The comparison between customer relationship management (CRM) solutions can include a number of different providers, but when you pit Salesforce.com against SAP, the outcome can be complex. Salesforce is easily considered the new college kid, while SAP is the old professor who has been on campus for a while. Each approach can have a place in the enterprise and the ultimate preference may lie with the one that must answer for the selection. Take a look at this CRM software comparison between Salesforce and SAP to come to your own conclusion.
Pricing in the CRM Software Comparison
Salesforce is certainly a pioneer in the on-demand, hosted software environment, while SAP has long been an on-premise solution of choice. SAP is building out its cloud-based solutions, but not in lieu of its on-premise platforms. In your CRM software comparison, pricing for Salesforce will depend upon the features you need, number of users and support. The same criteria are true for SAP, yet the former will require subscription-based pricing and the latter can demand significant up-front investments. Over time, Salesforce can prove to be more expensive, even when compared with a hefty SAP implementation. To truly control the spending after your CRM software comparison, Salesforce.com is the better choice.
CRM Software Comparison to Determine Usability
Salesforce promises to be the CRM software offering the best ease of use in the industry, yet Salesforce customers everywhere may beg to differ. The learning curve with Salesforce can be just as long as SAP and depending upon the available partners in your geography, you may or may not have access to the training you need to ensure proper training is delivered. For the self-learner, Salesforce offers Chatter to provide the bridge between siloed departments, and SAP is ramping up its BeDesign IS capability. Salesforce is ahead of the game in this area and the more likely choice.
Features to Consider in Your CRM Software Comparison
The recent Salesforce acquisitions have extended out the capabilities of this platform, yet does not handle a single business process. For its part, SAP shines due to its process centricity in any CRM software comparison. People continue to be placed at the center of the use and consumption of applications for SAP, a fundamental shift in the way applications tend to be designed. To compete with sales force’s Chatter, SAP offers the Streamwork to enable you to socialize your IT services. Salesforce does extend the features of Appirio, FinancialForce and Workday, but lacks these capabilities on its own platform (and drives up the price when compared with SAP). The best value in terms of features belongs to SAP.
Flexibility in a CRM Software Comparison
Flexibility in any CRM software comparison must be examined for the user and the organization itself. With Web-based access, both Salesforce and SAP extend flexibility in their platforms. The difference here is that Salesforce launched on the Web, while SAP developed this platform after the fact. Salesforce offers an extensive AppExchange that enables the organization to change the platform as needed, while SAP and its user approach can muddy the waters when selecting the right enhancements. Overall, Salesforce offers the better flexibility.
Scalability Important in a CRM Software Comparison
Any company that is focused on growth must take scalability into account in a CRM software comparison. SAP has often been criticized that its codes are complicated and scaling according to the needs of the business is a challenge as consultants must be brought in each time a change must be made. For its part, Salesforce will easily scale up or down, yet the latter requires an additional cost. As SAP remains a hybrid CRM, compared with Salesforce’s total solution in the cloud, Salesforce is a better option when it comes to scalability.
Popularity Important in the CRM Software Comparison
Popularity is an element more difficult to assess when you complete any CRM software comparison involving SAP and Salesforce as both companies have found great success in different market segments – at least in the beginning. SAP found its niche for the larger enterprise, although it does offer Business One for the smaller business. Salesforce has the ability to appeal greatly to the small business, while also meeting many of the capabilities of the large enterprise. Salesforce has built its popularity in the small business sector and SAP in the enterprise world. Salesforce continues to gain share, however, and its popularity is still on the rise.
Think Customization in the CRM Software Comparison
One key selling point for Salesforce in any CRM software comparison is its positioning to end customization bottlenecks in the industry, created by companies like SAP. This is not to suggest SAP doesn’t offer key customization capabilities, but the company is still behind the curve in comparison with Salesforce, often requiring extensive consultant involvement to customize the solution. Salesforce also promises better access to customization throughout the life of the platform, putting SAP on the defensive in your CRM software comparison.