Transformation @ Work

There isn’t just one way to shop anymore – which presents a unique challenge for retailers. After all, how do you build a buying experience that offers the same level of personal care for a customer, regardless of whether they’re shopping in-store, online, or via an app? That’s where Salesforce comes in: by leveraging Salesforce’s data-driven capabilities, backed by the power of AI, retailers can overhaul every aspect of the order management experience, from buying to fulfillment to returns. The end result? Deeper relationships with customers, greater wallet share, and a true competitive advantage. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, our experts break down specific ways in which Salesforce can transform order management for retailers, and give advice on how to unlock that value within an organization. Ready to dig deeper into Salesforce’s insights into what retailers should expect in the coming holiday season? Check out their latest blog on five key holiday shopping predictions! Learn more: sfdc.co/bNeZli Key Insights 02:29: How retailers can leverage Customer 360 to personalize the customer shopping experience 04:45: How Salesforce can bring the Customer 360 experience into a single pane of glass 05:42: Delivering better order support to delight and retain retail customers 07:44: Reimagining the fulfillment process with Salesforce’s inventory availability service 09:10: The vital role of omnichannel inventory management in facilitating hybrid shopping experiences 10:50: Adding the power of AI, backed by the Salesforce trust layer, into forecasting and analytics 13:07: Creating a more seamless returns experience with Salesforce and AI 15:43: Advice for retailers looking to implement Salesforce and overhaul their order management process 19:13: What does a truly overhauled order management process look like, and what can it offer to retailers and customers? Guest Bios John Cardaris Senior Product Marketing Manager, Commerce Cloud, Salesforce John Cardaris brings over 3 and a half years of experience at Salesforce to his current role, on top of over 8 years within the broader tech ecosystem. In his current role as Senior Product Marketing Manager for Commerce Cloud, he oversees operations relating to order management, support, and fulfillment, helping retailers to transform their customer shopping experiences. Liam Huston B2B Commerce Practice Lead, Gerent Liam Huston is a commerce expert who has dedicated 20+ years of his career to empowering clients in the ecommerce/B2B ecosystem. As a consultant, Liam specializes in Salesforce B2B Commerce and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and helps his customers tailor the solutions to suit their unique needs and goals. For Liam, the customer’s success is the ultimate project requirement — and to that end, he makes a point to help his clients bring complex systems into discrete pieces so they are better able to explore potential optimizations and improvements.

Retail shopping has changed dramatically in the past few years, and nowhere is that shift more apparent than during the holiday season. Trends and new buying models such as Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPIS) — which rolled out largely as a pandemic response — are here to stay, and the retail organizations that can’t maintain them are unfortunately falling behind. But make no mistake: innovating the retail shopping experience means going beyond playing catch-up to the latest retail trend and proactively anticipating how customers’ buying habits will change over time. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at just how the consumer shopping experience has changed, where it’s headed this holiday season, and how retailers and suppliers can anticipate the next major shift before it occurs. Ready to dig deeper into Salesforce’s insights into what retailers should expect in the coming holiday season? Check out their latest blog on five key holiday shopping predictions! Learn more: http://sfdc.co/bNeZli Key Insights 03:20: Salesforce market analysis: how shopping has changed in the past few years 04:08: What does the average customer expect from retailers in 2023? 05:25: How “fast fashion” retail outlets gained market share by responding to growing demand for agile, omnichannel shopping experiences 06:25: The ripple effect: how changes in customer buying behavior led to massive shifts in supply chain operations 07:46: Looking back: understanding the major holiday shopping trends of the past three years 08:33: Looking ahead: predicting the major focus points for consumers heading into the 2023 holiday season 09:55: How Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) became a fixture of modern shopping 11:19: How retailers can leverage BOPIS to personalize the shopping experience and increase customer spending 13:16: Supporting frontline retail workers as they uphold BOPIS 14:19: How technology can facilitate seasonal worker training 16:40: How retailers can anticipate the next major shift in customer behavior and meet shoppers where they are 19:31: How Salesforce can help retailers streamline operations ahead of the holiday season 21:34: How the right implementation partner can unlock the value of Salesforce for retailers and suppliers Guest Bios Rob Garf, Vice President & General Manager, Retail, Salesforce Rob brings over 25 years of retail experience as a practitioner, industry analyst, strategy consultant, and software leader to his current role at Salesforce. This experience has given him unique insight into the challenges retailers face within a rapidly shifting landscape, and how technology can help them overcome those issues. Rob is also a frequent industry speaker and a member of NRF’s Digital Council. Rosa Campagna, Sales Director, Retail & Consumer Goods, Gerent Rosa Campagna is a seasoned account executive with a deep understanding of the retail consumer goods sector and several years’ experience in the Salesforce ecosystem. As a charismatic sales leader, Rosa excels in forging connections with prospects and developing a quick, keen understanding of their concerns, goals, and needs. Her extensive skill set includes sales, account management, digital strategy-setting, media relations, event management, and more.

