Salesforce Consultant vs Developer – Which one to choose?

Are you considering a career change to Salesforce but are unsure which path to take? Salesforce is now one of the greatest CRM platforms available, and it can be used to make good use of client data in the wake of growing data generation. The platform’s market share has increased in recent years, and the company’s revenue has increased faster than that of other CRM suppliers.

Salesforce CRM is the most coveted platform for any company seeking rapid success. Customer data is the most crucial component of every business’s life because it includes important information about its customers and predicts their future potential. Above all, your Salesforce specialist is an integral part of your organisation which aids in keeping things working correctly.

Which Career to Pursue – Salesforce Consultant or Salesforce Developer?

As everyone’s area of expertise is different, it is entirely up to the aspirant to decide which road to choose.

Salesforce consultant plays a crucial role in establishing CRM systems by addressing several critical concerns that affect an organization’s proper operation. While the Salesforce Developer is in charge of all essential Salesforce development and customization, including creating and altering existing apps, building applications, coding, and testing.

To enter the Salesforce universe, you must have a strong desire to learn everything there is to know about the platform. Although the Salesforce Admin credential is by far the most chosen one, especially for beginners, the ladder to the best sought-after Salesforce career ranges from Salesforce Developers to Salesforce Consultants and many more.

Today, let’s have a quick look at the roles and responsibilities of Salesforce Developers and Salesforce Consultants and how choosing between the two impacts your Salesforce career.

Salesforce Consultants

A Salesforce consultant’s job becomes more vital when it comes to properly customising and optimising the Salesforce CRM to meet the needs of the company.

Salesforce consultants are critical resources for every business since they raise the value of the firm by generating more revenue and establishing goodwill with clients. They’re known for coming up with novel ideas and can even foresee how future changes could affect the business.

A Salesforce consultant’s primary goal is to develop, design, and maintain databases that connect businesses with their consumers. Their primary responsibility is to make sure that their client’s connection is maintained at all costs.

A Salesforce consultant must be able to demonstrate their prowess in front of their clients in a consistent manner in particular competencies. They must be a natural leader with excellent communication skills and should be able to collaborate well with other team members. They should be outstanding in reasoning, have proper decision-making, and be proactive.

The Must-have skills of a Salesforce Consultant

1. A consultant should ensure that the organisation’s work will run smoothly at all stages and the requirements for the workforce are met, and no compromise has to be made to achieve the desired results.
2. The consultants should assist the firm in staying on track at various stages of the Salesforce deployment. They also work as an expert in organising and managing all the tight schedules and designing the ideal CRM in the shortest amount of time possible.
3. The consultants should be good at managing and handling the budget that will satisfy the demands of your consumers. 
4. The consultant will be able to identify any issue that arises at work and propose the best and most feasible solutions to fulfil your business objectives wisely.
5. The consultant will be an ideal person to best manage the company-client relationship. They should make initial contact with the client, adequately respond to their questions, and provide general first-hand feedback.
6. The consultants should be good enough to build an effective project execution plan, including paying close attention to its details, utilising the working hours, setting deadlines, scheduling client meetings, etc. 
7.  Salesforce consultants must be familiar with working on the most up-to-date technology to make a company’s operations more sound and successful. 
8. They should have an excellent understanding of Java and C# and have a thorough understanding of Visualforce and Apex, which would enhance their credibility by customising their knowledge base and making them more visible to their customers.
9. The Salesforce consultants should have excellent decision-making skills that assist the organisation in making strategic decisions that are tailored to your specific company requirements.

Salesforce Developer

The day-to-day duties of a Salesforce Developer are exceptionally technical than Admins, yet the position encompasses more than just programming. Salesforce developers must collaborate closely with colleagues in sales, customer support, and marketing to turn business needs into usable Salesforce tools. After a solution has been developed, Salesforce developers are responsible for quality assurance, testing, debugging, and user documentation.

Salesforce can be learned by anyone interested in this field, although Salesforce Developers must have some technical expertise and coding experience.

Let us check some of the languages, frameworks, and tools for the Salesforce app-building that the Salesforce Developers should understand. 

