article - When to Hire On-Demand Salesforce Developers vs. Building an In-House Team

On-demand Salesforce developers offer compelling benefits:

• Immediate Expertise: Access pre-vetted talent with proven experience in your specific Salesforce challenges

• Perfect Scalability: Expand or contract your development resources as project demands shift

• Cost Efficiency: Eliminate expenses related to recruitment, training, benefits, and bench time

• Specialized Knowledge: Tap into niche expertise for specific Salesforce products or industries

• Accelerated Timelines: Leverage established development patterns and solutions from experienced professionals

The True Cost of In-House Salesforce Teams

Building an internal Salesforce team requires more than just competitive salaries. Consider these often-overlooked expenses:

Recruitment and onboarding costs (averaging $4,700 per developer hire)

Ongoing training and certification expenses ($5,000+ per developer annually)

Benefits packages (adding 25-40% to base salary costs)

Productivity gaps during ramp-up periods

Bench time between projects

For organizations with consistent, high-volume Salesforce development needs, these investments may be justified. However, many businesses experience fluctuating demands that leave in-house resources either overwhelmed or underutilized.

Finding the Right Balance

Many organizations find that a hybrid approach delivers optimal results:

• Maintain a core internal team for strategic oversight and day-to-day administration
• Leverage on-demand developers for implementation projects, complex customizations, and demand spikes
• Gradually build internal capabilities by learning from external experts

When On-Demand Developers Make the Most Sense

Consider on-demand Salesforce talent when:

1. Implementing new Salesforce products or significant upgrades
2. Facing tight project deadlines that exceed internal capacity
3. Requiring specialized expertise not present in your current team
4. Dealing with fluctuating development needs
5. Seeking to validate approach before committing to permanent hires

By strategically combining internal knowledge with on-demand expertise, organizations can optimize their Salesforce investment while maintaining the agility needed to thrive in today's competitive landscape.