When it comes to getting specialized support to improve your organization’s use of Salesforce, you definitely have choices. In addition to Salesforce’s own customer success offerings, there is the Trailhead community, local user groups, independent consultants, Salesforce partners, and much more. And why are there so many options? Well, there’s an old saying that no two Salesforce environments are the same. There is some truth to this, because with endless possibilities for integration, automation, customization, and AI-powered products, every Salesforce customer has a somewhat unique setup. For nonprofits, this can pose a particular challenge. Internal resources for implementing, maintaining and optimizing Salesforce can often be limited. Not only that, but your organization’s needs will inevitably expand and evolve, and your Salesforce system will need to do so as well. In this blog, we’ll dive into the differences between on-demand Salesforce support and a Salesforce Managed Services engagement. Read on to understand how to determine the best path for your organization!
Salesforce Managed Services is a term for what is typically a broad range of professional services relating to keeping your Salesforce system operating at its full potential. Basically, when you engage with a Salesforce Managed Services provider, you are tapping into a specialized outsourced team with deep expertise in all things Salesforce. Managed Services providers typically guide their clients to build long-term plans for their use of Salesforce and then provide ongoing support to help get them there. These services can encompass product release and new feature management, integrations, proactive support and maintenance, and prioritizing how to work through the client’s technical backlog. In fact, it's important to determine whether your organization’s focus is on clearing the technical backlog or driving innovation on the platform and communicate your priorities clearly to the provider. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page so you can get the most value out of your Managed Services engagement. Managed Services are most beneficial when viewed as a long-term partnership, helping clients solve internal capacity gaps (as it’s difficult to hire in-house for this specialized skill set) and supporting them to achieve their goals for the system.
Many Salesforce consultants, partners, and Managed Services providers also offer varying degrees of support for organizations using Salesforce to manage their programs, fundraising, grants management, and more. Support is different from a Managed Services engagement in that it is usually reactive to the client’s needs or concerns. While deep Salesforce expertise is still an important requirement for the provider, a support relationship usually involves more straightforward questions to client answers or quick fixes for specific issues. A support engagement can be a great solution for organizations that don’t have an in-house Salesforce administrator to address user questions or concerns. Alternatively, a support provider can also help if your in-house admin is overwhelmed or pulled in too many directions. Some Salesforce support providers might offer other benefits such as summaries of Salesforce product releases, access to developers, or the ability to easily scale up to a more specific, project-based Salesforce engagement.
When deciding to engage with a Managed Services or support provider, taking the time to be clear on your organization’s needs, goals, resources, and budget is critical. While there may always be pressing issues that come up (broken forms, glitches with workflows or automation, power users leaving, etc.), it’s critical to reflect on whether having a long-term plan for your organization’s use of the system is a priority. If your system is more or less operating like you want it to and minor (but frustrating) issues only come up from time to time, support could be a good choice for your organization. On the other hand, if there is a big gap between where you want your Salesforce system to be and where it is today, a Managed Services provider can be your partner to help get you there. Not only that, but if you want to get the most out of your Salesforce investment and see it as a significant factor in how you’ll achieve your strategic goals, a Managed Services engagement is probably the best choice for you. It truly depends on the needs of your organization, your in-house resources and capacity, and your long-term goals for your use of the system.
Once you’ve determined whether your organization is better suited for a Salesforce support or a Managed Services engagement, there is, of course, the fun selection process of deciding who you will work with! (Here’s an idea! Talk to us!) Finding the right expert (or team of experts) to support your organization on its Salesforce journey is important. The Salesforce AppExchange is full of partner-consultant-developer-experts of all kinds, so it’s worth exploring the vast range of options that are available, including the providers with nonprofit sector expertise. You may want to consider who on your team will engage with this person (or team) the most and reflect on what would be most convenient or efficient for them. Some clients prefer face-to-face meetings and check-ins, while others love the convenience of a more hands-off or virtual client experience. Whatever you choose, ensure they understand your in-house capacity and goals for the system and can help you make the best decisions as you go forward.
Are you considering a Salesforce support or Managed Services engagement? Learn about our Support and Refine offerings!