Salesforce vs. SAP – Which CRM Platform is Good for Your Business

In the world of business software, Salesforce and SAP are two heavyweight champions competing for the title of the top CRM and ERP system.

Salesforce is known for its cloud-based CRM system that focuses on sales, marketing, and customer service, while SAP is renowned for its comprehensive ERP system that offers a wide range of functionalities.

However, both aim to simplify business operations and improve efficiency. Moreover, they have unique approaches and target different types of businesses.

But which one is the right choice for your business?

So, let's take a closer look at these two contenders and find out which one will crown the champion for your business necessities!

Introduction to Salesforce and SAP

Salesforce

Salesforce CRM software provides numerous services like sales management, marketing automation, customer support, and analytics. It is highly customizable and made to meet the specific demands of your business.

In addition, it is one of the most popular CRM software, with over 150,000 customers and more than 3 million users worldwide. Further, this software is used by businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, in various industries such as finance, healthcare, retail, and technology.

SAP

SAP is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software that helps businesses manage their operations, finances, and resources. This software provides various modules such as supply chain management, human resources, and customer relationship management.

It is also well-known for its scalability, reliability, and security. SAP is one of the most popular ERP software in the world, with over 437,000 customers and more than 105,000 employees. Moreover, it helps businesses to run their operations efficiently and effectively.

Difference Between Salesforce and SAP

Below we have compared the main features of these two platforms so that you can decide which one suits you better.

Features	Salesforce	SAP
Business Intelligence BI technology enables organizations to transform data into valuable insights for informed decision-making.	Yes (Advantage)	Yes
Omni Channel Experience It allows a consistent experience over all their devices.	Yes	Yes
Offline Mode You can access this software when in offline mode.	No	Yes (Advantage)
Social Media Integration It offers complete integration across all social media platforms and tracks customer engagement.	Yes	Yes (Advantage)
Machine Learning and AI You can implement machine learning and AI in day-to-day activities.	Yes (Advantage)	Yes
Marketing Functionalities It provides numerous marketing cloud functionalities.	Yes (Advantage)	Yes
Backoffice Integration It delivers seamless back-to-front office integration	Yes	Yes (Advantage)
Contract Terms It offers favorable contract terms.	Yes	Yes (Advantage)

Drawbacks of Salesforce and SAP

SAP and Salesforce are the two popular software solutions that offer exceptional CRM capabilities like SaaS or Cloud access, Omni Channel marketing, and process automation.

While Salesforce and SAP come with multiple advantages, it's essential to acknowledge that they also have a few potential areas for improvement. So, let’s look at the weaknesses of these two platforms below.

Salesforce

Salesforce has been a dominant player in the CRM industry for years, boasting a significant market share of 19.5% in 2018 (more than double that of its closest competitor – SAP.)

Despite being the go-to choice for many businesses, Salesforce also has the highest rate of users switching to a different CRM system. It is not shocking because Salesforce contains numerous features that may not be necessary for every business but still add to the cost.

It has led to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) considering or switching to alternative CRM solutions. Further, the one-sided contracts, lack of full user support, and billing practices are not exactly working in favor of Salesforce among SMEs.

SAP

SAP is another widely used ERP software that has many advantages, such as better data management, efficient workflow, and improved decision-making. However, like any other software, SAP also has its drawbacks.

One of the main concerns with SAP is its complexity and steep learning curve, which may require significant training and expertise to utilize it. SAP implementations can be time-consuming and costly, especially for smaller businesses.

Besides, its continuous upgrades and updates can be disruptive for companies, and SAP's support and customer service can sometimes be slow to respond to user queries or concerns.

You might also like to read: Can Salesforce Integrate With Jira? Best Guide for All Your Queries

Salesforce and SAP – Ratings

	Salesforce	SAP
Overall Capability Score	4.5/5	4.1/5
Contracting and Evaluation	Overall = 4.1/5 (Understanding Needs Ability is 4.4, and Pricing Flexibility is 3.7)	Overall = 4.0/5 (Understanding Needs Ability is 4.1, and Pricing Flexibility is 3.7)
Deployment and Integration	Overall = 4.3/5 (Ease of Deployment is 4.2, End-User Training Quality is 4.3, Ease of Integration employing Standard Tools and APIs is 4.3, and 3rd-Party Resources Availability is 4.3)	Overall = 4.0/5 (Ease of Deployment is 3.8, End-User Training Quality is 3.8, Ease of Integration employing Standard Tools and APIs is 4.0, and 3rd-Party Resources Availability is 4.0)
Service and Support	Overall = 4.3/5 (Vendor Response Timeliness is 4.3, Technical Support Quality is 4.2, and Peer User Community Quality is 4.4)	Overall = 4.0/5 (Vendor Response Timeliness is 3.9, Technical Support Quality is 3.9, and Peer User Community Quality is 4.0)

Unique Markets of Salesforce and SAP

Salesforce: It has reviewed the given markets:

• Partner Relationship Management Applications

• Sales Engagement Applications

• Mobile Marketing Platforms

• Social Analytics Applications

SAP: It has reviewed the below markets:

• Customer Data Solutions’ Master Data Management

• Product Data Solutions’ Master Data Management

• Machine Learning Platforms and Multipersona Data Science

• Business and Analytics Intelligence Platforms

Sum Up

SAP and Salesforce both are powerful CRM solutions that offer robust features and functionality to support businesses of all sizes.

The choice between SAP and Salesforce will depend on your necessities and business resources. If your organization has complex operations and requires high levels of customization, SAP may be the better option. However, for businesses that value ease of use and flexibility, Salesforce may be the more suitable choice.

Overall, it is crucial to carefully evaluate the features and costs of each solution and choose the one that best aligns with your business goals and demands.