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In today's data-centric marketplace, leveraging top-tier CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is crucial for managing your customer relationships effectively. These advanced tools are key to driving sales and uncovering new insights within your industry.
Regardless of your field, CRM software is likely a necessity. Keep in mind, your competitors are probably already utilizing these tools. If your organization struggles with managing leads and customer interactions, you risk falling behind, as competitors with more organized systems could potentially outperform you.
Both large enterprises and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) benefit immensely from well-organized customer data. This is where CRM software really shines, automating and managing the entire customer lifecycle for a business. Various CRM systems cater to different business needs, with specific tools designed to enhance customer interactions and strengthen relationships by responding adeptly and promptly to client needs.
This guide will not only explain what features to look for in CRM software but will also highlight the top CRM solutions as rated by The Ascent, helping you make an informed decision that can transform your customer management strategy.
| Product | Description | Next Steps |
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Rating image, 4.40 out of 5 stars.
4.40/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Freshworks CRM software caters to businesses of all sizes. Our full review breaks down features, customer support, pricing, and other aspects of this platform.
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Insightly
Rating image, 4.20 out of 5 stars.
4.20/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
As one of our favorite CRM software tools, Insightly comes with an outstanding collection of features to support both your sales and marketing teams.
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Agile CRM
Rating image, 4.10 out of 5 stars.
4.10/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Designed for small to mid-sized businesses, Agile CRM acts as a centralized hub for your CRM software needs. Offering tons of integrations, this tool is a great option for sales teams.
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Rating image, 4.10 out of 5 stars.
4.10/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Pipedrive is an easy-to-use CRM software for small businesses and marketing teams. At an affordable price, this tool will help you invigorate your lead generation so you can maximize your sales.
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Redtail CRM
Rating image, 4.10 out of 5 stars.
4.10/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Redtail CRM is designed to put everything a salesperson needs at their fingertips with a simple web-based dashboard. While there is a learning curve, users are able to quickly access critical info.
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Rating image, 3.90 out of 5 stars.
3.90/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
HubSpot offers a great free CRM software product with upgrade options for robust paid features. This tool also syncs with the rest of the HubSpot ecosystem so you can easily coordinate your teams.
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Rating image, 3.80 out of 5 stars.
3.80/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Capsule CRM is a simple, straightforward platform that is web-based, offers a free version, and is very easy to use. It lacks more advanced features but is perfect for small teams on a budget.
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Zendesk Sell
Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Zendesk Sell makes managing a sales team simple, and it offers a variety of reporting tools to help you figure out how to improve your team's efficiency.
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Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Zoho CRM software is designed for a variety of business models and sizes. With plenty of integrations and options, this platform is best used within the Zoho ecosystem of software products.
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Vtiger Sales CRM
Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Vtiger specializes in improving customer interactions by streamlining communication. With customer support and automation features, integrated teams will appreciate this CRM software tool.
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Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Salesforce offers unmatched features and options, but the leading CRM doesn't come cheap. Small businesses may be overwhelmed by the platform's size, which makes this more suited for large companies.
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SugarCRM
Rating image, 3.60 out of 5 stars.
3.60/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
SugarCRM is a powerful CRM software that offers plenty of features and third-party integrations. This platform helps streamline communication so your team stays coordinated and organized.
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Close
Rating image, 3.60 out of 5 stars.
3.60/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Close is a centralized lead generation and sales pipeline CRM software that keeps your entire team organized and streamlined.
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Bitrix24
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Bitrix24 has a vast number of features and customizations yet, consequently, comes with a steep learning curve. This CRM software offers a free version that's perfect for startups and tight budgets.
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Freshworks CRM
Rating image, 4.40 out of 5 stars.
4.40/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Freshworks CRM software caters to businesses of all sizes. Our full review breaks down features, customer support, pricing, and other aspects of this platform.
Freshworks CRM (formerly Freshsales) earned our top ranking as the best CRM out there. This software solution provides a good balance between a lean and affordable option and an enterprise solution that has more features. The platform offers excellent customer support and an intuitive interface with an option for just about any feature you would need. It also comes in at a low price point.
Some actions and dashboard customization are limited. There's also no user forum. However, these downsides are outweighed by all of the software's advantages.
One of the main features Freshworks offers is lead scoring. It has a strong prospecting tool that will help salespeople feel more in control of their pipeline. Other features include team management and reports.
Freshworks offers a lead tracking system that allows you to score individual prospects. Image source: Author
Insightly
Rating image, 4.20 out of 5 stars.
