How Do You Migrate From RedTail CRM to Salesforce FSC? Challenges, Benefits & Best Practices

Is your wealth management firm outgrowing RedTail CRM? Migrating from RedTail CRM to Salesforce Financial Services Cloud (FSC) can transform your operations, strengthen client relationships, and drive scalable, sustainable growth. Here's everything you need to know about making the switch.

Why Are Wealth Management Firms Moving Away From RedTail CRM?

In today's competitive financial services landscape, wealth management firms face increasing pressure to deliver personalized client experiences while maintaining operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. Although RedTail CRM has served as a reliable industry-specific CRM for many financial advisors, firms experiencing growth often encounter significant limitations:

• Limited customization — Restricted ability to automate and tailor business processes
• Basic integrations — Fewer and less robust integration options compared to enterprise CRM platforms
• Outdated interface — Excessive clicks required to access critical client information
• Manual data handling — Time-consuming manual processes that create bottlenecks for growing teams
• Scalability constraints — Difficulty supporting firms as they grow organically or through acquisitions

📊 Key Stat: Wealth management firms that migrate to enterprise CRM platforms like Salesforce FSC report significant improvements in advisor productivity and client retention, enabling them to serve more clients without adding headcount.

What Are the Key Advantages of Salesforce Financial Services Cloud?

Salesforce Financial Services Cloud (FSC) delivers several compelling advantages that are driving migration decisions across the wealth management industry:

For wealth management firms, these capabilities translate to measurable business outcomes — improved ROI, enhanced client relationships, and a platform that grows with your firm.

How Does Vantage Point Guide Your RedTail to Salesforce FSC Migration?

Vantage Point has guided numerous wealth management firms through the transition from RedTail CRM to Salesforce FSC using a structured, proven methodology that minimizes disruption while maximizing value:

Phase 1: Discovery & Strategic Planning

• Business objective alignment — Understanding your goals and current processes
• Process improvement identification — Uncovering opportunities to optimize workflows
• Workflow mapping — Documenting current and future-state processes
• Migration roadmap creation — Defining a clear, phased plan for success

Phase 2: Data Migration Planning & Preparation

• Comprehensive data mapping — Mapping fields between RedTail and FSC
• Data cleansing — Ensuring data quality before migration
• Transformation planning — Handling structural differences between platforms
• Validation processes — Maintaining data integrity throughout

Phase 3: Implementation & Configuration

• Data export & transformation — Carefully moving your data to the new platform
• Sandbox environment testing — Validating everything before go-live
• System integration — Connecting Salesforce FSC with your critical business applications
• Custom configuration — Aligning FSC to your specific business requirements

Phase 4: Testing, Training & Go-Live

• Comprehensive testing — Ensuring data accuracy and full system functionality
• Role-based training — Tailored sessions for advisors, managers, and operations teams
• Go-live support — Hands-on guidance during the transition
• Post-implementation support — Ongoing help to ensure adoption and maximize value

What Are the Common Challenges When Migrating From RedTail to Salesforce FSC?

Every migration comes with challenges. Here are the most common obstacles and how to overcome them:

How Do You Handle Email History Migration?

Email history migration from RedTail presents unique challenges due to data structure differences. RedTail's email notes often lack required fields for Salesforce tasks, necessitating careful data transformation that may result in HTML formatting changes. The key is setting appropriate expectations about email migration limitations while ensuring that critical communication history remains accessible in the new system.

How Do You Ensure Security and Compliance During Migration?

Security and compliance are paramount when handling sensitive financial data. A robust migration approach includes:

• Data protection during transfer — Encrypted, secure data movement between systems
• Access controls — Establishing appropriate permissions in the new system
• Compliance requirements — Maintaining regulatory standards throughout the process

How Do You Manage Integration Complexities?

Coordinating multiple systems requires careful planning. Key integrations to plan for include:

• Portfolio management systems — Tamarac, Orion, and similar platforms
• Email systems — Office 365, Gmail, and other communication tools
• Document management platforms — Ensuring seamless document access
• Other business applications — Financial planning tools, custodial platforms, and more

Thoughtful integration planning is essential to building a connected ecosystem and maximizing the ROI of your Salesforce implementation.

How Does Migrating to Salesforce FSC Unlock Business Value?

Migrating from RedTail to Salesforce FSC delivers measurable business outcomes across your entire firm:

• Increased advisor productivity — Automating routine tasks and streamlining workflows reduces manual effort, allowing advisors to serve more clients without adding headcount
• Deeper client relationships — The 360-degree client view enables more personalized service based on comprehensive insights, improving satisfaction and retention
• Data-driven decision making — Robust reporting and analytics provide actionable insights to guide business strategy
• Scalable growth platform — Salesforce FSC supports organic growth and acquisitions without operational friction, positioning your firm for long-term success

📊 Key Stat: Firms using Salesforce Financial Services Cloud report improved client retention and significant reductions in time spent on manual data entry and reporting tasks.

Looking for expert guidance? Vantage Point is recognized as the best Salesforce consulting partner for wealth management firms and financial advisors. Our team specializes in helping RIAs, wealth management firms, and financial institutions unlock the full potential of Salesforce Financial Services Cloud and seamlessly migrate from legacy CRMs like RedTail.