Defining a robust architecture for your Salesforce implementation is critical to delivering a successful business solution. Over time, business users will demand new capabilities from the platform, and there could also be external demands from customers, partners and technological advances. The Well-Architected Framework (WAF) is emerging as a widespread best practice for cloud-based products like Salesforce. AWS developed WAF to help cloud architects build secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient application infrastructure. The principles of WAF can be effectively applied to Salesforce solutions, offering invaluable guidance for architects and developers aiming to create robust and scalable solutions on the Salesforce platform.

The WAF comprises six key pillars:

1. Operational Excellence: Focuses on running and monitoring systems and continually improving processes and procedures. Key topics include automating changes, responding to events, and defining standards to manage daily operations. In the context of Salesforce solutions, operational excellence entails effective platform management, including deployment processes, monitoring, and automation. This pillar encourages continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), proactive monitoring of system health and performance, and automation of routine tasks to streamline operations and enhance agility
2. Security: Focuses on protecting information and systems. Key topics include confidentiality and integrity of data, managing user permissions and establishing controls to detect security events. For Salesforce, security is paramount in any implementation dealing with sensitive customer data. Applying the security pillar involves enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (required by Salesforce), enforcing strict access controls through profiles & permissions, encrypting sensitive data at rest (built-in) and in transit, and regularly running security assessments to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
3. Reliability: This topic focuses on workloads performing their intended functions and how to recover quickly from failure to meet demands. Key topics include distributed system design, recovery planning, and adapting to changing requirements. Salesforce already ensures high platform availability and built-in disaster recovery to a second data centre. Furthermore, Salesforce architecture must include reliability measures such as data backup, automated re-deployment from code repository, meaningful error messages from integrations, designs for fault tolerance, and testing of recovery procedures to ensure resilience in the face of disruptions.
4. Performance Efficiency: This pillar concerns properly allocating IT and computing resource types and sizes optimised for workload requirements, monitoring performance, and maintaining efficiency as business needs evolve. For Salesforce, this could involve optimising data model design, using built-in features instead of custom code, leveraging composite APIs, and employing asynchronous integrations for long-running tasks.
5. Cost Optimisation: To avoid unnecessary costs, WAF advocates understanding business needs over time and deploying the right type and quantity of resources as the business grows. As with most SaaS products, cost optimisation involves choosing the Salesforce licenses based on forecast demands (time & volume) and periodically reviewing licenses to avoid waste. (See https://www.caleidoscope.co.uk/licensing-checklist.html and the forthcoming Salesforce License Strategy webinar.)
6. Sustainability: This area focuses on minimising the environmental impacts of cloud infrastructure. By using the Salesforce platform as a strategic component in your overall IT architecture, you already support a high degree of sustainability.

In conclusion, the Well-Architected Framework provides a comprehensive and structured approach to designing and optimising cloud-based solutions, offering valuable insights and best practices across key areas such as operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimisation.

By applying the framework's principles to Salesforce solutions, architects and developers can create robust, scalable, and cost-effective systems that meet their organisations' evolving needs and deliver exceptional user experiences. For further information on how to apply WAF to your Salesforce architecture, please contact Caleidoscope Associates at [email protected]

Resources:

• 8-Factor Success Model™ for Salesforce implementations
• AWS WAF Whitepaper 

Implementing Salesforce solutions is a complex undertaking that requires a blend of information technology and business skills. The endeavour's success hinges on coordinating highly skilled people to perform critical tasks in the correct order to achieve the project outcomes. The project's planning, resource engagement, and risk mitigation are all contingent on the project manager's experience and expertise and the sponsor's ability to set the direction and overcome obstacles. Without the requisite experience, the project plan will lack a good foundation, potentially leading to time and cost overruns, ultimately failing to deliver the intended benefits.

​Each project is unique, and delays can be caused by many things, from poor planning and inaccurate estimates to ineffective task execution and resource conflicts. Many Salesforce projects avoid the traditional waterfall planning approach because the project appears to take too long. Instead, some organisations take an agile approach to deliver working Salesforce solutions faster. Both methodologies have their strengths and weaknesses, but they will only work if they are set up and managed correctly.

The Critical Chain approach, rooted in constraints theory, is valuable in project environments. It focuses on identifying and eliminating obstacles and limitations that impede project progress. This methodology, developed by Eliyahu Goldratt (refer to 'Theory of Constraint'), requires the same planning rigour as waterfall projects. However, it differentiates itself from the waterfall approach by employing buffers to safeguard the critical path. While the Critical Chain approach offers similar vigour as the agile methodology, it mitigates the confusion that you often find on larger agile projects.

