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5 Myths about Salesforce

Posted on January 12, 2017 by John McKenzie

As Salesforce partners, Prolocity is always looking for ways to enhance customer experience. This week, Prolocity is debunking 5 myths about Salesforce.

Myth 1: Salesforce is only for tracking Sales

It’s no secret that Salesforce started as a Customer Relationship Manager for Sales staff. However, since its inception in 1999, Salesforce has evolved to a comprehensive platform that can manage any aspect of a business.

Myth 2: Salesforce can’t support the needs of my industry

A common misconception is that Salesforce is only good for Sales or Service Industries. However, this simply isn’t the case. Salesforce has expanded offerings to include focused industries such as: Financial Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Retail, Manufacturing, Communications, Media, Government, Automotive, Higher Education, and Nonprofit.

Myth 3: My business process is too unique for Salesforce

Its an understatement to say that no two businesses are ran the exact same way. Salesforce recognized the need for an adaptability early on and created a completely customizable platform. Taking it a step further, Salesforce created the AppExchange which lets you search for apps to further customize the platform to your needs.

Myth 4: You have to know a lot about technology to use Salesforce

When Salesforce started, one of the main goals was to let customers/users be able to edit their system. They recognized the skill needed to run most business software and decided to create something new. What used to take years to learn can now be learned in months.

Myth 5: It will require a lot of money to get started using Salesforce

Unlike other products, Salesforce targets all business sizes and is made to be scalable. They have several editions of the platform that start at only $25.00/per user/per month.

Prolocity’s cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, implementation, training, and optimization services to ensure that businesses are getting the most out of the technology. Their solutions leverage the world’s #1 cloud platform, Salesforce, to deliver best-in-class solutions and accelerate success! Prolocity Cloud Solutions serves the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati area locally and also provides Salesforce implementation and Salesforce training services nationally through the use of cloud technology.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

During the Season of Giving, Give Back with Pledge 1%

Posted on December 15, 2016 by John McKenzie

As Salesforce partners, Prolocity is always looking for ways to enhance the customer experience. This week, Prolocity is focusing on Pledge 1%. Pledge 1% is a movement encouraging companies to cultivate a culture of giving back. Several companies have already taken the pledge such as Salesforce and SPCA. Pledge 1% asks companies to donate 1% of equity, product, and/or time.

1% Equity

One of the ways you can donate through Pledge 1% is by pledging 1% of equity. Pledge 1% encourages companies to donate equity to any organization of their choosing. They make it as easy as filling out an allocation form that allows Pledge 1% to pass along 100% of the cash value of the equity or profit allocated to the nonprofit chosen. The allocation It can be changed at any time and Pledge 1% will provide ideas of nonprofits in your community. To provide an example, Salesforce uses 1% of founding stock to offer grants focused on technology innovation in nonprofits and development programs.

1% Product

Another way you can give back through Pledge 1% is by pledging 1% of product. Whether this means a physical product or service your company provides, the idea is to provide the product for free or at a deeply discounted rate to nonprofits. There are a multitude of ways that products can be donated. For example, Salesforce facilitates the donation of up to 10 licenses per company through their foundation to nonprofit organizations. This means that 10 users can use Salesforce for free, no strings attached. A simple application is all that is needed to get started in the program.

1% Time

The last way you can donate through Pledge 1% is by pledging 1% of time. By implementing and promoting a Volunteer Time Off (VTO) policy at your company, you can encourage employees to donate time giving back to the community. Several companies use a blended approach of offering both corporate and non-corporate volunteer days. This helps foster a giving culture by allowing employees to donate corporate time to support a cause they are passionate about. Some companies even offer programs that match employee volunteer efforts with corporate dollars. As an example, Salesforce employees are awarded 6 paid days of volunteer time to use over the course of a year.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Survive the Holidays Even with a Full Plate at Work

Posted on November 11, 2016 by John McKenzie

As Salesforce partners, Prolocity is always looking for ways to enhance customer experience. This week, Prolocity is focusing on how to survive the holidays with a full plate of work. By using one or more of the featured apps below, you can proactively get things done and work smarter, not harder.

With the holidays quickly approaching, you may be stressing about getting things done. It seems that everyone has the same mentality this time of year, to get as much done as possible before the holidays hit. Before the requests come pouring in and your inbox is swamped, utilize these practices to survive the holidays even with a full plate.

