Rahul Rupela - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Strategy and Consulting at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 10
Intuitive to work with and fundamentals are strong; some business functionalities could be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "Intuitive to work with and the overall fundamental of the platform is very strong."
  • "Some business functionalities could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use Salesforce to interact with our customers and resolve their queries. It helps you connect employees, engage customers, integrate, and connect everything and everyone.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to use. The platform is very integrated with a lot of features. You can call customers directly from the platform. You can also directly do your email marketing. Salesforce is intuitive to work with and the overall fundamental of the platform is very strong. I can even build an accounting platform using Salesforce. It's easy to train users and in general it's a very strong solution. 

What needs improvement?

Some business functionalities could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for four years.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable, we've had one issue in four years when the application slowed down. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, we currently have 50 users. 

How are customer service and support?

The support is very prompt. They do charge for it. 

How was the initial setup?

Every process is difficult to set up although Salesforce is easier than some other solutions. It's not a difficult solution to maintain. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

They have a range of licensing modules and charge anywhere between $80 - $100, depending on how many licenses you buy. The more you buy, the less the cost per unit.

What other advice do I have?

If your processes align with the tool, then I recommend it. If not, then it's not worth it. The process is more important than any technology or platform. I rate this solution seven out of 10.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior Manager Software Development at a comms service provider with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Good SLAs and able to extend easily but is expensive
Pros and Cons
  • "They are already beginning to implement generative AI."
  • "They have some limitations as a cloud solution."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for our sales processes, services, and customer communities. We also use it to complete other processes. 

What is most valuable?

The platform capabilities are very good.

It has a good CRM. You can enhance and extend it easily. It's easy to handle different processes. 

They are already beginning to implement generative AI.

The solution is stable.

It can scale well.

The technical support offers good SLAs.

What needs improvement?

They have some limitations as a cloud solution. They need to open it up a bit and remove some restrictions.

It's a bit expensive. 

We are looking forward to seeing more AI in the future. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with the solution for 13 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We did not have any issues with scalability. It can extend easily.

We have 7,000 users on the product right now. 

How are customer service and support?

We have occasionally reached out to technical support. They have been helpful. They are good. They can take a bit of time to respond, however. We have a premium account with them, and we have a decent SLA.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've used Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the past. I moved to a new organization and here they use Salesforce. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup has a moderate level of difficulty. It can be a bit complex. It's not overly easy.

We are going through a CI/CD process using metadata.

We didn't need too many resources involved in the setup. One developer can handle the implementation. 

The maintenance is pretty straightforward. Once it is completely set up, there isn't too much to do. 

What about the implementation team?

We handled the initial setup in-house. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is just a little bit too expensive. I can't speak to the exact cost as I am not involved in the licensing. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm using the latest version of the solution. 

If a new user wants to start with Salesforce, they should look at some documentation to begin to understand the product. There are lots of articles available online. 

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Sales Development Representative at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
The workhorse of CRMs with great report building and excellent integration capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "I love the report building that is available."
  • "The management of Salesforce could be quite a task. Old and unusable contacts can add up over time. If I could wave a magic wand, it would be to initiate a self-cleaning feature."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution as a classic contact database like report building and things of that nature.

What is most valuable?

Salesforce is really the workhorse of CRMs at this point. I compare every CRM experience to Salesforce since it's really just the standard at this point. 

I love the report building that is available. 

The integration capabilities are great. Salesforce is great, however, it couldn't be what it is if it didn't integrate with every other cool tool that's out there. I'd say the integrations are probably my favorite part.

It's stable and reliable.

The solution can scale. 

What needs improvement?

I'd like some sort of automated cleaning functionality. The management of Salesforce could be quite a task. Old and unusable contacts can add up over time. If I could wave a magic wand, it would be to initiate a self-cleaning feature. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I started using the solution four or five years ago. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I've never had any issues with stability. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution seems perfectly scalable. However, it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain and stay clean.

I use it at a pretty large organization. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've also used ZenDesk at one point. However, it doesn't have the same functionality. 

How was the initial setup?

I'm not sure about the initial setup. I've never done an implementation from scratch. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution a nine out of ten. I've been pleased with the solution overall. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Surcel Stefan - PeerSpot reviewer
Industrial & Land Consultant at Cushman Wakefield
Consultant
Top 10
An efficient platform that offers a variety of useful features for businesses to facilitate their requirements
Pros and Cons
  • "What we like the most about it is the fact that it helps us track the record of our projects. It keeps everything on one interface, facilitating the operations and planning."
  • "I think the interface should be enhanced and more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

It allows us to track the records of our transaction pipeline. It also helps us with the budgeting, giving us an insight into potential ROI.

What is most valuable?

What we like the most about it is the fact that it helps us track the record of our projects. It keeps everything on one interface, facilitating the operations and planning. 

What needs improvement?

I think the interface should be enhanced and more user-friendly. Right now, it requires a lot of steps to operate it.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using it for the last eight months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good. We did not have any problem with it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It offers good scalability features and the possibility to use its services across different departments within the company.

How are customer service and support?

