9 Ways to Collaborate Better with Your Salesforce Partner

At a recent conference, one of our team members struck up a conversation by introducing herself as an implementation partner and was met with “the look.” You’ve probably seen it before, or worn it yourself. It was the look of a Salesforce user who has experienced some (dare I say it?) implementation trauma. The slightly glazed-over, slightly overwhelmed, and honestly, slightly terrified expression of someone deep in a tech implementation—juggling decisions, managing feedback, and trying to translate technical jargon into meaningful outcomes for their team. 

Upon seeing that look, we can’t help but say, “You don’t need to be scared of us.” But we get it. Salesforce implementations can be complex, even with a great Salesforce partner by your side. The process can quickly become confusing or frustrating and feel like an uphill battle if communication isn’t clear and expectations aren’t aligned. 

But here’s the good news: “the look” doesn’t have to be part of the journey. 

Whether you’re just getting started with Salesforce or ready for the next project on the roadmap, the relationship between your organization and its implementation partner can absolutely be a positive one. The key is great communication and a positive relationship outlook. 

There’s a reason that Salesforce partners are called partners. We walk side by side toward a solution where your success is our success. Maintaining that partnership through the ups and downs of project phases can get muddy, so we’ve put together nine ways to build the kind of collaboration that leads to smoother implementations, better results for your team, and a relationship that you can trust.

Be candid, especially when you’re confused.

Technical jargon is par for the course in most implementations—and Salesforce brings its own vocabulary to the mix. Terms like objects, records, flows, API Calls, Apex triggers, and Lightning components can leave people nodding along while silently wondering, “What did they just say?” You should never feel like you need to fake it when something doesn’t make sense. Speak up. If you’re confused, odds are someone else on your team is too. 

A good implementation partner will appreciate your honesty - We want to give you a solution that fits your needs, so making sure you understand it is key (and it might even shed light on your processes that we don’t fully understand yet). Ask the question and you’ll be the hero.

Check your ego at the login screen (and we will too).

Implementations work best when everyone around the table admits they don’t know everything. We all have blind spots. Your team knows its internal processes inside and out, but probably isn’t sure how they’ll translate into Salesforce. We’ve worked with dozens of organizations like yours, but still need your unique insights to get the important details right. That means we’re all learning new things together - Success starts when both sides show up ready to collaborate and learn. 

Raise concerns early, even small ones.

If something doesn’t feel quite right, say it now. Misalignments, bottlenecks, and misunderstandings get more difficult and expensive to fix as a project advances. We’d much rather hear your concerns up front—even if you’re not sure they’re a big deal—than backtrack later down the road. Here are a few ways to approach the conversation:

• “I might be missing something here, but…” 
• “This part doesn’t feel quite right for how our team works. Can we revisit it?”
• “From our side, we’re seeing a potential issue with…”
• “I have a question about how this will actually work in practice.”
• “I want to make sure we’re not missing a detail that could become a bigger issue.”

Pick a point person (or two).

Who doesn’t love a well-organized team? Appointing one or two main contacts to funnel questions, feedback, and approvals through can keep the project moving efficiently and reduce miscommunication. This will naturally lead to a few key contacts that simultaneously inform the rest of the team - leading to seamless change management - and an internal resource who can help weave together a holistic view of your implementation well after you go live. Bonus points if you also identify an executive sponsor to champion the project, allocate resources, and help navigate internal change management challenges.

Bring the right people to the table.

This one is a balance. The biggest implementation headaches often come from leaving key voices out of the conversation or not involving them early enough. However, too many opinions weighing in on decisions can be a bottleneck. Be sure you have decision-makers in the conversation, but adding a few day-to-day users into the room can also help ground the tasks at hand. This mix helps the solution fit your strategic goals, but also ensures it works in real life. Subject matter experts are great for surfacing practical issues early while executive sponsors and project leads keep the vision top of mind.

Don’t hold back on the details.

Too much information is rarely a problem, too little always is. Tell us everything you think might be relevant, even if you’re not sure it fits within the current project scope. It helps us anticipate future needs, avoid rework, and build a system that grows with you. If it turns out to be more than we need right now, no problem. We’ll help you sort through what’s most relevant for this phase and what can be set aside for later.

Match the pace to your team’s needs.

Not every organization is full of Salesforce power users. That’s okay. One of the best things you can do is let your implementation partner know where your team stands. Fast learners? Great - we’ll make sure you’re not getting antsy. Need to move a little slower to bring everyone along? Perfectly fine. We tailor our approach to your people because working at the wrong speed leads to frustration, low adoption, and missed opportunities.

Keep everyone in the loop.

The people directly involved with the implementation aren’t the only ones affected by it. Ensure project updates, decisions, and changes make their way back to the broader team and that feedback flows both ways. Communicating “the why” behind the project is just as important as the changes themselves. It builds trust, reduces resistance, and strengthens internal alignment. Keep a spotlight on the project’s value and don’t let teammates feel left in the dark. 

Stay positive. Seriously.

Implementations can feel overwhelming, but a little optimism goes a long way. Treat this as a long-term relationship, not a one-off project. We’re in it with you, and we want it to succeed as much as you do. Like any project, there will be difficult conversations along the way, but there are also so many good conversations that will happen on the other side of those. Let’s focus on progress, celebrate small wins, and keep reminding ourselves that this hard work is leading to something meaningful.

The Right Communication Starts with the Right Partner

At Galvin, we don’t just talk the talk—we deliver. We’re proud to be a Salesforce Summit Partner, the highest tier achieved by fewer than 10% of partners worldwide. With more than 20 years in business and over 117 Salesforce certifications across our team, we bring deep expertise, platform knowledge, and genuine dedication to your success. 

We know firsthand how the right communication transforms complicated implementations into confident ones. So, if you’re ready for a project implementation that has your team looking ahead—not looking overwhelmed—we’re here to help.

WANT TO TALK WITH OUR CONSULTING TEAM?

We’d love to work with you on your Salesforce needs. Our team of certified Consultants can work closely with your team to close more deals. Call us at 317-297-2910 or complete the form below.