Transformation @ Work: Recent Episodes
Transformation @ Work
Nothing kills productivity like “swivel chair” moments, when employees have to pivot between multiple platforms and programs just to get their job done. But what if you could condense all of your daily tasks into the same platform you already use for daily communication, and work seamlessly in one place throughout the day– no pivoting required?Whether you’re brand-new to the solution or you’ve been messaging coworkers on Slack for years, there are likely still some game-changing features you might not know about. From approvals to integrations, check out the latest Transformation @ Work to learn how to transform Slack into a superpowered collaboration station.Key Insights02:01: Understanding Slack’s transformation from a communications platform to an all-in-one collaboration solution02:40: How switching between programs and solutions can add up to significant time costs for employees– and how Slack can help04:36: Exploring Slack’s template library, and what its out-of-the-box automations have to offer06:01: How employees can leverage Slack’s workflow builder to create custom third-party automations08:15: Slack automation in action: real-world use cases for how teams are streamlining processes via automation10:35: Leveraging Slack apps to strengthen company culture and deepen employee relationshipsGuest BiosKrishna Patel, Partner Engineer, SlackKrish has spent the past several years working deeply with Slack as a solution, which gives him an in-depth understanding of the product and its capabilities. In his current role as Partner Engineer for the solution, he works closely with partners and developers to drive product integrations and deliver technical solutions to address needs across the Slack ecosystem.Kishan Patel, Senior Solution Consultant, GerentAn 18X Salesforce-certified product expert, Kish brings years of experience and a wealth of technical expertise to his current role as Senior Solution Consultant. He specializes in building strong relationships with internal and external partners to identify pain points and develop winning solutions that drive customer success.
Employees only have so many hours in the day. They can either spend that time fighting with manual processes and repetitive tasks, or they can focus on building relationships with customers and growing the business. This is especially true in automotive dealerships, where that personalized experience is more important than ever, and time-consuming, repetitive tasks cause major frustration for employees and customers alike. How can dealers free up that precious employee time, so they can focus on what matters?In this episode of Transformation @ Work, our experts uncover how Salesforce Automotive Cloud can automate and streamline processes and workflows, setting up dealership employees for success.Key Talking Points03:15: Benchmarks and habits of truly enabled employees, and how those employees add value back to the dealership04:38: Why workarounds and manual solutions are a red flag when it comes to employee enablement06:51: How Salesforce Automotive Cloud can automate daily tasks and help dealership employees reclaim their daily capacity08:03: The importance of bringing employees onboard and soliciting feedback during every step of the Salesforce implementation11:11: Setting benchmarks for success: key metrics and goals for managers to watch for during implementation13:24: What dealerships can achieve by enabling employee success with process and workflow automationGuest BiosBrian Schumacher, President, ResultsGuru.comBrian is a long-time technical consultant, having worked with Harley Davidson Canada’s network performance team for 15+ years. He brings 40+ years of experience in technical and business consulting in automotive to his current role, as well as keen insights into how dealerships can leverage technology to get better, more accurate results.Jennifer Thompson, Automotive Practice & Pre-sales Leader, GerentJeni is a tenured consultant with 20+ years of experience analyzing the technology needs of Automotive and Manufacturing companies. During that time, she spent 16 years working directly with dealer management system tech companies and 7 as a consultant, heavily engaged within the Dealer & OEM space. Prior to her role at Gerent, she served as a Pre-sales Engagement Manager in Salesforce’s Manufacturing practice.
The sales process is the lifeblood of any manufacturing organization – and yet, despite its importance, it remains a source of frustration for many organizations. Blue sheets, log books, cumbersome spreadsheets; these hallmarks of a manual sales process bring with them headaches, siloed processes, and often missed opportunities.Faced with trying to overhaul their sales process, PTR Group turned to Salesforce. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, find out how Gerent was able to help PTR group achieve this goal, unlocking valuable new cross-selling opportunities along the way.Key Takeaways01:30: How PTR Group’s manual sales process impacted collaboration and cross-selling opportunities04:57: How Gerent worked to overcome PTR Group’s hesitance in learning new technology, and helped them embrace Salesforce06:45: Choosing the right Salesforce administrator, and why that is an essential step in the implementation process08:40: The importance of relationship building: How Gerent and PTR group worked together to build a better sales process11:27: Unlocking greater visibility and cross-collaboration with Salesforce Sales Cloud14:50: The impact that Sales Cloud has had on PTR group’s sales process and ability to cross-sell to existing customersGuest BiosPhilip Moroco, Chief Commercial Officer, PTR GroupPhilip brings over 19 years of experience to his current role as Chief Commercial Officer for PTR Group, a manufacturer of metal and plastic components that create sub assemblies for OEMs and suppliers across a range of industries.Roger Yeager, Supply Chain Manager, PTR GroupRoger has acted as Supply Chain Manager for American Cap, a subsidiary of PTR Group, for over 23 years. In addition to his current role, he acts as Salesforce administrator for PTR Group, and worked alongside Gerent throughout the implementation process.Zohaib Noorani, Senior Solution Consultant, GerentIn his current role as Senior Solution Consultant, Zohaib combines over a decade of manufacturing experience with four years spent in the Salesforce ecosystem to help clients solve complex business problems using agile & hybrid methodologies.Indubala Kachhawa, Project Manager, GerentPrior to joining Gerent, Indubala has worked in the technology and consulting space for over 15 years. That extensive experience provides her with valuable insights in how clients can build better processes and digital workflows through technology.
Delivering a personalized car buying experience is a “holy grail” for any automotive dealership. After all, by meeting the customer where they are and anticipating their needs, employees are truly empowered to turn incoming leads into high-value opportunities. But how do you unlock those experiences when customers might only visit your dealership once a year at most?In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at how better data structuring and predictive AI capabilities can overhaul customer-dealer interactions and transform the car buying experience.Key Insights02:36: Imagining an ideal, personalized dealership experience, and how technology can help facilitate that03:52: Current barriers keeping dealers from delivering personalized experiences to customers06:00: How dealerships can leverage technology to capture, structure, and action customer data— regardless of where it comes from09:04: How Salesforce Automotive Cloud can enable employees to convert leads into opportunities and build real relationships with customers12:31: Adding AI to the mix: leveraging predictive AI to anticipate customer interactions and enable employee success15:57: The crucial role of high-quality data in maximizing employee readiness and personalizing customer experiencesGuest BiosJennifer ThompsonDirector, Automotive Practice & Presales, GerentJeni is a tenured consultant with 20+ years of experience analyzing the technology needs of Automotive and Manufacturing companies. During that time, she spent 16 years working directly with dealer management system tech companies and 7 years as a consultant, heavily engaged within the Dealer & OEM space. Prior to her role at Gerent, she served as a Presales Engagement Manager in Salesforce’s Manufacturing practice.Nathan WiltonDelivery Director, J.D. PowerNathan brings over 10 years of automotive experience, as well as a background in financial services, to his role as delivery director with J.D. Power. In his current role, he works directly alongside dealers and OEMs to help them unlock the power of technology and data to transform their sales and operations.
Travel agencies take pride in offering customers a relaxing, simplified alternative to the chaos of booking flights, hotels, and vacation destinations. But what is simple for the traveler is often anything but for the professionals responsible for coordinating vacation logistics. Too often, agents are overwhelmed by data and left to navigate unsupportive, user-unfriendly booking and CRM systems.This is precisely the problem Cruise & Vacation Desk was dealing with — and why the agency’s leaders reached out to Gerent to help them find a better solution. In this episode on Transformation @ Work, we break down the end result of that partnership: Travel Essentials, a bespoke Salesforce solution purpose-built for the needs of the travel industry.Key Insights01:40: Challenges faced by travel agents when booking vacations for customers: complicated data streams, managing multiple relationships, and more03:41: The complexities of managing customer data and relationships without a comprehensive CRM04:47: The current state of how travel agencies manage data: complicated, costly house-built CRM solutions06:34: Why Cruise & Vacation Desk sought out a better option for managing customer data07:20: Key features Cruise & Vacation Desk needed in their CRM to truly simplify the booking process09:45: How Travel Essentials helped Cruise & Vacation Desk transform the booking experience10:45: Business outcomes Cruise & Vacation Desk were able to unlock with Travel Essentials11:24: Exploring the scalability that Travel Essentials offers Cruise & Vacation Desk and similar travel agencies12:38: How Travel Essentials supercharges Cruise & Vacation Desk’s marketing capabilities14:55: How Cruise & Vacation Desk plans to leverage Travel Essentials for future growth16:58: Looking ahead: what Travel Essentials offers to the travel industry at largeGuest BiosGeorge A. Barnett, Jr., President and General Manager, Cruise & Vacation DeskGeorge has been part of the Cruise & Vacation Desk team for over 20 years, eventually taking over the company from his father and stepping into the role of president and general manager.Andrew Bonichi, Vice President and COO, Cruise & Vacation DeskAndrew has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years, the past 21 of which has been with Cruise & Vacation Desk. As Vice President and COO, Andrew leads his team in delivering industry-leading vacation packages and rewards programs to their customer base.Ketta Riley, Practice Leader, Travel, Tourism, and Entertainment, GerentKetta has over 35 years of travel and hospitality leadership experience, 10 of which have been spent working on Salesforce implementations. She leverages her experience combined with extensive knowledge of industry market trends to support our customers’ businesses.Valentine Christopher, Director of Delivery, GerentValentine brings over 25 years of experience in IT consulting to his current role, with over 8 years specifically in the Salesforce ecosystem. In his current role, he leverages that experience to help set up businesses in the travel, tourism, and entertainment industries for success with Salesforce.
