Salesforce ERP: Insider Guide to Customer & Operations 360°

CRM and ERP: Unifying Customer Relationships and Operations

Having a unified approach to managing customer relationships and operational processes is crucial for companies of all sizes. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technology systems can transform how organizations operate. In this guide, we’ll define each type of system and explore the benefits and tradeoffs of integrated technologies vs native platforms. We’ll wrap up with some innovative tips for funding technology systems.

Section 1: What are CRM and ERP Systems?

Let’s start with a few definitions, so we’re all on the same page. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a type of software system that integrates and manages core business processes across an organization in a centralized location. These processes can include:

• Customer relationship management
• Supply chain and inventory management
• Manufacturing and production
• Procurement and order processing
• Finance and accounting

An ERP system provides real-time data visibility, standardizes workflows, and enables departments to share information efficiently, improving coordination, decision-making, and overall productivity. Modern ERP solutions are often cloud-based and scalable, making them accessible for both large enterprises, small to mid-sized businesses, and startups.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a technology used by businesses to manage and analyze interactions with current and potential customers. It helps companies improve relationships by organizing, automating, and synchronizing sales, marketing, customer service, and support activities.

Key functions of a CRM system include:

• Tracking customer interactions and communications related to orders and returns
• Managing sales pipelines and opportunities
• Automating marketing campaigns
• Providing customer support and service management
• Analyzing customer behavior and sales performance

The goal of CRM is to enhance customer satisfaction, boost retention, and drive business growth by delivering a more personalized and efficient customer experience.

Salesforce, a global leader in CRM, has aptly blogged about how it defines CRM and ERP. While CRM is customer-centric and primarily utilized by sales, marketing, and customer service teams, ERP offers a holistic view of organizational operations, serving departments like sales, service, finance, and logistical teams (warehouse, shipping, etc.).

Selecting a single native platform or integrating CRM and ERP systems is worth a deeper discussion. When properly evaluated and implemented, these systems offer a comprehensive solution that combines customer insights with operational data. This system facilitates seamless information flow, enhances collaboration across departments, and enables a more agile response to market demands, ultimately driving business growth and efficiency.

Section 2: How does Salesforce ERP Work with CRM?

A major challenge successful companies must overcome when utilizing Salesforce CRM with Salesforce ERP is how to approach the integration strategy. In Salesforce parlance, there are really two types of integrations: (1) “on platform” versus (2) “off platform” integrations. This nuance is critically important to understand when considering the benefits of CRM + ERP, implementation complexity/cost, IT level of effort, project risks, change management needed, etc.

What are examples of on platform vs off platform integrations? On platform integrations for CRM and ERP are native technologies provided by Salesforce ISV partners that are available as managed packages on AppExchange. These native apps, like Ascent ERP, have passed Salesforce security review and are approved by the company for customer usage. Conversely, companies that manage Salesforce ERP may use “off platform” integrations to popular 3rd party apps like Shopify, QuickBooks, WooCommerce, Magento, Xero, and more. We’ve blogged about how this works using the Ascent Workato integration for Shopify.

That said, there are significant advantages for using native apps that are “on platform” because they are designed specifically for Salesforce. Benefits include:

• Access real-time insights, streamline workflows, and make data-driven decisions swiftly.
• Flexibility to deliver tailored solutions satisfying customers specific requirements and business processes.
• Data flows effortlessly across various departments since all transactions are in one database.

When organizations leverage off platform integrations, they often face significant integration risks such as data silos, inconsistent data quality, and increased complexity in managing different systems. Each additional technology adds layers of potential failure points, making it difficult to derive real-time insights and respond swiftly to market changes. Moreover, the time and resources spent on maintaining these disparate systems can detract from focusing on core business objectives.

In contrast, Salesforce native apps deliver a unified, on platform experience, enhancing visibility and operational efficiency. Furthermore, native apps benefit from regular updates and improvements from Salesforce, ensuring that users always have access to the latest features and security protocols.

To summarize the trade-offs, if your business values best-in-class features and is willing to manage integration complexity, go with separate, yet integrated ERP and CRM systems. However, If you prioritize simplicity, cost-efficiency, and unified data across your organization, leveraging native apps for ERP + CRM may be the better fit. Each approach can be effective—success depends on your company’s size, technical capacity, growth goals, operational structure, and the ability to implement change management for digital transformation.

Section 3: What are the Benefits of Customer 360° & Operations 360°?

If you follow Salesforce, the company often talks about the concept of Customer 360°, which means putting the customer at the center of your CRM strategy. Ascent has built upon this approach with the concept of Operations 360°. When combined, these strategies put customers AND operational data at the center of the system, expanding the benefits you receive from a unified platform.

A Customer and Operations 360° system drives smarter decision-making, greater efficiency, and more personalized experiences. By centralizing customer and operational data, businesses gain a holistic view of their operations and customer interactions, enabling teams across departments—from sales and marketing to finance and supply chain—to collaborate seamlessly and act on real-time insights. This native platform approach also helps eliminate integration complexity, data silos, and improves accuracy, ultimately leading to faster response times, more agile strategies, and stronger customer and supplier relationships. With both customer and operational data at the core, organizations are better equipped to anticipate needs, optimize performance, and deliver consistent value across the entire customer journey.

Section 4: How to Fund ERP and CRM Systems?

As a small business, investing in ERP and CRM systems can be game changers. Harnessing the power of data, automation, and business intelligence helps you increase revenue, lower costs, and improve operational efficiency. But what is the best way to fund these tech systems? We recently wrote about five innovative ways to fund a technology system. Read some of the key takeaways below and make sure to watch the video blog recap for ideas you may not have considered yet.

Key Takeaways of Funding ERP or CRM Systems:

• There are many viable ways for small businesses to fund an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software system.
  Government lending programs such as the SBA 7(a) Loan Program and the 504 Loan Program provide low risk debt options for ERP software.
• Government grants and subsidies can be used for ERP software and don’t typically require repayment.
• Microfinance loans and some financial services tech companies provide debt-based capital for companies with revenue or account receivable assets to fund ERP systems.
• Reallocating internal resources is an option for companies that don’t qualify for grants or want to take on debt financing for ERP software.

In closing, we hope you found this Salesforce ERP guide valuable. Reach out to us with any questions or learn more about Customer + Operations 360° on our website.