List of Top 6 Best CRM Tools for Small Businesses

What is a CRM?

CRM is an abbreviation for Customer Relationship Management. It is a cohesive unit that collaborates with technology, tools, strategies to develop and improve the acquisition and retainment of customers. It is a software solution that can store prospects and customers, make calls, send emails, create reports, schedule meetings and add notes. 

CRM is the store-house of data for your sales team. The software ensures that every stage of interaction between the company and a customer sails smoothly. It nurtures and guides potential leads through your company's sales process. It converges information about your customer from several platforms and stores detailed information about them. From your customer's interest in their purchase history, personal information and behavioral patterns while making a purchase.

CRM software also ensures your company of maintaining relationships with your customers and encourages more business. It is a well know fact that repeat customers are much easier to sell to compared to a new customer, so recording information through this software can help you provide excellent service to your customers and deliver pleasurable experiences.

How does it work?

CRM systems are designed to keep track of customer information. The software records customer's interactions online and gathers intel when he/she contacts the company through the website, telephone, mail or social media.  

CRM allows your company to store all contact information and relationships with customers in one central location. CRM software is now gradually moving into the cloud. You can buy CRM software online on a subscription basis and customize it to your company's requirements. They are mainly web-based for desktops and laptops. There is new technology that optimizes the use of this software on mobile phones as an app on Android and IOS.

Exposure, increase in sales, larger customer base and more employees are the main focus for small businesses. There is a need for efficient organization skills and streamlined processes to accelerate growth. CRM software is an important tool for small businesses to flourish. It is mandatory that these small businesses select the best CRM software for their company and goals.

Also Read: Best Productivity Apps to Accelerate Your Work

Top CRM Software for Small Businesses in the Market Today:

1. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM software is one that is on-demand. It features a multichannel to communicate with customers via e-mail, live chat, phone and social media.

Zoho is a CRM that offers new age features that include conversational AI and mobile CRM management. It provides its users with a website tracker, scoring leads, notification of successful sales and more. The Zoho CRM lets you access its software and obtain up to 10 users with no extra cost.

Zoho can be purchased at different price levels depending on your requirement. However, there is a free version where you can use Zoho's CRM mobile app anytime and anywhere.

2. EngageBay CRM

EngageBay is a simple, affordable, integrated, all-in-one marketing, sales and service automation platform with a free CRM, built to grow small businesses and startups. EngageBay is one of the best CRM for small business that helps you grow your business. The marketing automation suite helps you save time, nurture your audience and automate routine, manual tasks. 

With the free CRM and sales automation, you can organize all your email contacts, track deals and the sales pipeline to grow your sales. Further, you can build meaningful customer relationships that stay for life. And finally, with the free live chat and helpdesk features, provide real-time assistance to convert visitors to happy customers. Track, prioritize and solve customer support tickets in minutes.

3. Salesforce CRM

It is a cloud-based solution built with all that a CRM software possesses. Salesforce is a tool that helps small businesses grow. It has a platform of products and tools that small businesses can find affordable and useful. It is one of the most widely used CRM in the market. 

It offers a version called Lightning Essentials for small businesses. This edition provides an advanced contact manager with email integration and schedule-reminders as well as tools for integration and customizing.

The Salesforce platform is user-friendly and includes key features like lead generation, sales forecasting, workflow-automation and a lot more.

4. Insightly CRM

Insightly CRM is a solid customer relationship and lead tracking tool, that is aimed specifically at small businesses. It works directly with the company's email inbox and connects it to other apps and services like Xero, QuickBooks and MailChimp to provide you with a specialized look into your customer's communication and sales process. 

Insightly is a Lead Management software as it's interface is easy to use and it allows for customization and integration. It has all the required tools that small businesses need in a CRM and it is highly scalable as your company grows. it is one of the most affordable CRM solutions available in the market. There is a free version available to get you started off and paid plans are not too expensive.

5. Hubspot CRM

Hubspot's software contains all the tools that a startup/small business needs in a CRM. It offers a free version of its CRM software, which is popular among small businesses. 

It provides a variety of tools for companies to get a direct overview of their sales pipeline and features such as email notifications, in-app calling, assigning and tracking deals, managing data, etc that keep the sales process organized. Hubspot offers a pile of software products for users to pick and organize according to their company's objectives and needs.

6. Nimble

It is a popular CRM software that is an insightful and simple customer relationship manager.  It associates contact management, social media, sales intelligence and marketing automation into an excellent CRM platform. 

This unique CRM provides insights into every platform. The interface is user-friendly and easy to use. Nimble CRM has a smart and quick way to monitor customers as well as engage and nurture them along the sales process.

Final Words

CRM software is clearly a powerful tool for small businesses. Getting to know your customers and understand their needs as well as the products they will find valuable or how you should communicate with them etc. are the ways in which a small business CRM system can help you.