Best CRM Softwares For Small Business

CRM statistics you need to know

Modern small businesses continue to invest funds in CRM solutions. Powered by the desire to improve their business performance many small businesses are facing the need to keep up with their competitors and create a great customer experience. This is projected to bring revolutionary changes into the CRM sector turning it into an $80 billion industry by the end of 2025. As an entrepreneur, it’s vital to understand the advantages of technology in small businesses.

CRM software is essential to maintain a healthy Client Satisfaction Rate. As we can see, now-a-days CRM industry has gone through astounding growth. As a result of this growth, many new interesting options came into existence making CRM the most lucrative area of future investments.

Statistics showed that increased investment in CRM solutions in coming years.

1. 91% of companies with more than 11 employees now use CRM software.
2. 50% of companies with 10 or fewer employees use a CRM.
3. CRM-generated revenues are expected to reach $80 billion by 2025.
4. CRM software is now the biggest software market in the world and the growth of this market does not slow down.
5. CRM is now expected to reach more than $80 billion in revenues by 2025.
6. The key factor that defines the value of CRM is its accessibility.
7. With the help of mobile devices, a small business can access customer data in real-time.
8. Mobile and cloud solutions took a leading position in business these days.
9. Most small companies are interested in personalized experience with their customer and are trying to approach new platforms and technologies with customer-oriented data, to provide a more personalized experience to their customers.
10. The rise of mobile CRM helped to increase small teams’ productivity by 50%.

Challenges businesses encounter
if without CRM

There are situations when the implementation of a customer management system will not bring tangible benefits. If a company works with a narrow circle of permanent partners or under one large contract and is engaged in regular search and attraction, there is nothing special. But when a company is actively looking for new sales channels and allocating funds for advertising, every lead counts.

Missing them because you paid attention to the sales funnel and the organization of the work of managers is to waste part of the advertising budget. The reason for the low return on advertising may lie in the ineffective processing of applications. It doesn't depend on the size of the business.

Below you can find the list of problems that can come up if you fail to implement CRM solutions for your small business.

Advantages of CRM

• Manage your leads, clients, and contacts

  Managing your leads, clients, and contacts can be easy with CRM software. All you have to do is to centralize your leads into one single portal. You can make calendar notes, you can make follow-up appointments, you can send emails, you can tag your contacts and their emails and put them into different categories. The main advantage of CRM software for small businesses is that you can keep track of all your data, your notes, your follow-ups, and tasks.

  CRM tracks everything for you. With CRM for small businesses, you can go back, search for your clients and pull up all his history at any point you like access to Sales Pipeline Management. Getting access to Sales Pipeline Management gives you access to new prospects.

  You can enter your new prospects manually and insert them straight into your CRM system.

  You can also get a lead from the site, or you can start moving your prospects into a sales pipeline.

  You can customize everything in the way you would like it to be organized.

  You can also make your business more sophisticated by adding extra stages between prospecting and sending a proposal.

  You can do it by a simple procedure of dragging and dropping your clients from one stage to the other. And of course, everything is track able with CRMs, starting from your client history, and finishing with a proper choice of the content.

• The ability to utilize Email marketing & SMS marketing

  Utilizing Email marketing and SMS marketing like sending broadcast emails or, if it is specific, improving client communication through SMS marketing are just a few of the benefits of using CRM for meeting the needs of your small business. With CRM you can create lists and utilize the campaign builder to create automated emails over weeks or months, or even over years.

• Campaign builder option

  The campaign builder is best used when you have a series of tasks that you are supposed to automate like the email delivery process, delivery of links, videos, pdf documents, or any other documents that you want to send to prospects or clients, or your referral partners – anybody that is in your contact base. Using a CRM is the way to structure your marketing campaign.

• To Get Automation of your Listings/Task and Email Automation

  Getting basic automation is one of the top benefits of CRM. You can start the whole process with the campaign builder or with email marketing. With CRMs, you can track all the tasks and activities on each contact or user record that you have on your list. CRM can also help you to set up basic automation that will keep track of all tasks that users shouldn’t be done manually like the delivery of your working documents, training videos, or training materials that any of your clients or prospects might need to have.

