Well I was a long time user of Salesforce going back over a decade, not just a User but ran large scale implementations in SFDC (salesforce dot com). Deployed Lightning to a national sales team of over 350. Managed the tech stack for 2000 technicians using SFDC primarily for work order management.
Before that I was using ACT! ... and wow, had that funky gadget with it's own alphabet.
I've chosen ...
I've chosen HubSpot for my small business. I'm new to HubSpot and have imported a customer list, integrated to email, and have been using a host of other features.
Although every CRM 'Use Case' is different, the comparison of the two CRM software holds true for most.
What I liked about Salesforce:
- Comprehensive. You could always find the place to pull in your data.
- Analytical and reporting strength.
Did not Like about Salesforce:
- Permission sets. Personas were inflexible, creating the "I can do this, but not that issue"
- Complexity.
- Cost. Very expensive licensing and supporting.
Overall, the comprehensiveness of SFDC made it jack of all trades and master of none. Trying to be everything to everyone and losing sight on the core CRM functionalities. Scope creep has hit SFDC. For the SMB User, setting up SFDC and getting utility out of SFDC was costly in time and licensing... too much work.
Now, swinging the pendulum the other way is HubSpot.
What I like about HubSpot:
- Price point. Start for free.
- Integration choices. Maybe doing a Zap later.
- Ease to connect to Email, Sidebar.
Do not like about HubSpot:
- Onboarding. For one getting started, it could use better job aids about the structure of the tool - objects, attributes, etc.
- Will let you know...
I'm sure there are tons of CRMs to choose from, and largely depends on what you want it to do. I chose a CRM to be just that - a CRM - with the ability to seamlessly integrate with my other digital tools. This frees up my CRM to be the best CRM, and other functions, like back office operations, to be managed separately.
Best wishes on finding what works for you!
I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn. We can set up time to chat. I’m happy to engage.
Denise Williams
Real Document Solutions – your trusted technology partner for the title abstract, document retrieval and title industries. Follow me on LinkedIn. If you have a topic you’d like to suggest, please email me at Denise@RDSteam.us
Thank you.
Copywrite 2023 Denise Williams