.jpg)
So you’ve done your homework extensively, and finally narrowed it down to two top contenders: Salesforce and ServiceNow. Household names in business software, they are specifically engineered to help businesses streamline processes and boost productivity. You’re dazzled by their glowing reviews and impressive features. The prospect of fast-tracking your operations to new heights is compelling, in fact overwhelming. And the clock is ticking – you’ve got to make a decision, pronto. Which will it be?
Before you end up letting a juvenile coin-flip decide the fate of your business, take a deep breath … relax. We’re here to ease the pressure. This blog breaks down the differences between Salesforce and ServiceNow, and helps you navigate your choices and find the best fit for your business needs. No coin-flip necessary.
Ready? Grab a cuppa, sit back, and let’s begin.
Salesforce and ServiceNow are heavyweights in the business software landscape, each claiming a sizable chunk of the market share since launching in 1999 and 2004 respectively. Both platforms, headquartered in California, cater to a vast array of businesses, offering a ton of invaluable solutions that streamline operations, enhance productivity and drive digital transformation.
They may both be cloud-based software, and immensely popular – just ask the thousands of customers who swear by them (hint: reviews on Capterra) – but Salesforce and ServiceNow are innately different animals at their core, each boasting unique strengths and capabilities.
Widely recognized as the first SaaS (Software as a service) company, Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform – in fact the first one – focused primarily on customer relationship management and sales automation. As it says on their website, “We build bridges between companies and customers … Businesses succeed when they create meaningful connections. Our mission is to deliver it.”
.png)
The software offers highly adept tools for customer service, sales and marketing, commerce and analytics, all aimed at improving customer engagement, driving sales and providing personalized service.
Initially created to solve internal IT management challenges, ServiceNow quickly evolved into a powerful platform that now serves various business functions beyond IT. In fact in 2018 it was named the world's most innovative company by Forbes, underscoring its rapid growth and impact across industries.
Today ServiceNow specializes in IT service management (ITSM), operations management and business process automation. It helps companies manage digital workflows for enterprise operations, enabling them to automate and streamline processes across IT, customer service, HR, security operations, and more. According to their website, “85% of the Fortune 500 have modernized their technology with us.”
Looking for the right field service management software to streamline your service business operation? Check out our rundown of the best FSM software.
As we’ve established, these two platforms offer various tools to serve unique functions. Should you be using Salesforce or ServiceNow? Here we take a look at some of the use cases to help you get a clearer picture.
◼ Sales and Marketing
Salesforce should be your go-to if your main goal is to boost sales, manage customer interactions and run marketing campaigns (eg email marketing, social media advertising). Not only is it great for providing sound customer service and tracking leads, Salesforce helps automate marketing efforts, such as sending follow-up emails. This makes it a powerful asset for your marketing and sales team.
◼ Customer Service Experience
With powerful tools to manage and resolve customer issues efficiently, Salesforce is perfect for businesses aiming to enhance their customer support and service experience.
◼ Unified CRM platform
Salesforce is ideal for teams seeking a single, integrated platform to manage all their customer relationship management (CRM) activities (eg tracking customer interactions, managing sales leads, organizing marketing campaigns) to ensure that data and processes are seamlessly connected.
◼ IT Operations Optimization
ServiceNow is specifically crafted to enhance IT operations and streamline service management within your organization. It expertly handles IT incidents (eg system outages, software bugs, network connectivity issues) and manages assets (eg servers, computers, licenses). It also facilitates changes to IT systems or infrastructure within an organization (eg software updates, configuration changes) to minimize the risk of errors or downtime.
◼ Automation and Workflow Efficiency
ServiceNow stands out for its focus on automating and optimizing IT workflows, incident management and overall service delivery, making it an excellent choice for enhancing operational efficiency.
◼ Cross-Departmental Service Management
For those looking to extend service management beyond IT, ServiceNow offers comprehensive tools to efficiently manage processes in HR, facilities and other departments.
Now let’s explore the standout features of both platforms. This will give you a clear snapshot of their tools and functionalities, and help you quickly assess which features align with your business needs and how they can potentially drive your operations to the next level.
Salesforce is a powerhouse in the CRM world, but its pricing can be a bit of a maze. They offer several plans tailored to different business needs:
∎ Small Business Plan – Starting at $25 per month per user. This plan covers the essentials with tools for marketing, sales, service, and commerce.
∎ Sales Plan – Comes in three variations:
- Enterprise: $165 per month per user. Features comprehensive tools for managing sales cycles, tracking leads, and forecasting.
- Unlimited: $330 per month per user. Includes everything in the Enterprise plan plus enhanced support and customization options.
- Einstein 1 Sales: $500 per month per user. Offers all the features of Unlimited with added perks like Sales Engagement, Conversation Intelligence, and Generative AI to supercharge your sales strategy.
ServiceNow keeps its pricing details close to the vest, making it somewhat of a mystery. Some sources hint at around $100 per month, but for precise information, it's best to contact ServiceNow directly.
They also offer free demos, so you can explore the platform and see if it’s the right fit for your needs before making any commitments.