It’s a fact — the average prospective student entering into higher education in 2023 is more engaged with technology than any generation in history. This raises the critical question: why are so many higher education institutions still relying on outdated, manual processes for enrollment, communications, and ongoing engagement? Practices that have worked reliably in the past now risk feeling antiquated and obtuse to a new generation of digital-first students. Supporting the needs of this incoming class will require serious reimagining of the entire student experience – and an understanding of how digital tools can aid in that reimagining. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at how Salesforce is equipping institutions to engage with tech-savvy students on their terms through the newly-enhanced Education Cloud offering. Key Insights 03:33: A brief history lesson: what brought the education industry – and Salesforce – to this crucial moment 06:27: What does it mean that Education Cloud is a core Salesforce offering? 08:55: How Education Cloud’s new features help institutions meet digital-first students where they are 12:42: How institutions can personalize and tailor their experience with core Salesforce features such as OmniStudio 15:24: Leveraging Salesforce capabilities found in other industry clouds to create a better education experience 18:12: The role of a qualified technology partner in helping institutions get up and running with the new Education Cloud Guest Bios Julia Taylor Director, Solution Architecture, Education and Nonprofit, Gerent A 24x Salesforce-certified professional, Julia has been part of the Salesforce ecosystem nearly her entire career, focusing in Education for the last 11 years. She was one of the founding members of Salesforce.org Services prior to joining Gerent, and has led some of the most dynamic and innovative Salesforce Education customers through digital change. Julia maintains a relentless focus on customer ROI, ensuring every aspect of success is addressed, from technology to people to student experience. Her personal passion is the transformation of Student Recruitment and Admissions, helping bring a commercial-style experience to a digital native generation. Matthew Horton Senior Solution Consultant, Education, Gerent Matthew brings over 15 years experience in the Salesforce ecosystem, as well as 15 certifications, to his current role as Gerent’s senior solution consultant for the education industry. His background in education and nonprofit gives him unique insight into the challenges institutions face as they work to engage with students throughout their journey.

Any change within an organization– whether it’s new technology, processes, staffing changes, or other shifts in the business – can be intimidating for employees. Without careful execution, team leaders will inevitably face uncertainty, resistance, and ultimately, even rejection of promising new initiatives. Managing a successful transition requires steady communication, hands-on training and support, and — most importantly — a comprehensive change management plan. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we take a deep dive into what makes a truly effective change management plan and how leaders can ensure high levels of employee engagement at every stage of their Salesforce implementation. Key Insights 00:46: What is change management, and why is it so crucial in addressing employee resistance to new technology? 02:33: The first step in effective change management: pre-implementation research 04:12: Why effective and frequent communication is key to any successful change within an organization 07:42: The importance of identifying change champions when it comes to building employee enthusiasm 09:07: How good training can serve as a crucial component of a successful change management strategy 11:15: Strategies for maintaining employee engagement and adoption well after the change is complete 13:10: The role a qualified technology partner plays in an effective change management plan 14:21: How effective change management helped auto employees go from “ready to quit” to “embracing new technology” Guest Bios Keisha Ruggs Director, Change Management, Gerent Keisha Ruggs is an accomplished “change whisperer” who specializes in helping people understand, engage, and adopt change in their day-to-day work activities. She loves to guide clients through these transitions with minimal resistance by encouraging leadership alignment, understanding organizational impacts, and developing appropriate interventions. References Transformation @ Work episode 15: Saving Teams From Bad Training: Building Better Plans for Greater Adoption: https://www.gerent.com/podcasts/episode-15-saving-teams-from-bad-training-building-better-plans-for-greater-adoption

