Salesforce Sales Cloud Reviews

“Highly customizable”

Pros

One of the biggest strengths here is how flexible and customizable it is while still being simple to use and quick to learn. There's also a huge amount of helpful information online so finding answers or guidance is rarely difficult. It offers plenty of automation options and useful ways to keep users aligned with data entry standards. The AppExchange is another major advantage since you can usually find just about anything you need if it's not already included out of the box.

Cons

The biggest downside is the cost. It can be expensive enough that some small businesses end up not moving forward with it.

“Perfect for our CRM needs”

Pros

Getting this set up and rolling across our organization was very easy and the learning curve was minimal. We had been urgently searching for a CRM and kept hearing positive things about it. After testing it ourselves, it became clear pretty quickly that this was the right solution for what we needed.

Cons

Cost is higher than some competing options though lower than others. It feels fairly middle-of-the-road for small business pricing while the feature set is right up there with the rest. Of course, everyone wants the lowest price possible but considering the value this product delivers, I really can't complain much about what it costs.

“Endless workflow options”

Pros

Just about anything you can imagine building with this platform can be done. If you have a process in mind, there's usually a way to make it happen even if you might need support from an IT developer to get it fully set up.

Cons

Not a con but I think there isn't a single correct way to use the software so it's really up to the client to structure it in the way that fits their business best. In our case because we're a smaller organization without a dedicated marketing or sales ops team, that responsibility ends up falling on other people internally.

“Versatile tool for every team”

Pros

Simple to work with and capable of holding a large amount of information. It can be used across different departments to organize details and keep track of progress.

Cons

Great tool so far and there are a lot of features available depending on how you plan to use it. It can feel a bit confusing at the beginning but once you get familiar with it, it becomes an excellent CRM and data management tool.

“Cloud-based time saver”

Pros

Being cloud-based has made this really convenient to use. It handles tasks automatically that would normally take a long time to complete by hand and since there's no software to maintain, it also saves our IT team a lot of time.

Cons

There have been times when getting technical support for the product has been difficult.

“Workflows that scale”

Pros

One of the biggest strengths is how much you can tailor it. It lets you build custom workflows and processes across multiple teams and it scales well as your business grows even when you're managing a large mix of clients. There's also a massive amount of functionality available so you can keep customizing it in all kinds of ways. Another big plus is that it doesn't just work for sales, operations and other non-sales teams can be brought into workflows, approvals and related processes too.

Cons

That level of customization comes with a downside though, it's very complicated to build and maintain. Because you can change so much, ours eventually started to feel like a Frankenstein system. If you prefer tools that stay organized and simple, this can feel both incredibly helpful and incredibly frustrating at the same time. We also ended up needing to pay an IT administrator to help us set up the functionality we wanted and that's not always realistic for a small company.

“great tool for growth”

Pros

This CRM can pretty much run an entire company. It handles lead qualification, deal tracking and reporting really well. There's also an app marketplace that lets you expand what it can do, including direct integrations with tools like PhoneBurner. That combination is especially useful because the CRM keeps your data organized while a power dialer helps you move through calls without wasting time. Another standout feature is Process Builder which does an excellent job automating list management while you work through your contacts.

Cons

It's definitely a very complex system. Without a dedicated IT admin who really understands how it works, getting everything configured can turn into a frustrating process.

“Cloud CRM with learning tools”

Pros

Getting started felt approachable because there's a lot of support available especially Trailhead which offers a full set of free online tutorials to begin learning the platform. It's simple to learn, use and configure and the interface is really well done. There are two UI versions, classic and new version and I prefer new version because the design is newer, it performs well and everything runs in the cloud. The CRM also lets developers build new version components for custom features with Apex code, connect with other programming languages, create apps on the platform and even develop mobile apps.

Cons

Another part I appreciate is the community support. When questions or issues come up, it's possible to ask the community and get helpful replies from other members. The support team is also responsive and willing to help resolve customer questions. On top of that, it offers different platform options such as Sales Cloud, Community Cloud and Higher Education Data Architecture (HEDA), among others.

“Confusing layout and weak reporting”

Pros

It feels a bit like Google Drive but for someone's contact information. Sure, if the data going in is bad, the results will be bad too but the overall interface and general feel really haven't changed much over time. They've been trying to make it look cleaner with the new version yet that mostly ends up creating confusion about where things are located. It works well enough if you just need somewhere to store a large amount of data but it's far less effective when you actually need to pull information back out.

Cons

Pretty much everything related to organization and reporting is frustrating. I still don't understand how a platform this established ended up in this position because the reporting features are surprisingly weak for a tool that's supposed to be able to do so much.

“Automation and integrations”

Pros

From automating inbound leads to managing the pipeline they move through and shaping the customer experience, this system lets you handle a lot. The CRM setup really becomes the core of both your inbound and outbound process. It also connects with a wide range of other platforms, products and partners so you can cover all kinds of tasks, from SMS messaging to payment processing and order fulfillment.

Cons

Getting the platform set up takes time and it costs more than a lot of competing options. There are plenty of alternatives out there that may not be as feature-rich but can still get the same job done. I've also run into unexpected downtime and broken features which is especially frustrating when you spend time entering data only to lose it right after submitting.

“Reporting and customization”

Pros

There's a ton you can accomplish with it. I've used it to manage whole business operations, from sales to order fulfillment and more. The reporting is incredibly powerful and the level of customization gives you a lot of control over how it fits your business.

