Best CRM Software for Small Businesses

With seamless organization, your customers and clients enjoy a satisfying brand experience and are consistently happy. CRM software is designed precisely with this purpose in mind.

The Customer Is King. This is the universal rule that drives many a business. And if you are a full-time business owner, you understand the perks of organizing your business. With seamless organization, your customers and clients enjoy a satisfying brand experience and are consistently happy. CRM software is designed precisely with this purpose in mind.

Read on, as this guide explores the best CRM software for small businesses (2022).

Why Growing Businesses & Startups Need CRM Software

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software empowers growing businesses to manage customer relationships effectively.

Your customers/clients are often your biggest asset. Their satisfaction is critical to meeting your ambitious business goals. A well-designed crm will seamlessly organize all your interactions with customers (including potential clients) and provide them with a superior customer experience.

Top Benefits From Best CRM Software for Small Businesses (2022):

• End-to-end organization of (all) customer interactions. This provides your clients with a superior experience.
• Seamless integration with other Business Management Systems (like Inventory Management, Sales Management, Financial Management, etc.). With this, you can potentially pull up sales reports in minutes!
• Supports customer identification and verification to protect your business processes and data.
• Customized to address the unique needs of your business. However, this often comes at an additional cost.
• Can work with both centralized and distributed systems (like mobile apps) to support growing businesses and startups.

What Small Businesses Should Consider When Choosing CRM Software

Here are five factors to consider while choosing CRM software for your business.

Goals

The best CRM software is one that meets your business objectives. So the clearer you are about your expectations, the easier it is to find the perfect fit. Here are some examples:

• Customer Engagement & data collection. This is priceless for a startup and can be gradually used to build customer loyalty and retention.
• Sales Automation. This Sales Automation is critical for growing businesses that need on-demand sales reports to make effective decisions.
• Project management organizes the entire project lifecycle of existing/internal projects. This can often be the top goal for startups with no automation in place.

Budget

This is critical for startups as you seek maximum bang for your buck. The good news is that if the software is out of your budget, it may be due to an expansive list of features that your business doesn’t need.

Some CRM software packages come with recommended hardware configurations to be effective – like 64-bit operating systems. Check this before your purchase. You should also consider the additional cost of training/installation/maintenance and support.

Ease of Use

Can the new software integrate seamlessly into your existing system? Is there a steep learning curve? Does it support mobility and integrate with social media apps to enhance customer experience? Explore these based on your goals.

Potential for Lead Generation

The ultimate goal of CRM software for small businesses (2022) is to improve sales and boost customer satisfaction. Here, it helps to outline your current pain point (e.g., lack of customer data, manually following up on leads) and check if the CRM software addresses this gap.

Another option is focusing on advertising trends to generate leads (like digital marketing and integration with social media and mobile e-commerce apps).

Recommended CRM Software for Small Businesses

Based on the above factors, here is our pick for the best CRM Software for Small Businesses (2022).

Best for Startups – Operational CRM Software

This type of CRM software is helpful in quickly automating key business processes (like data collection, marketing, and sales), for an immediate increase in efficiency. For startups with tight budgets, top CRM tools on the market include:

CRM.io

This popular app has something to offer for every kind of user. It comes loaded with an exhaustive list of features (Contact Management, workflow automation, Task Management, lead generation, integration with billing, helpdesk software, and social suite).

It’s fast becoming a favorite with sales teams, as it provides access to a half-billion database. If you’re looking for a smart CRM Software app that fits neatly into your budget (under $15), CRM.io hits the sweet spot.

Zoho

This popular CRM tool is easy to use, with a fuss-free implementation. Ideal for beginners who want to hit the ground running.

HubSpot

This is a market leader in several segments of CRM (like sales features, available at an extra cost). HubSpot also supports social Media Integration for digital marketing.

Best for Project Management – Collaborative CRM Software

This type of CRM software works best in an established business that requires extensive collaboration across diverse departments. Top market picks include:

Asana

This CRM software provides an exhaustive set of features for product development operations and sales & marketing functions. On the downside, Asana can be cumbersome to use for repetitive tasks.

Accelo

This CRM software offers robust marketing and advertising features and is ideal for a business that provides professional services (like a cleaning company). One of its often-highlighted features includes developing a complete project plan based on a sales quote.

Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is free, making it an enticing proposition for startups and companies with a shoestring budget. Yet, it manages to provide an integrated platform with a small set of project management tools. Businesses can also use it for customer engagement and data collection.

Best for Sales – Analytical CRM Software

This type of CRM software works best for heavy forecast and reporting requirements. The best Sales CRM Software for Small Businesses (2022) available in the market include:

Salesforce

This market leader is the unanimous choice to bring in the big guns (ideal for growing businesses). Yes, their name reinforces their intention!

Tableau CRM

This CRM software uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capabilities. It’s a great choice for those who want to invest in technology at a reasonable price (under $20).

Zendesk Sell

Zendesk Sell is recommended for businesses that get their best leads from online helpdesk sessions. It is reasonably priced (under $20), making it a favorite of startups.

Conclusion

As the world grows more digital and global, every business is rushing to improve customer engagement and satisfaction. CRM software has proven to be mighty effective in this regard. This guide has a recommendation for every type of buyer (startup, growing business), budget (free, under $20, pricy), and goal (project management, sales analytics, data collection), so your business is not caught off guard.