The nonprofit industry is vast, encompassing over 1.5 million organizations in the United States alone, each with their own unique mission, organizational structure, and needs. No two nonprofits are going to serve their communities in the same way– which makes planning a Salesforce implementation a distinct challenge for change-minded leaders. After all, how do you take one solution, even one as comprehensive as Salesforce, and deploy it equally well across such a range of organizations and use-case contexts? In this episode of Transformation @ Work, our experts share step-by-step guidance on how industry organizations can make the most of Salesforce at every stage of implementation. Key Insights 01:52: The importance of understanding the needs of your nonprofit and the communities you serve before considering new technologies 05:05: How careful research into Salesforce and its capabilities can translate into a more successful implementation 07:14: Identifying resources available to help strengthen your understanding of Salesforce 08:33: Don’t boil the ocean: avoiding common implementation pitfalls through a steady, incremental approach 12:06: How team leaders can help encourage long-term employee adoption of new technologies 16:20: The role a qualified technology partner can play during every stage of implementation to ensure success Guest Bios Regine Benchetrit Director, Nonprofit Growth and Marketing, Gerent Regine Benchetrit is a highly adaptable consultant with a diverse professional background and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. With a career spanning two decades, of which more than half was spent in the nonprofit sector, she has held various leadership positions within digital consultancies and prominent Canadian nonprofit organizations. In 2022, she was invited by Salesforce to speak about NFTs and Cryptocurrency at the Nonprofit Summit. Her professional expertise has spanned a wide range of industries, including sports & entertainment, insurance, CPG and Telco, to mention a few. She excels at empathizing with and uncovering her clients’ pain points, forging strong connections, and crafting innovative solutions to intricate challenges through constructive teamwork. Regine is fervent about giving back, building communities, and helping nonprofits drive their missions. Kathy Zozos-Pliagos Director, Education and Nonprofit, Gerent Kathy Zozos-Pliagos is a multidisciplinary leader with over 15 years of experience in management, education, nonprofit, recruitment, and organizational change. For the last decade, she has dedicated herself to empowering organizations with well-designed CRM solutions. Kathy previously served as a customer success architect at Salesforce and, in an earlier role, spearheaded the implementation, adoption, and successful launch of Sales and Service Cloud for three large online international universities. She excels at leading collaborative teams, defining high-performance business processes, architecting supportive solutions, and driving user adoption through effective change management initiatives. Julia Taylor Director, Solution Architecture, Education and Nonprofit, Gerent A 24x Salesforce-certified professional, Julia has been part of the Salesforce ecosystem nearly her entire career, focusing in Education for the last 11 years. She was one of the founding members of Salesforce.org Services prior to joining Gerent, and has led some of the most dynamic and innovative Salesforce Education customers through digital change. Julia maintains a relentless focus on customer ROI, ensuring every aspect of success is addressed, from technology to people to student experience. Her personal passion is the transformation of Student Recruitment and Admissions, helping bring a commercial-style experience to a digital native generation. References https://www.statista.com/topics/1390/nonprofit-organizations-in-the-us/

Deploying Salesforce within an organization is often a massive undertaking – which makes ensuring high levels of adoption absolutely essential. Attempt to overhaul too many processes at once, and you risk wasting valuable time and a considerable investment. But by aiming too small, or going for an “out-of-the-box” solution without the customizations necessary for your business, you run the risk of deploying a solution that doesn’t ultimately provide real value. For businesses in this position — who want to address specific pain points quickly, and with a high degree of employee confidence — a Strategic implementation might be the best option. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re continuing our multi-part deep-dive on our team’s approaches to Salesforce deployment, and unpacking Strategic implementations: Salesforce deployments that offer a tight turnaround time and target focused, achievable goals for a quick unlocking of value. Key Insights 00:50: At a high level, what is a Strategic Implementation? 01:56: Why Crescent, Methods Machine Tools (MMT), and Solugen chose a Strategic Implementation 04:36: Signs a business might be the right fit for a Strategic Implementation 05:11: Why an “out-of-the-box” approach to Salesforce deployment might not work for many businesses 06:06: Breaking down the components and goals of a Strategic Implementation 07:31: What are the major benefits of going with a Strategic Implementation? 09:50: Client perspectives on what it’s like to work through the process 13:01: Outlining the benefits Crescent, MMT, and Solugen experienced from implementing Salesforce 17:55: Advice for teams considering a Strategic Implementation Guest Bios Crescent Electric Crescent Electric is an electrical distributor that provides the inventory and expertise needed for industrial, residential, and construction projects. The company prides itself on its deep industry knowledge, job site efficiency, and leading-edge training and certifications. Methods Machine Tools Methods Machine Tools is a national distributor of machining equipment, automation, and engineering tools. They focus on providing best-in-class tools, backed by proven engineering expertise and a commitment to long-term customer relationships. 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. Nick Holbik-Siu, Director of Distribution, Gerent Nicholas Holbik-Siu is an experienced leader with a strong track record in the wholesale distribution space. After graduating from McMaster University, he went on to work his way up the ladder at EMCO and Norwood Waterworks before joining the Gerent Family. Andy Ramspott, VP, Sales Operations and Sales Enablement, Crescent Electric Andy brings years of sales, marketing, strategy, and commercial operations experience to his current role as vice president of sales operations and enablement at Crescent Electric. In his current position, his focus is on guiding and overseeing the sales teams in their efforts to drive growth to new levels. Andrew Winker Associate Director of Business Development and Strategy, Solugen As associate director of business development and strategy, 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. Tiffany A. Hess, Product Lifestyle Specialist, Methods Machine Tools Tiffany has worked with MMT for over eight years in a variety of roles, from office management to sales to her current position as product lifestyle consultant. In her current role, she works with the sales and product management teams to ensure their systems are operating successfully and efficiently.