Cons

This isn't really a downside so much as something to be aware of, getting the most out of it takes real time and commitment. You need someone who can truly own the setup and ongoing upkeep, including making sure the data being entered stays accurate, if you want to see the full return on your investment.

“Reliable CRM with strong support”

Pros

Right away, this CRM felt like a very capable customer relationship management tool. It has strong backing from both the company and the user community so when something comes up, there's usually already documentation available along with troubleshooting steps. Importing and exporting data is also very easy, whether it's CSV or Excel and the files are immediately usable in whatever data analysis or visualization software you prefer. Its uptime has also been exceptionally dependable and when it comes to exporting data, which is what I've mainly used it for, it's fast and responsive.

Cons

One thing that can be difficult is just how broad and expansive the platform is. It covers a huge range of use cases and can be used for employee resource management, CRM functions, client-facing work and even to support marketing, inventory and sales operations so the overall size and scope can feel overwhelming.

“Customer journey insights”

Pros

This really helps you keep track of customers, clients, members or leads and see the full story of how they interact with your organization over time. When it's paired with something like Pardot for emails and online forms, you get a complete timeline for each person and a much clearer picture of every touchpoint they've had with you. It also gives you the ability to build journeys and experiences around those interactions which makes fast follow-up possible when someone starts showing interest. The big thing is that your organization has to be truly prepared to use it. That goes beyond basic training on the interface and means getting everyone aligned on how this data can and should shape the way you work with your audience. If your current response time is 24 hours, you have to be ready to think in terms of 20 minutes. If you're used to handling everyone the same way, you need to be willing to set up drip and nurture programs based on behavior. If you're not in a position to use the platform to its full potential, it's probably not worth the cost. But if you are ready to use it the way it was designed, it's incredibly powerful.

Cons

There's definitely a steep learning curve. Even after using it for a few years, I still feel like I've only touched a small part of what it can actually do, mostly because I don't have the time to dedicate to learning a system like this when it isn't my main role. I'd especially recommend it for larger organizations that can afford to have a dedicated support team. Also, one thing I really dislike is how often they try to upsell new add-ons on top of the core product.

“Platform with huge potential”

Pros

There's a lot packed into it and if budget isn't a concern, it can completely transform both your business and the way you work.

Cons

After you roll it out, switching away isn't really realistic. It's very costly and you have to be committed to it for years before you really see the return. On top of that, there still aren't enough admins available to support users especially with Marketing Cloud and Pardot.

“Reporting and integrations”

Pros

It takes some time to really get comfortable with the platform but once you do, the amount of functionality and reporting data it offers feels almost unlimited. On top of that, the wide range of integrations it supports makes it an essential part of our daily business operations.

Cons

A few reporting features still fall short especially things like buckets that only handle a limited number of data points. For some marketing use cases, we need to group a lot of values together and it's pretty easy to break a report by adding too many filters or buckets at once especially if you're trying to analyze a full year of data. Even small functionality updates, like adding a field or adjusting formatting, can take quite a while and quickly add to the IT support backlog.

“CRM with constant innovation”

Pros

Right away, this CRM comes across as a very capable platform. With the right skill set, you can accomplish almost anything with it which is something I really appreciate. Another big plus is how often new features and functionality are added making the overall experience more efficient and increasingly automated.

Cons

That same level of depth is also what makes it take quite a while to fully learn. Getting comfortable with the tool and reaching the maximum value from it requires a great time investment.

“Nonprofit data hub”

Pros

Working as an IT administrator for a mid-sized nonprofit and also as a consultant, I see this as an excellent platform for nonprofits. A lot of nonprofit software is pretty siloed and only handles one function, like donor tracking or program management. With this, all of that information can be brought together into one holistic view which is incredibly useful. The automation builder is also easy to use and can save a huge amount of time especially for nonprofit teams that are constantly stretched thin.

Cons

Setup process is manageable when you already know what you're doing. The problem is that many nonprofits, in particular, don't get the initial setup right from the beginning. When that happens, the system can start to feel overwhelming and confusing which often leads to user mistakes and frustration. Taking the time to plan and complete the original setup carefully is absolutely essential.

“Platform for growth”

Pros

Once this software is configured correctly and fully aligned with the business, it becomes an incredibly powerful tool. Not using it can make your work far more difficult than necessary and it can also hold back how quickly your business is able to grow.

Cons

Since this is an enterprise-level solution, it comes with a big financial commitment. If your budget can't cover the substantial third-party setup costs along with the high monthly subscription fee, it probably won't be the right fit.

“Custom reports and queue control”

Pros

We adapted it within our organization to function as a ticketing system for our projects and that has given us strong reporting capabilities along with great queue management. The level of customization has gone far beyond what we expected and we've been really pleased with how it turned out.

Cons

Getting it implemented was a bit rocky at first since it was so different from the tools we had been using before. Once the training was completed though, most teams were able to adopt it without much trouble.

“Donor tracking done right”

Pros

Our nonprofit started using this software and it really improved how we managed relationships with donors and prospective donors. It made it simple to sort contacts by company, attach documents, log phone calls and generate lists using specific filters. Since we received the software through a grant, there was no cost involved for us so I can't really speak to its overall value.

Cons

There were a lot of features packed into the system and I know we barely tapped into everything it could do. Because of that, it could feel a bit tough to move around when you were only trying to complete a basic task especially if you weren't using it on a regular basis.