A new year means new trends and priorities for virtually every industry under the sun. And for healthcare payers, several of the most prominent developments of the past few years– such as prior authorization, concerns around member experience, compliance, and the ever-rising role of AI– are projected to become unavoidable in 2024. So how can payers leverage technology to get ahead of these rapidly developing trends? That’s where Salesforce Health Cloud comes in. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at how payers can leverage digital tools to stay one step ahead of 2024’s fastest-developing trends and priorities.Key Talking Points02:49: Outlining the major trends set to impact the payer industry in 202404:10: How payers can leverage Salesforce Health Cloud to deliver the best-in-class experience to their members06:50: Steps payers can take to streamline the prior authorization process through technology10:45: The critical importance of building relationships with outside community organizations, and how Salesforce can help facilitate them13:55: How Salesforce Health Cloud can help payers stay compliant and on top of legislative changes16:32: Why the payer industry is relatively cautious to build AI into their workflows19:47: Low-hanging fruit: steps payers can take right now to get ahead of 2024’s developing industry trendsGuest BioCheryl GibsonSenior Director of Healthcare & Life Sciences (Payers), GerentCheryl 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.
How does a community lift itself out of poverty? One increasingly popular method is through microfinance: small loans, provided by a mix of donors and financial institutions, are given to those without access to traditional capital to help kickstart business ventures. These loans have a tangible impact on members of struggling communities, often causing a ripple effect that lifts up more and more people over time. This life-changing impact sits at the heart of Care Australia’s mission: delivering targeted microfinance support to women in underserved communities to help make their ambitions a reality.But setting up the infrastructure to facilitate these loans comes with its own set of challenges, from security and compliance to balancing the needs of individual lenders and larger institutions. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we recount how Gerent ANZ helped Care Australia bring its microfinance portal to life and provide communities with unprecedented access to entrepreneurial opportunities.Key Talking Points02:21: Introducing Care Australia’s mission: helping to provide capital and financial support to members of underprivileged communities03:30: What is microfinance, and how can it help individuals without access to capital achieve their business goals?04:36: Exploring the ripple effect of microfinance; what really happens when one woman is enabled to achieve her long-term business goals?06:30: How Care Australia’s microfinance portal works, and how individuals and financial institutions can contribute08:39: Understanding the project: what did Care Australia need to bring their microfinance portal to fruition?10:00: Unpacking Gerent ANZ’s transformation planning process; how do you build a first-of-its-kind microfinance portal?11:02: Addressing common nonprofit budgetary challenges through out-of-the-box Salesforce functionality13:12: The challenges of building two separate digital experiences for different user audiences15:24: How Gerent ANZ ensured that operating costs were minimal so that as much money as possible could go towards Care Australia’s mission16:16: Maintaining compliance, security, and governance throughout the transaction process18:17: Taking a “divide and conquer” approach towards implementation to ensure maximum efficiency from beginning to end21:11: Putting it all together: the impact that Care Australia’s microfinance portal has on individuals and communities in needGuest SpeakersArnaud Charlier, Head of Data and Platforms Performance, Care AustraliaArnaud brings over 18 years of experience in the nonprofit and automotive consulting sectors to his current role as head of data and platform performance with Care Australia. For over 20 years, Care Australia has provided direct financial support to women in underprivileged communities through managed loans and microfinance. Their goal is to uplift not just the women themselves, but family members, loved ones, and the communities at large through successful business ventures.Pradeep Laxminarayana, Managing Director, Gerent ANZAs Managing Director, Pradeep Laxminarayana is responsible for directing Gerent’s business strategy, growth initiatives, and Salesforce consulting staff in Australia and New Zealand. Over the course of his 20-year career, Pradeep has successfully executed transformation programs across the utilities, telecom, retail, insurance, and public sector ecosystems.Amit Kumar, Salesforce Principal Consultant, Gerent ANZAs Program Delivery Director, Amit Kumar oversees all of Gerent ANZ’s Salesforce work programs. A veteran IT leader, Amit has over 17 years of experience in the professional services sector and has successfully led digital transformation initiatives in the utilities, NFP, and public sectors. He is well-versed in Scrum Agile, Scaled Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid methodologies.
A Salesforce implementation is a major undertaking that constitutes thousands of dollars and weeks to months of training time. Ensuring that deployment is a success — and that your investment doesn’t go to waste — is imperative. So, how do you make sure that teams stay aligned, objectives are hit, and adoption happens long-term?To find the answer, you need to go back: before the first training is held, and before a developer ever sits down with a given project. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, our experts look at the pre-deployment meetings between team leaders and their technology partners, when they work together to develop a plan that answers not only the “what” of a Salesforce implementation, but the “how” as well.Key Insights02:35: Understanding the impact an effective implementation plan can have on an organization’s adoption rate and success with Salesforce04:25: The “what” vs. the “how”: why organizations often fail to clearly map out their implementation journey07:59: The first step in an effective deployment plan: defining what success looks like for your organization11:21: Key considerations when assessing new technology, and building a plan for how to use it effectively12:36: Visualizing what success looks like post-implementation, and identifying how your team can work towards that end-state15:19: Key questions for team leaders to ask their technology partners to ensure a comprehensive implementation plan18:01: The importance of regular check-ins to ensure your team is trending towards your stated implementation goals20:23: Putting it all together: how building an effective implementation plan prepares organizations to embrace change and anticipate the unexpectedGuest BiosNicole Guerra, Sales Director, Consumer Business Services, GerentNicole's experience in the Salesforce ecosystem covers all aspects of the digitalization journey, from starting as a Salesforce super-user within a customer organization, to working as an account director at Salesforce, then transitioning into the world of consulting. That range of perspectives gives her keen insight into the process of implementation, and how organizations can best ready themselves for Salesforce success.Eric Saxton, Sales Director, Consumer Business Services, GerentEric brings a wealth of experience to his current role, having worked with manufacturers, nonprofits, educational institutions, and travel and hospitality groups, and having been on both sides of the implementation process as a customer and consultant. Having seen the ups and downs of the tech deployment process, he is able to confidently lead different kinds of organizations through their digitalization and Salesforce journey.
In the Nonprofit sector, investment in cutting-edge technology is often a luxury. After all, most nonprofits aim to funnel as much income as possible directly into the communities they serve – meaning there’s little left over to spend on nice-to-have tech. But as an ironic result of this impact focus, many organizations are left to manage tight budgets, razor-thin margins, and overworked employees and volunteers.But what if nonprofits could not only take advantage of the best-in-class tools developed for other industries — but also have those tools contextualized for industry use cases? In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at the newly-enhanced Nonprofit Cloud, how it compares with Nonprofit Success Pack, and how the novel product can serve the needs of nonprofit organizations, employees, and constituents.Key Insights03:19: A brief history of Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), and how it led to the creation of Nonprofit Cloud05:39: The challenges of customizing “out-of-the-box” solutions to suit specific needs, and how those hurdles impact nonprofit organizations06:51: The “why” of Nonprofit Cloud: how it serves the specific needs of organizations and addresses their most relevant pain points08:26: The make-or-break importance of personalized experiences, and how Nonprofit Cloud helps organizations deliver them to donors and constituents10:27: How OmniStudio transforms the way employees build experiences within Salesforce12:42: Noteworthy features of Nonprofit Cloud: how actionable lists and interest tags allow new avenues for personalization16:37: Migrating from NPSP to Nonprofit Cloud: what organizations need to consider before making the leap19:00: How a qualified technology partner can help organizations make the most of the new Nonprofit CloudGuest SpeakersRegine BenchetritDirector, Nonprofit Growth & Marketing, GerentRegine 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.James Gardner Gregory, Ph.D.Senior Director, Industry Solutions - Education and Nonprofit Services, GerentJames is a 17x certified Solution Engineering Leader with 15 years of firsthand experience in higher education. Starting his career as a Special Educator and Counsellor, James now comes to us straight from Salesforce as an industry-leading expert with a proven track record of success in his field. He specializes in creating cutting-edge solutions that address top-of-mind issues for Education and Nonprofit organizations.Richard SmythConsulting Senior Director, Education & Nonprofit, GerentRichard Smyth is an experienced senior leader with over 20 years of IT leadership relevant to digital strategy, enterprise applications, operational excellence and executive oversight. Richard has a proven record of spearheading successful transformation initiatives for complex, multi-disciplinary organizations. He excels at delivering superior results by demonstrating the business value of technology implementations.
