One simply cannot exclude Salesforce when coming up with a list of the best CRMs. Due to its outstanding features and functionality for corporations, developers, and commercial customers, Salesforce CRM has become a game-changing piece of software for both small and large businesses that are looking for ways to improve customer satisfaction in every way possible.

There are a lot of CRM platforms out there, and looking through what they can deliver will help you figure out which one is best for your company. Perhaps you need a CRM to effectively track leads, monitor your customer interactions, and keep an eye on your contacts. Different CRMs may have distinct capabilities that can help you narrow your search, such as the flexibility to modify the platform to your specific needs or establish a reporting structure that meets your specific demands.

You’ve arrived at the right place if you’re a Salesforce aspirant or an organization wishing to train its employees on Salesforce features and capabilities. This blog post will give you a list of 10 useful Salesforce features that everyone who loves this CRM should be aware of.

10 Salesforce CRM Features Your Business Should Be Using:

1. Lightning App Builder (and Lightning Components)

The redesigned Salesforce Lightning Application Builder is one of the most useful features available. Salesforce Lightning is a component-based framework that allows anyone to construct an app even if they don’t have any programming knowledge. With only a few clicks and taps, you can design an app like a pro!

This is a simple point-and-click tool for creating Salesforce Lightning pages or using it in the mobile app. This allows you to rearrange pages to highlight important information and conceal anything that isn’t. The feature is most useful for team members who need to make changes to pages.

This is made up of three segments: Lightning Exchange components produced by various Salesforce partners, Salesforce.org pre-built components, as well as its own unique elements. Its Lightning components can be dragged onto the page canvas and are described as small, flexible, and reusable pieces that you can add to a Lightning page in the Lightning App Builder.

2. Salesforce Reports & Dashboards

These are Salesforce’s out-of-the-box analytics, the “go-to” option for quick reporting. As you’d expect from the world’s most popular CRM, they’re powerful, intuitive, configurable and suitable for businesses of all sizes. Salesforce reports are a collection of records that have been filtered. The Lightning Report Builder is divided into two sections:

• Outline: this is where you determine which fields to include in the report.
• Filters:  this is where you narrow down which records to present.

Adding charts and graphs that are based on a report to a Salesforce dashboard is made possible here! In other words, the dashboard shows report visualizations. The Salesforce feature/tool “Dashboards” aggregates data into aesthetically-pleasing representations such as charts, bar diagrams, pie charts, tables, funnel charts, leaderboards, graphs, and more.

Dashboards can be used to track everything a business desires, such as revenues, leads, and conversions. Consider the following critical business metrics:

• Changes have been blocked or thwarted
• Existing or fresh prospects
• Success percentages and the  highest sales are displayed on salesperson scoreboards 
• Condition of the Salesforce pipeline
• Existing concerns with top accounts’ assistance
• The average time it takes a sales professional to close a case
• In cases where Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are likely to be breached

Furthermore, do you know what Salesforce dashboard filters are? Dashboard filters are drop-down lists at the top of a dashboard in Salesforce. Users can dig down even further into the data after a Salesforce Admin has made them. For example, adding a ‘Region’ filter would only show sales data for a specified region.

3. Collaborative Forecasts

This indicates how well sales will perform in the future. Salesforce collaborative forecasting enables enterprises to forecast future sales performance and prioritize tasks based on actual revenue forecasts from the sales pipeline. The forecast represents the expected revenue from sales. Forecasts are framed by:

• Forecasting category
• Time span for forecasting
• Product family (optional)

4. Territory Management

This feature-capability is the ideal solution for ensuring that flawless processes are followed throughout your whole organization, regardless of size. Roles, responsibilities, and hierarchies are organized, and a hierarchy of accounts is constructed, much like the segments discussed above. This can be done with Salesforce’s Enterprise Territory Management tool, which makes it easier than ever before.

These areas do not have to be rigid. They might be based on role, geography, or any other factor that best fits your sales staff.

