CRM Software

What is 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 therefore helps to convert leads, retain existing customers, and improves internal processes. 

CRM systems, be they through integrations with other Customer Experience (CX) tools or simply as stand-alone systems, can be beneficial across departments, from marketing and sales to customer 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.

Key Features and Capabilities of CRM Software  

  • Customer profiling
  • Contact management
  • Calendar integration and management
  • Interaction tracking
  • Task management
  • Email integration
  • Social media integration
  • Lead management
  • Sales pipelines
  • Lead scoring
  • Lead tracking
  • Workflow automation tools
  • Document storage
  • Customer lifecycle management

Additionally, CRM platforms also integrate with other customer-focused platforms, such as customer intelligence software. With CX now being a top factor of consideration for businesses of all sizes, incorporating granular customer insights is essential to improving customer service, while also delivering timely personalized recommendations that are attuned to the needs of varying audiences.

Key Benefits of CRM Software  

  • Centralized customer data: Top CRM platforms essentially offer sales and service teams the ability to communicate with a customer via a single profile. This is done by integrating interactions from multiple communication channels, thereby delivering omnichannel communications through one unified platform – as opposed to having to toggle between multiple applications.
  • Streamlined access for sales and service teams: While centralized customer profiles contribute to smoother collaboration between teams thanks to a single-pane-of-glass interface, task management capabilities enable team members to create, assign and share tasks in order to stay on top of day-to-day duties.
  • Automation of repetitive tasks: Configuring workflows within a CRM can allow teams to automate common and mundane tasks, so precious time can be freed for more pressing responsibilities, or for tasks that require strategic attention.
  • Personalized recommendations: CRM systems, together with customer journey mapping tools, can help marketing teams deliver personalized recommendations that are carefully customized and timed to the unique needs of each customer, in order to resonate better – while also driving sales.

Have more questions about CRM software? Visit our CRM FAQs to learn more.

Top 10 CRM Software

SYSPRO / NetSuite / Salesforce Service Cloud / Monday.com / SAP S/4HANA / Oracle ERP / Maximizer / Insightly / Act! / SugarCRM

WH Score
8.0
DELMIAworks

DELMIAworks

28reviews
Starting Price:N/A
IQMS has a flagship product called the Enterprise IQ. It is developed with specifications for discrete and also repetitive manufacturers. They can be found in aerospace, automotive, plastics, metal fabrication, packaging industries and others. Though its focus is on firms that have repetitive proces...
WH Score
8.0
VIENNA Advantage

VIENNA Advantage

12reviews
Starting Price:$0 per user / per month
VIENNA Advantage is a business management solution that covers all functions of the modern enterprise. It realizes strategic goals with applications used across the company. They include tightly integrated ERP solution, CRM solution, DMS that suits your business. It doesn’t waste time to devel...
WH Score
8.0
Freshsales

Freshsales

11reviews
Starting Price:$0 per user / per month
Freshsales (offered by Freshdesk) is a cloud-based CRM software. It contains all the necessary tools to provide quality assistance to customers: multichannel communication, integrated, mechanical functions designed to boost agent productivity, intelligent automation, a self-service portal, community...
WH Score
8.0
ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign

9reviews
Starting Price:$29 per user / per month
ActiveCampaign is a customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation platform that enables businesses to manage and automate their marketing, sales, and customer service efforts. It offers a range of features to help companies to streamline their workflows and improve their customer e...
WH Score
7.9
Verint

Verint

14reviews
Starting Price:N/A
As a leading CRM provider of actionable intelligence solutions, Verint provides a comprehensive platform for customer engagement optimization. Verint’s software and services can help your organization to enrich interactions, optimize your workforce and improve business processes.
WH Score
7.9
Acumatica

Acumatica

8reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Acumatica is a cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that offers a platform designed for midsize customers with a complete, real-time view across the business.   
WH Score
7.9
Copper

Copper

13reviews
Starting Price:$23 per user / per month
Copper is a comprehensive CRM solution that tackles all aspects of the sales and marketing pipeline. With everything consolidated into one central platform, your team members have a single source of truth for any task or lead that needs to be monitored.   
WH Score
7.9
Ravetree

Ravetree

0reviews
Starting Price:$29 per user / per month
Ravetree is an award-winning work management software platform that includes best-in-class project management, resource planning, time & expense tracking, invoicing & billing, and CRM. Companies benefit from having a single source of truth from which they can optimize their operations and ea...
WH Score
7.9
Metasystems

Metasystems

0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
ICIM ERP by Metasystems is a comprehensive ERP that combines various business operations such as order management, manufacturing, warranty management, and financials. It is used by small, and mid-sized discrete manufacturers. It combines various processes such as engineering, order management, CRM, ...
WH Score
7.9
Deskera

Deskera

17reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Especially suited to SMBs, Deskera features all the necessary tools to run efficient accounting processes and maintain accurate books. Track employee time-off and run payroll from the same system, so you don’t need to depend on multiple applications to manage your business’s finances.&nb...

CRM Topics

Learn more about CRM Software

Are CRMs part of sales or marketing?

CRMs are characteristically designed to assist sales and service teams, as agents in these departments are in the frontlines of answering customer inquiries, or attending to complaints/feedback. While marketing teams may not directly use the core functionalities of CRMs, they may find value in accessing any inbuilt reporting and analytics tools, if available.

Additionally, marketing teams can assist other teams that do actively use CRMs, by configuring custom workflows in order to automate common tasks, implement customer self-service tools, or deliver personalized recommendations directly within the CRM – based on insights derived from reporting tools.

Is a CRM a database?

CRMs are based on customer databases, all of which are connected to one another. But a CRM is more than just a collection of databases; it's an entire system, complete with an easy-to-navigate user interface that allows sales and service teams to interact with prospects/customers. Additionally, 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 the difference between CRM and CDP?

Although CRMs and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) are both solutions that are utilized for customer engagement and management, there are key differences between each. The main difference between CRMs and CDPs, however, lies in their core functionalities; while CRMs are systems that offer sales and service teams a set of tools to interact with customers across any channel of their choice, CDPs build centralized customer profiles by ingesting, analysing and unifying customer data from multiple channels.

Typically, CDPs connect with CRMs, so business teams can obtain deep customer insights directly into the latter, via the former. This integration then helps teams to automate tasks, customize recommendations, and contextually interact with customers – directly from the CRM interface.

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