How to choose the right Salesforce implementation partner

Automation and analytics push growth forward, but Salesforce isn’t plug-and-play. 

Most teams know how to use a CRM, not build one. 

If you’ve outgrown the scrappy setup, you’re probably already feeling it thanks to subpar data quality, misaligned reports, etc.

Salesforce can fix the mess, but it won’t fix itself. 

An implementation partner can step in and do it for you. 

The scope of implementation

A Salesforce implementation partner usually covers more than the initial setup. 

They might handle full-scale rollouts, build automations, clean up data, connect HubSpot or Slack, or specialize in industry clouds. 

Some are solo experts who go deep in one area; others are firms with teams that cover the whole ecosystem.

You’ll find them on Salesforce’s AppExchange, in industry directories, or through your own network. 

Sometimes the best referrals come from peers who’ve already been through an implementation or from a Salesforce account executive who knows which partners deliver excellence.

7 tips for choosing the right partner

1. Look for specialization.

Not all Salesforce work is created equal. 

Some partners thrive on greenfield builds; others excel at fixing messy, mid-life orgs. 

Before you sign the dotted line, decide what you actually need: is it a developer to wire custom objects, an admin to tame permissions, or an integration architect who can make Salesforce and HubSpot stop fighting? 

Broad certifications are nice, but the partners who’ve seen your exact type of chaos will always be faster out of the gate.

2. Check reviews and testimonials

Testimonials on a partner’s own site will always look perfect. Don’t make that your only reference point. 

Go to Salesforce’s AppExchange reviews or query your chatbot of choice to draw very specific information about the partners you’re exploring. 

Look for patterns: do multiple clients say they saved an implementation mid-flight? 

Did they stick around after go-live, or vanish once the invoice cleared? Those patterns are your early warning system.

3. Review their content

Strong partners teach before they sell. 

Read their blogs, their tutorials, and their troubleshooting posts. 

Is their content helpful? Do you deem them trustworthy? 

When you Google a Salesforce problem and their post is the one everyone links to, you should add them to the shortlist. 

You want the firm whose content earns organic trust because it proves they can actually solve the problem.

4. Search directories (carefully)

 AppExchange is the main directory, but it’s not the only one.

Be aware that “top partner” lists on Google are thinly veiled lead generation incentives. 

If the publisher’s own firm magically shows up first, assume the ranking is pay-to-play. 

Instead, use directories to build a long list, then cross-check reputation elsewhere.

5. Ask your network

The fastest filter is usually another operator who’s already paid the tuition. Ask your connections who they’d call again (and who they wouldn’t).

LinkedIn posts framed as “Who have you used for Salesforce integrations?” tend to bring brutally honest answers. One strong referral from a trusted operator is worth 20 polished sales decks.

6. Talk to a Salesforce account executive

Account executives have an underrated vantage point: they see who closes projects, who rescues deals, and who leaves customers stranded. 

Ask them which partners they’ve seen work in environments like yours. They won’t guarantee success, but they can steer you toward firms with real track records.

7. Find a cultural fit

This is the most overlooked part. Implementations involve collaboration over time (and lots of it!)

If the partner doesn’t speak your team’s language, if they overcomplicate everything, or if they treat your mid-market needs like second-tier work, the relationship will grind down. 

A partner that clicks with your culture will get to better answers faster, not because they’re more technical, but because you’ll actually trust them enough to tell them the whole truth.

We’re certified Salesforce experts

Choosing a Salesforce partner shouldn’t feel like running a gauntlet of checklists. 

You want to know if the team sitting across from you has done this before, with the same mess of tools and data.

That’s where we focus. 

Mid-market firms running Salesforce alongside HubSpot come to us when the cracks show: dirty data, automations that break under scale, reporting nobody trusts. 

Our certifications back up the technical side, but the real proof is in the patterns we bring and the fixes that have worked before, adapted to your business.

We don’t chase every logo. We work with teams that want Salesforce and HubSpot aligned so growth doesn’t stall.

If that’s you, let’s sit down for a scoping session and see if we fit.