salesforce consulting services

Companies are constantly searching for new ways to communicate with their customers, whether it is through advertising, audience building, email marketing, loyalty programs, or compelling content. But they are also concerned about reduced manpower and tighter budgets. With economic uncertainty looming large, marketers are always under pressure to meet customers' digital-first expectations while increasing sales, increasing efficiency, and cutting expenses. What is Salesforce Marketing Cloud?   A comprehensive digital marketing platform, Salesforce Marketing Cloud offers a plethora of tools and functionalities to enhance any marketing activity. Moreover, Salesforce Marketing Cloud gives advertisers a complete picture of their target market, resulting in more personalized interactions across all marketing channels. How to track your ROI with Marketing Cloud Using the Marketing Cloud platform, marketers can assess the success of their campaigns in a few different ways. These are some of the methods that we suggest. Create a dashboard You can get a complete view of how marketing impacts the success of your business as a whole by building a dashboard with marketing KPIs that result in sales. Marketers can access a variety of comprehensive reports that track a range of data using Salesforce Marketing Cloud. This makes it easier for you to understand how each marketing initiative impacts sales. Viewing this data on Marketing Cloud is far more convenient than attempting to find it in different locations for every channel, which is unfortunately often the case with other solutions. Additionally, because your company can use these reports year after year, it will get easier and more effective every day. Integrate Marketing Cloud with Google Analytics 360 Unified reporting is only one of the numerous advantages that Marketing Cloud can offer your team. You can monitor end-to-end customer relationships by connecting Google Analytics’s customer site engagement data to your Marketing Cloud reports thanks to the seamless integration between the two platforms. You'll find a single interface on the Marketing Cloud dashboard that provides you with all the reports pertaining to journeys designed for web, mobile, email, and advertising. This provides you with a unique understanding of the customer journey through Marketing Cloud campaigns, from the first interaction to the last touchpoint. Measure each activity individually The most successful businesses monitor their marketing performance using segmented indicators. Measuring individual behavior and campaign performance is critical to assessing Marketing Cloud efficacy. We advise keeping an eye on sales and lead volume in relation to website traffic, traffic sources, campaign efficacy, and overall traffic throughout various time frames. Once you've completed this, you'll be able to use Marketing Cloud to identify a single source of truth regarding the conversion rate of visitors into paying customers. Calculate your campaign ROI If your company makes use of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce's Campaign ROI Analysis Report is a vital resource for determining the long-term performance of a marketing campaign. With the help of this automated tool, you can determine the rates of return on investment and assess the advantages and disadvantages of your campaign as well as the successful investments. Within the Campaign Reports folder, the Reports tab contains the Campaign ROI Analysis Report. It determines the effectiveness of your campaign based on average cost and return on investment (ROI). Using this tool, the net gain (Value of Won Opportunities – Actual Cost) is divided by the Actual Cost to determine the percentage for each campaign in the report. Examine the entire customer journey Analyzing the entire customer journey is crucial when determining ROI. With real-time activity reports for analytics, sales, and marketing, Marketing Cloud can assist with that. You can assess which market segments your campaigns are performing in to find out which areas require additional investment or which channels are most effective. Knowing which marketing channels produce the best results at each stage of the customer conversion process is therefore crucial. Instead of overstretching themselves across every avenue, marketers should focus their time and resources on the channels that yield the highest conversion rates for a given expenditure. Share the data Marketing Cloud facilitates communication between the sales and marketing teams, allowing them to define success and recognize the increase in revenue that follows. This can assist you in growing your business to new heights and facilitate productive teamwork among all members of the organization. Establish the costs Marketing teams must determine the expenses associated with their marketing initiatives, including the amount spent on staff, agencies, and creative development. Using this data, you can identify the metrics that you can use in your ROI computations and determine which ones are worthwhile for your investment. Get the right training To achieve success with Marketing Cloud, all team members must become proficient in measuring their own and each other's success metrics. This will enable you to determine who is making a contribution and who isn't. Make an investment in upskilling your staff so they can carry out and maintain your plan. How To Improve ROI With Marketing Analytics The process of utilizing data to assess the effectiveness of marketing initiatives is known as marketing analytics. The generated engagement data aids marketers in gaining a deeper understanding of their target market. This increases return on investment and maximizes marketing efforts. Analytics are being used by businesses in their marketing more and more. In order to increase digital customer interaction, 88% of marketers surveyed Salesforce said they used marketing analytics. Here are some pointers on using marketing analytics to grow your business: Identify your marketing goals Clearly define your goals and establish specific marketing objectives for every campaign. Success metrics may include customer satisfaction, return on investment, click-through rate, and conversion rate, among others. The top three marketing success metrics, as determined by a global study of marketers. With marketing analytics, you can: Report on the past. You can determine what went wrong and what worked well by evaluating previous performance. For instance, in the previous campaign, which channel generated the highest revenue? How did the ad campaign perform? How many leads were generated by the whitepaper? Analyze the present. Analyze the success of your present marketing efforts. What kind of content is getting greater interaction? Which channels have higher conversion rates? Where and how are people discussing your business? Predict the future. By leveraging