Building the Ultimate Salesforce Implementation Team: 7 Key Roles

The journey to a successful Salesforce implementation is something like a road trip: You’ve got a destination in mind, but

3 min. read

The journey to a successful Salesforce implementation is something like a road trip: You’ve got a destination in mind, but then you have to figure out how you’ll get there. What route will you take? And how much can you afford to spend?

Perhaps the most important question you’ll have to ask yourself, though, is this one: Who will you road trip with? It’s essential that you have the right travel companions. Somebody in charge of navigation, somebody else on music duty — a snack lead. The goal is to build the perfect team.

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The same is true when you’re building a Salesforce implementation team. To arrive at a successful build, you’ll need the right crew, one made up of people whose skills complement each other in the right ways. On that note, here are seven key Salesforce implementation roles anyone considering the platform should know. The titles are ones we use at Torrent, and may differ from company to company. No matter the nomenclature, though, you’ll want individuals with the particular capabilities outlined below.

7 Key Salesforce Implementation Roles

The Absolute Essentials

These roles are a must for every Salesforce implementation, no matter the size or complexity.

1. Consultant: The consultant’s job is to bridge the gap between business needs and technical solutions. They’ll work with you to understand your processes and pain points and determine how Salesforce can help you meet your goals and achieve success. In many cases, they’ll act as your main point of contact throughout the entire project.

2. Analyst: The analyst (or multiple analysts, depending on the scope of the project) is responsible for the actual configuration: Fields, objects, automations, third-party apps, reports and dashboards. Testing and making changes — you know, the nitty gritty. They’ll work closely with the consultant to make sure what they build will suit your business needs.

For More Complicated Projects

These roles are necessary for more involved projects.

3. Platform Architect: You can think of a platform architect as the connection between a consultant and analyst for more complicated builds. They’ll have a strong familiarity with different kinds of business models as well as a deep knowledge of the platform. When a business’ needs demand a robust use of Salesforce, a platform architect will work side-by-side with a consultant to design a technical solution that addresses those needs as effectively as possible. They’ll then work with an analyst to make sure the configuration is successful.

4. Technical Lead: A technical lead is something like a platform architect who also has the ability to code. When an org’s design features custom integrations or extended platform functionality, it’s a good idea to have a technical lead on the team.

5. Developer: When custom code is required, the developer is the one who will actually write it. They’ll team up with the technical lead to understand what is needed, then plug in and execute.

For Larger Projects

These roles are essential for large-scale implementations.

6. Consulting Manager: In the case of cross-functional implementations at larger companies, the consulting manager will oversee the different consultants leading their individual teams. The consulting manager will work to develop strong relationships and be able to step in and problem solve when issues arise.

7. Project Manager: When a project involves a large team — think lots of analysts — it might be necessary to pull in a project manager to help with the logistics of communication, coordination and scheduling. They’ll make sure everything is going according to plan when that plan is too time-consuming for the consultant to handle on their own.

In an ideal scenario, those inhabiting these roles will stay in constant communication to make sure everybody is on the same page and that no subtlety goes undiscussed. Their goal should be true collaboration in order to achieve the highest level of project success.

In the end, you’ll be able to judge a team by the quality of their build. Does your Salesforce instance solve business challenges and empower users? Well, then you probably had a pretty good crew. If you have trouble finding value in the platform, however, your implementation team might have been missing a few key pieces.

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AUTHOR

Danielle Sutton