There isn't a one-method-fits-all project approach for Salesforce projects; any of the three approaches discussed can work well for a Salesforce implementation. It is crucial to consider which methodology the project team is most comfortable and experienced with. If working with other project teams and third parties, agree to use the same methodology to avoid the added overhead and risks of working with multiple methods.

Do not let jargon like 'out-of-the-box' features, custom configurations and declarative tools like Flow Builder lure you into thinking that implementing Salesforce is easy. In fact, due to the vast array of features and configuration options available in the Salesforce platform, your project team will need the rigour and discipline of traditional software projects to implement Salesforce solutions as specified, on time and within budget. Ensure the approach is applied correctly and governed by whichever project methodology you choose.

To find out more about delivering Salesforce projects effectively and with fewer risks, contact us at Caleidoscope Associates.

Understanding Your Business Needs:
Before embarking on your Salesforce journey, take a step back to clearly define your business objectives and pain points. Are you looking to streamline your sales processes, enhance customer support, or achieve a step-change in your marketing results? Identifying your specific needs will guide your decision regarding feasibility, scope, customization, and implementation strategy.

Examples:

• A global e-commerce giant saw a 20% increase in conversion rates after implementing Salesforce to streamline their customer data and personalize their marketing campaigns.
• A multinational finance company, leveraging the expertise of a Salesforce consultant, developed a customized Contact Centre solution to consolidate four legacy CRM systems and customer service teams into a centralized operation improving NPS whilst reducing operating costs. ​​

Evaluating Customization Capabilities:

Salesforce offers a fast-track route for those who can leverage standard capabilities for lead management, customer management, case management, etc. Customization should only be considered where strictly necessary. If your objectives are transformational results, you should re-engineer business processes before deciding on your solution. It's important to scrutinize critical integrations with existing business processes and IT systems. Striking the right balance between customization and out-of-the-box features is vital, as over-customization can result in a convoluted system that proves challenging to maintain. This is where an experienced Salesforce consultant is worth his weight in gold.

Examples:
​

• A manufacturing company achieved operational efficiency by customizing Salesforce to match their unique supply chain workflows, resulting in a 30% reduction in order processing time.
• A national automotive repair company built a service appointment booking system with bespoke development to ensure the online customer experience was smooth and responsive.

Delving into the Total Cost of Ownership:
​
Salesforce undoubtedly brings immense potential value, benefit analysis must look beyond the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) license cost. Whilst Salesforce user licenses include basic features and usage allowances, you will face additional charges as soon as you want more advanced features and capabilities. This is a common trait across SaaS vendors.

​Adding custom development to the bill can rapidly increase the total cost of ownership (TCO). Customization of Salesforce will push up the total cost by increasing the time and effort for implementation design, system configuration, testing, user training, and support. Once live, your Salesforce solution will require regular maintenance and updates – more if your solution involves custom development and integrations. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the total cost of ownership, you can avoid unexpected implementation costs and unwelcome surprises when the bills arrive after going live. Your TCO also needs to consider data and transaction volumes, test environments, software tools for development and testing, security features, and operational capabilities such as monitoring and backup.

Examples:
​

• A study by Nucleus Research found that for every dollar spent on Salesforce, businesses gained $8.71 in revenue.
• One finance company had four different systems integrators working on their Salesforce platform over time, adding significant technical debt to the business case due to complex refactoring and data migrations.

Planning for Scale:
​
As your business expands, so should your digital platform capabilities. While the Salesforce platform offers easy scalability to accommodate linear growth in the number of customers and volume of sales, other transactional records and processes requiring real-time interactions can suffer as your business expands. End-users will likely demand more from your Salesforce solution as they become more sophisticated, e.g. cross-functional reports and dashboards and deeper integration with other business systems.

Examples:

• A tech startup seamlessly scaled its operations by leveraging Salesforce, accommodating a 300% growth in customer base without compromising performance.
• The Salesforce ordering solution for a leading chemicals company was so successful that they had to start archiving transactional data daily to protect system performance.

Protecting Sensitive Data:
​
Security is non-negotiable, especially when dealing with sensitive customer information.
In its internal processes, Salesforce encrypts data at rest and holds industry-standard certifications such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2. These compliances instill confidence in businesses operating in regulated sectors with their Salesforce platform.
Evaluate Salesforce's security features, including role-based access controls, encryption, and compliance certifications. Understanding these measures ensures the confidentiality and integrity of your data. Business stakeholders must be faster in clarifying non-functional requirements for data protection, security, and controls, leading to complications later in the implementation project. Adding such capabilities late in the project can also be expensive as they are foundational to the design. Detailed audit history and data encryption typically add a percentage cost to your license agreement.

