The use of customer relationship management (CRM) software enables businesses to enhance sales, foster expansion, and deliver outstanding customer experiences. Numerous CRM platforms are present in the market, each offering distinct features and advantages. To facilitate your research, we have compiled a comprehensive guide highlighting the finest CRM options currently available for small businesses. Carefully examine our recommended choices to discover the perfect CRM software for your needs.
The Best CRM Software for Small Businesses
Zoho CRM is the optimal choice for startup businesses.
Zoho CRM provides a comprehensive solution for sales pipeline management and business growth. It caters to businesses of any scale, enabling them to personalize their procedures, establish sales workflows, and make use of robust reporting mechanisms. Additionally, it offers a complete range of applications that can be integrated with the platform, such as those for marketing, customer support, accounting, human resources, and inventory management, as long as you have a paid subscription.
Starting at $20 per month, monthly plans can go up to $65 per month, but if you commit to a full year, a significant discount is available. Additionally, there is a free option. The free basic plan is suitable for small businesses and startups as it supports up to three users and includes various features such as leads, deals, contact management, tasks, events, Zoho app integrations, and multichannel marketing.
Paid plans offer features such as custom dashboards, inventory management, advanced customization, and scoring rules. Additionally, with Zoho Creator, you can quickly create a mobile app for your business within minutes. This enables you to conveniently access your business data from anywhere, directly from your Android and iOS devices.
Monday.com is ideal for teams.
Monday.com, which operates in the cloud, is ideal for teams requiring collaborative efforts on tasks and projects. It provides a task visualization feature through a Kanban-style board view, facilitating teamwork and sharing with colleagues. Additionally, it enables project progress monitoring, incorporation of due dates and comments, and attachment of files.
A free trial of 14 days is available and the pricing starts at free per month and can go up to $60 for three users (with an 18% discount for yearly subscribers). To obtain a quote for Enterprise-level plans, you need to contact sales. The free plan includes a range of features such as templates for lead, contact, and deal management, web forms, up to 1,000 contacts, two team members, over 20 column types, and an iOS and Android app.
Features included in paid plans consist of unlimited customizable pipelines, unlimited contacts and viewers, sales forecasting, sales analytics, automations, and integrations.
Zendesk Sell is the best option for customer assistance.
Zendesk Sell offers a CRM platform with ticketing and help desk features, ideal for businesses that require customer support. It enables the management of customers through a unified dashboard, allowing for lead and opportunity tracking, communication history logging, task assignment for team collaboration, and real-time notifications for inquiries received.
First, you can take advantage of a 14-day free trial. Then, the price for using the service starts at $19 per user per month and can go up to $99 per user per month. The paid plans offer various features including unlimited paid users, custom fields, reports and dashboards, team collaboration tools, advanced workflow automations, and customer insights.
Insightly is the top choice for project management.
Insightly is ideal for small businesses seeking project management capabilities. It enables you to stay updated on sales pipeline and project advancement through its Gantt chart view. Additionally, it facilitates time and expense tracking. Moreover, you have the option to establish custom fields, import data from different applications, and schedule automated reminders for lead follow-ups.
You have the option to try it out for free for a duration of 14 days, and the cost ranges from $29 to $99 per user per month when paid annually. The plans offer various features including advanced reporting, automation rules, custom branding, data import, and project management and delivery.
FreshSales is the top choice for managing leads.
Freshsales provides built-in lead capture forms that enable convenient gathering of information from potential customers on the web. Subsequently, it allows you to monitor leads as they progress through the sales pipeline and transform them into opportunities and customers.
A free trial is available for 21 days, and the pricing ranges from free to $83 per user per month. The paid plans offer features like multicurrency support, advanced reporting and analytics, business process workflows, deal management, and holiday routing.
Salesforce: The CRM platform that offers the most comprehensive customer relationship management solution.
Salesforce is the optimal choice for companies seeking a comprehensive CRM that encompasses all aspects. This platform enables effective management of leads, contacts, opportunities, and customers. Furthermore, Salesforce provides an interactive dashboard for an overview of company operations and instant alerts in real-time.
In order to try out the features of the plan, make use of the complimentary 14-day trial. The pricing begins at $25 per month if paid annually and goes up to $300 per month for the Unlimited plan. Moreover, there are additional features available to enhance the capabilities of your Salesforce solution as your business expands, making it an ideal choice for companies looking to stay with the same CRM provider throughout their growth journey.
