When to implement a CSP? (Merging CRM/Salesforce instances)

User: "Grant Jones"
Grant Jones
Contributor
Scenario:  Three companies have merged into one newly branded company.  They need to merge their instances of Salesforce or start from scratch (this is currently being worked on with a hired consulting firm to figure out best path forward).  At the same time, this newly formed company knows they need a customer success platform ASAP.  

Question:  Should they implement the CSP first, simultaneously or after the CRM project is completed?

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    User: "Tyee Dugan"
    Tyee Dugan
    Seeker
    Hi Grant,
    This is an interesting scenario indeed!  Taking the immediate focus off the the systems CRM/CSP, if you haven’t already done this, it would be the perfect time to discuss the goals and process for sales and customer success, the various people involved end to end, touch points in the journey and expected outcomes. 

    The merging of 3 companies likely means 3 different processes refined down to a single one if that's how the business is intending to operate.  Taking one example of setting up CRM; in order to set up opportunity stages in SFDC, you must actually have an agreed upon sales strategy, process before defining the opportunity stages in SFDC and what's expected at each stage.  Likewise, these 3 companies probably had 3 different customer journeys so you’ll probably need to distill 3 into 1 for customer success as well.  

    My recommendation would be to focus your energy on the actual goals, strategy and process before representing the business strategy and rules via the software whether that is a CRM or CSP.  But to answer your question more directly, I would think about both the CRM and CSP at the same time, but in advance of this make sure to have an agreed upon strategy and business process of the new entity.  If the CRM work has already started, you're likely already discussing the process, people, customers, data workflow...etc, so it's a good starting point.  I don't see the need to wait until the CRM is done in order to start the work on the CSP, since it seems that you've already validated the need for one and justified the budget.  Eventually the systems will have to talk to one another.  One significant thing to consider is you will need people to implement SFDC and whichever CSP you select, as well as the people to be available to help you understand their business process.  Your decision could also be impacted by timeline, bandwidth, as well as knowledge/expertise for both the company involved and whoever is doing the set up for the CRM/CSP.  Good luck and keep us posted on how this goes!
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