I am often asked this question: "Do we really need a Salesforce Administrator?"
The answer is YES. An emphatic YES.
It does not matter is they are employed, contracted or a volunteer, what is important is that they have the right credentials and that you double check this.
I wrote this blog about how you can check Salesforce Talent. Whether you are engaging the services of consultants or volunteers, or hiring someone into your team you must confirm their skills.
Their key responsibilities of a Salesforce Administrator are to:
- Maintain users, profiles and permissions
- Configure your salesforce org
- Keep everything up to date
- Train users and shepherd adoption
- Make sure your data is clean and complete
- Support reporting and analytics
But what is even more important is the role of EXECUTIVE SPONSOR.
This person is a member of YOUR team and their key responsibilities are to:
- Champion the implementation
- Manage communication
- Provide leadership
There is no point engaging a qualified Salesforce Administrator if there is no one to lead and guide them.
The best way you can do this is to be well informed yourself. You need to make a commitment to learning enough about Salesforce to understand what is possible.
Leadership plays an enormous social role in accelerating success, while its absence will hinder it.
If you are not using Salesforce every day to encourage, model, and support the development of new ways of working, how can you expect your team to follow you?
Who likes a boss who does not care about what their team does?
So what are you waiting for....???
This is a link to blog I wrote with step-by-step instructions to getting started on leaning on Trailhead - the fun and easy way to learn Salesforce.
Download the Trailhead Go app to your mobile phone and learn from anywhere. You might like to follow my Blaze Your Trail - Introduction to NPSP Trailmix.
Ultimately the Salesforce Administrator will assure your long-term success and ensure that you are making the most of the many new features that are released three times a year.
Here is some further reading and resources
- Nonprofit Success Pack Administration Basics
- Sample Job Description: Nonprofit Salesforce Administrator
- Salesforce Nonprofit Readiness Survey
- Essential Habits for New Admins