Anyone with a background in the humanities has probably been told they’re pigeonholing themselves from a career perspective at least once. It’s a pervasive misconception — especially in a field as STEM-driven as the Salesforce ecosystem. But the reality is, having a background in building relationships and connecting with people sets you up for tremendous success in a range of Salesforce-related roles. You just need to find those opportunities and take advantage of them.In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re sitting down with a Gerent employee who did just that. Jayda Roberts successfully made the transition from social work to change management consulting, and her story is a clear example of just how transferable many of those skills are to the Salesforce ecosystem.Key Insights02:28: Exploring Jayda’s background in social work and what brought her to the Salesforce ecosystem04:35: How Jayda made the transition from Salesforce consulting to change management07:29: The unexpected similarities between change management and social work11:09: Setting yourself up for success when entering the Salesforce ecosystem from a humanities background12:38: Must-have skills for prospective employees making the transition into Salesforce consulting14:37: The critical role of empathy in change management15:36: Tips on building your technical skill-set when coming from a non-technical background17:36: The importance of trusting the process and taking the leap into the Salesforce ecosystemGuest BioJayda Roberts, Senior Change Management Consultant, GerentJayda brings years of technical and interpersonal experience into her current role, with a background ranging from social work to sales to Salesforce consulting. She uses her wide range of expertise to create and execute change management strategies on enterprise level projects, maximizing employee engagement and adoption through the implementation of structured methodology and processes.
No one wants to spend their precious time at work fighting with technology or inefficient processes. This is doubly true for the nonprofit sector, where people get into the field to help their communities and make a difference in the world. Unfortunately for team leaders, that often translates to understandable resistance to adopting new technology. That resistance presents a unique challenge for these leaders: how do you get employees excited about adoption, while recognizing that any training or transition is going to pull them away from the work they want to be doing?That’s where effective training and change management come into play. A qualified change management partner can play a make-or-break role in overcoming resistance and helping team members recognize the value Salesforce provides to the organization and its mission. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at how leaders can work with their technology partner to excite their employees about new technology to drive serious user adoption long-term.Key Insights02:44: Common causes of employee resistance to new technology within the nonprofit sector05:50: The crucial role of readiness testing in understanding employee resistance and how to overcome it07:05: Addressing the fear of change: how to help employees understand “What’s in it for me?”10:22: How nonprofits can drive user adoption through better, more employee-focused training13:26: Balancing the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit with the necessary time it takes to learn new technologies18:21: Deployment is just the start: the importance of ongoing success tracking to monitor user adoption20:21: The impact effective change management and training can have on user adoptionGuest BiosRichard SmythConsulting Senior Director, Education & NonprofitRichard Smyth is an experienced senior leader with over 20 years of IT leadership relevant to digital strategy, enterprise applications, operational excellence and executive oversight. Richard has a proven record of spearheading successful transformation initiatives for complex, multi-disciplinary organizations. He excels at delivering superior results by demonstrating the business value of technology implementations.Antonia MooreSenior Business Analyst, GerentAntonia brings over 15 years of experience in the Salesforce ecosystem to her current role as a Senior Business Analyst at Gerent. In that time, she’s led countless training sessions and helped employees at all levels understand what they can accomplish with Salesforce. Her love of training, mentorship, and education runs through everything she does. Case in point: in addition to her customer-facing training efforts, she provides mentorship to multiple coworkers at Gerent.Emeka ElemambaSenior Change Management Consultant, GerentEmeka is an experienced change management consultant with over 10 years of experience leading strategic organizational change efforts, and overseeing complex projects in diverse industries. He has a passion for stakeholder management, innovative communication, and achieving impactful results for organizations making the switch to Salesforce.
There’s an iceberg effect to a good experience. Underneath every seamless interaction lies a multitude of carefully-architected experiential flows. A single poorly-designed touchpoint could potentially derail an entire user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), or employee experience (EX). You might not notice when an experience is seamlessly designed – but if decisions are arbitrary, repetitive, or frustrating, those are the moments that you’re unlikely to forget. How, exactly, can businesses go about designing top-tier experiences? In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at the ways in which Gerent Experience guides its customers through the experience design process — and how our team goes about designing robust experience architecture that supports delightful brand interactions for customers, employees, partners, and end-users alike.Key Highlights01:35: The many unseen decisions that factor into good experience design – and what happens when one of those decisions goes wrong03:14: How the rise of hybrid digital/physical experiences has complicated the experience design process04:11: Problem Space Envisioning: getting to the heart of what the end user needs before experience design gets underway05:16: Leveraging 1-on-1 in-depth interviews to build experience personas and identify potential design challenges06:32: Using competitive analysis to understand popular industry approaches to experience design and identify opportunities for innovation07:46: Proxy Persona Research: a low-cost approach to building customer personas via internal stakeholder feedback10:07: The importance of having cross-functional teams involved in the experience design process from the beginning12:14: Understanding the crucial role of rapid iteration and experimentation in the prototyping process13:32: Why it’s so crucial to have a qualified experience design partner involved in every step of the process17:05: Test, measure, and learn: ensuring long-term success after an experience has been designedGuest SpeakersJim Corcoran, Experience Director, Gerent ExperienceJim has worked at Gerent Experience since 2011, bringing substantial expertise and proven insights to both internal and external clients alike. In his current capacity as Experience Director, he works side-by-side with customers and the design practice in developing personas, identifying areas of improvement, and delivering outstanding experiences of all kinds.Marisa Holliday, Experience Architect, Gerent ExperienceMarisa is a seasoned digital strategist with over nine years of service at Gerent Experience. In her current role as Experience Architect, she leverages her background in information architecture and experience design to create outstanding user, customer, partner, and employee experiences for clients.
Ask any tenured professional and they’ll tell you the same truth: the skills listed in a job description are just scratching the surface of what goes into any given role. Being a Salesforce solution architect is no exception; the position requires much more than the skills and competencies laid out on paper. So, if you’re just starting in your career — or 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 Insights02:50: Outlining the essential skills that go into being a great solution architect06:30: The crucial role interpersonal skills play in being a solution architect12:46: Advice for prospective solution architects on how to develop those vital “soft skills”17:36: The value of community in helping professionals grow their skills and thrive in new roles20:22: Putting the pieces together: what being a great solution architect looks like in practiceGuest BiosElizabeth Bauer, Senior Consultant, Manufacturing, Energy, and Automotive, GerentElizabeth 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, GerentAde’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.Kristin Eichers, Sr. Solution Architect / Consultant, GerentKristin is an experienced leader, solution architect, and engagement manager with over 17 years experience leading Salesforce consulting practices and delivery teams. Her work has spanned a wide range of industries, including education, the public sector, healthcare, tech, manufacturing, and finance.
You might not notice a particularly good user experience (UX) – in fact, that’s often the point – but when done right, UX can inform nearly every user decision and shape brand perception. However, just as it’s easy to experience good UX design without realizing it, it can be easy to fall into pitfalls while taking a DIY approach. So, how can a business leverage the often “invisible” art of experience design to create delightful customer experiences and encourage long-term employee tech adoption? In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re unpacking the realities of experience design: why it’s crucial for businesses, the impact it can have on customers and employees alike, and how the right design partner can elevate a business’s experience to the next level.Key Insights:03:22: What is user experience, and why is it so crucial for modern businesses to understand?05:14: How UX directly impacts long-term customer perception of a brand – for better or worse06:55: Introducing employee experience (EX), and how it guides long-term adoption for new digital technologies08:46: How a qualified design partner can help organizations transform their experience for customers and employees alike10:59: Common experience design use cases: How elevated UX design translates into better business outcomes for organizations13:21: Potential pitfalls in experience design, and how the right technology partner can help teams navigate around themGuest BioGordon ForsythPractice Lead, Experience Innovation, GerentWith two and a half decades of experience in the digital marketing sector, Gordon is a seasoned marketing leader and strategist. In his current role as Senior Practice Lead, Gordon brings expertise in digital business strategy, product management, digital marketing, content management and analytics, with implementation experience across the Salesforce platform.
