THE USA JOURNALS

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (ISSN – 2689-0984)

VOLUME 06 ISSUE07

PUBLISHED DATE: - 11-07-2024

DOI: - https://doi.org/10.37547/tajet/Volume06Issue07-03 PAGE NO.: - 13-23

RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access

IMPLEMENTING THE SALESFORCE ENABLEMENT

PLAYBOOK: A GUIDE TO BEST PRACTICES AND
ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS

Saikat Kumar Dutta

Principal Architect, Boston Consulting Group Wixom, Michigan, USA

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
The implementation of Salesforce in a Greenfield examining the detailed phases of Salesforce
environment represents a pivotal opportunity to integration, this research seeks to highlight best
transform customer relationship management practices that enhance business positioning and
(CRM) processes comprehensively. In an era where optimize collaborator effectiveness throughout the
digital transformation dictates competitive customer lifecycle. Furthermore, this study will
advantage, understanding the intricacies of delve into the specific capabilities of Salesforce
Salesforce deployment is not merely beneficial but products across different sectors such as sales,
essential for sustained organizational success. The service, marketing, commerce, community, and
relevance of this study is underscored by the reporting.
increasing demand for robust, scalable CRM A key objective of this research is to provide a
solutions capable of driving customer engagement comprehensive roadmap for organizations looking
and operational efficiency across various business to leverage Salesforce to its fullest potential. This
stages. involves understanding the business drivers
This paper aims to dissect the multifaceted necessitating change, setting up a clear business
approach to Salesforce implementation, focusing vision, prioritizing use cases, defining the target
on the customer journey through CRM stages, state, and preparing a strategic action plan. The
including awareness, acquisition, cross-sell/up- hypothesis posits that a modular, flexible technical
sell, loyalty, advocacy, service, and operations. By solution, when implemented effectively, can

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VOLUME 06 ISSUE07

significantly lower enhancement costs and drive relation. Salesforce also strengthens the
substantial business value. effectiveness of collaborators. At the stage of pre-
Salesforce's capacity to transition from manual sales, it starts from manual execution of marketing
marketing campaigns and basic segmentation to campaigns and basic segmentation enabled by
advanced, automated journeys underpinned by Facebook and Google and goes towards the
Data Management Platforms (DMPs) will be optimization of automated journeys together with
critically analyzed. The research will explore how advanced segmentation enabled by DMP1 using
detailed customer knowledge and real-time, internal and external data. Moving on to discussing
customized reporting can elevate sales strategies the sales stage, it extends from limited vision of
from limited customer insight to comprehensive customer, which hinders customer service and
behavioral understanding. The after-sales phase, sales campaigns as well as manual processing with
encompassing complex order tracking and efficient poor visibility of executive performance and goes
service orchestration, will also be scrutinized to towards detailed knowledge of customer and
illustrate how collaborative, continuous learning behavior and processing through customized
environments can replace siloed business and IT reports in real time. After-sales level begins with
operations. complex tracking of status of orders and what is
more, executive here is the orchestrator of
1. Greenfield Salesforce Implementation customer-facing services. It finishes with online
The paper analyzes the approach to Greenfield tracking of status of order/request and supporting
Salesforce Implementation. To start with, it is the areas, which are direct recipients of orders
reasonable to consider customer journey through (freeing up time for executives). Generally, it also
CRM stages. There is awareness, acquisition, cross- goes from requester (business) and provider (IT)
sell/up-sell, loyalty, advocacy as well as service and work in silos towards collaborative work and
operation. It is necessary to admit that Salesforce continuous learning (Agile). Figure 1 shows
support epics grouped along customer lifecycle to customer journey and CRM upstream business
enhance positioning on every stage of business processes.

