Top 10 CRM Systems
Choosing a new CRM system is a bit like choosing a new PA – there are tons of them out there, and most of them do the same thing. So how do you decide which is best for your business?
It really depends on the specific needs and budget of your business. While every business out there will benefit from a CRM system, not every business will have the same requirements.
To narrow down your search, we’ve put together a list of our top ten CRM systems and an overview of why they made the list.
1. Salesforce (Cloud)
Salesforce is definitely a crowd pleaser in the CRM game. The clean design makes it very user friendly and easy to organize. You can also connect to your CRM software with the Salesforce mobile app, allowing you to look up client background notes when you’re out on the road and trying to close a sale. You can also add new customers to the database using your phone or any mobile device.
Although its main function is contact management, Salesforce also offers extras such as sales and marketing and employee tracking. Also, as it’s based in the cloud, you’ll receive all updates automatically.
Salesforce packages start at $27 per month for up to 5 users. Whilst the pricing structure can be a little tricky to work out, with a few sneaky additional costs here and there, Salesforce still offers one of the most streamlined and efficient CRM Systems on the market today.
Find out more about Salesforce here.
2. Insightly (Cloud)
Insightly is a great choice for small businesses, it’s simple, affordable, and light on the features front. Paid plans kick off at $12 monthly and there’s a free plan that allows you to store up to 2500 records and add a max of 3 users.
Its CRM functions include contact management, project management, and detailed sales reports – everything a micro business needs to stay on its toes. It also grows with your business, so if you get bigger – your CRM can be scaled to meet your added requirements.
Insightly is extremely easy to navigate, but Insightly still offers a one day training program to assist with onboarding employees – which is pretty useful. Again, this one is cloud based, so you can access your system from anywhere at anytime.
Find out more about Insightly here.
3. Netsuite (Cloud)
Netsuite targets all business sizes, but it's best designed for small to medium size companies.
At $79 a month for a basic package, it’s one of the more costly options of the bunch – but it offers a range of highly customizable features in return. Its impressive list of functions includes sales force automation, sales forecasting, order management, and marketing automation. It also has a pretty useful eCommerce addon which allows you to track customer activity on your website.
As there’s no chat function, you’ll have to pick up the phone or send an email to resolve any issues with the system – but with a guaranteed 24 hour turnaround, you won’t be waiting too long.
Find out more about Netsuite here.
4. SugarCRM (Cloud & Onsite)
SugarCRM is a favorite for small to medium businesses.
This popular CRM system can be onsite or cloud based, and prices range from $35 to $150 per user or per month with an added option to buy the software outright. The desktop version integrates with a number of apps, including Outlook, Gmail, Lotus Notes, and Google Apps.
SugarCRM is also open sourced, so its features are easily customized – and it offers an affordable alternative to Salesforce. You can also check out the SugarExchange, which is a marketplace for SugarCRM themes, module extensions, and language packs.
Find out more about SugarCRM here.
5. Sage (Web)
Sage has won many awards over the past few years for its CRM Software. The system is very easy to set up, manage, and maintain – making it an excellent choice for a business that’s new to using CRM software.
The interactive dashboard helps sales staff to monitor their opportunities, organize calendars, manage tasks, and also connect with opportunities on LinkedIn. Sage CRM also offers impressive analytical tools which help users to identify the sales opportunities that exist within the database.
Sage offers a free 30 day trial which allows business to ‘test it out’ before committing to a monthly fee. It doesn’t ask for credit card details over the 30 day period and customers have the option to cancel at any time. It’s also pretty low cost, at just $20 per user each month, making it an affordable option for small businesses.
Find out more about Sage here.
6. Hubspot (Cloud)
Hubspot wouldn’t be Hubspot if they weren’t offering us something for free. And their CRM system is no different.
For exactly zero dollars, you can easily manage all of your leads with the autocomplete function and spend website/social media integration. The 360 degree dashboard makes it easy to navigate and a great option for newbies to the CRM world.
Sales staff will fall in love with this CRM because the simple ‘drag and drop’ system allows them to track the entire sales process from start to finish. Hubspot’s full marketing suite is also available to use alongside the CRM if needed – what more could you want?
Find out more about Hubspot here.
7. Zoho (SaaS )
Zoho is a budget CRM system that’s best suited to small businesses.
You can onboard up to 10 users for free and it has everything that a start-up business needs to develop, grow, and manage customer relationships. Standard, professional, and enterprise packages are also available – ranging from $12 to $35 per user per month.
Although Zoho offers a budget priceline, it has all of the core functionalities of any CRM. It also has its own social media feed, allowing staff to post status updates, upload photos and collaborate on projects. As with most CRM systems, the mobile app allows allows users to access data anytime and anywhere.
Find out more about Zoho here.
8. InfusionSoft (Cloud)
InfusionSoft is a combined sales and marketing system with 3 main areas: CRM, marketing, and ecommerce. It’s best suited to small businesses with less than 25 employees and its main goal is to improve the efficiency of the sales process for its users.
You might say that every CRM has that goal – but not every CRM gets the job done like InfusionSoft does. Its in-depth customization features and marketing automation allow you to manage the entire sales cycle automatically. It captures everything about your customers in one place, which is a step up from the traditional CRM software.
With the ecommerce functionality, users can manage and customize their own storefront and shopping cart experience, as well as create custom order forms, invoice clients, and manage their inventory and fulfillment. Infusionsoft also integrates with many third party merchant gateways – making it the CRM that just keeps on giving. However, they’re not giving anything away for free.
If you’d like to get set up with InfusionSoft, you have to purchase a mandatory $2,000 Kickstart service package, which provides users with a personal coaching mentor. Your mentor will then evaluate your current business/marketing style, guide you through Infusionsoft, and aim to improve your business processes. After that, business packages start from $199 per 2 month for 2 users.
Find out more about InfusionSoft here
9. Workbooks (Web)
Workbooks is a comprehensive CRM systems that offers a range of functions, including sales and marketing automation and customer support.
The CRM platform is popular with small to medium sized business and offers a fully integrated suite. The basic Workbooks functionality can be used for free by up to two users, whilst the Standard and Business editions are priced at $30 per user, per month and $70 per user, per month respectively.
Workbooks is a great option for businesses seeking a fully integrated customer management system, as the customer support module is very intuitive and allows clients to report issues by generating tickets. These tickets can then be assigned to the correct member of the team for review and can also be flagged for priority status when needed. Although Workbooks is quite basic in terms of features, this CRM is easy to use and offers great core functionality at a low cost.
Find out more about Workbooks here.
10. Nimble.com (Web & SaaS)
This CRM system is an inexpensive CRM option at just $15 a month. Nimble focuses its efforts on creating a better picture of your customer database via social media integration.
The mobile app allows both iphone and android users to access Nimble on the go, where they can manage contacts or add customer notes. The focus with Nimble is really about communication, the social media integration encourages users to think about which mediums are most suitable for their customer support services.
This CRM system also offers a 14 day trial without asking for your credit card details upfront – so you can cancel at any time if it doesn’t meet your expectations. If you do sign up, don’t forget to visit Nimble’s app marketplace, where you'll find 40+ software integration options, including Zoho, Freshbooks, Zendesk, and Evernote.
Find out more about Nimble here.
Take Your Pick
There's a plethora of CRM systems out there to choose from, and we think the list above makes up the cream of the crop. With at least one of them, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find the perfect fit for your business.
What CRM System works best for you? Let us know in the comments below, or over on our CMS forum.