UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF A SALESFORCE CONSULTING PARTNER IN RETAIL

Publish date:

• 7th October, 2024

By adopting Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC), the leading CRM for retail, your business is poised for significant growth. However, to successfully implement this platform and maximize its potential, you will need support in customization, data integration, business strategies, and AppExchange options. Choosing an experienced Salesforce consulting partner with a dedicated managed services team is essential to helping you achieve your business objectives.

The ideal team should consist of knowledgeable professionals who excel in collaboration and communication, guiding your business toward success.

When looking for a trustworthy Salesforce consulting partner, consider these critical signs and qualities to ensure you make a reliable choice.

Five Key Signs of an Experienced Retail Salesforce Consulting Partner

Smooth and Adaptable Implementation Processes

Excellent customer service starts with expertise. An experienced Salesforce Consulting Partner provides a well-rounded Managed Services team that prioritizes clients. This customer-focused approach includes dedicated client success managers, case managers, project managers, technical leads, and digital experience and data services experts. Together, this team should work to:

• Set realistic eCommerce goals through effective team collaboration.

• Provide strategic advice to maximize website performance and maintenance.

• Collaboratively create a site strategy and a prioritized action plan.

• Continuously improve conversion rates by eliminating obstacles.

• Ensure that shopping and buying experiences are top-notch.

Committed Experts on the Managed Services Team

A dedicated Managed Services team goes beyond essential support. They should offer proactive and strategic guidance through meaningful collaboration. Acting as an extension of your in-house team, these experts bring industry insights to help you leverage Salesforce and build multi-cloud experiences that align with your business goals. This teamwork should lead to:

• Improved workflow efficiencies.

• Stronger planning and roadmaps.

• Enhanced customer experiences.

Look for a Salesforce Consulting Partner that provides a dedicated team covering these essential areas:

• Account planning and strategy to maximize the benefits of Salesforce.

• Management of technical issues, new release updates, and resource planning.

• Technical leadership to ensure quality product management and alignment with strategic goals.

• Multi-cloud expertise for automating and optimizing cross-cloud integrations.

• UX developers design a user-friendly experience, making it easy for customers to find what they need.

• Composable Commerce specialists to enable real-time updates on your site.

• Digital marketing experts will create strategies for conversion and engagement.

• Project management to implement big ideas on time and within budget.

Salesforce Certified Experts for Strategic Business Growth

Salesforce Consulting Partners often provide technical expertise across various commerce platforms. However, choosing a partner that specializes exclusively in Salesforce can bring numerous benefits:

• Focused Expertise: Salesforce experts dedicated to one platform can deliver quicker results while keeping costs in check. Their precise skills in planning, programming, and execution lead to better outcomes.

• Certified Knowledge: Salesforce-certified professionals understand how to implement custom applications effectively. They can help grow your revenue on time while reducing costs across a multi-cloud environment.

Clear and Open Communication

A reliable Salesforce consulting partner should prioritize transparency. Their Managed Services team will provide regular meetings and updates, providing clear roadmaps of ongoing work, plans, and results from previous projects.

Many partners also offer access to an online customer portal, giving you a real-time view of active projects and their progress. A good Salesforce-managed partner will ensure you stay informed about all communications regarding your business.

Quick Resolution of Roadblocks

In the world of eCommerce, time is money. If your website is down or not running smoothly, it can affect your profits. That’s why it’s crucial to have a Managed Services team available to tackle and fix issues 24/7. This level of support demonstrates that your business matters to them just as much as it does to you.

Look for Strong References

Every business is unique, so it's essential to partner with a Salesforce Consulting Partner with clients willing to share positive experiences. Ask plenty of questions to ensure they align with your business needs. Digging deeper and asking the right questions will help you find the right fit.

Here are some important questions to consider:

• Why did you choose the Salesforce platform?

• Does your Salesforce consulting partner have a dedicated Managed Services team?

• Do they understand both your long-term goals and short-term technical requirements?

• Do they follow a reliable release process?

• Is your site monitored to ensure it runs optimally?

• Do they provide suggestions for user interface changes that improve conversion rates?

• Do they have user experience designers who can create customer-focused experiences?

• Was the option for a composable commerce storefront discussed to enable quick and flexible site updates?

• Were your projects completed on time and within budget?

• What’s their process for handling issues and questions?

• Does your Salesforce partner offer 24/7 support via phone, email, or web in emergencies?

• Do they have teams specializing in merchandising, digital marketing, AI, user experience, and other aspects of digital transformation focused on retail?

Moving Forward with Confidence

Choosing the right Salesforce Consulting Partner is crucial for unlocking the full potential of your Salesforce Commerce Cloud implementation. A skilled Salesforce partner will provide smooth and flexible implementation processes, a dedicated team of experts, specialized knowledge of Salesforce, clear communication, and quick solutions to any issues. Considering these essential qualities, you can build a strong, lasting partnership that helps your retail business achieve its goals confidently and efficiently.

If you're ready to see how a dedicated Salesforce Managed Services team, like the experienced professionals at Codleo, can support your journey, we’d love to chat!

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About the Author

Anand Sharma

Anand is a Salesforce Evangelist, joined the Salesforce ecosystem in 2014 helping customers to be successful with Salesforce, and joined Codleo to share the goodness with even more developers all around the world. He is based in New Delhi, with his wife, and he tries to escape summers every chance he gets.