The Reality of Salesforce: Award-Winning, but Far From Perfect for Marketers
By
Rachel Daggett
Salesforce positions itself as the world’s leading CRM and marketing automation platform (MAP), and the company’s undeniable success and accolades would seem to support that claim. But when this is the “best in the industry,” why are marketers like us still facing fundamental issues?
Over the past few months (and years), Salesforce has accumulated an impressive list of industry recognitions. From being named a Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant™ to the International Data Corporation (IDC) ranking Salesforce as the #1 CRM provider in its 2024 Worldwide Semiannual Software Tracker®—for the 11th consecutive time—and the #1 spot for Marketing for the 5th year running, Salesforce’s reputation for excellence is undeniable.
Yet, my recent experience revealed gaps in the platform that directly impact day-to-day marketing workflows. Specifically, I faced two challenges—one with email template formatting and another with email engagement metrics—that raised important questions about how effectively Salesforce serves its users.
Here’s a breakdown of the issues, what I learned, and some lingering questions for the community.
1. Email Template Formatting Issue
Recently, I encountered an issue with Salesforce AE email templates where bold formatting wouldn’t update through the front-end editor. Upon reviewing the HTML code, I discovered the font weight simply refused to change.
After troubleshooting, Salesforce AE acknowledged the issue and opened a ticket—though, as expected, there’s no timeline for resolution.
The temporary workaround involves manual HTML adjustments—a solution that feels like a step backward, considering a front-end editor should handle such changes intuitively. While I appreciate the support engineer’s assistance, this experience raises broader questions about the efficacy of SFAE’s editor tools versus modern user expectations.
To save everyone some time, open up the source code in IMG1 and find your way over to ‘font-weight’ in IMG 2.
2. Email Metrics: Unique Clicks vs. Open Rates
On another front, I raised concerns about questionable open rates in our email campaigns. The support engineer explained that “as email providers become more sophisticated, detecting legitimate opens versus bot opens has grown increasingly complex.” The recommendation? Focus on unique clicks rather than open rates.
While this makes sense in theory, I find it curious. I’ve used other platforms like HubSpot, Klavyio, and ActiveCampaign and haven’t experienced this issue to the same extent. This raises two key questions:
Is Salesforce flagging more "bot opens" than other MAP platforms?
Or are competitors better at differentiating legitimate opens from bots?
Unfortunately, my support engineer didn’t have a concrete answer—but this is a conversation worth having.
Final Thoughts
Every tool has its limitations, and while Salesforce AE is robust, these small inefficiencies can create significant roadblocks for teams trying to move quickly.
Have you experienced similar issues with email formatting or questionable metrics in Salesforce? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts or solutions.
