CHALLENGE
Disconnected systems following acquisitions
The company was founded by acquiring multiple brands and organizations, bringing a complex network of integrations and data.
They wanted to consolidate their six Salesforce instances into three new instances. Each acquired organization had different processes, making it challenging to generate consistent reports for the executive team and the private equity board. The lack of uniform data and calculations forced the company to spend time manually manipulating data to get the insights they needed. Additionally, the cost of maintaining multiple Salesforce instances was high.
The inherited technology stack was also extensive, including Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, various data enrichment tools, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), homegrown systems, and product-specific Salesforce instances. They had numerous integrations across these organizations, each using different methods to connect similar systems. For example, multiple integrations ran between Salesforce and their ERP, but these were not standardized. Different objects were integrated in different ways, some systems lacked integration entirely, and many processes were handled manually. The overall architecture was fragmented and inefficient.
In addition, the business units ran in silos under these Salesforce instances, limiting collaboration and preventing them from leveraging synergies across products. This setup restricted opportunities for cross-selling and made it difficult to function as a unified organization.
To streamline and manage their data more effectively, the company brought in Spaulding Ridge to scope out what we called the Salesforce One program, a project aimed at merging six Salesforce instances into three greenfield instances.
SOLUTION
Standardizing systems to generate a common reporting structure
Through Salesforce One, the goal was to establish a unified set of processes across the three organizations. We wanted to standardize systems and processes to enable the brands to operate more consistently. The route would allow the company to improve its enterprise efficiency and create a standard organizational reporting structure.
After an initial assessment, we discovered that the six existing instances were highly customized, incorporating tech stacks, multiple integrations, and vast amounts of data.
We took an 80-20 approach to unify processes across the enterprise. The objective was to start at a prominent level, designing for the 80 percent commonality first. Then, we decided where and when deviations needed to be built for each division, ensuring alignment with their goals while maintaining essential user functionality.
We confirmed that around 80 percent of the requirements were consistent across different business units and focused on unifying systems and processes to create a mirrored structure. This ensured consistency in key areas such as lead-to-cash workflows, marketing materials, lead management, opportunity tracking, reporting, and quoting. By aligning these functions, we helped transition the company from a collection of distinct brands to a more cohesive organization.
For the remaining 20 percent of unique requirements, we worked closely with the business to manage exceptions carefully. Our goal was to filter out uncommon use cases that introduced complexity while maintaining an architecture that remained as standardized as possible. Some organizations had Salesforce CPQ enabled, while others did not, leading to variations in user experience and in how pricing was integrated with downstream systems. To address this, we decided to create a standardized Salesforce CPQ process across all new organizations.
We assigned experts to oversee each division its Salesforce instance. While the company still needed to consider its different products and sales needs, the system’s core functionality and user experience needed to remain consistent.
Finally, we merged the six organizations into three. To ensure a clean data migration, we deduplicated and standardized the data before importing it into the new organizations. By standardizing processes and maintaining clean data, we created a unified workflow with consistent information, making ERP integration seamless.
RESULTS
Optimized tech stack and reduced operational burden
By consolidating its Salesforce instances, the company gained a scalable and efficient system that eliminated operational silos. Standardized processes from lead to invoice improved collaboration across business units, making it easier to cross-sell, report accurately, and run as a unified organization.
The project also provided them with a clean, consolidated dataset, significantly reducing time spent on data manipulation. With standardized data structures and streamlined reporting, leadership could access clear, real-time sales insights without reconciling data across multiple organizations. This ensured accurate financial reporting and improved decision-making at the executive and private equity levels.
By optimizing their tech stack and leveraging the technology’s native capabilities, we reduced the burden on their business operations teams. The integration of CPQ across all organizations created consistency in quoting and contract management. Additionally, we streamlined integrations between their CRMs and their ERP and other critical systems, ensuring seamless data flow and reducing the risk of manual errors.
The phased go-live approach not only ensured a smooth transition but also proved beneficial when they decided to divest from an acquisition. The structured rollout allowed them to continue their business transformation without disruptions, providing flexibility for future strategic decisions.
Ultimately, the company emerged with a future-ready CRM ecosystem that supports growth, enhances efficiency, and reduces operational costs—all while ensuring a single source of truth for their data.