marketing analytics, you can predict the lifetime value of a customer. Questions such as “Which channels warrant further investment? Which categories should be the next focus?” can be answered by drawing on the power of marketing analytics. You will have access to a wide range of data with regular reporting, analysis, and forecasting, enabling you to make well-informed decisions for your company's requirements. Invest in analytic capabilities An increasing number of sources are producing data, which raises the possibility of siloed data. For data-driven marketing initiatives, you must use a platform that provides a single, cross-channel view of customer data. Emerging tech like automation and artificial intelligence (AI) help speed up cross-channel data analytics, freeing up resources so marketers can concentrate on strategic, creative work. Take data-driven decisions All of the data you have access to can be transformed into useful insights by marketing analytics. Your marketing teams will be able to access all the necessary information with ease if there is a single source of truth for data across channels. They can make better decisions with less time spent on data analysis. To reach their objectives, they can keep improving on what's working or change direction as necessary. Salesforce Marketing Cloud – The Game-changer Salesforce Marketing Cloud offers a smooth, real-time interaction with your customer by utilizing cloud technologies. Moreover, marketing Cloud provides immediate feedback on customer preferences, allowing you to tailor your content and assess the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives. The following tactics can help you refine your marketing journey: Delight Your Customers with Personalization Personalization is a crucial component of campaign effectiveness since it increases business profitability and provides a deep insight into the target audience. To guide prospects down the purchase path, Marketing Cloud assists you in developing triggers that nudge customers towards specific actions with personalized messaging. Leverage Customer Data to Gain Insights  Gaining insightful knowledge about your clients with Marketing Cloud enables you to create content that is specifically tailored to their needs. To stay ahead of the game, Marketing Cloud even uses its predictive analytics capabilities to assist you in predicting future actions. Establishing a Single Source of Truth With Marketing Cloud, you can create a comprehensive picture of your customers. By combining user information, marketing campaigns, privacy management, and customer profiles, you can produce a single customer view for every possible point of interaction. By having all customer data synchronized on one platform, you can provide your customers with a single source of truth and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Want to Leverage the Power of Salesforce Marketing Cloud and get a faster return on your marketing investment? Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a powerful platform that can empower marketing teams to drive business success. Seek advice from a trusted Salesforce Consulting partner like Girikon to make sure you're utilizing the Marketing Cloud appropriately and to quickly recover your marketing CRM investments. You can maximize client value at every stage and assess marketing ROI with predictability if you have our strategy, support, integration, and training in place. Our certified Salesforce consultants would love to help if you want to make full use of the Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Simply send us an email at sales@girikon.com  and we'll take it from there.

Consider the following scenario: you've recently searched for running shoes and now you're seeing adverts for them everywhere. Or you just searched for a flight to a holiday destination. And now you see travel ads every time you open an app or a website. All this is powered by Artificial Intelligence. This blog provides valuable insights into the disruptive power of AI in cloud computing. Learn how this dynamic partnership introduces a new breed of solutions and transforms operations. AI and Cloud Computing AI and cloud computing have collaborated seamlessly in recent years due to their shared goal of automation. AI automates tedious tasks, allowing IT teams to focus on the development of cutting-edge solutions. AI however needs a strong foundation to thrive. Cloud computing, on the other hand, provides the ideal environment for AI apps to thrive. Why? Because the Cloud provides the muscle (computing power), data storage space, and flexibility that AI algorithms require. Democratizing AI Development: Codeless AI One of the biggest promises of AI is that literally anyone can create and deploy AI models. It needs no prior computer science expertise. AI service providers prioritize user-centric growth, with tools such as large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT at the forefront. These user-friendly interfaces enable consumers and small enterprises to exploit the power of AI without relying on large technology organizations. It’s no surprise therefore that organizations are scrambling to embrace this technology, Generative AI: Adding Value to AI Training and operating Generative AI models require massive computational power, which the Cloud excels at due to its unparalleled scalability. According to research, more than 70% of cloud environments currently use managed AI services such as Azure OpenAI, SageMaker from Amazon, Vertex AI from Google, and Salesforce's Generative AI for CRM. This indicates that cloud-based AI services are witnessing an unprecedented growth spike. But there's a catch: despite impressive AI adoption, 32% of firms are still experimenting. This means that many organizations still need to scale their AI deployment. The key question is: Is your business geared up to leverage the power of AI? How Has AI Transformed Cloud Computing? Apart from automating processes, AI has evolved into a versatile tool for Cloud users, capable of data management, data security, data analysis, and informed decision-making. Its intrinsic ability to employ machine learning and derive interpretations of data-driven insights improves the efficiency of various operations, resulting in significant cost savings for the organization. Businesses that deploy AI on the cloud provide customers and users with intuitive and connected experiences. Machine Learning Models and Cloud Systems Machine learning models consist of massive datasets that train algorithms, which can be structured, unstructured, or raw, and require powerful CPUs and GPUs. Cloud computing also offers Machine Learning related apps including serverless computing, batch processing, and more. These services extend the potential of AI in the Cloud by offering scalable and robust infrastructure. The emergence of AI models has set the ball rolling  for cloud