Item: Salesforce Lightning Platform
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Salesforce Lightning is used by our Sales Development, Account Executive, Account Management, and other Managerial teams. It allows us to organize all leads and accounts in one space. This gives full insight into all conversations had with the client from the moment they are a prospect until the very end (though hopefully there is no end once they are a client). In a business where turn over happens relatively frequently, it keeps our Sales Development Representatives in the loop so that they can continue engaging clients thoughtfully even if the previous SDR has left or been promoted. It also allows for easy communication between Customer Success associates and Account Executives on the off chance that any issues arise.

Pros and Cons

Organization.
Analytics.
Ease of use.

Integrating marketing initiatives.
Creating specific search reports.
Customization of fields.

Return on Investment

ROI - It allows us to handle billing and see if the client is being charged the correct amount so our books stay balanced.
Communication - It allows for all of our workers to see the notes of previous representatives so that no one is in the dark when re-engaging.
A negative would be that it is difficult to merge marketing initiatives, so unless someone uploads the Excel sheet of leads into the system (which is easier said than done) there could be duplications of effort.

Alternatives Considered

We originally used spreadsheets when we first started. That worked fine until we started growing by over 100% year over year. We were able to upload all of our previous accounts in Salesforce Classic once it was called for. However, Salesforce Classic soon became redundant and when Salesforce Lightning was introduced it was clear that this was a superior product. The user interface was much cleaner and simpler to use, and allowed for more customized reporting as long as you knew exactly what it was you were looking for.

Support Rating

There is room for improvement in the sense that not everyone can take classes and get certified in the ability to use every nuance that is available. It is a wonderful CRM, it organizes all of the information that we need and allows managers insights into what their teams are accomplishing. It is able to integrate into our Slack and our VOIP so that tracking the stage of a prospect is as easy as clicking a button.

Key Insights

Do you think Salesforce Lightning Platform delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Salesforce Lightning Platform's feature set?

Yes

Did Salesforce Lightning Platform live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Salesforce Lightning Platform go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Salesforce Lightning Platform again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Adobe Acrobat DC, Google Analytics, Canva

Likelihood to Recommend

It is well suited for larger companies. My company has over 10,000 business clients and tenfold of that, minimum, in the pipeline for outreach. If your business is just starting out then Salesforce Lightning may not be the right fit for you, as there will be a lot of information that may not be worth the cost of the platform. There needs to be someone dedicated to customizing the platform for your needs, which may be an unwise use of funds for the smaller startups.

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Overall Satisfaction with Salesforce Lightning Platform (formerly Salesforce App Cloud)