No decision within a financial institution happens in a vacuum. Even the smallest change can potentially ripple out and impact other arms of the organization, for good or for ill. This is doubly true for your average banking institution, where dozens, or even upwards of a hundred disparate systems and data models are used daily to manage data. All it takes is one disruption in the complex spider-web of systems to cause major pain points, compromised data, and potential disaster. This makes careful planning especially crucial during Salesforce implementation: team leaders need to be aware of the ways in which changing one system may impact the broader institution as a whole. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at how a strategic approach to Salesforce deployment can help team leaders reimagine their data flows and create more cohesive data architecture for their organization. Key Insights 03:00: Examining the current state of data architecture within financial institutions: a “spider-web” of interconnected data models and systems 05:12: The potential pitfalls that come with making changes in a highly interconnected data structure 09:38: How early data architecture decisions can snowball over time into substantial tech debt 13:47: Reimagining the data architecture within an institution to better address the needs of employees and members 17:29: How working with an experienced technology partner can help team leaders built more efficient data architectures Guest Bios Dan Waldner Vice President of Financial Services, Gerent Dan brings years of technology to his current role at Gerent, with over half of that time spent in the Financial Services. In his previous role, he owned Salesforce for multiple enterprise-level institutions, running a total of four organizations and 5K+ users in 16 countries. That hands-on experience has given him profound insights into how Financial Services institutions can meaningfully adopt and utilize Salesforce to transform day-to-day operations. Shane Hayes Industry Product Lead, Financial Services, Gerent Shane brings almost 30 years of experience in technology and 12 years in the Salesforce ecosystem to his current role at Gerent. He has a particular passion for solutioning and architecture, as well as for helping deliver and deploy the Salesforce infrastructure that businesses need to thrive.

The prior authorization process, in theory, is designed to help payers get their members the care they need while keeping premiums down and preventing unnecessary procedures. However, due to long response times, complicated processes for filing, and a lack of transparency, providers, regulators, and members are looking for a change. These problems prompted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to propose CMS-0057, new guidelines which task payers with overhauling their authorization process to make it quicker and more transparent. But this is no small feat, given the volume of requests that come in from members and sheer complexity of administrative systems. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we examine how payers can begin to lay the groundwork to address these changes, and get ahead of requirements by digitalizing the prior authorization process. Key Insights 03:25: Examining the current prior authorization process from the payer’s perspective 05:45: Flipping the script: examining prior authorizations – and their pitfalls – from the member’s point of view 08:04: Pain points in the authorization process for payers, members, and providers 10:13: Breaking down the proposed changes within CMS-0057 and how they impact payers 13:21: Potential challenges in implementation for payers seeking to comply with CMS-0057 16:06: How digital tools can help payers lay the groundwork for a better prior authorization process 18:54: The role a qualified technology partner can play in helping payers get ahead of proposed guidelines and stay compliant Guest Bio Cheryl Gibson Senior Director, Healthcare & Life Sciences (Payers), Gerent Cheryl Gibson is a tenured healthcare professional and Salesforce solution leader who excels in translating business processes into high-value technical solutions. With nearly three decades of industry experience — 10 of which were dedicated to directing the strategy, design, and implementation of complex projects in the Salesforce ecosystem — Cheryl is well-equipped to help Gerent’s payer clients overcome hurdles and achieve their ideal future state.

Cars are complicated, and technical conversations around vehicles can pose a challenge for dealerships and customers alike. It can be a real struggle to explain which of the thousands of integral, intricate pieces of a car needs to be serviced — and how it relates to the whole of the vehicle — to the average consumer. But what if, at a moment's notice, you had a diagram you could pull up of every car you serviced? What if you could view a 3D model of a car, highlight a specific part, and pull up inventory numbers and Salesforce data for an immediate order? That’s exactly what RenderDraw offers automotive organizations. With this tool at hand, employees can build, save, and access full 3D renderings of vehicles on the lot, alongside existing Salesforce records for one-touch access to every single car’s history. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we examine how dealers and original equipment manufacturers (also called OEMs) can leverage RenderDraw’s Salesforce-native solution to supercharge the experience of customizing and servicing vehicles for their customers. Key Insights 04:18: Challenges automotive dealers and OEMs face when it comes to building and retaining customer trust 06:39: How 2D and 3D visualizations help customers research vehicles from anywhere, via their preferred channel 08:17: What is RenderDraw, and how can it help dealers and OEMs reduce friction in the car buying and servicing process? 11:21: How RenderDraw connects to Salesforce and uses existing customer data to enhance its intuitive visualizations 13:10: Potential use cases for RenderDraw: how RenderDraw can transform warranty checks, spare parts ordering, and accessory customization 18:13: How Salesforce Automotive Cloud and RenderDraw remove the barriers associated with 3D visualizations, putting the power back in dealers’ and OEMs’ hands Guest Bios Erik Pilgrim, CEO, RenderDraw Erik brings over a decade of experience in the Salesforce ecosystem to his current role, with the past five years focused exclusively on bringing RenderDraw to market. His work has a major focus in helping manufacturers and automotive organizations unlock the potential of RenderDraw’s 2D and 3D visualizations to deliver a better customer experience from beginning to end. Nikhil Bhatia, Automotive Practice Lead, Gerent Nikhil has over 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and has worked with OEMs and dealer groups worldwide, including Mazda Canada, BMW Canada, BMW Group India & Audi India. He specializes in consulting with clients to streamline the digital sales process and enable sustainable growth across both sales and aftersales verticals.

