All Efforts to Maximize Salesforce ROI Depend Exclusively on Data Quality

The business decision to invest in using the Salesforce platform is not made lightly. It’s an all-in decision. Furthermore, while the platform is considered the gold standard, it does not come “out of the box” ready to use. So adopting Salesforce means the operations and culture of the business will undergo dramatic change.

Besides the platform’s licensing costs, the setup and integration require a lot of time and many resources. People need to be hired to manage the platform, and others must be trained to use it. So the business must have a plan to efficiently get value out of every dollar’s and minute’s worth of effort.

Developing an Optimization Plan to Derive Value from Salesforce

This optimization plan can’t fall only on the Salesforce Admins or a handful of people. Everyone in the company must play a role to spread the work in order to share the benefits and boost ROI. Usually, it also requires the use of third-party consultants and experts as well as additional apps, tools, and solutions specially designed for various Salesforce situations. (Passage Technology offers such expertise and apps.)

Then, the important work begins. All people, processes, and technology must be aligned. Using the right technology can alleviate some of the pressures on people and processes when optimizing usage of the platform. For this reason, Salesforce created an entire ecosystem of resources available through the AppExchange. 

So the decision to use Salesforce is not an endgame in itself. It is really the beginning of a long journey toward potential business success. Ultimately, though, a business only gets out of Salesforce what it puts into it. This is literally true. If the data put into the platform is of poor quality, then all of the investment and optimization is a dead end. 

High Quality Data Determines Salesforce Success for a Business

Data is the foundation of Salesforce usage. High quality data are the table stakes for all the critical activities that depend on it, so data quality must be part of the business’s Salesforce value plan. Consider the impact of poor data quality on these business functions and users:

• How well will Sales and Marketing teams perform? External customer data is needed for customer conversions and ongoing relationships. Are future revenue and profits at risk?
• How well will business management teams operate? Internal business functions rely on internal records to do their work. If a business can’t serve its internal stakeholders, how can it attract people and align them to serve those outside of the business?
• How well will strategy and decision-making be executed? Leadership at every level of the organization, from top to bottom, depend both on best quality external and internal data. If a business can’t transform and grow, how can it prevent being overtaken by the competition?

There are two primary ways poor data infects the platform and affects these functions. Consider these these sources and potential remedies:

• New records are being added everyday, potentially hurting data quality. Different Salesforce users may be following their own rules and may not be doing it uniformly.
• Existing data also requires a plan for preventing deterioration. Data ages quickly, more like fish than fine wine. It may become invalid, incomplete, or duplicated—causing confusion or errors.

Data Quality Helper App Should Be Key Part of Executing Salesforce Value Plan

Clearly, poor data quality can quickly undercut optimizing the platform and getting proper ROI. How does a business address the sources of poor data affecting various business functions? Free Salesforce-native app, Data Quality Helper from Passage Technology, can help get the job done through automation, cleaning existing data and setting the rules for new data created. Efforts at optimization and improving ROI now can pay off.

Instead of being limited by default Salesforce functionality, Admins have much greater control and flexibility with customizable data guidelines. With easy-to-use tools for data improvement that exceed default Salesforce options, users are empowered to resolve data issues.

The app helps Admins and users with:

• Enhanced data validation rules can be customized by Admins for creating or updating records. With more uniform processes, businesses get better quality data. Admins set each rule’s triggering criteria, whether it runs before or after a save, or prevents or allows a save. Admin-customized warnings show users when data rules are not followed. Users then are empowered with easy-to-use options for properly creating or updating the records. Learn more >
• Duplicate data identification and resolution can be customized by Admins for eliminating or merging duplicate data. This helps users avoid confusion and errors when using the problematic data. Admins can set various options for detecting duplicates by adjusting sensitivity matching and triggering criteria. Users then are empowered to choose and merge data from the duplicates into one improved record.  Learn more >

The app also provides a Lightning Web Component that lists all potential data problems of either type across the organization, making it easier to undertake a clean-up plan. The app is available on the Salesforce AppExchange.

Salesforce can be a wonderful platform for business transformation and growth. But the prerequisites for obtaining future success must be met, first and foremost high quality data—only then can a business maximize ROI on Salesforce investment. The people, processes, and technology can’t achieve ROI without it. How much longer are you willing to let the drag and friction of poor data quality go unaddressed? Don’t wait until it’s too late and the costs get even more steep. The sooner, the better.

Learn more about Data Quality Helper or schedule a demo/consult today.

Data Quality Helper Premium features

Upgrade to Data Quality Helper Premium Edition for unlimited enhanced data validation rules, unlimited duplicate resolution rules, and priority support, plus all of the features in the Free Edition.