Beyond the Platform: Operating Salesforce as an Enterprise Service

As Salesforce footprints expand across university campuses, central IT teams often find themselves overwhelmed by unit-level demands for custom development, threatening the stability and sustainability of the platform. This session explores a strategic paradigm shift: operating Salesforce as an enterprise service rather than a development shop. Drawing from nearly two decades of IT leadership in higher education and hands-on administrative experience, this presentation details how to rebalance service priorities to deliver maximum enterprise value at scale. Attendees will learn how to transition their focus toward proactive platform administration, strategic unit advising, and robust vendor management while intentionally deprioritizing custom builds. By establishing clear service offerings and enforcing architectural governance, institutions can maintain a secure, scalable ecosystem that empowers campus partners while safeguarding the core platform.