users to explore new opportunities and build the foundation for accelerated growth: Here's how AI has affected the Cloud Computing domain: Automation and Efficiency Cloud-based AI can help automate operations, reduce human errors, improve efficiency, adopt cost-cutting initiatives, and boost overall productivity. Accelerating AI applications in cloud environments enables customers and users to have more intuitive, integrated experiences. Data Insights and Analysis The coming together of Artificial Intelligence and cloud computing ushers a new era of organizing and harmonizing huge datasets, providing realistic blueprints for future cloud migrations. Processing such enormous amounts of data requires very powerful CPUs and GPUs. Only by combining private, public, and hybrid clouds with AI algorithms that control cloud computing can we untangle the complexities and reveal hidden insights. Intelligent Automation for Traffic Generation Today, organizations are forging ahead by using sophisticated automated bots and strategies that drive traffic. Choosing this path opens up more options for growth. Collaboration with a Salesforce consulting partner gives you access to a team of cloud professionals that can help you negotiate the complexity of cloud application development and harness the cloud's revolutionary power in your business. The Potential of AI in Cloud Computing Predicting the current market for AI in cloud computing represents a quantum leap. This duo is undeniably a potent combo that promotes robust security, adaptability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness for enterprises to thrive. Flexibility at Your Fingertips The need for cloud-based apps is increasing as more employees desire remote work environments. With the ever-increasing demand for flexibility and security, businesses are increasingly developing cloud apps that incorporate artificial intelligence capabilities. These applications provide durability, improved customer experience, and cost savings. Security, Reliability, and Scalability Security and reliability are two key components of a cloud service. Cloud-based AI improves your security by analyzing vast volumes of data in real-time to detect and mitigate security risks, assuring the protection of your data and systems. Cloud-based artificial intelligence brings a pay-as-you-go model, making cutting-edge AI accessible to enterprises of all sizes. This allows you to scale your AI systems efficiently and cost-effectively, maximizing your ROI. AI Apps Powering Up Cloud Computing Cloud computing provides businesses with flexibility and scalability, but artificial intelligence adds a new level of power. Here are some significant applications of AI in cloud computing, including an example of Salesforce Generative AI: Automating Workflows (AI as a Service – AIaaS) Popular Cloud platforms such as Google Cloud and Azure provide AI as a Service, which allows you to train your large language models for automation tasks. For example, a retail business can leverage AI as a Service to automate product recommendations for customers across their ecommerce and retail stores. AI-Powered Customer Service (AI Chatbots) Chatbots leverage natural language processing (NLP) capabilities to engage with users. They offer 24/7 customer support, answer commonly asked questions, and collect important customer data. These chatbots are hosted on cloud platforms, which provide the resources necessary for their smooth functioning AI-powered Business Intelligence Business Intelligence also received a boost with AI. It automatically captures market data, analyzes customer behavior, and discovers competition trends. Cloud computing delivers the processing capacity that AI models require to translate data into actionable insights. Salesforce Generative AI Salesforce also entered the Generative AI revolution, launching its own AI for CRM to give organizations an extra advantage in augmenting customer experiences. Salesforce Sales GPT is a cutting-edge innovation that uses artificial intelligence to send personalized emails, update product descriptions, and deliver lead qualification scores. AI in Cloud Computing: Key Benefits For Businesses The Automation Advantage Automation is the foundation that supports the interaction between cloud computing and AI. Modern AI technologies, powered by machine learning algorithms, automate many operations, enhancing IT workers' efficiency and allowing them to focus on more creative and strategic development. According to a Forbes report, 92% of organizations believe cloud computing plays an important role in enabling AI-powered automation in conventional business processes. Cloud technology is energizing the industry with its comprehensive algorithm distribution methods, paired with the experience of top cloud service providers delivering a wide range of AI-focused solutions and services. AI-powered chatbot assistants are one of the best examples of AI-powered automation, allowing businesses to fast-track customer interactions. Augmented Cloud Security With AI Cloud security has always been a cause of concern for businesses. But artificial intelligence is changing that perception. AI-powered security solutions serve as diligent watchdogs, analyzing huge volumes of data to detect suspicious activity before it turns into a full-fledged intrusion. The best part about AI is that it does more than just scan for threats, it also learns from them. Every intrusion attempt improves the system's intelligence and ability to deal with new cyber threats. This means that your sensitive data and apps are constantly and proactively protected. Edge and Computing AI Many IT professionals want to process data across systems at lightning speed the minute it is generated. This is due to edge computing and AI. Edge computing enables data processing closer to its source, reducing any lags in data transfer. AI algorithms ensure real-time data analysis without dependence on the cloud. Analyzing Customer Behavior For Smarter Decisions Making AI leverages machine learning models to analyze data in real time to give you a holistic view of your customers. With a better understanding of their needs and preferences, you can personalize engagement to maximize impact. By analyzing large datasets, AI can predict future trends and customer behavior, allowing you to make more informed decisions. Conclusion Artificial Intelligence and cloud computing are here and now. They are tools that all businesses regardless of size and industry can adopt to transform themselves.  Automating mundane tasks, personalizing customer experiences, and leveraging data to drive growth is the dream of any business. With Girikon as your Salesforce development partner, that vision is within reach. Our certified Salesforce consultants will guide you through the exciting potential of AI and cloud computing, assuring a smooth transition and maximum return on investment.

