Customer relationship management (CRM) is essential to success in today’s modern business environment. CRM systems help businesses manage customer interactions efficiently. However, the organization is rapidly evolving and outgrowing his existing CRM solution. One common business scenario involves migrating from an SAP CRM system to a Salesforce CRM application. There is no doubt that any form of his CRM migration requires careful planning and quick and safe execution. As a Salesforce consulting firm with deep CRM migration expertise, we created this guide and listed five factors that companies should consider before embarking on a migration project.
1. Data cleansing and migration
Transferring data from SAP CRM to Salesforce CRM is an important aspect of any CRM migration project. To move data from SAP CRM to Salesforce, you must export all datasets from the source system and convert them to a format compatible with the target system. After you verify data asset compatibility, import the data asset into your Salesforce org. Similarly, data cleansing is critical as only relevant and accurate information should be transferred to the new CRM implementation. Don’t transfer incomplete entries, stale data, or duplicate records to your Salesforce org. Transferring may introduce errors or compromise the effectiveness of the new system. For example, your company’s SAP CRM contains duplicate customer records with multiple addresses and different phone numbers. During the migration process, these duplicate entries must be identified, fixed, and merged into a single entry in your Salesforce org.
2. Customization and integration
Salesforce CRM and SAP CRM allow users to customize their implementation to suit their business requirements. This means that when migrating from SAP to Salesforce, you need to evaluate the customizations that exist in your SAP CRM implementation. After running the analysis, make sure that you also need to replicate them to the target system. Additionally, companies 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, suppose you are customizing lead scoring functionality in your SAP CRM implementation. Next, you need to use custom objects and process builders to ensure similar customizations occur in Salesforce.
3. Implementation and user training
A successful migration must take into account not only the technical aspects, but also the end users who will be using the new CRM software every day. To optimally use your Salesforce implementation, all employees must receive adequate training. Proper user training will minimize the problems your reps will face when using her Salesforce. A comprehensive user training program should cover relevant Salesforce functionality, features, and best practices. Additionally, you need to drive user adoption so that your new CRM software can reach its full potential and achieve business outcomes. For example, companies can increase user adoption by appointing her CRM champions from different departments. These champions could be employees who demonstrated remarkable proficiency during Salesforce training. Additionally, 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 prioritized while CRM migration efforts are underway. 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 at rest and even in transit. Additionally, organizations should ensure that access controls are implemented during migration efforts to limit unauthorized access. Additionally, you need to ensure that your CRM data sets comply with industry-specific regulations such as HIPPA and GDPR to avoid legal implications. For example, let’s say your company handles healthcare-specific data assets. Next, when you migrate your CRM data from SAP CRM to Salesforce CRM, you need to ensure that it complies with HIPAA regulations. This is how companies protect patient information as it is transferred and stored in a new CRM implementation.
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 address any issues. Newly created CRM software should undergo detailed post-migration support and testing, as issues are likely to occur post-migration. This allows businesses to ensure that their CRM’s workflows, integrations, and features work seamlessly. If you find any glitches in the functionality of your new CRM, you need to resolve them on the spot. In such scenarios, you should expect to work with a dedicated Salesforce support team. Such a team can help simplify the post-migration phase of your business, overcome challenges, and ensure a smooth transition. For example, after the migration process is complete, companies may notice data discrepancies. However, if your company signs up for post-migration support, identifying and fixing data mapping issues and updating datasets will be faster and easier than ever.
Find a trusted CRM migration partner
Migrating from SAP CRM to Salesforce CRM is an important task for any business. And this project definitely requires careful planning and proper execution. According to the factors discussed above, companies can drive the success of their CRM migration projects. Not only that, following these factors will help businesses maximize their ROI from their new Salesforce organization. If you need help with your CRM migration project, we’re here to help. As an end-to-end Salesforce partner, we help him migrate his data and customizations from SAP CRM to his Salesforce organization. Our Salesforce specialists have extensive experience and deep capabilities to ensure your CRM migration is seamless. We also have experience in providing robust post-migration support, helping organizations improve their customer relationship management capabilities and accelerate growth.