4.20/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: As one of our favorite CRM software tools, Insightly comes with an outstanding collection of features to support both your sales and marketing teams.
Insightly is a CRM tool geared toward improving the flow and organization of your business. Its range of marketing tools is impressive, and it has automation features that will save your team time.
Unfortunately, the best marketing features are for higher-paid tiers, and some app integrations regularly break. However, those issues are more than outweighed by a fantastic support team, extensive features no matter your business size, and even a "forever free" plan for those solopreneurs who need a simple solution right away.
Its most interesting feature is lead routing, which helps you contact prospects at exactly the right time. With this feature, the sales team focuses efforts on red-hot leads, automatically sending those leads to a team member when the time is right. Insightly also offers email marketing, custom dashboards, and plenty of integrations with popular third-party software.
Insightly’s marketing dashboard displays all the relevant data. Image source: Author
Agile CRM
Rating image, 4.10 out of 5 stars.
4.10/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Designed for small to mid-sized businesses, Agile CRM acts as a centralized hub for your CRM software needs. Offering tons of integrations, this tool is a great option for sales teams.
Agile CRM is designed for small and medium-sized companies. It is a cloud-based solution that integrates all of your activities -- sales, marketing, social media, and even customer service -- into one place. The software comes at a number of pricing levels, ranging from free to enterprise, and it supports more than 50 plug-ins and integrations.
While the customization could be better and automation features can be tough to understand, we like the fact that importing contacts is quick and easy, there's seamless application with popular apps like Skype and Facebook, and gamification features help improve employee efficiency.
One of the big features of Agile is its contact management tool. Agile keeps contacts organized and allows the user to store basics about your customers, including interests and how they interact with your company. This allows you to build lasting relationships with your customers. The software also offers tools for project management, appointment scheduling, and even a landing page builder.
Agile’s dashboard clearly shows where your sales team stands at the present moment. Image source: Author
Pipedrive
Rating image, 4.10 out of 5 stars.
4.10/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Pipedrive is an easy-to-use CRM software for small businesses and marketing teams. At an affordable price, this tool will help you invigorate your lead generation so you can maximize your sales.
Pipedrive is ideal for small businesses or salespeople who are heavily involved with the marketing team. This easy-to-use CRM has lots of marketing tools to help your team get to the next level, and it comes in at an affordable price. It's also very easy to use and was made by sales experts for sales experts. This is a great option if your team is growing and you need something to organize your efforts.
Despite the good pricing options, there's no forever free plan for this software. Also, the Essential plan includes web forms that are branded, and the feature set is somewhat limited. However, this is one of the most affordable CRM solutions out there, and it's easy to use as long as you get the training. Also, the customer support is 24/7.
Pipedrive's pipeline management feature is a standout. It allows you to closely monitor your lead generation and sales process with proven methodologies, helping your team make more conversions. You can use it to spot trends, and customization is easy. The software also integrates your email system, helps you generate leads, and produces visual sales reports.
Pipedrive will improve the communication between your sales team and your customers. Image source: Author
Redtail CRM
Rating image, 4.10 out of 5 stars.
4.10/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Redtail CRM is designed to put everything a salesperson needs at their fingertips with a simple web-based dashboard. While there is a learning curve, users are able to quickly access critical info.
Redtail CRM is another top solution that goes the route of simplicity rather than trying to bombard the user with features. This software option doesn't have the range of capabilities of some platforms, but it's a great web-based solution for small businesses that need a simple CRM platform to organize their sales efforts.
The software could stand to have some free training, more features, a more robust mobile app, and some additional customization options, but it does a lot of things really well -- particularly customer service, an easy-to-use dashboard, detailed contact information, and email archiving. The pricing is pretty straightforward: It's $99/month for every 15 users.
The dashboard is one of the best aspects of Redtail. As soon as you log in, you can see everything that you need to know, including upcoming appointments, workflow tasks, and team notices. Salespeople are often pulled in every direction, so it's helpful to have one hub to keep them centered. Additionally, the software offers a calendar, detailed contacts list, reports, a mobile app, and workflow processes.
Redtail’s dashboard is easy to navigate with the handy menu on the left. Image source: Author
HubSpot CRM
Rating image, 3.90 out of 5 stars.
3.90/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: HubSpot offers a great free CRM software product with upgrade options for robust paid features. This tool also syncs with the rest of the HubSpot ecosystem so you can easily coordinate your teams.
