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Salesforce Review

Salesforce stands out as a robust CRM solution that provides everything you need to effectively manage your customer relationships. It includes strong tools for sales, marketing, and customer service. However, there are important aspects to consider as you explore Salesforce for your CRM approach.

Our team of researchers rigorously assessed Salesforce to evaluate its key CRM functionalities. We also gathered insights from 200 CRM users to identify which features they valued the most. While Salesforce indeed has a lot to offer both small businesses and larger organizations, it may cater better to certain teams depending on their unique needs. In this review of Salesforce, we’ll share our insights, including its advantages and disadvantages, notable features, and recommendations for whom we believe will benefit the most from this platform.

For further understanding of our process in evaluating CRM software, we invite you to learn more about our CRM methodology.

Understanding Salesforce’s Key Features

Salesforce provides two streamlined CRM solutions: the Starter Suite and the Pro Suite, which encompass functionalities for sales, marketing, and customer service. Additionally, Salesforce features more specialized options, referred to as “Clouds,” catering specifically to marketing, sales, and customer support, among other functions.

Our research, based on feedback from 200 CRM users, indicates that customization and distinctive features rank high on the priority list when businesses assess new CRM solutions. Here, we’ll examine some standout features of Salesforce while prioritizing the importance of customization.

For a clear comparison, we will outline the offerings in the core CRM Suite alongside those in the Salesforce Sales Cloud. Although the Marketing Cloud and Service Cloud have valuable supplementary features, the Sales Cloud is where you will find the majority of advanced sales-related functionalities for a CRM.

Here's how the feature offerings stack up:

| Feature | Starter Suite | Pro Suite | Sales Cloud Professional | Sales Cloud Unlimited | Sales Cloud Enterprise | Einstein 1 | |-----------------------------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------|------------| | Sales Contact Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Email Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Sync to Google or Outlook Calendar | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Simple Automation | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Forecasting | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Lead Scoring | ❌ | ❌ | Available as add-on | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Meeting Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |

With this breakdown, it becomes clear that while both the Starter and Pro Suites offer foundational capabilities, the Sales Cloud truly stands out for businesses looking for robust sales CRM functionalities. I strongly recommend considering the Sales Cloud if you want to maximize your sales potential while embracing the scalability and customization that Salesforce provides.

  • Contact Profiles

    Salesforce’s contact management system allows you to effectively consolidate extensive customer information in one convenient location. Within each contact profile, you can access a variety of related opportunities, track all marketing campaigns they've interacted with, and review any associated documents or files. Plus, you have the option to jot down notes for future reference as you carry on with your follow-ups.

    While numerous CRM solutions provide well-structured customer profiles, we found Salesforce’s approach particularly impressive. It seamlessly connects all pertinent details about a customer, allowing you to easily find related quotes, campaigns, and additional data without the hassle of switching back and forth between different views or tabs.

    Sample of a Salesforce contact profile

    "When accounts are reassigned to a new sales representative, there's nothing worse for customers than having to start their journey all over again. Having organized contact details facilitates a smooth transfer and builds customer confidence."

    Tap Haley, Director of Business Development in IT Consulting

  • Customizable Dashboards and Reports

    One aspect that impressed us during our evaluation of Salesforce was its customizable dashboards. We found it straightforward to gain insights into essential metrics by organizing widgets side by side. These dashboards prove to be valuable for monitoring how our team is advancing toward revenue targets and other significant performance indicators.

    A sample view of a Key Metrics dashboard in Salesforce

    Beyond the dashboards, Salesforce CRM is packed with capabilities for reporting and analytics. Crafting and saving reports in the dedicated “Reports” tab is remarkably easy. No matter your reporting preferences, you’ll find ample options to keep tabs on team performance effectively.

  • Lead Management

    Salesforce offers lead management capabilities that are just as powerful as its contact management features, following a familiar layout. We found the leads tab to be straightforward, providing a list format that clearly displays all your leads. However, if you’re looking to arrange leads into different visual formats, some customization will be necessary. This characteristic may make Salesforce feel less intuitive than some other CRM platforms. On a positive note, there is a convenient summary at the top of the leads tab that helps us quickly gauge the status of all leads at a glance.

    Each lead card resembles a contact profile but with a few distinct differences. Within every lead's profile, we can easily identify the current stage of that lead and view any upcoming tasks associated with them. This includes calls, scheduled follow-ups, and the ability to update a lead's status as they progress through the sales pipeline.

    Salesforce’s lead management system can be incredibly beneficial for sales teams, regardless of their size. However, we firmly believe that these tools shine especially for larger, collaborative teams. The platform allows for seamless organization of client information in one central location, ensuring that team members are well-coordinated as they advance leads through the sales process.