Transitioning into Salesforce consulting is a natural career move for many professionals, particularly those who have worked with the platform within their previous organizations. But while it can be an exciting prospect, actually making the transition comes with no shortages of unique challenges. After all, when you’re on the customer’s side of the table, you don’t need to worry about addressing specific pain points or solving difficult questions. But what happens when the answers to those questions rest squarely on your shoulders? In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we examine what goes into the transition from Salesforce customer to consultant, and hear the stories of some established Gerent leaders who made the switch successfully. Key Insights 02:48: Why April and Cheryl decided to transition into Salesforce consulting 07:09: Advice on positioning your industry-specific skills when interviewing for Salesforce-centric positions 10:45: Leveraging Trailhead to develop necessary technical skills for success in the Salesforce ecosystem 12:06: Examining the mindshift necessary to shift your perspective from “customer” to “consultant” 12:58: How previous experience as a customer can prove to be a powerful differentiator when it comes to consulting 17:27: Advice for professionals who might want to make the leap into Salesforce consulting Guest Bios April Bollwage Senior Director, Education (Recruiting, Admissions, & International), Gerent April Bollwage is an impassioned education leader with 20+ years operational and admissions experience in for-profit education, higher education and state-funded nonprofit training programs. April prides herself on creating collaborative team environments that use technology to unite and empower people of varying perspectives. She specializes in enrollment management, strategic operations, mentorship, data analysis, and Student 360 experience. April is a certified Salesforce Administrator, Education Cloud Consultant, and Business Analyst. Cheryl Gibson Senior Director, Healthcare & Life Sciences (Payers), Gerent Cheryl Gibson is a tenured healthcare professional and Salesforce solution leader who excels in translating business processes into high-value technical solutions. With nearly three decades of industry experience — 10 of which were dedicated to directing the strategy, design, and implementation of complex projects in the Salesforce ecosystem — Cheryl is well-equipped to help Gerent’s payer clients overcome hurdles and achieve their ideal future state.

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.

You only get one chance at a first impression — and for higher ed institutions, that initial assessment often comes in the form of student communications. When institutions take the time to deliver personalized and welcoming communications, students feel comfortable; and from there, they’re positioned to excel in their new environment. However, all too often, inconsistent outreach standards between departments can lead to massive variations in the frequency, consistency, and tone of their messaging. Emails from recruitment may be warm and welcoming, but once a student is admitted, those messages may become stilted and brusque. If institutions want to maintain relationships with students long after they become alumni, they need to deliver consistent, personalized communication throughout the entire student journey. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we explore how institutions can develop better end-to-end communication strategies — and how those strategies translate to deeper long-term relationships with students. Key Insights 03:34: How an institution’s communications strategy can impact its relationship with students at every stage of their journey 06:50: The importance of personalization in an institution’s student communications 09:22: Major considerations for institutions as they develop an end-to-end student communication strategy 10:40: First steps for institutions as they begin to implement their communications strategy (e.g., how do I get started?) 12:56: Leveraging automation and marketing templates to take student communications from “good” to “great” 15:43: How well-designed, automated communications can unlock internal teams’ productivity and efficiency Guest Bios Shirin Khosravian, D.B.A Senior Director of Education (Retention & Student Success), Gerent Shirin Khosravian, D.B.A., is a data-driven strategy and innovation leader with over 18 years of experience in higher education and business transformation. Shirin is also an adjunct professor who teaches graduate-level courses on business, communications and digital marketing. She excels in forging constructive partnerships and empowering organizations to drive growth through people-process-systems strategies and solutions. During transformation initiatives, Shirin leverages her extensive marketing, technical, customer experience, and analytical skills to develop creative, high-value solutions for clients. Rachelle Pantaleon Sales Director, Nonprofit & Marketing Automation, Gerent Rachelle brings 17 years of experience to her current role as Gerent’s sales director of nonprofit and marketing automation. In her current capacity, she helps institutions of all sizes develop and implement their marketing communications strategies. She has a passion for working with higher education institutions that are passionate about the success of their students.