Keep Up with Social Media

It’s no secret that social media drives business and is a necessary part of the average company. However, it is usually one of the first things to get neglected when work piles on. If there was a way to keep up with social media without logging in Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on a daily basis, it would be a lifesaver. Luckily, such a way exists with social media management tools such as Salesforce Pardot and Buffer. Both Salesforce Pardot and Buffer allow you to plan posts in advance by linking to your social media pages. Once posts are planned, these social media management tools post on your behalf without having to login. Not only does this save time, but it is an easier way to keep up with social media.

Stay on top of Marketing Campaigns

Most businesses rely heavily on marketing to drive new deals and keep customers up-to-date with promotions and updates. Since marketing requires planning and expertise to “hit the mark,” it would be beneficial if campaigns and promotions could be planned in advance to reduce anxiety when things get busy. Fortunately, both Salesforce Pardot and MailChimp can remedy this problem. Both applications allow you to create contact lists that will receive custom emails from your company. Like the social media management applications, they can also be created as far in advance as needed. By completing more detail-oriented work ahead of time, you can stay on top of the marketing campaigns.

Avoid Communication Missteps

If you have ever had an important email not get the attention it needs because you were out of office, you know the importance of avoiding communication missteps. As luck would have it, there are tools available to help you avoid common pitfalls. These tools include setting an early out of office responder, including time off in your email signature, and creating rules for forwarding emails while you are out. In certain email systems, you can set an out of office notification as far in advance as you like. This allows you to set up a clear, detailed response now instead of last minute. Including time off in your email signature provides notice in advance to your clients and colleagues when you will be unavailable. If you create special rules for forwarding emails, you can dictate emails marked as urgent, immediate, or ASAP to forward to another colleague to action.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Run Your Business from Your Phone with the Salesforce1 Mobile App

Posted on September 15, 2016 by John McKenzie

As cloud computing consultants, Prolocity is always looking for ways to enhance customer experience. This week, Prolocity is focusing on the Salesforce1 mobile app. The Salesforce1 mobile app allows you to run your business virtually. The Salesforce1 mobile app allows you to stay connected by managing your day, managing your sales, and accessing your information.

Manage Your Day

The Salesforce1 mobile app keeps you connected by helping you manage your day. With the ability to view your scheduled events, you can access a daily summary within seconds. The Salesforce1 mobile app directly links to contacts and accounts to keep you organized and provide a high ease-of-use. The app includes a notes feature that allows you to jot down items immediately after meeting.

Manage Your Sales

The Salesforce1 mobile app allows you to close deals faster by managing your sales from your phone. Opportunity creation, approvals, and sales tasks can be updated without having to log on to a computer. This flexibility lets you move faster as information can be communicated faster to the rest of your company. The Salesforce1 mobile app helps you stay in the loop on your account updates by sending notifications straight to your phone.

Access Your Information

The Salesforce1 mobile app brings your Salesforce information to you front and center no matter you go. You can get a picture of how your business is doing with live updates and feed changes. The app increases accessibility by displaying your custom list views, custom objects, and apps on your phone. Not only does this allow you to work faster, but it allows you to work smarter. The Salesforce1 mobile app gives you the ability to review metrics and make informed decisions even when on-the-go.

Prolocity’s cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, implementation, training, and optimization services to ensure that businesses are getting the most out of the technology. Their solutions leverage the world’s #1 cloud platform, Salesforce, to deliver best-in-class solutions and accelerate success! Prolocity Cloud Solutions serves Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati and provides Salesforce implementation and Salesforce training services nationally through the use of cloud technology.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Are you lacking these 3 key Salesforce features?

Posted on September 9, 2016 by John McKenzie

As cloud computing consultants, Prolocity is always looking for ways to enhance customer experience. This week, Prolocity is focusing to focus on 3 key Salesforce features your business should be using. The abilities of Salesforce are notably impressive, but if you aren’t using these 3 key Salesforce features, you could be missing out on useful capabilities of the platform.

