In recent days, news that Klarna has dropped Salesforce (link here) has sparked widespread discussion. Many are surprised, given that Salesforce holds solid ratings—4.4 stars on G2 and 4.3 stars on Capterra—and is considered a well-established and respected software platform. Some are interpreting this decision as a shift toward hyper-custom, AI-generated software solutions. While that might be a part of the story, it’s worth exploring whether user experiences with Salesforce are as positive as its reputation suggests. A deeper dive into user reviews across various platforms reveals some interesting insights.

Salesforce on major review sites

Overall scores: Pretty good

Looking at major review sites, Salesforce boasts the following scores:

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• 4.4/5 on G2
• 4.4/5 on Capterra
• 8.5/10 on TrustRadius

These are decent! If I’m offered to eat at a restaurant rated 4.4 on Google, I’d go. However, as it turns out, it’s helpful to dig deeper into what the reviewers are saying between the lines.

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Sentiment scores compared to peers: Not as rosy

So we looked at all reviews of CRMs on two of the major sites and used advanced AI to determine whether the review mentioned any of the below in a positive or negative light:

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• Value for money
• Customer service
• Ease of implementation
• Ease of use
• Reliability & performance

We then subtracted % of negative mentions from the % of positive mentions to come up with the sentiment score. Then, we compared it to a peer group of other products that were classified as CRMs and for which we had enough data.

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As you see, Salesforce’s 4.4 starts waning when we look at the Value sentiment. People generally feel they are getting way too little for what they’re paying - here Salesforce is almost at the bottom of the pack.

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The situation is similar when it comes to Customer Service sentiment. Not good!

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Ease of Implementation is similarly assessed poorly.

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Ease of Use sentiment is markedly better, with Salesforce being roughly in the middle of the pack.

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And finally, Reliability and Performance scores for Salesforce are really good.

The picture that emerges is that Salesforce is a product that works: it’s reliable and not too difficult to use. It is a pain to implement, so once implemented, it’s sticky. But it’s way overpriced and the customer service is a pain. Exactly the kind of product that people would like to move away from, but it’s not feasible to do so for long periods of time.

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Salesforce on TrustPilot

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1.3/5. Ouch! Not very surprising, as TrustPilot generally has much lower average scores than other platforms.

So let’s compare the performance against the peers.

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Bottom of the pack. While often the scores on the review sites reflect merely the ability of a product's marketing team to curate the reviews, such low performance should not be ignored. Below is the summary of the themes based on the Most Relevant (as deemed by TrustPilot) reviews:

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• Poor Customer Support: Multiple users complained about inadequate customer service, with long wait times and unhelpful responses from support teams.
• Difficult to Use: Many users found the interface and navigation of Salesforce to be overly complex, slow, and not user-friendly. This made onboarding and usage a time-consuming process.
• High Cost with Low Value: Users criticized Salesforce for being expensive while delivering poor results, particularly for smaller businesses. There were complaints about the product not functioning as promised and contracts being difficult to cancel.
• Sales and Contract Issues: Misleading sales practices and auto-renewing contracts without proper notification were recurrent complaints. Many users felt trapped in contracts they no longer wanted or needed.
• Outdated and Unresponsive: Some reviewers noted that despite Salesforce’s reputation as a tech leader, the software felt outdated and slow, with a lack of meaningful updates over time.

Salesforce on Reddit

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Because of its well-tuned reputation system, it’s difficult to cheat the folks on Reddit and gain large visibility on a post that’s not true. So what Reddit sometimes lacks in volume, it make up for with authenticity. Here’s what our preliminary analysis says about Salesforce, based on a sample of Reddit reviews:

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1. Cost and Complexity:
   • Many users express frustration with the high cost of Salesforce, particularly when it is not fully utilized. For example, users mention companies spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on Salesforce only to have it barely used.
   • The complexity of the platform is also a common complaint. Users find it bulky, slow, and not intuitive, which can make it difficult to use effectively.
2. Implementation Challenges:
   • Several users highlight the importance of proper implementation and management. They argue that Salesforce can be valuable if set up correctly and managed well, but it often falls short due to poor implementation and lack of training.
   • The need for extensive customization and the high cost of consultants are also mentioned as drawbacks.
3. Comparison to Alternatives:
   • Some users compare Salesforce unfavorably to other CRM systems like Hubspot, suggesting that Hubspot is more user-friendly and meets their needs better.
   • However, others argue that Salesforce offers more comprehensive features and automation capabilities, making it a better choice for larger, more complex organizations.
4. Value Perception:
   • There is a perception that Salesforce is overpriced and does not provide adequate value for the cost. Users often mention that it is a "money pit" and that companies could achieve similar results with less expensive alternatives.
   • On the other hand, some users appreciate the value that Salesforce can deliver when used properly, citing its ability to automate workflows and provide extensive data management capabilities.

In summary, while some users see value in Salesforce when it is properly implemented and managed, many others express dissatisfaction with its cost, complexity, and usability compared to other CRM systems.

Conclusion

The headline ratings from review sites only scratch the surface of a software's true performance. A deeper dive into the data reveals more nuanced insights. We're not saying Salesforce is without merit—if you're an enterprise focused on performance and complex integrations, Salesforce might be an excellent fit. However, its effectiveness depends heavily on specific business needs and circumstances, and for many companies it will not be a wise choice, despite its brand and reputation. If only there was a way to find more niche products that are the right fit for you without spending weeks on research...

About Cloo

Cloo provides real-time insights like this for every software product. We analyze millions of reviews from multiple sources to help buyers make informed decisions. Plus, we tailor the data to match your company's specific goals and needs. Interested? Sign up for our list to be the first to know about our November launch.

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