Davenport University Creates a Salesforce Foundation That Can Grow with the Institution

Background

Founded in 1866, Davenport University is a private, non-profit institution committed to preparing students for successful careers through innovative, career-focused education. With a strong emphasis on student success and workforce readiness, the university continually invests in technology and operational improvements that enhance the student experience and support institutional growth.

As disconnected systems and growing technical debt created operational challenges, Davenport University partnered with SIG to modernize its Salesforce environment, improve scalability, and establish a long-term roadmap for growth.

Challenge

Davenport University had made significant investments in Salesforce over the years, but the platform had evolved into two separate environments serving different areas of the institution. 

One Salesforce instance supported Admissions and Enrollment operations, while a second instance was used for Executive Education. The lack of integration between the environments created inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and limited visibility across the institution. 

At the same time, the university was facing growing concerns around maintainability, scalability, and user productivity.

Key Challenges

• Two independent Salesforce environments with no unified strategy
• Heavy reliance on manual processes and workarounds
• Growing technical debt from years of customization
• Data storage limitations impacting performance
• Continued dependence on Salesforce Classic
• Limited ability to scale Salesforce to additional departments
• No long-term roadmap for campus-wide Salesforce adoption

University leadership recognized the need to modernize the platform and create a sustainable foundation capable of supporting future institutional growth. 

Solution

Davenport University partnered with SIG’s Salesforce team to assess its Salesforce ecosystem, modernize the platform, and establish a strategic vision for the future. 

The engagement began with a comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate the existing environments, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop a roadmap aligned with the university’s long-term goals. 

Strategic Assessment & Advisory Services 

SIG conducted a detailed review of Davenport University’s Salesforce environments, business processes, integrations, and overall platform strategy. 

The assessment identified opportunities to improve scalability, simplify administration, reduce technical debt, and create a stronger foundation for future growth. 

Salesforce Consolidation & Modernization 

To reduce complexity and improve operational efficiency, SIG helped Davenport University consolidate multiple Salesforce environments into a more unified and manageable platform. 

Key modernization initiatives included: 

• Migration from Salesforce Classic to Lightning Experience
• Implementation of Salesforce Education Data Architecture (EDA)
• Improved governance and platform administration
• Resolution of storage and performance challenges
• Elimination of legacy technical debt.

Marketing Technology Optimization 

SIG helped the university streamline its marketing technology ecosystem by replacing multiple legacy solutions and improving data consistency across the institution. 

This included transitioning from TargetX, HubSpot, and MailChimp to a more unified Salesforce and Pardot-based approach.   

Strategic Roadmap Development 

Beyond immediate platform improvements, SIG partnered with Davenport University to create a five-year Salesforce roadmap designed to support future institutional growth. 

The roadmap identified opportunities to extend Salesforce capabilities to 14 additional departments and established a vision for a more connected campus experience. 

Ongoing Managed Services & Support 

Following implementation, Davenport University continued to leverage SIG’s expertise through ongoing support services, including:

• Salesforce administration
• User training and adoption support
• Data management services
• Integration support
• Strategic advisory services

The Results

By modernizing and consolidating its Salesforce environment, Davenport University established a scalable platform capable of supporting both current operational needs and future institutional growth.

“SIG provided the partnership and professionalism that our institution needed to help us move to a solid Salesforce foundation,” said Katherine Fey, ITS Project Manager for Davenport University. “The team was always responsive, knowledgeable, and committed to helping us achieve our goals.”

The university now benefits from a more sustainable Salesforce ecosystem that is easier to manage, more efficient for users, and better aligned with long-term strategic objectives. 

Key Outcomes 

• Consolidated multiple Salesforce environments into a unified platform
• Migrated users from Salesforce Classic to Lightning Experience
• Implemented Salesforce Education Data Architecture (EDA)
• Reduced technical debt and platform complexity
• Resolved data storage and performance challenges
• Streamlined marketing technology and communications capabilities
• Developed a five-year Salesforce strategic roadmap
• Created a foundation for expanding Salesforce across 14 additional departments
• Improved scalability, maintainability, and user productivity