Where Salesforce Falls Short

Salesforce offers an impressive array of functionalities, but there are several important factors to think about before you make a decision. Its extensive feature set is accompanied by a complex setup process and a more challenging learning experience. Additionally, you should be aware that this sophistication often comes with a higher price point.

  • Complex Implementation

    Salesforce stands apart from other straightforward CRM solutions because it comes with a more elaborate setup process. While it is feasible to implement Salesforce independently, many organizations prefer to collaborate with Salesforce developers or specialists for deployment and training support. It's essential to evaluate your team's capacity and willingness to tackle this setup. Salesforce is an incredibly robust platform, but it can feel daunting, especially for those who lack extensive experience with more advanced CRM systems.

  • Learning Curve

    Even after a successful rollout, Salesforce can still be challenging for newcomers. Given how vital it is for everyone on your team to fully adopt the CRM, it's key that you prepare for a steeper learning curve than with other CRM options. When we explored Salesforce, we found that there was a significant number of tools and features to acclimate to. However, after investing the time to understand the platform, we found it much simpler to move through the various sections. It's essential for sales professionals to be aware of this learning curve when evaluating Salesforce as a potential CRM solution.

  • Cost

    Salesforce offers a robust selection of features and customization capabilities, but this comes at a premium compared to various other solutions on the market. The Starter Suite and Sales Cloud Professional plans are affordably priced, being the only choices under $100 per user per month for CRM and sales functions. However, if you require the advanced functionalities found in the Enterprise, Unlimited, or Einstein 1 plans, be prepared for costs that can escalate significantly.

    While the Starter and Pro Suites provide solid value, it's important to recognize that many teams will typically need to add extra features. This can lead to increased expenditures, so keep that in mind as you plan your budget.

Salesforce Pricing and Plans

Salesforce presents its Starter and Pro Suites as key components of its CRM system, while the Sales Cloud boasts advanced functionalities that rival many other CRM platforms. Additionally, you can enhance your experience with Marketing Cloud and Service Cloud, which provide features for marketing campaigns and customer service functionalities.

Understanding CRM pricing can be challenging, and Salesforce exemplifies this complexity. We've put together a comprehensive pricing guide that takes a closer look at Salesforce's various plan options, including add-ons and other considerations. In this review, we summarize the main Salesforce package offerings to give you a clear picture of the pricing landscape you can anticipate.

  • Salesforce Starter and Pro Suite

    PlanStarter Pro Pricing
    $25/user/month
    $100/user/month

    Contact Management ✅
    Email Scheduling ✅
    Sync to Google or Outlook Calendar ✅
    Simple Automation ❌
    Forecasting ❌
    Lead Scoring ❌
    Meeting Scheduling ✅

    Salesforce offers the Starter Suite as its designated CRM solution for small businesses. This suite competes with HubSpot’s Customer Platform by incorporating essential functionalities from the Sales, Marketing, and Service Clouds, giving you access to several key features. While it's the most budget-friendly option from Salesforce for CRM, it does come with limitations. You won’t find features like forecasting, workflow automation, or lead management capabilities such as lead scoring. If you require comprehensive sales CRM functionalities, we strongly recommend looking into the Sales Cloud as a more fitting alternative.

  • Sales Cloud

    PlanProfessional EnterpriseUnlimitedEinstein 1 SalesPrice$80/user/month $165/user/month $330/user/month $500/user/month Contact Management✅✅✅✅ Lead Assignment and Routing ✅✅✅✅ Advanced Forecast and Pipeline Management❌✅✅✅ Automation Flow Builder❌Up to 5 flows ✅✅ Web Services API❌Available as add-on✅✅ Generative AI ❌Available as add-on Available as add-on ✅

    Sales Cloud encompasses an extensive array of Salesforce’s CRM functionalities tailored for sales teams, featuring tools for lead management, AI-driven lead scoring, and automation capabilities. The Professional plan tends to be somewhat limited and feels quite similar to the Starter Suite, so the higher price may not be justified for every organization. However, for those sales professionals who are ready to leverage advanced forecasting techniques and the automation flow builder, Sales Cloud represents a strategic investment that can elevate your CRM experience significantly.

  • Marketing Cloud

    Plan:
    Marketing Cloud Pro
    Marketing Cloud Corporate
    Marketing Cloud Enterprise

    Price:
    $1,250/org per month
    $4,200/org per month
    Custom

    Email Marketing: ✅
    ✅
    ✅

    Integration with Sales Cloud: ✅
    ✅
    ✅

    Journey Builder: ❌
    ✅
    ✅

    Einstein Generative AI: ❌
    ✅
    ✅

    Real-Time Segmentation: ❌
    ❌
    ✅

    Marketing Cloud is like the marketing counterpart to Sales Cloud, presented at a fixed monthly cost for each organization. By integrating Marketing Cloud with Sales Cloud, you can take advantage of an all-in-one CRM solution that features sophisticated marketing capabilities, including email marketing and an automated journey builder. With the help of Einstein Generative AI, your marketing teams can streamline their campaign creation process, while real-time segmentation makes it simpler to divide your audiences effectively.

