Salesforce is powerful. It is not always the cheapest path to a CRM that matches unusual workflows.
Buy when
Your process fits standard sales clouds, and admin customization covers most needs without heavy code.
Build when
Workflows are your differentiator, integrations are deep, and license sprawl would dominate TCO.
Hybrid options
Sometimes the win is a custom system of record with selective CRM sync — not an either/or religious war.