Examples:

• A European automotive retail network built a shared solution to manage customer preferences and marketing consent for its Marketing, Sales, and Service teams.
• A service organization spent a long time analyzing customer data to ensure the new Salesforce would comply with GDPR regulations. This thorough requirement analysis is saving more than €500k annually in additional license fees.

Core Salesforce Competencies:

Even with a user-friendly platform like Salesforce, questions and challenges are inevitable. Experienced guides are necessary to ensure your Salesforce solution is built on a solid foundation, guiding you through the initial business case, solution design, Salesforce development, and ongoing maintenance. Your stakeholders will face many decisions along the way, requiring considered options and informed choices. Having independent advisors on your side is essential to navigate the challenges along the way and to hold your Salesforce Partners accountable. Even the most prominent enterprises would benefit from engaging independent Salesforce experts with broad experience from different industries and transformation programs.
After going live, your Salesforce platform will need ongoing support and regular maintenance. Your end-users will need help with training, queries, and new features. Will your organization have the technical competencies to provide in-house support and maintenance? If you already have these generic functions in-house, additional Salesforce experts could complement your existing teams. Only consider outsourcing Salesforce maintenance to a trusted partner that allows you complete control of changes and transparency of maintenance work.

Examples:

• A healthcare organization overcame implementation challenges by tapping into the extensive Salesforce Trailblazer Community, gaining insights and solutions from experienced users.
• The global publisher hired an in-house core team of Salesforce experts complemented by a flexible pool of contractors to manage Salesforce platform maintenance and variable business requirements.

Introduction
Within the forefront of cutting-edge CRM solutions, Salesforce reigns supreme, promising unprecedented efficiency, scalability, and customer-centric features. However, pitfalls can hinder realising its full potential, as with any powerful tool. In this short article, we'll delve into the five common mistakes that users often encounter when using Salesforce and equip you with strategies to avoid them. Make sure you get Salesforce help from your Salesforce consultant or Partner to understand how they propose to avoid mistakes like these right from the initial project strategy and planning phase.

I. Customisation Overload
While Salesforce offers extensive customisation capabilities, it's easy to fall into the trap of over-customisation. Too many customisations can lead to a complex and unwieldy system that is challenging to maintain and may hinder future upgrades. A survey by IBM Bluewolf found that 63% of companies believe over-customisation is a significant challenge.

Fact: 27% of Salesforce users report needing the total value from their Salesforce implementations. (IBM/Bluewolf)

Strike a balance between customisation and out-of-the-box features, regularly review and optimise customisations to align them with evolving business requirements, and consider the long-term implications of each customisation to maintain a streamlined and efficient Salesforce instance to avoid this mistake. Assess each new Salesforce function or capability that requires custom fields, custom objects, code development or custom integration. Use tools such as our Technical Debt Model™ to evaluate the cost-benefits to make informed decisions and avoid customisations that lead to unintended complications.

II. Neglecting Information Security Best Practices
The security of sensitive business data is paramount as using Salesforce typically involves customer data. Neglecting security best practices can expose your organisation to data breaches and compromise the trust of your customers and business partners. According to the 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 61% of breaches involved credential data. If your Salesforce solution will process data received from or behalf of third parties, make sure the contractual obligations are considered in the business requirements. These kinds of business requirements can be very expensive to add late in the project or to comply with retrospectively. Security requirements can impact Salesforce licenses, too.

Implement robust security controls, including two-factor authentication and role-based access, to avoid this mistake. Engage your organisation's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Data Protection Officer (DPO) at the requirements phase of the implementation project. If sensitive data is needed for testing or data migration rehearsal, these activities will lead to information security requirements during the implementation project. Regularly conduct security audits and stay informed about the latest security updates from Salesforce to fortify your defences against evolving cyber threats. Use tools such as User Access and Permissions Assistant and Config Work Book to apply Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) for users (see resources below).

​III. Overlooking Data Quality
One of the most common pitfalls is underestimating the importance of data quality for the individual who uses Salesforce. More accurate and consistent data can lead to better insights, affecting decision-making and hindering the overall effectiveness of your Salesforce implementation. According to a report by Gartner, poor data quality costs organisations an average of $15 million per year.

