Freshdesk vs Salesforce

May 26, 2023 | Author: Sandeep Sharma
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Freshdesk
Freshdesk was built ground-up to make your agents’ lives better. That is why you will find intelligent capabilities out-of-the-box, that automatically categorize, prioritize and dispatch your tickets, and even suggest the best solutions when you get one.
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Salesforce
Most-popular CRM. Easy collaboration. Proven cloud platform. Salesforce.com offers everything you need to transform your business into a Social Enterprise, so you can connect to customers and employees like never before. With no software or hardware to install, you're up and running—and seeing a positive impact on your business—quickly.
Freshdesk and Salesforce are both widely used customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, but they differ in their focus and target audience. Freshdesk is primarily a customer support and help desk solution, while Salesforce offers a comprehensive CRM platform with a broader range of features.

Freshdesk provides a user-friendly interface and features designed to streamline customer support processes. It offers ticket management, automation, knowledge base management, and multichannel support to help businesses efficiently handle customer queries and provide timely resolutions. Freshdesk is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a dedicated customer support solution.

On the other hand, Salesforce is a robust CRM platform that encompasses sales, marketing, and customer service functionalities. It offers a wide range of features, including lead and opportunity management, sales forecasting, marketing automation, and customer analytics. Salesforce is suitable for larger organizations with complex sales and marketing processes that require end-to-end CRM capabilities.

See also: Top 10 Helpdesk software
Freshdesk vs Salesforce in our news:

2023. Salesforce to acquire Airkit.ai, a low-code platform for building AI customer service agents



Salesforce is set to acquire Airkit.ai, a low-code platform designed to assist e-commerce enterprises in constructing AI-driven customer service agents. Initially conceived as a self-serve customer engagement platform, Airkit facilitated the integration of data silos and addressed various use cases like user onboarding. However, in a recent rebranding move, the company transformed into Airkit.ai and unveiled its inaugural integrated product, a GPT-4-powered platform enabling businesses like OpenTable and ShipBob to develop customized customer service chatbots capable of handling inquiries related to order status, refunds, product information, and more.


2023. Salesforce launches AI Cloud to bring models to the enterprise



Salesforce is introducing a new collection of products with the goal of strengthening its position in the highly competitive field of AI. This suite, known as AI Cloud, consists of tools that are designed to provide AI solutions that are suitable for enterprise use. It represents Salesforce's latest effort to enhance its product lineup with AI capabilities across different disciplines. The launch of AI Cloud builds upon the company's previous generative AI initiative, which was introduced in March, aiming to incorporate generative AI throughout the entire Salesforce platform. AI Cloud serves as a hosting and delivery platform for AI models, specifically those focused on generating text, from a variety of partners such as Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, Cohere, and OpenAI. Additionally, Salesforce's own AI research division offers first-party models that power features like code generation and business process automation. Customers also have the option to bring their own custom-trained models to the platform while storing their data on their own infrastructure.


2020. Salesforce announces new Service Cloud workforce planning tool



With a pandemic wreaking havoc in various parts of the globe, numerous companies are confronted with the challenge of managing dispersed customer service agents, leading to a complex workforce management situation. To address this issue, Salesforce is in the process of developing a new product called Service Cloud Workforce Engagement. Much like other Salesforce offerings, this solution comprises several crucial elements that work together to provide a comprehensive answer. Firstly, there is Service Forecast for Customer 360, a tool that utilizes AI to anticipate workforce requirements and intelligently allocate customer service requests. Furthermore, there is Omnichannel Capacity Planning, which aids managers in assigning customer service agents to channels like phone, messaging, or email based on the prevailing demand. Lastly, there is a training component designed to coach customer service agents on delivering accurate and appropriate responses tailored to specific situations.


2020. Salesforce applies AI to workflow with Einstein Automate



Salesforce has unveiled Einstein Automate, a new collection of workflow solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Einstein serves as Salesforce's AI platform, encompassing all aspects of the company's product portfolio. It introduces automation to various tasks and simplifies the process of extracting valuable customer information, which often gets buried within vast amounts of data. Furthermore, Salesforce is incorporating MuleSoft, an integration company it acquired for $6.5 billion in 2018, into its offerings. This integration enables IT professionals to effortlessly build intricate connections between applications across the enterprise and the Salesforce suite of products, enhancing processes like mortgage approval workflows and more.