Pipedrive is the top choice when it comes to simplicity.
Pipedrive is ideal for small businesses seeking a robust set of fundamental CRM features without the complications of a more comprehensive system. It offers an intuitive visual interface for effectively managing leads, contacts, and deals. A significant drawback of Pipedrive is its security, as notifications regarding suspicious logins, potential data leaks, and losses are only available with the Enterprise plan. These security measures should be included in all plans, regardless of the CRM provider.
You have the option to try it out for 14 days without any cost. The pricing will begin at $14.90 per user per month if paid annually. By opting for the Advanced plan or any higher plan, you will get customizable email templates and signatures, email open and click tracking, email scheduling, video call scheduling, and two-way email sync.
Benefits of Using A CRM
The advantages of utilizing a CRM platform appear to be limitless. To begin with, it offers a focal point for customer data, grants accessibility to all departments, monitors sales, arranges analytical information, and encourages team collaboration.
How to Choose a CRM Service for Small Business
The potential return on investment from choosing the best CRM software can be enormous. However, the wide range of CRM platforms available in the market can make the search a daunting task. To alleviate decision fatigue, adhere to these straightforward steps for discovering the optimal CRM for your small business.
Step 1: Understand your priorities and objectives.
In order to benefit your business, it is vital to understand the reasons behind wanting a CRM system. Clear goals need to be outlined for a CRM system to be useful. Commence by conducting a business audit or gap analysis to clarify goals. Examine yearly business performance reports to target areas that require enhancement and establish key goals with designated timeframes. Business goals may range from expanding product offerings to boosting revenue to improving customer service. After pinpointing business goals, assess how a CRM system can assist in achieving them.
Step 2: Identify the needs of your team members.
To ensure a successful system, it is crucial to determine the specific users and reasons for utilizing it. While CRM software is commonly utilized by sales and marketing departments, involving every department in the decision-making process is necessary for optimal functionality. Inquire about the requirements and potential benefits of the software from each team member to enhance their job performance.
Step 3 involves identifying significant features.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of CRM features and tools, it is helpful to follow a step-by-step approach. Start by outlining the specific criteria you are seeking before starting your search. This will help clarify your objectives and allow you to create a focused “must-have” feature list. To compile this list, gather input from team members and consider your business goals and timeline markers. For instance, if your primary use for CRM is marketing, your must-have list may include features such as marketing automation, lead tracking, and data analysis.
When considering your priorities, ensure that you include robust data security and customer support features as essential requirements. You must have software security features such as two-factor authentication, encryption, and advanced user permissions. It will be essential to have customer support features like live chat and phone support readily available for any inquiries or issues.
Step 4: Take into account various categories of CRM.
Although the goal of all CRM systems is to improve customer relationships, it’s important to note that there is no universal system that fits every situation. The specific features and focus of CRM solutions can vary greatly. The three primary categories of CRM are:
- Collaborative. The main focus of the collaborative CRM is providing a seamless customer experience through the various departments of a company. Collaborative CRMs are great for larger companies where the marketing team, sales team, and customer support teams are disconnected and need help sharing real-time customer information.
- Operational. The operational CRM streamlines the customer relations process. It is the best of the three for an all-around CRM solution. Operational CRMs typically leverage three automation features—sales force automation, marketing automation, and service automation. The automatic responses help guide the customer’s journey from their first interaction on your website through the sales pipeline.
- Analytical. Digital platforms make it easy to collect large quantities of customer data. That data is wasted, however, if you do not have a way to analyze it. Analytical CRM analyzes your customers’ data, providing a deep insight into their buying behavior and purchasing trends. Business owners can use these insights to craft smarter marketing campaigns and enhance customer service.
Step 5: Generate a financial plan.
The price of CRM software varies greatly depending on factors such as the number of users, features, subscription base, and others. The price range starts at $9 per user per month at the lower end and goes up to $99 per user per month at the higher end. Although certain companies provide free versions of their software, they are considerably restricted in terms of features, number of users, and storage capacity.
To narrow down the numerous companies, you can also establish a budget from the beginning to provide search parameters. This approach will establish a maximum limit and exclude options that exceed your pre-defined budget.
Step 6: Conduct research on the leading CRM platforms.
Once you have narrowed down your search to a few options, begin researching those options to determine if a platform will suit your needs.