The growing demand for the world's leading CRM platform drives up demand for its associated skills. Salesforce implementation entails significant investment and its customization requires an investment in the right set of Salesforce developers The key question is – How to find and recruit them? In this blog we explain how to discover talent, what abilities to look for when recruiting a Salesforce developer, and more. Growing Demand for Salesforce Developers Factors Driving the Growing Demand for Salesforce Developers. Digitalization Post-Pandemic The Salesforce ecosystem expanded dramatically following the outbreak. This is owing to the complete digitization of most processes, including the use of cloud-based platforms like Salesforce. As a result, the demand for Salesforce developers as key members of a company's CRM department has skyrocketed. Compensation Attractive salaries offered to Salesforce developers attract more people to this role, increasing the number of people interested in entering this sector. Innovation and Skill Upgradation Salesforce upgrades its platform 3 times a year and in order to keep up, Salesforce developers must be abreast of the latest innovations. Shortage of Skilled Professionals While there may be a large number of individuals entering this sector, all of them may not have the requisite skills to succeed. Only people who hold relevant Salesforce credentials can be deemed as experts. With only a handful falling into this group, there is a scarcity of experienced Salesforce development specialists. This resulted in an increase in demand for Salesforce developers. Role of Salesforce Developers Salesforce developers are specialists who leverage Salesforce technology to solve business problems. They are familiar with the Salesforce platform and can design tailored solutions based on the client's needs. They first identify the gaps and issues in the current system and devise the best solutions to address them. After thoroughly understanding the business objectives, developers select the most effective low-code solutions offered by Salesforce technology. Let's take a look at their responsibilities. Responsibilities of Salesforce Developers A Salesforce developer generally handles numerous tasks inside an organization. Designing, Developing, and Maintaining Apps The primary responsibility of Salesforce developers building and managing apps on the Salesforce platform tailored to the business needs of the organization. Understanding Business Requirements Salesforce developers collaborate closely with project stakeholders and users to better understand their needs and pain points. They tailor solutions to each customer's specific requirements. Coding They build solutions using multiple programming languages such as Apex, Lightning Components, and VisualForce on the Force.com platform. Furthermore, they work with web development languages such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Problem-Solving Skills They have great problem-solving skills and can understand complex business problems to discover areas for improvement. Communication They work with technical or non-technical teams to provide on-call help for app concerns, such as debugging or augmented functionality. Assist users in clarifying their needs, providing information about alternate techniques, and outlining the potential consequences of process changes. Quality Assurance They are responsible for ensuring the quality of the solutions they develop. They ensure that any issues are fixed as soon as possible by performing various testing and debugging operations. Salesforce developers create, codify, and enforce app standards and practices to ensure consistency and efficiency. Seamless Integration They integrate multiple systems with Salesforce, including in-house as well as third-party apps and systems. Salesforce Developer Hiring Options Choosing the appropriate Salesforce developer is critical. However, to make an informed decision, it is vital to evaluate the various employment engagement options available: Full-Time Salesforce Developers As the name suggests, they are regular employees and work for your organization just like any other full-time employee. Full-time employees are dedicated to your company, embrace its culture, and blend in. This provides them with the benefits of regular salary, paid time off, healthcare, insurance, and retirement benefits. Furthermore, depending on the requirements, they operate either in the office or remotely. They are always available to address urgent issues and contribute to ongoing system enhancements. When Should You Hire Full-Time Developers? This depends on your business needs and the individual's skill set and experience. Hiring full-time developers allows you to collaborate with them whenever necessary, and make any necessary project updates quickly. In-House Developers They are the ones who are already an integral part of the organization. They work on projects in the same way that full-time developers do, except that they work from your office and not remotely. They receive all of the benefits of a full-time developer. Hiring in-house developers improves team collaboration because they are available on-premise. When Should You Hire An In-House Developer? Hiring an in-house developer has several benefits. You can use their experience and expertise. You can connect with them anytime during office hours. You have full control over the team and the project. Remote Developers They typically work from home or another location other than the office. Depending on project needs, they can be hired as contractual, full-time, or part-time developers. When Should You Hire A Remote Developer? Free up the internal team's time and resources. Saves on hiring costs. When specific capabilities are unavailable locally. Part-Time Developers They are an excellent choice for firms with variable project demands or budget constraints. You can use their skills for certain tasks while optimizing resource allocation. They save both internal resources and the cost of employee benefits. When Should You Hire A Part-Time Developer? When you require a developer quickly for a short period. When you don't want to incur costs on employee benefits When you don’t want to block coworking space Contractual Developers Contractual developers (sometimes also referred to as project-based developers) are engaged to work on specific projects or tasks. They are given specific deliverables and, on occasion, a time limit. This technique allows firms to gain access to specialist abilities without making a long-term commitment. It is an effective way to scale up your team based on project requirements. They might work full-time or part-time, depending on your business needs. Furthermore, they are appropriate for meeting short-term demands or completing specific projects or tasks. When Should You Hire A Contractual Developer? If you have short-term project needs When you have clearly defined project objectives and schedules When you need additional skills for a project or task. Hourly Developers These developers are only compensated for the hours they work, making it an affordable choice for enterprises. They can be employed for brief periods of time and work on your tasks as needed without committing to a long-term contract. When Should You Hire Hourly-Based Developers? When you have projects with varying workloads. When you need to scale up or downsize your teams at short notice. The most suitable engagement is determined by your company's needs, project requirements, and budgetary constraints. Each option has its own advantages, allowing you to personalize your hiring strategy to meet your specific Salesforce development objectives. Skills Required for Salesforce Developers Look for developers with expertise in: Apex programming (including DML, batch processes, triggers, and test classes) Object-oriented programming (OOP) Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) Salesforce Object Search Language (SOSL) Lightning Web Components Lightning App Builder Salesforce DX Aura Framework Fuel API, REST, and SOAP APIs JavaScript, CSS, HTML Salesforce Flow Visualforce development Roles, profiles, sharing, and security configuration Salesforce data modeling Process Builder and Workflows Migration Tools Apex test case writing and execution Version control systems (Git) AMPscript (for Marketing Cloud integration) Salesforce Analytics Query Language (SAQL) SQL for Data Cloud Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Java, Scala Many Salesforce developers obtain Salesforce certifications to demonstrate