Digital tools such as Salesforce provide the transformational functionality that healthcare payers need to deliver next-level member experiences. But the cost and time expenditure of deploying those digital tools can pose a real roadblock for implementation, leading payers to rely on their existing legacy tools — often at the expense of their members’ experiences. To overcome this implementation hurdle,, payers need specialized solutions that can help them get to market as quickly as possible, so they can focus their efforts on better serving their members. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we take a look at Gerent’s latest offering, Salesforce Smart Starts, and examine how they can help payers streamline the implementation process and accelerate their time to value. Key Insights 03:38: Challenges faced by healthcare payers when it comes to Salesforce implementation 04:52: What exactly is a Smart Start, and how can it help payers take advantage of what Salesforce has to offer? 07:53: Exploring Gerent’s first Smart Start offering: an improved member service center 11:04: How can the member service center Smart Start improve first call resolution and reduce call abandonment rates? 13:28: How Smart Starts can help payers elevate their entire service experience over time Guest Bios Cheryl Gibson, Senior Director of Healthcare & Life Sciences (Payers), Gerent Cheryl Gibson is a tenured healthcare professional and Salesforce solution leader who excels in translating business processes into high-value technical solutions. With nearly three decades of industry experience — 10 of which were dedicated to directing the strategy, design, and implementation of complex projects in the Salesforce ecosystem — Cheryl is well-equipped to help Gerent’s payer clients overcome hurdles and achieve their ideal future state. Jill Winegar, Senior Director of Healthcare & Life Sciences (Technology), Gerent Jill is a multifaceted leader with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare, advertising, and marketing industries. She specializes in providing strategic guidance during implementations, developing winning lead engagement strategies, and cultivating strong teams and partnerships. As a results-minded professional, Jill is committed to building exceptional user- and patient-focused experiences.

Salesforce implementation is no small feat – it usually costs millions of dollars, and requires weeks (or months) of training, process overhauling, and more. But for many businesses, once the deployment is done, there’s a dreaded question waiting: “Now what?” Without a clear idea of which metrics to monitor post-implementation, teams often struggle to confirm ROI and often risk overlooking key stumbling blocks or opportunities for iterative improvement. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at the critical role post-deployment analysis plays in a successful implementation and how being able to track progress, identify KPIs, and assess the value Salesforce is adding to your organization can be a vital step in creating a truly digitalized business. Key Insights 02:51: How are businesses currently tracking the success of their Salesforce implementations, and what are the consequences for those that aren’t? 05:14: Specific KPIs team leaders should be looking for when evaluating the success of their Salesforce implementation 07:07: How team leaders can ensure long-term adoption happens, and remains consistent well after an implementation is complete 11:32: The consequences of data not being entered properly into Salesforce, and how that impacts a teams’ ability to analyze their success post-implementation 13:16: Enforcing the reality of “if it’s not in Salesforce, it doesn’t exist” (and why team leaders need to embrace it) 15:01: Putting the pieces together: How teams can analyze their data and evaluate Salesforce’s impact when buy-in is achieved across all levels of the organization Guest Bios Dan Waldner Vice President of Financial Services, Gerent Dan brings years of technology to his current role at Gerent, with over half of that time spent in the Financial Services. In his previous role, he owned Salesforce for the enterprise, running a total of four organizations, and 5K+ users in 16 countries. That hands-on experience gives him profound insights into how Financial Services institutions can meaningfully adopt and utilize Salesforce to transform day-to-day operations.

Ask anyone who has worked a job for a long time and they’ll tell you the same truth: the skills listed in the job description are just scratching the surface of what goes into a given role. Being a Salesforce solution architect is no exception; there is a tremendous amount that goes into the position beyond what’s listed on paper. So, if you’re just starting in your career — or you’re looking to make a switch — how do you know what skills to focus on, or if you’ll be a good fit? The answer is simple: ask the people currently doing the work. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re sitting down with a trio of Gerent employees and seasoned solution architects to get a real, on-the-ground perspective on what makes someone a standout candidate for the job. Key Insights 02:50 - Outlining the essential skills for success as a solution architect 08:00 - The art of confidently (and quickly) learning the processes and challenges of a business 14:05 - Tips for developing the right skill sets to be a stand-out solution architect Guest Bios Elizabeth Bauer, Senior Consultant, Manufacturing, Energy, and Automotive, Gerent Elizabeth brings over 15 years of Salesforce experience with multiple tech partners to her current role as senior consultant and acting solution architect. Currently, she leads consulting efforts within Gerent’s manufacturing practice, helping develop key solutions for companies large and small alike. Adeolu Oyeyinka, Senior Solution Consultant, Manufacturing, Energy, and Automotive, Gerent Ade’s combination of software implementation experience and a prior hands-on engineering background gives him a unique insight into the work that goes into making tech solutions happen. That expertise helps him work with clients in the manufacturing space as one of Gerent’s senior solution architects. Sam Musa, Solution Architect, Manufacturing, Energy, and Automotive, Gerent With 20 years in the tech industry, Sam’s background includes solution architecture, project management, and nearly eight years of Salesforce consulting experience. That combination of skills allows him to confidently step between roles to help manufacturing companies address common pain points and improve processes.

