Salesforce or Dynamics CE: Which one suits you? 

Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CE are market leaders in CRM. This is for good reason, as both offer many features; from customizable dashboards to AI bots that answer customer questions for you. The choice between these CRM systems can sometimes be overwhelming. Wondering which of these systems suits you best? In this article, we list the similarities and differences for you as best we can. 

The agreements

According to CRM consultant Martin Kamminga, there is no denying the similarities between the two systems. “First, Salesforce and Dynamics CE are very similar in the needs they fulfill. Does Salesforce offer a module? Then Dynamics CE certainly has a counterpart.” We discussed an example of such a module in a previous article; Salesforce Service Cloud, with its counterpart Dynamics 365 Customer Service. Both are customer service solutions that track and analyze customer contact. This provides the user with insights that make customer interactions more productive. The overview below shows the corresponding modules. 

The differences

The differences between Salesforce and Dynamics CE are mainly in the integration with other tools, the user experience and how AI is deployable.  

Integration

Both platforms are widely integrable. However, there are differences in the tools with which Salesforce and Dynamics CE, can be integrated. Dynamics CE is a product within the Microsoft platform, which means integration with other Microsoft tools is easy. Salesforce, on the other hand, does not integrate as well with Microsoft tools. Outlook is an exception, but integration with other Microsoft tools such as Teams and Excel is more limited. On the other hand, Salesforce does offer a few thousand integrations with external applications.  

User Experience

For someone working with Salesforce or Dynamics CE for the first time, it often takes some time to master the usage. Small differences in user experience can affect this process. This does depend heavily on personal preference and experience. The user experience differs in navigation between apps. Martin explains, “I find Salesforce slightly more intuitive, it also looks modern, which makes it nice to use for me.” Whereas with Dynamics CE it often takes a little more time to find the right way. Of course, this is also a matter of habituation.  

Furthermore, actions you perform within the CRM with Dynamics may take a little longer than with Salesforce. Not only because Salesforce has a faster interface, but also because it is easier and more accessible to make adjustments yourself in, for example, dashboards and workflows. With Dynamics CE, these customizations are certainly also possible, but more often with additional help from an IT department.   

Where Dynamics CE then has an advantage is the tool that allows dashboards to be created. Both Salesforce and Dynamics CE have built-in reports and dashboard functionality. However, these are limited in functionality. Dynamics CE therefore offers PowerBI. This is a robust and flexible tool that allows you to visualize data in a variety of ways. Tableau, the tool offered by Salesforce, also does a very good job. However, it is less suitable for analyzing historical data, because only current data can be viewed. You won't run into this with PowerBI.

AI applications

Salesforce does offer an AI tool that helps analyze historical data. In fact, CRM Analytics does track data over time, making trend development insightful. In addition, predictions can be made using this data. Salesforce also offers the possibility of using AI agents for different purposes. For example, the different agents can be used in the marketing, sales and customer service modules. In another article, we will tell you all about Salesforce Agentforce.  

Dynamics CE uses Copilot. Artificial intelligence in this case is integrated across multiple tools, giving multiple departments suggestions based on available data. Furthermore, Copilot studio also offers the ability to create your own AI bots. These bots can be fed with data from your CRM but also with Sharepoint folders, for example. The bots can be integrated with Dynamics CE. This allows them to work directly with the data and processes within dynamics. 

Which one do you choose?

The question is not which of the two CRM systems is better, but which one most suits your needs. Often the price difference is cited as a reason to choose Salesforce or Dynamics CE. At first glance, this seems like a fair comment, but this too depends heavily on your personal situation. If you need a lot of add-ons, chances are you will see almost no difference at the bottom. So first carefully list what you would and would not like to get out of a CRM system. In addition, look closely at what tools are currently in use and whether they integrate better with Salesforce or with Dynamics CE. “If you already use Microsoft tools, then Dynamics CE probably integrates better with your existing environment. Salesforce, on the other hand, integrates better with third-party apps.”  

We understand that this can be a difficult choice, which is why our consultants are happy to think with you. Feel free to call us for a free consultation.