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Challenges of Salesforce Implementation in 2024

8 min Updated: 13.03.2025

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CTO, Founder | Salesforce Architect

Pavel Klachkou

Implementing Salesforce comes with numerous benefits for businesses, from improved customer relationships to increased efficiency. However, Salesforce implementation also poses some key challenges that must be addressed for a successful rollout. As we enter 2024, companies looking to implement or upgrade Salesforce will need to be aware of these critical challenges. In this article, our experts help you implement Salesforce solutions without any trouble.

Understanding Salesforce Implementation Challenges

Salesforce setup involves configuring, customizing, and integrating the platform across complex organizational structures and processes. But here comes some of the key challenges:

Data migration and integration
Migrating from legacy CRMs and synchronizing large data volumes with other business systems like ERPs in real-time can be an intricate process. It requires extensive data mapping, transformation, cleansing, and testing efforts.

Adoption and change management
Driving company-wide user adoption requires significant leadership commitment and change management focus. Employees often resist moving away from legacy tools and workflows.

Customization vs configuration
While customization helps tailor Salesforce to unique needs, over-customization threatens system stability and inflates costs. Finding the right balance is difficult.

Ongoing release management
Salesforce updates 3 times annually. Absorbing new features while ensuring existing integrations, reports, and automation continue functioning introduces release management overheads.

Lack of in-house Salesforce expertise
Most companies lack specialized Salesforce administrator and developer skills needed for complex implementations. This amplifies the above challenges.

Budget and timeline management
Salesforce projects often see budget overruns and timeline slippages due to scope creep or lack of executive sponsorship. Careful oversight is imperative.

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Cost of Implementation Failures

Cost of Salesforce Implementation Failures: Lost revenue, wasted resources, and damaged reputation.

Without adequate acknowledgment and mitigation, the above challenges can derail projects leading to:

Extended timelines
Incomplete requirements gathering, complex integrations, and lack of testing rigor cause go-live delays by months.

Cost overruns
Change requests mid-implementation, skill/resource gaps, poor scoping, and timeline slippages inflate budgets.

Low user adoption
Inadequate change management focus and training causes poor application usage and ROI realization challenges.

Business disruption
Big Bang implementation approaches, flawed migration, and inadequate support structures interrupt operations.

Diminished customer experiences
Integration issues, data discrepancies and lack of unified system view deliver suboptimal customer experiences.

Cybersecurity exposures
Delayed security patches, misconfigurations, and lack of access controls heighten data breach risks.

Non-realization of CRM benefits
Inappropriately customized or integrated Salesforce deployments fail to deliver efficiency, productivity, and revenue growth improvements.

How to Solve Salesforce Implementation Issues

Step-by-step guide for solving Salesforce implementation issues.

Organizations can adopt several best practices to address implementation pitfalls:

Invest in change management
A structured change management strategy covering communication, leadership alignment, training programs, and user support systems is vital for adoption.

Obtain specialist help
Given the complexities, getting help from expert implementation partners is highly recommended for smooth deployments.

Prioritize data quality
Investing in data health assessments, cleansing, migration pilots and testing ensures reliable data transfers.

Follow a phased rollout approach
A modular phased implementation focused on quick wins is less risky than attempting big-bang deployments.

Build internal Capabilities
Having a skilled in-house Salesforce Centre of Excellence with domain, technical, and release management expertise is crucial for long-term success.

Leverage Automation
Tools like Salesforce CLI automate deployments, data transfers, and code migrations reducing errors and overhead.

Continuous Training
Well-planned onboarding and skills development programs aligned to roles expand organizational Salesforce expertise.

With robust planning, expert guidance, and adoption of these best practices, companies can address Salesforce implementation challenges and maximize their CRM investments. Get in touch with our consultants to start your transformation journey backed by proven frameworks.

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Key Advice for Successful Implementation

🚀 Regulatory compliance and security
Businesses face strict regulatory requirements, emphasizing the need for compliance and data security in Salesforce implementation. Ensure adherence to regulations like GDPR and GLBA, implement robust security measures, and conduct regular audits. Additionally, educate employees on security best practices to minimize the risk of data breaches.

🚀 Customizing user permissions
User permission challenges during implementation involve creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts securely. Businesses must train employees on Salesforce usage, control user access to sensitive data, and ensure proper management of customer data. Addressing these challenges promotes effective data management and enhances overall security.

🚀 Ensuring high user adoption
Resistance to adopting new technology can lead to low user adoption. Establish training programs to educate employees on the benefits of Salesforce, emphasizing improved collaboration, streamlined processes, and increased productivity. Management support and effective communication are crucial for fostering a positive attitude towards the new system.

🚀 Making a post-implementation plan
Ongoing support post-implementation is often overlooked. A well-defined post-implementation plan ensures continued success, stability, and optimization of the Salesforce platform. Collaborate with experienced Salesforce consultants to set up processes for continuous improvement, keeping the platform up-to-date even after the project concludes.

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Choosing the Right Salesforce Implementation Partners

When implementing Salesforce, businesses often error by choosing consultants without experience in implementation services. Working with partners to understand the industry’s complexities, such as custom integrations and compliance workflows, is crucial.

Maria Borahava from Routine automation team discussing the importance of selecting the right Salesforce implementation partners.

Being fast-paced and competitive, demands expertise in planning implementations. Partner with a Salesforce Implementation team familiar with similar challenges, ensuring a successful start. Their experience mitigates issues, and their guidance in choosing the right technology avoids incorrect Salesforce implementations. Also, a reliable Salesforce development partner goes beyond mere execution; they act as a collaborative advisor, guiding you on essential implementations and steering you away from unnecessary ones.

Choose Routine Automation for a seamless Salesforce implementation tailored to the unique needs of your organization. Our experienced team excels in careful planning and addressing industry-specific challenges, ensuring a successful and effortless process from start to finish.

Conclusion

As Salesforce platform enhancements accelerate, implementation challenges will continue to amplify if not addressed appropriately. While the complexity seems daunting, the business transformation potential of Salesforce remains undisputed. Organizations must acknowledge these challenges and strategically invest in driving change management, system integration, data quality, and user adoption to reap the full rewards of Salesforce.

With robust planning, executive alignment, and adoption of the strategies above, companies can overcome the challenges and achieve Salesforce implementation success in 2024.
Our consulting team can guide you through this process with proven frameworks to realize the maximum value. Partner with us to unlock the full potential of Salesforce for your business.

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author

CTO, Founder | Salesforce Architect

Pavel Klachkou