Beyond the 3-Pillar Framework: Overcoming the Hidden Risks in Salesforce Rollouts
In our previous article, The 3-Pillar Framework for Salesforce Rollouts: People, Process, Technology, we explored how balance across these three areas is the foundation for success. People must be empowered, processes must be streamlined, and technology must be scalable and well-integrated.
But even when organizations understand and apply the framework, rollouts can still stumble. Why? Because the framework is only as strong as its execution. Hidden risks—often overlooked in the excitement of go-live—can erode adoption and stall momentum.
This article builds on the 3-Pillar Framework and highlights the silent killers of Salesforce rollouts—and how to address them before they take hold.
Pillar 1: People – Watch Out for Training Fatigue
A common misstep with the People pillar is training fatigue. Too often, users are put through long, one-off training sessions that overwhelm rather than empower.
The Risk:
Users disengage and revert to old systems.
Retention drops weeks after go-live.
Salesforce is seen as “extra work” instead of a productivity tool.
The Fix:
Deliver training in smaller, role-based sessions.
Use Salesforce in-app guidance for learning at the point of need.
Reinforce post-launch with office hours, refresher sessions, and peer champions.
When training energizes instead of exhausts, the People pillar stands strong.
Pillar 2: Process – Avoid “Lift and Shift”
Processes are where many rollouts quietly fail. Organizations often migrate existing workflows into Salesforce without questioning whether those processes are effective in the first place.
The Risk:
Salesforce becomes a mirror of outdated processes.
Teams experience inefficiencies despite the new system.
Automation opportunities are missed.
The Fix:
Map workflows before migration and identify bottlenecks.
Simplify wherever possible; Salesforce should enable efficiency, not replicate complexity.
Introduce automation that removes manual, repetitive steps.
Strong processes ensure Salesforce is not just adopted, but valued.
Pillar 3: Technology – Beware of Over-Customization
Technology is the visible pillar, but it’s also the easiest to misuse. In the race to meet every request, many organizations over-customize Salesforce, creating technical debt and fragile systems.
The Risk:
System becomes slow, costly, and difficult to upgrade.
Integrations break under strain.
Admins spend more time maintaining than innovating.
The Fix:
Prioritize configuration (“clicks, not code”) whenever possible.
Build integrations with scalability in mind.
Regularly review customizations to ensure they still serve the business.
A clean, scalable technology approach keeps Salesforce sustainable for the long term.
The New Pillar: Reinforcement
While People, Process, and Technology remain the foundation, our experience shows there is an implicit fourth pillar that holds everything together: Reinforcement.
No rollout succeeds with a “set it and forget it” approach. Continuous reinforcement ensures:
Training is absorbed and applied.
Processes are followed consistently.
Technology evolves with the business.
Reinforcement turns the 3-Pillar Framework into a long-term success strategy rather than a one-time checklist.
The 3-Pillar Framework remains the foundation of every successful Salesforce rollout. But acknowledging and addressing the hidden risks of training fatigue, process replication, and over-customization is what transforms a rollout into sustainable adoption.
At AppSavvy Group, we help organizations not only design balanced rollouts but also reinforce them with strategies that prevent fatigue, inefficiency, and technical debt. The result: Salesforce rollouts that are not just successful on go-live day, but impactful for years to come.