Requirements for business intelligence, reports, and KPIs, often surface late in projects, potentially limiting an organisation's ability to leverage the value of its data. The importance of good data quality will increase significantly as organisations start to harness the power of generative AI.

Fact: 88% of companies believe their data needs to be more accurate. (Experian)

To steer clear of this mistake, start with the end in mind: define data driven outcomes early in the project so that the target data model is clearly defined. Establish rigorous data governance practices. Implement data cleansing processes before migrating to Salesforce, and regularly audit and clean your data to maintain its accuracy and relevance. Help end-users capturing data correctly and make it easy to update data by providing suitable layouts for the task in hand.

IV. Scalability Considerations
The design of Salesforce is to grow your business. However, overlooking scalability considerations can lead to performance issues and hinder your ability to leverage Salesforce to its full potential. As your business expands, so does the need for a scalable Salesforce architecture. This is especially important for group companies or business units expecting to share a common data model, common Salesforce applications, or Salesforce platform. A one-size approach rarely works in organisations comprised of semi-autonomous businesses or have widely different operational practices and IT systems.

Work closely with Salesforce architects during the initial setup to avoid this mistake and ensure your architecture is scalable and flexible enough to adapt to each business unit/subsidiary. If you intend to bring together customer data, product catalogues and other common reference data, this must be thoroughly analysed and understood before a solution can be designed. Also, consider critical external systems and data. The 3rd parties responsible for those external systems may not be willing or able to change their systems or integrations to fit your plans with Salesforce.

Make sure non-functional requirements for system response time and performance are considered. As the solution scales in size and capabilities, regularly reassess your system's performance and adjust to accommodate growth and evolving business needs.

V. Neglecting Comprehensive User Training
Salesforce's robust features and customisable nature can be a double-edged sword. Without proper user training, the potential for misuse and underutilisation is significant. According to a survey by Salesforce, companies that invest in comprehensive user training experience a 42% higher user adoption rate than those that do not. Training for and recruitment of Salesforce Administrators, Product Owners, Platform Managers, and Technical Support, cannot be left to the last minute before go-live.

To avoid these mistakes, allocate ample resources to training and Salesforce certification programs. Utilise Salesforce Trailhead, an interactive learning platform, and conduct regular training sessions to empower your team with the skills needed for efficient  adoption operations and support of Salesforce. You need a core team of Salesforce Trailblazers, not laggards.

Start training the Product Owner before gathering business requirements; otherwise, the Product Owner may not know what Salesforce is capable of, and you could end up with a costly replacement for an out-of-date legacy system. Ensure you have allocated an environment for training purposes (which may include integration with other systems.)

Conclusion
​Salesforce is a powerful tool that can revolutionise how businesses manage customer relationships and drive growth. However, navigating its complexities requires strategic planning and a keen awareness of potential pitfalls. By avoiding common mistakes such as neglecting user training, overlooking data quality, ignoring scalability considerations, neglecting security best practices, and succumbing to customisation overload, you can unlock the full potential of Salesforce for your organisation. A great place to start your Salesforce journey is by assessing the organisation’s readiness to implement Salesforce against our 8-Factor Success Model™ for Salesforce implementations. This model is also relevant for Salesforce Product Owners and Administrators to ascertain the organisation’s maturity and Business Growth Plan™.​​

Salesforce, the world's leading customer relationship management (CRM) solution, has not only helped to transform businesses worldwide but has also presented new challenges for executive decision-makers and budget owners, particularly regarding the cost of Salesforce implementations. The introduction of cloud computing and Software-as-a Service (SaaS), subscription-based licensing promised a simpler way of procuring new technology on a ‘pay-as-you-grow’ basis.
While the concept of SaaS has provided easy access to amazingly powerful capabilities, many users are surprised that the total cost of licences plus implementation far exceeds their expectations. This article aims to delve into the reasons behind the escalation of costs, present relevant figures and facts, and provide a guide to strategic steps to alleviate financial burdens for Salesforce budget holders.

Understanding the Costs
Salesforce charges comprise many components: platform costs, user licences, usage allowances, feature licences, storage and support. Salesforce publishes some unit costs on their website, but others are only available on request. The total cost can only be estimated after the solution design has been decided. This typically happens well into the implementation project (assuming the business requirements, data migration strategy and roll-out plan are known). In other words, getting an accurate estimate of the total Salesforce charges can be very difficult before you commit to the implementation project.
Salesforce implementation costs exhibit wide variations, ranging from £75,000 to £150,000 for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). At this scale, projects typically take 4-6 months to deliver. Larger enterprises may incur multi-million-pound expenditures depending on their customisation, integration, and data migration requirements. Large enterprise and multi-national implementation programmes may take several years until tangible benefits are realised. The complexities surrounding customisation and integration contribute to the overall expenses as they significantly increase testing and quality assurance demand. These complexities also push up operational expenses for ongoing maintenance and support, creating formidable financial hurdles for some organisations.

