Salesforce Sales Cloud Reviews

“All customer data in one place”

Pros

Almost any tool can be connected to it which makes it the single source of truth for all customer data. It's excellent for setting up the right integrations in your other tools and then more or less leaving them alone while still benefiting from all the information being sent over. On top of that, the detailed dashboards and reporting make everyday work much easier to manage.

Cons

Support could absolutely be stronger especially when technical help is needed. A lot of the time, you end up speaking with an account manager who doesn't really have the answers and there isn't much direct backup available from someone more technical. Luckily, the platform is so widely used that it's usually possible to do your own research online and find solutions without having to go through a frustrating support process.

“Reporting and automation”

Pros

Setting up reports is easy and the filtering, cross-referencing and sorting tools are incredibly powerful. It makes building highly practical reports very manageable and being able to automate them afterward adds a lot of value.

Cons

One thing that has been frustrating is that each new version of the UI feels more and more minimal and it seems like efficiency has been traded for looks. At the beginning of every week I run and export 10 reports and since the release of new version, that process now takes two to three times more clicks. On top of that, the exported reports no longer come with useful file names so I have to download them one by one and place them into my worksheet manually to avoid mixing them up. At a conference in the IT Tower in Bishopsgate, I was told that the exported report names were going to be fixed in an upcoming update so I'm hoping that happens soon.

“Packed with useful features”

Pros

There are a lot of different features and they help our sales team stay organized with our day-to-day work and outreach.

Cons

It can be really confusing for a new user. There are so many processes and procedures to learn before you can actually use the software to its full capacity. It took our team a full three days of training before we felt like we understood it.

“Custom dashboards and dark mode”

Pros

Being able to personalize the IT hub with different components is a big plus. I also really appreciate the new dark mode option since my eyes get sensitive and tired after staring at bright white screens all day. The search feature works very well too especially because it can be customized and gives multiple search choices instead of locking you into just one fixed option, like accounts, opportunities, cases and more.

Cons

Getting account details can take too many clicks. I usually have to open several tabs and jump back and forth within an account just to see all the information I need. It would be much better to have everything available in one complete view. I'd also prefer a simpler way to log activities, like having a button directly within the specific contact that automatically time stamps when the activity was completed.

“Built to scale”

Pros

Once you understand how to use it properly, this platform can support just about every part of your business. It's a really strong system and capable enough to run an entire company on.

Cons

What bothers me most is how many features come with extra charges. On top of that, the platform constantly feels like it's pushing another upsell. It seems like they're only satisfied if your spending keeps going up every year. We've also dealt with a lot of turnover on the sales side and it feels like we're assigned a new rep every single year.

“Enterprise CRM”

Pros

Across a couple of client engagements at my software consulting firm, we used it as a CRM and sales tracking platform. It's definitely enterprise-level software which means it's big, costly and very capable. There's a huge range of functionality, along with extensive customization, configuration and integration options. That makes it a strong fit for very large organizations that actually need that level of depth. At the same time, all of that power and flexibility also adds complexity. If a large company is looking for an enterprise-grade CRM, this is absolutely one that should be on the evaluation list.

Cons

This tool can be tough and the interface can feel a bit awkward at times. Because of that, having a strong technical team is really important to support the implementation, answer user questions and troubleshoot configuration issues as they come up.

“Strong communication features”

Pros

Paired with Amadeus (formerly Delphi.fdc), it offers plenty of built-in features that have really helped our teams in different locations stay connected and communicate better.

Cons

One frustration is that the support team often shifts responsibility and claims the issue belongs to someone else. On the occasions I reach someone who really knows the system, the help is useful but most of the time the support isn't very helpful.

“simple CRM with reporting”

Pros

Getting around this CRM is very easy. The layout is simple, navigation makes sense and the reporting tools are genuinely useful. Overall, it's a really great CRM for tracking accounts.

Cons

At the same time, the depth of the functionality can work against it. Because there are so many layers of features built into other features, the system tends to lag and we often end up waiting quite a while just to open a single file. The price is also on the high side so cost is definitely a major downside.

“Reliable integrations”

Pros

Right out of the gate, this platform feels like it can handle almost anything and connect with nearly any other tool you use. It's extremely deep, highly extensible and capable of doing just about whatever you'd want from a cloud-based database. The range of integrations is also massive which makes it even more versatile.

Cons

That same depth can also make the interface feel tedious to work through at times and it's not always easy to figure out how to build the exact customization you need. For admins and developers especially, the learning curve can be pretty steep. It's also not always clear what can be done directly inside the platform versus what needs an outside integration.

“Practical sales tracking”

Pros

One of the biggest advantages is how practical this tool is for managing commercial activity. It helps collect and protect customer data which is very useful for strengthening relationships with clients over time. That information becomes a great database for sales teams, managers and other users who need to monitor and control service performance by measuring sales across customer, category, region and other criteria, along with gross sales and margins. The statistics are presented visually which makes them easier to understand and share with both internal teams like production and general management and external contacts such as customers and prospects. In the end, it supports better decision-making and helps put corrective action plans in place.

