11 Questions For Choosing A Salesforce Consultant

Just like an able pilot can save millions of lives and a capable doctor can detect and cure deadly diseases, a competent Salesforce Consultant would always make sure you are making optimum use of your Salesforce CRM. They would not only be the experts you turn to on facing relevant challenges regarding CRM, they would also provide you with valuable feedback and suggestions that would help you manage your sales team better and more effectively.

You should therefore take immense care before you choose Salesforce Consultant for handling your CRM.

Owing to the ever-increasing need to install and use Salesforce for the process of handling Customer Relationship management, the importance of choosing suitable Salesforce Consultant is just as much (if not more) than that of Salesforce CRM itself.

Whether you need to install Salesforce for the first time or if you need to make appropriate changes in the same, you need to ask certain questions before you choose Salesforce Consultant for your office. These questions would help you analyse certain important parameters and ultimately assist you in making the right decisions. Here are some of the questions you should ask your Salesforce Consultant before they shoulder the responsibility of managing your CRM:

Have They Been Certified?

The facts whether your Salesforce Consultant is certified or not would help you make your decision to a great extent. Certification would act as a validation and would prove that the Salesforce consulting you would be receiving would be authentic. Salesforce certification would also prove that the concerned individual is likely to be in sync with the latest technology. If your Salesforce Consultant is duly certified in their job, it means they have received relevant training and they know the tricks of the trade better than their untrained counterparts.

This would therefore provide them an edge over other, ultimately saving you time and money you would otherwise spent in training them. A certified Salesforce Consultant would also help you when it comes to user adoption of your sales team as they would have already mastered the art and craft of handling your CRM software in the best way possible.

What Experience Do They Bring With Them?

When it comes to choosing the correct Salesforce Consultant, the experience they are bringing along with them matters to a great extent. Always ask them about the projects they have worked on and the number of projects they have successfully completed. Also, asking them about the details such as time taken to complete a certain project and the methods used to do the same would help you ascertain why you should choose the concerned individual. The experience they bring will not only help you assess their qualities but would also help you in predicting their future behaviour.

Do They Practice Individually or Belong To A Firm?

Both individual Salesforce Consultants and the ones affiliated with an organization have their own pros and cons. If the individual is working independently, ask them whether they would be comfortable in handling the cases they have never handled earlier and if they are comfortable working for a business enterprise. On the other hand, ask the consultant about the certifications they have (if any) related to AppExchange and about the number of project heads and supervisors they have worked under.

What Methods They Use For Salesforce Implementation?

Why choose Salesforce Consultant if you can use the methods known to you for handling the software? It is important to know what methods your potential consultant would be implementing in order to Salesforce. Based on these methods, you can suggest appropriate changes or ask them relevant questions that would help you in running your CRM. However, in case the implementation methods used by them are not in sync with the way your organisation functions, communicate with them regarding the issue.

What Location They Are Based In?

Though geographical locations are not supposed to cause major issues in the time of advanced technologies, it is always advisable to work with a consultant who is easily approachable when in need and whose time zone should not be of any issue to you and your company.

What Price Would They Ask For Their Services?

This is one of the most important questions you should ask before hiring a Salesforce Consultant. Make sure the price they charge for their consultancy falls within the purview of your budget. Also, make proper (advisably written) negotiations and paperwork regarding the mode and time of payments to be made in exchange of their services.

Ask For Authentic References

The references your potential Salesforce Consultant comes with (if any) would serve as a yardstick for the services they are likely to provide. Ask for the references they have or try and search about them before you meet the individual. However, always make sure that the references are authentic and the sources they come from are reliable.

Are They Focused On Using Salesforce?

You would never want to hire a consultant who is hung up on outdated software and who is not in sync with the current technology. Also, it would be a waste to hire a Salesforce consultant who is not be able to focus all their attention to the working of the software.

Are They Available On Trailhead?

Trailhead is a platform generated for developers as well as administrators that serves as an important learning tool when it comes to using Salesforce. Ask your potential Salesforce Consultant if they boast a Trailhead badge and if they have used Trailhead in the past. Just like Salesforce Certification, Trailhead would serve as an added advantage, increasing their chances to be hired.

Can They Work Under Pressure?

There are always high chances of targets not being completed on time and the sales team getting under considerable performance pressure. This pressure may also get transferred to your Salesforce Consultant and it is important for you to know if they can work well under the same. Be frank in asking such questions and make sure they are comfortable in answering your questions as this would affect them being hired as well as the overall performance of your organization in the days to come.

How Much Time Are They Willing To Give You?

Before you choose your Salesforce Consultant, ask them about the amount of time they are ready to devote to your company. If they are ready to work-full time, assign the tasks that are suitable accordingly. On the other hand, give them work on a contract basis if they would not be able to work full-time. Also, make sure they don’t have any ongoing important tasks that may clash with the projects you are likely to assign your consultant.

It is important to know the Salesforce Consultant you are about to hire as much as you can. Though their resume is going to provide you with ample information regarding all their objective achievements and records, there are certain innate qualities you need outside their resume that would help you make the optimum use of your Salesforce Consultant. Therefore, don’t hesitate in going into certain details and bringing out their true self as you ask the most important questions before introducing them to your business family!