Before we try to understand what Salesforce is, let us get acquainted with the term Customer Relationship Management (CRM). There was a time when employees managed all the data manually. They jotted down every piece of information on paper and stored them in files. This was not just time-consuming but required immense efforts too. The employees lived in constant fear of losing their files or misplacing them.
Later on, with the beginning of computers and the IT revolution, companies began to use Excel sheets and documents for managing their data. However, this approach again failed to handle large volumes of data. Also, it too required manual entry of data, which meant the possibility of some errors in data entry.
Thus, there was a need to effectively manage and analyze large volumes of user data by staff in the organization. This was when CRM was introduced to strive to address the above issues.
Initially, a given company’s server hosted CRM solutions. Such CRMs were difficult to use and proved to be an “expensive solution”. Thus, active efforts were made to develop an efficient and cost-effective CRM software that could easily be used by everyone on the internet. This was the fundamental idea behind the genesis of Salesforce.
Every business relies on Salesforce as the source of records for all customer data. They also rely on a learning management system or an LMS to manage online training programs. Managing the two systems separately can be challenging, cost-enhancing, and time-consuming. Therefore, by integrating both systems, you can make the work of your staff easier.
Today, almost every organization is looking for Salesforce LMS integration. It helps in securely storing and managing data through constant sharing and migration between two platforms. This is an effective way to deliver online training programs to employees and customers alike.
Here are the benefits of integrating a Salesforce with a learning management system:
1. Enhanced user experience
Integration of Salesforce and LMS allows employees and customers to see the eLearning courses with pricing. Such an arrangement is more suitable for them. You can use this strategy to market your eLearning courses outside your organization.
For instance, only existing employees get a discount on eLearning courses, certificate programs, certification applications, etc. They alone get free and infinite access to members-only study groups and discounts.
Above all, online learners benefit from Single Sign-On (SSO) because user information and permissions are shared between the CRM and LMS platforms. This eliminates the need for reentering login information like ID or password because your LMS knows everything as the CRM data is migrated or shared with LMS.
LMS Salesforce integration enables online learners to quickly view eLearning course projects and assignments that are relevant to their job duties and skillsets. Thus, they don’t have to waste time in the course catalog to find training on their needs.
2. Social learning
If you integrate an LMS with Salesforce Communities, online learners benefit from a social learning experience. An online learning community allows employees to interact, discuss and debate with their peers. They also get to know their co-workers better. Personal chat rooms, discussion forums, etc., can provide a platform for socializing with seniors and subject matter experts.
2. Data synchronization
By integrating salesforce with an LMS, you no longer have to manually create profiles when a new member is added to your sales team. Integrating your LMS with salesforce can help you get rid of this time-consuming and highly labor-intensive task.
Once the integration is achieved, every time a new employee is added to salesforce, the LMS will also automatically create an account on the eLearning platform for new users.
All the relevant data present on the salesforce can be migrated to the LMS smoothly. Essentially, an administrator will only have to handle one platform to ensure timely signups and completion of eLearning courses.
3. Contextualizing training and powerful reporting
As mentioned earlier, the integration of Salesforce with an LMS promotes a seamless exchange of data between the two platforms.
This seamless flow of data has two major advantages:
- Integration of two platforms can help you link training with real-life performance numbers and case studies. Through this, you can contextualize training for your employees as well as customers.
- The combined information from the two platforms gives you a clear picture of your online training program. Employees’ data, along with data from Salesforce, can help you to get a deeper insight into learner progress and how it can align with your sales objectives and business goals.
Online instructors can also obtain data of individual learners to identify areas that require improvements. After the identification of problems, the entire team can work to raise the standard and effectiveness of online training.
This data can also be utilized to pick up top performers in the organization that have the potential to contribute to the organization if they’re exposed to some advanced learning concepts.
4. Saves staff’s time
Salesforce-LMS integration helps eliminate redundant data entries and manual updates.
With Salesforce, online learners can be auto-enrolled and assigned to a specific eLearning course. For example, new employees can be automatically enrolled in an onboarding program.
You can track online learner progress through the eLearning journey and particularly see if they’re signing up for mandatory eLearning courses like compliance training, product training, etc.
Also, the best part is, you can set up notifications so that staff (HR department, L&D team, and online instructors) can be alerted about employees who are lagging and might need a little nudge.
Staff can get a complete bird’s eye view of the “soon-to-lapse certifications” or other requirements. Hence, they can set up automatic trigger emails and reminders for online learners.
5. Cost-saving
With the integration of Salesforce and LMS, you don’t have to invest in two different software. Also, since there is a seamless sharing and migration of data between two platforms, staffing needs are reduced.
6. Customer training
CRM stocks information about your customers. For example, what products they bought, when they bought them, why, and how regularly they interact with your customer support team.
When all these analytics are shared with an LMS, it gives personalized customer training recommendations and wisely builds customers’ learning paths. One must note that well-trained customers tend to buy more and help with word-of-mouth advertising.
If they are happy with your product and training programs, they will surely leave positive reviews and ratings online. Providing customers with relevant eLearning content brings down the number of basic inquiries made by customers.
The integrated LMS acts as a self-service tool with step-by-step guides, video manuals, etc., that provides answers to all the customer’s queries.
Conclusion
Often, you miss out on important information and updates when you keep switching between LMS and CRM. Also, maintaining two different platforms separately isn’t an easy task.
By integrating Salesforce with an LMS, you remove these hassles, put a lot of information at the disposal of online instructors, HR department, sales team, etc., which they can use to improve their online training programs, discover insights into customer behavior, and tap in revenues. Hence, we can conclude by saying that Salesforce and LMS integration is a match made in heaven.
