If Salesforce feels clunky, you’ve failed to implement it

Salesforce is the world's leading CRM system, but one of the most common criticisms is that it feels complicated and clumsy to use. However, this is not a feature of the system, but a consequence of Salesforce not being properly implemented or adapted to the needs of the business.

Unlike some other systems, Salesforce is not an out-of-the-box solution that you should simply adopt as is. Its strength lies in its flexibility and ability to adapt easily to the processes of different businesses. If this adaptation is not done, users will end up working with a system that does not support the way they work. The result is frustration, low utilisation and a poor user experience.

Its (Salesforce’s) strength lies in its flexibility and ability to easily adapt to the processes of different companies.

One common example relates to different sales processes: acquiring a new customer requires a different approach than developing a key account, for example. If a system is put in place to manage the pipeline of new customer acquisition, but sales to existing customers are also forced into the same mould, the result is frustrated salespeople and poor quality data.

The system adapts to the business, not the other way around

Companies have different processes, such as the aforementioned new customer acquisition and key account management, which require different approaches. If the system is not designed to support these differences, using it can feel nothing more than cumbersome and unstable.

One of Salesforce’s greatest strengths is its ease of customisation. The system adapts to support exactly the business processes that are used in the company. But if deployment does not take into account the needs of the business and end users, the result can be a confusing and poorly usable system. The business should not be forced into the narrow mould created by the system, but the system should support the business.

Business should not be forced into the narrow mould created by the system, but the system should support the business.

While the key to new customer acquisition is usually a pipeline of leads and opportunities at various stages of the pipeline, key account management emphasises knowledge of the customer’s situation, personal relationships and, for example, annual customer calendars. Tools for both processes can easily be built into Salesforce.

Of course, it is good to note that if the processes themselves are not in order, it is worth starting with them. Sometimes a system can feel clumsy because, for example, there are no clear common practices and processes in sales.

Of course, it is good to note that if the processes themselves are not in order, it is worth starting with them.

The best results are achieved by starting with a manageable size, implementing the best possible processes and then putting the system in place to support them. This can be followed up in steps of appropriate size, either by bringing the system to cover different aspects and processes of the same function, or by extending it to cover different functions.

All hope is not lost

If Salesforce is already in place, but users find it clumsy, the situation is not hopeless. It is possible to re-deploy the system, and then deploy it again, but this time in the right way. This means identifying processes and user needs, configuring the system to support those needs, and training users to use it effectively.

If Salesforce feels clunky, it’s not the system, it’s the implementation.

If Salesforce feels clunky, it’s not the system, it’s the implementation. When built and customised correctly, Salesforce is a powerful tool that boosts sales and improves the customer experience. A good CRM is not just software, but a tool that supports your business. When Salesforce is designed and deployed correctly, it feels smooth and natural to use.