There are three key factors behind the success or failure of any organisational change, including the implementation of a new system like Salesforce. These factors are people, process and technology. In today’s blog, we’re looking at how the process used can impact the success of a Salesforce project, focusing on the four most common ways that problems with your processes can cause the implementation to fail.
1 – NOT SETTING CLEAR REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
The Problem: The first reason is a fairly simple one. No project can be truly successful if the objectives aren’t properly set beforehand. If the overall business objectives for the project are not clear, each stakeholder may have a different idea of how the project should be run. This can lead to confusion, miscommunication and inconsistent implementation.
The Solution: Before they begin, the team involved in the implementation must take the time to answer these questions:
- What do we want to achieve from this project? (i.e. what are our objectives?)
- Who will be managing these objectives?
- Who is responsible for delivering on these objectives?
- What is our ‘minimum viable product’ (or ‘MVP’)?
A ‘minimum viable product’ (or ‘MVP’) is the bare minimum end goal you are willing to accept from a project whilst still considering the project a success. In a Salesforce implementation, an MVP will include the core functionality required by the new system, but may not include any of the “nice to have’s” that have been identified by the project team.
2 – NOT PROPERLY PREPARING FOR DATA MIGRATION
The Problem: Another common mistake prior to Salesforce implementation projects is a failure to prepare for the migration of company data. Issues arise when project owners attempt to transfer data from lots of different sources, each of which is currently working independently of the others. Without a clear link, it is almost impossible for this data to be transferred properly without a great deal of manual labour.
The Solution: Before data can be transferred from the old system to the new Salesforce system, the implementation team will need to answer these questions:
- What data do we currently have available?
- How can that data be transformed into the correct format for Salesforce?
- How are we going to transfer this data into the new system?
- What amount of time will we need to clean and transfer the data?
- What resources will we need to clean and transfer the data?
When planning a Salesforce project, it is important to include the time required to clean any existing data and to form an understanding of how it can be transferred to the new system. This almost always takes longer than expected, so we recommend planning extra contingency time at this stage, too. The ‘MVP’ concept can come in handy here, as it is often best to transfer only the most important data points at first. This way any additional information can be added at a later date without delaying the whole project.
3 – NOT PREPARING A DETAILED GO-LIVE PLAN
The Problem: The third most common mistake we see when it comes to implementing a new Salesforce project is a failure to plan for the go-live period. Many organisations don’t know how to test their solution, or what testing periods are necessary to ensure the project is successful. This is why we provide bespoke training on user testing, as well as the use of the platform in general.
The Solution: Before going live, there are two stages of testing that should take place: initial testing (the tests carried out by the implementation team to ensure the system works as they expect based on their brief) and User Acceptance Testing or ‘UAT’ (the tests carried out by the intended end-users to ensure the platform works exactly as they expect and has all the functionality they need).
To ensure you leave plenty of time for both of these testing periods, the timeline for the go-live section of your project should look a little like this:
- Training
- Agency testing
- User acceptance testing (UAT)
- Phased launch approach (releasing certain features step-by-step so as not to overwhelm testers)
- Aftercare support (any minor tweaks required and/or additional training)
4 – NOT USING THE RIGHT METHODOLOGY TO CARRY OUT THE PROJECT
The Problem: Many organisations fail to consider the importance of project management, opting for a methodology that doesn’t suit the project, or even not setting a methodology at all. The exact methodology you choose is entirely up to you, but it is important to choose one that can help keep your project team on track.
At Team Trigg, we use something we call ‘Wagile’ – a mixture of the traditional waterfall method and the newer digital agile.
The Solution: Whichever methodology you opt for, it is important to include a phased approach, so that you can get your ‘MVP’ live as soon as possible before building on it to add those “nice to have’s”. It is also very important to have regular check-ins with your project team. These check-ins (or ‘ceremonies’ as we call them in agile) allow everyone involved in the project to provide an update and gain feedback, ensuring that all aspects of the project are aligned.
Looking for support with your Salesforce implementation plans?
The team at Trigg Digital know what it takes to ensure your project is a resounding success (we’ve done it a few times, before!).
To find out more about how we can help, get in touch on +44 203 239 8492 or at hello@triggdigital.com.