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/bNeZliKey Insights02:29: How retailers can leverage Customer 360 to personalize the customer shopping experience04:45: How Salesforce can bring the Customer 360 experience into a single pane of glass05:42: Delivering better order support to delight and retain retail customers07:44: Reimagining the fulfillment process with Salesforce’s inventory availability service09:10: The vital role of omnichannel inventory management in facilitating hybrid shopping experiences10:50: Adding the power of AI, backed by the Salesforce trust layer, into forecasting and analytics13:07: Creating a more seamless returns experience with Salesforce and AI15:43: Advice for retailers looking to implement Salesforce and overhaul their order management process19:13: What does a truly overhauled order management process look like, and what can it offer to retailers and customers?Guest BiosJohn CardarisSenior Product Marketing Manager, Commerce Cloud, SalesforceJohn 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 HustonB2B Commerce Practice Lead, GerentLiam 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/bNeZliKey Insights03:20: Salesforce market analysis: how shopping has changed in the past few years04:08: 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 experiences06:25: The ripple effect: how changes in customer buying behavior led to massive shifts in supply chain operations07:46: Looking back: understanding the major holiday shopping trends of the past three years08:33: Looking ahead: predicting the major focus points for consumers heading into the 2023 holiday season09:55: How Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) became a fixture of modern shopping11:19: How retailers can leverage BOPIS to personalize the shopping experience and increase customer spending13:16: Supporting frontline retail workers as they uphold BOPIS14:19: How technology can facilitate seasonal worker training16:40: How retailers can anticipate the next major shift in customer behavior and meet shoppers where they are19:31: How Salesforce can help retailers streamline operations ahead of the holiday season21:34: How the right implementation partner can unlock the value of Salesforce for retailers and suppliersGuest BiosRob Garf, Vice President & General Manager, Retail, SalesforceRob 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, GerentRosa 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 Insights03:33: A brief history lesson: what brought the education industry – and Salesforce – to this crucial moment06:27: 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 are12:42: How institutions can personalize and tailor their experience with core Salesforce features such as OmniStudio15:24: Leveraging Salesforce capabilities found in other industry clouds to create a better education experience18:12: The role of a qualified technology partner in helping institutions get up and running with the new Education CloudGuest BiosJulia TaylorDirector, Solution Architecture, Education and Nonprofit, GerentA 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 HortonSenior Solution Consultant, Education, GerentMatthew 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 of Commercial Operations, 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 Insights03:34: How an institution’s communications strategy can impact its relationship with students at every stage of their journey06:50: The importance of personalization in an institution’s student communications09:22: Major considerations for institutions as they develop an end-to-end student communication strategy10:40: 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 efficiencyGuest BiosShirin Khosravian, D.B.ASenior Director of Education (Retention & Student Success), GerentShirin 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 PantaleonSales Director, Nonprofit & Marketing Automation, GerentRachelle 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 Insights03:38: Challenges faced by healthcare payers when it comes to Salesforce implementation04:52: 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 timeGuest BiosCheryl Gibson, Senior Director of Healthcare & Life Sciences (Payers), GerentCheryl 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), GerentJill 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 Insights02:51: 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 implementation07:07: How team leaders can ensure long-term adoption happens, and remains consistent well after an implementation is complete11:32: The consequences of data not being entered properly into Salesforce, and how that impacts a teams’ ability to analyze their success post-implementation13:16: 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 organizationGuest BiosDan WaldnerVice President of Financial Services, GerentDan 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 Insights02:50 - Outlining the essential skills for success as a solution architect08:00 - The art of confidently (and quickly) learning the processes and challenges of a business14:05 - Tips for developing the right skill sets to be a stand-out solution architectGuest BiosElizabeth Bauer, Senior Consultant, Manufacturing, Energy, and Automotive, GerentElizabeth 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, GerentAde’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, GerentWith 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 Insights03:33: 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 processes11:05: 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 SalesforceGuest BiosDan WaldnerVice President of Financial Services, GerentDan 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 HayesIndustry Product Lead, Financial Services, GerentShane 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 Points03:18: 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 health07:24: How Salesforce can help providers get a better understanding of their patients’ social determinants of health9:58: Creating better relationships with outside partner organizations through the use of data and digital tools12:14: Ensuring the right data is being collected and stored: how to assess and utilize incoming information on social determinants of healthGuest BioJim Rogers, Senior Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences, GerentA 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 Points03:16: Why automotive dealers, dealer networks, and OEMs need to shift from a product-centric to a customer-centric approach09:30: How Salesforce Automotive Cloud allows organizations to prioritize a better experience at every opportunity12:18: 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 experienceGuest BiosNikhil Bhatia, Automotive Practice Lead, GerentNikhil 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, EnergyRyan 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 Insights03:13: Identifying what makes the pricing process so complicated for manufacturers08:20: The impact supply chain disruptions can have on the pricing process12:12: How Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud can automate back-end pricing changes to simplify pricing quotes15:58: How manufacturers can integrate Manufacturing Cloud into their existing processes to maximize productivity and eliminate administrative hassle22:24: Putting the pieces together: What a simplified pricing process can look like with SalesforceGuest BiosAnandhi Narayanan SVP of Strategy & Business Transformation and Manufacturing Practice Lead, GerentAnandhi 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 BjorgaardIndustries Product Lead, Manufacturing, Distribution, Auto, & Energy, GerentRyan 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 Insights03:10: Key causes of the staffing crisis in the education and nonprofit sectors04:45: How staffing shortages lead to a damaging loss of institutional knowledge06:54: How a scant technology investments and a lack of effective backup plans exacerbated the current staffing crisis07:44: The stressful cycle: how a lack of backup plans adds stress for teachers, which in turn adds to absences and resignations09:32: How digital tools can be used to ensure staff coverage and put backup plans in place12:08: Unique challenges in education and nonprofit when it comes to addressing employee burnout13:34: Leveraging digital tools to identify pain points and stressors for employees to build a more supportive academic environment16:22: How digital technology can help educators and nonprofits put the focus back on the communities they serve22:42: How stakeholder feedback helps to build employee satisfactionGuest BiosApril Bollwage, Senior Director of Education, GerentApril 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 CarterDirector, K-12 Education, GerentRichard 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 Ryder 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.
There are few experiences more frustrating for a customer than having to repeat crucial information again and again. Yet when buying a car, the customer is often expected to answer the exact same questions when shopping for a vehicle, negotiating a deal, and having the vehicle serviced. It raises the question: When your data is kept under one roof, why isn’t that information being shared between teams? Oftentimes, the answer is because each individual team is working with siloed processes and technology, which limits the flow of data and unnecessarily fragments the customer experience.In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at how effective digital tools can help teams bridge departmental silos and centralize customer data to create a more seamless experience from beginning to end.Key Insights03:46: What causes automotive sales, service, and marketing teams to become so siloed, and how does that siloization impact the customer experience?05:25: The role technology plays in establishing (and eliminating) information silos06:58: Envisioning a better customer experience: How digitalized dealerships could transform the car buying experience and provide easy access to previously siloed data09:16: How automotive dealerships and OEMs can leverage digital tools to unify their sales, service, and marketing teams11:04: Specific features of Salesforce Automotive Cloud that can help dealers centralize, standardize, and share data across teams13:11: Establishing a single source of truth: How to bring multiple sources of data within Salesforce16:21: Managing stakeholder approval, and using Salesforce to ensure leadership has insight into every individual team’s operations17:55: Introducing the Automotive Cloud Accelerator: How Gerent helps teams eliminate the hurdles associated with Automotive Cloud implementationGuest BioNikhil 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 efficient teams within the automotive industry can be when processes are aligned and working in harmony, and the potential pitfalls associated with siloed, closed-off data.
