Companies need experts.

Having someone with the right knowledge and skills saves time and energy. There is no doubt about the importance of having an experienced professional on board when it comes to Salesforce implementation.

But what kind?

When it comes to Salesforce, you will hear the names of two types of professionals: Salesforce Consultants and Salesforce Administrators.

What is a Salesforce Consultant?

Salesforce consultant is the one who implements and optimizes Salesforce for an organization.

Their job is to understand the unique needs of businesses. By doing that, they guide their clients regarding the right Salesforce licenses and features.

Salesforce consultants can be an individual or an agency. They are hired for a one-time project. The nature of the project can be short-term or long-term.

What is a Salesforce Administrator?

A Salesforce Administrator is someone very skilled in Salesforce.

An administrator’s task is to customize Salesforce, manage users, provide data security, and give assistance regularly. That is why this role requires an in-depth understanding of the Salesforce CRM. 

The Salesforce Administrator’s job is ongoing. He has to battle uncertainty, manage changes, and work with integrations and customizations.

Difference Between a Salesforce Consultant and a Salesforce Administrator

Following are the key differences between a Salesforce Consultant and Salesforce Administrator:

- Nature of Contract

A consultant is hired on a contractual basis, whereas the services of a Salesforce administrator are required on an ongoing basis.

- Task

The task of a consultant is to implement the Salesforce CRM solution for a particular business, whereas the task of an administrator is to manage the day-to-day management and upkeep of a Salesforce system.

- Skills

A Salesforce consultant should be skilled in Salesforce implementation. They should also be good at communication so that they can interact with the clients and provide them with guidance.

An administrator should know the organizational structure. They should also be experienced in the following:

· Managing users

· Creating workflows

· Data management and security

· Training new users

- Change and Uncertainty

Salesforce Consultants follow the roadmap of the Salesforce implementation project. Their job is laid out for them with little room for change.

Salesforce Administrators must have the ability to adapt to change. This is because many things happen while Salesforce is in use, for example, an organization might add a new department or create a new workflow.

Which one should you hire?

This depends on your needs and requirements.

Following are some of the questions you should consider.

1. Does your organization already use Salesforce CRM?

2. Do you need to migrate from another CRM to Salesforce?

3. Are you looking for a drastic change in your Salesforce CRM?

4. Do you want someone to handle the day-to-day tasks of CRM management?

5. Does your organization have a dedicated manager for your CRM?

If you need to migrate from your existing CRM to Salesforce or add another cloud to your existing Salesforce architecture, you will need the services of a consultant.

If you want someone to manage your Salesforce CRM, day in and day out including customization integrations, data security, and user management, then you should hire a Salesforce Administrator.

Conclusion

Just like every industry, Salesforce has its experts. Two of the main ones are Salesforce Consultants and Salesforce Administrators. By looking at what you want to achieve about your Salesforce CRM, you can hire the right one.