their abilities. It is always a positive sign if a candidate has one. Consider looking for these credentials: JavaScript Developer 1 Certification Platform App Builder Certification Platform Developer 1 Certification Platform Developer 2 Certification While these are 4 primary areas of Salesforce expertise, you can also engage a Salesforce developer with certifications in other products. B2C Commerce Developer Skills in eCommerce development with expertise on the Salesforce B2C Commerce platform. Marketing Cloud Developer Skills in Marketing Cloud data modeling, data management, and automation. Industries CPQ Developer Expertise in CPQ (configure, price, quote) solutions for Communications, Media, and Energy & Utilities Cloud products. OmniStudio Developer Expertise in OmniStudio design, workflows, and dynamic UIs. In addition, a Salesforce developer's resume can also be scanned for assessing basic soft skills. For example, you can look at how applicants characterize their previous projects, accomplishments, and roles. Contributions to Salesforce communities and events may demonstrate effective teamwork and learning skills. Mentoring experience is important if you wish to hire a Salesforce developer as a Team Lead or Tech Lead. Thus, you can determine whether the developer is motivated to learn, possesses leadership abilities, and more. And lastly, when hiring Salesforce developers, make sure their language capabilities and time zone meet your team's requirements. Conclusion It is critical to remember that the success of your initiatives is greatly dependent on the kind of talent you bring to your team. Salesforce developers, with their knowledge in customer relationship management, have the potential to be the major driver of your company's success. So, take action immediately, use these techniques, and start building your crack Salesforce team with a trusted Salesforce implementation partner. Collaborating with a team of certified Salesforce consultants will propel your company forward while providing exceptional customer-client experiences.

Salesforce, the world’s leading CRM platform empowers businesses with tools and services to manage customer data, automate processes, streamline operations, and drive customer satisfaction. Salesforce consultants aren’t just experts at handling the software; they recognize that Salesforce is a great tool to improve business productivity and align themselves with customer goals, wants, and needs to unlock the true power of the platform.  In short, they empower teams to do what was earlier not thought to be possible. As a Salesforce Consulting Partner for over a decade, our experts have compiled a list of tips to guide the next crop of Salesforce consultants on their path to success. These tips are a result of over a 100-man years of Salesforce experience, countless hours spent with customer teams, and millions of lines of coding. Let’s dive right in. 1. Understand the ‘Why’ While there are certain skills that can be acquired such as data management, data analytics, and process automation, critical thinking is one area that can only be awakened from within. Critical thinking entails having a larger-than-life view of the business while having an in-depth view of the everyday activities of the organization. Many Salesforce consultants have a great technical background and are adept at turning requirements into recommendations and ideas. But what is truly required to be understood is the "Why". Why do they need it? What are their business goals and what is stopping them from achieving them? What are their people like? What are their pain points? What do they want in terms of work satisfaction? Finding answers to these fundamental questions will go a long way to advance your career in Salesforce consulting. You need to evolve from being a manager or business analyst to being a problem solver, and for that, you need to identify and understand the problem and all its constituents and dependencies to the last detail. 2. Adapt your communication strategy Salesforce consultants have to work closely with engineering teams, customer user groups, and senior leadership which may sometimes be spread across the globe. For you to be successful as a global Salesforce consultant, you need to adapt your communication depending on who you are interacting with. Understanding the audience, their vision, and the way they see the business and its horizon (both short-term and long-term) plays a vital role in the success of the projects you are working on. As an example, if you are interacting with engineering teams, you may want to interact in a way that they understand via a common language. As a representative of your organization (like a front office), you need to be aware of your unique communication style and how your interactions are received by others. As a thumb rule, communication strategy varies from who you are interacting with to the size of the group you are addressing. 3. Know Your Audience Whether you are presenting to a CXO at a Fortune 500 company or interacting with individual project members, knowing your audience is one of the key skills all Salesforce consultants need to have. When you are involved in multiple projects and have to interact with different audiences, whether it is for project updates or course corrections, an instinct is to use the same template for interaction. This approach rarely works as each individual user group has its own perspective and level of understanding. Recognize the value each stakeholder is seeking and develop a mindset to tailor your presentations to align with the audience. 4. Develop a self-help attitude One of the job responsibilities of a successful Salesforce consultant is to hire new consultants. And you can only attract talent as good as yourself. When recruiting new consultants, veterans of the game often look for leadership traits such as taking self-motivated initiatives. What homework did they do before they sought help from seniors? Demonstrating a self-help attitude would go a long way in cultivating strong leadership and problem-solving skills. 5. Always be willing to learn   Salesforce consultants, especially ones who are still young in their consulting journey, need to constantly upgrade themselves on products, processes, and frameworks, but more often than not they get no guidance or direction. Well, if you want to grow, you are on your own. It’s your mindset to self-direct your learning and find solutions to challenges that will take you on the path to growth. Having a keen learner’s mindset goes a long way in building a keenness to take on new challenges and learn to grow. 6. Pick an Area of Expertise While it’s great to be a jack of multiple trades (skills), it’s important to be very good at something. Whether it’s a certification in Sales Cloud or your early experience as a Salesforce administrator, it's important that you pick one area in which you are an expert. Expertise in a certain area builds client trust and establishes credibility. And once you pick an area you want to build further on, make sure you are up to date with the latest product innovations in that area and establish how you can help businesses leverage your expertise in these new innovations. 7. Know When to Say No Customers want the moon. Literally. If it was left to them, they would want to implement their entire roadmap for the next 10 years as of yesterday. Many times, consultants agree to customer requests while working on a project even when they know it is not in their best long-term interest, or it just cannot be done at this stage. While customer satisfaction is extremely important in your line of work, you also need aware of what is in the best interest of the customer and the project. Make your point politely yet firmly, with an irrefutable basis. You were hired because you are an expert in your field, and this is time to say it emphatically. While it's always tempting to say yes to every customer request, learn to say no when you have a reasonable basis for it. Draw on your past experience working with multiple customers on a variety of Salesforce projects. Offer alternative suggestions and help the customer see the larger picture. Your job as a Salesforce consultant is to be a partner with your customer, working towards a common goal and that job includes knowing when to say no. Conclusion Hiring a Salesforce consultant is an investment you make to achieve the heights that you envision for your business. Ready to unlock the true power of Salesforce? Team up with a Salesforce Implementation Partner who can guide you on the right path. 

