Salesforce Sales Cloud Reviews

“Feature-packed for growing teams”

Pros

There's a lot built into it, with plenty of features and capabilities. It works well as a basic CRM for smaller businesses but it also includes advanced functionality that larger companies can really make use of.

Cons

Even though it's powerful, it feels overly bloated and complicated. To truly get value from all the features, you almost need the skill set of a software developer. Something as simple as generating sales reports can take time to figure out. It also requires a lot of effort to keep data entered accurately and consistently especially when 10 or more users are adding information. If all someone needs is a way to track leads and customers, a lower-cost CRM option would probably make more sense.

“Highly customizable and connected”

Pros

One thing that really stands out is how much public information is available around customization, including training resources. Nearly everything inside the software can be tailored to fit exactly what's needed and a lot of those changes can usually be made without having to rely on support which is a big plus.

Cons

Honestly, no real complaints. I've really enjoyed using it. The native integrations with so many of the other applications I already use elsewhere were also a huge differentiator for me.

“Customization and team insights”

Pros

Getting started with it is pretty easy and the interface feels fairly user-friendly. One of its biggest advantages is the level of customization since you can shape the system around the way your business actually works. It gives a very detailed view of each employee's individual performance as well as the performance of the team as a whole making it easier to review histories, set more rational sales targets and build more effective marketing strategies. The possibilities keep growing over time, both because we learn more as we use it and because the platform itself is so highly customizable.

Cons

At the same time, that biggest strength can also become its biggest challenge. The system requires a strong commitment from the entire team during implementation and optimization. In the first few months, the benefits may not be immediately obvious because so much time has to go into employee training and integrating the software with the company's existing infrastructure. For smaller businesses that will probably only use a limited portion of what it offers, the cost and time investment can end up feeling too high which makes simpler and more simple CRM options more appealing. Also since full functionality depends on a constant internet connection, companies without a reliable provider may run into latency issues and instability.

“Client journey visibility”

Pros

One thing that really worked well was how much client journey data the system could hold in one place. I was able to track activity, key points of contact, along with cases and tickets without jumping between tools. It also synced with a lot of the other programs we used which saved me from having to enter the same notes and email activity twice.

Cons

Sometimes it felt a bit overwhelming because the data fields were not always very clear. There is also a fair amount of ongoing maintenance and each department has to keep its information updated so the system stays useful. That feels more like an internal process issue than a problem with the platform itself but it still means regular audits are necessary. I also wish it connected directly with Gmail. It integrated with Outreach but that meant we still had to rely on both Outreach and Gmail to get email activity synced. They may be developing that now but I'm not sure.

“Custom CRM flexibility”

Pros

Among the CRM tools out there, this one feels like the best option on the market. Some alternatives may be much simpler to get up and running but this platform gives you a highly customizable experience that can be shaped around your business needs. If the standard features don't fully fit what you need, there's still a lot you can do by thinking creatively and using the workflows and no-code capabilities to build a solution that works.

Cons

Getting it set up takes real resources. You'll likely need dedicated permanent staff to manage the CRM and handle the buildout. The licenses are also expensive so it's worth being very careful during negotiations with your sales rep.

“Marketing and sales engine”

Pros

From marketing automation to lead generation, this platform feels like one of the strongest options out there. Nurturing prospects throughout the sales cycle works incredibly well, the sales tools are excellent and the whole system is built to support growth. It also does a really good job when it comes to helping with customer retention.

Cons

Getting everything up and running was costly. We had to bring in a consultant for the setup and that added a lot to the expense. On top of that, training more than 200 employees took time because the learning curve was fairly steep.

“amazing reporting”

Pros

Salesforce is a powerhouse in the CRM space and clearly leads across different industries. It really helps me stay on top of my client and prospect lists while keeping track of tasks that need to get done. There are plenty of customization fields which makes it flexible for different needs. It's also very simple to use and the reporting capabilities are amazing.

Cons

At times, integrating it with other tech can be pretty challenging. I also run into moments where it needs to be reloaded while I'm taking notes. Using Dooly with SFDC is something I'd definitely recommend.

“CRM for customer teams”

Pros

Bringing our sales, CSM and support workflows into one place has really helped align how we work and made our overall process much better. It's incredibly customizable and very user-friendly which has also had a positive impact on how we manage and strengthen customer relationships.

Cons

If anything, it can be almost too customizable and gets very deep into the fine details of what makes a strong CRM. It's definitely worth having a capable IT administrator in place to get the most out of it.

“Lead visibility and conversions”

Pros

From a sales leadership perspective, clear visibility into lead curation, lead pursuit success and opportunity conversion rates is exactly what matters most when assessing overall business health, along with marketing and sales effectiveness. The ERP integration is difficult to pull off but it ends up being extremely useful once in place.

Cons

Customization based on client-specific requirements feels somewhat limited and getting fully up to speed can be a bit difficult to handle especially for project managers. On top of that, integrating with ERP to build a truly complete dashboard view is very challenging and the fact that dashboard creation is handled remotely only makes things less convenient.

“Integrations and tools”

Pros

Everything about it has worked really well for us especially the endless integrations available with non-native solutions. On top of that, it comes with a strong all-around set of tools and connected solutions, like Marketing Cloud, that add a lot of value.

