The best CRM systems in 2024
A good CRM platform should make your business’s interactions easier with your clients. We explain how CRM systems work, and the best options on the market.
As your business grows, it’ll naturally take on more clients. At this stage, it’s important to build and maintain good relationships with new and existing customers. One way to help ensure and streamline this task is to use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
Below we explain exactly what these platforms do, and what the best options are across the market. We also list:
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What is a CRM system?
A CRM system, or platform, is used to register and maintain customer data to help manage your relationships more efficiently.
This could entail anything from simply storing their personal contact information in one place to tracking their activity across your website. Depending on the level of data your CRM system can capture, you can then use it to determine marketing strategies or help prioritise leads in your sales department.
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What are good examples of CRM systems?
A CRM is a broad term and can encompass a range of different services.
An email marketing tool, such as Intuit Mailchimp, is a CRM system which specialises in collecting customer data to send targeted emails.
Hubspot, meanwhile, is another CRM platform which focuses on receiving and storing key data for a business’s marketing and sales department.
The best CRM systems in 2024
Below we’ve listed two award-winning providers in this sector:
– Can be used for free (although a paid version might be better)
– Contact management and lead scoring to help your sales team prioritise calls
– Live chats and automated emails to boost your marketing strategy
Hubspot, which is designed for small businesses and scaling companies, is a CRM platform which aims to integrate into all parts of your business.
It can also be integrated across a range of different tools, such as WordPress, Eventbrite, Asana, and many more.
– Creates detailed customisable reports
– Can be integrated with over 1,000 platforms
– Offers a 30 day free trial, but no free version
Salesforce is a CRM system with a focus on your business’s sales department. This is largely because in addition to the mentioned key features, it offers a powerful lead scoring system which can help your department prioritise the most valuable leads in your system.
Another great feature is that Salesforce offers a 24/7 customer service team.
What to look for in a CRM platform
What your business values most will differ from other companies. So, below we’ve listed some features you may wish to prioritise:
- Contact management – Look for a system which can store your clients’ personal contact details securely. As always, you should take the utmost care to ensure this information is protected
- Sales forecasting and generation – If your business has a sales team, a CRM platform can help identify which clients are most keen on using your business’s goods or services. This can help the team set-up targeted messages, like emails and reminders, to push them to make the conversion. At the same time, a CRM platform can help create a forecast of your predicated revenue
- Customised reporting – If your marketing department is working on a new campaign, a customised reporting tool which can highlight your clients’ behaviour may help inform their strategy
- Integration features – If you’re looking for a CRM platform to manage complex data, then you’ll need to ensure that your CRM platform can integrate into other areas of your business too. For example, if you wish to see how your customers interacted with an Instagram marketing campaign, you’ll need to ensure your system can integrate with your social media platforms
- Easy use – It’s no use if your CRM platform is too complicated to manage. See if you can trial your CRM system first before stumping up money to integrate it within your business
- Platform support – When your CRM platform is down, or if you’re finding it difficult to circumnavigate, then you’ll need a support team to get you up and running again. So, make sure to check if your provider has a decently rated support team for its customers. Google and Trustpilot reviews should provide an indication of their quality of service.
What are the benefits of using a CRM platform for my business?
Most CRM providers make a similar sales pitch. Use their systems and you can create more efficient processes within your business to improve relationships with your customers and therefore boost your bottom line.
That’s ultimately the main incentive for using a CRM platform. These improved relationships should convert regular customers into loyal ones, and push potential clients to use your products or services.
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Why your business shouldn’t use a CRM platform
If you’re a small business with reliable and predictable clients, then you may not see much value in a CRM system. For example, you could be operating in a niche market and there are limited opportunities to grow your customer base. This means you could rather use your funds elsewhere.
Plus, with all your clients’ data in a centralised system, it could be an easy target for cyber criminals. So, investing in decent cyber security features is a must if you’re considering this tool.
It’s an added cost of implementing a CRM platform that you’ll need to consider too. And for some businesses these resources can be better spent elsewhere.
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Can you build my own CRM in Excel?
For smaller businesses, an excel spreadsheet may seem an acceptable CRM system. Within it you can document your client’s information and revisit it when need be.
But if you’re building a list of clients, manually updating this can be time-consuming and outdated quickly.
A CRM system can update this information in real time, if it’s integrated correctly, and it can accommodate for more complicated data. For example, this may include the time-of-day specific clients are active on your website.
FAQs
Does Google have a CRM?
No, but other providers do offer CRM systems which can integrate into Google functions – like Gmail and Google Calendar.
What’s the difference between a CRM and an ERP platform?
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform is used to tackle the day-to-day admin tasks of a business. A CRM system, meanwhile, is focused on managing client relationships and data.
Who owns the data in a CRM system?
The CRM provider should never be the owner of the data stored in its system. The owner will rather be your business or a third-party depending on the circumstances.
Important information
Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, we cannot review every product on the market.
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