Data management is one of the biggest challenges that organizations face when it comes to organizing the sales department. We have come a long way from papers and pen to software. Nowadays it is very easy to manage your sales lead and all your contacts. From managing data to helping you make sense of it some software does it all for you.
Microsoft CRM vs Salesforce
The main difference between Microsoft CRM and Salesforce is that Microsoft CRM can be used offline and is not a cloud-based management application whereas Salesforce is a cloud-based sales relationship management tool. Microsoft CRM is owned by Microsoft Corporation and is based in Washington, USA. Salesforce is based in San Fransisco, California, USA, and is owned by Salesforce inc.
Microsoft CRM is a customer relationship management software which is called Microsoft Dynamics CRM and has a lot of versions. It is a .NET technology that was developed by Microsoft. The best feature of the software is that it can be used offline as well with some missing functionality that requires internet. Microsoft CRM is not limited to sales functionality and customer service but, it also allows you to take advantage of the internet and helps you manage marketing stuff.
Salesforce is a cloud-based service that can be accessed through the internet. It can integrate into your Outlook and all the sales information can be easily accessed on one platform. Salesforce has a broad category of CRM services that are all cloud-based. Commerce Cloud, Sales Cloud, Community cloud, etc., are a few CRM-based services among a plethora of other services focused on the case, task, and issue management tools.
Comparison Table Between Microsoft CRM and Salesforce
| Parameters of Comparison | Microsoft CRM | Salesforce |
| Offline Operability | It can be operated offline. | It cannot be operated offline as it is a cloud-based service. |
| Parent company | Microsoft Corporation is the owner of this CRM service software. | It is owned by Salesforce inc. |
| Cloud-based | It is not entirely cloud-based but forms a part of the cloud service called Dynamics 365. | It is entirely cloud-based. |
| Software platform | It is a .NET-based software. | It is not a .NET-based software. |
| AI feature | Its AI feature is called Microsoft Dynamics 365 AI. | Its AI service is called Einstien. |
What is Microsoft CRM?
It is a customer relationship management tool developed by Microsoft that provides multiple solutions. Solutions such as customer services, sales functionality, marketing, etc. are a few of the management tools provided by Microsoft CRM. It has evolved since its inception and multiple versions have been released; Dynamics 365 is the latest stable release. It comes with AI features that come in handy and make tasks easier by providing a better solution.
It is a .NET based platform which proves very helpful as it allows customization which is encouraged by Microsoft. It forms an integral part of the family of applications provided by Microsoft for businesses. It is a server to the client application which is just like any Internet Information Services-based application. It can be accessed by any browser such as Google Chrome, Edge, etc., or directly from email client Outlook provided by Microsoft.
There are two types of licenses provided by Microsoft namely Server license, Client Access License also called CAL. Any deployment is supposed to have both licenses. To make it easier to use the Microsoft has come up with other versions of licenses such as read-only license which allows the distribution of license to those who are not supposed to have write-permission. In another version of the license, the client can have full access. All these customer-friendly options are made to cater to the different needs of different types of clients.
What is Salesforce?
Salesforce is also an SRM service provider but the services it provides are cloud-based and hence it requires the internet to access the different services. It is one of the leading companies in the area of CRM. It helps businesses to manage their sales data and customer relationships through various products like Sales Cloud, App Cloud, etc., which are easily customizable. Experience Cloud one of the products of Salesforce allows customers to create properties like external collaboration, customer service, and many more which are online.
Through the years it has acquired many companies in the field such as Sendia in 2005. It was named after the acquisition with the name Salesforce classic. Another famous acquisition is Kieden which is now called Salesforce for GoogleAdWords. The company was brought up in 1999 by Mark Benioff together with other fellows Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez and it has come a long way and established itself as a brand.
It mainly provides services for issues, and task management along with case management. Salesforce can be added to Microsoft Outlook to give real-time data management. It is owned and managed by Salesforce inc. headquartered in San Fransisco, California, USA. The company follows the concept of Ohana which roughly translates to a family which is visible in the delivery of their services.
Main Differences Between Microsoft CRM and Salesforce
- Microsoft CRM is a .NET-based platform whereas Salesforce is a cloud-based service.
- Microsoft CRM can be accessed and used offline as well whereas Salesforce being a cloud-based service can only be accessed online.
- Salesforce provides different applications for different purposes whereas Microsoft CRM provides a suite of applications.
- The pricing for both the services differs as for salesforce the price is in bulk for any service whereas for Microsoft CRM you may need to pay extra for an extra number of users.
- Microsoft CRM is owned by Microsoft Corporation whereas Salesforce is owned by Salesforce inc.
Conclusion
Salesforce and Microsoft CRM are both CRM (Customer Relation Management) tools used for various purposes that can be helpful in managing data related to sales and customers. Both the services have their advantages and can be beneficial in many ways to the company using them. Microsoft CRM is a .NET-based application that allows users to tweak it according to their needs. Salesforce is a cloud-based service that allows its users to connect with their customers and use cloud-based solutions.
Salesforce specializes in providing CRM solutions based on case, issue, and task management. It has acquired many companies which later became one of the individual services provided by the company related to different solutions. Microsoft CRM is also a very good option and it has a customer base of thousands. Salesforce and Microsoft CRM which is called Dynamics 365 are the leading names in the field of CRM.
References
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=s2W3Jd6tIK8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR3&dq=microsoft+crm&ots=-rz-QmkwKf&sig=F2Ss9n5Xvx-kyWLUZbtQXlA8s2w
- https://search.proquest.com/openview/eb6166447c26d6f2c7556d97c2077927/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41798
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8117887/
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=lOoNr4eZ0ooC&oi=fnd&pg=PT20&dq=salesforce+crm&ots=U86pSNHs2G&sig=fiylCRKG1TZZWSpV8qWzlEU1LaI