Cons

The only real downside for us has been the pricing and the somewhat complicated licensing structure although it does feel like you're paying for the level of capability you get.

“Powerful but complex platform”

Pros

It really seems designed to cover just about every business need and thanks to how customizable it is, it actually comes pretty close to doing that. The software can handle almost anything you throw at it. It goes far beyond being just a CRM and we rely on it for our full ERP and leasing platform as well.

Cons

Getting around it is not very simple and finding the right solution can take a lot of effort. The learning curve is huge especially on the admin side. Cost is another challenge since full enterprise functionality is expensive and the per-user pricing can be too much for certain business models. Because it is so customizable, it can also be fragile and fairly easy to break unless you put a lot of validations, security measures and third-party apps in place. Setting it up properly takes a significant amount of time although it is still cheaper than building your own system. There are also a few missing features that are surprisingly absent, along with some limitations that just do not make much sense.

“Flexible platform with excellent support”

Pros

One thing that really stands out is how flexible the software is which makes setup changes fairly simple to handle. The interface feels simple and doesn't take long to learn at all. I used to be a power user of the software while working in Sales and now I manage it full-time as an administrator. The support team has been tremendous and the new features they roll out twice a year are consistently useful and well worth having.

Cons

After moving from the Classic interface to the newer version interface, we've noticed that it still doesn't offer all of the same capabilities we had before. In particular, updates to Campaigns have been frustratingly slow which makes it feel like they may be nudging customers toward buying an additional add-on product.

“custom reports”

Pros

Using this software has been really easy. One thing I appreciate is being able to create the specific fields our business needs instead of being stuck with a fixed setup. Our team also configured it to work across our three sister companies which has been very useful and we can pull custom reports for each individual business unit.

Cons

Feature I liked least was the learning curve which took about three months for me to get through. I think that mostly comes from how many features the system has because it can feel overwhelming at times.

“Reliable cloud platform”

Pros

Across our organization, this has turned out to be the best cloud platform for a wide range of needs. We use it for multiple purposes, including workflows, finance, sales and marketing and it handles all of them really well. The platform is simple to use, easy to manage and the user management features are very advanced and impressive. Another big plus is that integrating it with other software is very simple.

Cons

Only downside is the cost for new joiners since the certification required for it is quite expensive.

“Flexible platform with integrations”

Pros

It earns its reputation as a market leader. It's versatile enough to work across all kinds of industries, offers a lot of room for customization and connects with a huge range of other software platforms.

Cons

There really isn't much to complain about with this software. The only downside is a slight learning curve when getting started.

“Customizable for nonprofits”

Pros

Its biggest strength is how customizable it is. With the right knowledge and tools, it can be built into a very powerful system for managing customer, client and donor relationships. The most important part for us is that the nonprofit version is free through the Power of Us Foundation. For a small nonprofit just getting started, having access to such a capable platform at little to no cost was incredibly valuable.

Cons

High level of customization makes it harder to learn. If you have little to no IT experience, the learning curve can feel pretty steep. Training is available but for small businesses or nonprofits with limited staff, it can be tough to find the time to build those skills while still keeping day-to-day operations running.

“Direct integrations but awkward design”

Pros

One thing I really appreciated was the number of direct integrations it offered with different platforms. That's not something I come across very often so they definitely have an advantage in that area.

Cons

On the downside, the price was just too high. The software looks like it came straight out of the 1980s and both the functionality and UI are rough. It's difficult to use, with a pretty steep learning curve at the beginning. I kept needing help and instead of getting proper support, they either tried to charge more or told me to go ask the community which was honestly frustrating. After spending more than $10k in fees before leaving, I switched to HubSpot and eventually built my own CRM with Zapier integrations to handle most of what I needed.

“All customer info in one place”

Pros

Having everything tied to customers in one platform really helps. As part of the support team, we can pull up all the details we need about a customer in one spot. It lets me access contact information, review contracts, create and track open issues and keep following them until they're resolved. The dashboards and charts are also very useful for showing where attention is needed most. Instead of going through every case manually, the oldest and most urgent ones are highlighted right away.

Cons

Honestly, there's not much to complain about because it's a very great tool. The only thing I'd mention is that setting up views and dashboards can feel a little tricky at first but once you get used to it, it becomes much more manageable.

“Free access but tedious setup”

Pros

Getting this software free through a nonprofit grant has been the biggest advantage for us and that part is genuinely fantastic. It's also really useful being able to automate communication funnels and send emails directly from the platform.

Cons

At the same time, getting everything set up has been an ongoing struggle. We've had it for more than a year and a half and as a small team we still keep running into problems with donor information transfers, missing data and similar issues. Customizing the setup, sending emails to external recipients and building workflows all feel very tedious because there are so many steps involved and even locating where to do everything takes a lot of digging. For organizations that don't have one person dedicated to managing the system, keeping it updated and handling tasks for communications and marketing, it becomes overwhelming. We still haven't been able to fully implement it and use it consistently because we just don't have the bandwidth on top of our regular roles.

“Customization and integrations”

Pros

Every company seems to use it a little differently which says a lot about how flexible the features and customization options are. I haven't seen the same setup replicated exactly from one business to another. Its ability to integrate with other systems is also really impressive and adds a lot of value.

Cons

At some point, you'll likely need an IT developer to get it to do exactly what you want. On top of that, the more advanced features can end up making it quite expensive.