Watching Lydia and Stuart here at KMS I have noticed it is often KMS versus A.N Other SalesForce vendor these days. So I thought I would look into it.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
Microsoft is clearly putting a greater emphasis toward the cloud with new features that appear in Dynamics CRM Online before the on-premises CRM version. With a recent price adjustment, Dynamics CRM Online is no longer targeted for just small or midsize businesses but winning a number of large scale customers (700+ users).
Strengths for the Microsoft Dynamics Online CRM are its price value (one of the main reasons users will shortlist Dynamics CRM Online), overall usability, Microsoft centricity and (what we like best) it’s exceptional partner network.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-Premises
With Salesforce.com a strictly cloud based CRM or SaaS, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-Premises product leads the quadrant for those companies looking to keep their CRM grounded and not in the cloud. With features and functionality virtually the same as its Dynamics CRM Online companion, many companies may look to implement Dynamics CRM On-Premises because they like the attractive total cost of ownership versus a SaaS model.
Like its online version, the Dynamics CRM On-Premises offer similar strengths which is why it sits in the leaders quadrant.
The latest release has really improved usability, with a significant reduction in mouse clicks to perform actions compared to prior versions. Additionally, the on-premises version shines with Microsoft centricity as it fully and easily integrates with the Microsoft technology stack. Companies who are already a ‘Microsoft shop’ will find this very appealing and a super strength. Rounding out the strengths, again like the online version, is the superior partner network that is available to companies to assist them by offering vertical expertise for design, implementation, deployment, support and more.
Salesforce.com
According to Gartner, Salesforce.com continues to lead the market in both new business and customer deployments. However, the functional and usability gap has closed the past 12 months with some of the competition like Microsoft Dynamics CRM who shares the leader quadrant with Salesforce.com.
Their strengths include a broad ecosystem through the AppExchange, the proven quality and reliability Salesforce.com has provided users over the past 15 years and the well received Salesforce1 platform.
Typing a search into Google: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Microsoft+Dynamics+vs+SalesForce reveals plenty of discussions in blogs and Linked-in articles.
A few caught my attention:
CRM Evolution
In here the author takes a look at the two systems and how they got to where they are today.
http://www.crmswitch.com/crm-industry/salesforce-microsoft-crm-evolution/
“Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM are currently the two leading CRM systems on the market. Many people spend a lot of time trying to decide which of these two CRM solutions will provide the highest overall value to their organization.”
“Salesforce was designed as a web application from day one. As such, there are many design features that are optimized for a browser experience, rather than for a desktop application experience. A minor example of this is the fact that there’s a Save button on both the top and bottom of Salesforce’s edit screens.”
“Microsoft originally made the decision to include Windows-style drop down menus within its browser-based CRM application. With the release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, the decision was made to replicate the Microsoft Office ribbon interface within the browser in order to give users a common experience across familiar Windows products and CRM. Update: with the release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013, the UI has been Metro-fied.”
The author concludes:
“Microsoft already had a wide arsenal of applications and tools that could be incorporated into its own CRM solution. Salesforce.com found itself in a position in which it had to develop virtually all of its functionality from scratch. These very different circumstances resulted in distinct product differences in a number of important areas.”
It seems to me that whist it is true SalesForce had an advantage in early versions, now that both products have matured Dynamics has a richer feature set because of Microsoft’s resources and in particular the Outlook Client.
Film
Rather than wading through all the blogs take a look at this video comparing the two products:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9WbeiwtFM
“Ultimately the CRM solution that is right for your company is your decision but if you are comparing Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Salesforce.com and want additional insight beyond pricing comparisons I encourage you grab a cup of coffee and watch this very educational 39 minute presentation that shows each of these solutions up-close and personal.”
It shows how, especially with Dynamics CRM 2013, Microsoft has the edge in some of the small details.
Price
If you’ve considered Dynamics CRM, now is the time to try it and buy it. And this handy comparison helps you see the benefits in just a few seconds. We’ve illustrated the true cost and functionality differences between Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Salesforce and, I’ll give you a hint – the Dynamics CRM Sales Productivity Pack is the clear winner.
What can the Dynamics CRM Online Sales Productivity Pack help you do?
Win faster and more often by making every customer conversation more relevant, valuable, and productive.
Unleash your potential and bring your marketing vision to life. Engage customers across channels, build pipelines, and demonstrate your marketing impact.
Move as fast as today’s social and mobile world does. Connect with customers and share knowledge on their terms.
Collaborate and connect by using the powerful combination of Dynamics CRM Online, Office 365, and Power BI to drive sales productivity
1) Hidden Costs – aka, the Salesforce Tax
- Salesforce – Mobile additional cost per user per month
- Salesforce– Knowledge Base – extra £/user/mo.
- Salesforce – Customer Portal – extra £/user/mo.
- Salesforce – Partner Portal – extra £/user/mo.
- Salesforce – They have no SLA available. Microsoft CRM has a 99.9% uptime, financially backed SLA.
2) Office Experience
- MS Dynamics CRM Online is a true Microsoft Outlook application, not just a plugin
- Salesforce is repealing Outlook features; for example, users can’t manage opportunities and leads anymore
- Salesforce doesn’t have a concept of a fluid user interface for Leads –> Contacts –> Opportunities
3) Dashboards
- Microsoft CRM inherits security and data privileges…Salesforce does not.
- Microsoft CRM allows charts, lists, iFrames to be displayed…Salesforce only reports
- Microsoft CRM dashboard data is real time…Salesforce has a lag of 30-60 minute.
- Microsoft CRM allows for unlimited data refreshes. Salesforce limits refreshes.
4) Inline Analytics
- Microsoft CRM offers Inline Analytics…Salesforce does not have a parallel offering
- Salesforce users must leave their task or process…open reports or dashboards..and hope that they don’t get distracted
5) One-Click Drill Down
- Microsoft CRM Online reports offer One-Click drill down…Salesfoce does not have a parallel offering
- Salesforce users can click on a static image of a chart to pull up the full report. From the full report they can drill down…7-15 clicks vs. 4 clicks with Microsoft CRM
6) User Interface Customizations
- Microsoft CRM offers a new drag and drop capability for end users that is easy to user
- Salesforce offers User Interface personalization…but users can’t revert changes
- Salesforce personalization features are for power users and administrators only
CRM Vendor
Both products are clearly capable. An important point noted in this article is http://www.crmsearch.com/crm-selection-top-factors.php that as well as choosing the right software you need to choose the right vendor or “partner”:
“Vendor Strength and Reputation: Whether you opt for an on-demand or in-house solution, it’s important to scrutinize the reputation of vendors on your short-list. Check out the plethora of print magazines and online social networks which provide user reviews and independent analysis on CRM products. Many publish benchmarks and rankings based on their own or an external research firm’s analysis of the software, support, service and training. Most vendors offer case studies, a great initial tool for comparing your operations to other organizations within the same market.”
KMS
From our offices in London UK, KMS ../ has supplied CRM systems since 1990. We specialise in comprehensive CRM solutions geared towards Project-Driven organisations focusing on customers and customer service.
KMS supplies CRM solutions based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, coupled with our own software and CRM toolkit. Our solutions are particularly popular with organisations where sales cycles tend to be more complicated, such as the Construction Industry and the Built Environment.
Jonas Dahlkvist