Nifty features and tools are obviously some of the most important aspects to review and consider before parting with your software budget, but seriously, what’s the point of endless potential and possibilities that these platforms offer if they’re harder to navigate than a Middle-earth labyrinth, right?
Let’s take a look at how Salesforce and ServiceNow stack up in terms of ease of use.
If you’ve been neck-deep in reviews all week long – due diligence and all that (good on ya, by the way) – chances are you’re familiar with Capterra, the software review website. Salesforce has chalked up a pretty good score on there, 4.0 reflecting its usability, which is crucial to ensure businesses manage operations with limited interruptions.
Indeed, the platform is known for its user-friendly interface, which combines simplicity with powerful functionality. Its intuitive design makes it easy for users to navigate through various features, making it accessible even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
With features like drag-and-drop components and guided workflows, Salesforce minimizes the learning curve and enhances productivity right from the get-go.
ServiceNow, with a 4.2 rating on Capterra, is tailored for IT professionals and support teams, making it highly effective for managing complex IT environments.
While the interface is optimized for IT service management, some users might find it less intuitive compared to other platforms, which could potentially impact user adoption, especially for those less familiar with tech. So, expect a steeper learning curve – but one that comes with the robust advantages of this formidable platform.
And if you require further assistance, ServiceNow's 24/7 support and extensive resources are available to help you get up to speed and make the most of its features.
We all can agree that businesses aren’t “lone wolves” – they often rely on a host of tools and applications to manage their complex tasks and processes. So, before you introduce a new platform into the mix – whether it's ServiceNow or Salesforce – it's important to evaluate how well it can integrate with your other systems, from native ecosystems to third-party tools. What you want are strong integration prowess that seamlessly facilitates data synchronization and process automation, giving you a unified view of your operations.
Salesforce’s ecosystem supports a wide range of native integrations, including seamless connections with other Salesforce products and services. Its AppExchange further enhances integration options, featuring thousands of pre-built apps and connectors that extend the platform's capabilities and integrate with various business functions.
Tools like Salesforce Connect and APIs ensure you can link the Salesforce environment with an assortment of external systems such as ERP systems. This ensures data consistency and streamlines workflows across different platforms.
ServiceNow boasts strong integration capabilities that make sure various IT management systems can easily connect with each other. To put it simply, this means a unified view of your IT operations and business processes. Not only does this ensure everything runs like clockwork, but it also helps you make better decisions across different departments.
ServiceNow’s APIs, designed for custom connections and syncing with other apps, gives you flexibility in how it communicates with your existing software. Making all this even easier is the Integration Hub, offering simple, no-code or low-code options for setting up these connections. What exactly does all this mean? It means you don’t need to be a tech whiz to get everything working seamlessly!
AI and automation have become synonymous with driving productivity and transforming processes in today’s business world, haven’t they. And with good reason. They are, after all, the driving forces behind smarter, more efficient workflows. Both Salesforce and ServiceNow are putting these technologies to work to help you automate routine tasks, gain deeper insights and deliver more personalized experiences.
Salesforce’s AI tools, branded ‘Einstein’, infuses advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities right into the Salesforce ecosystem. Apart from automating routine tasks and managing follow-ups, Einstein also provides actionable insights that drive smarter decision-making.
With Einstein in your corner, you can create and deploy assistive AI experiences; this allows your customers and employees to converse directly with Einstein to solve issues faster and work smarter. AI tools are grounded in your customer data, which empowers sellers and marketers to make customer experiences more personalized, efficient and impactful.
ServiceNow leverages AI and automation to transform IT service management (ITSM) and beyond. Its AI capabilities, integrated into its Now Platform, help increase productivity further, empower customer and employee innovation. Making this possible are machine learning frameworks (algorithms that learn from data to make predictions), natural language understanding, search and automation, and analytics and process mining. I know, I know – information overload. What in the world do these do? Well, in essence, these work hand in hand cohesively to enhance employee abilities and customer experiences.
Predictive analytics further enhance ServiceNow’s management capabilities to foresee and address problems proactively, making IT operations more efficient and responsive.
A business is not an inanimate object – it’s a living, breathing entity that needs room to grow to accommodate increasing demands and a growing workforce, as well as expanding tasks and processes. This is why choosing software that can scale with your business is a crucial factor in determining the right tool with the best capabilities to help enhance your operations.
Salesforce’s cloud-based architecture allows for seamless scalability, whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, meaning it can scale up by adding more users, expanding storage or integrating new features.
The platform supports customizability via a wide range of add-ons and apps available in the Salesforce AppExchange, ensuring it can adapt to your evolving requirements over time. This flexibility makes Salesforce a strong choice for businesses looking to expand their operations without worrying about outgrowing their CRM solution.
ServiceNow’s modular design provides a scalable solution that grows with your business. You can start with core features and expand as needed, thanks to its cloud-native infrastructure. This design supports both vertical scaling (enhancing existing features) and horizontal scaling (adding new modules or instances). What this really means is that new features or functionalities can be integrated without overhauling the entire system.
ServiceNow also integrates well with other enterprise systems and supports custom applications, making it a versatile choice for scaling across different departments and functions.
