Here's a scenario that plays out at wealth management firms every quarter:
Here's a scenario that plays out at wealth management firms every year.
Managing Partner: "Our CRM is a mess. Advisors aren't using it, data is everywhere, and compliance is getting nervous. We need to fix Salesforce—or start over."
Operations Lead: "I've been researching partners. There's a Summit Partner that looks impressive, a boutique firm a colleague recommended, and that big consulting company with the name everyone recognizes."
Managing Partner: "What's the difference?"
Operations Lead: "Honestly? I'm not sure. They all have certifications. They all say they 'specialize' in financial services."
Managing Partner: "Just pick one."
And that's how a $150,000 implementation becomes a $400,000 lesson in why partner selection matters more than platform selection.
Here's what most firms don't realize: the success of your Salesforce implementation is determined in the first 30 days—long before anyone writes a formula or builds a flow.
The decisions made during discovery about data architecture, object relationships, automation philosophy, and security models will either enable your firm for the next decade or create technical debt that compounds with every new advisor, every new product, and every new compliance requirement.
A great partner helps you make those decisions right. A mediocre partner just asks you what you want and builds it—even when what you want isn't what you need.
For financial services firms specifically, these early decisions are even more critical because:
Get the foundation wrong, and you'll spend the next three years patching problems instead of scaling.
Forget the RFP template you downloaded. Here are the questions that will tell you whether a partner can actually deliver results for a financial services firm:
Why it matters: Any partner with meaningful experience has scars. The ones who admit it—and can articulate what went wrong—have actually internalized those lessons. The ones who claim a perfect track record are either lying or too inexperienced to have been tested.
What to listen for: Specific examples, accountability language ("we should have..."), and process changes they made as a result.
Red flag: Vague answers, blame-shifting to clients, or pivoting to success stories without addressing the question.
Why it matters: The sales team that wines and dines you is rarely the team that builds your org. Many large partners use junior consultants for execution while senior people move on to the next sale.
What to listen for: Specific names and bios, clear roles (solution architect, developer, admin, project manager), and a commitment to introduce you to the actual team during the sales process.
Red flag: "We'll assign resources based on availability" or inability to name the implementation lead.
For financial services: Ask specifically whether those team members have worked on Financial Services Cloud, understand wealth management workflows, and know what a household is in the context of your business—not just Salesforce's definition.
Why it matters: Discovery is where the magic happens—or where corners get cut. Partners who rush discovery (or treat it as a checkbox exercise) will miss critical requirements that surface months later as change orders.
What to listen for: Stakeholder interview schedules, process mapping workshops, data assessment methodology, integration inventory, and clear deliverables (requirements documents, data model diagrams, risk registers).
Red flag: "We've done this for other RIAs, so we know what you need" without asking questions first. Every firm is different.
Good answer example: "In week one, we interview 8-12 stakeholders across advisor teams, operations, compliance, and leadership. We map your current lead-to-client journey, document pain points, and identify data quality issues. Week two, we present a findings report and proposed architecture for discussion before any build begins."
Why it matters: This question reveals how the partner thinks about long-term maintainability. Over-customization creates upgrade risk, increases maintenance costs, and often stems from trying to replicate legacy workflows instead of adopting better practices.
What to listen for: A balanced answer that weighs flexibility against technical debt. Partners should push back on customization requests that don't serve the business and recommend declarative (clicks, not code) solutions where possible.
Red flag: "We can build whatever you want"—this often means they'll build whatever you ask for without questioning whether it's wise.
For financial services: Ask specifically about their approach to custom objects for held-away assets, custom fields for compliance tracking, and whether they've successfully used Salesforce's standard Financial Services Cloud data model or always end up customizing it.
Why it matters: Scope creep is the #1 budget killer in Salesforce implementations. How a partner manages changes—and whether they help you distinguish "must-haves" from "nice-to-haves"—determines whether you'll finish on budget.
What to listen for: A clear change order process, regular scope reviews, and willingness to push back on requests that would derail the timeline or budget.
Red flag: "We're flexible and want to make sure you get everything you need" without any discussion of process or trade-offs.
Pro tip: Ask for their average percentage of budget consumed by change orders on similar projects. If they can't answer, they're not tracking it—which is a red flag in itself.