Some Salesforce Consultants are successful in building a stable client base that they nurture and grow over time while others find it a rocky road and eventually hit a wall. Have you ever wondered what the difference is? Client relationships. Strong client relationships are the foundation for a successful Salesforce Consulting practice. Loyal customers are not only a joy to work with, but they also stay longer with you and are happy to refer new clients. How to build lasting client relationships? Below we have compiled a list of actionable ways to nurture and grow client relationships that will not only improve client satisfaction but also grow your business. Pay attention to detail and gather all information The foundation of a strong consultant-client relationship is laid before the client even signs up. Good consultants are aware they need as much information as possible about the prospect to come up with a proposal that stands out from the competition. And the key component of that proposal is how it aligns with the business’s goals and values and the personalities of the people you’ll be working with. This means collecting “objective” information like: Their products and services. The end-users and their profile. Top 3-4 competitors. Prioritized goals and associated challenges. Strategies that have not yielded desired results in the past. Tools, apps, and systems currently being used. Budget – long term and short term. Expectations from a new consultant It also includes “subjective” information such as: What is their definition of success? Future business plans such as new products or services. Mission and values they stand for. What is unique about them and how are they different from their competitors? Skills, experience, interests, and preferences of the team you’ll be working with. What are their pain points and wants from a new consultant? Absorb the information The intel you collected will be utilized not only in your bid document but will also be leveraged throughout the entire project execution lifecycle. Take the time to absorb and understand every point in depth so that it is made evident in everything you do. Go above and beyond with your proposal From the point of view of a project, your bid illustrates how you will go about achieving your client’s goals. From the point of view of a relationship, it’s an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of your client’s business and its people. To be successful, you need to seamlessly link what and why. What refers to activities included as a part of the project and why should link one of the "whats" to one of the business goals? Once you identify the why, establish the expected measurable outcome once the why is addressed. Include in your proposal how you will measure this outcome. This approach demonstrates your commitment to the client’s business and its people and shows that you care about the people impacted by your proposed offering. Have an onboarding process Once the client has signed up with you, there are bound to be regular interactions across the user group. A smooth onboarding process sets the benchmark for free and open communication and ensures smooth execution which is necessary for a long-term client relationship. Start with a kick-off meeting to ensure everyone is on the same page and well-versed with the goals and expectations of the project. Treat clients as partners Treating your clients as partners in success lays the foundation for a purposeful and fruitful engagement, where both your and your client’s points of view are respected, and each does their best to ensure success. At the end of the day, it’s a transactional relationship and a well-defined partnership ensures that each party delivers its end of the bargain. ​Be proactive Share fresh ideas and propose new strategies. Inform the concerned teams in advance about any disruptions that may be caused due to system changes or changes in requirements. Educate the teams and empower them to be proactive. A proactive approach based on transparent communication lays the foundation for a seamless execution and ensures success for all concerned. Be a good listener Clients can at times get reactive about results. While you may be doing a great job with your project, the results are not going through the roof. Instead of stone-walling the client’s perspective, use a more empathetic approach such as: “I see what you’re talking about. It’s a valid point. “ “We’re glad you brought this up.  Let us review this and allow us a week to report back to you.” Position yourself as a partner in the journey. Value everyone's point of view, evaluate objectively, and present your findings to build a long, trusting relationship. Establish a framework for communication Conduct scheduled meetings with relevant stakeholders and end them with clearly defined action items Set up weekly or fortnightly meetings to review progress and answer questions. Make the meetings more about listening than talking. This illustrates your intent to be accountable and helps build trust with the client. Leverage text messaging to build rapport and personal connections with team members and foster a more informal way of working. Share your concerns early This is particularly relevant when the business landscape is changing rapidly. Avoid saying yes to everything they want. Clients may have big plans and as a consultant, it's your job to double-check on everything they want for its viability, its efficacy, and impact on the overall project. Understand the challenges – both short-term and long-term, and communicate your concerns clearly. Establish quarterly business reviews Quarterly reviews with the senior leadership are a great way to build on relationships. Make these reviews focussed on high-level strategy, allowing the client to reflect on long-term goals. Review past strategies, what's worked and what hasn't, and pivot if need be. Quarterly reviews are also the apt time for a client to provide insight into the changing business landscape, and the shift in goals (if any), and to establish how these changes impact the scope and budget of the ongoing project. Strong client relationships are the backbone of a successful Salesforce Consulting practice. It lays the foundation for increased loyalty and referrals and makes the journey a joyful one.