- User reviews. Take time to read the user reviews of the potential software on your list. Pay attention to what reviews list as the pros and cons. This will give you a more honest version of the software than the company’s website.
- Word of mouth. Ask colleagues and other business owners about their CRM system. Are they happy with it? Why or why not? Would they recommend it to someone in your industry?
- Trade publications. Trade magazines and websites are always a great source of information on all things pertaining to your industry. Spend a few hours researching the mentions of CRM software in any trade publications.
- Independent software comparisons. There are many reputable websites unaffiliated with software companies that score, compare, and contrast products for consumers.
After narrowing down your search to one software provider, ensure its compatibility with your company by testing it out. Many CRM vendors provide a free full-feature trial of their products, allowing you to evaluate if the system aligns with your business needs and expectations.
Best Sales Management Software to Help Your Team Close More Deals
Sales management software is utilized by sales personnel in order to effectively manage and document their daily tasks, monitor their sales pipelines and quotas, establish and maintain relationships with potential clients and existing customers, and perform other essential functions.
Sales managers and leaders can utilize these solutions to identify trends, growth opportunities, monitor team performance, manage rep onboarding, and organize coaching.
Benefits of Sales Management Software
To ensure an efficient sales operation, it is imperative to have a software solution in place that enhances communication. In the absence of a centralized information system, your sales representatives will expend precious time searching for data.
One of the purposes of sales management software is to reduce the time spent by your team in organizing information, enabling your salesforce to concentrate on finalizing deals. Additionally, there are other advantages, such as:
- Streamlined team communication and collaboration. If accurate information can be easily shared, your sales team can work in greater harmony.
- An accurate view of your customers. You’ll know who’s in your pipeline, what their needs are, and the best way to get in touch.
- Sales rep performance reports. You can see who is a top performer and who on your team may need more coaching.
- Automated sales rep workflows. Automation can save your team time and minimizes administrative tasks.
Best Software for Sales Management
Are you prepared to discover which sales management software is suitable for your needs? Let’s delve into the top choices.
Many of the sales management tools that are free also have paid plans available for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and enterprise companies who wish to expand their operations.
- HubSpot CRM Suite
HubSpot’s comprehensive platform is specifically crafted to assist businesses of varying sizes in achieving improved growth.
By integrating the Sales Hub, Marketing Hub, Service Hub, CMS Hub, and Operations Hub, the CRM acts as a centralized system for managing customer relationships and provides a range of effective tools.
This solution gives sales teams everything they need to manage customer interactions and provide a remarkable experience by offering platform-wide automation, reporting, integrations, and an easy-to-use user experience (UX).
You can increase leads, speed up sales, simplify customer service, or create a powerful website by utilizing HubSpot’s all-in-one CRM platform.
Ideal for: Sales teams in need of a sophisticated and inclusive CRM solution.
There is the option to use a free version. The starting price for starter plans is $45 per month, while professional plans incur a cost of $1600 per month. Enterprise plans come with a price of $5,000 a month.
- HubSpot Sales Hub
Even though HubSpot’s CRM software is a comprehensive tool, the Sales Hub can function independently as a sales management solution.
The free plan provides access to features such as live chat functionality, chatbots, team email, sales database, quotes, calling, and sales reports. On the other hand, the paid plan provides access to an extra set of productivity and automation tools.
Both plans are highly effective and allow sales leaders to enhance the sales process.
To enhance relationships with leads, close more deals, and improve sales pipeline management, consider using the comprehensive HubSpot Sales Hub platform.
Ideal for sales teams in need of a sophisticated solution for managing deals and pipelines.
Sales Hub is free with the option to upgrade to a paid plan starting at $45 per month. The Professional package is priced at $450 a month, and the Enterprise plans are available for $1,200 per month.
- Bitrix24
Bitrix24 provides an all-encompassing sales management solution within a kanban view and serves as a customer relationship management system (CRM).
Users can manage the complete sales process, from omnichannel marketing (such as email marketing and online ads) to client servicing (through social media, live chat, and telephone), with this solution.
One of the offerings provided by Bitrix24 is their effective pipeline management solutions, which include lead generation web forms, customized sales pipelines, rules/triggers to advance prospects through the pipeline, and many other features.
Ideal for sales teams seeking a solution to optimize and simplify the complete sales process.
