Salesforce Service Cloud Reviews

I have used Salesforce Service Cloud in a couple of projects. In our company, I have used the solution for one client, a medication company based in the US.

In the aforementioned project, different cases were arriving, including Email-to-Case and Web-to-Case, which were captured using Salesforce Service Cloud. Later on, Omni-Channel was used to assign cases to varying queues or users. Following the aforementioned step, the cases will be allotted to entitlements and milestones. I also have knowledge regarding the work orders and all the basic objects of Salesforce Service Cloud like account contact. 

The application of the solution depends upon the customer requirements in our company. Salesforce Service Cloud is primarily used to setup the sandbox. At our company, I am a developer, and initially, a sandbox is provided to us. Then, utilizing the sandbox, packages need to be installed, user setup must be completed, and configurations and customizations must be made using Flows and Process Builders. 

The governor limits are a troubling feature of Salesforce. At our company, we have limited the set of governor limits because it is cloud-based and has a multi-tenant architecture. In governor limits, wherever the codes are used, a query is written, or Asynchronous Apex is used, a set of limitations arises from Salesforce.

For instance, let's consider a huge dataset involving more than 100,000 records. If an operation is performed on the aforementioned record, we need to always abide by the best practices so that failure doesn't occur. 

I have been using Salesforce Service Cloud for three years. 

According to my experience in production with Salesforce Service Cloud, there are minimal chances of system failures. When the vendor implements enhancements, improvements or any bug fixes, in such cases all users are notified beforehand through an email or SMS. So whenever there are chances of the server going down, the vendor of Salesforce Service Cloud conveys it and I haven't witnessed any sudden slowdown in the solution. 

Scalability should be managed using the best practices or guidelines of Salesforce whenever a professional is working with any cloud environment with a multi-tenant architecture.

The out-of-the-box and other automation features of Salesforce Service Cloud should be leveraged in majority of cases for having an easier and faster access to data which contributes to scalability. Suppose there are 10,000 users, the performance for all the user-ends can be checked using the Salesforce environment to determine the scalability percentage and debugging tasks can also be implemented. 

Sometimes the customer support is not satisfactory. If you are dealing with production using the tool and a ticket is raised by you addressing any issues, a response is expected within a couple of days. But if a professional is facing issues on the sandbox end with a Dev copy, full copy, or partial copy, it can take an entire week or a couple of weeks altogether to get a response. I would rate the customer support as seven out of ten. 

Neutral

I don't think the solution offers an easy setup. The setup complexity depends upon the organization for which it's being implemented. It needs to be checked if a customer is using a CI/CD pipeline involving continuous integration and deployment. I prefer using a couple of tools like GitHub, Bitbucket, and Bamboo, which are generally used by any large organization.

In Salesforce, in our company, we have changed what comes out of the box. Thus, deploying Salesforce Service Cloud with Change Sets is quite easy. A drawback of Change Set is that deployments are limited; therefore, in our organization, the DevOps of CI/CD pipeline is used. 

One of the pipeline setup for the solution using GitHub took me around four to six weeks. The number of deployment professionals required depends on the size of the project, number of users and detailed client requirements.

For instance, if an agile model is being followed and there are four requirements in a single sprint, deployment will be quite easy in that case. But if the deployment is carried out on a quarterly or half-yearly basis, there will be a huge set of components that need to be deployed for which a dedicated DevOps team will be required and a single professional won't be able to carry out the deployment for Salesforce Service Cloud. 

Maintenance of the solution is easier than development or deployment. When a customer of our organization reaches out to me regarding some bugs, log-in issues, or any other problem, maintenance for all such issues is not easy.  

The Salesforce Service Cloud in our organization has helped save time. 

The price of the solution depends on how many users need access to it. For instance, if you are availing the license for a hundred users, the price can be around $49/month for the product. 

Automation tools like workflows and Process Builders were previously present in Salesforce Service Cloud, which we used in our company. But since Jan'2024, Salesforce has not provided the aforementioned automation tools, and instead, they have transferred everything within the Flows. In the solution, Flows are powerful tools which function as a combination of workflows and Process Builders.

As per the industry best practices, professionals should always try to utilize automation tools from Salesforce Service Cloud instead of using coding and writing triggers. Once the coding path is used instead of leveraging automation tools, the professional needs to handle all the governor limits present in the solution.  

There is an out-of-the-box feature for reporting and analytics. If a report needs to be created in Salesforce Service Cloud using cases that haven't been resolved in the last 30 days, it can be high-priority cases, cases in different countries, or cases assigned to different users; all these kinds of reports can be created using Salesforce Service Cloud. Multiple types of reports can be obtained using Salesforce Service Cloud; they can be tabular, matrix, and joined reports. 

For analytics also, out-of-the-box dashboards are used in the product and there are newly introduced features of CRM Analytics in the solution. If a user is dealing with large datasets or there are visual representation needs on a large scale, they should definitely utilize the CRM Analytics of Salesforce Service Cloud. Tableau can also be integrated with Salesforce Service Cloud for analytics purposes. 

