You have bought the Salesforce CRM for your organization. Now you have to leverage the platform for maximum benefit. In order to do that you have to have an inhouse Salesforce consultant or hire the services of an external Salesforce Consultant. We look at the desired qualities of a Salesforce Consultant.

Should be certified
You should be sure that the Salesforce consultant is competent. Otherwise it can lead to costly mistakes or unsatisfied requirements. Asking for certification is absolutely necessary. Also check the validity of the certification.

Should be capable
Have a list of questions ready beforehand to ask the potential consultant. Ask for references and conduct background check. You should entrust your work to a trusted and reliable source.

Excellent communication skills
The consultant will be required to interact with clients as well as staff from different departments. He should be clear in his oral and verbal communication. Ideally, he should possess above average inter-personal skills and should be a team player. The consultant should know how to lead a team, have every one on board as well as be able to motivate team members to do their very best.

Updated with technology
You don’t want redundant skills. The ideal candidate should have knowledge and expertise in the latest technology as well as releases.

Domain expertise
Your company may have a niche domain such as finance, retail or healthcare. Hire a consultant who has prior experience as well as expertise in your organization’s particular domain. This way he shall be aware of potential future problems as well as fixes for any issues that arise in the implementation of Salesforce in your organization.

Ability to comprehend the organization needs
The consultant should be able to understand the structure and activities of the entire organization. He should be able to anticipate and meet the various organizational needs. Only then he will be able to successfully implement Salesforce for your organization as well as harness the full power of the Salesforce platform.

Ask relevant questions- These are as follows:

-Do they have experience in leading any project?
-Have they any experience in making presentations to clients?
-Do they have experience in research and development?
-How many departments they have interacted for previous projects?
-Have they handled similar projects before?

Brainstorm with your colleagues and HR department to come up with a list of important questions from the potential consultant. This way you will be able to evaluate the capability, experience and quality of the candidate.

There are many Salesforce consultants in the market. But finding the right one is necessary. Keep in mind your organization’s long-term goals as well as present needs and don’t be in a hurry to hire a suitable Salesforce consultant. Remember that patience fetches good rewards.