Building systems & apps that are user friendly, intuitive, scalable, and efficient.  By combining solid business process understanding with technical expertise, we build things that end users / managers / and admins love working with. 

 Cloud Studio is committed to building solutions on the force.com platform that align with our key technology principles, which are:

USER ACCEPTED

"We strive to make systems that end users actually LIKE using."

What good is a new piece of technology if end users don’t use it or try to sidestep it?  The best way to avoid this is two-fold:  First, involve end users in the process, take their daily use of the system into consideration when designing, and get feedback from them along the way.  Second, and something any good user experience designer knows, think in terms of user flows.  Actually think through how the user will use the system.  Where in the system does the process begin?  Can we save a few clicks by summarizing information somewhere else?  Can automation be put in place to take care of any subsequent actions?  This user experience aspect is often lost when a system is designed but can make all the difference in a successful roll-out / process change.  Simply put, we strive to make systems that end users actually LIKE using.

SCALABLE

"a solid bedrock to build atop of, not a quick “band-aid”

The higher the building becomes (ie. the more integrated and mission critical Salesforce is to your business), the more it’s crucial the foundation is solid.  It’s often quicker to just “pile it on” and build something quick and without thought as to how it fits in the larger picture of the org, but there are always consequences to this.  The term for this is “technical debt”...which as the name implies, must be paid back at some point down the road.  The best approach to avoid this scenario is to build something scalable.   We take the time to understand the whole org, the business it supports, future enhancements that may be in the pipeline, and provide guidance on how the current structure can be improved.  Simply put, we strive to build a solid bedrock to build atop of, not a quick “band-aid” one off solution for your business.

EFFICIENT

"Our systems save time for all stakeholders"

The best systems are a combination of great technical solutions and solid business processes.  We try to provide both.  Having a background firmly rooted in operations and finance (technology in a close 2nd), we understand that a system is only as good as its inputs.  We help talk through the business processes surrounding the system, understanding the larger picture, and can help streamline inputs from end users.  The second part is designing technical processes in the system that are short, easy to use, and automated.  The end result is a clear efficient process for all, automation wherever possible in the system for end users, and more transparency into business operations for stakeholders (managers, directors, etc…).  Simply put, our systems save time for all stakeholders, freeing people up to focus on other priorities.

INTUITIVE

"We design and build systems that work the way a user would expect them to."

This comes back to the User Accepted principle.  As stated we are business process first, and technology in a close 2nd.  Having been on the user end of many poorly designed systems, we strive to provide solutions that barely need instructions.  A user logs in, buttons are labeled accurately and it’s clear what they do, fields are labeled well and have help text, and the process flows through the system effortlessly.  If there needs to be exhaustive documentation (more than a 1-2 minute video) on how to use the system, we have not done our job correctly.  Simply put, we design and build systems that work the way a user would expect them to.

MODERN

"We always build on the latest technology."

In a testament to how great the force.com ecosystem is, the tools and technologies available to developers is constantly being updated.  We always build on the latest technology.  As they are released, we learn the new technology and begin as quickly as possible integrating it into our solutions going forward.  There’s no sense in building on old technology when it will eventually need to be replaced anyways.  Better to build with the most modern technology available at all times.

 Ready to see your business processes live in a well oiled system?  Have an existing Salesforce system that you know could function better?  Looking for some ongoing support?  

We've got you covered.

CONSULTING PROJECTS

NEW SYSTEM BUILDS

Ready to integrate Salesforce into your business?  Let’s talk through what you would like to accomplish and what processes you need to support.  We’ll go away for awhile and give it some thought, returning in a few days with a plan and an estimate.  We can be from initial call to building in as little as a week.

ORG ENHANCEMENTS

Already have Salesforce and you’d like to add some new functionality?  Adhering to our key technology principles, we’ll get to know your org, and offer up a solution to your need to fits with the overall health of your org.  We can work with your existing Salesforce team to facilitate this or work directly with the key stakeholders requesting new features.

CUSTOM CODING

The force.com ecosystem is so great because an incredible amount of development can be done with clicks, not code. But let’s face it, sometimes the best solutions require good old fashion code.  We can integrate APEX code into your existing org or provide it as part of a new build.  You’ll be left with great automation that runs in the background and supports your processes exactly how you envisioned.

