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The role of CRM in the growth and development of tech businesses is undeniable; after all, 91% of companies with ten or more employees use it! However, if you’re deciding which CRM service to choose, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of service options and different features available.
Salesforce currently occupies the number one spot as a CRM platform with more than 23% of the market share. Microsoft Dynamics 365 on the other hand, has around 3-4% market share – as the fifth largest CRM service.
When deciding which service to opt for, you must consider your specific business needs and goals to see which fits best.
In this article, we will introduce both Salesforce Sales Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365 as CRM services for companies in the technology industry and evaluate which one is better suited for your business.
What are Salesforce Sales Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365?
Salesforce Sales Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365 are both CRM applications that help businesses to streamline sales tasks and make the most out of their data. Both share the same core purpose as they are for the implementation of CRM for the benefit of sales in your business. Each has the ability to be customised, with AI to assist decision-making and customer information management to collect and organise customer data.
However, even though Salesforce Sales Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365 have the same core purpose and features, some differentiating factors set them apart.
In this article, we’ll explore three of these differentiating factors to give you a better idea of which system is better suited for your business:
- System platform – on-premise vs. cloud-based
- Implementation products – bundles vs. one platform
- Implementation costs
System Platform - On-premise Vs. Cloud-based
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is available on both on-premise and cloud-based platforms. On-premise means that the system is integrated into the desktop of a physical device, while cloud-based means the information is stored on cloud and can be accessed through the internet. If your business has travelling sales representatives, then your users may need access to customer data at any time, anywhere. This is where cloud-based CRM’s excel.
Salesforce Sales Cloud is a cloud CRM system that is available on the go, from any device (desktop, tablet and mobile). This increases your business efficiency because it means you don’t need to be in front of your office desktop to access customer data, reports or view performance pipeline metrics.
For example, suppose a customer asks a question about their purchase history on a call. You can answer their inquiry by pulling up the customer history information through your mobile device, even if you don’t have your desktop in front of you. In addition to this, you can update deal statuses, involve other teammates for help, share information between different devices, and much more.
In the technology industry, companies often adopt a work-from-home or hybrid working model where information needs to be accessible from more than one location. If that sounds like you then your business needs a cloud-based CRM so that employees can work efficiently – whether at home or in the office.
Although Microsoft Dynamics 365 also offers cloud-based CRM, Salesforce are renowned for specialising in cloud-based innovation that gives staff the freedom to work from anywhere, at anytime.
Purchasing CRM - Bundles Vs. One Platform
Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 have different processes for purchasing a CRM implementation. Microsoft Dynamics employs a mix-and-match system where you can assess different features for sales-related needs and add or take away these smaller service components from a bundle with adjusted prices.
Salesforce Sales Cloud, on the other hand, incorporates all sales-related features on one platform, so you’ll be free to implement any of those features needed at any stage. This means that if you come across a feature needed during a later stage of your business growth, then you don’t need to purchase another bundle to implement it into your business. Instead, you can simply add it on as a new feature at a stand-alone cost. This enables your business to grow at a more efficient cost – so you don’t pay for what you don’t use.
Salesforce AppExchange has an additional 3000 applications from a selection of specific tools to adapt Salesforce into your business. Choosing niche tools allows you to meet more specific needs and goals like utilising industry-specific programme functions. On top of this, for more advanced sales-needs, Salesforce also offers add-ons (Revenue Cloud, Sales Engagement and Territory Planning) that can fulfil additional functionalities such as automating quotes, controlling pricing and engaging buyers.
Implementation costs - Salesforce Sales Cloud Vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365
The size of your budget plays a large role in CRM implementation, as costs can skyrocket quite fast. Although CRM implementation is an investment, it’s important to consider your business’s size and budget when determining what services are better suited to your organisation. The implementation costs for Microsoft Dynamics 365 sit at around $50 a month per user/per month, which is often at the higher end, or over-budget for small to medium enterprises.
Salesforce, on the other hand, has an average cost of $25 a month per user/per month being the more affordable option. Of course, the exact implementation price for your business will differ depending on the exact tools you are after and how many products you need. However, with the generally lower starting implementation cost and similar features between Microsoft and Salesforce, Salesforce Sales Cloud is better suited for small to medium technology enterprises looking to make the most out of their investment with a fully scalable CRM system.
Another important factor in your CRM implementation is spending your budget effectively by choosing the right tools to solve your business problems. With the large variety of CRM service providers and products available, it’s often difficult to identify the ones that will help you in the most cost-effective way. This is where your choice of implementation partner becomes crucial.
Pracedo is a platinum Salesforce implementation partner that provides you with personalised support depending on your specific business needs. With over ten years of experience, Pracedo can guide you through your Salesforce implementation journey to maximise your investment.
Salesforce Sales Cloud Implementation Success - Case Study On MessageBird
An example of Pracedo’s Salesforce Sales Cloud implementation success is the case study of MessageBird, a business in the technology industry. With the help of Pracedo as their implementation partner – MessageBird achieved advanced reporting that increased visibility for smarter decision-making with Salesforce Sales Cloud. Data from campaigns and previous sales were visualised on graphs, and employees were able to access data from both their personal laptop and mobile device anywhere, at anytime.
Additionally, with all Salesforce Sales Cloud tools available on one platform, Pracedo assisted MessageBird in implementing sales and supplier management workflow, a 360 customer database, and a lead view for better sales performance management. Within Salesforce Sales Cloud help were also tools to automate business processes. In this case, a locked-stages approval process was implemented to increase their operational efficiency.
For a medium enterprise like MessageBird, Salesforce Sales Cloud was the appropriate CRM solution due to a match in budget and having all tools available to fulfil their business solution needs.
To find out how we can help you get started with Salesforce Sales Cloud, get in touch today at ask@pracedo.com or schedule an initial consultation call by clicking here.
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Pracedo is an award-winning Summit (Platinum) Salesforce Consulting Partner that delivers innovative Salesforce implementations to forward-thinking customers.
With over a decade of experience focused on Salesforce, we work with our customers to unlock the platform’s power through tailored implementations that facilitate achieving business goals and ambitions. Our team of certified Salesforce consultants globally provides a tailored consultancy service, drawing the breadth and depth of knowledge earned from over 1000 projects across our various locations in London, Melbourne, Brisbane, Amsterdam, and Belgrade.
Implementations and customisations include: Salesforce Sales Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, Salesforce Revenue Cloud, Salesforce Experience Cloud and Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud.
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