Since many companies have realized customer relationship management to be the key to business growth, it has become a common strategy to adopt Salesforce as their CRM solution. But is a company new to Salesforce would be able to implement it right by itself? Well, no. The employees would need a Salesforce partner to do that. However, before you choose a partner, you need to be able to differentiate between Salesforce partnerships to make the right choice.
The first crucial step towards implementing and using Salesforce is to determine the correct licensed partner who’ll do that for you. You need to know the different types of Salesforce partnerships so you can find the one that suits your requirements.
Why Companies Look for a Salesforce Partner
We all hear about companies looking for a Salesforce partner that is experienced and reliable, but the real question is why exactly they are so sought after. Let’s have a look at the reasons behind the demand for Salesforce partners:
- The right partner can help you provide tailored Salesforce solutions.
- They provide companies with ongoing support to keep the solution scalable.
- They keep you updated about the latest Salesforce releases and features.
- They even help you save time and cost on your Salesforce projects.
Differentiate Between Salesforce Partnerships
When we talk about Salesforce partnerships, there are mainly two types of partners- System Integrators and Independent Software Vendors. You can check and review the list of SIs and ISVs on AppExchange.
1. System Integrators (SI)
A System Integrator is also known as a consulting partner. These are the service experts who know Salesforce from the inside. The system integrators can conduct the development, coding, configuration, user training, and integration of Salesforce with the existing systems. A Salesforce consulting partner can effectively work with you to help you and your employees to understand your business in a better way and configure Salesforce according to your business needs. Then, it’s up to you if you want to leave them after implementation and want long-term support from them.
2. Independent Software Vendors (ISV)
The other ones are the Independent Software Vendors, which are product companies. These partners are Salesforce experts who will take the Salesforce CRM and add some of their services on top of it. These partners create packaged applications and install them straight into your org. These services provide you functionalities and updates that are more relatable to your business.
Partner Tiering System
To get more understanding of Salesforce partner, you should know the tiering system too. Here is a bottom-up demonstration of the Salesforce partner tiering system.
1. Registered
These are the professionals who can help with getting started with Salesforce. They can assist in Salesforce implementation in an agile way, specifically for small businesses.
2. Silver
A Registered partner tiers up first to the Silver tier. For reaching this milestone, it requires a target of ‘points’. These points are evaluated according to a complex algorithm that involved evaluating certifications, projects, customer satisfaction scores, and many other factors. A Silver Salesforce partner deals majorly with small-medium-sized businesses but can also help larger markets sometimes.
3. Gold
The Gold Salesforce Partners are usually medium-sized consultancies that have grown in terms of partner points based on project delivery and certifications. Their consultancy can be niche, and their approach is usually agile, making them attractive for many SMBs and customers from mid-market.
4. Platinum
These partners can be multi-locational and usually deliver larger mid-market to enterprise-level solutions. Usually, these kinds of partners have an efficient operational structure with lots of highly skilled staff and a good reputation in the market.
5. Global Strategic Partner
Global Strategic Partners can be called the ‘big boys’ of the market. These experts tend to handle Salesforce implementation and configuration for massive enterprise customers. To reach this level, partners have to go up the Platinum tier and exceed it. These partners work on complex and business-transforming Salesforce projects.
Learn to Differentiate Between Salesforce Partnerships To Find Your Partner
Knowing the different partners and the tiering system would help you understand what kind of Salesforce consulting partner would be suitable for your business needs.
Want to get started with Salesforce implementation with an ISV partner? Contact us to discuss your business requirements and hire certified Salesforce experts to get the job done.
Siddharth Sehgal
CEO
Siddharth Sehgal is CEO & Salesforce Communication Guru. He helps businesses grow exponentially by putting their Salesforce CRM on steroids with his unique techniques. He is on a mission to help businesses build deeper relationships with their customers.