Or rather priceless? Which of these terms is better to highlight the usefulness of Salesforce-based systems? The best way to explain it is to mention its business value.
There is a theory that says that the best implementation of an IT system is one that never ends. It is always possible to do a little more. You have to admit that there is a grain of truth in it 🙂 Read the text Six traps you may fall into while implementing an IT system.
Seriously speaking, every implementation, if managed by a reliable and trusted vendor, finishes on schedule. The things that still need to be done include maintenance and development of the system, which often means launching a new, separate project.
Coming back to the beginning, that is, to the end 🙂 Regardless of whether we are talking about the end of the entire project or the end of its specific phase, this is the moment when the sponsor and stakeholders say “check.” I am checking the business value.
What is business value? It might mean different things depending on the project, but there is a common ground for all – it brings profit for the company and often benefits the user. It might seem to be a minor detail; for instance, a sales rep finds information about a customer a little more quickly, a consultant checks an open ticket more easily, and a customer proceeds through a shopping cart faster. There are many similar examples. All of these improved activities help the process move faster and increase efficiency.
Business value does not just emerge out of the blue at the end of the project. It is defined at the very beginning when the project’s goals are discussed, and it accompanies the implementation of the project at all stages. It sets the direction in which the entire project is heading. In the Agile approach, which we follow in Craftware, there is no need to wait until the end of the project to achieve business value. With every working element of the implemented application, we deliver it gradually by moving in the predefined direction. Salesforce makes this process easier – a system based on this technology can be extended easily and equipped with new elements. It can grow organically and adapt to the expansion of the organization and ongoing changes.
V as vendor
Vendor means “seller” or “supplier” in Polish. Craftware has been a Salesforce partner since 2014 and it delivers systems based on this technology. So, it is a supplier. From the linguistic point of view, everything is correct. Nevertheless, at Craftware we are not very fond of the word “vendor.” Instead, we choose the word “partner” because it reflects our collaborative approach to project implementation much better.
Instead of a formal customer–supplier relationship (although the term “transaction” fits here better), which is limited by the rigid rules of a purchase-sale agreement, we prefer a partnership approach. First of all, we listen to our customer–partner. We listen carefully to their business needs to understand them well, to be able to specify them, and, if necessary, to help define the business goal of implementation.
And since we listen carefully, we do not impose our vision; we do not offer the only right solution. During the initial discussions, we present our proven methods and best practices as well as share our experiences from previous implementations. We do it to find the best solution in cooperation with our customers. We work closely with them throughout the implementation of the project – this is how our project teams work.
More precisely, X as customer experience. What is customer experience, and where does it come from? This term might refer to a one-time experience or an impression that customers get when they come in contact with a company, for example, when talking with a customer service consultant. However, customer experience is more often understood as a sum of impressions that result in the overall perception of a company or brand. Of course, it is possible that one contact with a company is unfortunate enough to give the customer a reason to form a “no” opinion. Certainly, we do not wish this kind of customer experience to any company or customer. In the article Customer Experience – how to improve the CX quality, we made some suggestions on how to encourage the customer to say “yes.”
In a nutshell, customer experience mirrors the way a customer sees a company. In that case, can the way a company sees a customer influence customer experience? Generally speaking, is it possible to “see” a customer? Of course, it is, and in the case of Salesforce, it is literally a 360-degree view. You can read more about it in this article: Customer 360-degree view in Salesforce Service Cloud
If you are not a newbie in the world of Salesforce and the logo of a blue cloud rings a bell, you probably think “CRM” when you hear “Salesforce.” This system is often equated with a CRM system. Since sales need customers, customer base, database management, and customer relationship management, all of these are associated with CRM.
However, for a long time, Salesforce has been more than just a sales management tool or a CRM system, even though it certainly has those functionalities. Salesforce is a constantly evolving technology and a vast ecosystem that enables the digital transformation of businesses. Implementing the Salesforce CRM in your company can (but does not have to) be the first step towards this kind of transformation. Then, you can gradually transfer more areas of your business to Salesforce. Thanks to this technology, you can reorganize all of the company’s operations, turning silos into a single organism.
How to make Salesforce a core technology that enables the management of the entire organization? Moving a business to Salesforce – what does that look like in practice? One way is to use out-of-the-box products from the Salesforce portfolio. The other way is to build your own solutions on the platform. However, this move to Salesforce does not have to be understood literally. Your company’s existing systems can be integrated with Salesforce. There are many possibilities. If you are looking for the best option, at Craftware, we can help you find it.
If you are not yet familiar with all parts of the Salesforce Encyclopedia, start with the first one – Salesforce Encyclopedia A – H.
Author
- Expert in the Marketing Team
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She has always been associated with the written word – as a journalist and editor in press publications. A copywriter in the new technologies industry for several years. When she does not write, she loves to talk and meet people. In love with electronic music.
