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Before entering the nebulous world of ‘consulting,’ I assumed there certainly must be a formula that makes a good Salesforce Consultant. Within my 5 months at Solving IT, I quickly learned no success rubric exists. While a black and white approach is necessary for certain tasks (i.e. following steps to complete a Sales Cloud standup, writing client test scripts, etc.), what propels a consultant to the next level is something else. Left with no formula, Salesforce Consultants must create their own success metrics to be successful. Through A+ effort and trial and error, it takes a lot of hard work (and occasional stumbling) for consultants to enhance their craft.
Through observation and practice, I’ve learned that what makes an even better consultant is simply being oneself. While over time anyone can pick up the technical know-how, it is authenticity and hard work on the part of the consultant that provides clients with a trustworthy experience. By being genuine and transparent with a client, you establish client trust and build a partnership which extends beyond the Process Builders and Opportunity Record Types.
A skill I’ve added to my consultant ‘formula’ is great listening. This was something I learned from my manager after struggling to create questions to gather requirements for a Service Cloud Enhancement project. Going into the project, I had the mindset of ‘I know what they need,’ when I should have been thinking “What does the client’s business need to be successful.” By thinking from the client’s perspective, it was much easier to envision how Salesforce can be tailored to their business process.
As of now, my personal rubric to be a successful Salesforce Consultant consists of hard work, trial and error, authenticity and listening skills. As the stumbling and growth continues, I know this list will expand as I continue to grow as a Salesforce Consultant.
WRITTEN BY ROBERTA LANZINO
