Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is essential to success in today’s modern business environment. CRM systems help businesses manage customer interactions efficiently. However, organizations are evolving rapidly, which pushes the scale of existing CRM solutions further. One common business scenario involves transitioning from an SAP CRM system to a Salesforce CRM application. Undoubtedly, any form of CRM migration requires careful planning and quick yet safe execution. As a Salesforce consulting firm with deep CRM migration expertise, we’ve written this guide listing five factors companies should consider before undertaking a transformation project.
1. Data Cleanup and Migration
Transferring data from SAP CRM to Salesforce CRM is an important aspect of a CRM migration project. Moving data from SAP CRM to Salesforce requires exporting all data sets from the source system and then converting them to a format compatible with the target system. Once you are sure your data assets are compatible, import them into your Salesforce org. Likewise, data cleansing is important, as only relevant and accurate information should be transferred to your new CRM deployment. You don’t want to transfer incomplete items, outdated data, and duplicate records to your Salesforce org. This can lead to errors or reduce the efficiency of the new system. For example, an enterprise’s SAP CRM contains duplicate customer records with multiple addresses and phone numbers. During the migration process, you must identify these duplicates, fix them, and then merge them into a single entity in your Salesforce org.
2. Customization and integration
Salesforce CRM and SAP CRM allow users to customize their deployment to fit their business needs. This means that when migrating from SAP to Salesforce, you need to evaluate any customizations you have in your SAP CRM deployment. After the analysis is complete, it must also be replicated to the target system. Companies also need to integrate their existing CRM software applications with other enterprise solutions, such as marketing automation tools, helpdesk software, and ERP systems. These integrations must be carefully planned and implemented to ensure smooth data flow between processes after the migration is complete. For example, let’s say your business has customized the lead scoring feature in your SAP CRM deployment. You then need to use the Custom Object and Process Builder to make similar customizations in Salesforce.
3. Adoption and user training
A successful migration means considering not only the technical aspects, but also the end users who use the new CRM software every day. To optimally use your Salesforce deployment, all employees must be well trained. Proper user training can help employees minimize issues while using Salesforce. A comprehensive user training program should cover relevant Salesforce functions, features, and best practices. User adoption must also be encouraged to ensure that new CRM software can reach its full potential and achieve business outcomes. For example, a company might appoint CRM champions across various departments to drive user adoption. These champions can be employees who have demonstrated incredible abilities during Salesforce training. These champions can also provide guidance and support to their colleagues, ultimately flattening the learning curve.
4. Data Compliance and Security
Data compliance and security must be a priority during CRM migration efforts. Key customer details, including financial details and personal data, must be protected throughout the migration project. Additionally, companies must ensure that data sets are encrypted not only at rest but also in transit. Organizations should also ensure that access controls are implemented during the migration process to limit unauthorized access. You also need to ensure that your CRM dataset complies with industry-specific regulations, including HIPPA and GDPR, to avoid legal repercussions. For example, let’s say your company handles healthcare-related data assets. Then, while migrating your CRM data from SAP CRM to Salesforce CRM, you need to ensure that your CRM data is HIPAA compliant. This is how your business protects patient information while it is being transferred to and stored in your new CRM deployment.
5. Post-migration testing and ongoing support
After a successful migration from SAP to Salesforce, you need to monitor the performance of your new CRM and quickly resolve any issues. Since problems are likely to arise after migration, the newly formed CRM software should receive detailed support and testing after migration. This way, your business can ensure that your CRM’s workflows, integrations, and features operate smoothly. And if there are any glitches in your new CRM features, they need to be addressed immediately. In these scenarios, you should expect to be connected to a dedicated Salesforce support team. These teams can help your business simplify post-migration steps and overcome challenges to ensure a smooth transition. For example, once a migration task is complete, a business may discover some data inconsistencies. However, if your business has signed up for post-migration support, identifying and fixing data mapping issues and updating data sets will be faster and simpler than ever.
Find a Trusted CRM Migration Partner
Switching from SAP CRM to Salesforce CRM is a critical task for any business. And these projects definitely require detailed planning and proper execution. Depending on the factors outlined above, companies can ensure the success of their CRM migration project. Additionally, following these elements can help businesses maximize ROI from their new Salesforce org. If you need help with your CRM transformation project, we’re here to help. As an end-to-end Salesforce partner, we help you move your data and customizations from SAP CRM to your Salesforce organization. Salesforce experts have extensive experience and deep capabilities to help you make your CRM transition seamless. We also have experience providing strong post-migration support, helping organizations accelerate growth by improving their customer relationship management capabilities.