One of the primary drivers of research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been to create AI systems that can build viable and powerful computer programs to tackle complex business challenges. Recent developments in this area especially the rapid strides made by Large Language Models (LLMs), have brought about this radical shift in thinking. LLMs were originally developed for comprehending natural language but now they have taken machine intelligence to another level. LLMs can now create code and text, setting a new bar for AI development. Until now, LLMs have been reasonably proficient in handling routine programming tasks. However, they often falter when confronted with complex programming challenges. One of the major stumbling blocks in their use for solving programming problems has been their tendency to generate code blocks as monolithic entities instead of breaking them down into granular, logic-based code blocks with specific functionality. Human developers on the other hand are easily able to create modular code when dealing with complex problems. They tap into their knowledge base of pre-existing modules to accelerate the development of solutions to new problems. Salesforce Research recently introduced CodeChain, a cutting-edge AI framework to bridge this gap. CodeChain leverages a series of self-revisions driven by sub-modules created in earlier iterations to streamline the process of creating modular code. At the core of CodeChain lies the methodology of enabling LLMs to approach problem-solving to create logical subtasks and reusable sub-modules. There are two iterative phases in the sequence of self-revisions in CodeChain. Sub-Module Extraction and Clustering: In this phase, sub-modules are identified by analyzing the code generated by the LLM. Next, these sub-modules are organized into clusters. From each cluster, representative sub-modules are selected which are identified to be more widely applicable and reusable. Prompt Enhancement and Re-Generation: The initial chain-of-thought prompt is further improved and regenerated by integrating the selected representative modules from the previous phase. Next, the LLM is asked to produce new modular code solutions once again. This way, the LLM can leverage the information and understanding from earlier iterations to enhance them further. CodeChain has already been shown to have a significant impact on code generation. Salesforce has indicated that by asking the LLM to enhance and reuse pre-existing sub-modules, the modularity and accuracy of generated solutions are greatly improved. Comprehensive studies have been conducted to investigate deeper into the factors that contribute to CodeChain’s success. These investigations look at aspects like prompting technique, LLM model size, and code quality. The insights from these studies reveal why CodeChain excels in improving the quality and modularity of code generated by LLMs, making it a potential game-changer for AI-powered code generation. CodeChain leverages chain-of-thought prompting to generate modular blocks of code which drives natural selection of the LLM to select parts of the generated solution for reuse and refinement. CodeChain’s release by Salesforce AI marks a key milestone in AI-powered code generation. Its ability to boost modularity and accuracy, along with significant improvements in pass rates indicates a giant leap forward. This disruptive framework is poised to transform the programming landscape, empowering businesses to quickly build and deploy effective solutions. Introducing CodeGen: Turning Prompts Into Code The Salesforce Research team recently announced the launch of CodeGen – a new LLM that leverages conversational AI to generate accurate and modular code.   With CodeGen from Salesforce, both programmers and business users can use natural language prompts to define what they want the code to do such as build an app that throws up the last customer interaction. The LLM translates those prompts into code, effectively creating an app using just written instructions. With CodeGen’s conversational AI capabilities, business and technology teams can eliminate the time and resource-intensive process of building apps from scratch. CodeGen empowers programmers to build apps quickly without much coding, freeing up more time for complex tasks that necessitate a human touch. The CodeGen Solution In simple terms – with CodeGen, all you need to do is describe what you want your code to do in natural language and the machine will write executable code for you. This is the next generational promise of conversational AI programming from CodeGen. It makes coding as easy as talking. Here’s an example to illustrate the power of CodeGen. When you want to eat a certain dish for dinner, you need to know all the ingredients required to make the dish want and then you have to cook it yourself. You need to know the serving size, the proportion of each ingredient, and the steps to follow. Now, let’s say you go to a restaurant powered by CodeGen. You just tell the server what dish you want, and they prepare it and serve it to you. Just describe the dish you want in a short sentence, and it will be served to you without any involvement from you in its creation. You don’t need to specify any ingredients or explain the steps involved in cooking it or provide any other associated instructions. You don’t even need any knowledge of any culinary terms either. The restaurant kitchen behaves like an intelligent entity, converting your plain sentence into a sequence of steps that takes all the ingredients, in the most appropriate proportion and creates the outcome (in your case the dish you asked for). Now imagine, instead of a meal you are “ordering” an app that can perform certain functions. That’s the basic idea behind CodeGen. Salesforce’s implementation of conversational AI programming highlights its commitment to an inclusive approach to software programming to bring it to the masses. AI translates natural language descriptions into fully functional and executable code empowering anyone to build apps even if one has no prior knowledge of programming. According to Salesforce, CodeGen, their LLM which powers conversational AI programming will soon be available as open source to accelerate research. The launch of CodeChain from Salesforce AI is a landmark event for innovators around the globe. With its ability to improve code modularity and accuracy, it can empower IT teams to dramatically accelerate problem-solving.  This disruptive framework is poised to transform the way we approach and solve business problems. To learn more about AI-powered code generation, contact Girikon, a Gold Salesforce Consulting Partner today.

