Let’s start with a question that I hear often, “What is Salesforce?” The question seems like an easy one to answer, but finding the words to explain it to someone unfamiliar with the platform is sometimes difficult. Sure, you can search Google for an appropriate definition, but the results below show an example of just how deep down the rabbit hole you might have to go.
- “Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform.”
- “Salesforce helps businesses manage their sales, customer service, and marketing processes.”
- “Salesforce has a user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop customizations, so even non-technical users can easily make changes.”
These are all valid points, but they’re also just the tips of an extremely large iceberg. The concepts become difficult to explain to someone who is new to the ecosystem and may not have a background in sales, service, or marketing. For example, have you tried to explain to your parents what a CRM platform is and is used for? We’ll go into more detail in future articles. For now, I want to give a high-level analogy that I would use if I were at a family reunion trying to explain what I do for a living.
Imagine you’re a manager at a busy store with lots of customers coming in to buy things every day. Now go one step further and think about customers that also order online, call the store for help, or want to give feedback. Without Salesforce, you’d have to remember what each customer bought, when they bought it, how much they paid, and anything else they might’ve told you. Imagine doing this for hundreds of customers every day. Salesforce is that magic notebook that can remember all of that information for you. I like to think of it as a digital filing cabinet. The information is entered once and it stays there forever. Not only will you have the information available, but Salesforce then gives you the ability to find out who your best customers are, what they like to buy, and even send them special offers.
So, to get back to the original question of “What is Salesforce?” Picture it as a secret helper that makes running your business a lot easier. The next time you find yourself chatting with your parents or someone new about the role you play in the Salesforce ecosystem, I hope this helps to explain it without all of the technical jargon.