Complete Guide to Salesforce Outsourcing
Is managing Salesforce org or delivering Salesforce-based projects draining your resources and productivity?
Many businesses face this constant challenge, but instead of struggling, Salesforce outsourcing is considered the most convenient solution.
Between endless customizations, updates, and integrations, it can feel like a full-time job. If you don’t have the right Salesforce experts on your team, it might consume lots of time and costs, and you might still not see the expected results.
Salesforce outsourcing not only helps you build a secure and scalable Salesforce system but also helps you deliver successful projects and build a clientele that leaves you happy with your development capabilities.
Let’s uncover the benefits of Salesforce outsourcing, the reasons why businesses do this, the types of models available, and much more to provide you with clarity on how you can turn this potential headache into a decisive advantage.
What is Salesforce Outsourcing?
Why do Businesses Outsource Salesforce experts?
Reduced Operational Costs
Budget Flexibility
With resource outsourcing, companies can allocate funds more effectively by choosing between fixed-cost projects or pay-as-you-go models based on their project needs.
Expert Knowledge
When you have seasoned professionals with a huge wealth of knowledge and experience that may not be available internally, this might include understanding complex integrations, custom development needs, and best practices that deliver successful CRM implementations.
Staying Updated with the newest innovation
Salesforce, as usual, can’t help itself in bringing innovations and product updates, so why should you? With Salesforce outsourcing partners, you can make sure that your Salesforce system is always up to date with the latest functionalities and expertise.
Focus on Core Competencies
By delegating all the technical aspects to Salesforce experts, your team can focus solely on improving operational efficiency and implementing strategic initiatives, including improving sales strategy, customer engagement, and other core activities to drive growth.
Streamlined Processes
Experienced partners can comparatively optimize workflows better within Salesforce, leading to faster response times and improved service delivery.
Adapting to Change
Outsourcing also gives you the flexibility to scale your services according to demand without the commitment of hiring full-time employees for a long time. For example, companies can quickly ramp up support without delays during peak seasons or project launches.
Access to a Global Talent Pool
With Salesforce outsourcing, you can access a vast pool of proficient experts worldwide at a budget-friendly cost.
Salesforce Outsourcing Models
When outsourcing Salesforce, companies predominantly consider three models: onshore, offshore, and nearshore. Each of these models has specific merits and demerits that make them appealing to companies based on various factors such as cost, communication, or project requirements.
Onshore Salesforce Outsourcing
Onshore outsourcing means finding Salesforce developers or teams in the same country where your company is based.
Advantages:
- Ease of Communication: Proximity translates to alignment in time zones and easier communication than connecting with a team working opposite the globe, reducing the possibilities for misunderstanding.
- Cultural Compatibility: Shared cultural norms can make collaboration and integration with your existing team a little smoother.
- Higher Control: Companies would always be more comfortable managing geographically nearer teams with more direct oversight.
Disadvantages:
- Higher Cost: This type of onshore service is usually more expensive than offshore options due to higher labour costs.
Offshore Salesforce Outsourcing
Offshoring, in general, means partnering with Salesforce developers based in faraway countries where the cost of labour is considerably lower.
Advantages:
- Cost-effectiveness: Companies save a great deal of money in development costs; for example, if you hire a Salesforce Developer from India as a US business, you might end up saving a considerable ton of money as compared to hiring a local developer.
- Access to Larger Talent Pool: Offshore locations often have a rich pool of skilled professionals with diversified skills related to Salesforce development and integration.
- 24/7 Support: Time zone differences can be leveraged into support around the clock and hasten the time required to resolve issues arising.
Disadvantages:
- Communication Gaps: The time zone and cultural contexts may be detrimental to communication and project management.
- Quality Control Issues: There might be less transparency regarding the project’s progress, which could make it more challenging to maintain quality standards.
Nearshore Salesforce Outsourcing
With nearshore outsourcing, you will be working with several experts on Salesforce including administrators, developers, consultants, architects, BA and QA working in neighbouring countries.
Advantages:
- Moderate Costs: While nearshore services are generally cheaper than onshore services, they are typically higher than offshore services.
- Geographical proximity: The same or close time zones will ensure better communication and make it easier to coordinate compared to offshore outsourcing.
- Cultural Affinity: Teams from neighbouring countries would bring down the cultural gap yet offer a cost advantage.
Disadvantages:
- Potential Coordination Challenges: Nearer indeed than offshore teams, but there may be some logistical inconvenience to purely onshore arrangements.
In other words, the best Salesforce outsourcing model will depend on your particular needs regarding cost, communication preferences, and project management capabilities. Each option has a unique set of pros and cons that one must consider in detail before deciding.
Types of Salesforce Outsourcing Services
Salesforce outsourcing can be done for a variety of services tailored to meet specific business needs:
Salesforce Development Outsourcing
This involves customized Salesforce development, integration, and improvement to meet specific organizational requirements. Developers can develop new functionalities or customized solutions to meet specific business requirements or integrate Salesforce with other systems, such as ERP systems, to ensure a smooth data flow.
Salesforce Administration Outsourcing
In Salesforce administration outsourcing, you Hire Salesforce administrator to manage regular administrative responsibilities, including user management, access maintenance, cleaning and updating records, and security configuration to protect data. Outsourcing this role and responsibility enables internal teams to focus on higher-order strategic initiatives rather than redundant administrative tasks.
