures the necessary resources on both sides and keeps everyone aligned on what is being developed and how.
Planning a Salesforce implementation?
Are you planning a Salesforce implementation, switching CRM systems or developing your existing Salesforce environment? Ceili helps you map your needs, plan the project and bring the implementation into everyday use in a controlled way. Contact us through our contact form or at info@ceili.fi.
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