Key 1: Web-to-Lead

The first key Salesforce feature you should be using is Web-to-Lead. Web-to-lead allows a lead to be created from a form submitted through a company web page. Imagine the following scenario: A visitor submits an inquiry through the Contact Us page that generates an email to your company. Whomever received the email uploads the lead into Salesforce. While this isn’t a bad process, it certainly isn’t scalable. Web-to-lead introduces a better way. By using web-to-lead, extra functionality is added that can automatically create a lead in Salesforce once a form is submitted. Additionally, web-to-lead can also redirect the visitor to another web page with a “Thank you” or “Next Steps” message. This functionality not only improves process flow, but can improve the customer experience.

Key 2: Email Integration

The second key Salesforce feature you should be using is Email Integration. Email integration can be synced to Salesforce from Gmail or Microsoft Outlook. Synchronization between Salesforce and email removes the need to flip-flop between two screens and saves time. Time spent looking up, copying, and pasting the contact is eliminated by sending emails straight from Salesforce. Another bonus with this key Salesforce feature is that branded email templates can be built and used from Salesforce.

Key 3: File Sync and Share

The third key Salesforce feature you should be using is File Sync and Share. File sync and share allows users to share and collaborate on files in real time on any device. Users can be notified when a new version is uploaded, maintain sharing settings, and use drag-and-drop technology with this key Salesforce feature. Not only does this improve efficiency, it can also improve the time it takes to find files. File sync and share puts all files in one location and uses filters to drill down and find the file you are looking for.

Prolocity’s cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, implementation, training, and optimization services to ensure that businesses are getting the most out of the technology. Their solutions leverage the world’s #1 cloud platform, Salesforce, to deliver best-in-class solutions and accelerate success! Prolocity Cloud Solutions serves the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area locally and also provides Salesforce implementation and Salesforce training services nationally through the use of cloud technology.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Increase Your Data Quality & Work Faster With GridBuddy

Posted on March 3, 2016 by John McKenzie

As cloud computing consultants, Prolocity is always looking for ways to enhance customer experience. One of the ways Prolocity accomplishes this is through the use of apps. Over the next several weeks, we will be highlighting apps Prolocity either uses internally or has implemented for actual customers.

The app in the spotlight this week is the Salesforce native app GridBuddy. GridBuddy allows users to get the most from their Salesforce data by bringing all relevant information into one workspace. Available on the Salesforce AppExchange, GridBuddy increases productivity, provides higher user adoption, and improves Salesforce data quality.

Increase Productivity

The first way GridBuddy allows users to get the most from Salesforce is through increased productivity. GridBuddy enables users to create views that display relevant data in one workspace. This allows users to better utilize Salesforce as all the information they use is front and center. GridBuddy provides multi-object filters that can easily narrow data down to the exact records needed. All GridBuddy grids and views are fully customizable so you can edit or create views in no time. With GridBuddy, users no longer have to click around Salesforce to access or update the information they need. They can now spend more time actually doing their job.

Higher User Adoption

The next way GridBuddy allows users to get the most from Salesforce is through higher user adoption. GridBuddy provides a data view similar to spreadsheets. Since users are used to spreadsheets, the familiar look and feel provides users a tool that takes minimal training to learn. With this ease-of-use, users are more likely to switch over, support, and adapt to a Salesforce implementation. The only change they will likely notice is that it is even easier to use the #1 Customer Relationship Manager after adding GridBuddy. If you are looking for a way to get a better ROI through higher user adoption, GridBuddy is the solution.

Improve Salesforce Data Quality

The last way GridBuddy allows users to get the most from Salesforce is through improved Salesforce data quality. GridBuddy allows users to act on multiple records at once. Similar to editing a spreadsheet, GridBuddy lets you create and edit records on a singular or batch basis. By allowing for mass data updates across many fields and objects, your data can be cleaner faster. Users no longer have to update information in several places or open records one-at-a-time. GridBuddy provides the ability to update once and be done. Think of everything you can do with better quality data.

Prolocity’s cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, implementation, training, and optimization services to ensure that businesses are getting the most out of the technology. Their solutions leverage the world’s #1 cloud platform, Salesforce, to deliver best-in-class solutions and accelerate success! Prolocity Cloud Solutions serves the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area locally and also provides Salesforce implementation and Salesforce training services nationally through the use of cloud technology.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Google Apps for Work Streamlines Communication for Businesses

Posted on February 12, 2016 by John McKenzie

The first app being featured is Prolocity’s most coveted and personally adopted app suite, Google Apps for Work. This week we will specifically focus on how Google Apps for Work has streamlined communication for businesses. Google Apps for Work increases communication efficiency with the use of Gmail, Google Hangouts, and Google Calendar.