  You should and can automate that stuff to make it much easier and more efficient not only for meeting your needs but for meeting the needs of your clients. A CRM helps your customer to get information immediately by clicking on the links from the website, or by triggering the internal campaign that sends all the data that they need.

• Calendar and Appointment Scheduling Function

  The internal calendar is usually built into the software. It is not an internal service that the user needs to subscribe separately, this comes with a system. On an appointment tab, you can just click and set up multiple links. The internal calendar helps users to send notifications for other people to help them to book appointments with you. You can also set up a camping and automatic appointment scheduling for yourself.

• The ability to collect invoices

  The ability to collect the invoices and payments is one more advantage of using CRM for small businesses. There is a built-in payments tab that allows you to send invoices. You can attach the invoice for payment, and it gives you an automated link that the system sends out to other prospects automatically. The system allows you to connect your merchant account through the use of a third-party gateway. It gives you the flexibility of setting your merchant account and a chance to utilize the invoicing function of your CRM.

How to pick the right CRM solution

The benefits of implementing a CRM solution for your small business are clear. Let’s see how to choose the best CRM solution to meet your business needs.

Step 1. Set your goals

The first thing you have to do while choosing your ideal CRM is outlining what your ideal outcome might be. Are your final goals to:

• Improve your customer service.
• Reduce customer return rate.
• Keep your data in a secure place.
• Better understand and refine your sales process within your small business or the company.
• Help your team to streamline its business processes.
• Allow your team to work remote mode.
• Develop a better marketing strategy.

Having definite short- and long-term goals and objectives will help you select the right software, then use it to your advantage.

Step 2. Define the cost of your solution

What would be the cost of your business solution? Depending on the volume of your data, the size of your project, you can choose a CRM solution that can best meet your business needs.

Step 3. Define whether or not your CRM integrates with other tools

To make the most out of your CRM solution, make sure that it will mesh well with the other tools. There are:

• Your help/support desk,
• business phone system,
• email,
• calendar,
• live chat system,
• marketing platform,
• and any other program you may be using.

Most of us use multiple programs and utilities that are being used these days can better integrate. If you are planning to benefit from your CRM it should be able to easily integrate with the other tools.

Step 4. Will your software provides the insight you need to get

In accordance with the objectives, you plan to use your CRM, for your CRM solution needs to provide the right data for your company so as you would be able to bring maximum benefit out of it. These days CRM software comes with different levels of customization. Considering the customization option try to find answers to the following pending questions:

• Will this software be suitable for salespeople you are working with?
• Will this software help you to meet the objectives you consider to be important?
• Does this software go well with a specific sales funnel?
• Does the CRM you want to use take into consideration the information you consider relevant?
• Will your chosen CRM allow you to track your performance from the right perspective (per salesperson, per customer, per product, etc.)?
• Will this CRM help you to meet your business objectives?

Step 5. Is your software easy to use?

In the end, your CRM solution must be easy to use by your team. Maximum what is needed in this case is the choice of maximum intuitive CRM that will enable your team to handle their tasks. If the software you pick is more complex than you think and your team would find it rather difficult to handle then you threaten to bring extra challenges to your organization instead of advantages.

Basic functionality of CRM system

Let's first define what are the most important functions that should be performed by any CRM system. Therefore, the first thing we need from CRM is that all incoming calls are automatically unpacked inside the system.

The main functions of a CRM system can be classified as follows:

How to choose a CRM system for your
small business?

When choosing a CRM system, the most important thing is to make sure that you have all the functions that you would like to see in the process. So, if incoming calls are important to you, you need to make sure that the selected CRM system supports integration with telephony. And if you get most of the leads through the site, then one of the main criteria will be the ability to integrate the CRM system with your SMS.