From the keynotes to the Q&As to the learning sessions to the after-hours business dinners, when we look back at Dreamforce 2022, there was one word on everyone’s lips: Genie. But for all the buzz coming out of the event, with Genie’s ability to process real-time data and deliver “customer magic” mentioned on nearly every keynote, many of us are still asking the question, “what exactly is ‘customer magic,’ anyway?”In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re taking a deep dive into Salesforce Genie: what it is, what it offers businesses in manufacturing, and how teams can best utilize the solution to deliver real-time personalized experience for their customers.Key Insights2:39: What is “customer magic,” and how can Genie help businesses deliver it for their customers?7:19: Translating personalized customer experiences into the B2B manufacturing industry11:34: Leveraging real-time IoT data to proactively manage, update, and safeguard products in the field16:35: What businesses need to know before implementing Salesforce Genie19:43: How Genie can help manufacturers navigate supply chain disruptions and deliver stand-out customer serviceGuest BiosAnandhi Narayanan Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Transformation in Manufacturing, GerentAnandhi brings over 17 years of experience in manufacturing, not just with technology, but with the people and processes that can lead to meaningful change. During her tenure in IT, she led digital transformations for finance, supply chain, operations and sales operations. For the past 4 years as a consultant, she has directed cross-cloud implementations, driving strategy and thought leadership for supply chain organizations across the Salesforce ecosystem.Ryan BjorgaardManufacturing Product Lead, GerentAs Gerent’s manufacturing product lead, Ryan is responsible for deeply understanding Salesforce’s product stack and how the technology connects with the needs of the manufacturing industry. He brings years of experience in delivery and solution architecture to the role, as well as a deep passion for the technology and how it can help businesses succeed. He also runs Gerent’s manufacturing, automotive, and energy innovation team, helping the company identify opportunities for new solutions and accelerations within the space.
For too long, larger insurance providers have competed solely on price, and left customer experiences on the back burner. But the times are changing, and a wave of smaller providers and insurtechs are offering faster claims and more personalized experiences–and customers are taking note. According to a 2021 J.D. Power survey, 87% of customers feel that claims experiences influence their decision to stay with an insurer, and 86% say they’d pay more for a better experience overall. The message is clear: If larger providers want to stay dominant, they need to be able to offer a best-in-class claims experience, and that means leveraging digital tools to make that a reality.In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at the claims process in insurance, and how Salesforce can allow larger providers to truly personalize the experience for their customers.Key Insights03:23: Key ways smaller insurers and insurtechs have changed the game when it comes to customer experience06:51: Unlocking larger insurers’ competitive advantages through digital tools08:11: How digitalization allows insurers to offer a more personalized experience to customers09:21: How a CRM allows insurance agents to maintain a human connection with their customers13:56: The importance of tracking communications preferences in building a better claims experience17:57: How better digital tools lead to increased efficiency, which can translate into better training and support for internal teams20:53: The role of a qualified technology partner in helping insurers implement a better claims processGuest BioPat Murphy, Former Director of Program Management, Erie InsuranceWith 26 years of insurance experience, 24 of which being claims-specific, on top of 13 years of accounting and financial experience, Pat has an incredible eye for how process, people, and technology coexist in the insurance space. As director of program management for Erie Insurance’s claims division, Pat led multiple implementation projects from small to extra large, delivering complex implementations ahead of schedule and with more features than were initially scoped out.
If you want a clear picture of what’s coming to Salesforce in the new year, there’s no better place to look than Dreamforce. This year’s event was no exception: Dreamforce 2022 was jam-packed with announcements that are going to impact businesses in a big way during the new year. From the rollout of Salesforce Genie, which brings game-changing real-time data to Salesforce, to major announcements on newly-introduced products such as Automotive Cloud and Net Zero Cloud, to key conversations about Salesforce’s direction in the year ahead, there was something for virtually every industry during the event.In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we sit down with the Gerent ambassadors who attended Dreamforce for an in-depth look at what makes the event so special, and what businesses need to pay attention to in 2023.Key Insights01:36: What exactly is Dreamforce, anyway?02:30: What made Dreamforce so special (especially in 2022) for the ambassadors in attendance05:41: Automotive Cloud: a massive opportunity to reach new customers in an underserved industry07:49: Net Zero Cloud: promising potential to transform the nonprofit sector and help change the world8:49: The importance of equity in healthcare, and how Salesforce can help9:26: The one concept on everyone’s mind at Dreamforce: Real-time data10:41: Salesforce Genie: game-changing real-time data capabilities for customers across industriesGuest SpeakersAnandhi Narayanan, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Transformation in Manufacturing, GerentAnandhi brings over 17 years of experience in manufacturing, not just with technology, but with the people and processes that can lead to meaningful change. During her tenure in IT, she led digital transformations for finance, supply chain, operations and sales operations. For the past 4 years as a consultant, she has directed cross-cloud implementations, driving strategy and thought leadership for supply chain organizations across the Salesforce ecosystem.Donn Vucovich, Insurance Practice Lead, GerentDonn has worked in the insurance industry for over 30 years, acting as a business executive and trusted advisor to senior executives across the industry. He has a keen interest in building long-term partnerships and helping insurers address their most pressing pain points through digitalization.Jenny Hall, Senior Vice President of Education and Nonprofit, GerentJenny brings to her current role a background that spans the education, nonprofit, and health sectors, and over 27 years of experience. Her wide-ranging expertise uniquely positions her to help institutions of all sizes identify the ways that digital tools can impact processes and deliver better outcomes. She has a passion for people, and for building processes that optimize organizational resources while building scale.Jim Rogers, Senior Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences, GerentA 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.
Imagine how you would feel if, every time you tried to process a healthcare claim or spoke to your doctor, you had to remind them your name. It’s an annoying feeling, right? Now, imagine how it would feel if they consistently forgot your pronouns, failed to deliver communications in a language you could read, or forgot to loop in the person legally tasked with overseeing your health decisions. Being aware of patients’ communication preferences is absolutely crucial to Managed Care Organizations, MCOs for short. It’s so important, in fact, that new legislation went into effect in New York State on October 1st that made tracking these electronic communications preferences not just important, but mandatory for compliance purposes. For payers inside and beyond New York, managing patient communications preferences is more important than ever – which makes the need for effective digital tools more pressing than ever before.In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re talking about new legislation for MCOs in New York, and how it relates to the broader issues of tracking, maintaining, and applying patients’ communication preferences.Key Ideas04:29: What exactly does this new legislation facing MCOs in New York entail?05:37: Defining “communication preferences” and outlining why they’re so important08:44: Required steps for MCOs in New York to maintain compliance with this new legislation13:21: Why MCOs outside of New York state need to pay attention to this legislation14:33: Specific challenges MCOs face with implementing digital tools to maintain compliance16:24: How digitalized vs. non-digitalized businesses fare when it comes to addressing compliance issues21:18: How MCOs can implement the necessary changes to stay compliant (and make them happen fast)22:21: How Salesforce can help when it comes to collecting, tracking, updating, and sharing customer communication preferences23:35: The role a qualified technology partner plays in helping MCOs implement the necessary tools to maintain complianceGuest BioCheryl Gibson, Director of Health and Life Sciences, Payers, GerentCheryl has been in the payer industry for 32 years and has deep experience working with accounts spanning the local to national level. During her time at a large national payer, she oversaw a complex Salesforce implementation and played a major role in building a roadmap and solution that served the needs of her clients. She has a tremendous passion for process improvement and for helping payers build infrastructure they need to serve their members.
Whether they’re buying a car or getting their vehicle serviced, customers want to be treated like people. In a field as high-stress as the automotive industry, the value of having someone know your experiences, your needs, and your pain points simply cannot be overstated. When it comes to buying something as important as a car — the vehicle we drive to work in, take on vacation, pick up our kids with — that human touch makes a world of difference. That’s the power of first-party data: it lets your customers tell you their story, in their words, so you can meet them where they are.But while it’s easy to talk about how important first-party data is, collecting it, analyzing it, and utilizing it is a much trickier proposition. Businesses in automotive and manufacturing have historically struggled to take advantage of first-party data, largely because they lack the tools to do so. If the automotive industry wants to deliver a better, more personalized experience to their customers, they need effective digital technology.In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re talking about first-party data: Why it’s so important for businesses in manufacturing and automotive, the hurdles these businesses face in collecting it, and how Salesforce can facilitate that process and deliver a more personalized customer experience.Key Ideas04:21: What makes first-party data so valuable to businesses in manufacturing and automotive?06:00: How manufacturers can use first-party data to personalize the marketing and service experience for customers07:49: Why the automotive industry has historically struggled to take advantage of first-party data09:41: The major value proposition for dealers and OEMs in leveraging first-party data11:53: Strategies for collecting first-party data, and how digital tools can facilitate that process13:38: The unique challenge of collecting first-party data when selling through third-party intermediaries15:31: Tips for building a data flow that supports the gathering of first-party data from multiple sources17:00: How Salesforce supports the collection, tracking, sharing, and utilization of first-party data18:56: Specific ways manufacturers can leverage Salesforce to collect first-party data and use it to personalize the customer experienceGuest BiosAnandhi Narayanan, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Transformation in Manufacturing, GerentAnandhi brings over 17 years of experience in manufacturing, not just with technology, but with the people and processes that can lead to meaningful change. During her tenure in IT, she led digital transformations for finance, supply chain, operations and sales operations. For the past 4 years as a consultant, she has directed cross-cloud implementations, driving strategy and thought leadership for supply chain organizations across the Salesforce ecosystem.Nikhil Bhatia, Automotive Practice Lead, GerentNikhil 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 unique insights into the challenges the automotive industry faces as it relates to first-party data, and how Salesforce can help companies deliver a best-in-class customer experience.
