Let’s get your remote situation ironed out! These are the best Salesforce tools for digital transformation… right now.

When it comes to businesses, retailers, small businesses, and those with traditional processes are especially disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. According to a recent survey, 47% of U.S. brands expect to see some downside revenue implications due to the novel coronavirus. And an additional 33% responded that it’s too early to say.

As consumers continue to shelter in place, companies have new opportunities to connect digitally with customers and reimagine their business models. While the future is unknown, one thing has been made clear – digital functionality is more important than ever. Regardless of your organization’s size, location, or industry, this crisis offers the opportunity for innovation.

Many of our clients are looking to us for advice on where they should focus their efforts. We recommend focusing not only on the most urgent needs but also on the most impactful – as we predict much of this current transformation will have staying power beyond the pandemic. There are also a number of extremely useful Salesforce tools for digital transformation that we recommend.

Here are the top 12 areas we suggest to focus innovation + the most helpful Salesforce tools for digital transformation (AppExchange and integrated products):

1. Remote Collaboration
   Creating an environment of remote team collaboration is certainly not a new goal for you, but the necessity has been greatly accelerated. It’s likely your team has never worked 100% remotely, let alone managed a full workload through a shelter in place. Having tools in place to keep lines of communication open, teamwork efficient, and collaboration intact is critical now.
   Helpful tools: Salesforce Quip, Slack, Chatter
   By the way, Salesforce is offering Quip Starter for free to help with remote collaboration.
2. Cloud Storage
   Another common challenge of working remotely is the lack of access to your company’s internal servers. If you didn’t already realize the importance of it, cloud storage is completely critical now with remote teams. By storing all your files to the cloud, you ensure that your team has uninterrupted access to important documents and can collaborate in real-time, avoiding the need to send edited versions of documents back and forth.
   Helpful tools: AWS + Heroku Connect
3. Telephony
   Being able to communicate while away from your desk is critical for success amidst all of this. Cloud-based telephony systems can equip your entire team with solutions to maintain business communication.
   Helpful tools: Dialpad, RingCentral, Vonage
4. Virtual Meetings
   Video meetings where the attendees can see each other’s expressions and react to one another in real-time can replicate the benefits of face-to-face meetings you would have had in the office. Video conferencing software typically includes screen-sharing capabilities, recording and live chat, which can add an extra layer of communication and understanding to your meetings.
   Helpful tools: Zoom, GoToMeeting
5. Project Management
   Keeping your team on track and maintaining regular workflows is critical especially while working remotely. Project management tools can help you manage due dates, share progress, assign tasks, and much more to keep you and your team on task.
   Helpful tools: TaskRay
6. E-Commerce and Flexible Shopping
   Right now brick-and-mortar businesses are taking a hard hit. If e-commerce enablement wasn’t already on your to-do list, now is the time to get it going! Experts predict real global GDP could contract as much as 1% around the world. As a result, consumers will need new and innovative ways to shop. It’s more important than ever before to provide easy, digital shopping and customer service options.
   Helpful tools: Shopify, Commerce Cloud, Service Cloud
7. Digital Payments
   Classic point-of-sale (POS) payment volumes could drop due to coronavirus by as much as 30 to 40 percent in the short term, though online sales will be less affected. If you haven’t already, it may be time to swiftly implement online payment systems that are easy for customers to use.
   Helpful tools: Chargify, Chargent, PayPal
8. Digital Signature
   Even the IRS has moved to accept digital signatures! As we all shift to remote work, paper signatures become near impossible. Contactless sales processes and the lack of printers/scanners in most homes today make gathering a paper signature basically a thing of the past. The good news is that e-signature platforms are fairly simple to implement and shift processes towards.
   Helpful tools: DocuSign, OneSpan, Conga Sign
9. Digital Quoting
   Digital quoting capabilities are always helpful, but especially now. While your team is pressed for time, Salesforce CPQ, available as part of the Salesforce Customer Success Platform, enables companies to close deals faster and more efficiently by making it easy to standardize, create and send quote documents all out of your Salesforce platform. E-signature tools can also be integrated directly in Salesforce CPQ.
   Helpful tools: Salesforce CPQ
10. Customer Service
    Across the country, companies and their employees are rising to the occasion, offering above-and-beyond service during a time of global crisis. Customers are in need of great service right now, which means businesses need to focus on improving efficiency and strengthening communication channels.
    Helpful tools: Einstein ChatBots, Service Cloud Chat, Service Cloud SMS
11. Marketing Automation
    A new marketing automation tool might be low on your list, but it shouldn’t be! The time savings alone provides enough value for slammed teams right now. One recommendation we’ve made for our clients is to start planning for the future – right now, focus on generating leads that can become deals later, communicating often with your prospects and customers, and studying marketing data to make informed strategies. Marketing automation platforms can help streamline all of that and more!
    Helpful tools: Pardot, Marketing Cloud
12. Social Media Management
    Social media may also be low on your list right now, but there is a way to make it more efficient and easier to manage – a social media platform. It’s important right now to be communicating with your prospects and customers often across all channels. A social media platform can help you do that, and Salesforce’s Social Studio can also help you manage social customer service!
    Helpful tools: Social Studio

While we adjust to this new normal, the opportunity for business innovation is here – and it’s critical. Stay focused on the longterm success of your business and how any innovation today will help you in the future. We WILL get back to business as usual, and with some new, innovative processes! If we can answer any questions for you, provide specific recommendations, or be of support at this time, please let us know.