Otherwise, a lot depends on your tastes, as well as on the recommendations that your specialist gives you. In principle, if a specialist who will implement a CRM system offers you a certain software product, then, provided that the functions you need are implemented in this system, and you are satisfied with the cost of the product, it makes sense to agree with his opinion.

Usually, experts advise the product that they know well, which will undoubtedly be a plus at the stage of implementation. It is quite difficult to study a CRM system based on videos and test access; in any system, there are many nuances that you will learn while working with the system. But some fundamental points will help you make the right choice. So, the main thing is the very fundamental decision to implement a CRM system. Further, if you have any preferences, you saw a system that you liked for some reason, implement it. In all other cases, it is best to rely on the opinion of a specialist.

Key Points for choosing the right CRM

Before choosing a system, you need to understand what functionality you need in the future. This is critical. The advanced functionality of CRM systems + marketing automation is the formula that you have to follow while choosing the best fitting CRM for your small business.

Integration with telephony any CRM system must integrate with telephony: If you cannot record incoming calls and initiate outgoing calls, then this is a big disadvantage.

API integration: Availability of ready-made solutions. Any business uses various services to receive applications, keep records, draw up documents, etc. When choosing a CRM system, you should pay attention to whether or not they have API solutions for integration with your website, data exchange with 1C, IT telephony, and other programs that might be needed. Having a ready-made integration API is a big plus.

Interaction with a contact (client) usually consists of several things:

1. Phone calls.

2. Email correspondence.

3. Mailings (SMS or email).

4. Meetings.

Keep in mind that your phone calls, email correspondence, mailings (SMS or mail) need to be automated. They give you some about your customer, his behavior and, if used properly can help to define whether or not this particular customer is likely to make leads with your company.

• Planning and working with tasks

  When choosing a CRM system, it is also worth paying attention to whether the system can plan, formulate and work with tasks. Employees should be able to create tasks for themselves and colleagues, set reminders, etc. In addition to working with clients, the CRM system must have the necessary tools to record the interaction between employees.

• Integration with SMS service

  Indeed, it is hard to see integration with the SMS service, for example, a ready-made solution for integration with certain SMS-mailing services. This is done as part of business processes or as part of working with an API. Accordingly, the system should be able to send bulk SMS for all clients, for a specific group of contacts, or a personally specific contact (for example, notification of certain actions).

• Data import

  Take a close look at what capabilities the CRM system provides for importing data. In what format can the information be downloaded? Is there a ready-made module for migration from other systems, and if so, from which ones? Or do you need to prepare information for download in a specific format? You must understand how the initial filling of data will be carried out at the system startup.

• Licensing

  Open Source or Proprietary Architecture? The difference between Open Source and proprietary architecture is that in the first case, you get an open-source system, and in the second, you get a closed one. It is clear that here we are talking about licensing options for Stand-Alone software products since any SaaS system is closed source by default. The proprietary (closed) architecture is mostly sold by large developers. In this case, you get a powerful system in which you can make changes within the limits indicated by the developer.

• Contacts and contractors

  When choosing a CRM system, pay special attention to how the directories are implemented. What is their structure? So, if you work only with individuals, then one level will be enough for you - this is a contact (client). In this case, in principle, any variant of the structure of the contacts directory will suit you.

  It is very important that the CRM system provides the ability to create a card for each contact person (the counterparty) separately, as well as combine them into one common contact, organization. This is very important because otherwise, it will not be possible to organize a sufficient level of automation of control over work with clients.

• System cost

  Any businessman, before introducing a particular software solution, asks the question, how much will it cost to implement a CRM solution within your company? When determining the price of a CRM, you need to understand the numbers that you see on sites in the "product cost" or "license cost" section are only the part of the total costs.

  Therefore, it is important to figure out what is the total cost of implementing a CRM system. The total cost of a product consists of several parts:

  1. The cost of the license (acquisition). It can be a payment for access to "cloud solutions" or the cost of 1 copy.

  2. Transferring data to the system. You will need to transfer contacts and other data in some way. Therefore, the presence or absence of a ready-made module, as well as the complexity of the preparatory preparation of data for import, will also affect the final cost.