A tool is only useful if you use it, and people are only likely to use a tool if they know how it works. You could spend millions of dollars and months of employee time on the latest and greatest piece of technology, only to watch it languish, unused, because you didn’t invest in adequate training. With that kind of monetary investment and time commitment… wouldn’t you want to take every possible step to ensure your employees take full advantage of the technology?
Effective training is a crucial part of solution adoption, especially in the days immediately following deployment. Yet, in spite of that, businesses often fail to properly invest in building their training plans, leading ultimately to stalled adoption and failed implementation. Tech training can’t be something thrown together last minute; it has to reflect employees’ specific needs, take into account their backgrounds and passions— and, at the end of the day, it has to be engaging enough to keep their attention.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at what makes a highly effective training plan, and how that feeds directly into high levels of solution adoption.
Key Ideas 04:04 - Key reasons businesses should invest in a tech training plan prior to deploying new digital technology 04:58 - Why industries have historically underestimated the need for training (and how that impacts adoption of new CRMs) 06:29 - Gap analysis: the importance of identifying employee needs and pain points before training begins 08:10 - Identifying and cultivating champions during the tech training process 10:49 - Why being flexible is one of the most important qualities to possess during tech training 12:48 - Positioning new technology as a natural part of employees day-to-day lives 13:44 - The role gamification can play in making tech training more engaging for employees 15:25 - Addressing the “boring” parts of training: how to make technical and detail-oriented sections enjoyable and engaging 17:32 - Potential pitfalls in the tech training process, and how team leaders can avoid them 19:41 - How team leaders can address employee resistance to new technology through their training plans 21:02 - How training and change management work together to drive employee adoption of new technologies 22:48 - Putting the pieces together: How effective training can deliver huge wins in employee engagement, adoption, and enthusiasm
Guest Speakers Antonia Moore Senior Business Analyst, Gerent
Antonia brings over 15 years of experience in the Salesforce ecosystem to her current role as a Senior Business Analyst at Gerent. In that time, she’s led countless training sessions and helped employees at all levels understand what they can accomplish with Salesforce. Her love of training, mentorship, and education runs through everything she does. Case in point: in addition to her customer-facing training efforts, she provides mentorship to multiple coworkers at Gerent.
Guest Bio 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 unique insights into the challenges the automotive industry faces as it relates to CRM adoption and how comprehensive training plans can help to drive that adoption.
Lead generation is both the cornerstone of successful marketing campaigns and a perpetual challenge for teams of all sizes and skill levels. The responsibility for managing campaigns often falls directly on employees’ shoulders – and over time, that burden can start to weigh on team members, leading to burnout, subpar performance, and even turnover.
Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (also known as Pardot) gives teams a tremendous advantage when it comes to scoring, grading, converting, and tracking incoming leads. It’s a powerful tool that can transform teams’ marketing efforts — but as we know, a tool is only useful if people actually use it. So, how can team leaders get their employees to adopt and take advantage of what Pardot has to offer?
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re looking at adoption: how new and established teams alike can incorporate Marketing Cloud Account Engagement into their lead-gen efforts and drive campaign success at scale.
Key Ideas 03:08 - The three biggest value-adds that Marketing Cloud Account Engagement offers marketing teams 06:48 - Pardot in action: the ideal process for integrating Marketing Cloud Account Engagement into a team’s lead-gen efforts 09:31 - When should team leads consider bringing Pardot into their lead-gen campaigns? 10:48 - Developing lead-gen campaigns from the ground up with Marketing Cloud Account Engagement 12:35 - Using Pardot to supplement existing, long-running marketing efforts 15:24 - The role of tech training in encouraging employee adoption of new tech solutions 17:52 - Common stumbling blocks of Pardot deployment — and how team leaders can avoid them 20:57 - A few successful Marketing Cloud Account Engagement deployment use cases
Guest Speaker Lisa French Senior Business Analyst, Gerent
Lisa has spent 10 of her almost 14 years in the Salesforce ecosystem working directly with Pardot. Having used the solution even before it was acquired by Salesforce, she acted as Gerent’s Pardot practice lead before the solution was eventually folded under Marketing Cloud. She now acts as Gerent’s Senior Business Analyst, Solution Architect, and CPQ Practice Lead.
Anyone who has bought, sold, or taken a vehicle in for service knows that customer experience is a major pain point for the automotive industry. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), dealers, and service providers alike have long struggled to give customers the clear communication and personalized experience they need, especially as the industry shifts into a digital-first model. But to meet consumers’ increasingly high expectations, they need effective digital tools– which is exactly what Salesforce’s newly-announced Automotive Cloud intends to provide. In this episode, we’re taking a high-level look at Salesforce Automotive Cloud: why businesses need it, how it stands to impact automotive dealerships and OEMs, and how Gerent’s new Automotive practice is positioned to help businesses take advantage of the solution.
Key Ideas 03:19: How the automotive industry has reacted to the massive data-first, customer-driven shift towards digital experiences 04:44: Identifying the gaps in process that lead to the familiar pain points associated with car buying 07:48: How digitalization and digital tools can help OEMs and dealers meet customers where they are 09:32: How Salesforce Automotive Cloud can facilitate data sharing and transform the customer experience 11:19: Facilitating better long-term customer communication through Automotive Cloud and Driver 360 14:00: What does a truly differentiated digital customer experience look like? 16:09: Managing data security and protecting customer information with Salesforce Automotive Cloud 18:37: Key strategies for team leaders looking to encourage Salesforce adoption 20:03: How Gerent’s new automotive practice is positioned to help dealers and OEMs get the most out of Salesforce Automotive Cloud
Guest Bio 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 unique insights into the challenges the auto industry faces as it relates to data sharing and security, and how digitalization can help companies deliver a best-in-class customer experience.
References https://www.automotive-fleet.com/136735/americans-spend-an-average-of-17-600-minutes-driving-annually#:~:text=Photo%20courtesy%20of%20AAA%20Foundation,AAA%20Foundation%20for%20Traffic%20Safety https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/trends-in-automotive-form/chapter-1/ https://money.com/new-car-prices-average-50000/#:~:text=New%20Car%20Prices%20Rise%20Closer%20to%20Average%20of%20%2450%2C000%20in%202022%20%7C%20Money&text=Best%20Mortgage%20Lenders%20Independently%20researched,data%20based%20on%20originated%20loans
The Bullwhip Effect: Small changes on the consumer side that have cascading effects on vendors, manufacturers, and suppliers. Navigating the bullwhip effect can be a challenge during the best of times – but when supply chains are volatile and industries strained by the lasting effects of COVID-19, it can feel nearly impossible. Market pressures have put an enormous pressure on the interactions between manufacturers and suppliers and, if left unchecked, could continue to strain relationships even after the world returns to something approaching “normal.” Now more than ever, manufacturers need effective digital tools that can streamline communications, track essential data, and ensure business runs as smoothly as possible.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we discuss relationship building between manufacturers and suppliers, and how digital tools can facilitate seamless operations even during uncertain times.
