Using Salesforce to Weather The Storm

In times of uncertainty, companies must get back to basics:

  • Save enough cash today to be prepared for demand fluctuations tomorrow
  • Lower costs by investing in projects that improve efficiency
  • Win new customers by anticipating their expectations and understanding how they think

Companies using Salesforce are well positioned to weather this storm

How will uncertainty impact my revenue in the long-term?

Forecasting is a complex process that requires several important inputs:  drivers that impact why you win and why you lose, demand trends from current customers, and impact on demand from external factors (like a pandemic!)

  • Sales automation tools inside Sales Cloud track cycle times, closing ratios, and product schedules to help you predict tomorrow’s sales based on today’s pipeline
  • Data mining tools within Salesforce allow you to analyze customer purchases to understand the drivers that  impact demand fluctuations
  • The underlying architecture of Salesforce supports the ability for a customer to override or create custom forecasts that take into account unique business scenarios. 
— Salesforce’s forecasting tools allow you to know exactly where you’re headed —

How can I reduce overhead to run leaner today and be more efficient tomorrow?

The architecture of Salesforce allows someone who is non-technical to develop solutions quickly using clicks, not code.  Process automation and analytics are all easily customizable.  In fact, many small companies run their entire business on Salesforce and many large companies have complex operational processes managed in Salesforce.  Commercial tools are available that seamlessly integrate Salesforce with third party software and there are a suite of customer service automation tools available in the Service Cloud. 

— With Salesforce you have access to a digital toolbox that can automate any process —

How can I continue to please my customers while relying less on human interaction?

Restaurants are now using QR codes to bring up menus; stores offer an entirely contactless experience; formal business meetings are conducted via Zoom.  It is now a consumer expectation that business can be conducted more and more in a self-service manner.  Your customers expect to get help quickly and easily using a few taps on my phone.  If they want to review an article covering a topic they’re interested in, the system is smart enough to recommend it.  If they want to chat with someone about a question, they can chat live or via an AI-enabled bot.  If they want to submit a request that automatically initiates an operational process like a product return, they can do that too.  All of this is available today in Community Cloud that gives your customers a personalized, mobile-ready user experience. 

— Salesforce delivers a great user experience for your customers out-of-the-box —
If you’ve already made the investment in Salesforce, then great!  There are plenty of ways to extend your current investment to help navigate the storm and prepare for what lies ahead.  If you’re not already using Salesforce, consider doing an ROI assessment for a switch to Salesforce given the information presented here.