HubSpot CRM is a free CRM option for small businesses on a tight budget. This CRM is very easy to set up and get started with, and its massive features list makes it great for large enterprises as well. HubSpot offers something for everyone -- big companies can get all the bells and whistles to manage their marketing and sales teams, while solopreneurs can opt for the simple "forever free" option.
The massive feature set can be daunting for some users and costs can quickly increase the more features you need. However, the "forever free" option, the scalable CRM stack and marketing suite, and the excellent performance-reporting dashboards set this software platform apart in a good way.
HubSpot's pipeline dashboard is its standout feature. The dashboard shows every detail about your sales funnel in real time and lets you share it with the entire team so everyone is on the same page. It is well-designed and easy to read, and you can chop up the data to see who is overperforming and who is underperforming. Other features include activity logging, real-time chat, and email templates.
HubSpot does a good job of providing visualized data. Image source: Author
Capsule CRM
Rating image, 3.80 out of 5 stars.
3.80/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Capsule CRM is a simple, straightforward platform that is web-based, offers a free version, and is very easy to use. It lacks more advanced features but is perfect for small teams on a budget.
Capsule CRM is ideally suited for companies that are worried about price and ease of use. This platform provides all of the functionality any sales team expects from a CRM, even if it doesn't have some of the more advanced features you might find with some of the pricier options. However, it's a web-based tool that offers a free version, and that makes it attractive to a lot of small businesses.
Beyond its limited features, the software has other downsides. Its customer support is also limited, and it doesn't have a long list of integrations. It also doesn't offer much in the way of reports. However, it has a simple, clean dashboard, a great mobile app, and -- most importantly -- a free version. And that might be enough for your organization.
The software has an interesting contact list tool. You can upload contacts from a spreadsheet, and its automation tool checks the fields and automatically creates those fields in the software, which is a big time-saver. You can add an opportunity or a case to the contact to track sales progress with each individual or make notes and attach files to them. The software also helps you track cases and opportunities, and while its reporting features are limited (and only available to paid users), you can create basic reports to help with sales forecasting and spotting trends.
Capsule allows you to store detailed information on potential customers. Image source: Author
Zendesk Sell
Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Zendesk Sell makes managing a sales team simple, and it offers a variety of reporting tools to help you figure out how to improve your team's efficiency.
Zendesk Sell is a platform that excels with limited onboarding and powerful reporting features to help you improve the performance of your team. It can get expensive, but this CRM is one you should explore as it is easy to use and offers plenty of interesting features for a sales team.
The main downsides of the software are that it is expensive beyond three users, has limited features at its lowest tier, and customer support is limited. However, this is an easy-to-use platform that is great for tech novices; onboarding is minimal and its strong reporting tools compare favorably to competitors.
Zendesk has a good tool for managing leads. You can't put as much detail into it as other software platforms, but leads are easy to add and organize. The software keeps a detailed call log so you know how many calls your team is making and what impact it is having on conversion rates. Its reports let you dive into conversions, call and email outcomes, and many other aspects of your team's performance.
The Zendesk Sell dashboard can be customized depending on your needs. Image source: Author
Zoho CRM
Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Zoho CRM software is designed for a variety of business models and sizes. With plenty of integrations and options, this platform is best used within the Zoho ecosystem of software products.
Vtiger Sales CRM
Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Vtiger specializes in improving customer interactions by streamlining communication. With customer support and automation features, integrated teams will appreciate this CRM software tool.
Vtiger Sales CRM is a platform that aims to streamline communication both internally and externally, as well as improve your interactions with customers overall. The software does a good job of organizing and storing information on your various sales and marketing efforts, and it has helpful automation features to save your team some time.
Vtiger has a free version, making it a solid option for sole proprietors and small businesses. The software's organization of contact search results leave much to be desired, and a number of modules may increase the learning curve, but Vtiger has a lot of advantages as well. For example, it offers an easy-to-understand management console, adaptable customization and modules, and excellent value when it comes to the number of features you get.
The level of customization when it comes to the contact list is probably the software's strongest feature. You'll be able to capture leads and contacts a lot easier with customizable fields and the ability to attach notes and other information to help land a sale. Prebuilt widgets and customizable charts will help you get even more out of the software.
Vtiger’s contact pages are about as detailed as you will find in the CRM world. Image source: Author
Salesforce CRM
Rating image, 3.70 out of 5 stars.
3.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Salesforce offers unmatched features and options, but the leading CRM doesn't come cheap. Small businesses may be overwhelmed by the platform's size, which makes this more suited for large companies.
