When it comes to choosing the ideal CRM system for you, two providers in particular are clearly in the foreground: Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce. Both are among the market leaders and offer mature, collectively recognised solutions. This inevitably raises the question:
Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics 365? Which is the better tool? What are the differences? Can I migrate from one to the other?
Look no further for answers; we have summarised the 10 most important points for you. The list is based on our own experiences with customers whom we have helped to optimise their migration from Salesforce to Microsoft Dynamics 365.
1. costs
Let’s start with a decisive criterion: the total cost of ownership.
It is generally known that Salesforce is one of the most expensive CRM providers. A direct comparison shows that Salesforce CRM is around twice as expensive as the costs incurred per Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM user.
You should also bear in mind the respective range of functions. After all, Dynamics 365 CRM clearly offers more features – and at a more moderate price. The functions of the Microsoft Professional Edition are comparable with the Salesforce Enterprise Edition, although it must be emphasised here too that the Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM system costs just under half as much. It should also be mentioned that the add-ons for Salesforce are more expensive and usually have fewer functions.
2. hidden costs
At this point, it makes sense to address any hidden costs directly. Most of the add-ons in and for are already included in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Standard or can be added at a much lower price.
The use of additional storage can also be very expensive with Salesforce, whereas storage space can be easily expanded with Microsoft Dynamics 365 storage – again, the costs amount to around 50% of Salesforce.
3. integration with other technologies
In addition to all the financial aspects, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is particularly impressive due to the fact that more and more customers are turning to the Microsoft solution because of its simple integration with other familiar Microsoft technologies.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 harmonises perfectly with the in-house apps such as Sharepoint, Yammer, Outlook and Microsoft [Office] 365, for example, it is possible to create quotations or data records directly from Outlook without having to switch programmes.
In this way, everything customer-related is centrally available to you in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM.
4. user-friendliness
Like all Microsoft products, the Dynamics 365 software also impresses with its user-friendliness. Thanks to its similarity and compatibility with many familiar programmes, Dynamics 365 CRM is ideal for everyday use without the need for hours of training.
Using a CRM system correctly can be a challenge for any new employee, which is why ease of use is so important. After all, we all know that we are more comfortable with what we already know.
5. flexibility
With its Dynamics 365 products, Microsoft offers all users absolute freedom of choice in terms of deployment. This makes it possible to migrate the CRM system back and forth at will with relatively little effort: This is because Dynamics 365 CRM gives you the option of moving your data locally to your own infrastructure or having it operated in a data centre:
6. data management
Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM differ not only in terms of price, but also in the way they store customer data. Salesforce charges additional fees for API access and the option of a backup.
In contrast, backups for Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM are completely free of charge on request. API access to your data is also included in the subscription.
7. deployment options
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is available both as a cloud version (multi-tenant hosting) and as a local version, whereas Salesforce only provides a SaaS model.
8. Support
As we are a Microsoft Gold Partner, there is a stable and well-developed network of other partners in the Microsoft world, which, in contrast to Salesforce, clearly provides customers with more consulting options. The large number of partners also makes it easier to find a Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM expert directly on site.
9. expandability
Microsoft attaches particular importance to customisation for users. This is why customisations are also much easier to implement with Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM using add-ons. Microsoft offers holistic solutions that adapt to companies and their reorganisations and grow with them.
10. visualisation
With dashboards and charts, you can try out a variety of visualisation options in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and create and customise the desired options yourself.
Clear points winner: Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
As you can see, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is the clear winner in this comparison and is therefore clearly the better CRM choice.
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 roadmap explains which options are currently available to customers and which features are still under development.
We would be happy to explain the difference between Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 to you personally!
Our team of Dynamics experts knows all the pros and cons and will be happy to answer your questions over the phone.