5. Marketing Cloud

This is a marketing automation system that automates interactions across a variety of channels, including email, social media, mobile apps, SMS, and websites. It includes an email marketing solution that is both automatic and personalized. Its function helps firms find/explore: highly automated (artificial intelligence-enabled) and personalized email marketing solutions.

Customers that are likely to interact with their items are segmented in the new market. The program includes free marketing templates that help firms save time and effort when it comes to closing deals. Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) is used by businesses to bring all of their marketing channels together on a single platform.

6. Commerce Cloud

This results in a seamless shopping experience. Salesforce’s Commerce Cloud is an eCommerce tool that allows customers to have a seamless order placement experience and offers an integrated shopping experience for them. With just one touch, it helps to meet the special needs of mobile shoppers and turn them into customers.

It includes a lot of customization choices for consumers that don’t fit into one of the one-size-fits-all groups. Sales Cloud includes cases and email-to-case, whereas the Service Cloud includes welfare benefits and accomplishments.

7. Chatter

This is a team collaboration instant messenger software. There are several messaging platforms for organizations and teams to connect that are simple and affordable to use, but the main problem is that they run outside of the company’s CRM and are not totally secure. This is an instant messaging system similar to Twitter or Facebook (with features like file attachments, “@ & # use,” and threaded chats).

The technology records the dialogue in the company’s Salesforce CRM, connects it to the company’s records, and assists Salesforce users in the following ways:

• For a given opportunity or case, users can collaborate.
• Email or other messages can be used to continue the dialogue in CRM, and large files can be shared quickly and easily.
• Any information should be made public as soon as feasible.
• It’s simple to keep track of clients and records without having to ask coworkers for updates.

8. Salesforce Mobile App

This allows you to make changes to Salesforce data from any location. Salesforce mobile app allows businesses to access information or records from locations other than their offices. Users can use this functionality to:

• Update records in real time, even when they’re not at work, utilizing handheld devices such as phones or tablets; and
• Check their phones for open support cases before visiting a client’s office.

Reps can adjust their prospects or see a dashboard from anywhere outside the office after the encounter.

9. Lightning Snap-Ins

This is what enables for client-business coordination while on the go. Snap-ins are one of the most important Salesforce features available through the cloud lightning service. The features can be used to add service capabilities to apps or websites.

Service channels can be integrated into native business apps to deliver a more connected and close-knit client experience no matter where they are. Users can communicate with businesses at any time and from any location, and applications and websites can be customized to serve as a mobile center for clients.

10. Salesforce Steelbrick

Steelbrick is a Salesforce product that makes it easier for high-growth Salesforce customers to manage Configure-Price-Quote apps. With CPQ software/app, users can easily create real-time and effective sales quotes with no errors, inefficiency, or delays.

• It assists sales reps in completing their task more effectively by improving sales.
• Avoid bottlenecks and mistakes in contracts, quotations, and opportunities.
• Make your proposals and quotes more accurate.
• There will be more transactions closed, and the emphasis will move to greater output.
• Assisting with cross-sells and up-sells enhances deal sizes.
• It shortens the sales cycle and saves marketing representatives a lot of time and effort.

Take Away

While Salesforce orgs can be customized to match a company’s unique requirements, Salesforce Administrators will gain a better understanding of its capabilities the longer they work with Salesforce. You won’t lose out on the latest and greatest in Salesforce technology if you stay current with the company’s updates.

You may not be familiar with some of the above-mentioned Salesforce functionalities. However, if you use Salesforce on a regular basis for your business, these capabilities will undoubtedly assist you in improving the efficiency of your operations.

Martin Gessner

Martin Gessner is the Founder of Focus on Force.

He has spent over 10 years working in various Salesforce roles including business analyst, project manager, consultant and solutions architect. Along the way he has earned twelve certifications, published "The Salesforce Career Playbook", and helps Salesforce professionals learn more about Salesforce, develop their career and prepare for certifications.