In today’s dynamic world of technology, Salesforce plays a key role in business transformation. The success of its implementation depends on both technical aspects and the effective management of the inherent effects of the emergence of a new IT system, namely, change.
According to reports by Forester and Gartner cited by Salesforce, as many as 50% of CRM implementation projects struggled with severe difficulties and did not bring the planned value to the organizations that implemented them. Moreover, according to Gartner research, only 34% of major company changes can be considered a “clear success.”
In this article, we will briefly explore the importance of change management and the benefits it brings to companies incorporating it into their Salesforce projects.
If I were to describe change management in one sentence, it is the art of guiding an organisation smoothly through changes, with the greatest emphasis on the human aspect to minimise confusion and maximise the benefits achieved within the company. It is primarily a set of processes, techniques, and good practices in a project (in our context, an implementation project) that touches on business processes, systems, organisational structure, and corporate culture.
Now that we have covered the theoretical minimum, let’s proceed to the most crucial aspect – summarising the benefits of project change management.
One of the main issues in adopting Salesforce is the resistance to change among employees. It is often the result of the following reasons:
- lack of clarity
- inadequate implementation plan
- errors in system integration and customization
- data integrity and migration issues
- content discovery difficulties
- learning curve challenges
Effective change management enables a better understanding of the role and capabilities of Salesforce, which translates into increased employee engagement. Clear communication, involvement in creating custom solutions, comprehensive training, and ongoing support contribute to users’ awareness and understanding of the system’s benefits, thereby reducing their natural resistance to change. This leads to a more efficient use of the system and better business results.
The previously mentioned increase in awareness is linked to another advantage – maximising the utilisation of available functionalities.
Employees may be familiar with Salesforce’s core features but often don’t take advantage of its full capabilities, especially when they go beyond what they’re used to. Training and education help employees better understand these features and leverage the platform’s full potential.
Change management also promotes better communication and cooperation within teams. Employees who feel confident using the new system are more willing to share information and cooperate with others.
Effective change management during the implementation of the system also contributes to a faster return on investment. Each unused license is a fixed cost for the organisation and a missed opportunity to generate a business advantage, which was the purpose of implementing Salesforce. Through faster employee adoption and effective utilisation of the system, organisations can experience financial and operational benefits from the implementation faster. This translates directly into an increase in business efficiency and profitability.
Change management also helps to identify potential risks associated with the implementation of Salesforce and enables you to anticipate possible problems and create a plan to mitigate them. Adapting well to market and company changes and effectively managing unexpected issues during implementation is supported by a solid approach to change management. This reduces the uncertainty and risk of project failure, which is crucial for any organization.
Change management in a Salesforce project can be compared to the role of flight attendants on an airplane. While they are not responsible for the piloting or technical aspects of the aircraft, they play a key role in ensuring comfort, safety, and effective communication between crew and passengers.
Similarly, change management in a Salesforce project does not directly involve the technical implementation of the system, but it is necessary to support users, ensure smooth adaptation to the new system, communicate essential information, and manage expectations and concerns. This analogy takes on particular significance when we consider the fact that, as Gartner and Forrester point out, nearly 50% of CRM projects end up with serious turbulence at best.
Author
- Business Systems Analyst
-
A business analyst with many years of experience in all stages of a customer’s life has worked in marketing, sales and customer service, but he is closest to the former. For several years, he conducted practical classes for postgraduate studies in Salesforce CRM and Marketing Automation at one of Warsaw’s universities.