There has been a gradual shift in the way customers interact with businesses, over the past few years. For ensuring long-term customer-relationships, organizations should focus on compassion, convenience, personalization, and digital transformation. So, how are organizations delivering seamless experience to users? They are doing so by strategically and systematically planning digital transformation on the right platform and Salesforce Lightning provides the right platform to develop applications quickly. It makes sense to get in touch with a service provider that offers reliable Salesforce Consulting Services What is Salesforce Lightning? Salesforce Lightning platform is a cutting-edge platform that empowers users to enhance their CRM platform and user experience (UX) in an improved manner. The user interface of the Lightning platform was unveiled by Salesforce in the year 2015 and has since then evolved into the standard interface for all Salesforce enterprises. Thanks to its distinguishing design, productivity tools, and integrated artificial intelligence features, Lightning streamlines business operations and help businesses attain their objectives. Businesses can create personalized and adaptable applications using the Lightning Component-based framework, all the while providing immersive user experiences through Lightning components. Why is Salesforce Lightning Preferred Over Salesforce Classic? While Salesforce Classic provides numerous CRM features, end users are increasingly seeking a streamlined user-centric design with fewer clicks and modern functionalities like drag and drop. By identifying this demand, Salesforce has introduced Lightning Experience, the next iteration of the Salesforce user interface designed to augment speed and productivity. With the 'mobile first' approach gaining prominence, there is a pressing need for responsive user interfaces and single-page applications. Lightning offers a set of tools and technologies that provide a fresh and contemporary user experience appropriate for both desktop and mobile applications. How is Salesforce Lightning Re-defining User Experience? Salesforce devised a user-friendly and intelligent platform that boosted the productivity of sales teams seamlessly while facilitating greater and quicker deal closures. The look and feel of Salesforce Lightning incorporate user interface improvements like readable text, graphics and icons resulting in a more lucid view of the business. Moreover, the application offers upgraded dashboards that enhance the visibility of critical metrics for specific business units, enabling a holistic overview for all teams and customers. The Lightning Platform offers an enhanced user experience through the incorporation of drag-and-drop functionality along with heightened security settings for Salesforce implementations. Lightning serves as an intelligent tool that adapts to existing organizational habits and patterns, providing smart recommendations as and when utilized. It streamlines the access to Contacts, Quotes, and Proposals for sales professionals thereby reducing the need for excessive clicks and external work, which ultimately enhances the efficiency of sales teams. Why Should Businesses Prefer Migrating to Salesforce Lightning? Businesses that have migrated to Salesforce Lightning Experience are likely to be more productive than those working in Salesforce Classic. The Salesforce Lightning allows businesses to close deals faster with enhanced rate of collaboration and conversion. For better end-user experience, the Lightning platform offers robust functionality. Lightning provides high-end security to users.  It provides user-friendly interface that allows you to create responsive applications. With Lightning, businesses can offer superior customer services, improved personalization and increased rate of conversion.  The databases are updated automatically to provide you with intelligent insights with the help of Einstein Analytics. What are the Significant Benefits of Using Salesforce Lightning for Your Business? Salesforce Lightning can assist businesses with several benefits including increase in their productivity, seamless operations, and work on modern interfaces. Some of the benefits offered by Salesforce Lightning include:  Sales Automation: Achieving cent percent efficiency in converting leads into sales is nearly impossible. Therefore, organizations are creating different strategies to boost their conversion rates, although the outcomes may not always fulfill their expectations. Salesforce Lightning with its latest features aims to automate the sales process. Enhanced User-experience: Salesforce offers a modern and intuitive interface for the Lightning framework. Though, the changes are difficult to observe with the naked eye, the overall experience is seamless. The interface is customizable and is designed to increase productivity. Quick Development of Apps: Creating and building applications has never been easy than it is today. Due to the component-based nature of Salesforce, businesses can seamlessly incorporate pre-made components from Salesforce partners and incorporate them into your application. The most delightful aspect is that you can effortlessly employ these components by simply dragging and dropping them. Quality Leads: Ample amount of time is left post your application development and optimization of your sales process. The time left can be allocated to Einstein AI Technology, which helps in understanding the specific needs and objectives while monitoring possible leads. Its tracking capabilities include comprehensive data on all potential leads about their sales preferences, performance, and interactions. Einstein uses this data to filter the leads before you approach them in-person. This ensures that organizations will receive high-quality leads which are most likely to turn into sales. Data Privacy: Data privacy remains the pinnacle feature of any framework. You would not appreciate breaching the policies and sneaking into your business information. With the new updates in Lightning, CRM has focused on privacy. The individual components that are a part of the Salesforce Lightning framework cannot interact with each other. This eliminates the likelihood of malicious activities while providing a fresh interface for the users. Quick Wrap-up: Salesforce Lightning is one of the best available CRM solutions for building customized applications. With Lightning, organizations can augment the competence of sales and marketing teams while increasing overall ROI. If you want to migrate from Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning or simply implement Salesforce Lightning, you must get in touch with a reputed Salesforce Lightning Company