Salesforce CRM is one of the biggest names in the CRM world, for good reason. This platform caters to small and large businesses alike, and it offers just about any CRM feature your company needs. The Salesforce team will customize the software to your specifications, and while it's not the cheapest CRM on the market, you'll get a lot for your money.
Salesforce can be challenging to learn, the setup is complicated, and if you want a lot of features, you'll have to pay quite a bit. However, you can pick and choose the features you want, there’s a lot of integrations, and it offers tools for every facet of your business.
Salesforce's opportunity management feature will let your team funnel leads through the pipeline so they keep track of them better. The software also offers task management, which lets you attach dates and manage the team schedule through the software. And you'll also be able to create custom quotes using information entered into the software so you can quickly process orders.
Salesforce’s highly visual dashboard will keep your sales team on the same page. Image source: Author
SugarCRM
Rating image, 3.60 out of 5 stars.
3.60/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: SugarCRM is a powerful CRM software that offers plenty of features and third-party integrations. This platform helps streamline communication so your team stays coordinated and organized.
Close
Rating image, 3.60 out of 5 stars.
3.60/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Close is a centralized lead generation and sales pipeline CRM software that keeps your entire team organized and streamlined.
Bitrix24
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line: Bitrix24 has a vast number of features and customizations yet, consequently, comes with a steep learning curve. This CRM software offers a free version that's perfect for startups and tight budgets.
What The Ascent looks for in a great CRM software
CRM software encompasses a broad array of functionalities, yet there are essential traits you should demand in any system you consider.
Contacts and lead tracking
A standout CRM system must excel at organizing contacts and monitoring sales leads. While it's a given that every CRM will offer some form of this feature—since it's virtually impossible to function in sales without it—not every system handles it equally well. You should seek out a CRM that allows you to tailor your contact lists extensively and incorporate comprehensive details that provide a competitive advantage. Additionally, effective tracking of leads through various stages of the sales funnel is crucial, enabling timely engagement that could make or break a deal.
Relationship management
True to its name, relationship management is a fundamental aspect of CRM, focusing on the "R" and "M." When evaluating CRM options, it’s important to choose one that doesn't just help you secure a sale but also helps maintain and grow that relationship afterward. Your CRM should support you in tracking the customer lifecycle, provide deep data insights, and include automated tools to foster ongoing customer engagement. This not only helps in retaining customers but also potentially expands future sales opportunities through nurtured relationships.
Sales tracking and analytics
In the world of sales, data reigns supreme. Effective sales tracking and analytics allow you to assess a wide range of performance metrics, helping you understand whether you’re making too many or too few calls, how your conversion rates are faring, and whether you're dedicating enough effort to lead qualification. Opt for a CRM that offers robust analytics and detailed reporting capabilities. A system that can dissect your performance with precision is invaluable, as it helps pinpoint specific areas for improvement and drives better sales strategies.
How your business can benefit from using CRM software
So why should your organization sign up for CRM software? Chances are you wouldn't be reading this article if you didn't think some things need improvement at your organization. Here are some of the benefits of a CRM you'll enjoy.
Interaction tracking
Modern CRM systems document all interactions with your customers. For example, the CRM suite tracks every live chat, email, in-person conversation, text message, and phone call you have with customers.
Tracking processes are fully automated and can include engagements on social media platforms. With social media tracking enabled, businesses can learn which social posts drive the most customer interaction.
Workflow automation
No CRM strategy will be successful without proper execution. With CRM software, you can set up and maintain integrated office software tools such as task lists, push alerts, and interactive calendars through CRM suites.
For instance, if you compile a list of daily objectives in the calendar app, the CRM tool will automatically create a to-do list from the data. As you work through the day, the list updates in real time, keeping you focused and on track.
Performance reporting
CRM software tracks sales productivity and customer analytics. You can compile and issue regular reports based on the activities logged in the CRM system. Reports can include bottom-line information such as new revenue accumulated or customer-side metrics such as the number of new contacts generated.
Performance reports are useful tools for forecasting business outcomes. Using the data collected through CRM software, your business can be better positioned to forecast your sales pipeline for the upcoming quarter.
Our Small Business Expert
Tom Rayner has been involved in digital marketing since 2006 and specializes in SEO — along the way, he’s built and sold six-figure affiliate websites, and seven-figure marketing agencies. Despite all that, he’s a bit of a goof and prone to some epic fails alongside his successes. Also, he’s British, so he apologi(s)es in advance!
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