Our experience with their customer support was very good. We had a few discussions in the beginning when we implemented the project, and they were very responsive. They helped us to put everything on track.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easily done by our IT department.

What about the implementation team?

The deployment process was done in less than three weeks by a couple of our technician experts.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is a fair price for what it's offering, in comparison with other solutions that are available on the market.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate it nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Senior Project Manager at freelancer
Real User
Although this solution helps beginners to easily utilize its features, it needs to consider improving its user interface
Pros and Cons
  • "One can do almost everything using Salesforce's OOTB functionality without much investment."
  • "The solution's UI is horrible."

What is our primary use case?

The use cases are highly dependent on client engagement, so we're practically implementing solutions on various clouds, primarily Salesforce Service Cloud, but also on Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Salesforce Sales Cloud. Our implementations are generally OOTB solutions for clients. Sometimes, we also customize it.

What is most valuable?

I don't have a specific preference, but I like that it's practically with better customization. One can do almost everything using Salesforce's OOTB functionality without much investment. Also, there are a lot of codeless solutions. So the development effort is way less than trying to build something without this framework or this platform from scratch.

What needs improvement?

The solution's UI is horrible. It looks like it is from the 90s, and that should change.

The only area that I would speak against Salesforce is over the fact that there are a lot of new releases, and if you as a user or a client or an enterprise are not aware of the schedule of the releases, then they may face disruptions in the services provided by the solution.

For how long have I used the solution?

At work, I'm doing everything related to Salesforce. I have been using the solution for a year now. I'm quite new to managing such projects. We're getting projects from Salesforce. We are one of the ten approved recommended vendors or platinum-level partners that Salesforce currently works with. We also develop for Salesforce AppExchange.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is quite good. Scability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Our clients range from small and medium companies to those companies which fall under Fortune 500.

How are customer service and support?

Since they are our partners, I cannot comment on my experience with their technical support. I rate the solution's technical support a seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

One of our clients wants to implement Oscar in their organization, but it is still in a phase of an idea.

How was the initial setup?

I rate the solution's initial setup a seven out of ten.

The deployment process takes around the day in a normal case scenario.

For deployment, we had two members from the DevOps team who worked with a technical architect. So, overall, three people were involved in the deployment process.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is fairly priced. One also needs to have a good architecture team that can help choose the right solution. Comparing its pricing with other solutions is quite different because I don't think there is a CRM tool as complete, so well-known, and so enterprise-ready as Salesforce in the market. So it's kind of impossible to compare with another solution's pricing.

What other advice do I have?

In my opinion, it is a complete tool with a very bad UI.

I would recommend technical personnel to just start from zero with the solution because they have a great self-explanatory platform. I think that one can climb up the ranks from being just an administrator to becoming a developer or a solution architect quite fast if one takes advantage of the learning materials that are mostly free on the solution. For a manager, I would say it's good for an entry-level manager. Overall, I rate the solution a six out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
MuriloCosta - PeerSpot reviewer
Sales Director at Bornlogic
Real User
Top 10
Gives a wider view of your customers, enables you to manage opportunities more easily, and provides good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "What I like about the Salesforce Platform, in particular, its enterprise edition is that apart from its many features, you can have a wider view of the customers, a 360-degree view. I also enjoy managing opportunities in the Salesforce Platform a lot because it's easier and gives you a wider view, compared to HubSpot."
  • "What could be improved in the Salesforce Platform is the price. The platform is too expensive. The implementation time for the platform is also longer than expected, so that's another area for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

I used the Salesforce Platform as a CRM, or for customer relationship management.

What is most valuable?

What I like about the Salesforce Platform, in particular, its enterprise edition is that apart from its many features, you can have a wider view of the customers, a 360-degree view. I also enjoy managing opportunities in the Salesforce Platform a lot because it's easier and gives you a wider view, compared to HubSpot.

What needs improvement?

What could be improved in the Salesforce Platform is the price. The platform is too expensive. The implementation time for the platform is also longer than expected, so that's another area for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I used the Salesforce Platform for nine years, and the last time I used it was about twelve months ago. I'm currently using HubSpot, and it's a platform I've used for a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The Salesforce Platform is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The Salesforce Platform is a scalable solution.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support for the Salesforce Platform is pretty good.

How was the initial setup?

Setting up the Salesforce Platform requires a consulting partner who will implement the solution. If I compare the setup of HubSpot with how you set up the Salesforce Platform, HubSpot is easier to set up.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing for the Salesforce Platform is too expensive.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I used the Salesforce Platform in my previous company, then in my current company, I've been using HubSpot, and I prefer Salesforce over HubSpot because the Salesforce Platform gives you more control. It's easier to manage opportunities with the Salesforce Platform, even if you have a holding company with multiple companies, especially in the enterprise version as it gives you a more economic group view.

What other advice do I have?

I have experience with the enterprise edition of the Salesforce Platform. I also have experience with HubSpot.

I'm not aware of which version of the Salesforce Platform I used because I'm just a user, not a developer.

