IT & Business Alignment with Salesforce
Salesforce has significantly evolved, becoming an essential business information system beyond its initial scope. As it expands in functionality, the task of managing it effectively requires more collaboration. This transformation pushes us to see Salesforce not just as a tool for the sales team but as a central part of a company’s information systems. The purpose of this blog is to address the blurred lines between IT and business teams in managing Salesforce, and suggesting ways to collaborate with a unified management approach.
Starting with empathy is key. It’s common for Business and IT teams to view each other through a “them” and “us” lens, without truly understanding the distinct yet crucial roles each plays. While these roles may vary slightly across companies, here are some generalities:
- IT teams are tasked with maintaining the smooth operation and security of the company’s information systems, focusing on performance, uptime, compliance, and minimizing risks. Cybersecurity is a top priority, often leading to a perception by business teams that IT is overly controlling.
- On the other side, the Business team’s primary aim is to ensure the company meets its operational goals, keeps customers satisfied, and continues to grow. This often requires quick decision-making and adaptability, which can seem at odds with IT’s more cautious approach.
Misunderstandings often arise when:
1. Prioritization of Features or Projects
Business: Requests immediate implementation of a new feature in Salesforce to boost sales.
IT: Prioritizes a system upgrade for security, viewing the feature request as lower priority.
Misunderstanding: Sales feels neglected by IT, while IT believes Sales underestimates the importance of system integrity.
2. Customization vs. Standardization
Business: Wants extensive customization in Salesforce for specific workflow needs.
IT: Prefers minimal customization to ease maintenance and ensure compatibility with future updates.
Misunderstanding: The Business team sees IT as blocking efficiency, while IT views extensive customization as a risk to system stability and upgradability.
Creating a shared understanding is the first step towards transforming “them” into “we,” fostering a productive collaboration.
Practical Collaboration
To facilitate this, forming a Governance team or committee is beneficial. This group, consisting of members from both the Business and IT teams, provides a structured platform for regular communication, sharing requirements, and supporting mutual objectives. A monthly or sprintly meeting can keep everyone aligned. An effective meeting agenda might include:
- Updates on action items and progress from previous meetings.
- Discussions on current business objectives, challenges, and how technological improvements can address them.
- IT updates on system performance, security, and compliance updates that may affect user experience.
- Planning for future initiatives, including leveraging new Salesforce features to support business needs.
- Setting clear goals and assigning tasks and follow ups.
Long-Term Benefits
Consistent Progress: Collaboration is crucial given Salesforce’s complexity, requiring alignment among Business, IT, and external partners.
Security and Compliance: Joint efforts ensure business initiatives align with security and compliance standards.
Shared Success: Achieving common goals highlights the collective effort towards the company’s success.
In essence, aligning IT and Business in Salesforce management goes beyond resolving conflicts. It’s about harnessing the platform’s capabilities to propel the company forward, through understanding, structured collaboration, and shared goals.
How Red Argyle Can Help
At Red Argyle, we understand the intricacies of Salesforce and the unique challenges it presents in aligning IT and business teams. Our expertise in change management and alignment strategies can help your organization navigate these complexities, ensuring a harmonious and effective Salesforce ecosystem. We also have a large vocabulary of approaches which minimize the IT impacts of business needs, thus making collaboration that much easier.
From facilitating communication between teams to implementing governance structures and best practices, Red Argyle is your partner in transforming “them” and “us” into a unified “we.” Reach out to us to learn how we can support your alignment and change management needs, making your Salesforce journey a success.
**AI Content Disclaimer:**
Note: This blog post was refined with the help of an AI-powered assistant, which provided structural and content suggestions based on a complete initial draft. The final ideas, advice, and viewpoints are rooted in the author’s expertise, with AI serving to enhance clarity and readability. The author maintained full control over content decisions, ensuring the blog reflects accurate and authentic insights into managing Salesforce systems.
