A rapidly growing mid-sized company aimed to optimize its operations using Salesforce CRM and a Data Warehouse (DWH). Salesforce was being introduced as the new CRM system, while an existing DWH already contained crucial data such as customer profiles, sales records, and interaction histories. The legacy systems for customer data management had evolved over many years, complicating integration due to outdated interfaces and inconsistent data formats. While initial objects were available in the DWH's Entity Relationship Model (ERM), CRM integration proved complex because the data structures were not fully compatible.
The Business Intelligence Competence Center (BICC), responsible for the standalone DWH, was only partially involved in the Salesforce development process, complicating collaboration. Agile deployment processes led to changes in the ERM—such as new fields or relationships—that were communicated late or not at all to the BICC, destabilizing data loading and causing inconsistencies. Without targeted optimization using Salesforce CRM and DWH, inefficiencies like duplicate entries or inaccurate reporting would arise, hindering business growth, as scalable customer data management requires a stable foundation.
We began with a detailed assessment of the current state to optimize Salesforce CRM and DWH integration, with the DWH serving as a separate yet central repository for historical and operational data. Key steps included:
Intensive stakeholder management was critical to strengthen collaboration between the Salesforce program and the BICC. Regular coordination and clear communication ensured precise deployment processes and efficient use of DWH data. The solution was designed to scale with the company's rapid growth, enabling flexible integration of new customer segments or products.
Workshops with representatives from both teams aligned Salesforce CRM requirements with DWH data. We defined interfaces, data mapping rules, and synchronization intervals to ensure seamless integration. This established a sustainable foundation for a stable, long-term CRM implementation capable of supporting a dynamic business.
Optimization with Salesforce CRM and DWH began with improved stakeholder management within the Salesforce program, facilitating the system's implementation in a fast-growing company. Insights into processes and data structures enabled the DWH to be optimally prepared for Salesforce CRM requirements, including data format adjustments and data flow optimization. This stabilized the interface between systems, increased data reliability, and reduced maintenance effort by minimizing manual corrections.
The DWH ERM was aligned with Salesforce CRM requirements by consolidating redundant objects and implementing unified data standards. A clear backlog with priorities and milestones was defined and executed step-by-step to optimize CRM integration. This improved customer data management by enabling efficient use of DWH data for personalized marketing campaigns and detailed sales analyses.
Our solution created a scalable platform supporting customer data management and made Salesforce CRM optimization a central part of the company's growth strategy. The robust infrastructure resulting from Salesforce implementation ensured reliable deployment processes and long-term data quality. Enhanced transparency and efficiency in customer data management strengthened customer relationships, positioning the company for continued growth in new markets or with additional users.