6 signs your Salesforce implementation project is doomed

Is your Salesforce implementation project in danger of failing? These signs could indicate so.

1. You think: “nothing could go wrong”

The promise is always the same: once you follow the project plan, you’ll be successful. But the truth is that the average IT project (including Salesforce implementation) runs 45% over budget, 7% over time, and delivers 56% less value than expected. And if this is not enough bad news, imagine that 75% of IT executives believe their projects are “doomed from the start”. Despite your best efforts, plans don’t always go as expected. Make sure you have backup plans and feasibility studies in place. Highlight what failure looks like ahead of time and prepare the team in the event of a go-live crash.

2. You assume that you can implement Salesforce on your own

You might be an expert in technology, but having consultants that implement Salesforce daily is more beneficial. The truth is that you need consultants in your Salesforce project implementation because they bring value to the table- expertise, business savvy and technical ability.

3. You skimp on training

If users are “good at figuring things out”, it does not mean that they will manage Salesforce CRM with ease. Not only do your users need training sessions during the Salesforce implementation, but their training must be reinforced during the first month after the CRM implementation. Before going live, you must ensure user training has taken place.

4. You don’t involve your end-users in early stages

A common misperception is the belief that involving users early when launching Salesforce CRM is a waste of time and effort. Nothing can be further from the truth. 33% of projects fail because of a lack of involvement from senior management. I have seen Salesforce implementations derailed because end-users were left out of the decision-making process. The more you engage with your users, the better user acceptance when problems occur. Also, involving users earlier typically improves productivity: you can focus on what matters as problems are detected in early stages. This way, your users feel empowered and don’t fear the CRM change!

5. You change project scope and business requirements too often

Around 45% of companies are unclear about the business objectives of their IT projects, especially in their Salesforce implementation. Planning your Salesforce project can be complex and frustrating, especially when expectations are continuously changing. To cope with project adjustments, I find it very beneficial to allocate a project manager who can keep everyone on the right track. The project manager must have realistic expectations of what Salesforce CRM will bring to your company and clearly communicate the vision with the team.

6. You don’t prioritise testing

Unit testing or integrated testing (which tests all components, including existing interfacing systems) should not be an afterthought. You need to have a testing script containing all steps which the testers should make along with a list of good and bad scenarios and mitigating actions. Before going live, test how the system and network respond under heavy utilisation and report all deviations.