Key Insights 03:24 - How the supply chain disruptions of the past few years have impacted manufacturers and suppliers 07:46 - How the “bullwhip effect” impacts relationships between manufacturers and suppliers in the short term and long term 09:33 - The impact of digitalization on manufacturers’ ability to react to sudden supply-side changes 11:00 - Demonstrating reliability during turbulent times through digitalization 14:10 - How integrating systems and embracing digitalization helps businesses maintain steady operations despite market disruptions
Guest Bio
David Vancina Field CTO, Manufacturing, MuleSoft
As MuleSoft’s strategic client architect for the past four years, as well as the company’s acting Field CTO for Manufacturing, David has played a crucial role in MuleSoft’s mission of connecting technologies to create seamless cross-platform experiences. He brings 20 years of integration experience and almost 35 years of software experience to his role. He has a noted passion for and expertise in integration and technology, specifically within manufacturing.
Despite the struggles, market disruptions, and supply chain issues that have plagued the distribution sector over the last two years, it’s not all that hard for those in the industry to look towards the future with optimism. After all, many businesses in distribution have seen steady business or even positive growth since March of 2020. But the reality is, many distributors (even the ones who were successful over the past two years) may soon find themselves in a precarious position — one that places a tremendous weight onto account managers and sales reps. Challenges in fulfillment have put relationships to the test; businesses need more effective communication and inventory management strategies to keep customers happy. And, as a result, the need for effective digital tools has become more pressing than ever.
On this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at how digital tools can help businesses navigate the market shifts brought on by the pandemic and maintain stellar relationships long after things have shifted back to “normal” — whatever that might look like.
Key Ideas 03:06: Specific challenges distributors have faced in the past two years, and how they’ve reacted to those hurdles 10:23: Why positive growth during the pandemic isn’t necessarily a sign of long-term success for distributors 12:50: How supply chain issues impacted customer relationships post-pandemic 16:55: Examples of how high-achieving distributors set themselves apart during the pandemic 23:36: The essential role digital tools play in helping businesses maintain stability and control during uncertain times 26:42: Where team leaders should focus when putting digital tools in place to support their customer relationships
Nicholas Holbik-Siu Director of Distribution, Gerent
Nick brings a wide range of distribution experience to his current role at Gerent, including 13 years at a large plumbing and HVAC company. There, he did everything from driving a truck to working in a warehouse to managing distribution and overseeing new technology. While in that role, he saw firsthand what Salesforce could offer the business in terms of empowering employees to cut through the clutter and focus on what matters: building lasting relationships with customers.
Even in the digital age, finding promising students is a challenge. Administrators need to leverage data to manage the overwhelming number of applications coming into even middle-sized schools—but when data is used as a replacement for personal, one-on-one connections, the pursuit of an “ideal student” can leave potentially successful applicants out in the cold. Admissions teams need to factor in both hard data such as test scores and transcripts as well as soft data such as extracurriculars, background, and passions to identify the full spectrum of students that might excel within their institution. Luckily, digital tools such as Salesforce can centralize student data and automate the process, allowing admissions teams to focus on the real priority: helping students succeed.
On this episode of Transformation @ Work, we challenge the idea that there’s an “ideal student” for a given institution and instead dig into how digitalized, easily accessible data can help administrators recognize high-potential candidates.
Key Ideas 3:30 - What we mean when we say “there’s no ideal student for an institution” 05:07 - Shifting the focus in admissions from “ideal students” to “students that might excel at our institution” 07:04 - The importance of relationship-building in admissions, and using the application process to kickstart that relationship 11:09 - How digital tools such as Salesforce can allow administrators to “meet students where they are” in the relationship-building process 13:48 - The challenges in building personal relationships with students at scale 17:24 - How admissions officers can leverage data to get a clearer picture of students that might be successful in an institution 20:22 - Using data to facilitate the relationship-building process with students at scale 22:33 - Transforming student data into personalized messaging and meaningful, real relationships 25:29 - How admissions officers can use data to connect students with the resources they need to thrive
Guest Bios
Jim Crawley Director of Global Recruitment, Hope College
Jim brings over 25 years of higher education experience to his current role at Hope College, including time spent at small and medium-sized institutions in Michigan as well as experience working as a consultant at third-party institutions. There, he plays a key role in driving international recruitment and diversifying the whole of student recruitment across the institution. He has a passion for working with schools to identify the right students and help them succeed.
Richard Carter Director of K-12 Education, 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 Ryder and Princeton, to a year spent as an elementary school principal. His focus in his current role is helping institutions use digitalized data to give their students the resources and personal connections they need to succeed.
The last few years have put all the systems we rely on to the test, especially in manufacturing, which has had to deal with massive supply chain disruptions and sudden changes in cost. In many cases, these issues collided with technology that, while not necessarily broken, had gone several years without investment and was closing in on obsolete even before the pandemic hit. The reality is, manufacturers need to start modernizing their infrastructure to meet the needs of the current market — but where do you start, and how do you ensure your systems work together seamlessly?
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we consider how manufacturers can make the leap to more modern digital technologies without disrupting their existing ecosystems.
Key Ideas 02:28 - What do we mean when we say “legacy technology?” 04:07 - Things to look out for: signs your technology, even if it isn’t broken, might be due for a replacement 06:24 - How the changes brought on by COVID-19 exacerbated the struggles of dealing with legacy technology 08:29 - The human cost of outdated systems, and the strain legacy tech puts on “exceptional employees” 13:09 - How manufacturers can add value to the business and better navigate disruptions by modernizing their infrastructure 16:45 - The role technology partners play in helping manufacturers balance their ongoing responsibilities with the deployment of new tech solutions 18:43 - Bridging the gap between legacy systems and modern solutions through software integration 21:39 - Next steps for team leaders looking to kickstart the legacy technology modernization process
Guest Bio
David Vancina Strategic Client Architect, MuleSoft
As a leader in the integration and API space, Mulesoft makes it its mission connecting technologies to create seamless cross-platform experiences. David has been the company’s strategic client architect for the last four years, and is currently acting as the company’s field CTO in manufacturing. He brings twenty years of integration experience and almost 35 years of software experience to his role. He has a noted passion for and expertise in integration and technology, specifically within manufacturing.
The ways customers interact with businesses have changed, and financial services organizations need to adapt to that if they want to stay competitive. But with so many channels for customer interaction (and seemingly more every day), how can businesses keep up? For many organizations, the answer lies in digital contact centers. These innovative, comprehensive platforms allow employees to capably manage customer requests, regulatory issues, and ongoing cases… wherever they come from.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re taking a deep dive into digital contact centers — why businesses in financial services need them, how to set them up, and what a qualified technology partner can do to help businesses make the most of them.
Key Ideas 02:18 - How customer service has changed in the last few years — and how the financial services industry has reacted to those changes 04:21 - What financial institutions risk when they fail to “meet the customer where they are” 06:21 - The importance of ensuring customer data flows seamlessly between departments, thus eliminating redundant customer service interactions 08:57 - How setting up a digital contact center can help employees stay on top of potential issues, regardless of what channel the issue comes from 13:27 - How institutions can add value back to the business by deploying a digital contact center 16:21 - The benefits of an omnichannel digital contact center vs. a premise-based, voice-centric call center 17:51 - How a qualified technology partner can help teams make the most of a digital contact center without losing track of essential business operations
Guest Bio
Shane Hayes 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.
Patients and providers alike are living through a historic moment in the healthcare industry. COVID-19 and the resulting shifts in telemedicine (as well as the resulting issues with practitioner burnout) have significantly changed consumer expectations around 24/7 care and, in many cases, impacted patient trust in healthcare institutions. Providers and payers need better tools for providing personalized, on-demand healthcare experiences if they hope to overcome these seismic shifts.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at how digital tools such as Salesforce, as well as qualified technology partners such as Gerent, are helping healthcare providers transform their patient experience and adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace.
Key Ideas
02:14 - Sweeping changes in the healthcare industry over the last few years 05:17 - How digitalization gives providers an opportunity to win back the trust and loyalty of their patients 06:56 - How Salesforce automation is changing the way patients interact with healthcare providers 09:04 -The first steps a team leader should take to make the most of Salesforce 15:45 - The importance of eliminating siloed data and ensuring that information flows seamlessly between teams and departments 19:07 - Building a comprehensive engagement record with Salesforce Health Cloud 20:04 - Balancing the need to implement new digital solutions with the often overwhelming workload healthcare workers bear daily 23:30 - What sets Gerent apart from other technology partners looking to help healthcare providers mobilize change
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.
In the eyes of many team leaders, especially in manufacturing and distribution, automating sales and account management runs the risk of losing those real, genuine relationships that deliver value back to the business year after year. But the reality is, by giving your sales reps and account managers the tools to automate daily processes, you might be able to make them even more effective at building those exact same relationships.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at the ways in which automation can be used to eliminate administrative hurdles for sales reps and account managers, so they can put their focus where it matters most: building lasting, profitable relationships with customers.
