T@W Ep 30: Project Rewind: Innovation Blueprint Implementation

When considering a Salesforce implementation, identifying where to start can be a distinct challenge. For growing organizations, endless possibilities can lead to scope creep and unclear priorities. Conversely, older, more established businesses often have workflows in place that lead to information silos and added resistance towards new solutions. Either way, the challenge is the same: put effort into the wrong areas once, and you risk wasting time, money, and employee effort, and lowering adoption long-term. So, how can businesses confidently map out a successful implementation? For two Gerent clients, the answer was to develop an implementation strategy prior to deployment. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we kick off a multi-part deep-dive on our team’s strategic approaches to Salesforce implementation — how different implementation styles helped real Gerent clients achieve their business goals. Specifically, we’re looking at the Innovation Blueprint: an initiative that occurs before Salesforce deployment, with a focus on outlining an achievable strategy that diagnoses key pain points and maps where Salesforce will offer the most impact for an organization. Key Insights 03:36: At a high level, what is an Innovation Blueprint engagement? 01:51: Why Solugen & Victaulic chose to pursue an Innovation Blueprint implementation 04:39: Signs that a business might benefit from an Innovation Blueprint engagement 06:14: What makes an Innovation Blueprint implementation special, and how can businesses benefit from it? 10:25: What steps go into an Innovation Blueprint implementation? 16:30: Outlining the benefits Solugen & Victaulic experienced after going through the Innovation Blueprint engagement Guest Speakers Anandhi Narayanan SVP, Business Transformation & Strategy, Gerent Anandhi Narayanan has 17 years of experience in manufacturing both in the business and in IT. For the past 4 years, as a consultant, she has been leading cross cloud implementations, driving strategy and thought leadership for supply chain organizations in the Salesforce ecosystem. Solugen Solugen is a specialty chemical company that creates safe, cost effective, and environmentally-friendly chemical formulations. The company designs its own formulations through bioforge operations; it also distributes common chemistries in full and dilute concentrations. Victaulic Victaulic is a leading global producer and distributor of mechanical pipe joining solutions and the originator of the grooved pipe couplings joining system. Victaulic prides itself on providing safe, reliable solutions to the complex piping issues its clients face. Andrew Winker Associate Director Business Development & Strategy, Solugen As associate director of commercial operations, Andrew works closely with Solugen’s commercial, sales, and business development teams to ensure business decisions are data-driven and successful. He brings over 3 years of experience in consulting and a strong marketing background to the role. Mario D'Ambrosio, Chief Information Officer, Victaulic Mario brings over 14 years of experience with Victaulic to his current role as chief information officer at Victaulic. Prior to his current position, he served as chief financial officer for the company’s Canadian business unit, and global director of IT and business services.