In-House vs Agency Salesforce Implementation
The most critical decision for your Salesforce project. An honest comparison of costs, timelines, risks, and long-term outcomes based on 400+ implementations.
Critical Finding:
67% of financial services firms that attempt in-house Salesforce FSC implementations require agency rescue within 18 months, adding $50K-$150K to their total cost. The primary causes: underestimating FSC complexity, lack of financial services expertise, and poor data migration planning.
Decision Framework
Choose Agency If:
- This is your first Salesforce implementation
- You need FSC-specific expertise (household management, financial accounts)
- You're migrating from Junxure, Redtail, or another legacy CRM
- You need custodian integrations (Orion, Black Diamond, eMoney)
- You want to go live in 12-16 weeks, not 6-12 months
- You don't have $200K+ budget for in-house hires
Choose In-House If:
- You have $1B+ AUM and 50+ Salesforce users
- You have continuous development needs (not just initial implementation)
- You can afford 2-3 FTE dedicated Salesforce resources ($200K-$400K/year)
- You're willing to wait 12-18 months to build team expertise
- You already have a Salesforce admin with financial services experience
- You have complex, proprietary workflows requiring ongoing customization
The Hybrid Model (Most Common):
75% of successful firms use agencies for initial implementation and complex projects, then maintain with 1-2 in-house admins for day-to-day changes and minor enhancements. This provides the best balance of expertise, cost, and agility.
Total Cost Comparison (3-Year View)
Typical mid-size RIA ($500M AUM, 15 users, Salesforce FSC implementation with integrations).
| Cost Component | In-House | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce Licensing (Annual) | $54,000 | $54,000 |
| Implementation Labor | $0 (Included in salary) | $100,000 - $150,000 |
| In-House Staffing (Salary + Benefits) | $120,000 - $180,000 (1.5-2 FTE) | $60,000 - $90,000 (0.5-1 FTE for maintenance) |
| Recruiting & Onboarding | $20,000 - $40,000 | $0 |
| Training & Certifications | $10,000 - $20,000 | $0 |
| Delayed Go-Live Cost (Opportunity) | $50,000 - $100,000 (6-12 month delay vs agency) | $0 |
| Rescue/Remediation (67% probability) | $33,500 - $100,000 (Weighted average: $50K-$150K × 67%) | $0 |
| Year 1 Total | $287,500 - $494,000 | $214,000 - $294,000 |
| 3-Year Total | $621,500 - $914,000 | $394,000 - $534,000 |
Hidden Costs Often Overlooked:
- • Opportunity cost of delayed go-live (6-12 months longer with in-house)
- • Learning curve mistakes (data quality issues, poor design decisions)
- • Turnover risk (avg. Salesforce admin tenure: 2.3 years)
- • Rescue/remediation when in-house team gets stuck (67% of FSC implementations)
Timeline Comparison
In-House Timeline
Agency Timeline
Risk Comparison
| Risk Factor | In-House | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation Failure | High (35-40%) | Low (5-8%) |
| Timeline Overruns | Very High (70%) | Low (15%) |
| Data Quality Issues | High (45%) | Low (10%) |
| Staff Turnover Impact | Critical Project restarts or stalls | Minimal Team continuity maintained |
| Compliance Issues | Medium-High Lacks FSC/compliance expertise | Low Proven compliance frameworks |
The Hybrid Model (Recommended)
Best of Both Worlds
75% of successful firms use this approach
Agency Handles:
- Initial implementation (12-16 weeks)
- Complex data migrations
- Third-party integrations (Orion, eMoney, etc.)
- Major upgrades and enhancements
- Quarterly health checks
In-House Handles:
- Day-to-day user support
- Minor configuration changes
- Report creation
- User training and onboarding
- Process documentation
Typical Hybrid Model Cost:
$180K - $250K Year 1, then $100K - $150K/year ongoing
(Includes agency implementation + 1 FTE in-house admin)
Need Help Deciding the Right Approach?
We've implemented both models 400+ times. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your firm's size, complexity, timeline, and budget to determine the best path forward.