Bitrix24 is free to use and offers basic plans starting at $49 per month, standard plans at a cost of $99 per month, and professional plans available for $199 on a monthly basis.
- Kiite
Kiite is a sales resource hub that employs artificial intelligence (AI) to aid sales teams in generating playbooks from their preferred resources, hacks, and company content in a personalized manner.
You have the ability to compile knowledge into one central storage and categorize it based on your own chosen criteria. This categorization can be done according to vertical, company size, or task.
Ideal for: Sales teams in need of an intelligent knowledge gathering and administration system.
Kiite can be obtained without any charges.
- Heeros (formerly Taimer)
Heeros is a robust product suite that provides business management and professional services automation (PSA) solution, with sales management being one of its features.
Among the sales management features it offers are CRM for accounts and contacts, pipeline management, sales quotes, and sales insights. Moreover, users also have the ability to utilize functionalities including invoicing, time tracking, and project management.
Ideal for sales teams seeking a cost-effective Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution.
Heeros provides a free plan, while a sales CRM can be obtained for €13 per month. The cost for project management software is €16 per month and for a complete ERP, it is €26 per month.
- Flowlu
Flowlu is a business management software that provides contact management throughout the sales process. By offering detailed breakdowns of each stage in the sales system, users can gain a comprehensive understanding of performance and efficiency.
Flowlu provides project, finance, payment, and records management tools as well, which aim to enhance team productivity.
Ideal for sales teams seeking a comprehensive CRM system that incorporates robust project management capabilities.
The price of Flowlu is as follows: Free for the basic version, $29 per month for a team plan, $59 per month for a business plan, and $119 per month for a professional plan.
- Gamifier
Sales leaders can utilize Gamifier, a sales gamification software, to cultivate a more “productive sales culture” within their sales representatives.
The tool can be smoothly integrated with the user’s CRM, such as HubSpot, enabling sales leaders to gamify a vast range of sales metrics, which exceeds 300. These metrics encompass lead size, lead quality, sales cycle length, and others.
The objective of this gamification is to enhance the morale of individuals and teams, improve productivity for reps, and promote healthy competition among sales reps.
Ideal for: Companies looking to enhance the performance of their sales representatives.
The price for Gamifier is free. The price for starter plans starts at $5 per month. The cost for an essential plan is $11 monthly. Advanced plans have a monthly cost of $21.
- Freshsales by Freshworks
Freshsales is a sales CRM that enables users to consolidate and control customer data in a single location. Subsequently, this audience data can be categorized according to various factors, such as demographics, distinct attributes, past interactions, and additional categories.
Additional features include AI-based lead scoring, as well as phone, email, and activity capture capabilities. The CRM also enables users to store relevant notes, receive task reminders, and effectively manage follow-ups.
Ideal for: Sales teams in need of an advanced solution for managing contacts.
The cost for growth plans is $15 per month. For pro plans, the monthly cost is $39, and for enterprise plans, the monthly cost is $69.
- Salesflare
Salesflare is a sales CRM platform that simplifies the process of automating and monitoring customers for salespeople. This CRM enhances contact information by collecting data from various sources such as email signatures, social media profiles, calendar meetings, and previous conversations.
In addition, users are able to access information on the points where opportunities become stagnant, the process of converting from one stage to another, the last topic discussed, and methods for enhancing rates of closure.
Salesflare has the capability of being integrated with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and LinkedIn.
Ideal for sales teams in need of automated contact data enrichment.
The price for growth plans is $29 per month. Pro plans have a cost of $49 per month, while enterprise plans have a monthly cost of $99.
- Leadsquared
The price for CRM is $34 per month, the price for Business is $71 per month, and the price for Events is $152 per month.
Below are the key features:
LeadSquared is a CRM for marketing automation and sales execution that allows salespeople to concentrate on conversions rather than time-consuming manual tasks. Additionally, the tool offers field force automation, comprehensive reports, integration with over 100 platforms and tools, as well as a mobile CRM.
Sales managers have the capability to automate workflows in order to reduce the likelihood of errors, and the dashboards on LeadSquared provide a unified overview of the team’s advancement. The specific product called ACE from LeadSquared is designed to allocate, monitor, and oversee sales objectives while integrating a fun and engaging sales process.
LeadSquared is an excellent option for sales managers because it enables them to monitor the progress of every lead and oversee the funnel to facilitate high-velocity sales on a large scale.