Cons

Getting started with this software was quite complicated for me and for my whole team. It took us a long time to clearly understand how to use it properly and how to avoid the risk of losing data. In an industrial company, time really means money so that learning curve was a real issue. On top of that, the system can sometimes be slow and that can lead to lost time and reduced efficiency.

“Customization and flexibility”

Pros

Between the huge number of plug-ins and how customizable it is, this platform can be shaped to fit almost any business setup. We're moving over from several CRMs, including multiple separate instances and building a very custom workflow so the whole process is pretty complex. Even with that, it's impressive how far you can adapt it to match the way your company actually works.

Cons

With so many features and configuration options, getting through everything can feel overwhelming at times especially compared with the simpler setup of some of our previous CRMs. The cost is also on the high side and while I still think it's worth it, that price makes it harder to give licenses to everyone who could use one.

“Admissions tracking made easy”

Pros

Using this CRM alongside TargetX has worked really well for our admissions team. It's been a valuable tool for tracking prospective students, staying in touch with them and creating tasks for staff. We also rely on the TargetX application within the platform to handle admissions decisions.

Cons

The per-user pricing can become expensive as the staff grows. It also isn't built specifically for admissions and recruiting although we've managed to find workarounds. We'd really like better ways to track school counselors and communicate with them through the CRM but that has been difficult. Reporting also hasn't felt as simple as we hoped though we understand Pardot can be added for an extra cost.

“Versatile and customizable”

Pros

Its flexibility and near-limitless customization are the biggest strengths. With the right setup, it can be tailored to support just about any business process.

Cons

It does need fairly powerful hardware to perform well which can be a problem if your team is working on lighter machines like MacBook Airs.

“Helpful sales dashboards”

Pros

Every day at work, this app plays a big role in how I manage my sales activity. As a sales rep, I really enjoy the functionality it offers. It helps me stay on top of the different stages of each new lead I'm working through. The software also provides multiple dashboards that are updated daily and let me monitor progress throughout the entire sales cycle. Another feature I really appreciate is being able to clearly see how and what I'll be compensated which is a big reason I enjoy using it so much.

Cons

There are a few glitches in the software that I could definitely live without. One issue happens when I set a task to be completed later. The reminder pops up and asks me to click the task link but instead of opening in a new window, it always opens in a window I already have up. That's frustrating because it replaces the page I was on and then I have to open another window and go back to the page that was just overwritten.

“Fast, reliable and feature-packed”

Pros

Everything runs online and the system is fast and dependable. The screens are clear so finding information doesn't take much effort and the built-in search works really well. Creating lists and reports is easy and exporting, importing and updating data with the data loader is very convenient. I also really appreciate the case and call system especially having all the key information available right away.

Cons

Downside is that it's hard to build queries beyond what the standard reporting already offers and I'm not a fan of the picklist system.

“Notes and task management”

Pros

The idea behind it is really appealing, it brings notes events and tasks together in one place and I also appreciate that it shows news for specific accounts.

Cons

There are still quite a few issues to iron out. It can be somewhat tricky to use some features work inconsistently and there always seems to be trouble when creating an event and trying to get it to save.

“Records at your fingertips”

Pros

There's a lot you can do with it and it captures a wide range of information. We collect a ton of details in the system and it's always available whenever we need to look back at it.

Cons

Some parts feel like they could be more simple. I haven't switched over to the new UI yet so that might improve the experience a bit.

“Collaboration and visibility”

Pros

Our sales team can work together in one place and log what each person is doing on specific accounts. That also gives leadership clear visibility into the activity the team is generating which has been really helpful.

Cons

It's a very powerful product with a wide range of features and options to choose from. Because of that, it can feel challenging for new users when they're just getting started.

“Customer tracking with details”

Pros

Having all customer details stored in one place is really helpful and the platform makes it possible to keep track of clients without much trouble. It also lets you arrange the information based on what you need to see which makes managing customer records more convenient.

Cons

The software still isn't very user-friendly and it can be confusing when trying to track a specific client especially if that client has multiple contacts listed.

“All revisions in one place”

Pros

Having everything centralized has made dealing with our traveling sales team much less frustrating. Joking aside, it really helps a lot. When a salesperson calls and says a few things need to be changed on the ABC quote, I can just open the record, pull up the latest version they uploaded, go straight to the section they mentioned, make the updates, upload it again and wait for their sign-off. Our sales team is required to approve any revisions so this process keeps everything clear and accountable. It is far better than digging through emails trying to figure out which version was the most recent and whether everyone involved received the latest update. With this, everything stays in one place.

Cons

Getting around the software can feel a bit awkward at times. It also still depends on people actually doing what they are supposed to do but at least the information is there and visible to everyone.