AI integrations are quite easy to implement using Salesforce. CRM Analytics and Salesforce Einstein have AI capabilities. I would overall rate the solution an eight out of ten.

I would advise others to acquire knowledge about the basic functionalities of the tool, object models, and the core standards of objects, including accounts, contacts, cases, and service contracts. Before adopting the solution, a professional should be aware of the relationship between different objects, whether the relationship is tightly or loosely coupled. 

I use the solution in my company to follow up on opportunities and activities.

I use the CRM part to open up new opportunities and follow up with a lot of opportunities since I work as a manager.

The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that the tool is fast and easy to use, and sometimes, Salesforce Service Cloud is not just a single app like Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. Salesforce Service Cloud is adding more and more interfaces.

The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required.

There are some imperfections in the product's stability, and it is an area where improvements are required.

I have been using Salesforce Service Cloud for four to five years.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

It is a scalable solution. The product can integrate with Outlook, so you don't have to always go back to look at this CRM part of the tool. You can open new contacts or opportunities from Outlook, which is useful.

More than 200 people in my company use the product.

There are no plans to increase the use of Salesforce Service Cloud in my company since we switched from it to Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM.

The product's initial setup phase was straightforward. There weren't too many complexities in the product's setup phase, as the tool can be installed straight out of the box.

The solution is deployed on the cloud.

The ROI is visible, considering that the tool is useful for following up on opportunities and figuring out the money or income a business can earn in the upcoming quarters of a year. The product helps you see and follow up on activities while allowing you to see your clients and help you decide who should work with you and who should not.

The product is expensive. There is a need to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the product.

My company switched from Salesforce Service Cloud to Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM.

The product was fine, and it improved my company's customer service response time.

I don't remember using the AI capabilities of Salesforce Service Cloud, but I do know that such functionalities were used in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM.

The product's analytics features support our company's service improvement strategies greatly and fantastically.

I recommend the product to those who plan to use it since it is easy to use and understand the tool. The product may not be that easy when you want to open a new opportunity, and you really need to opt for a straightforward approach when using the tool.

The impact of Salesforce Service Cloud on other systems that impacted our company's workflow efficiency varies since earlier, my company used to work with SAP, and the integration is fine as long as you use the connectors. Salesforce Service Cloud can be connected with Microsoft products, but it can be difficult to connect it with the SAP ERP.

I rate the tool a seven out of ten.

Our customers have different use cases. One company in the B2B sector specializes in HVAC and EC systems. They utilize Service Cloud to address customer requests, such as warranty-related issues. Customers can interact with Service Cloud to generate cases for their problems, and the entire case management process takes place within the platform.

Another scenario involves banking customers who use Salesforce Service Cloud. They leverage it for various purposes, including handling inquiries related to loan applications or service requests to enhance their overall customer service.

Lastly, insurance providers also find value in Salesforce Service Cloud. When a customer is onboarded, they can use the platform to raise questions or seek resolutions regarding policy entitlements or other related matters. These are some of the primary use cases.

Service Cloud offers almost all the features that service professionals and teams need. It's rich in features.

Salesforce Service Cloud offers several notable features. It includes robust case routing, escalation capabilities, entitlement mapping, and entanglement rules. Additionally, it supports Computer Telephone Integration (CTI), which allows for automatic case generation when a call is made to a designated number.

Furthermore, it offers the flexibility to generate cases through various mediums like Twitter, Facebook, and email, catering to your customer's preferred communication method. Once a ticket is generated, you can categorize it automatically, leveraging hands-on discovery if you have the appropriate license or manually categorize it. To route the case to the correct agent, you can utilize both hands-on discovery and custom algorithms or coding tailored to your department's needs.

To help all these agents, the  solution provides service console for agents, which displays all pertinent information required to resolve the case efficiently. Notably, we've introduced a new feature—soft phone integration, where agents can receive calls using Computer Telephone Integration (CTA) or make outbound calls to customers.

Furthermore, Service Cloud includes a knowledge recommendation feature. If an agent encounters a customized issue or case and is seeking a resolution provided by another agent, they can access the knowledge management system, which employs machine learning algorithms to retrieve relevant information. These are some of the key functionalities of Salesforce Service Cloud.

One minor drawback is that its implementation requires some preparation. It's not something you can implement instantly; it takes time.

The only issue I've encountered is that you need to ensure the implementation is done properly, which can be time-consuming. So, it requires some time and attention.

I've worked extensively with it for two to three months, gaining valuable experience during that time.

There have been no reported issues on the stability front. It is a highly stable solution.

It is a highly scalable solution. We primarily have enterprise clients.

There's no installation required as everything is on the cloud. Salesforce has been a cloud-based company since 1999.

It's just complex when you're trying to customize it. However, for the end-users, it remains user-friendly. Customization processes and internal aspects have become more intricate. So, it's challenging for those involved in customization but not for the end-users. 

It is difficult to implement it. It requires a certain learning curve to implement it. 

