Add-ons from the AppExchange can supercharge your Salesforce CRM application.
Want to add additional capabilities to your Salesforce CRM application?
Then tap the AppExchange repository of Salesforce applications and add-ons. Access marketing automation and real-time data de-duplication, tie your Salesforce CRM application to Facebook and Twitter, integrate Salesforce with Gmail and more.
With over 1,700 applications on offer via AppExchange — and many are free — you can enhance Salesforce to your heart’s desire, using applications that are already being actively developed and maintained and which can be rapidly deployed.
Top AppExchange Recommendations
We regularly tap AppExchange when working with our Sales Cloud and Service Cloud clients, to provide everything from data loading and e-signing solutions to analytics and better sales intelligence.
Based on our extensive CRM implementation experience, here are some of the AppExchange applications that we most often recommend to our clients:
Analytics
- InsideView: Sales intelligence application helps you engage the right prospect, at the right time, by better triangulating corporate data intelligence, contact information, social networks, as well as news feeds, blogs and job listings.
Data Loading And Data Quality
- CountryComplete: Override Salesforce.com text-entry fields to provide real-time validation plus drop-down boxes.
- DemandTools: Data quality toolkit, including merging duplicate records (dupes), backup, batch normalization, ETL, batch deletion, duplicate prevention and reconciling external data with data stored in Salesforce.
- DupeBlocker: Automatically block or merge duplicate leads, accounts or contact duplicates — in real time — at the moment they get entered.
- DupeCatcher: Increase data quality and user adoption of your CRM application by identifying, blocking and deduping leads, accounts, and contacts in real time.
- Informatica Cloud Data Loader: Free data-loading application automates the import and export of Salesforce and Force.com data between databases and files.
Electronic Signing:
- DocuSign: Electronic signature solution collects signatures and information anytime, anywhere, on any device — or in-person.
- EchoSign: Automated electronic signature contract management system manages electronic signing, plus tracking and filing for all contracts, and updates Salesforce accounts with PDF copies of all signed contracts.
Full-Blown Applications:
- FinancialForce: Automate accounting — invoicing, billing, accounts receivable, collections, general ledger and more — using application built on Force.com.
- JobScience: Recruitment tool helps automate more of the recruiting process to more quickly identify top candidates for your open positions.
- Marketo: Employ marketing automation to automate campaigns and generate more high-quality leads.
Salesforce Plug-Ins:
- Cirrus Insight: Integrate Salesforce with Gmail and Google Apps, including syncing Salesforce with Google Calendar.
- Conga: Easily generate custom proposals, account plans, contracts, presentations and emails with content from multiple objects and related lists, across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and Web-based email.
- G2 Maps: Add mapping capabilities to Salesforce and view customers, leads, opportunities, assets and custom-defined objects on maps, backed by analytic overlays for honing demographics and market segmentation, with this Cloud Sherpas application.
- GridBuddy: Edit and create records in line, as well as perform a mass update or delete, and act on multiple related records at once via a single page.
- PowerDialer: Automatically dial and log calls and track related metrics in Salesforce using this CTI dialer.
- Salesforce for Twitter and Facebook: Connect Salesforce with social media, for example to automatically create cases, contacts and leads based on tweets and comments to your business’s Facebook wall.
- Survey Force: Natively create, send, and capture customer feedback using Salesforce.
Begin With Business Requirements
AppExchange offers numerous options. But for the best CRM project results, before you tap any AppExchange app, first step back and detail your business requirements. Second, identify the best way to meet those requirements — and don’t just look at AppExchange. Also consider using custom objects and a little configuration, or even custom development. In some cases, these approaches will result in a smaller and more affordable footprint than using a commercial AppExchange app.
In many cases, however, AppExchange applications do provide the best approach for tapping any additional Salesforce features, functionality or customizations you require. Using AppExchange, furthermore, frees Salesforce users from having to create or maintain the applications themselves, thus saving time and money, and ensuring they stay focused on the selling and customer service to hand.
Learn More
Cloud Sherpas is one of the world’s leading Cloud Solutions Providers and helps businesses maximize their CRM returns by identifying desired business goals, finding the right tools and technology for the job, and delivering rapid implementations that remain focused on achieving your desired business capabilities.
Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr user V&A Steamworks.
