By: Jaime Brown
Companies do a ton of research when it comes to enhancing business processes and finding products to fit their needs. With so many options that exist in today’s marketplace, it can be hard to understand what types of platforms should be implemented for your business. For example, Salesforce can be use to organize client data and put new processes in place. Conga allows for more effective document generation and includes a CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management) system. Formstack is an example of a better solution to capture forms from clients and automatically place them into Salesforce. Regardless of the tool, the goal is to put these items in place to set the company up for success and growth.
Just as much research should go into finding the right implementation partner to put this product in place to make it work the way you want it to. When it comes to implementing a product into your business you have two options: self implement or hire an implementation partner. While the initial reaction might be to self implement due to keeping the cost down, there are a few things to consider:
First, it is the Implementation Partner’s responsibility to be the product experts. The best implementation partners learn, study, obtain certifications as they become available, and most importantly stay up to date on the products to be implemented. Implementation Partners are viewed at as a trusted team to implement the product correctly. Appluent’s team members hold multiple certifications for multiple platforms, ensuring that we are always up to date on the latest tools that you need to work best.
Additionally, we are not part of your internal organization. The advantage here is we are outsiders looking in. We take the time to learn the business and we can offer the best practices rather than implementing tactics that could be bad habits. We will challenge you on requirements to make sure you are putting the best processes in place for your organization and end users. Out of the box features aren’t always best, and implementation partners are experts in customization that fits your specific workflows.
Lastly, an implementation partner should get you up and running in a timely manner. At Appluent, this is not a part time job for us or a side project. We offer dedicated resources to manage the project, set project timelines and milestones, gather requirements, ensure testing and provide a solid solution within an agreed on timeframe. This will make sure that when you buy the product, you are getting your moneys worth without wasting licensing fees.
If you are taking the right steps and willing to invest in the products to enhance your business, make sure they are implemented right for the greatest success for your organization.
Having an implementation partner like Appluent on your side will ensure your systems are set up for success.
