Salesforce was one of the original cloud-based CRM services, and as such it developed a following of loyal and long-term customers and a strong market share. It’s a great bit of software, specialising in providing an all-in-one sales solution to big companies. When it was first launched it was seen as a pioneering way for sales departments to make best use of software and it has revolutionised the way many companies handle their sales processes.

However, with costs of up to $300 per user, Salesforce is a hefty investment that can often prove prohibitively expensive for small and medium sized businesses. Some businesses are also finding that the Salesforce software, designed as an all-in-one solution, doesn’t specialise enough in what they need it to do. Due to it covering so much ground, the forms and data input required for Salesforce can be unnecessary to some businesses and eat up time that could be better spent on developing new leads.

Fortunately, there are a range of alternatives available. If you’re looking for a Salesforce replacement for your own business, first have a think about what you actually want the software to help you do – is it customer support, converting prospects or customer retention? Next, have a read on for some of our top picks.

Marketo : marketing automation software

Marketo covers a range of marketing and customer retention applications. It allows you to monitor what people are saying about your company across different channels, as well as respond effectively and build long-term engagement with your brand. There’s also a whole host of capabilities around building new leads and improving lead quality, personalised marketing and tracking tools to help you measure your performance.

Intercom : customer messaging platform

Helping you to engage, acquire and retain customers, Intercom helps you to grow your business faster. Live chats and bots help to convert new leads, whilst there’s also the ability to create targeted emails to turn signups into new customers. An integrated help desk helps with aftercare and customer support, helping to find quicker answers to problems.

Zendesk : customer service software

Zendesk helps you to manage and solve customer tickets quickly. It tracks interactions across all channels, including phone, chat, social media and email, and allows businesses to track and prioritize customer support tickets. Reviews praise the flexibility of the product which makes it easier to tailor to each businesses’ individual needs.

HubSpot CRM : lead management tool

If you’re aiming to follow up and manage your leads, have a look at the HubSpot CRM software. It helps speed up the preparation process before a sales call or email by automatically collecting together recorded calls, emails and sales notes to a lead’s timeline. This puts all the information you need for that all-important call right under your finger tips, and allows your sales team to approach both new prospects and cold leads with confidence.