What is the Best Small Business CRM Software?

CRM software helps to build current relationships with customers as well as find future customers. As a small business, gaining new customers, maintaining relationships with current customers, and building customer loyalties are all essential steps to success. Being a small business, there are many adversities to consider. With increases in technology, there is now useful and easy-to-use software that can help you handle customer relationships! That is where CRM, customer relationship management, software come in.

What is CRM Software?

When you are a small business, it is important to maintain a positive relationship with your customers. One way to find out what customers think of you is through customer feedback, which consists of surveys or reviews. Customer feedback is also an essential part of improving your business. However, Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a unified package that contains all the tools essential for customer data, customer satisfaction, and many others. Another similar software is a content management system (CMS) which helps with sorting out data content instead.

CRM

Early Benefits of CRM

As a small business, using CRM software decreases the manual labor and cost around customer support and allows you to focus on more important sections of your business. Additionally, CRM software for small businesses helps unite everyone in your business on the same page by combining all marketing, sales, and customer support into one database. CRM software not only helps manage your current customers, but it also scouts potential customers and finds new target demographics. Recognizing your target audience and finding more potential customers are all necessary steps to expand your small business.

Things to Look for in a Small Business CRM Software

There are numerous CRM software you can find online so when you are finding the best CRM for your small business, it is important to consider a few things. There are often features and considerations that will help you decide which CRM software best fits your business.

  • Ease of Use: When you purchase CRM software, you have to find one that is easy for you to use. Everyone has different preferences, so you need to research what you want in your management system and which features are useful to you.
  • Automation: With an automation feature, you can have the software perform repetitive tasks for you. This saves time for you and your team to focus on other responsibilities. Projects you can consider automating include data entry, email follow-up, or customer information updating.
  • Vendor Customer Support: As a small business, you probably do not have all the departments a huge corporation would have, such as an IT department. If you choose the right CRM, you can be backed by a customer support team to handle all the technical issues and questions swiftly.
  • Pricing: The price of CRM software can range from being a couple of dollars to several hundred depending on the software you buy. It is important to remember that just because a CRM software is expensive, it does not imply it is the best CRM for a small business like yours.

Why Your Small Business Needs a CRM Software

In the past, CRM software was mainly used by enterprise-level corporations, however, CRM software is now updated to help small businesses with these same situations. This is critical for small businesses since implementing a CRM solution has been said to increase sales by double-digit percentage numbers. Additionally, while you use CRM software, you are freeing up time and resources for other growth and organization. For instance, CRM can provide procedures to close more deals, set up a schedule for tasks, and decrease miscommunication.

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Long Term Benefits of CRM Softwares

Ultimately, CRM is a tool that will help you expand your business scale. Since CRM software can manage all the communications and customer data of large corporations, it can easily handle a small number of your clients.

Organize Your Data

The most basic function of any CRM is the ability to insert and organize data regarding your customers and leads. A CRM gathers all your data in one place, so it is easier to access customer history and effectively communicate with them. Additionally, having all your data in one place allows your entire team access. This makes collaboration among your team easier, and once your team expands, everyone will still be on the same page.

Automate Your Communication

CRMs can instantly create different lists and automatically section your customers into different groups based on their characteristics. This helps you save time compared to doing it manually, and it is more accurate. Also, CRM software can send emails, files, or any downloads automatically based on what the customer did. For example, signing up for a newsletter can result in a free download that the CRM can send automatically.

Connects to Other Services

A great thing about CRM software is that it connects to different platforms. It can possibly connect to a network you are already using! Remember, a CRM is used to make your business and customer relationships run more smoothly, not complicate the process. Providing excellent customer service is essential for your small business, and a CRM helps you do that. CRM also uses social media, which is the newest platform used to connect with customers. By doing this, you can expand your social media data through leads, relationship building, and data analysis.

small business owner

Best CRM Software for Small Business

It is time to consider, what is the best customer relationship management software for small businesses? The best CRM software depends on what your business needs, but this list has a few geared towards small businesses.

Less Annoying CRM

Benefits: Less Annoying CRM (LACRM) is distinctly designed for small businesses. They have all-inclusive task management and track leads and follow-ups.

Drawbacks: There is a limitation on app integration, so you have to make the apps you use can connect with LACRM.

Pricing: $15 per user & month, billed monthly, and a 30-day free trial.

Copper

Benefits: Copper fuses with G suites, which is beneficial if you use Gmail daily. Some features include automated data entry, identifications, tracking, and optimization of customer relationships and opportunities.

Drawbacks: Copper needs time to learn and some technical issues occur when dealing with certain Google Suites.

Pricing: There are different plans (basic, professional, and business) that vary in price.

Nimble 

Benefits: Connects with different customer contacts from email to social media. It is user friendly and creates to-do lists and key deals.

Drawbacks: Nimble’s Android app is not as advanced compared to its iOS counterpart.

Pricing: Contact edition ($12 per user per month) and Business edition ($25 per user per month)

Salesflare

Benefits: Designed for small businesses who focus on business to business. There is a lot of automation available from importing data to interactions with your contacts.

Drawbacks: Salesflare is pricier compared to other CRMs geared towards small businesses. There are also fewer integrations.

Pricing: Growth version, pro version, and enterprise version with various prices.

Hubspot CRM 

Benefits: Hubspot offers free versions of basic features. These features allow you to keep track of contacts, profiles, and activities. These free services are only limited to their CRM, Marketing, Sales, and Service Hubs.

Drawbacks: There are limits to personal customizations and the free versions are very basic.

Pricing: The basic feature is free and there are many add-ons that cost money.

Freshworks CRM (Freshsales) 

Benefits: Freshworks CRM mainly focuses on websites and tracking your visitors, sales leads, and gathering them in groups based on engagement.

Drawbacks: After you start expanding your use of Freshworks CRM, some tasks and features are less intuitive.

Pricing: There are 4 plans: Blossom plan for small teams, Garden plan for growing teams, Estate plan for large teams, and Forest plan for enterprises with various prices.

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Zoho CRM 

Benefits: Zoho CRM was originally an enterprise-grade software, however, there are many editions and one of them is for small businesses. Zoho CRM is cloud-based, so it can be accessed with ease by your teammates.

Drawbacks: There is no individual email tracking or lead notifications.

Pricing: There is a free version for up to 3 users, and standard and enterprise pricing.

Capsule CRM  

Benefits: Capsule CRM focuses on tracking customer relationships and sales pipeline. It is a straightforward software that can be used on desktops and mobile devices.

Drawbacks: If you need to track and create contacts for emails, they need to be sent to you or Dropbox, which can become tedious.

Pricing: There is a free version as well as a professional and team version.

Streak CRM 

Benefits: Streak CRM is best used for Gmail. You can use Streak CRM to work straight out of your Gmail inbox, schedule and send mass emails, and create different email threads.

Drawbacks: Streak CRM is a Chrome Extension, so it has to be reinstalled for each new device you use.

Pricing:  $49 per user per month.

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Get Started with CRM

Now that you are ready to start your small business, it does not matter what you sell, you will need CRM software. The best CRM software for your business is based on what tasks you need the CRM to complete. However, with this software, you will have more time to focus on other things and your customer relationship will all be automated for you. Right now is the perfect time to install CRM software. Remember, you can always find a free one to experiment with.

FAQs

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