Before you make that all-important decision, remember, choosing the right platform for your business is not just a tech decision – it’s about setting your team up for success. Take the time to examine each feature and how it adds value to your operations.
The last thing you want is a solution that cannot handle more data and more users as your business expands, or one that fails to “play nice” with your existing tools or systems. Imagine the chaos these issues could cause – inefficiencies, downtime, extra costs. What a nightmare!
You also want a platform that protects your data and comply with industry regulations to keep your business safe.
Finally, pay attention to the costs – look at both the upfront fees and any ongoing expenses to make sure you’re getting good value for your money.
Should you, eventually, come to a realization that neither matches your business needs or aligns with your budget to a tee, there are plenty of options out there, so keep at it.
FieldEx, for instance, is a standout option that combines robust features with excellent scalability and seamless integration – all at a highly affordable price tag of just $25 per month per user. With FieldEx, you’ll enjoy streamlined operations and dramatic boosts in productivity without overspending. It’s a win-win all around. How about that?
Ultimately, picking the right platform is kind of like finding your business’s secret weapon – one that can tremendously turbocharge your growth and streamline your operations.
Here’s to making the smart choice and watching your business soar! Best of luck!
"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." — Charles Darwin
Wise, inspiring words from one of the greatest scientists and visionaries in the history of mankind. In case that just went over your head, that’s just Darwin talk for “You snooze, you lose”. This is especially true in today’s business landscape, which is intertwined with rapidly evolving technologies to give your operations the leg up it needs to go further, and aim higher. Adapting – and quickly at that – to the increasingly digital, tech-savvy ways of the world is not just “good business sense”, it’s an out and out necessity. Unless, of course, you actually enjoy watching competitors steal the spotlight. If you do (gasp!), perhaps it’s time to rethink your professional goals? (Just sayin’)
Related reading: Jobber vs HousecallPro: Which is the best?
FSM involves managing and optimizing field service operations, including dispatching technicians, tracking service requests, and ensuring efficient service delivery. It’s essential for businesses that need to handle on-site work effectively.
Field service management software is ideal for businesses with on-site service operations across various industries, such as:
Salesforce offers the Field Service Lightning solution, which integrates with its CRM to provide features like real-time job scheduling, mobile access for field agents and robust reporting tools to enhance FSM operations.
ServiceNow’s Field Service Management module provides a comprehensive suite of tools for scheduling, dispatching and managing field technicians, along with features for tracking service delivery and improving operational efficiency.
Salesforce focuses on integrating FSM with its CRM, offering strong customer relationship tools and real-time job management. ServiceNow provides a more IT-centric FSM approach, with deep integration into IT service management and operations.
Both Salesforce and ServiceNow are scalable, but Salesforce is known for its flexibility and extensive app marketplace, while ServiceNow offers modular scalability, allowing businesses to start small and expand functionalities as needed.
Salesforce is often praised for its intuitive interface and ease of use, especially for non-technical users. ServiceNow has a steeper learning curve due to its IT-focused design, but it provides robust features for IT professionals.
Salesforce excels with its wide range of native integrations and its AppExchange marketplace. ServiceNow also offers strong integration capabilities, especially within IT environments, with a focus on connecting various IT systems.
Costs can vary widely based on the specific needs and scale of implementation. Generally, Salesforce offers tiered pricing with various editions and add-ons, while ServiceNow pricing is often based on the number of users and modules selected.
Salesforce is highly regarded for its customer service features, integrating CRM with service management. ServiceNow offers robust service management tools within its ITSM framework, which can also be leveraged for customer service.
Salesforce offers extensive customization through its platform, including custom objects, fields, and workflows. Users can also leverage the Salesforce AppExchange for additional functionality and integrations.
ServiceNow provides extensive customization through its modular design, allowing businesses to tailor workflows, forms and modules to fit specific needs, particularly in IT service management.
Salesforce offers a mobile app that provides access to CRM features, field service management, and real-time updates, enabling users to manage tasks and access data on the go.
ServiceNow provides a mobile app that allows users to manage field service tasks, access ITSM features, and receive real-time updates, making it easier for field technicians and support teams to stay connected.
Both platforms offer strong data security features. Salesforce provides extensive security measures including encryption and compliance with industry standards. ServiceNow also offers robust security features tailored to IT environments, including data encryption and access controls.
Salesforce is often favored by small to mid-sized businesses for its flexibility, ease of use, and extensive app marketplace. ServiceNow is typically better suited for medium to large enterprises due to its focus on ITSM and scalability.
Assess your business needs, including scalability, integration requirements and specific functionalities like FSM. Consider factors such as user experience, customization options and budget to choose the platform that aligns best with your business goals and operations.
If you're working with limited funds but still need a robust FSM solution, there are several options available.
One standout choice is FieldEx. While many FSM tools can be costly, FieldEx offers exceptional functionality at just $25 per month per user. It provides a comprehensive set of features, including smart task assignment, real-time tracking, maintenance scheduling, automated workflows and checklists, inventory and spare parts tracking and detailed reporting.
Despite its lower cost, FieldEx maintains high efficiency and effectiveness, making it a valuable option for businesses looking to streamline and manage their field operations without overspending.
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
