You need a person dedicated to administering Salesforce, but you’re not sure whether to hire a freelancer or a professional Salesforce administrator. Which one will best serve your needs without breaking your budget?
First, let’s ask one important question: what’s the difference?
Well, a freelance Salesforce consultant can be anyone you pay to keep an eye on things. They’re an independent contractor – often an individual person – who you empower to oversee your Salesforce program. They might be certified, but there’s a chance that they might not have obtained Salesforce certification.
By contrast, a professional Salesforce administrator is usually part of a larger team that offers certified Salesforce support. When that individual reaches the limit of their knowledge, they have a variety of experienced and knowledgeable people to pick up their slack.
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of putting a freelancer in charge of your Salesforce efforts.
Advantages of Using a Freelancer
Price
You likely won’t find a lower price for Salesforce consulting than with a freelancer. Because of their low overhead costs, they can often quote you a remarkably low rate for Salesforce work. It’s always good to be cautious, of course, because the initial rate might rise over time if your needs expand. You’re at the mercy of the individual you did the deal with. But in general, a freelance consultant is a good low-cost option.
Single Point of Contact
When you use a freelancer, you know you’ll always be working with the same person. You won’t spend time you don’t have to spare getting someone up to speed with your business’s needs— your freelancer will know who you are and what you need with next to no explanation. Some professional services firms offer this kind of one-to-one service for an additional fee, but not all of them have the service available.
Ease of Use on a Small Scale
Say you’ve only got a small amount of work that you need done. It’s not sufficient to sign with a professional services firm, but you don’t have the capacity to handle it in-house. A freelancer is an ideal option for you. The work will get done properly, and at a price you can afford.
Disadvantages of Using a Freelancer
Time Crunch
The problem with hiring a freelance consultant is that you are probably not their only client, yet they are just one person. Do they really have enough time for you? Many new freelance consultants are jumping into the market and trying to make a business of freelancing. That’s admirable, but they might be a bit distracted and not focusing on you specifically. And what about when they take a day – or a whole week – off? A certified Salesforce admin at a trusted company has the background support of a network of Salesforce professionals, so you don’t rely on an individual’s attention and schedule.
Qualification
This is a huge factor. Any freelancer might have some knowledge of Salesforce, but how can you be sure? Are they thoroughly experienced and do they have referrals or testimonials? Are you confident they’re giving you the best advice? Acting on bad guidance can cost you a lot, quickly – it can do significant damage to your reputation and your business. If you’re not sure about their qualifications, ask questions using the Salesforce lingo they should know. Do they know how to use the Chatter collaboration software? Are they a developer or publisher with AppExchange? Are they familiar with the new Lightning Experience? With a professional services firm, you’ll have a deep bench from which to draw, so you know that you’ll have the best answer to your issues quickly and efficiently.
Certification
The key question is: are they Salesforce certified? To pass the Salesforce exam, certified consultants have been tested on managing data and security, maintaining sales cloud and service cloud applications, and creating custom solutions. The proctored Salesforce exam requires a knowledge of building a wide variety of reports, dashboards, and workflows for users on the Salesforce platform. Anyone who is truly Salesforce certified should be able to provide verification information, which you can double-check on the official credentials verification page.
Making a Choice
In the end, choosing a Salesforce consultant often comes down to a combination of cost, time, and trust. Just make sure that in an effort to save money or minutes, you don’t overlook the crucial component of trust that comes from choosing a qualified professional Salesforce administrator.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get the most out of Salesforce.
