You invested in Salesforce expecting transformation. Instead, you got frustration. Reps avoid logging activities. Data is a mess. Forecasts are guesswork. Sound familiar? These are symptoms of a failing implementation—and they're fixable.
Here are the five warning signs we see most often, and what to do about them.
Low User Adoption
Your team logs into Salesforce because they have to, not because it helps them. They update records right before meetings. They keep their own spreadsheets “just in case.” When CRM feels like overhead instead of a tool, something went wrong during implementation.
The root cause: Usually, the system was built for management reporting, not for the people using it daily. Reps see data entry with no clear benefit to them.
The fix: Redesign workflows around what helps reps sell. Add automation that saves them time. Show them insights they can't get elsewhere. When Salesforce makes their job easier, adoption follows.
Dirty Data Everywhere
Duplicate contacts. Leads with missing fields. Opportunities stuck in stages from three years ago. When you can't trust the data, you can't trust the reports—and the whole system becomes useless.
The root cause: No validation rules, no required fields, no duplicate management. Data quality wasn't considered during implementation.
The fix: Start with a data cleanup project. Then implement validation rules, duplicate blocking, and required fields at the right points. Consider Einstein Data Detect for ongoing quality monitoring.
Manual Workarounds Are the Norm
Someone exports to Excel to create reports. Quotes are built in Word. Follow-up tasks are tracked in email. When people work around the system instead of in it, the implementation missed the mark.
The root cause: The system doesn't match actual business processes. Key workflows were either missed or implemented incorrectly.
The fix: Document how work actually gets done (not how it's supposed to). Then build those workflows into Salesforce using Flow, CPQ, or custom automation. Eliminate the need for workarounds.
No Meaningful Reports
You have dashboards, but nobody looks at them. The data is too stale, too unreliable, or too disconnected from what matters. Management still asks for ad-hoc reports via email.
The root cause: Reports were built based on what was easy to create, not what the business actually needs to track.
The fix: Start with business questions. What decisions do you need to make? What data would inform those decisions? Build backwards from there. Consider Einstein Analytics for more sophisticated insights.
No Clear Owner or Roadmap
The implementation “finished” and everyone moved on. There's no admin maintaining the system. No roadmap for improvements. No one evaluating new Salesforce features. The org is slowly becoming obsolete.
The root cause: Salesforce was treated as a one-time project, not an ongoing platform that needs care and feeding.
The fix: Assign a dedicated admin (internal or external). Create a backlog of improvements. Review new Salesforce releases quarterly. Consider a managed services plan for ongoing optimization.
The Good News: It's Fixable
A struggling Salesforce implementation doesn't mean the platform is wrong for you. It means the implementation needs work. We've rescued dozens of troubled orgs and turned them into systems people actually want to use.
The key is diagnosing the real problems (not just symptoms) and fixing them systematically.
Key Takeaways
- Low adoption usually means the system serves management, not users
- Dirty data is a symptom of missing validation and governance
- Manual workarounds indicate missed or broken workflows
- Useless reports mean the wrong questions were asked
- No ownership leads to a slowly dying system
- All of these problems are fixable with the right approach