The First 90 Days: Supporting Your Team Post-Migration

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By Ohana Focus | January 6, 2025 | 18 min read

You've invested months in planning, months in data migration, and weeks in training. Your Raiser's Edge to Salesforce migration is complete, the data has been validated, and you've officially gone live. Congratulations! But here's the truth that many nonprofits learn the hard way: the real work is just beginning.

The first 90 days after CRM migration are the most critical period for determining whether your Salesforce investment succeeds or fails. This is when user habits form, adoption patterns are established, and your team makes the crucial decision either to embrace the new system or find ways to work around it.

Organizations that provide strong post-migration support during this critical window see adoption rates 3-4 times higher than those that treat go-live as the finish line. This comprehensive guide will walk you through exactly how to support your team during the first 90 days post-migration.

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Why the First 90 Days Matter So Much

Before diving into the week-by-week action plan, let's understand why this period is so critical.

Habit Formation Window

Research shows that it takes 66 days (on average) for a new behavior to become automatic. Thus, the initial 90 days represent the window in which Salesforce use either becomes habitual or doesn't. Users who consistently work in Salesforce during this period will continue; those who find ways to avoid it early will likely never fully adopt.

The Confidence Curve

User confidence with Salesforce follows a predictable curve:

•       Week 1: Low confidence, high anxiety, lots of questions

•       Weeks 2-4: Building confidence, but still fragile

•       Weeks 5-8: Growing comfort, starting to see benefits

•       Weeks 9-12: Establishing patterns that will last long-term

Your support strategy needs to match where users are on this curve, providing intensive

help early and gradually moving towards independence.

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The 90-Day Post Migration Support Framework

Let's break down the first 90 days into three distinct phases, each with specific goals, challenges, and support strategies.

Phase 1: Days 1-30 - Stabilization

Focus: Building Confidence & Addressing Urgent Issues

Primary Goal: Get users comfortable with core workflows and establish that help is readily available when they need it.

Week 1: Intensive Support Mode

The first week requires all-hands-on-deck support. This is when anxiety is highest, and users need immediate help for even small issues.

•       On-site or virtual presence: Have support staff available at all times

•       Daily check-ins: Meet with each department briefly every morning

•       Same-day issue resolution: Commit to resolving issues within hours

•       Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge successful task completion

Weeks 2-4: Building Competence

As initial panic subsides, focus shifts to building competence and establishing routines:

•       Workflow optimization sessions with each role/department

•       Just-in-time training on features as users need them

•       Identify early adopters to become champions

•       Address resistance early before patterns solidify

Phase 2: Days 31-60 - Building Competence

Focus: Expanding Capabilities & Optimizing Workflows

Primary Goal: Move users from basic competence to confident proficiency with their core workflows.

Expand Beyond Basics

Users should now be comfortable with core tasks. It's time to introduce more advanced features:

•       Advanced feature training: reporting, dashboards, automation

•       Customization based on feedback: implement quick wins

•       Cross-functional collaboration: show how Salesforce enables teamwork

•       Process refinement based on observations

Measure and Celebrate Progress

Month 2 is a good time to take stock and celebrate achievements:

•       Share adoption metrics and usage stats

•       Highlight success stories and early adopters

•       Recognize efficiency gains and improvements

•       Document time saved and insights gained

Phase 3: Days 61-90 - Achieving Independence

Focus: Self-Sufficiency & Long-Term Success

Primary Goal: Transition from intensive support to a sustainable ongoing support model while ensuring users are self-sufficient.

Reduce Support Intensity Gradually

The goal is for users to become increasingly independent:

•       Shift from reactive to proactive: schedule office hours

•       Develop peer support: train power users

•       Create self-service resources: videos, guides, FAQs

•       Extend response times: encourage independent problem-solving

Establish Ongoing Governance

By month 3, you should have structures in place for long-term success:

•       System administrator role clearly defined

•       Regular training schedule established

•       User group or committee for ongoing feedback

•       Data quality practices implemented

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Critical Support Elements

Regardless of which phase you're in, certain support elements should be consistently available.

Multi-Channel Support Access

Different users prefer different support channels. Provide multiple options:

•       Help Desk System: For formal issue tracking

•       Office Hours: Scheduled times for drop-in questions

•       Chat/Slack Channel: For quick questions

•       Video Call Support: For complex issues

Documentation and Resources

Create a knowledge base that grows with user needs:

•       Quick reference guides: One-page cheat sheets

•       Video tutorials: Short screencasts

•       FAQ document: Common questions

•       Process documentation: Key workflows

•       Troubleshooting guides: Common issues

Measuring Success

Track these metrics weekly during the first 90 days:

Quantitative Metrics:

•       Daily Active Users (DAU): Percentage logging in daily

•       Feature Adoption Rates: Which features are being used

•       Data Quality Scores: Completeness and accuracy

•       Support Ticket Trends: Volume and resolution time

Qualitative Indicators:

•       User surveys: Satisfaction and confidence checks

•       Anecdotal feedback: Casual conversations

•       Manager observations: Teamwork patterns

•       Support sentiment: User attitudes

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Common Challenges and Solutions

The Resistant User

Signs: Minimal system use, maintaining parallel processes, vocal complaints, negative influence.

Solutions:

•       One-on-one conversation to understand root causes

•       Identify if resistance stems from fear or skill gaps

•       Provide extra individual coaching

•       Adjust workflows if legitimate issues exist

The Overwhelmed Manager

Signs: No time to learn Salesforce, delegates all system work, makes decisions without data.

Solutions:

•       Create executive-specific training on reports/dashboards

•       Schedule brief demos showing insights they can gain

•       Develop manager-view dashboards requiring no navigation

•       Emphasize viewing data rather than entry

The Workaround Creator

Signs: Minimal Salesforce data entry but detailed spreadsheets, shadow databases.

Solutions:

•       Understand why a workaround exists

•       Recreate needed functionality in Salesforce

•       Set clear expectations about discontinuing parallel systems

•       Provide timeline and support for transition

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Building Your Champion Network

One of the most effective support strategies is cultivating internal champions who become peer supporters.

Identifying Potential Champions

Look for users who:

•       Naturally embrace Salesforce

•       Ask advanced questions

•       Help colleagues informally

•       Provide constructive feedback

•       Demonstrate technical aptitude and people skills

Developing Champions

•       Provide advanced training and provide deeper system knowledge

• Are involved in decisions; seek their input

•       Recognize them publicly and acknowledge contributions

•       Create a champion community with regular meetings

•       Define the role and clarify expectations

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Partner with Ohana Focus

Ensure your migration success with expert post-migration support. Click here to schedule your free consultation today.

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Ohana Focus specializes in post-migration support that ensures your Salesforce investment delivers lasting value. Our structured 90-day support programs have helped hundreds of nonprofits achieve adoption rates that exceed industry benchmarks. We bring:

•       Proven frameworks for driving user adoption

•       Experienced consultants who've supported hundreds of migrations

•       Comprehensive training and documentation resources

•       Practical strategies for addressing resistance

•       Ongoing support options tailored to your needs

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About Ohana Focus

Ohana Focus is a certified Salesforce consulting partner dedicated exclusively to serving nonprofit organizations. We understand that successful CRM migration extends far beyond data transfer—it requires helping people adapt to new ways of working.

Our post-migration support programs are built on real-world experience supporting hundreds of nonprofits through the critical first 90 days after go-live. When you partner with Ohana Focus for post-migration support, you gain consultants who care as much about your people as your data.

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Topics: Post-Migration Support, User Adoption, Change Management, Salesforce Training, CRM Migration, Nonprofit Technology, Salesforce