Figure 1. Deep Dive: Customer Journey, CRM upstream business processes [1]

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2. Salesforce Products and Features Salesforce’s robust tools designed for modern
digital engagement. Social Studio allows businesses
Salesforce stands at the forefront of CRM to manage their social media presence, track brand
innovation, offering a comprehensive suite of tools sentiment, and engage with audiences across
designed to enhance various facets of business multiple channels. Data Management Platform
operations. The competitive landscape of CRM (DMP) capabilities enable advanced audience
includes notable contenders such as Microsoft segmentation and targeting, leveraging both
Dynamics, ServiceNow, Zoho CRM, and CIVICA— internal and external data sources. Customer
Public CRM. However, Salesforce’s extensive journey mapping tools create personalized
ecosystem sets it apart, providing specialized marketing journeys, enhancing customer
solutions that cater to distinct business needs engagement and loyalty. Digital advertising
across multiple domains. solutions and audience builders further refine
In the realm of sales, Salesforce revolutionizes targeting strategies, ensuring marketing efforts
traditional practices through its suite of advanced reach the most relevant audiences.
tools. Salesforce Inbox integrates seamlessly with The commerce sector benefits significantly from
email platforms, enabling sales representatives to Salesforce’s comprehensive solutions. B2B and B2C
manage their communications with unprecedented commerce platforms offer tailored experiences for
efficiency. The Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) different business models, integrating seamlessly
functionality streamlines the quote generation with other Salesforce tools to provide a unified
process, ensuring accuracy and speed in complex customer view. Order management systems
sales scenarios. Partner Relationship Management streamline the fulfillment process, enhancing
(PRM) fosters collaboration with external partners, operational efficiency. AI-powered commerce tools
enhancing channel sales effectiveness. High analyze customer data to predict purchasing
Velocity Sales introduces automation and behaviors and personalize shopping experiences,
intelligence to the sales process, accelerating the driving higher conversion rates and customer
sales cycle and improving lead conversion rates. satisfaction.
These capabilities are augmented by sales
intelligence features, which leverage data analytics Community engagement is enhanced through a
to provide actionable insights, thus empowering variety of Salesforce tools. Self-service portals and
sales teams to make informed decisions. PRM solutions extend the capabilities of
community platforms, fostering collaboration and
Service operations are equally transformed support. Custom workflows enable businesses to
through Salesforce’s innovative offerings. Field design processes that meet their unique needs,
Service Management optimizes the deployment while social chat functionalities facilitate real-time
and coordination of field personnel, ensuring communication among community members.
timely and efficient service delivery. Self-service
portals empower customers to resolve issues Reporting and analytics are critical components of
independently, reducing the burden on support Salesforce’s value proposition. Einstein Analytics
teams and enhancing customer satisfaction. harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to
Engagement platforms facilitate seamless deliver predictive insights and recommendations.
communication between service representatives Tableau provides robust data visualization
and customers, while intelligent bots handle capabilities, enabling users to create interactive
routine inquiries, allowing human agents to focus and shareable dashboards. Advanced analytics
on more complex issues. Service intelligence tools tools allow for in-depth exploration of business
analyze customer interactions and service metrics, data, uncovering trends and patterns that inform
providing valuable insights that drive continuous strategic decision-making.
improvement in service quality. Overall, Salesforce’s product capabilities map, as
Marketing strategies are redefined with illustrated in Figure 2, exemplifies the depth and
breadth of its offerings. Each tool is designed to

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integrate seamlessly into the broader Salesforce organizations can achieve a higher level of
ecosystem, providing businesses with a scalable operational excellence, driving both efficiency and
and flexible platform that supports their growth innovation across all facets of their operations.
and evolution. By leveraging these advanced tools,

Figure 2. Deep-dive: Salesforce products capability map [2]

