Who Should Own Salesforce in your Organization?

Sales, RevOps…Business Systems?

It's more important than ever to have a well-structured business system that effectively manages all aspects of a company's operations, especially its revenue. A key component of this system is how you're keeping up with and managing Salesforce.

But who should own the organization and management of Salesforce? There are typically two schools of thought on this issue: the first is that the sales department should own and manage Salesforce, while the second is that the revenue operations (RevOps) department should be responsible for it.

Should Sales Own and Manage the Salesforce Function?

At first thought, it seems obvious that Sales should own and manage Salesforce. Salespeople are the ones who use the tool on a day-to-day basis, so they have a clear understanding of what works and what doesn't. They have a vested interest in making sure that Salesforce is set up in a way that helps them be more successful in their jobs. So why shouldn’t Sales own Salesforce?

While sales leadership may have a good understanding of their team's needs and processes, here are a few reasons why they should not own and manage Salesforce:

Limited technical expertise: Sales leaders may not have the technical skills required to manage and optimize Salesforce. Salesforce requires a deep understanding of the platform's technical capabilities, as well as expertise in data management, system integration, and security.

Time constraints: Sales leaders are typically focused on driving revenue and managing their team's performance. They may not have the time or bandwidth to manage Salesforce on a day-to-day basis, which could result in the system being neglected or underutilized.

Conflict of interest: Sales leaders may be more focused on short-term revenue goals rather than long-term system optimization. This could lead to decisions being made that prioritize immediate revenue gains over the long-term health and scalability of the Salesforce environment.

It's best to have a team with the appropriate skills and expertise to manage and optimize Salesforce to ensure it is running smoothly and driving maximum value for the organization.

Should Revenue Operations Own and Manage the Salesforce Org?

Revenue operations should own the responsibility for managing the Salesforce system. They are responsible for managing the end-to-end revenue pipeline, they manage leads, opportunities, deals, and customer data, as well as ensure that the sales team has the right tools and processes to drive revenue growth.

Expertise in revenue pipeline management: Revenue operations teams are experts in managing the revenue pipeline and have a deep understanding of the tools and processes required to drive growth. They are best positioned to understand how Salesforce can be leveraged to optimize the revenue pipeline and ensure that the system is meeting the needs of the sales team.

Technical expertise: Revenue operations teams typically have a deep understanding of Salesforce's technical capabilities, including data management, system integration, and security. They have the expertise required to manage and optimize the Salesforce system, ensuring that it is running smoothly and driving maximum value for the organization.

Cross-functional alignment: Revenue operations teams work closely with sales, marketing, and other teams across the organization to manage the revenue pipeline. By owning the responsibility for managing Salesforce, revenue operations can ensure that the system is aligned with the needs of these other teams and that data is being shared effectively across the organization.

In terms of data, studies have shown that companies with effective RevOps teams are more likely to achieve their revenue goals. A 2020 survey by LeanData found that companies with RevOps teams in place saw a 71% increase in pipeline generation, a 35% increase in win rates, and a 23% reduction in sales cycles. Additionally, RevOps teams can provide valuable insights into revenue data that can help the company make more informed business decisions.

5 Ways Revenue Operations Can Best Serve the Salesforce Org?

Revenue Operations can best serve the Salesforce org by focusing on the following key areas:

1. Data Management

Revenue operations should ensure that the data within Salesforce is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. This includes creating and enforcing data standards, ensuring that data is entered correctly, and regularly reviewing and updating data.

2. System Integration

Revenue operations should ensure that Salesforce is properly integrated with other systems across the organization, such as marketing automation, customer support, and finance. This ensures that data flows seamlessly between systems, enabling the organization to get a holistic view of the customer journey.

3. Process Optimization

Revenue operations should work closely with sales, marketing, and other teams to optimize processes within Salesforce. This includes designing and implementing workflows and automations that streamline processes and reduce manual effort.

4. Reporting and Analytics

Revenue operations should create and maintain reports and dashboards that provide visibility into key metrics such as pipeline, revenue, and sales performance. This enables the organization to track progress against goals and make data-driven decisions.

5. System Governance and Security

Revenue operations should ensure that Salesforce is properly governed and secured. This includes creating and enforcing policies around data access, setting up appropriate levels of permissions, and regularly monitoring for potential security risks.

By focusing on these key areas, revenue operations can help ensure that Salesforce is effectively supporting the organization's goals and driving revenue growth.

What role should Business Systems have in owning and managing Salesforce?

Not all revenue operations teams have the same level of technical expertise as the business systems team, which could result in suboptimal configuration and customization of the tool.

The responsibilities of the business systems team in Salesforce implementation and management are different from those of the revenue operations team. Business Systems focuses on the technical aspects of Salesforce, such as system administration, configuration, and customization. RevOps, on the other hand, focuses on the strategic and operational aspects of Salesforce, such as data analysis, process optimization, and revenue forecasting.

The business systems team should report to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) or the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), as they are responsible for managing the technology infrastructure of the company.

With that being said, they may not have the same level of understanding of the strategic and operational aspects of the sales, marketing, and customer service teams as RevOps, so they should not directly own or solely manage the Salesforce Org.

However, having a dedicated team to help manage Salesforce has its advantages.

Data to Backup Why You Should Have a Dedicated Team to Manage Salesforce?

More likely to hit revenue goals: A 2020 study by Salesforce found that companies with a dedicated CRM team were more likely to achieve their revenue targets. Specifically, companies with a dedicated CRM team were 2.2 times more likely to achieve their revenue targets than companies without a dedicated team.

Increased Efficiency: A study by Salesforce found that companies that optimized their Salesforce implementation were able to increase productivity by an average of 31%. A business systems team can help to optimize the use of Salesforce by streamlining processes, automating manual tasks, and implementing best practices.

Improved Data Quality: A report by Dun & Bradstreet found that companies with high-quality data were 70% more likely to meet or exceed revenue goals. A business systems team can help to ensure that data is entered into Salesforce correctly and consistently, which can improve the accuracy of sales forecasts and enable better decision-making.

Better Customer Experience: A study by Salesforce found that 84% of customers say that the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. A business systems team can help to ensure that customer data is accurate and up-to-date, which can improve the customer experience and lead to increased customer loyalty.

Increased Revenue: A report by Nucleus Research found that companies that invested in Salesforce saw an average return on investment of 4.2 times their initial investment. A business systems team can help to ensure that Salesforce is configured and customized to meet the specific needs of the company, which can help to increase sales and revenue.

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Companies looking to see the benefits of having a dedicated Salesforce team without significantly investing time and money into hiring and retaining talent, turn to teams like the RevOps Rangers that can handle all of the duties of Revenue Operations and Business Systems leaders.