There is a misnomer based on old ways of doing business. Before we start, we had to have everything accounted for and figured out. We spent much time in planning. Of course the work was 2-dimensional at one time and we could move linearly and deliberately through planning before execution.
In a connected world, there are too many factors continually changing. Having a perfect understanding of how your business processes should run is made by discovery and implementation. Thus, it is a poor strategy to custom code a system to enable business processes unless you have perfect requirements. For changes take time and are costly. You can easily paint yourself into a corner based on suppositions which change from many factors in your business.
Salesforce.com allows for iteration. You can implement and tweak as you learn more about factors such as:
- How your team adopts your system
- What fields are unnecessary or create more friction than benefit
- What the customer experience requires for success
- What metrics are important
In the new economy, customizing with an agile system is the best strategy for managing change and speed. The ability to change quickly rather than define perfectly allows you to flex on what you think may work, but needs to be tested. Of the three types of systems:
- A system which works one way for everyone
- A system that is custom developed for your way
- A system that can be changed continuously
You tend to outgrow Number 1. Number 2 restricts you and takes lots of time and money. Number 3 affords you greater opportunity for success in your business as you grow.
Want to learn how these strategies can work? Connect with me for Salesforce consulting to understand how.
