One of the biggest benefits of a career in Salesforce is versatility.
No matter which industry they’re in, every company needs a strategy for perfecting customer support, management, and service. Salesforce allows organisations from every sector to better understand their audience, improve customer satisfaction, and increase sales.
This also means that if you feel the opportunities in your industry are too limited, you can switch to another avenue, taking your Salesforce skills into a different landscape.
Following the pandemic, most industries are dealing with some form of disruption. Airlines, leisure facilities, restaurants, and auto parts manufacturers represent some of the most damaged areas. So, how do you decide if now is the time to pursue a new landscape with your Salesforce career?
1. Evaluate the Opportunity For Industry Recovery
First, it’s important to recognise that most industries will be struggling to some degree due to the pandemic. The key to making the right career decision is determining how quickly your sector can recover. If you’re working with a start-up in the tech industry, you may assume you’re at greater risk than someone working in the food or healthcare space.
Although it’s difficult to predict which areas will recover the fastest, industry evaluations indicate that spaces like healthcare, IT, technical services, and retail will bounce back quickly. Alternatively, some areas could take up to 5 years to heal, such as:
- Hospitality and food services
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation
- Educational services
- Transportation and warehousing
Research your current industry to determine how likely a rapid recovery is for you. Make sure you look at the potential of any sectors you’re planning on moving to, as well.
2. Look at the Company’s Customer Base
Happy, loyal customers can stop a company from failing, even while the rest of the industry suffers. As a Salesforce expert, you’re in an excellent position to evaluate how well your specific organisation is doing in terms of brand loyalty and customer churn.
Use the insights you have within your CRM and customer service systems to determine whether your business is still generating the right number of sales to thrive. A small drop in performance is likely, but a consistent stream of losses might be a red flag that something’s going wrong.
If you notice a drop in sales, compare the current environment to any challenges this company has encountered before. Can the business bring revenues back up again? What are they doing to manage budget restraints? For instance, maybe a remote working strategy means your company can spend less cash on overheads and more on growth.
3. Consider Your Personal Goals
If the industry you’re working in hasn’t shown too many signs of disruption, but you’re still considering a change of pace, this might be a sign you aren’t happy where you are. Consider how often you dream about working in a different sector. Have you lost interest in the work you do most days, or do you usually imagine yourself supporting a different kind of company?
Think back to the last time you sat down to plan your future in your Salesforce career. Are you where you expected to be at this point in your life? Have your priorities and expectations changed as you’ve developed new Salesforce skills?
Now could be the perfect time to re-assess what you want from your roles and ask yourself what kind of industries you’re most passionate about.
4. Explore the Best Salesforce Sectors
If you think that a change in industry might be a good idea for you, make sure you research the industry’s potential before you jump in. Salesforce has become a valuable tool for companies of all sectors, so you have many opportunities available to you.
Some of the most beneficial industries for Salesforce employees include:
- Healthcare: Now more than ever, Healthcare companies are under extreme levels of pressure. The health environment is evolving at a record pace now. For a Salesforce professional, this could be an excellent chance to get in on the digital transformation.
- Retail: Retail is also changing more in the current landscape, with many people shopping online, interacting with self-service kiosks, and handling things independently. Teams need CRM technology to keep their finger on the pulse of their audience.
- Financial services: Finances will always be an important consideration in any landscape. Working with an investment banking platform or financial institution could help repair the economy after Covid.
5. Think Long Term
Making a gut decision is rarely a good idea when it comes to your career. As tempting as it can be to jump ship when you’re nervous about the state of your industry, it’s important to think long-term. Are you only thinking of leaving because the industry is currently suffering? Are you going to regret moving somewhere new a few months from now?
A strong Salesforce career demands a solid plan. It’s important to think about what you want to accomplish in the years ahead and whether switching to a new vertical will bring you closer to your goals or send you in the wrong direction.
Sit down and take the time to map your future as a Salesforce professional. Ask yourself where you want to be five or ten years from now and what kind of industry experiences you might need to achieve your goals.
Is Now the Time for a Change?
Salesforce provides a wide range of industry options to employees willing to improve and maintain their skills. If you feel that your industry isn’t going to give you the best opportunities anymore, now could be the time for a change. If you’re making decisions based on emotion and gut instinct alone, slow down and reconsider your options.
Thanks,
Lee
P.S. If you are wondering what your next move should be, we are always here for a chat. Drop me a quick email here, and we can take it from there.