The 3 Common Approaches to Salesforce Implementation

Transitioning to the Salesforce platform brings a host of benefits to an organization. With its positive impact on productivity and profitability, many organizations implement Salesforce to meet their business objectives. Salesforce implementation is a complex process with many challenges. It is necessary that companies choose the right implementation approach before embarking on this journey.

There are three common approaches to a successful implementation – big bang implementation, parallel implementation, and phased implementation. Let us understand them before choosing the one that suits our requirements the most.

Big bang implementation

This type of implementation is faster and cheaper than others and thus it can offer better returns on investment. In this approach, all the users of the old system move to the new Salesforce-based system on a given go-live date. This approach is best suited for small and fast-paced companies with a relatively smaller user base. Also, when a company has several interdependent modules in the old system, it makes sense to use this method.

This approach is high-risk because everything is done in one go and roll-backs might not be possible if things go wrong. Overlooking a minor detail can adversely impact all users simultaneously. Therefore, everything needs to be tested thoroughly before going live. Also, because all users transition at once, proper training and tech support plans must be put in place to manage the transformation.

Phased implementation

Phased implementation involves dividing groups of users and transitioning them to the new system in gradual phases. The division of groups can be based on the business units, geographies, etc. Large and complex organizations resort to this approach to minimize the risk involved in moving the entire organization at once. It also makes testing small batches easier ensuring that nothing is overlooked. Even when issues happen, they can be fixed in the following phases.

On the flip side, this approach is time-consuming and can make employees restless. Proper training and tech support are key to handling it.

Parallel implementation

As the name suggests, in this type of implementation, both the old and new systems run in parallel for a while. This approach is slower than the big bang implementation and faster than the phased method. But it also poses the lowest risk. The best part is that if there is an issue, it is possible to roll back to the old system.

However, since both systems are running in parallel, it can be quite expensive. In order to make the transition easier, users can be trained on the new system while continuing to work on the old one. Also, once they start working on the new system, they can still access the old system for review purposes.

Because of the risk and high investment involved in Salesforce implementation, it is important that an organization is clear on the approach it wants to go with. A good Salesforce implementation partner like Manras Technologies can help you choose the right approach and implement it.