Salesforce is not a cheap product. It can be expensive. When you purchase a Salesforce platform license, it includes sales, service, and platform licenses all together. While it's cloud-based, there are additional costs. It may seem costly, and sometimes clients opt for alternative providers. However, if it's not bundled, other vendors like Duo or Gen might be considered for their service requests.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. The advice I'd offer is applicable to any platform, not just Salesforce. Prospective users should conduct thorough research and have a clear understanding of their expectations and desired features before implementing the product. 

It's essential to be clear about what they want to achieve with the system. For instance, if they plan to handle customer requests, they should have a well-defined process in mind. The key is to make the most of Salesforce's features to maximize the benefits, rather than using it solely as a record-keeping system.

The complexity arises because Salesforce has grown significantly as a platform, and this complexity applies to all its offerings.

The customer call center and the Salesforce people wanted to check the status of delivery, but the delivery fulfillment is happening in ECC. To cut response time, we enabled a button that fetches all the relevant info from ECC and pass it on.

It's very user-friendly and is easy to navigate.

The pricing of the solution can be less expensive. 

I have been using Salesforce Service Cloud for six months. 

The stability is a ten out of ten. 

Eight people are using the solution at present. 

The initial setup is straightforward. 

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

We use Salesforce Service Cloud for lead management and opportunity management.

The pricing for what Salesforce Service Cloud offers is not great.

I have used Salesforce Service Cloud for a few years.

Around 70 users are using Salesforce Service Cloud in our organization.

The solution's technical support team resolved our issues reasonably fast.

We previously used Oracle Fusion.

Salesforce Service Cloud’s initial setup is straightforward.

The solution's deployment took a few weeks. We implemented the solution through a consultant. A small team was involved in the solution's deployment, and it was relatively easy to deploy.

We pay a yearly licensing fee for Salesforce Service Cloud, which is expensive.

I am using the latest version of Salesforce Service Cloud.

Overall, I rate Salesforce Service Cloud a six out of ten.

The strongest use case has been warranty and warranty case management, as well as some repair services.

The reason why most businesses are so happy about Salesforce Service Cloud is that it covers all the bases for the product. 

It is very customizable, which is great for IT, but for the best part, they love it because they can get any of the features implemented. 

So, this is a general advantage of cloud systems: that you have good performance, ease of use, and a customizable system.

There is room for improvement in pricing.

I have plenty of experience using this product. I have historically worked with Salesforce. So, I have been with Salesforce since 2017. 

It is very stable. That's one of the advantages. It is what you pay for. You pay a fortune for Salesforce products. It's a web-running stable solution that we can customize, but it's also very expensive.

It is a very scalable solution. We work with medium-sized businesses.

If you have paid for the service report and hotline and everything, then you have an excellent report for the support. It's a matter of the assurance agreement. 

I have never experienced bad support if you're paid for it. 

So, generally, it's a good service. If you're buying a premium product, you can buy premium support. You also get it premium.

Positive

It's a cloud tool, so it is easy to set up.

Moreover, if you have a tool that requires some data load maintenance is required. Generally, Salesforce is very easy to work with.

The price is too expensive.

Overal, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

We use Salesforce Service Cloud for CRM.

The most valuable feature of Salesforce Service Cloud is its ease of use.

Salesforce Service Cloud's report functionality could be improved.

I have been using Salesforce Service Cloud for ten years.

I rate Salesforce Service Cloud a seven out of ten for stability.

About 2,000 users, including salespeople, operations, and executives, are using Salesforce Service Cloud in our organization daily.

I rate Salesforce Service Cloud ten out of ten for scalability.

I previously used Oracle Sales Cloud.

I rate Salesforce Service Cloud an eight out of ten for the ease of its initial setup.

We implemented Salesforce Service Cloud through an in-house team.

I am using the latest version of Salesforce Service Cloud.

Salesforce Service Cloud is deployed on-cloud in our organization. I would recommend Salesforce Service Cloud to other users.

Overall, I rate Salesforce Service Cloud an eight out of ten.

The OOTB skills functionality is the most valuable feature for us.

It has streamlined workforce management, scheduling, etc. for the company's current business case. More specifically, I can only speak for my clients, but their call centers have dramatically improved from their legacy system to the new Service Cloud console. I know in the past year, we've seen substantial ROI in major healthcare companies.

The workforce management could use improvement as my client wasn't happy with the scheduling engine. The workforce management, particularly a third-party vendor, we didn't have much success with. They had never done an integration with Salesforce and we we're working specifically with another third party just to implement their field services organization.

I've used it on my current project for three months.

Deployment was not an issue. The product wasn't the issue, it was more so the implementation as a whole.

There were no issues with the stability.

There has been no issues with the scalability.

The issues, as with every implementation, is the change in the nature of the beast. We have clients that have been on a legacy system for 10-15 years and they are not ready for change. They also think their system is the most efficient "machine" on the market. So the change in culture has to be the most substantial bottleneck. Then you are in the growing pains stage, where your client absorbs this system, but they decide to take automation to a whole new level, like automatically fax from a computer with WiFi. The asks are endless, which is understandable because at this point, they appreciate the system, but they don't understand the limits.