Why it matters: Salesforce implementations don't fail because of technology. They fail because advisors don't use the system. A partner who treats training as an afterthought or "out of scope" is setting you up for shelfware.
What to listen for: Role-based training plans, super-user programs, enablement documentation, post-launch office hours, and metrics for measuring adoption (login rates, data quality, feature usage).
Red flag: "Training is included" without specifics, or "we typically hand off to your internal team for adoption" without providing a playbook.
For financial services: Advisors are notoriously change-resistant. Ask the partner specifically how they've overcome this in past wealth management implementations.
Why it matters: The first 90 days after go-live are critical. Issues will surface, users will have questions, and you'll discover gaps in the initial build. A partner who disappears after launch leaves you stranded at the most vulnerable moment.
What to listen for: Warranty period terms, hyper-care support options, managed services offerings, and enhancement roadmap processes.
Red flag: Implementation-only shops that don't offer ongoing support. If they're not invested in your long-term success, their incentives during implementation are misaligned.
Good answer example: "We include a 30-day warranty period for bug fixes. Beyond that, 80% of our clients move to a managed services engagement—anywhere from 20 to 100 hours per month—where we handle enhancements, new releases, and ongoing optimization."
Why it matters: Everyone provides their best references. The true measure of a partner is how they handled situations when things went sideways—and whether those clients would still recommend them.
What to listen for: Willingness to provide multiple references, offer introductions to clients with similar AUM and business models, and honesty about which engagements had challenges.
Red flag: "We can only share case studies due to NDAs" or references that are suspiciously perfect.
For financial services: Ask for references specifically in your segment—an RIA with $500M AUM has very different needs than a multi-family office with $5B or a regional bank. Generic "financial services" experience isn't enough.
Let's address the elephant in the room: Salesforce partner tiers and certifications matter less than you think.
Yes, Summit Partners have demonstrated scale and customer success. Yes, individual certifications indicate baseline knowledge. But here's the truth:
What actually predicts success:
Sometimes knowing what to avoid is as important as knowing what to look for. End the conversation if you encounter:
| Red Flag | What It Really Means |
|---|---|
| Skipping or minimizing discovery | "We'll figure it out as we go" (you'll pay for this later) |
| Promising extensive customization before understanding your needs | They're selling hours, not outcomes |
| Unable to explain architectural decisions in plain language | They may not understand them either |
| Unwilling to commit to clear scope and success metrics | Accountability allergies |
| Heavy sales pressure or "limited time" pricing | They need your deal more than you need their services |
| No financial services–specific experience | You'll be paying for their learning curve |
| Only staff augmentation available, no managed services | They're not invested in your long-term success |
After you've completed your evaluations, score each partner on these weighted criteria:
| Criteria | Weight | What to Assess |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services Experience | 25% | FSC implementations, understanding of your segment, relevant references |
| Delivery Team Quality | 25% | Seniority, specific experience, who you'll actually work with |
| Discovery & Methodology | 20% | Process rigor, deliverables, how they handle complexity |
| Change Management & Adoption | 15% | Training approach, adoption metrics, advisor enablement |
| Ongoing Support Options | 10% | Managed services, responsiveness, partnership orientation |
| Cultural Fit | 5% | Communication style, chemistry, shared values |
Total the scores, but don't ignore your gut. The best partner is one you'd want to work with for years—because you will.
Choosing a Salesforce implementation partner isn't about finding the biggest name or the most certifications. It's about finding a team that:
The right partner won't just implement Salesforce. They'll help you build a CRM that advisors actually use, that scales with your growth, and that becomes a competitive advantage—not a compliance checkbox.
The firms that get this decision right will spend the next decade leveraging Salesforce to grow faster, serve clients better, and operate more efficiently. The ones that get it wrong will spend that decade cleaning up the mess.
Choose carefully.
David Cockrum founded Vantage Point after serving as Chief Operating Officer in the financial services industry. His unique blend of operational leadership and technology expertise has enabled Vantage Point's distinctive business-process-first implementation methodology, delivering successful transformations for 150+ financial services firms across 400+ engagements with a 4.71/5.0 client satisfaction rating and 95%+ client retention rate.
We've implemented Salesforce Financial Services Cloud for 150+ wealth management firms, RIAs, and financial services organizations. If you're evaluating partners, we'd welcome the opportunity to answer your questions—even if you ultimately choose someone else.
Email: david@vantagepoint.io