Choosing the right customer relationship management (CRM) software for a small business is not an easy task. Perhaps you have just decided to invest in a CRM system or are looking to switch to another provider and are now wondering how to find the right solution for your business.
One thing is for sure: there are many options available, and comparing the systems available is a real challenge. At the time of writing, Capterra's CRM directory listed 571 vendors . Given this wide range of CRM systems, it's surprising that most companies only try out two demo versions of software platforms before deciding on a system.
CRM software in comparison
Thorough research often pays off, as it prevents resources from being spent on an inadequate solution that may then have to be replaced soon after implementation.
When a company changes CRM software , it is often because the previous system did not offer the right functions or was too expensive. However, this could easily be avoided with the appropriate preparation. Because extensive information on features and fees is readily available; it only becomes problematic when decision-makers do not take the time to carefully compare different CRM solutions.
Admittedly, finding the right CRM system for a company is not easy. Sales managers who are spoiled for choice are hardly to be envied. Comparing different solutions takes time and there are a huge number of factors to consider.
This article is designed to help you identify the key factors to consider when making a decision so that you can find the right solution for your business. It will also discuss how you can compare providers to find the perfect CRM software, breaking the whole process down into ten smaller steps.
1. Write a list of business goals for your CRM system
In order to compare different CRM solutions in a meaningful way, you need to think carefully about what you expect from your CRM system. This way you can be sure that you choose the software whose strengths match your business goals.
The following frequently mentioned goals can serve as a guide:
enable collaboration
improve customer satisfaction
Increase the productivity of sales staff
Better align marketing and sales
Understanding the Sales Funnel
These goals are examined in more detail below.
Cooperation
When looking for a CRM system that will enable sales reps to work together as effectively as possible, you should pay particular attention to the level of transparency that the different systems offer. Reps should have insight into their colleagues' deals and their communications with prospects.
For example, it should be possible to tag or mention other employees within your own deals . This way, sales employees do not have to resort to instant messaging or email to exchange information with colleagues about a deal. The communication is always linked to a specific contact, company or deal record, so that all information can be found in one place.
If collaboration is particularly important to your team, you should also keep in mind that many CRM providers charge based on the number of users per month. So if you have a large team and are looking for a cost-effective solution, it may be wise to only compare free CRM systems .
customer satisfaction
If one of your main goals is to improve customer satisfaction, you should look into CRM systems that can track every contact with customers and prospects. Prospects often get annoyed when they have to provide the same information again because a sales rep forgot it. Having all the information prospects have already shared with you in one place makes it easier for your sales reps to build good customer relationships and close more deals.
If your company often makes sales over the phone, you will also need good call tracking. The same goes for email tracking and social media integrations if you use these channels more frequently in sales.
productivity
If your primary goal is to invest in a new CRM system to improve sales productivity, you should look for a solution that integrates easily with your email system. This means that your contact details are available directly in your email account and new contacts can be added to the CRM system with a simple click of a button. You should also be able to update records from your email account.
HubSpot's 2016 State of Inbound report revealed that manual data entry into CRM systems is one of the biggest challenges sales reps face, so you should invest in CRM software that can extract data from multiple sources .
Challenges CRM System HubSpot
“State of Inbound” 2016 by HubSpot
Other ways to increase sales productivity could include configurable email templates and a feature that allows prospects to book appointments with sales reps themselves. Even smaller sales teams can save 20 hours of work per week by having reps include a link to such an automatic booking system in their email signatures.
coordination of marketing and sales
Studies have shown that after sales staff, marketing teams are the most likely to use CRM systems. If it is particularly important for your company that sales and marketing are well coordinated, you should choose a CRM system that can be integrated with your marketing software .
It's best to choose a software provider that can provide both sales solutions and marketing tools . This way, all sales and marketing activities can be managed in one place, helping your sales and marketing teams work together efficiently.
Understanding the Sales Funnel
If you want to analyze and optimize your funnel, you should look for CRM solutions with reliable reporting functions . A big advantage is if you can see the entire funnel at a glance, including the financial weighting of each stage of the sales process.
HubSpot dashboard
Example of a dashboard from HubSpot
2. Write a list of essential features
Once you have considered why you need a new CRM system, you should consider what features a system must offer so that you can achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
Here is an overview of some of the most popular features of many CRM solutions:
deal records and tasks
contact and lead management
Detailed information and reporting
email tracking
email templates
call recording
Other specialized features that may also be helpful:
marketing automation
premium customer support
project management
lead scoring
If your sales process is largely email-based, features like email tracking and email templates are especially important. If you work primarily over the phone, call tracking will likely be more important.
These features are especially important for the sales reps who use the CRM system every day, while reporting is especially important for executives so they can understand the entire funnel at a glance and optimize for more deals.
When comparing CRM solutions, you should pay attention to how these individual functions are implemented by the different providers. For example, many CRM systems offer free contact management and data storage, although there may be upper limits that vary from provider to provider.
Most CRM providers have tables on their websites so you can see exactly what's included in the different packages they offer. Here's an example from HubSpot.
Consider how much you can and want to spend on CRM software so that you don't include options in your south africa telegram data comparison that are out of the question for cost reasons anyway.
Most CRM solutions are priced based on the number of users using the system. Take a close look at the pricing of different providers and investigate how expensive each solution would be for your company. Consider not only the current number of sales staff you have, but also what the staffing situation will look like in two or three years.
For small businesses on a tight budget , cheap or even free CRM systems are often good options. If you're a salesperson or marketer trying to convince management to implement a CRM system, the fact that it's free is a good argument, of course. Here are some of the cheapest CRM systems on the market:
CRM software prices
*All fees are based on a Capterra scenario with a specific number of users and specific features. The scenario used is described below in our Affordable CRM Solutions report.
4. Get information in discussion forums
Users who already have experience with CRM systems and answer questions in discussion forums are often a valuable resource. Talking to these users is a great way to learn first-hand about the practical benefits of a CRM system.