Salesforce Implementation Outsourcing
This kind of outsourcing provides partnerships during the initial setup, Salesforce implementation, data migration, and customization of CRM to suit business needs. A well-implemented process ensures that right from day one, the system will fit into and complement the organization’s current processes.
Salesforce Consultation and Strategy Outsourcing
Through Salesforce consulting services, you can engage strategic consultants to advise on and develop a roadmap for using CRM effectively. Such consultants study the existing processes, identify gaps in functionality or performance, and advise on best practices that match the organization’s goals.
Salesforce Support and Maintenance Outsourcing
While you partner with an outsourcing company for ongoing support in maintaining system updates, you get assistance for keeping software current, security measures to keep sensitive customer data secure, troubleshooting any issues as they come up, and user support for questions or challenges by staff.
Salesforce Integration Outsourcing
Seamless integration between Salesforce and other systems, such as marketing automation or financial systems that may be in use within an organization ensures smooth flow and capture of information. This will ensure that different systems work together with no data silos.
Salesforce Training and Change Management Outsourcing
Equipping staff with the ability to become familiar with new features and processes by providing comprehensive training programs based on the different user roles within the organization. Change management strategies help make the changeover easier whenever new systems or processes are implemented.
Things to Consider While Selecting the Salesforce Outsourcing Partner
Before you finalize a Salesforce outsourcing partner, you must know a couple of things to ensure you are getting the maximum out of this collaboration:
1. Portfolio of Salesforce Projects
While seeking the services of potential Salesforce developers, their credentials have to be scrutinized. These will be based on their strengths and capabilities and how well they can do a job, as evidenced by resumes, case studies, or portfolios. Key things to consider include the following:
- Industry experience: Find out whether the candidates have required industry experience, among others.
Track record: Check their history for successful completion of projects.
Qualifications: The candidate should possess essential qualifications and certifications in Salesforce, such as Salesforce Certified Administrator, Developer, or Consultant.
2. Technical Proficiency
The technical capability of a candidate is one of the most crucial factors for the success of the project and ensuring a worthwhile ROI. The key parameters that one should look into are:
- Salesforce Development Skills: The candidates are proficient in major Salesforce languages such as Apex, Visualforce, Lightning Components, and SOQL.
- Integration Knowledge: A good level of knowledge about APIs and integrating processes, third-party systems, databases, etc., with Salesforce.
3. Availability
The terms of the contract should reflect project needs. To consider:
- Role Clarity: Is this a consultancy-based role? What is the expected response time?
- Time Zone Coordination: You should find out what time zone developers are working and how that matches your requirements.
- Resource Readiness: Make sure you have enough tasks to warrant hiring senior developers or another team.
4. Cost
A financial discussion is mandatory. Key points to consider include:
- Pricing Structure: Determine preferred pricing model: hourly rates, project fees, retainers.
- Additional Costs: Identify who will bear the costs of training, induction, software licenses, and equipment.
- Contractual Terms: Develop a comprehensive contract covering the scope of work, timelines, deliverables, payment terms, ownership rights, non-disclosure agreements, and processes for conflict resolution.
5. Cultural Fitness
Cultural fitness between your organization and the provider’s team is an essential factor in long-term relationships. Consider the following:
- Work styles: Is the team’s working style in line with the culture of your business?
- Communication Skills: Interview to understand the candidate’s style of communication and project management skills.
- Methodology Alignment: Ensure the personnel hired have experience or some understanding of your development methodologies, such as Agile.
This will help in making the right selection to ensure success, focusing on the mentioned areas in the partnership with outsourced Salesforce developers.
Conclusion
Outsourcing Salesforce is no longer a fad but one strategic step that might really change how businesses operate and grow in the Salesforce ecosystem. With the help of such external expertise, companies will be able to advance their operational efficiency, get access to specialized skills, and focus on core competencies without managing an in-house team.
SmartITstaff is the leading Salesforce outsourcing company, offering specialized knowledge to make operations more effective. SmartITstaff gives organizations the leverage to tap into a group of certified professionals with a deep understanding of the latest Salesforce features and best practices.
Overall, adopting Salesforce outsourcing is not a tactical decision but an investment in the future. It enables wise resource allocation, continuous innovation, and value to customers.
Why settle for ordinary when extraordinary is just a click away? Connect with us now for a consultation, and let’s amplify your Salesforce experience together!
FAQs
Why should you consider outsourcing Salesforce?
Outsourcing your Salesforce development brings a host of advantages. It reduces the strain on your HR department, gives you access to specialized expertise and strategic insights, and offers greater scalability and flexibility. Moreover, it can significantly lower costs while boosting operational efficiency. By tapping into a global talent pool, you mitigate risks and can quickly scale your team with the right skills as needed.
What are the key benefits of outsourcing Salesforce?
Outsourcing Salesforce allows you to leverage two main types of applications: Classic and Lightning. With user-friendly app development tools, you can create the functionalities you need using simple point-and-click methods. Additionally, you can integrate pre-built Salesforce apps to save time. For more complex customizations beyond low-code solutions, hiring a dedicated Salesforce developer ensures that your specific requirements are met efficiently and effectively.