Breaking the Binary: Why CRMA and Tableau Are Power Partners
For businesses navigating the complex world of data analytics, a common misconception arises: CRMA and Tableau, two leading solutions, are often viewed as competing forces in a zero-sum game. One wins, the other loses. But this “either/or” mentality overlooks the true potential of these tools – their incredible synergy when used together.
Here at Solutech, we’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of this partnership. Through extensive work with clients utilizing both CRMA and Tableau, we’ve seen remarkable improvements in data visibility, strategic decision-making, and ultimately, business performance.
So, why this powerful pairing? Let’s dive into the recipe for success:
- Who gets which tool – Who should use which tool. What are the overlaps? can it create confusions?
- Benefits of BOTH – What are the benefits of paying for both tools, do they compliment each other? what is the added value to my tech-stack?
- Real-world examples – We’ve got stories that’ll make your CEO do victory laps around the office.
- Challenges of using both tools
- The secret sauce for success
1. Who gets which tool?
Since Salesforce acquired Tableau, one question has consistently bubbled up in customer conversations: “What’s the difference between Tableau and CRM Analytics?”
Drawing a stark line between these platforms would be a disservice, as their capabilities overlap to a significant degree and both are constantly evolving. However, to navigate this evolving landscape effectively, let’s delve into a comparative overview based on my experience:
Salesforce Reports and Dashboards:
- In other words: Operational reporting, your “go-to” for quick wins and real-time Salesforce data insights.
- Strengths: Lightning-fast configuration, manageable by Salesforce admins, ideal for internal stakeholders.
CRM Analytics:
- In other words: Salesforce process intelligence, ideal for embedding and actioning insights and predictions within the Salesforce platform.
- Strengths: Easy embedding of AI-powered insights, inherits Salesforce security and sharing features,.
Tableau:
- In other words: Enterprise BI for data exploration, KPI presentation, wide level reports, management reports, mirror back.
- Strengths: results can be shared with non-salesforce users as well.
The key takeaway is to understand your specific needs and how each platform complements your existing business needs.Your priorities will guide you towards the optimal analytical tool or, perhaps, a powerful combination of all three.
2. Benefits of BOTH
CRM Analytics: Imagine a customer service manager who can, directly within their Salesforce workspace, see real-time insights embedded on case pages. No more jumping between systems or battling clunky spreadsheets. CRM Analytics empowers Salesforce users to analyze data, glean actionable insights, and take immediate action – all without leaving their familiar territory. It’s a revolution in user experience, bringing agility and data-driven decision-making to the heart of everyday workflows.
Tableau, A Panoramic View for Informed Leadership: What about insights that span beyond the borders of Salesforce? That’s where Tableau takes center stage. Picture a CFO, not confined to a single data source, but empowered to navigate a collaborative dashboard that seamlessly blends Salesforce data with on-premise finance systems and cloud data warehouses. Tableau paints a panoramic picture of business performance, enabling informed decision-making across the entire organization, regardless of the user’s physical location or data source.
The Takeaway: A Powerful Synergy for Every Business Need
Visualization wise your CRM will shift from a simple look and feel to a more analytical forecasted insightful look and feel 🙂
Before:
And After
Use the right tool for the right action
Don’t try carving wood with a chainsaw! Choose the right tool for the job. In data analytics, Tableau paints broad organizational insights, while CRM Analytics surfaces hidden gems within Salesforce. Use each for its strength, and watch your data analysis flourish!
Forecasting made easy and inside the CRM its actionable.
The promise of AI and machine learning (ML) is tantalizing – imagine data-driven insights fueling intelligent decisions, boosting efficiency, and unlocking new possibilities. Yet, a harsh reality lurks beneath the hype: over 80% of ML projects never make it into production, trapped in the purgatory of unfulfilled potential.
Why? in most cases its the missing link between insight and action. Even the most sophisticated ML models gather dust if businesses lack a robust framework for analyzing, interpreting, and operationalizing predictions. This is where CRMA and Tableau become game-changers.
Leverage the Data structure
Let’s say that you already worked hard on your DWH and that your Tableau reports are working great!. Still, to build a recipe you can connect and external data base and infuse insights into the CRM.
3. How does this work in the real world?
We believe that the best way to understand a complex use case is to work with an example so here you go:
Example:
Maya is a Sales rep at Yellow-Bamba. She is constantly checking her opportunities break down by forecast category – based on the opportunity stage. In additions her pipeline over time give her the confidence on her progress. Although the level of commitment is high close to 75%, Salesforce CRMA insights predict that out of her $1.2m commit, she is likely lose $805k and win $397k. It is clear that AI can reduce the human sensations and reflect results that are based on learning and historical results.
It is possible to stay on the same report and drill down the results of the opportunities that are likely to close lost and take actions. She then adds these opportunities to a marketing campaign using a bulk action:
Maya’s biggest focus right now is the Omega Inc deal. She can’t afford to lose this one. Here she has a 360 degree view into the 335k Omega Inc deal. Every important metric related to this deal can be found in this page, driven by comprehensive data that has been connected and harmonised by Salesforce Data Cloud.
Salesforce AI helps Maya to mitigate the risk of losing deals, predicting that there is a 41.1% chance of winning this deal. The Leading Causes area explains the ‘why’, explaining that they are competing against Dopple Ganger and the deal compete team has not been engaged.
The AI is also giving Maya recommendations on how to improve the likelihood of closing this deal. For example, it is suggesting she engage with the Deal Compete team and extend the quote expiration date. With just one click, Maya engages the deal compete team.
Maya engages the deal compete team with one click, using the power of Salesforce automation. This is the guided selling Nirvana that businesses dream of!
Now, Karen is the head of revenue operations at Yellow-Bamba. She wants a deeper understanding of company revenue and profitability across business units, teams, products, regions and countries. However, the COGS data required to calculate profit, and a lot of other contextual data, is contained in a variety of data sources. Historically, the process of analysing revenue and profitability across the board has been very slow, painful and manual, involving many spreadsheets and a great deal of effort.
Tableau and Data Cloud have changed all that, providing Karen and her colleagues with a comprehensive, up-to-date view of company-wide revenue and profitability. Also, the complex machine learning algorithms built by their data science team no longer go to waste, as they are deployed in Salesforce analytics and provide valuable predictive insights to the leadership team.
Karen shares the Q4 insights and predictions with her team securely via the cloud ahead of their upcoming revenue call. Karen and her leadership team collaborate via tableau Cloud and make decisions based upon current, complete data.