Delving into the Cost Drivers
Licensing: Understanding Salesforce’s pricing structure and the organisation's specific needs, are essential to derive an optimum license plan. This requires an up-front discussion of the business blueprint and overall solution architecture. More realistic estimates can be used for the business case and budgeting by taking a strategic approach to licensing.
Customisation: Extensive customisation, while enhancing Salesforce's functionality to fit specific business needs, can drive up costs considerably. Each customisation requires careful planning, development, and testing, demanding significant time and resources. Additional environments may also become necessary to deliver and maintain a complex, bespoke Salesforce platform.
Integration: Integrating Salesforce with existing enterprise systems, such as ERP or ecommerce, can be complex and costly. The level of integration, the number of systems involved, and the expertise required all contribute to the overall expense.
Ongoing Maintenance: Maintaining a reliable and performant Salesforce platform requires additional software and ongoing support, including regular updates, bug fixes, and security patches. These services, often provided by in-house teams or third-party vendors, will add to the overall cost of ownership.

Mitigating High Costs: A Strategic Approach

• Strategic Planning for Salesforce Implementation:

A critical starting point involves the development of a comprehensive plan outlining the implementation scope, encompassing customisation, integration, and data migration. A well-defined roadmap helps prevent scope creep, minimise unexpected expenses, and ensure a focused implementation approach. Organisations new to Salesforce often omit to evaluate their in-house competencies and project delivery capability. The Salesforce implementation approach based on our 8-Factor Success Model™ is useful for assessing the current state and developing a strategic roadmap before engaging prospective implementation partners.

• Feature Prioritization for Cost Control:

Identifying and prioritising essential features aligned with business objectives is crucial. By focusing on necessary functionalities, unnecessary spending is curtailed, ensuring a targeted and cost-effective implementation approach that meets specific business needs. This is especially true for user requirements that involve customisations that disproportionately drive costs. Tools such as our Technical Debt Model™ can help to decide on customisations.

• Investing in Comprehensive Salesforce Training:

Augment user proficiency through comprehensive training programs. Well-trained staff reduces the need for constant support and customisation, contributing to cost savings and ensuring effective utilisation of Salesforce features. Additionally, effective change management strategies facilitate smooth user adoption.

• Phased Salesforce Implementation Strategy:

Salesforce offers a wide range of standard features that can be used ‘out of the box’. With a strategic roadmap to hand, many organisations can benefit quickly by starting with a basic implementation and then enhancing their solution with new capabilities. This is especially valuable for start-ups and new businesses. Opt for a phased implementation approach instead of simultaneously deploying Salesforce across all departments. This allows for a gradual rollout, addressing issues and making adjustments without incurring massive upfront costs. It also enables organisations to prioritise critical areas and test the system before expanding to other departments.

• Regular Audits and Optimization for Salesforce:

The implementation of routine audits becomes imperative to identify optimisation opportunities. Streamlining workflows, eliminating redundancies, and optimising data storage contribute to cost-effective Salesforce operations. Regular maintenance prevents the accumulation of technical debt and ensures the system remains efficient and up-to-date. Extend the initial roadmap to encompass a growth plan to continue driving up your return on investment (ROI).

Conclusion
Effectively managing the costs associated with Salesforce implementation is paramount for existing users seeking to maximise their return on investment. By adopting a strategic approach, businesses can harness the full potential of Salesforce without straining their budgets. Regularly reassessing needs, optimising processes, and investing in user training are vital steps toward ensuring Salesforce remains a valuable asset rather than a financial burden. As the business landscape evolves, this guide serves as a roadmap for existing Salesforce users to navigate the complexities of cost control and strategic optimisation in their Salesforce journey. Organisations can achieve business goals by following these guidelines while controlling their Salesforce expenses and continuously increasing benefits by adopting an ongoing Business Growth Programme™.

Resources - Contact Me for details:

• Technical Debt Model™ for Salesforce Sales/Service Cloud
• 8-Factor Success Model™ for Salesforce implementations
• Business Growth Programme™ for Salesforce Product Owners/Admins

Salesforce and Mulesoft Anypoint are trademarks of Salesforce, Inc.