Gmail

There is a reason Gmail tops the list of communication efficiency tools, it is highly customizable and accessible anywhere. Almost every business uses email, but not all businesses use email through cloud technology. The main difference is that standard email limits the mobility of employees. Beyond accessibility, Gmail has become a top cloud trend for its high marks in ease-of-use and customizable abilities. Standard features available with Gmail are: undo send, multiple email addresses, and faster loading when needed (switches to basic version). These features provide ease-of-use by allowing for review of an email you weren’t ready to send, the ability to track who is giving out your email, and accessibility with any internet connection.

Gmail is also user friendly in its ability to customize. Like other platforms, Gmail allows you to add filters to incoming mail to help stay organized. Gmail can be customized as little or as much as needed to provide users with a an email experience similar to what they are used to through Gmail Labs. Gmail Labs provide additional features or add-ons to customize the look and feel. This allows for easier user adoption from other email platforms to Gmail. Additional features available through Gmail are: preview pane, canned responses, calendar gadget, and right side chat.

Hangouts

The second efficiency tool provided through the Google for Work Apps communication set is Google Hangouts. Google Hangouts allows employees to take teleconferences virtual. Users can connect face-to-face for a more personal meeting with Google Hangouts. Each Google Hangouts video call allows up to 15 participants to chat with no time limit. Like Gmail, Hangouts is accessible anywhere. Each Hangouts connection is secure and allows external participants to join who don’t have a Google Apps for Work account. Additional features available through Google Hangouts include: call capability from your computer to a phone, screen sharing, and integration into Google Calendar.

Calendar

Last but certainly not least in the lineup of communication apps provided by Google Apps for Work is Google Calendar. Like Gmail, Google Calendar is also ranked high in its ability to customize and its accessibility. Google Calendar can be customized to include color coding, toggle calendar visibility, and create appointment slots. With the ability to launch through your Gmail account, Google Calendar is available everywhere. With the ability to put a specific location for meetings, Google Calendar can keep you up-to-date on where you should be even while on-the-go. Google Calendar is accessible with mobile devices and integrates to Maps. This feature provides directions to your next meeting location with a one-click launch directly from the Calendar Event. Additional features available through Google Calendar include: the ability to set working hours, add time zones, add notifications and search past/future events.

Prolocity’s cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, implementation, training, and optimization services to ensure that businesses are getting the most out of the technology. Prolocity’s solutions leverage the world’s #1 cloud platform, Salesforce, to deliver best-in-class solutions and accelerate success! Prolocity Cloud Solutions serves the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area locally and also provides Salesforce implementation and Salesforce training services nationally through the use of cloud technology.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Salesforce Lightning Enhances the CRM Experience

Posted on October 29, 2015 by John McKenzie

Salesforce Lightning Enhances the CRM Experience

The release of Salesforce Winter ‘16 introduces new enhancements to cloud technology. Perhaps the most anticipated enhancement is Salesforce Lightning. Salesforce Lightning provides built-in best practices that are accessible on any device. The Lightning best practices reinvent Salesforce with a modern user interface, proactive sales intelligence, and a customizable Salesforce platform.

Modern User Interface

The new user interface delivers a modern approach and puts the most important information front and center. Three new features were added that display upon login: quarterly performance, account insights, and assistant. Quarterly performance integrates data from Salesforce to provide a quick snapshot of your company’s performance for the quarter. Account insights displays relevant articles about your top accounts to foster deeper customer relationships. Assistant shows items that need attention such as open tasks, new leads, or opportunities with no action.

Proactive Sales Intelligence

Proactive sales intelligence takes data analytics a step further with new tools and functionality. The new feature Pipeline arranges all opportunities on one page. This allows for better visibility and provides a high-level overview without running any reports. Proactive Sales Intelligence makes updating the opportunity status easier than ever with drag and drop technology. The Salesforce automation allows you to change an opportunity status simply by clicking it and moving it to the next stage.

