It All Falls Down: Common Salesforce Situations to Know and Avoid
For many B2B companies, Salesforce is frequently considered the best solution for managing customer relationships. It pledges to streamline sales and marketing operations, elevate customer engagement, and open doors to business growth. Nonetheless, the path from introducing Salesforce to achieving success is frequently riddled with difficulties. In this blog post, we will discuss how Salesforce can evolve into a complex challenge for B2B organizations and why the initial enthusiasm can transform into a vexing ordeal.
Unlimited Mixed Marketing offers a proven framework to both avoid and correct these pitfalls.
Consider this opening scene:
A B2B company secures a triumphant series A funding round, prompting the heads of sales and marketing to opt for investing in Salesforce. Encouraged by the prospect of leveraging this dominant CRM platform, the CEO enthusiastically approves the decision.
Act 1
Fantasy meets Reality
After the decision is finalized, there's a sense of eager anticipation. The company holds high hopes that Salesforce will perform miracles and that returns on investment will come naturally. Nevertheless, this positivity can swiftly transform into disappointment as soon as reality takes hold.
The Big Misunderstanding
Salesforce is celebrated for its ability to transform sales and marketing, yet what escapes the notice of many B2B companies is that it frequently demands triple the initial investment for a successful setup and operation. This truth has been acknowledged even by Salesforce's CEO, Mark Benioff. Regrettably, this realization often takes companies by surprise.
Act 2
Outside Influence
To add complexity, an implementation agency is often enlisted to establish Salesforce, and this is where the deep challenges emerge. The agency often opts for the path of least resistance, inquiring with the heads of marketing and sales about their preferred Salesforce setup. This may appear to be a sensible approach, but it can be the perfect storm in the making.
Varied Viewpoints
The core issue stems from the distinct experiences and perspectives of the head of marketing and head of sales. While they excel in their respective domains, they might not possess the technical expertise needed for a CRM system like Salesforce. As a result, they offer directives based on their personal experiences and requirements, often without a comprehensive grasp of the intricate interconnections and dependencies within the CRM system.
Related Reading: Top Ten Best Practices for Sales and Marketing Alignment
Familiar Motions
The implementation agency dutifully adheres to the instructions of the heads of marketing and sales. As a consequence, Salesforce ends up being configured in a disorganized and disconnected fashion, where various components lack unity and harmony. Essentially, it transforms into a customized disorder that deviates from industry best practices and the company's overarching objectives.
Act 3
The Nightmare
Over time, the repercussions of this fragmented approach become evident. Discrepancies in data, operational inefficiencies, and breakdowns in communication afflict the sales and marketing teams. Instead of improving customer relationships, Salesforce transforms into an obstacle, impeding productivity and progress.
In the pursuit of harnessing Salesforce's power for B2B brands, the initial enthusiasm often wanes, replaced by frustration as companies underestimate the genuine implementation costs and the necessity of strategic planning. Relying solely on the insights of the head of sales and head of marketing, without considering architectural expertise and system interdependencies, can result in a web of inefficiency and disorder.
To avert this nightmarish scenario, B2B brands should invest not only in Salesforce itself but also in the expertise needed for accurate setup. By involving professionals well-versed in Salesforce's intricacies and dependencies, companies can unlock the CRM's full potential, ensuring it becomes a valuable asset rather than a burdensome headache.
Creating a strong marketing strategy can be tricky, but we've got a proven way to help you avoid common problems. Unlimited Mixed Marketing is here to guide you. Our experts can help you make your use of Salesforce better, so you get more out of it.
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Written by Raycheal Proctor
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