One of the biggest advantages of working with a Salesforce partner is that you benefit from their collective experience on previous customer projects just like yours. Before you commit to a partner, it’s important to understand their organization’s approach to implementation and what it might be like to work with them. To set yourself up for collective success, be sure to consider and discuss the following: Set a clear strategy and defining goals Too many transformation initiatives fail because the people implementing the technology didn’t truly understand the business’ current operating state and long-term goals. They dive right into upgrading technology and then fail to deliver the desired impact. Setting a strategy and defining your goals right from the start will make sure everyone’s working toward the same result. Align cross-functional teams early on A digital transformation plan is only as strong as the perspectives brought in to create it. Getting buy-in from every team is critically important, as each is motivated by their own goals and perspectives. Internal alignment is key, and you want to work with a partner who is committed to making sure your solution works for everyone who will be using the new technology. Focus on the people just as much as the technology You don’t just need to implement a new system, you need to prepare your organization for a major shift in the way business is done. It’s critically important to find a partner who treats technological transformation as human transformation and plans accordingly. Five questions to ask a potential partner: Do your organization’s goals for this project closely align with mine? What’s your process for gathering requirements and developing a project plan? Can you tell me about a project you’ve done that’s similar? What went well? What did you learn? What is your organization’s communication style? Will your people be willing to push back if necessary? How will you approach the change management piece of our engagement? 19