CUSTOM INTERFACES

Complex process that should be captured all on one screen?  Want users to be able to handle some process entirely from their phone?  A custom Visualforce and / or Lightning Page(s) may be in order.  We’ll make it work perfect...and make it pretty.

APP INSTALLS

The Salesforce AppExchange is one of the best ways to take your Salesforce org to a new level.  The AppExchange is filled with ingenious out of the box solutions for solving business problems.  Everything from electronic signature to automatic document creation to sales compensation tools can be found here.  Again, adhering to our key technology principles, we’ll integrate the application’s functionality into your org and make sure it all works seamlessly together.

ORG REHAB

A surprising fact is that org rehab and maintenance of an existing org is actually more difficult that the creation of a new org.  This is often encountered by large enterprise clients.  Salesforce is holding mission critical processes but the foundation was not built very well.  Now it’s time to expand and build atop of it but there are constantly errors and user complaints.  It’s obvious some areas need work, but where?  And how to make changes while continuing to support existing users to live and breath in the system?  No problem.  We’ve seen this before and can repair and improve your org, starting with the foundation.

MANAGED SERVICES

You have a Salesforce org that needs some love, care, and attention. Your end users need support they can rely on and can get a quick response addressing their problems. But, hiring a dedicated Salesforce resource is a whole process and your not even sure if they’ll be needed down the road. We offer Managed Services for a situation like this. Here’s how it works. We get to know your org and assign a dedicated resource. We’ll charge you a fixed monthly cost for dedicated support. Your end users will get a quick response. We’ll handle any problems that come up and offer suggestions to improving your org. In essence, we’ll be the gatekeeper and caretaker of your Salesforce org. When you no longer need a resource, just let us know. No hiring and firing. No interviews. No training and working with your HR department. Easy, fast, effective. Problem solved.

ONGOING SUPPORT

Similar to Managed Services, we offer simple ongoing support packages. This is usually the best option if you already have a Salesforce Admin onsite but need someone to bounce ideas off and possibly take on more complex development challenges as they arise. The advantage here is simplified billing. You can purchase block of hours and we’ll work off those hours, giving you an update each week on how many hours were worked and how many remain. It’s an easy way to have a Salesforce expert at your fingertips at all times.

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 “a Mission Critical Salesforce org that needs to be rebuilt”

THE TASK

Yamaha has a large sprawling enterprise Salesforce org.  It’s absolutely mission critical as it is the bedrock for the Contract workflow for dealers and handles all customer support requests that come in nationwide.  It’s a piece of enterprise technology that simply can’t fail.  There had been problems with scaling the org for some time so it was clear work was needed.  Existing processes were inefficient in the system, users were getting errors, reporting was spotty, and there were plans to build more atop of this.

THE WORK

We set to work immediately, adhering to our key technology principles and understanding the org from a holistic point of view.  The two overarching goals were to get it to a scalable point (a solid foundation) that we could safely build atop of and then (and only then) work with various stakeholders to begin tacking on new processes, integrations, and features.  After understanding the system’s uses and key processes flow, we started on the foundation.  Rebuilding the back-end system permissions and security and streamlining workflows, code and automations.  With users no longer receiving errors and a logical foundation based on company divisions, we set about gathering new requirements and understanding the wishes for this new and improved system.  Different processes for various divisions were combined into one cohesive system, new integrations were made, more cleaning was conducted, and user acceptance grew rapidly.

THE RESULT

In the end, Yamaha was left with a hugely improved Salesforce system.  Existing users enjoyed more streamlined processes (free from errors and bugs), and new users / divisions saw their Excel spreadsheets now living in a well oiled system that could be accessed from anywhere in the world.  Integrations were made and Salesforce became a reliable reporting interface for company critical metrics.  With the system functioning as it should, users are now more efficient, more informed, and the business is better positioned to handle process changes in the future.

 Interested in working together?

Schedule a consultation below to discuss the needs of your project, its free.  

Expect to walk away with an understanding of what we recommend to best serve your needs and the next steps in order to move forward.  If it's a defined project, expect a rough estimate within a few days following the call.

CLOUD STUDIO

PO Box #2987
Los Angeles, CA 90078