How Salesforce Super Users Influence Organizational Adoption

Your organization is preparing to implement Salesforce. Who are the most important people to have on board?  Salesforce Super Users!

While the CEO or CIO are key for signing off on a project and supplying resources, they likely aren’t the ones who will ensure its success. The technical team is also important but has limited influence beyond set up. The right answer is super users. These are the people who champion change, have influence to help others embrace Salesforce, and are dedicated to making the project a success. 

Organizations often overlook the impact of super users on a project. With the right super users on board, change management is less challenging and adopting a new technology much less tough. They are the unsung heroes of any Salesforce implementation.

What Is a Salesforce Super User?

Salesforce super users are people within an organization that serve an active role in process mapping, requirements definition, testing, training, and offering feedback on your project. They do some heavy lifting when it comes to raising issues, asking questions, and vetting solutions. 

Perhaps most important is a super user’s ability to influence others and help colleagues buy into the transformation. They do this by talking about the project’s benefits, teaching peers, and answering questions as they arise. Consider super users change agents or project ambassadors. They play an integral role in ensuring Salesforce functions properly while also getting other people on board.

What Makes a Good Super User?

Finding the right super user is, well, super important. These champions of change will support your organization in adapting to Salesforce, so finding the best people makes a big difference. 

Create a team of super users with these traits:

• Functional Experts – Super users understand the overall business and are experts in their current work area. This allows them to proactively identify pain points, provide insight into various departmental needs, and help with creating innovative solutions.
• Respect and Influence – The right super users have earned the trust of their peers and have credibility throughout the organization. Super users must sometimes act as influencers. Therefore, they need to be a respected individual capable of inspiring others to try something new.
• Forward-Thinking – You’ve picked the wrong super user if they are married to old processes and mindsets. “We’ve always done it this way” is a red flag. Great super users are open to evaluating new processes and thinking about future ways to improve the way teams work.
• Coaches – Super users must have a knack for teaching and mentoring their peers. In addition to training, they play a key role in communication efforts, explaining new concepts, addressing the “what’s in it for me,” and providing basic user support. Think of super users as the first line of defense in stopping problems from derailing implementations.
• Emotionally Intelligent – Helping people navigate change requires empathy. Super users offer emotional support as teammates navigate the transformation process. They are tuned into the mood of the department and can quickly mitigate resistance to change. Super users embrace the feelings and fears of those around them and use those emotions to strengthen the project and communicate gaps that will affect adoption.

When Is the Right Time to Engage  Salesforce Super Users?

Engage super users right before the project kicks off. The first step is validating the Salesforce implementation business requirements with them. They are the ones using the system and will have unique insights to ensure the project aligns with the needs of the business and platform users. 

With the business case refined, Salesforce super users should be involved in every step of the project after kickoff. This includes documenting team processes, fielding questions from developers, testing solutions, and offering feedback. Provide them with sneak peeks and early opportunities to train on the new technology. After the launch of your new Salesforce CRM, super users will become excellent resources for onboarding other employees. 

A super user’s role does not end with implementation. They are key to closing the feedback loop. Keep super users engaged well beyond a project’s launch to vet future enhancements. Actively seek their feedback and encourage them to collect input from others. With their help, continuously improving the system becomes standard.

Why Does Galvin Love Super Users?

At Galvin Technologies, we want your Salesforce implementation to be a success. Our team of consultants, developers, and administrators covers your Salesforce project from A to Z. That includes partnering with super users to make sure every process, functional element, and project deliverable works exactly as defined. We welcome their feedback and consider them integral members of the project team. 

Interested in implementing Salesforce? Let’s discuss your organization’s needs and how Galvin can transform those ideas into reality—with a little help from a few super users.

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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.