  3. The cost of revision. Even if you bought a "boxed solution" or access to the SaaS version, some improvements are still required. You will need to configure access rights, reports, tasks, etc.

• Cost of escort

  Subscription implies the purchase of access to the system for a specified period. The subscription cost is usually low, but you will have to make regular payments to renew your access to the CRM system. When comparing the cost of licenses, one should also take into account the marketing moves that sellers often resort to. So, very often sellers of CRM systems on the site advertise the minimum price for a package of services, which will be valid only under certain conditions. In reality, you will have to pay more for this system.

5. Improvements and launch of the system as part of its cost.

The work on setting up, updating, and launching the software should also be taken into account when calculating the total cost of a CRM system. You will need:

1. Install the software (when purchasing a program, you will need a large amount of work, setting up a server, and much more; in the case of Saas solutions, you may need to install client programs on computers, tablets, mobile phones).

2. Set up user groups, set access rights for all groups of employees who will work with the CRM system.

3. Integrate the CRM system with other services and programs (configure the exchange of information with the website, 1C databases, telephony, etc.).

4. Transfer data from other systems and programs.

What CRM is BEST for your Small Business?

The best CRM for small businesses is the one that helps manage and operate your customers. The choice of CRM must be based on your business requirements. All Free CRM software have free trial options where you are free to sign up and to use this software. CRM software for small businesses have features to upgrade and have options to add more features to a particular software or service. So, there are some ads on the road if you want to or if you need it. CRM software is a great option for you to get started and to implement a powerful CRM system in your business to help it to grow and scale and take it to the next level.

Things to look for in small business
CRM software

Why use CRM for small businesses

CRM is a great way to improve your small business by automating all your business processes with minimal human assistance. CRM allows you to focus on the specific needs of your company and serves to be a quick and easy solution for your team to improve their performance. Most CRMs focus on tons of features designed to meet the specific needs of your company.

CRM Software for Small Businesses is the best way to help companies to succeed online. Most of the companies are using CRM for storing large amounts of data and information about all recent transactions. CRM enables you to collect data, centralize your contacts so that you can keep track of everything, like your invoices, your sales pipeline, etc. CRM also helps to trace all your upcoming events like festivals or scheduled appointments, so that companies can offer great deals and rewards to their regular customers.

CRM is a nice and centralized way to organize all your business data. CRM software gives you a whole list of advantages like text messaging communication right from the dashboard or your account, tracking performance quotas, etc. With CRM software you can get an up-to-the-minute view of your entire sales to funnel. CRM for small businesses can also help you to sort out deals under two categories like won and lost, schedule appointments, contracts, track performance quotas. CRM allows you to have unlimited customizations and automated process without any extra hassle.

CRM Software employment is going to increase customer satisfaction level and user experience level from both the team and the customer’s point of view, and it is going to ultimately help your business run and grow. Using CRM software for small businesses can help to kickstart your sales process and turn it into a revenue-generating machine.CRM helps to make contact lists. As you know, contact lists trigger e-mail automation. With CRM everything is just fully integrated that allows you to run your business smoothly and effectively and to scale it in the short run.

CRM software also helps to forecast sales. Therefore, it is a crucial part of your business organization process to choose good CRM software to ensure smooth business management and sequence of your business operations. As your business grows so goes faster the communication with your team and your overall sales process streamlines. It is a software assistant that allows you to softly manage the interactions between your current customers and potential customers.

CRM Software can be used to meet the needs of any small or medium-sized business. No matter, whether you have a moto store, or whether you have a chiropractor, or maybe you are involved in a contracting business, or you may own a real estate company - any type of small or medium-sized business are great for implementing CRM Software.

Value of CRM system for small business

A CRM is the best software solution for small businesses who want to smooth their transition online. With CRMs, you can stay on top of every deal with intelligence alerts. You can approach your market more concisely, proactively, deliberately, with relevance, time, and value. A CRM saves your time and helps to create truly informative marketing campaigns.