What is Change Management?

Change Management: A systematic approach to managing the transformation of organizational goals, values, technologies, or processes.

People tend to resist change. Employees may feel more comfortable working with an older tool or platform simply because they are used to it — no matter how many managers sing the praises of a new system. Learning to navigate new software requires staff to step out of their comfort zones and embrace a new way of doing things. This is often easier said than done.

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According to Deloitte, 70% of barriers to a successful Salesforce implementation can be traced back to change management. Clearly, the importance of a transition plan cannot be overstated. 

In this blog, we break down ten easy steps to boost adoption — setting you up for success right from the beginning.

1) Identify Salesforce Users

The first question to consider is who will be using Salesforce at your organization. Will sales representatives and service agents be the primary users? Does management require access to Salesforce to run reports and analyze metrics? Identifying stakeholders is key to the change management process, as each user group will use Salesforce differently depending on their role(s).

2) Assess Impact on Employees’ Day-to-Day Work

Now that you know who will be using Salesforce, it is crucial to understand how each individual carries out their daily tasks — and how Salesforce can enhance performance and efficiency. For example, identifying how sales reps currently manage their leads allows you to better understand their processes and how they can be improved.

3) Outline and Assign Responsibilities

A successful implementation requires leaders to delegate distinct responsibilities to each team member. When employees understand what they must do, they will be more motivated and aware of expectations. Creating and circulating a chart with each person’s responsibilities facilitates a team environment where everyone has a valuable role to play.

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4) Sync Data Flows Across Channels

Syncing data across various channels allows teams to see a holistic view of operations and share information across departments. This information exchange aligns staff, increases employee collaboration, and kick-starts a free flow of information, leading to greater efficiency and stakeholder buy-in.

5) Deploy Proven & Personalized Training Methods

Syncing data across various channels allows teams to see a holistic view of operations and share information across departments. This information exchange aligns staff, increases employee collaboration, and kick-starts a free flow of information, leading to greater efficiency and stakeholder buy-in.

In-App Guidance: A Salesforce feature that allows administrators to create custom walkthroughs for employees learning the platform.

While group training is a popular method for educating employees on change, it is not the only one you can leverage following a Salesforce implementation. Salesforce’s In-App Guidance allows admins to create prompts and walkthroughs for your teams using clicks, not code. Customizable, bite-sized pieces of information can be attached to various buttons and processes, helping to guide users through their learning journey. 

Admins can also create training videos, FAQ sections, and tip sheets. In-app guidance is a tool employers can leverage to boost productivity and resolve training gaps by placing resources directly in the hands of employees.

‍Check out this blog for more on how to structure your technology training.

6) Lead by Example

Executive buy-in is vital for successful change. All leaders should thoroughly understand Salesforce’s strategic value and endeavor to communicate that to their teams. Most importantly, they must demonstrate a personal commitment to Salesforce and use it every day. Employees will be motivated by leaders’ investment and integrate Salesforce into their own practices.

Below are some practical strategies to demonstrate a commitment to Salesforce:

• Move away from requesting Excel reports; only review analytics in Salesforce
• Only use Chatter for internal communications and encourage others to follow suit
• Convene with employees frequently to communicate how and why change is working

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7) Encourage and Consider Feedback

While executive buy-in is a necessity, bottom-up feedback is equally as important. Hence, it is critical to understand and respect employees’ needs fully. Establishing user committees and meeting with them regularly can provide executives with insight into employee sentiments, change anxieties, and adoption hurdles.

8) Cleanse Your Data

Salesforce configurations often have hundreds of fields, and a large portion of those are often not required. When building out your organization’s processes within Salesforce, less is more. Only showing the fields being used can clean up the software and reduce a great deal of confusion, making Salesforce easier to use and driving adoption.

Further, data cleansing is imperative during a Salesforce transition, as it cuts the chaff from your data pool and leaves employees with one location to find all the data they need. Integrating only the data you need keeps end-users organized and ensures they can find what they are looking for faster.

9) Customize User Experiences

Put yourself in your employees’ shoes — what valuable processes can be added to Salesforce? Creating unique formats and dashboards specific to the different roles within your organization goes a long way.

10) Test the New System and Report on Results

Frequent reporting is key for identifying pain points in your implementation, such as excess time expenditure or user frustration. It’s also key for cementing acceptance among teams, as Salesforce adoption skyrockets once end-users can see that the CRM saves them time and makes their jobs easier.

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