Salesforce is a platform that can substantially improve your business by strengthening customer relationships, increasing productivity, and boosting collaboration. However, the platform needs a suitable governance model to implement it successfully. Salesforce center of excellence (CoE) has the primary objective of optimizing Salesforce capabilities across a business. This includes bringing in new hires with expertise using the platform while also helping current users — from end-users to CEOs — to become more proficient in their work.
Introducing a Center of Excellence for Salesforce can help your business scale to keep up with the competition. However, the right implementation methods need to be followed to see results. Listed below are some of the ways as to how it can be done.
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Define clear objectives
A roadmap with clear deliverables will help everyone understand what they are working towards and keep current projects on track to reaching defined goals. It can be helpful to have regular meetings with various stakeholders to get everyone on the same page.
Assemble an implementation team
The salesforce implementation team should consist of the right people with the right skill-set to handle all aspects of the implementation. The core group can be made up of platform administrators, developers, and business analysts (functional and non-functional requirements), while other roles like QA, security, and infrastructure could also be included.
Provide a training program
Create a training program to ensure all team members can hit the ground running with minimum disruption to the business. Having the right mix of technical skills in the team is essential, but soft skills like leadership and facilitation are equally important. A successful project requires team members with both technical and non-technical skills.
Ensure that robust governance is in place
It is essential to have a suitable governance model for the CoE depending on the business environment. On one hand, some organizations require a formal structure with defined roles and responsibilities, while others can manage with a more casual approach. Regardless, a clear framework is needed to avoid confusion and ensure that the project gets done on time and within the specified budget.
Include stakeholders
One of the prime functions of a Salesforce Center of Excellence is to help drive business value through better platform governance, so this must be well communicated. One of the best ways to do this is by making sure all stakeholders are involved in the project’s success. Regular meetings, workshops, and one-on-one sessions can be worthwhile investments here.
Create a staffing plan
Develop a staffing plan that considers expertise and skillset gaps, with clear roles and responsibilities for each person. This should also include the onboarding process, such as how new hires will be trained to speed up the workflow and their training.
Create a strong support team
Ensuring that there is the right level of support will help maintain the momentum. This includes having the right tools, processes, and people to deliver on the objectives without disrupting day-to-day business.
A center of excellence (CoE) for Salesforce can benefit any business managing complex business solutions. With a suitable governance model and the right level of support, a COE can be implemented successfully to increase productivity and boost collaboration.
As an experienced Salesforce consulting partner, Speridian can help your business implement, configure and customize the right technology mix to suit its unique business needs. Speridian can help you create a Salesforce Center of Excellence that optimizes capabilities across your business. Our experts can help build a team, develop training and communication plans, and provide guidance on governance to drive greater value from Salesforce.
Connect with us today to learn more.
Also read: Key Salesforce Tips To Make The Most of Your Customization