CRM Software

What is the best CRM Software?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software offers centralized tools for storing, organizing and analyzing important customer data. While worthwhile, keeping excellent data records can be time-consuming and prone to error when done manually. CRM software helps to convert leads, retain existing customers, and improves internal processes. 

CRM systems can be beneficial across departments, from marketing and sales to customer experience and support. Centralizing all of your customer, lead, and sales data into one powerful CRM platform can streamline processes, improve lead conversions, drive sales, and help shape companywide decisions regarding new or existing business.  

CRM systems contain features and tools that will benefit all types and sizes of companies, including: 

  • Easy-to-Use Interface and Dashboards
  • Contact Management
  • Calendar Integration and Management
  • Interaction Tracking
  • Task Management
  • Email Integration
  • Social Media Integration
  • Lead Management
  • Sales Pipelines
  • Lead Scoring
  • Lead Tracking
  • Workflows and Automation Tools
  • Analytics and Reporting
  • Document Storage
  • Mobility

The business benefits of using CRM software include:

  • Reduced Operational Costs
  • Minimized Data Entry Errors
  • Increased Data Accuracy and Security
  • Increased Productivity and Efficiency
  • Increased Lead Conversions
  • Improved Sales and Profits
  • Improved Customer Experience
  • Increased Insight Into Customers

Acquiring and retaining loyal customers are both essential strategies for business development and growth. To execute these activities successfully, your lead and customer data must be organized, accessible and up-to-date so that you do not miss any opportunities to transform an interested lead into a customer, or a one-time buyer into a lifelong advocate for your brand.

One of the most significant trends that has continuously evolved business software over the past few years is cloud technology. Cloud-based solutions are growing more popular among all types of businesses each year due to the benefits of convenience, mobility, and cost-effectiveness they offer for companies small and large. 

Customer experience is another key business objective that is supported by CRM software. The term “customer experience” has cropped up recently as businesses shifted their focus from reactionary customer service to a more proactive approach of enhancing the entire journey a customer has with their business and brand. CRM tools are essential for businesses focused on customer experience, and offer a plethora of customizable tools and features that help you track every step of your customers’ journeys so you can constantly improve their experience. 

Data is an important element of any business, and CRM solutions are vital to keeping a living database of customer information and data. Your CRM holds a wealth of knowledge about your business and your customers and clients, but analyzing that data carefully can help you uncover budding trends, catch issues before they impact your company health to drastically, and find new, innovative ways to follow up with leads and support high customer retention numbers. 

AI is going to be used more frequently in software automation and user experiences, and is already starting to appear in customer-facing tools such as natural language chatbots and real-time language translations. This technology has the potential to not only change how you interact with customers, but expand who you can reach and service as well. 

Social media is constantly reshaping how businesses develop a footprint for their business online and market to their customers, but it’s also become a popular venue of customer support in the past year. Consumers search out companies through social channels and even interact with business profiles to learn more about a business or get support with questions. 

As a result, social media integration with your CRM is going to be vital to ensure you don’t lose any valuable customers or data from social interactions. CRM tools offer integrations with the main social media channels so you can gather and analyze your business data that lives online via social media.

Top 10 CRM

Maximizer / SugarCRM / Insightly / Act! / Pipedrive / PipelineDeals / Creatio / Zendesk Suite / Keap / Zoho CRM

WH Score
9.3
SYSPRO

SYSPRO

34reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Syspro is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software that is designed to help businesses streamline their operations and improve efficiency. It integrates multiple business processes, including finance, supply chain management, manufacturing, and distribution, into a single platform. With Syspro...
WH Score
8.9
NetSuite

NetSuite

87reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Oracle's NetSuite is the world's #1 cloud ERP solution. This ERP provides over 40,000 organizations worldwide with a modern, scalable, and unified platform to streamline all crucial back-office processes, from financial management and planning, to warehouse and fulfillment, and beyond. With built-in...
WH Score
8.9
Service Cloud

Service Cloud

37reviews
Starting Price:$150 / user / per month
Accelerate your business to attain round-the-clock performance with Salesforce Service Cloud. The modern consumer expects access to customer service when it is convenient to them and their hours rather than the operating times of the call center–Salesforce helps clients meet this need by equip...
WH Score
8.9
SAP S/4HANA

SAP S/4HANA

97reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Developed by the German company SAP SEP, SAP Enterprise Resource Planning software is a robust business management solution that incorporates all operational aspects within an organization under a single integrated system. As of 2015, it is the world’s most widely used enterprise application s...
WH Score
8.8
Oracle

Oracle

144reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Oracle ERP represents one of the globe’s leading enterprise software organizations. They have built a sophisticated portfolio of business software applications through high-profile acquisitions. The company is well-known for its strengths in the database, and infrastructure systems. It offers ...
WH Score
8.8
Maximizer

Maximizer

34reviews
Starting Price:$55 / user / per month
With Maximizer CRM you can review sales forecasts, customer service issues, contact information, calendar appointments, notes and documents on all of your web-enabled device.  
WH Score
8.8
SugarCRM

SugarCRM

36reviews
Starting Price:$49 / user / per month
At SugarCRM, we enable companies to build extraordinary customer relationships by delivering the most innovative products and services to understand and engage with customers. 
WH Score
8.7
Insightly

Insightly

104reviews
Starting Price:$29 / user / per month
Join the over 850,000 people worldwide using the #1 CRM and project management app for small business teams, vendors and entrepreneurs. Insightly is a leading CRM for SMEs, and will save your workers’ time by automatically tracking all client or project related activity in one place. &nbs...
WH Score
8.7
Act!