2020. Salesforce beefing up field service offering with AI



Salesforce is introducing AI-powered enhancements to its field service offerings, leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence. One of the key additions is Dynamic Priority, which allows the machine to set repair priorities based on factors such as service agreement type and criticality, streamlining call organization and enabling dispatchers to focus on other tasks. Furthermore, Salesforce aims to provide customers with a similar experience to tracking a driver's progress in a rideshare app. The introduction of Appointment Assistant, a new application, empowers customers to track the arrival time of their assigned repair person, ensuring they are aware of when to expect them.


2020. Salesforce announces a new mobile collaboration tool for sales called Anywhere



Salesforce has introduced a new tool called Salesforce Anywhere with the purpose of facilitating collaboration and data sharing among teams, regardless of their location. Recognizing the increasing significance of collaboration in a digital environment during the pandemic, the development of such an application became crucial for the company. The primary objective is to go beyond the confines of a traditional database and enable salespeople to access the most relevant information based on their sales pipelines. This tool allows employees to share information within their teams and engage in discussions related to that specific data. While there are other chat tools available, Salesforce Anywhere is specifically tailored for sharing Salesforce data, distinguishing it from more general-purpose platforms like Slack or other business chat tools.


2020. Freshworks acquires AnsweriQ



Customer engagement platform Freshworks has completed the acquisition of AnsweriQ, a startup specializing in AI tools for self-service solutions and agent-assisted use cases. The primary objective of this acquisition is to enhance customer service efficiency by providing quick and accurate answers to customers. AnsweriQ's AI tools cater to both Freshworks users and customers of competing products. AnsweriQ will continue operating its existing product lineup for the time being, while Freshworks aims to eventually transition these users to its own platform. Additionally, Freshworks plans to integrate AnsweriQ's technology into its Freddy AI engine, further augmenting its capabilities.


2019. Freshworks raises $150M Series H on $3.5B valuation



Freshworks, a leading provider of SaaS helpdesk and CRM software, has recently secured a significant $150 million Series H investment, valuing the company at an impressive $3.5 billion. In addition to this funding, Freshworks has unveiled a new comprehensive data platform called the "Customer-for-Life Cloud," which seamlessly integrates across all its tools. This unified platform encompasses various aspects of the customer journey, including marketing, sales, support, and customer success. By consolidating data into a common model, businesses utilizing Freshworks gain a holistic view of the entire customer lifecycle. Since its launch in 2010, Freshworks has witnessed substantial growth and currently employs nearly 2,500 professionals. With this latest investment, the company is poised for further expansion. Freshworks boasts a global customer base of 250,000, with nearly 40,000 of them being paying customers. Renowned brands such as Bridgestone Tires, Honda, Hugo Boss, Toshiba, and Cisco are among Freshworks' valued clientele.


2018. Salesforce allows to enter data to CRM via voice



Sales managers are renowned for their verbal prowess, as talking is an integral part of their job. However, when it comes to entering customer data into a CRM system, they are faced with the arduous task of typing. Salesforce aims to alleviate this cognitive dissonance by introducing a new feature called Einstein Voice. This feature enables users to input data into the system effortlessly using natural speech. Just imagine, you hop into your car, open the mobile app, and have a conversation with a virtual assistant. You might say, "I just had a meeting with John Smith. He expressed interest in making a purchase but requested a follow-up call in a week...". The virtual assistant then dutifully adds a note to the customer's history in the CRM system. However, Salesforce might need to address the personality of their virtual assistant. It seems incongruous to task Einstein with such mundane responsibilities.


2018. Salesforce released new product - Customer 360



Customer 360 is an innovative software that integrates various customer data components to provide a more cohesive view within the Salesforce product family. Leveraging technology from Salesforce's Mulesoft acquisition, this solution aims to empower customer service representatives by equipping them with a comprehensive understanding of your interactions with the company. By eliminating the need for redundant information sharing, the representative can address your needs more effectively. The primary objective is to consolidate different product functionalities—such as sales, service, community, commerce, and marketing—into a unified customer view. Remarkably, this can be achieved without the need for coding, as highlighted by Salesforce.

Author: Sandeep Sharma
Sandeep is a marketing expert with a wealth of knowledge in various domains: customer relationship management, social media management, advertising, search engine optimization, website building, Sandeep has established himself as a multifaceted professional. He honed his skills while working at Salesforce and Hubspot, where he gained invaluable insights into the industry. Now, as the proud owner of a small advertising consulting agency, Sandeep continues to provide innovative and effective strategies to businesses, helping them thrive in the competitive landscape of digital marketing. You can contact Sandeep via email sandeep@liventerprise.com