The Must-have skills of a Salesforce Developer

1. The developer should be familiar with Java as Salesforce’s coding language, Apex, is closely based on it. 
2. Salesforce Developers should also be familiar with MySQL as the Salesforce queries are written in SOQL, which is loosely based on MySQL. 
3. Salesforce developers should know SOSL, a language for test-based searches in Salesforce databases.
4. Salesforce developers should also be well versed with Visualforce, a markup language that allows developers to construct custom Salesforce pages using HTML-like code.
5. The Salesforce developers should know the Visualforce framework, a user interface framework that allows them to create reusable interfaces. 
6. The Salesforce developers should be able to create dynamic web apps for mobile and desktop devices using Salesforce’s Aura framework, an open-source user interface platform.
7. The Salesforce Developers should be conversant in the Fuel API to create marketing apps and should have an understanding of the Lightning App Builder to build app pages. 
8. The Salesforce Developers should know the Salesforce development platforms such as Customer 360 and Heroku.

Are you still uncertain about which one to choose? Scroll down to find out more.

Salesforce Consultant Vs Salesforce Developer

1. A good consultant is conversant with all platforms and knows how to use numerous Salesforce tools to discover the best solution in tough business scenarios. Salesforce Developers look after an organisation’s technological aspects at the same time.
2. A consultant must be aware of the entire technology and understand the needs of clients and further provide solutions and improvements to their needs using the Salesforce platform. The Salesforce developer is the one who implements the requirement of the client or later builds an SFDC application as per the requirements given by the client. 
3. A Salesforce Consultant typically wears multiple hats. They may work in-house or as an external consultant to assist a company get the most out of their Salesforce CRM. In contrast, a Salesforce Developer has the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and design customer-facing interfaces based on feedback.
4. A competent consultant understands the platform and has strong analytical skills and project management skills to help people and organisations address crucial business problems. At the same time, Salesforce Developers examine consumer demands before designing, testing, and developing products to satisfy their needs.
5. Salesforce consultants work with clients to understand their business goals, processes, and pain points to help them fulfil their needs. Salesforce developers, on the other hand, foresee changes in Salesforce’s business and technology landscapes, as well as the.Net/Java platforms, and adapt accordingly.
6. Since the consultants are employed to help modify how a team operates to improve customer service and organisational performance, they are in a trusted position of authority. Developers deal with potential data quality inconsistencies and design strategies to overcome any system flaws.
7. According to Mason Frank’s recent study on Salesforce career trends, the average salary range of Salesforce Consultants in the United States is 79,250 – 164,250 US Dollars for Juniors and 105,250 – 184,250 US Dollars for Seniors, whereas the annual salary range of Salesforce Developers in the United States is 102,250 – 130, 500 for Juniors and 130,500 – 179,750 for seniors. In India, Salesforce Consultants make around 803k per year, potentially rising to 2,000k with experience. Salesforce Developers in India are paid roughly 502k per year, potentially climbing to 1,025k per year with experience.
8. Both the Salesforce Consultants and Salesforce Developer profiles provide a stable future with a steady income and career progression.
9. As a Salesforce Consultant, you’ll need to learn various skills, understand multiple ideas, and stay updated on the latest Salesforce advancements. Salesforce Developers are typically employed by clients that need Salesforce customised to meet their specific needs. 
10. Salesforce Administration credential is a prerequisite for the Salesforce Consultant and Salesforce Developer job roles as it provides the basic knowledge required for handling the Salesforce platform. Although coding knowledge is not a prerequisite, it would be ideal if you possess the knowledge of the relevant programming languages. 

To Sum Up

Technology has necessitated the assistance of highly competent and qualified individuals to run the business smoothly. Consultants and developers have various jobs, as well as diverse duties and responsibilities. However, the roles of consultants and developers are linked, and they continue to serve as pillars for one another.

However, your skillset and inclinations will determine which job path you take. And there’s no need to be concerned because both occupations generate many job vacancies each year with a good pay scale. Obtain a Salesforce Certificate corresponding to your niche to increase your potential and marketability. Join saasguru to receive the best Salesforce training available online.