Act!

139reviews
Starting Price:$30 / user / per month
Act! is the world's best selling CRM system for managing contacts and communication with customers. This CRM solution can effectively record information, organize daily tasks effectively, and lets you communicate and share information.    
WH Score
8.6
Pipedrive

Pipedrive

57reviews
Starting Price:$11.90 / user / per month
Pipedrive CRM is a powerful customer relationship management software designed to help businesses streamline their sales processes and close more deals. The software is packed with features that make it easy to manage and track leads, deals, and contacts, as well as automate tasks and stay on top of...

CRM Topics

Learn more about CRM Software

What is CRM Software and How Does it Work?

CRM is the acronym for Customer Relationship Management software. CRM software provides tools and features that help companies consolidate customer, sales, lead, and other business data into one system. CRM systems can store customer records, email exchanges with clients, and lead data all in one easy to use system. CRM software can be very beneficial across a company by driving sales, improving customer experience and growing profits. 

How Much Does a CRM Tool Cost?

There are many free CRMs on the market, but the more robust CRM options tend to start at an affordable $10 to $15 per user each month. Free and low cost CRM pricing plans are best for small companies, but enterprises will need more elaborate tools and storage capabilities so these CRM systems can run upwards of $250-$300 per user each month. 

What Does a CRM Software Do?

CRM software stores customer data, lead information, sales details, and communication flows with your existing and prospective customers or clients. CRM systems are designed to help companies manage and analyze critical customer data to improve workflows and processes while driving sales. 

What are the Types of CRM?

There are several main types of CRM systems, which include:

  • Operations
  • Strategy
  • Analytics
  • Collaboration

Is a CRM a Database?

A CRM software system is a series of databases that are centralized in a single platform and can be used to gather and store customer data, sales information, and lead flow details. CRM systems also offer analytics across all the information in the system so that you can analyze that data to spot opportunities, issues, or trends to inform your decision making. 

What is CRM in Simple Words?

In simple terms, a CRM is a system to help collect, store, and analyze critical customer data and streamline the process of managing customer, lead, and client relationships. interactions that 

What are the Common Features of CRM Software?

The most common features of CRM software include:

  • Contact and Lead Management
  • Sales Management and Tracking
  • Customer Experience Management
  • Opportunity Management
  • Lead Management and Qualification
  • Reports and Dashboards
  • Analytics, Dashboards, & Reporting
  • Mobile CRM Access and Tools
  • Sales Forecasting & Automation

What are the Common Elements of CRM?

The common elements of a CRM include:

  • Human Resources
  • Customer Service Tools and Tracking
  • Sales Automation
  • Lead Management
  • Marketing Tools & Automation
  • Workflow Automation
  • Analytics & Reporting

What are the Functions of CRM Software?

The main function of a CRM software is to store and organize all customer, client, lead, and sales data in a singular platform. All of the data in a CRM system can be used across departments for improved internal processes and tracking as well as efficiency gains and profit increases. 

What are the Benefits of CRM?

The benefits of CRM software include:

  • Cost-Savings and Increased Profits
  • Enhanced Customer Experience & Customer Satisfaction
  • Sales & Marketing Automation & Optimization
  • Improved Internal Collaboration and Customer Relationships
  • Better Business Insight with Analytics

Who Uses CRM?

CRM software is beneficial to all types and sizes of companies, and companies both small and large are embracing CRM tools. In fact, a CRM is typically one of the first software investments made as companies grow. Some of the main industries with high CRM adoption include:

  • Banking & Finance
  • Retail & Sales
  • Hotels & Hospitality
  • Insurance
  • B2B
  • Consulting
  • Agriculture

What are the Disadvantages of CRM?

While CRM software is highly advantageous for a variety of different companies and industries, there are some drawbacks to CRMs, including:

  • Upfront and ongoing software costs and fees
  • Extra costs for premium tools and features premium upgrades
  • Needed customizations and personalization of the CRM system
  • IT involvement for implementation and ongoing system support
  • Required hardware and software
  • Employee training and adoption

How do I Choose the Right CRM?

You can use the following checklist to help ensure you choose the right CRM for your business:

  • Focus on business needs and growth goals driving the decision to get a new or upgraded CRM.
  • Plan for implementation costs, IT involvement, and any downtime that may impact ongoing customer interactions or sales processes.
  • Make a plan to support user adoption through training.
  • Plan mobility needs so all employees have proper access to the CRM.
  • Understand the business processes you’re looking to streamline and automate.
  • Plan for integration with existing software solutions.
  • Don’t skip the product demos offered by CRM vendors to show features and functionality.
  • Understand reporting and analytics needs and how the CRM will support your needs.
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