3. Key Steps to Defining a CRM Approach guides the implementation process and sets
measurable success criteria. A well-defined vision
Crafting an effective CRM approach necessitates a acts as a navigational compass, ensuring that every
strategic and nuanced understanding of both action taken is aligned with the broader strategic
business needs and technological capabilities. The goals of the organization. It’s about envisioning the
journey to a successful CRM implementation future state where customer interactions are
begins with a comprehensive understanding of the seamless, data flows are optimized, and business
business drivers. Identifying the fundamental processes are highly efficient.
reasons for the change is critical. Is the
organization seeking to enhance customer Prioritizing the main use cases is an essential next
engagement, streamline operations, or gain a step. This involves a detailed examination of the
competitive edge? This foundational step current capabilities and identifying critical gaps.
establishes the imperative for transformation and What specific areas need the most attention?
aligns the organization’s objectives with its Where are the pain points that hinder operational
operational strategies. efficiency and customer satisfaction? By focusing
on these priority areas, organizations can ensure
Once the business drivers are clearly articulated, that their resources are allocated effectively,
the next step is to establish a coherent business tackling the most pressing issues first. This
vision. This vision encapsulates what the strategic prioritization is crucial for maximizing
organization aims to achieve through the CRM the impact of the CRM implementation.
initiative. It provides a strategic framework that
Defining the target state is the fourth critical step in

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THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (ISSN – 2689-0984)
VOLUME 06 ISSUE07

this process. The target state represents the ideal including timelines, resource allocation, and risk
operating environment that the organization management strategies. An effective action plan
strives to achieve. It involves selecting a modular serves as a roadmap, guiding the organization
technical solution that enhances flexibility and through each phase of the implementation process.
scalability while reducing enhancement costs. The It ensures that all stakeholders are aligned,
target architecture should be robust, capable of informed, and prepared to contribute to the
supporting current needs, and adaptable to future success of the initiative. By meticulously planning
demands. This forward-thinking approach ensures each step, organizations can navigate the
that the CRM system can grow and evolve alongside complexities of CRM implementation with
the organization, providing long-term value and confidence and precision.
sustainability. So, the goal of conceptual target state architecture
Finally, preparing a comprehensive action plan is is to select technical solution, which is modular,
vital for the successful execution of the CRM increases flexibility, and ultimately lowers
strategy. This plan should outline the specific steps enhancement costs (see figure 3).
needed to implement the defined strategy,

Figure 3. Conceptual target state architecture [3]

4. Salesforce Strategy and Implementation architecture, meticulously crafted
recommendations on Salesforce capabilities, and
Delving into the intricacies of Salesforce the formulation of a compelling case for change.
transformation necessitates a bifurcated approach, Additionally, it includes the development of a
focusing on strategy development and subsequent business case and an implementation roadmap,
implementation. The strategic phase encompasses which together ensure that the strategic vision is
a comprehensive alignment of business vision with not only well-defined but also actionable.
technological priorities. This phase is pivotal, as it
lays the groundwork for a robust Salesforce The initial strategic alignment typically spans three
deployment. It involves a detailed process to four weeks, during which extensive workshops

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are conducted with key business functions. These practices. The target state technology landscape
workshops aim to identify pain points and gaps, phase follows, lasting four to six weeks, during
aligning business priorities that necessitate which solution options are evaluated to address
technological enablement. The focus here is on E2E process pain points. Potential Salesforce
maximizing business value through solution modules are shortlisted, and fit/gap analysis is
design, identifying opportunities for process conducted through demos, expert interviews, and
simplification, and standardizing operations. This desk research to understand customization needs.
phase culminates in a clear alignment on business The outcome is a recommendation on the optimal
priorities and a vision for the technological technology modules and a summary of target E2E
landscape, baselining sales, marketing, and service architectures.
processes, and mapping core business and The final phase, integrated roadmap building, is
technology gaps. concentrated into one to two weeks and focuses on
Subsequently, the technical strategy detailing, consolidating the enterprise architecture and
business case development, and roadmap crafting roadmap. This phase involves mapping the target
phase extends over approximately eight weeks. state Salesforce architecture and data,
This phase leverages the business priorities summarizing remaining technology options, and
identified earlier to inform potential sales and documenting trade-offs and investment needs. The
marketing capabilities. Crafting the target state integrated implementation roadmap serves as a
architecture is a critical activity, where decisions guide for executing the strategic vision.
are made between off-the-shelf solutions, bespoke The implementation phase itself is meticulously
developments, or hybrid approaches. The selection planned, with clear milestones and a structured
process involves a thorough fit/gap analysis to timeline. The initial phase encompasses campaign
determine the necessary level of customization and management, lead management, opportunity
integration needs. The output includes a high-level management, order management, sales
business case that evaluates value trade-offs and forecasting, and renewal management. The
investment requirements, along with a prioritized subsequent phase addresses product definition,
implementation roadmap that focuses on areas pricing catalogue, territory and promotion
with maximum value potential. management, quote management, contract and
The transition from strategy to implementation invoice management, workforce engagement,
begins with the business alignment phase, incident management, and self-service. The final
emphasizing end-to-end (E2E) processes and data phase focuses on personalization, loyalty
mapping. Activities during this phase include management, incentive management, advanced
aligning on business priorities and technological reporting, self-service, asset and knowledge
vision, baselining existing processes, summarizing management, deployment planning, workforce
core business and technology gaps, and identifying engagement, and achieving a comprehensive
opportunities for standardization against best customer 360 view.

