The Migration Minefield: 6 Pitfalls in Salesforce Lightning and How to Avoid Them

Are you aware that almost 90% of digital transformation projects experience delays, and transitions to Salesforce Lightning are no different? Many CTOs find that transitioning to Salesforce Lightning is like navigating a minefield; a single misstep could result in expensive delays or system failures. However, there is a silver lining: you can avoid these typical pitfalls. Continue reading, and we will guide you through the six main traps that could derail your Salesforce Lightning migration and, most significantly, how to steer clear of them.

1. Neglecting Stakeholder Alignment: The Silent Killer

To start off, one of the most deceptive pitfalls is the absence of agreement among your essential stakeholders. It is surprising how frequently projects go off track due to a lack of alignment between business leaders, developers, and end-users. You probably have to manage several teams, each having their own agendas, which leads to a disconnect. For example, consider prioritizing the Salesforce Lightning implementation to simplify the user interface, while the sales team is more focused on lead management features. If you disregard these voices, you will have a system that fulfils technical requirements but falls short in practical scenarios.

What is the solution? Get involved in the beginning and continue to stay involved consistently. Host workshops, get feedback, and use tools like the Salesforce Lightning Migration Assistant to ensure everyone understands the benefits and trade offs.

2. Skipping Data Cleanup: Garbage In, Garbage Out

The next pitfall is treating data as an afterthought. Sure, you’ve heard the phrase “garbage in, garbage out,” but it’s especially true when migrating to Salesforce Lightning. Imagine pulling outdated, inaccurate, or duplicate data—that’s like moving into a new house with a truckload of clutter you don’t need.

For example, one company migrated to Salesforce Lightning only to discover they had years’ worth of irrelevant customer data clogging up their reports. Cleaning it up after migration became a painful, resource-intensive task.

Pro tip: Conduct a thorough data audit before migration. Segment the data that truly matters and use Salesforce’s data management tools to clean house. You’ll thank yourself later.

3. Overlooking Custom Code: The Code That Bites Back

Next up: custom code. In your Salesforce Classic environment, you’ve likely added custom code for workflows, automations, and integrations. But beware—what works smoothly in Classic might not translate well to Lightning. Ignoring this can cause serious functionality issues down the road.

Consider this: Your development team finishes the migration, only to realize that your complex custom quote-generation process now throws errors in the Lightning interface. Not only does this halt sales operations, but also triggers a fire drill for your development team to fix it.

Avoid this pitfall by testing every bit of custom code in a sandbox environment before flipping the switch. Make sure your migrations, especially the critical ones like classic-to-Lightning, are Lightning ready.

4. Ignoring Mobile Optimization: The Unseen Speed Bump

Salesforce Lightning boasts a responsive, mobile-friendly design, but don’t assume that mobile optimization may be without errors. Your customizations and workflows need testing on mobile just as much as they do on desktop. Many migrations fail when users realize that their fancy new setup is clunky or unusable on mobile devices.

For example, consider a field sales team trying to access customer data on their phones during a client meeting. If the interface isn’t optimized for mobile, they’ll be struggling through poorly designed screens, negatively impacting productivity.

Test your Lightning features on mobile as rigorously as you do on desktop. Ensure smooth navigation, quick load times, and seamless access to critical features.

5. Underestimating Performance Issues: Not All Lightning Is Fast

Salesforce Lightning promises enhanced performance, but this isn’t guaranteed out of the box. Larger organizations with complex setups often experience slower load times and performance bottlenecks if they don’t fine-tune the system.

Imagine rolling out Lightning only to have your sales reps complain that it takes forever to load dashboards.

The fix? Identify potential bottlenecks before going live. Salesforce offers tools like Lightning Optimizer, which can flag inefficiencies in your setup. Test for performance issues during the migration process and make necessary adjustments—whether it’s improving data queries or reworking inefficient code.

6. Neglecting Change Management: The Human Factor

Training is an essential component of change management. Just implementing Salesforce Lightning isn’t sufficient, users need guidance to understand it. Training makes employees feel comfortable using the new system, thus minimizing resistance. However, a personalized, job-specific training is necessary as it is not a universal solution. Your sales team may require thorough training on the latest lead management functionalities, while your support team may concentrate on tools for managing cases.

The crucial aspect is involving users at an early stage in the process. Training should not be neglected or overlooked. It is an integral component of the change management plan that enables users to understand the advantages of the new system. If workers can easily understand how the new features enhance their daily responsibilities, they will be more inclined to accept the change.

Practice is also important in dealing with resistance. Teams that are well-prepared are more likely to navigate the transition smoothly, reducing the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed during the migration process. Post-launch, it is important to provide ongoing support to employees to assist them in adjusting to the system.

A successful Salesforce Lightning migration may encounter difficulties without effective change management in place. Ensure that your teams are fully engaged, properly trained, and consistently supported in order to maximize the benefits of your investment.

In Conclusion

Migration to Salesforce Lightning doesn’t need to be as daunting as navigating a minefield. By steering clear of these six mistakes and selecting the right technology partner, you will prepare yourself for a seamless transition and unleash the complete capabilities of Salesforce Lightning.

Each step in the migration process, such as aligning stakeholders, cleaning up data, and providing team training, is important for a successful outcome. And don’t forget, resources such as Lightning Experience Transition Migration Assistant are available to assist you during the process. By carefully strategizing, testing, and closely monitoring change management, you can avoid typical problems and experience a smooth rollout of Salesforce Lightning.

What comes after this? Before transitioning to Lightning, evaluate if you are adequately prepared. If you tackle these challenges early, you’ll make good progress in achieving a successful transformation.