    While the Starter and Pro Suites provide a selection of marketing functionalities, such as fundamental email and workflow tools, opting for a Marketing Cloud plan grants you access to the full suite of Salesforce’s marketing resources. For those looking to elevate their marketing efforts, I strongly recommend going for one of these plans; they bring significant enhancements that truly transform the effectiveness of your campaigns.

  • Service Cloud

    Plan Pricing
    Professional: $80/user/month
    Enterprise: $165/user/month
    Unlimited: $330/user/month
    Einstein 1 Sales: $500/user/month

    Case Management ✅ for all plans
    Help Center: ❌ (Professional) ✅ (Enterprise, Unlimited, Einstein 1 Sales)
    Feedback Management: Available as add-on (Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited) ✅ (Einstein 1 Sales)
    Service Cloud Voice: Available as add-on (Professional, Enterprise) ✅ (Unlimited, Einstein 1 Sales)

    Salesforce’s Service Cloud serves as a comprehensive customer service platform. It provides effective case management alongside various features designed for customer support across multiple channels. If you need a unified CRM and support system, the Service Cloud is a smart choice. It allows your team to establish a Help Center and manage knowledge effectively to address customer issues. Beyond handling cases, consider the Service Cloud Voice feature. It can be added to your plan or comes with the Einstein 1 Sales option, enabling you to offer phone support directly from Salesforce. This tool enhances your capabilities with features like call transcription, making it a valuable resource for better customer engagement. We believe integrating this solution into your operations is a strategic move for anyone looking to elevate their customer service experience.

Alternatives to Salesforce

Salesforce stands out as an all-inclusive CRM solution that provides nearly everything a business team could want. However, this robustness often translates to a more complicated learning process and a higher cost. While there are more budget-friendly options available, they might fall short in terms of features or customization potential.

According to our research with CRM users, essential features include workflow automation, tracking contact activities, and managing tasks effectively. We will evaluate Salesforce against Pipedrive and monday.com, focusing on pricing and key capabilities like those mentioned.

  • How Salesforce Stacks Up to the Competition

    Both Pipedrive and monday sales CRM provide comparable features while being more budget-friendly compared to Salesforce’s pricier offerings. Pipedrive stands out for its user-friendliness, making it an ideal choice for those looking for a straightforward, “ready-to-use” option. It fits better with small businesses or startups than with extensive sales teams.

    That said, Pipedrive lessens the possibility for customization when stacked against the three options. On the other hand, monday sales CRM strikes a solid equilibrium between personalization and usability, excelling more in project or task management rather than purely sales-related functions.

    Here's a quick comparison of their monthly pricing and features:

    | Feature | Salesforce | Pipedrive | monday sales CRM | |---------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|------------------------| | Monthly Price Range | $20-$500/user | $29-$124/user | $15-$33+/user (Custom pricing for more than 40 users) | | Contact Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Workflow Automation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Lead Scoring | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | | Pipeline Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Email Marketing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Analytics | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Custom Dashboards | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Unlimited Storage | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | | Phone Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Live Chat | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |

    When exploring the capabilities of these platforms, we believe that identifying your unique business requirements should guide your choice between Pipedrive and monday sales CRM. If you prioritize simplicity and a quick setup, Pipedrive could be a strong fit. However, if you seek enhanced customization options paired with effective project management tools, then we recommend considering monday sales CRM. It truly comes down to the specific needs of your business, so explore these options carefully!

The Bottom Line

Salesforce stands out as one of the premier CRM software choices available, thanks to its extensive feature set and limitless customization opportunities. After exploring some of Salesforce’s standout capabilities, we believe it's particularly suited for larger, collaborative teams that anticipate significant growth.

For small businesses and startups, the Starter Suite presents a more cost-effective option compared to the more elaborate Sales Cloud or Marketing Cloud plans. However, if your budget allows for it, the Salesforce Cloud plans can provide access to a much broader functionality that may benefit your operations.

While Salesforce excels at optimizing business processes, it might be excessive for teams that don't require a multitude of advanced features. If you’re new to customer relationship management, keep in mind that the comprehensive implementation process, along with the learning curve and associated costs, may not justify the choice just yet. We strongly suggest taking advantage of Salesforce’s free trial to familiarize yourself with the platform’s interface and gather insights into what the implementation process could entail for your team.