The advice I'd give to people who want to implement the Salesforce Platform is to look deeply and very carefully at the cost of implementation because it could be very high sometimes. On the other hand, the platform brings tremendous value proposition.

There's no additional feature I'd like added to the Salesforce Platform because at the moment it has all features that are important to me and the company. For example, it has the Marketing Cloud which helps align marketing and sales pretty easily and more globally. Salesforce has also acquired a lot of other platforms to make different processes easier, for example, it acquired Tableau, Slack, and other companies, so now the company has a larger portfolio than other CRMs. I firmly believe that Salesforce has a tremendous portfolio for enterprise companies, but for medium and small companies, I do not recommend the Salesforce Platform because it's too expensive.

My rating for the Salesforce Platform is nine out of ten.

My company has no partnership with Salesforce.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Mohamed Abd Kader - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Enterprise Architecture at Mantrac Group
Real User
Top 10
Easy to set up, stable, and offers a great ecosystem
Pros and Cons
  • "There is very good documentation available and Salesforce offers good communication with its clients. It's very user-friendly and has a system that is easy to learn."
  • "Technical support could be a bit faster."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for the CRM, the customer relationship management, but now we are expanding its usage to allow our customers use access an online customer portal based on salesforce community and using B2B commerce  

How has it helped my organization?

It was a great add-on to our digital landscape. It is an easy-to-use, easy to customize platform.

What is most valuable?

Salesforce is not a product, it is a platform, there is a huge difference between the two use cases. 

The platform allows us to receive and collect information easily.

There's a great ecosystem within Salesforce:

1) A huge network of implementation-certified  partners  who have great knowledge about the platform

2) A Market place where you  can download 3rd party apps on the platform

3) There is very good online documentation available and Salesforce offers good communication with its clients. It's very user-friendly and has a system that is easy to learn.

We've found the stability to be quite good.

The initial setup is easy.

The product can scale well.

What needs improvement?

The solution doesn't really have any weak areas. Overall, it's a very good product, but technical support could be a bit faster. For the standard support, their SLA is about 48 hours which is not that fast if you have a serious issue 

Based on the platform capabilities. I see that the Platform is very, very capable of handling a full ERP, and not only a CRM.

Maybe in the near future, SF will launch their own ERP system.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using this solution for ten years at this point. It's been a decade. It's been a long time.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the product has been good overall. We don't experience any downtime. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. You do need access to a good internet connection, however. Without a strong internet connection, you may experience some problems. However, that's not the fault of the Salesforce backend in any way. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good. If you need to expand it, you can do so relatively easily.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is okay. It's average. Their response times could be faster in terms of getting assistance to us. I'd rate it overall at a four out of five. Mostly we are happy with the level of support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did previously use another solution before Salesforce.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward. It's not overly complex or difficult. 

The time it takes to deploy depends on what your plans are for the solution. Without any specific customizations, it's a very quick process. Once you log on, you have access.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is relatively expensive. It also comes with extra costs. For example, extra technical support is a bit more. It can add up.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did evaluate a few other options before ultimately choosing Salesforce. Among these was Microsoft.

What other advice do I have?

We're just Salesforce customers. We don't have a business relationship with them.

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We're mostly quite satisfied with the product and its capabilities.

I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies. However, you need a strong team to manage it. You need to have suitable admins on hand to properly implement the rules. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Marketing Communications Manager at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Good configuratin capabilities and provides 360-degree view of a client but needs better support
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution can scale."
  • "The back end really isn't user-friendly at all."

What is our primary use case?

We mainly use the solution for Salesforce and for the sales team. They would use it to advise their clients as to other portfolio balances. Also, at any given point in time, we would also use it for referencing any outstanding documents that would ensure that we are KYC compliant.

How has it helped my organization?

We like that it can become a single source of truth that can be shared by providers who would need to interact with their clients on a daily basis. Therefore, rather than having to consult multiple systems to determine a client's portfolio balance, we can just look at one place.

What is most valuable?

We like that we have the ability to configure the solution to meet our needs.

It provides a 360-degree view of the client in one place. 

The solution can scale.

It is stable. 

What needs improvement?

The back end really isn't user-friendly at all. In terms of data import, migrating data from, for example, a core banking system into Salesforce, we find it very difficult to do the mapping.

They need a proprietary tool that would allow for ease of integration into the environment. That's not just for migration. It's mostly for one-time loads when we need to get the deltas in. We need some sort of tool to make this easier.

The initial setup is complex. 

technical support is not very responsive. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for seven to eight years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and reliable. I'd rate the stability and reliability nine out of ten. There are no bugs or glitches. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is okay. I'd rate the ease of expansion a six out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is not very responsive. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Negative

How was the initial setup?

In the past, I performed the migration to Salesforce in another organization.

The initial setup is very complex. 

What was our ROI?

We have witnessed an ROI while using this solution. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Even though the solution is expensive, it does give companies a good value for the money they pay.

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version of the solution I'm using. 

I'd advise new users to first do a lot of training beforehand. You need a good base of knowledge before diving into any kind of project that will require development. 

I'd rate the solution six out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: March 2024
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