Every investment should generally pay off. But is this always the case? For this reason, companies that need to choose a CRM tool should have a comprehensive understanding of the potential profits and costs so that their decision is made consciously. Among decision-makers, the ROI indicator is a proven measure and guide for their decisions. Before we proceed to measure it in the context of a Salesforce implementation, let’s first analyse its definition.
What is Return on Investment (ROI) and how do you calculate it?
Return on Investment (ROI) is an indicator that measures the effectiveness of an investment or project. It is expressed as a percentage of profits divided by investment costs.
To calculate ROI, divide the net profit from the project (profits minus costs) by the costs incurred for it and multiply by 100.
ROI allows you to assess whether the investment was profitable and enables you to compare the effectiveness of different investments. The higher the percentage, the more profitable the investment.
However, before using the above formula, it is necessary to carry out several steps that will enable us to precisely determine the components.
Definition of goals and key performance indicators (KPIs):
- Be clear about your goals, whether it’s increasing sales efficiency, improving customer relationships, or streamlining your marketing efforts.
- Then identify key performance indicators (KPIs) in line with your goals, including lead conversion rates, improved sales productivity, and customer satisfaction metrics.
Cost calculation:
- Determine and document all costs associated with your Salesforce implementation, including licensing fees, technical customization expenses, training, and ongoing support.
- Make a comprehensive list of costs – both one-off and recurring – to get a detailed picture of your expenses.
Determining the benefits:
- Measure Salesforce’s impact on business processes by assessing improvement in identified KPIs.
- Where possible, define benefits in monetary terms – note the measurable and non-measurable benefits mentioned earlier.
- Then compare the profits from the period before the implementation of the CRM system to the period after the implementation to obtain a specific amount that can be used in the calculations.
Subtracting costs from benefits:
- Calculate net gains or losses by subtracting total costs from total benefits. This way we get a clear picture of the financial situation.
- If we receive a positive result, it means a profitable investment for us. However, a negative result suggests that the costs outweigh the benefits.
Application of the ROI formula:
- Use the ROI formula to determine your return percentage.
- The percentage received in our score reflects the return on investment. A higher percentage means a better return on our investment.
Monitoring and optimization:
- Let’s keep in mind that the return on investment in Salesforce is a process spread over time. We must constantly monitor and repeatedly evaluate the impact of the Salesforce system, as well as optimize the implementation based on changing business needs and technological progress.
- Let’s also remember not to rely solely on the ROI formula and monitor non-measurable profits, which also constitute significant value for the company.
Why is measuring ROI in Salesforce not obvious?
- In the context of Salesforce implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), calculating ROI is an important issue for the overall assessment of the effectiveness of a CRM solution.
- However, calculating ROI in Salesforce is not always as straightforward as we might hope. This complexity arises from the fact that profits can be divided into two groups, as detailed examples will illustrate below.
Measurable Profits:
- Increasing the number of leads obtained from the campaign.
- Increasing the number of sales opportunities.
- Increasing sales revenue by improving sales opportunity management.
- Increasing conversions through more effective use of customer data.
- Saving time by automating processes and replacing repetitive and manual activities and administrative tasks.
- Cost control: better budget management and reduction of excess costs.
- Improved data analysis: better analysis of customer data and sales activities, which can lead to a better understanding of customer needs and better sales strategies.
- Increased customer loyalty: through better customer service and more personalized interactions, companies can gain greater customer loyalty, which translates into recurring revenue.
Unmeasurable Profits:
- Improved customer relationships: Better customer service can lead to better customer relationships, which may be difficult to measure but are crucial to a company’s long-term success.
- Greater team effectiveness: A better customer relationship management tool can lead to better communication and team collaboration, which can improve the efficiency of the entire company.
- Greater consistency in data: Having one central system for managing customer data can result in greater data consistency and accuracy, which can improve the quality of business decisions.
- Increased customer trust: Better customer data management can lead to greater customer trust in your company, which can be key to acquiring new customers and retaining existing ones.
- Improving your brand image: Using a modern and effective CRM system can improve your brand image in the eyes of customers and business partners, which can impact your company’s overall reputation.
Both measurable and non-measurable profits are important for the success of implementing a new Salesforce CRM system for SMEs. If you want to learn more about the benefits of implementing Salesforce in your company, read the material: https://ttms.com/what-is-crm/
The second part of the formula involves the costs incurred during the implementation of the project on the Salesforce platform. These costs are divided into two parts:
Implementation Costs
It consists of the work of specialists who adapt the platform to the individual needs of the company and processes specific to a given industry.
Feel free to learn more about the process of implementing Salesforce in your company.
Salesforce License Costs
This category includes the costs of environment and user licenses, which are typically paid in advance for a fixed period.
The link below provides an article where you can learn more about the process of implementing Salesforce in your company.
Positive Effects of Salesforce Implementation Supported by Market Research
Companies faced with the decision to choose Salesforce as their CRM platform are not entirely certain how this change will affect their business in the long run. Therefore, it is advisable to rely on reliable data from previously completed projects. According to research conducted by Salesforce in 2022 on a group of over 3,500 enterprises, 89% of companies achieved a positive ROI, averaging 29% after 9 months of implementing the CRM system. Additionally, over 85% of users of newly implemented systems expressed their willingness to continue using the new tool.
Below, we present some additional data included in the ROI measured by Salesforce in the aforementioned study:
- 30% improvement in the speed of response in communication with customers, leads, and employees.
- 30% reduction in decision-making time.
- 30% increase in productivity of CRM system users.
- 28% increase in sales results.
- 27% increase in successful business opportunities.
- 28% reduction in the time to close sales opportunities.
- 29% increase in sales productivity.
Of course, these are not all the indicators measured by Salesforce, but the ones mentioned above. Research shows that most companies that have decided to implement Salesforce achieve measurable benefits, and their ROI reaches a very high value shortly after implementation.
Calculation of ROI on the Selected Example
Let’s make an example calculation of year-to-year profit growth (YOY) after implementing a new CRM tool. Let’s assume that profits increased by PLN 80,000 and the cost of the project to implement a new CRM tool was PLN 20,000. In this case, the ROI calculation will look like this:
Final Conclusions
Measuring ROI in Salesforce and maximizing the ROI from implementing a CRM system in SMEs is crucial for making informed business decisions. By setting clear goals, calculating costs, and determining benefits, a company can assess the effectiveness of its investment activities. Calculating Salesforce ROI and incorporating current industry insights streamlines the process, ensuring SMBs maximize their Salesforce implementation potential.
To sum up, the journey of implementing a SaaS system in SMEs goes beyond the framework of the project itself. It involves continuous evaluation, optimization, and maximizing return on investment.
Further information on optimizing Salesforce for business success will be regularly posted on our website www.ttms.com and related media.