Congratulations on going live with Salesforce! The successful implementation of Salesforce is a significant milestone, but there are several key steps to take post-implementation to ensure ongoing success. In a very real sense – this is just the beginning – keep these 9 areas in mind as you move forward. 

User Training

• Provide comprehensive training to all users to ensure they understand how to use Salesforce effectively. Create step-by-step guides so people who aren’t often in the system have a reference. 
• Offer ongoing training sessions for new features and updates. Keep a day on the calendar and a running list of common questions to continually level-set across all departments. 

Data Maintenance

• Regularly clean and update your data to ensure accuracy. Create standardized reports that can be easily filtered in light audit exercises frequently. Install field trip to find unused and duplicate fields.
• Establish data governance policies to maintain data quality over time. Create checklist of exercises and set a periodic schedule to review.

User Adoption

• Encourage user adoption by highlighting the benefits of Salesforce and how it improves daily workflows. Solicit feedback from all staff involved to constantly investigate how to make better use of Salesforce for their needs
• Address any concerns or challenges users may face and provide support. Proactively train and solicit feedback, try to avoid “getting used” to a dysfunctional process.

Feedback and Continuous Improvement

• Gather feedback from users to identify areas of improvement. Conduct monthly or quarterly feedback sessions to solicit feedback. 
• Regularly review and optimize your Salesforce configuration based on evolving business needs. Keep up with quarterly feature updates and constantly evaluate how they could improve your processes.

Reporting and Analytics

• Leverage Salesforce reporting and analytics tools to gain insights into your data. Add extra filters to reports so they can be manipulated without editing them. Keep them well organized and available to subscribers. 
• Create and schedule reports to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitor business processes. Invite leadership and colleagues to subscribe to reports so they can be appraised of the important changes in the data.

Integration with Other Systems

• If applicable, integrate Salesforce with other systems to streamline data flow and enhance overall efficiency. 
• Explore available AppExchange apps for additional functionalities.

Security and Permissions

• Regularly review and update security settings and user permissions to ensure data privacy and compliance. Quarterly review of System Health Check will help to keep issues and concerns at the forefront. 
• Conduct periodic security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

User Support and Help Desk

• Set up a help desk or support system to address user inquiries and issues promptly.
• Create a knowledge base or FAQs to empower users to find answers independently.

Plan for Scaling

• Consider how your organization make maximum use of the salesforce platform by moving manual processes, taking advantage of new features and by utilizing the features fit for other parts of the organization. 
• Regularly assess whether your current Salesforce setup aligns with your organizational goals.

By following these post-implementation steps, you can maximize the benefits of Salesforce and ensure its continued success within your organization. Regularly revisit and refine your Salesforce strategy to align with changes in your business environment.

Orchid Connect is a woman-owned Salesforce implementation firm with 30 years of experience serving associations, non-profits and small/medium businesses. We specialize in strategic and implementation services, go-to-market support, and ongoing support. To learn more, reach us at reachout@orchidconnect.com.