1.) Technical skill and knowledge
For one, it's a technical thing. Salesforce-certified consultants must have business knowledge and technical prowess in their individual respective areas. The credential ensures that best practices are taught and are more likely to be adopted. Hence, the work is more likely to be done right the first time.
Knowledge is exemplified by all the tests Salesforce-certified persons have to pass in becoming Salesforce certified (whether it’s as an administrator, developer, or other certification). The certification process is rigorous and ensures necessary Salesforce skills are tested.
2.) Competency
It’s also a matter of competency. When looking for a new role within a Salesforce organization, the question of whether an individual has the experience to become a Salesforce Administrator gets asked a lot. And for those who don’t have prior experience in Salesforce or CRM, it’s a valid question.
3.) Meta-skill
But most importantly, Salesforce certification is a matter of mindset. The underlying skills Salesforce certification demonstrates are not necessarily all technical competencies, but rather, process management abilities. Knowing how to leverage Salesforce is the output, but the actual meta-skills of improving effectiveness and efficiency are the essential, innate tools needed to transform an organization.
This is why the demand for Salesforce-certified professionals has never been greater. It's not just what you do, but how you think.
What are the Certifications Companies Need Most on their Teams?
While all of the Salesforce certifications serve a function, here are several popular Salesforce certifications we see here at Summa:
The Administrator track currently comprises of two certifications: Salesforce Administrator (ADM201) and Advanced Administrator (ADM211). There are no prerequisites for ADM201, but you must have successfully passed the ADM201 certification in order to take ADM211.
The Admin certification focuses more on the day-to-day areas of Salesforce. For example, it will test you on your understanding of the Salesforce security model: how to best manage users, set up features like Territory Management and even how to create workflow rules.
The Sales Cloud Consultant certification is designed for those who have experience implementing Sales Cloud solutions in a customer-facing role. Candidates should be able to successfully design and implement Sales Cloud solutions that are maintainable and scalable, and contribute to long-term customer success.
The Service Cloud Consultant certification is designed for those who have experience implementing Service Cloud solutions in a customer-facing role. Candidates should be able to successfully design and implement Service Cloud solutions that meet customer business requirements, are maintainable and scalable and contribute to long-term customer success.
The Community Cloud consultant certification is designed for those who have experience implementing and consulting on the Salesforce Communities applications in a customer-facing role. Candidates should also be able to troubleshoot and solve platform issues.
For an up-to-date list of all types of Salesforce certifications, visit Salesforce.com here.
Haven't Salesforce Certification Exams Changed?
Yes. In 2015, Salesforce added a slew of new credentials for marketers, developers, instructors and Data.com consultants. Salesforce regularly changes the credentials to meet the intricate needs of the fast-moving technical marketplace. For an up-to-date list of credentials for consultants:
Bottom Line
Knowing, understanding and implementing best practices the first time saves considerable time and money for your organization. Through the Salesforce certification process, Salesforce-certified consultants are taught best practices to deliver important knowledge, skills and processes.
Summa boasts deep experience in creating fast, flexible, reliable and secure connectivity between cloud, on-premises, new and legacy core applications, as well as IoT and mobile devices. As both the implementation partner and the customer engagement solution architect for our clients, we achieve business results using Marketing, Sales and Service Clouds and other platform components of Salesforce.com. In 2015, we won the Salesforce.com Partner Innovation Award for Non-Profit Success for our work innovating new fundraising, donor and volunteer management solutions for The United Way of Southwestern PA. Plus, Salesforce.com is one of Summa's fastest-growing practice areas. As Gold Partners, we're excited to do more, excel more and produce more transformative solutions for our clients.