Key Ideas
02:40 - The challenges account managers face when tasked with manually managing all of their relationships 05:37 - The risk of overwhelming sales reps and account managers by asking them to manage relationships manually 06:54 - How automation helps sales teams put their focus back on building relationships 10:49 - The time savings that come from automating administrative tasks for account managers 14:20 - Addressing common concerns: “How do we keep the human connection when automating sales?” 19:45 - Specific examples of how businesses can improve their sales processes by automating workflows with Manufacturing Cloud
Guest Bio
Nicholas Holbik-Siu Director of Distribution, Gerent
Nick brings a wide range of distribution experience to his current role at Gerent, including 13 years at a large plumbing and HVAC company. There, he did everything from driving a truck to working in a warehouse to managing distribution and overseeing new technology. While in that role, he saw firsthand what Salesforce could offer the business in terms of automation opportunities — and how it empowered employees to cut through the clutter and focus on what matters.
Can you define your educational institution’s ideal student customer? Targeting the wrong students in your recruitment efforts can lead to lower admissions numbers, greater student churn, and a general lack of trust in the institution’s ability to help students succeed. But for administrators looking for a clearer picture of their ideal customer, digitalization can provide an invaluable starting point.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at customer mapping in education: how educators can digitalize their student data and use it to build out comprehensive maps of their prospective customers, as well as the other stakeholders in the decision, such as parents, teachers, and the institution’s own requirements.
Key Ideas 2:50 - The importance of knowing your customer, and the key stakeholders involved in the decision 05:26 - Potential pitfalls that come from not knowing your students and their unique needs 06:42 - Identifying student needs and mapping out your customer both now, and in the future 08:43 - The power of personalized educational support: Why it’s important to know your students as individuals 12:34 - How digitalizing student information helps institutions map out their ideal customer for recruitment and admissions purposes 14:21 - How administrators can use Customer 360 to better develop their customer and stakeholder maps 16:40 - How digitalization can help administrators identify funding opportunities for students 18:18 - Next steps for educators looking to develop a more comprehensive student customer map 21:32 - How knowing your customer can lead to long-term relationships with students, alumni, and families
Guest Bios
Patricia Lumy & Humberto Murakami Owners, Get Out & About Travel
Our guests this episode are Patricia Lumy and Humberto Murakami, owners of Get Out & About Travel, a Brazilian educational travel agency focused on developing study abroad programs for students looking to broaden their horizons. Patricia & Humberto have years of experience in the Educational Travel industry (25+ years in Patricia’s case, 19+ in Humberto’s), and they each bring a passion and expertise for identifying a student’s particular wants, needs, and desires, and building travel programs that enable learners to grow and succeed.
April Bollwage Education Practice Lead, Gerent We’re also joined by April Bollwage, Gerent’s education practice lead, to discuss how digitalizing student information can help drive customer mapping efforts. 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 digital transformation to ensure student success.
If you’ve sought medical care, tried to fill a prescription, or just read a hospital bill lately, you probably already know the hard truth: healthcare has become dehumanized. There are valid reasons for the shift; after all, providers have long struggled with interoperability, personnel workloads, and the ever-growing problem of confidentiality. But the end result is the same: a sub-par customer experience that strains the trust between patient and provider.
Thankfully, digitalization can help right the scales and empower providers to put the focus back where it matters: on the patient. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we’re talking about humanizing healthcare – how digital tools can help providers put the focus back on their patients and deliver the kind of care that brings real peace of mind.
Key Ideas 2:30 - Defining our terms: what do we mean when we say healthcare has become “dehumanized?” 5:36 - Why the patient experience needs to be at the heart of the healthcare industry 9:16 - Industry obstacles that providers should be aware of while trying to improve patient experience 13:15 - How digital transformation improves the experience of patients and providers alike 14:26 - How can providers leverage digitalization to put the focus back on their patients? 16:35 - Case study: What a focus on patient experience means during a family health crisis 21:46 - Providing personalized, one-on-one healthcare through digital transformation 26:16 - What a truly differentiated patient experience looks like, from a provider’s perspective 33:33 - Common roadblocks providers encounter while trying to improve customer experience, and how team leaders can avoid them
Guest Bio
Marina Jackman Director, Health & Life Sciences (Providers), Gerent
Our guest this episode is Marina Jackman, Gerent’s Director of Health & Life Sciences for Providers. Marina has been immersed in the healthcare world for nearly a decade. From the army to veteran-related nonprofits to Gerent, she's seen firsthand the impact of how basic structure and administrative support can facilitate better patient care and transform the healthcare experience.
One of the biggest challenges team leaders face when advocating for digital transformation isn’t the technology itself, or even regulatory issues — it’s making digitalization seem like a viable option. This is especially true in Financial Services, where regulation, legacy hardware, and interwoven processes create cultures that are resistant, or even outright hostile, to change.
On this episode of Transformation @ Work, we discuss what happens when business culture blocks digital transformation and how team leaders can address concerns, overcome resistance, and move the needle on their innovation efforts.
Key Ideas: 02:25 - Common objections to digital transformation 04:05 - How leaders can proactively address those objections before proposing digitalization to their team 07:13 - The role of system integrators and technology partners in digital transformation 08:38 - How team leaders can best utilize their technology partners to help change the company culture 11:49 - Bringing the C-suite onboard: How to work with executives to make digitalization a reality 14:05 - Respecting employee investment while encouraging digital solution adoption 16:52 - How does the process change when an organization has shot down transformation efforts in the past? 18:49 - The role a qualified technology partner such as Gerent might have in driving excitement for a digital solution among hesitant employees
Guest Bio
Angela Colsten Senior Director, Financial Services, Gerent
Angela has been in the Salesforce ecosystem for close to 18 years, and has extensive experience with how teams react to digital transformation efforts – the good, the bad, and the ugly. She has a passion for building teams and solutions that move the needle on digitalization, and empowering leaders to transform their company cultures for the better.
An institution's job is to keep students on-track to academic success. But the reality is, there are plenty of factors — from mental health degradations, to overworking, poor program fit, and more — that can cause learners to stumble along the way. How can administrators proactively address these pitfalls, and keep students moving forward?
Digitalized journey mapping might just provide an answer. In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we look at how having a detailed journey map and easy access to student data can help institutions eliminate potential hurdles before they appear.
Key Ideas: 02:32 - Specific factors that can lead to students falling off-track: What administrators should be on the lookout for 06:08 - What sources of data should administrators be studying to spot potential student issues before they happen? 10:26 - The importance of making student data readily available and accessible to employees 15:03 - How administrators can use centralized data to deepen relationships with students 20:09 - The employee experience: Helping administrators do their best work by eliminating administrative hurdles 23:16 - Digital transformation in action: How are administrators leveraging Salesforce to improve the student experience and help them succeed?
Guest Bio
April Bollwage Education Practice Lead, 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 digital transformation to ensure student success.
Hyperautomation is one of the biggest talking points in manufacturing — but often when we talk about it, we have a fairly limited scope of what it can mean. We might consider how to bring hyperautomation to the shop floor through robotics and machine learning, or discuss new ways to automate assembly. However, we all too often overlook more immediately pragmatic opportunities to streamline processes and workflows in the back office.
In this episode of Transformation @ Work, we explore how to bring hyperautomation to the back office and empower manufacturers to unlock employees’ full potential and get them back to doing the jobs they’re passionate about.
Key Ideas 01:51 - How does hyperautomation relate to back office processes? 04:23 - Identifying unnecessary workflows and opportunities for automation through Salesforce 07:58 - Specific challenges faced by Manufacturers that can be addressed through Salesforce automation 09:45 - Case study: How supply chain disruption impacted pricing agreements, and how digitalization can help businesses regain control of profitability 16:16 - How digital transformation and automation drives value back to the business 19:29 - Tips on developing a digitalization plan with your team while keeping adoption in mind 21:33 - Deciding when to unplug: When is your team ready to fully make the switch to Salesforce? 30:07 - Common stumbling blocks in digital transformation, and how teams can avoid them
Guest Bio
Anandhi Narayanan Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Transformation in Manufacturing, Gerent
Anandhi brings over 17 years of experience in manufacturing, not just with technology, but with the people and processes that can lead to meaningful change. During her tenure in IT, she led digital transformations for finance, supply chain, operations and sales operations. For the past 4 years as a consultant, she has directed cross-cloud implementations, driving strategy and thought leadership for supply chain organizations across the Salesforce ecosystem.