For many businesses, Salesforce implementation is a one-and-done affair, with the conversation beginning and ending with the organization’s immediate, pressing needs. This approach is reasonably effective and useful; however it often leaves high-value, transformative features on the table. For teams looking to truly “level up” their Financial Services Cloud experience, taking on an iterative approach to implementation – one that factors in the new features and capabilities constantly being added to the platform – is mission-critical. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re taking a look at a few of these underappreciated features and considering how institutions can leverage them to radically improve their productivity and customer experience. Key Insights 03:33: What high-value features are financial services institutions commonly missing out on within Salesforce? 09:31: How these features can come together to dramatically improve an institution’s processes 11:05: Why don’t more organizations take advantage of some of these capabilities? 16:57: Next steps for team leaders: How to get started deploying these features in Salesforce Guest Bios Dan Waldner Vice President of Financial Services, Gerent Dan brings years of technology to his current role at Gerent, with over half of that time spent in the Financial Services. In his previous role, he owned Salesforce for the enterprise, running a total of four organizations, and 5K+ users in 16 countries. That hands-on experience gives him profound insights into how Financial Services institutions can meaningfully adopt and utilize Salesforce to transform day-to-day operations. Shane Hayes Industry Product Lead, Financial Services, Gerent Shane brings almost 30 years of experience in technology, and 12 years in the Salesforce ecosystem, to his current role at Gerent. He has a particular passion for solutioning and architecture, as well as for helping to deliver and deploy the Salesforce infrastructure that businesses need to thrive.

Thanks to an abundance of patients, complicated cases, and ever-shifting compliance guidelines, most healthcare providers are stretched thin. Oftentimes they’re limited to just a few minutes per interaction – just enough time to address any pressing patient concerns and move on. That may be enough to handle immediate crises, but what gets lost in these cases is the personal touch: the daily interactions that reveal major factors in a patients’ health. Issues such as food security, ease of travel, or work stress can be the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to patient care…but without time to dig in and ask the right questions, providers might miss them entirely. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we examine how providers can use Salesforce Health Cloud to automate processes, collect and share key patient data, and better address key social determinants of health. Key Talking Points 03:18: What are social determinants of health and how do they impact patient care? 05:19: The challenges providers face in collecting, storing, and sharing data on social determinants of health 07:24: How Salesforce can help providers get a better understanding of their patients’ social determinants of health 9:58: Creating better relationships with outside partner organizations through the use of data and digital tools 12:14: Ensuring the right data is being collected and stored: how to assess and utilize incoming information on social determinants of health Guest Bio Jim Rogers, Senior Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Gerent A registered nurse by training, Jim Rogers has been in healthcare for over 27 years, with 23 years of those spent as an RN and over 15 years running healthcare operations and service lines. He also brings 12 years of experience as a Salesforce customer and partner and, prior to joining Gerent, dedicated 7 years to helping payers and providers create engaging patient experiences with Salesforce Health Cloud.

For decades, automotive dealers and OEMs have relied on the same toolkit for their needs: a whiteboard, individual file folders for sales reps, and sticky notes on computer screens and cubicle walls. Each of those tools serve a purpose; but the undeniable fact is, there’s a ceiling to their effectiveness – especially when dealing with larger customer households, multiple locations, and remote interactions. If organizations truly want to take the experience of buying and servicing a car to the next level, they need better digital tools. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we virtually “unbox” Salesforce Automotive Cloud, and examine how its feature-set helps dealers and OEMs reimagine what’s possible when it comes to customer experience. Key Talking Points 03:16: Why automotive dealers, dealer networks, and OEMs need to shift from a product-centric to a customer-centric approach 09:30: How Salesforce Automotive Cloud allows organizations to prioritize a better experience at every opportunity 12:18: What does “Household Management” mean, and how can it help auto dealers gain new insight into their customers’ needs? 16:06: How Gerent’s Automotive Cloud Accelerator allows organizations to unlock the value of Automotive Cloud “right out of the box” 22:24: Reimagining what’s possible: how businesses can use Automotive Cloud to transform the car-buying experience Guest Bios Nikhil Bhatia, Automotive Practice Lead, Gerent Nikhil brings over 11 years of experience in mechanical engineering, business consulting, digital strategy, and a lifelong passion for cars to his role as Gerent’s Automotive Practice Lead. This background gives him a firsthand perspective on how teams within the automotive industry can redefine “possible” with the right digital tools at their disposal. Ryan Bjorgaard, Industries Product Lead, Manufacturing & Distribution, Auto, Energy Ryan has nine years of experience in IT consulting, systems implementation, and solution design. With 14 Salesforce Solution Architect certifications, he was one of the first 100 Solution Architects in the Salesforce ecosystem. Ryan is also a Manufacturing Cloud accredited professional and has led CRM strategy for a number of digital transformations across the sales operations and supply chain industries.

