Navigating Enterprise-Level Challenges

If you’re a large, enterprise-level organization, it can be challenging to build and launch new software quickly to take advantage of market opportunities and maintain market leader advantage. That goes double when building all or part of your solution on a platform outside your core technical competencies, like Salesforce.

Working with a Salesforce product development consulting firm can be a powerful way to build or enhance products quickly and efficiently. The right partner will also ensure you leverage the full potential of the Salesforce platform and set the proper foundation and roadmap for product growth. But getting the most from a partnership can be challenging, especially when you already have expert technical teams and processes that work for your organization. Here’s how we recommend engaging with a Salesforce partner if you want to build a solution fast and build it right.

Start with Trust

Working with a specialized Salesforce development firm gives you access to unique expertise. These consultants are experts with deep knowledge of the Salesforce platform. Trust them and their insight into leveraging the platform to meet your business goals. Your technical team knows your business and systems better than anyone, so make sure you apply their expertise too. Get them involved early to ensure the new solution seamlessly merges with your existing tech stack and business processes.

Time & Resources

Developing a product isn’t simply outsourcing. You are still the Product Owner from a business and technical perspective, but you’re collaborating with experts to get you something better, and faster. Don’t underestimate the time and resources you’ll need from your Product and Technical teams to launch successfully. A good professional services firm works fast, so be sure your team has the bandwidth to keep up. Set the right internal expectations for the project’s level of engagement at the outset to avoid understaffing and delays.

At CodeScience, we have a proven approach to staying engaged with our client stakeholders and maintaining their control over key decisions without taking too much of their time. Make sure the development firm you work with can do the same.

Clear Objectives & Communication

Establish clear expectations and project objectives from the start. First, create a well-defined responsibility assignment matrix (RACI) across both organizations—understanding who needs to receive what information and when will streamline project updates and decision-making. Once the RACI is complete, establish a regular communication schedule, check-ins, and demonstrations to ensure everyone stays on the same page as it pertains to their role in the RACI matrix. Sticking to this structure will help avoid communication overload and keep everyone focused on their key tasks. Let the development team do what they do best, and trust that you and the team leaders have set up a framework that keeps you informed, in control, and without surprises.

Governance & Security

Consider your organization’s governance needs as you create your communications plan and assign responsibilities to ensure compliance and timely decision-making. If your Enterprise-level processes are not considered and accommodated in the planning phase, you won’t achieve the efficiencies that a nimble product development organization can provide.

Good governance also means protecting sensitive information; working with a consulting firm that keeps your systems and data safe and secure is essential. Our agreements at CodeScience include clauses that safeguard your organization’s proprietary information and intellectual property. We know how to navigate and fulfill security requirements to ensure compliance and keep our teams unblocked.

The keys to bringing this all together are developing the working relationships to meet your organization’s needs and then getting out of your own way. Sometimes you need to start slow to go fast. That doesn’t mean “analysis paralysis,” but it does mean aligning and designing the right workstreams to deliver the most value and launch successful software products. Spend time on discovery to enable a deep understanding of the problems, allow space for innovation, and avoid early roadblocks. Let your partner be agile while aligning with your governance needs. Let them use their tools and methodology, but verify they meet your security needs.

Working with a Salesforce product development organization can be a powerful and efficient way for an enterprise to leverage the Salesforce platform’s full potential and drive growth. Finding the right partner who has done it before and can show you the way makes all the difference.

At CodeScience, we specialize in helping companies create custom solutions on Salesforce that drive results for their unique business goals, whether those are distributed products on the AppExchange, Salesforce OEM bundles for a specific industry, or an internal software solution to drive productivity and growth. We’ve worked with many large enterprises and can help you navigate how to successfully work with a development consulting firm from within a much larger organization. Reach out to us here to begin the conversation – let’s talk!