Customizable Platform

Salesforce Lightning provides additional customization. Both Sales Path and Dashboards benefit from the advanced functionality. In Sales Path, each stage of the deal can be standardized according to your needs. Not only does this provide consistency, but it also allows quick and easy onboarding of new reps. New features were added to show recent activity related to the opportunity, show relevant files, and allow you to take notes on the same page as the opportunity. In Dashboards, there is a new capability that allows you to create up to nine columns instead of the previous three.
Prolocity’s cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, implementation, training, and optimization services to ensure that businesses are getting the most out of the technology. Their solutions leverage the world’s #1 cloud platform, Salesforce, to deliver best-in-class solutions and accelerate success!

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

Pardot for Salesforce: B2B Marketing Solution

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Matt Farano

Pardot for Salesforce is a B2B Marketing Solution that bridges the gap between marketing and sales to drive better quality leads, to help qualify those leads through lead nurturing, and then score all those activities so sales teams can prioritize the leads they are working with. Pardot’s features include CRM integration, email marketing, lead nurturing, lead scoring and grading, social posting, and ROI reporting/analytics.

With Pardot, your sales team is empowered with their own marketing machine to accelerate sales. The marketing team can push out campaigns and increase brand awareness, and the handoff to a sales rep to pick up hot leads is seamless. This is a huge differentiator for a sales team, because it drastically improves your response time. A sales rep can engage with a prospect the moment they become active! You can manage your qualified leads from anywhere, anytime with the Salesforce1 mobile app.

Pardot categorizes your leads based on the prospect’s activity score, so sales reps can focus their time where it matters most. It also allows you to send and track all one-to-one communications using pre-created templates & content, and then report on which of those templates proved to be the most effective. Say goodbye to writing emails from scratch every time you communicate with a prospect!

By combining the #1 CRM in the world, Salesforce, with the incredible marketing power of Pardot, your sales and marketing teams will be able to work together like never before.

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011

3 Million Downloads in the Salesforce AppExchange

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Matt Farano

I am sure you have heard of the iTunes App Store, but have you heard of the Salesforce AppExchange? Today, the Salesforce AppExchange hit 3 Million Downloads, according to a blog post on Medium.com. What’s really impressive…that number only represents the amount of downloads, not the individual users across a company.

The Salesforce AppExchange is the world’s leading business app marketplace, and houses more than 2,700 pre-integrated apps that extend the power of Salesforce. Everything from Marketing, Sales, Service, ERP, HR, Payroll, Accounting, and just about every other function you can imagine, exists in the AppExchange. The most beautiful thing about the Salesforce AppExchange (in my humble opinion), is that you no longer have to try and fit every single business requirement that you have into a single out-of-the-box solution. Salesforce is the heart…and the AppExchange serves as your other vital organs.

In the old world of business software, if you had a unique functionality requirement that was not inherent to the core solution, it usually meant a huge increase in cost, time, and long-term maintenance. With the advent of App Stores, the game was changed forever. With powerful APIs and mobile-ready tools, the Salesforce1 Platform lets you easily build apps that you can sell and market on the AppExchange. By piggy-backing the world’s #1 cloud computing company, you can rest assured that these apps are flexible, reliable, and secure. Salesforce takes care of all the heavy lifting, so you can focus on solving business problems.

To give you a real-world example, I will reference a project that we recently completed for one of our customers. This particular customer had multiple departments, all working in silos with very poor internal communication & organizational efficiency. To make matters worse, they were highly dependent on Excel spreadsheets and error-prone manual processes. When we got engaged with the customer, they had already made the wise decision of implementing Salesforce, but quickly realized that their needs extended beyond the core functionality that Salesforce had to offer. To give you a point of reference, I would estimate that Salesforce alone was only going to meet about 70% of their needs. After completing a business process review session (what we coin a “Discovery“), we determined that 4 AppExchange applications were needed to bridge the gap with their total solution. This included functionality such as: high-volume document storage, proposal generation, electronic signature, & project management. In the end, the customer received a taylor-fit solution to meet their unique needs that has set the stage for long-term growth and scalability.

Prolocity is a national Salesforce Partner providing cloud advisory, implementation, and support services to businesses and non-profits. Our cloud consultants deliver strategy, design, development, implementation, training, and optimization services. www.prolocity.com

Salesforce Consultants Cincinnati

Ohio

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
407 Vine Street, Suite 219
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Salesforce Consultants Kentucky

Kentucky

Prolocity Technology Solutions, LLC
50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 414
Covington, Kentucky 41011