Is Your Salesforce Partner a Bad Fit?

Finding the right Salesforce partner is a challenge. As a Salesforce customer, there’s a good chance you can benefit from a good partner at some point in your process. From implementation services to integrations to Salesforce managed services, a certified Salesforce consultant brings a lot to the table. 

When you have a solid team on your side, they share their business and technical expertise. In doing so, they boost your ROI for Salesforce. As a Salesforce partner ourselves, clearly, we are advocates for businesses working with Salesforce experts. However, that’s not what this post is about. 

Today, we want to talk about how to find the most value with a Salesforce partner that’s a good fit for your business. Perhaps you feel your current partner doesn’t meet your needs. Maybe you’re holding out for the right partner. Either way, a good partner helps you attain long-term success. 

The Value of A Good Salesforce Partner

Oftentimes, companies invest in Salesforce thinking implementation is fast and easy. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes overwhelming. Making Salesforce work for you takes strategy, expertise, and skill. 

When you work with a Salesforce partner, you gain a team of experienced Salesforce administrators and developers. Together, they ensure your CRM meets your needs. 

An experienced Salesforce partner helps you navigate the nuances of the various modules, understand your data, improves your business processes, and optimizes your workflow. We align your teams, processes, and technology to build a strong foundation for operational success. Truly, it touches so much more than the platform itself. 

Finding the Best Salesforce Partner for Your Business

Oftentimes, Salesforce partners take on cleaning jobs. In this work, we help companies get back on track after they try to implement Salesforce on their own or with a suboptimal partner. Picking up the pieces of a bad implementation is a headache for any business. 

That’s why it’s better to recognize and address issues as soon as possible. When you have the right partner, this doesn’t mean dropping them. Sometimes, you just need to get on the same page. 

Communication is essential in any partnership. 

However, when it’s a bad fit, it’s important to figure that out sooner rather than later. That helps you get on the right track faster. 

Signs Your Partner Is a Bad Fit

In our experience, there are numerous signs that point to a bad fit with a Salesforce partner. Here are some common ones. 

Bad Timing

Does your partner take too long to back to you? At times, this is just a communication issue. It’s essential to establish timelines and expectations. When you do, this ensures everyone understands their job. 

However, if your partner still falls behind or becomes unresponsive, you might have a bad fit. 

You Don’t Feel Valued

As a business, Salesforce is extremely successful. There are so many customers out there with a relatively small pool of certified and experienced Salesforce partners. Oftentimes, this results in a small number of consultants working with dozens of clients at once. 

When you need more one-on-one attention, look for a partner who provides the level of attention you require. 

They Can’t Meet Your Needs

At times, it’s a logistical headache to deal with multiple partners for Salesforce products even though they feel integrated. Unfortunately, Salesforce products are vastly different in reality. 

As Salesforce partners, we have to expand our knowledge and skills consistently. That’s part of the job. 

Moreover, that’s why it’s essential to find a partner with broad expertise and experience. As you continue to scale your growth with Salesforce, this growth requires different skills. When your partner has experience with one Salesforce product you use but not another, it might be a bad fit. 

Too Many Workarounds

When you implement a platform like Salesforce, it requires a long-term vision. Unfortunately, it’s easy to be shortsighted as you work to develop custom solutions. Oftentimes, this has long-term effects people don’t recognize. 

When you work with an experienced Salesforce partner, they know when to offer consultation. Moreover, they know that best practices are key to long-term success. 

If you have a partner who shies away from recommendations, no matter the reason, it sounds like a bad fit. 

Too Good to Be True

Salesforce has the potential to transform your business. Due to this, it requires a dedicated effort with insight and strategy. Oftentimes, businesses realize they don’t have the time or resources necessary to manage Salesforce themselves. 

When you dedicate an adequate budget for a certified Salesforce partner, you make the process more efficient and cost-effective. It’s a good long-term strategy to optimize your ROI. 

Sometimes a Salesforce partner offers a deal that seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, it probably is. This often results in them only being able to provide minimal support. 

Lack of Knowledge

It’s not always possible to work with a partner who specializes in your industry. Luckily, it’s not always necessary. An experienced Salesforce partner knows to rely on the client for subject matter expertise. 

It’s important for your partner to be curious and want to learn about your business and industry. From your sales process and marketing strategy to operational tools, they need to dive in. Additionally, they need to uncover aspects of your business you aren’t aware of. 

As your partner, it’s our job to offer a personalized perspective on Salesforce that is unique to your business. There’s no blanket solution that works for an entire industry. When your partner doesn’t express curiosity about your business or doesn’t gather information, it’s not a good fit. 

Lack of Chemistry

You work very closely with your partner. Because you spend a lot of time working with them, it’s important to have a good relationship. When they don’t jive with your team, it’s not great for a long-term partnership. 

Need a New Salesforce Partner?

As you evaluate a new Salesforce partner, there’s a lot to consider. However, the bottom line is that when you aren’t happy with your current partner, it’s not a good fit. Take some time to research additional consultants and partners to see whether there’s a better fit out there. 

When it comes to Salesforce, a good partner is invaluable as a resource. Book a call with our team today to see whether The Nuage Group is a good fit for you.