If your company is looking to enter the Salesforce AppExchange ecosystem but unsure of how to get started, you’re in the right place. Even if you’re familiar with Salesforce, most companies lack the depth of experience necessary to build commercial-grade applications. There are many considerations from how you architect your solution, to structuring your Partner Agreement, and even how you fulfill your orders from Salesforce that business leaders must keep in mind as they go through the process.
Enter: Product Development Outsourcers (PDOs) — consulting partners and vendors recognized by Salesforce as having the skill and expertise to build and distribute commercial applications. Essentially, PDOs are seasoned experts who know the Salesforce ecosystem in and out and can help you get your product to market in the most efficient way possible — while helping to ensure commercial success.
Early architectural decisions of how you design your app and proper alignment of those decisions with the go-to-market vision can either — a) drive positive business value impacts to provide competitive advantage in the market or b) can have long-term ramifications that will lead to unhappy customers.
We’ve talked about how PDOs differ from other Salesforce consultants, but in this post, we’re showcasing the unique value PDOs offer to partners.
1. PDOs Are Experts at Every Stage of the Cycle
Whether you’re just starting to evaluate your opportunity on Salesforce or you’re already in the midst of security review and struggling to pass, PDOs are uniquely poised to help partners no matter where they are in their journey to the AppExchange. That means, no matter when they’re pulled in, they’re going to be able to work with your various internal teams to provide valuable insight and possibly help redirect when necessary.
One note here: The earlier you bring in a PDO partner, the better — that way, they can participate in the early stages of the process and uncover problems and opportunities much earlier. The early architectural decisions of how you design your app have long-term ramifications — if you fail to consider all the nuances for your business.
For example, we helped one client on Health Cloud whose application code base required too much customization per install and ultimately limited their ability to scale — especially in the enterprise. By re-architecting and re-platforming, we were able to solve multi-year problems they were experiencing in six months (at half the price).
2. PDOs Know Salesforce, You Know Your Domain & Core Product
Working with a PDO frees you up to focus on what you’re good at — deepening your domain expertise and growing your core product. PDOs bring a wealth of AppExchange experience and know the many considerations partners should weigh as they build out and work to future-proof their application.
In the early stages of working with our clients (especially those who are experiencing high growth), we hear the simultaneous desire to build out something new on Salesforce while also keeping resources focused on building out product enhancements on their core offering. When faced with this scenario, organizations can either hire, train, and ramp a new team or work with an outside partner to help them get to market in a timely manner.
Because PDOs work exclusively on apps and work closely with the Salesforce ISV team, they know what is needed for a product to become commercially viable and what’s going to be successful.
3. PDOs Know the Security Review Process In and Out
The Salesforce Security Review process is complex, and its nebulous nature can be challenging to first-timers. You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s a huge benefit of working with a PDO — they know exactly what to expect because they do this all of the time. Ron Kiker, Manager of Commercial Services, has helped over 50 companies pass Security Review and shares some of his insights to build a plan for passing Security Review for clients.
A good PDO is always looking at security, no matter what stage of the development process they’re in. As we build, we take precautions to make sure your app will pass Security Review. Not only that, but we’re also working to ensure your app will be scalable and flexible to boot.
4. PDOs Can Advise On Market Strategy and Customer Success
Because PDOs work exclusively on apps and are work closely with the Salesforce ISV team, they know what’s commercially viable and what’s going to be successful. This makes a PDO an invaluable advisor to your business. This insider view of product strategies that have worked can be the difference between a functional app and an exceptional one.
At CodeScience, we know building a business on Salesforce goes beyond building a product. We’ve helped bring 250 products to market on the Salesforce platform and know how to support your product through its entire lifecycle.
Partner with a PDO to Get Your Product Across the Finish Line
Only a PDO will have the experience from numerous applications across industries to know the challenges you and your customers will face. PDOs seek to create apps that are well adopted and easily integrated by your customers, and they’ll leverage the latest platform enhancements and features that are ISV-ready.
CodeScience is the Only Master Navigator PDO
Founded in 2008, we were one of the first PDOs for Salesforce focusing on building products on the Salesforce platform, and the first to receive the Master Navigator PDO designation from Salesforce. We’ve brought more than 250 products to market on the AppExchange, and we’re just getting started!
Ready to learn more? Contact us today!
