A Salesforce consultant always on the lookout for interaction
Coming from a background in SAP, Paul van Alst moved into consultancy. At Nextview Consulting, he uses his knowledge as an SAP specialist for BI projects, the creation of reports and the design of dashboards. That is, until the company decided to focus solely on Salesforce. “I was anxious at first to make the switch, but I was also very curious about what Salesforce had to offer.”
‘If it turns out to be not my cup of tea, I can always go back.’ With that thought in mind, Paul decided to switch from SAP to Salesforce a few years ago. A few years before, he had joined Nextview from the corporate world. “People warned me before I jumped into consulting. They said it might mean moving from a very welcoming environment to a hard and cold atmosphere. Those warnings turned out to be unnecessary. Nextview is a very warm company. ‘We work as friends’ may sound cheesy, but we’re really open to all opinions and constructive criticism.”
Nextview also pursues a strong social involvement. “You have the chance to contribute with your specific knowledge to social issues. That makes it extra cool.” In terms of content, too, the switch turns out to be less big than expected. “At SAP I was already working on Enterprise Resource Planning solutions. That means mainly looking at the process and less at the technology. So the switch to Salesforce is fairly easy.”
Engaging with the customer
Customers still work with both systems, SAP and Salesforce. “If you want to integrate between SAP and Salesforce, knowledge of SAP is very valuable. We know what the SAP side looks like, so we still help customers who want to integrate Salesforce with that. In terms of collaboration, I really like that. You know what the other side needs to be successful.” In the difference between the two systems, Salesforce’s versatility stands out. “With SAP, there is more emphasis on technical matters. You stay within the parameters that the system offers. Salesforce is more flexible in this regard.”
But for Paul, the biggest difference is the interaction with customers. “Now I’ll talk more to the end user. To be able to come up with a smart solution, having a good grasp of the customer’s business process is key. What does the business process consist of? Is the problem that arises really the core problem? How can I help with the options the Salesforce platform offers?”
“With SAP, there is more emphasis on technical matters. You stay within the parameters that the system offers. Salesforce is more flexible in this regard.”
To get a good picture of that process, Nextview first dives into one of its Design Thinking Centers with new customers. These are especially equipped to get to the heart of the problem. SAP experts who like the idea of seeking out that customer interaction, should definitely look at Salesforce, Paul recommends. But do you prefer writing code in different languages? Then, to be fair, SAP is probably more your thing.
Experts who help you
If you decide to make the switch, Nextview gives you all the help you need to make Salesforce your own. “There are more than 100 experienced consultants that you can reach out to. People who always want to help you.” In addition, there is of course Trailhead: the platform with free Salesforce learning modules and routes. Part of the platform is the Trailblazer Community, a global community of people who help you on your path to becoming a Salesforce expert. Nextview also has its own MyTrailhead, in which you can immediately get to know the company better.
“There are more than 100 experienced consultants that you can reach out to. People who always want to help you”
Paul is raving about all the possibilities. “The openness of Salesforce is great. You can easily find information and people are always willing to help you. Salesforce is going further and further into both breadth and depth. The growth we are experiencing together is truly unprecedented.”
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