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Figure 4. Salesforce Implementation Timeline and Milestones [4]

RESULTS realized through CRM implementation. Figure 5
illustrates CRM Transformation Roadmap.
It is reasonable to consider potential ROI elements

Figure 5. CRM Transformation Roadmap [5]

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Predictable revenue and customer 360° form value efficiency using IoT, and informed decision making
gain. Predictable revenue helps to have a complete refer to cost optimization. Smarter service with
view of your customers, including activity history, intelligence and personalized service
key contacts, customer communications, and considerations drive customer satisfaction. As a
internal account discussions. It results in 25-50% result, customer retention is improved by 25-35%.
increased sales. Customer 360° can be described as What is more, connected experiences using IoT to
comprehensive digital commerce experience with the customer helps triggering interactions in real
mobile-first point to point sale and store operation time. Thus, there is an increase by 35-45% in
using a single platform for marketing automation. efficiency. Data driven pattern identification and
It increases personalized marketing by 25-35%. autonomous decision-making leads to reduced
Increased agent productivity, increased process risks of human errors, too. It leads to an increase in
accuracy by 60-70%

Figure 5. Standard CRM process [4]

Value addition is presented below. Service helps to business to process, connects faster and smarter
become #1 Customer Service Platform, adds 34% and connects everywhere. As for analytics, it is
to agent productivity. Its main features are: about leading analytics platform; it adds 38% to
delivering smarter service with intelligence, faster decision-making, helps to get smarter
personalized service considerations, as well as answers where you work, automates discovery of
service connection for all mobile employees. actionable patterns and actions can be taken on any
Community helps to be #1 Community Platform, device. The other factors of value addition are
adds 22% to customer satisfaction, connects presented in the chart 1.

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Value addition

#1 Sales #1 Marketing #1 Enterprise Cloud Platform for the Internet of

Platform Platform Digital Platform Things
+25% revenue +25% marketing +Grow 2X the 14B Events per day
Sell Smarter ROI industry average Empower everyone to create
with Einstein Smarter Comprehensive digital connected experiences
Sell faster from marketing with commerce with Connect IoT to the customer
Lead to Cash Salesforce AI Customer 360 Trigger interactions in real time
Sell the way Integrated digital Mobile-first point to
you want with marketing point sale and store
Lightning platform operation
Multiple channel
for marketers

The scheme below shows CRM Transformation Timeline and Milestones.

Figure 6. CRM Transformation Timeline and Milestones [3]

Salesforce products and features are shown below.

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Figure 7. Salesforce products and features [2]

CONCLUSION modules into a coherent architecture accentuates
the modularity and scalability required to adapt to
In summing up the discourse on implementing the ever-changing market dynamics. As businesses
Salesforce Enablement Playbook, it becomes navigate through the complexities of
evident that the journey is as intricate as it is implementation, the emphasis on aligning
transformative. The multifaceted nature of technological solutions with strategic priorities
Salesforce’s capabilities, from enhancing customer becomes paramount. This alignment ensures that
interactions to streamlining internal processes, the deployment of Salesforce not only addresses
underscores the imperative for organizations to immediate pain points but also lays a resilient
adopt a holistic and dynamic approach. By foundation for future growth.
integrating sophisticated CRM stages with an agile
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