Pricing should be a straightforward proposition: the seller sets a price, the customer pays that price, and everyone walks away happy. But in manufacturing, the process is anything but simple. Between discounts based on volume and customer loyalty, location-based pricing, and ongoing supply chain disruptions, pricing can become an ongoing struggle for manufacturers. Sales teams’ existing methods of capturing pricing information — such as post-it notes and spreadsheets — simply cannot keep up with the fluctuations. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at how Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud can manage the complexities of pricing on the back-end, so sales teams in manufacturing can get back to what matters: building relationships with their customers. Key Insights 03:13: Identifying what makes the pricing process so complicated for manufacturers 08:20: The impact supply chain disruptions can have on the pricing process 12:12: How Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud can automate back-end pricing changes to simplify pricing quotes 15:58: How manufacturers can integrate Manufacturing Cloud into their existing processes to maximize productivity and eliminate administrative hassle 22:24: Putting the pieces together: What a simplified pricing process can look like with Salesforce Guest Bios Anandhi Narayanan SVP of Strategy & Business Transformation and Manufacturing Practice Lead, Gerent Anandhi has 17 years of experience in manufacturing and distribution in both the business and IT sector. She has led digital transformations across a variety of industries, from finance to sales operations. For the past five years as a consultant, Anandhi has led cross-cloud implementations, driving strategy and thought leadership for supply chain organizations in the Salesforce ecosystem. Ryan Bjorgaard Industries Product Lead, Manufacturing, Distribution, Auto, & Energy, Gerent Ryan has nine years of experience in IT consulting, systems implementation, and solution design. With fourteen Salesforce Solution Architect certifications, he was one of the first 100 Solution Architects in the Salesforce ecosystem. Ryan is also a Manufacturing Cloud Accredited Professional and has led CRM strategy for a number of digital transformations across the sales operations and supply chain industries.

Education and nonprofit sectors are facing serious challenges when it comes to staffing and retention. Simply put: employees are exhausted, burnt out, and struggling to overcome the challenges posed by a global pandemic, sudden transition to online learning, and ever-increasing responsibilities. Many teachers have left the field entirely — and as absences and resignations pile up, the stress on current employees increases, creating a feedback loop that wreaks havoc on faculty well-being. Teachers and staff members want to regain control of their lives and get back to the communities they serve — and to do so, they’ll need supportive digital infrastructure. In this episode of Transformation @ Work we’re looking at the short-staffing crisis in education and nonprofit, and asking the question: Can digital tools help educators achieve some much-needed peace of mind? Key Insights 03:10: Key causes of the staffing crisis in the education and nonprofit sectors 04:45: How staffing shortages lead to a damaging loss of institutional knowledge 06:54: How a scant technology investments and a lack of effective backup plans exacerbated the current staffing crisis 07:44: The stressful cycle: how a lack of backup plans adds stress for teachers, which in turn adds to absences and resignations 09:32: How digital tools can be used to ensure staff coverage and put backup plans in place 12:08: Unique challenges in education and nonprofit when it comes to addressing employee burnout 13:34: Leveraging digital tools to identify pain points and stressors for employees to build a more supportive academic environment 16:22: How digital technology can help educators and nonprofits put the focus back on the communities they serve 22:42: How stakeholder feedback helps to build employee satisfaction Guest Bios April Bollwage, Senior Director of Education (Recruiting, Admissions, & International), Gerent April brings over 20 years of education experience in both the private and non-profit sectors to her role at Gerent. She’s designed processes to support over 60 domestic learning centers and 650 colleges and universities, and has seen firsthand the way organizations can use Salesforce to help employees get back to what matters: helping the communities they serve. Richard Carter Director of Education (K-12), Gerent Richard comes to Gerent with years of educational administration experience across all levels: from his primary experience as a middle school principal, to time spent in higher education institutions such as Rider and Princeton, to a year spent as an elementary school principal. His current focus is helping institutions use digitalized data to give their students the resources and personal connections they need to succeed.