A CRM for SMEs can be fantastic software for managing customer relations and various operational tasks. Small businesses often tend to overlook the use of a CRM. Often considered an expensive investment in time and money, a CRM for SMEs, regardless their size, can optimize their commercial management and marketing or operational management efforts.
What Is CRM?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is business management software. It lets you control all customer communication channels and automate sales. Instead of Excel spreadsheets, couriers, numerous documents, and trips to the office, this is a one-stop service.
It includes software for customer data collection, transaction management, manager control, analysis, and forecasting. CRM simplifies the routine, speeds up making correct decisions, eliminates errors, helps increase profits by 40-50%, reduces costs, and speeds up the processing of requests by half.
The Five Best CRMs For India SMEs In 2023
Considering all these elements, here is a selection of the five best CRMs available for Indian SMEs in 2023. STREAK Streak is an intelligent CRM with the particularity of integrating directly with the Google suite (Gmail, etc.). It is, therefore, particularly suitable for Google users. It allows you to create “pipelines” according to your needs—sales, project management, marketing, recruitment, etc.
In each pipeline, you can create custom customer records based on the information that is important to you. Streak has the distinction of being very easy to learn. Download a Google Chrome extension for free, and authorize access to your email. It is a practical and nomadic management solution that is particularly well thought out.
The (+)Of Streak
- (+) Customer data in one place.
- (+) Collaborative CRM.
- (+) The information is available on Gmail directly.
- (+) Ability to create email templates and reminders.
- (+) Possibility of organization of flow and follow-up.
The (-) Of Streak
- (-) It would help if you had the Google suite to use it.
- (-) Limited in terms of performance analysis.
Streak is an excellent CRM for small businesses and freelancers who want to manage their customers simply and in an organized way. The tool has the particularity of integrating well with Google and is customizable. On the other hand, it is less suitable for companies that manage many customers or want to monitor their performance extensively.
Freshwork
Freshworks is a fantastic CRM for small businesses with one of the best interfaces. It is an ideal solution for SMEs which has the advantage of being affordable and easy to use.
Freshwork automates part of the sales process, emailing, and offers a range of additional solutions for long-term management. The alert system is well-designed and intuitive, so you never miss an opportunity or a contact.
The (+) Of Freshwork
- (+) Pleasant interface.
- (+) CRM is very suitable for VSMEs.
- (+) Optimized in mobile version.
- (+) Full free version.
The (-) Of Freshwork
- (-) Limited functionality in the free version.
- (-) Biased reporting.
Freshworks is a good CRM for small businesses and less tech-savvy users. The free version offers many possibilities. On the other hand, as with Streak, the reporting is limited.
Pipedrive
For SMEs whose core business is very sales-oriented, Pipedrive is an excellent CRM solution. It allows a follow-up of emails sent and calls made on the various work tools.
Thanks to its healthy thought-out interface, Pipedrive gives you an overview of the entire sales process, from prospecting to after-sales service. This is ideal for gaining efficiency and having a global vision. The CRM offers fewer facilities for marketing, but it is possible to make some customizations according to your needs.
The (+) Of Pipedrive
- (+) Overview of the sales process.
- (+) Simple and intuitive interface.
- (+) Available in mobile version.
The (-) Of Pipedrive
- (-) Limited marketing options.
- (-) High price with the features offered.
A pipeline is an excellent option for salespeople, first and foremost. It has the advantage of being very accessible and easy to handle.
Salesforce
A proper reference in the world of CRM, Salesforce can boast of its more than 1 million users. It is a more expensive option than others but a well-honed tool that has already proven itself to companies. Salesforce is a bit of a CRM war machine: adapted to the size of the company, CRM exists in a Cloud version and offers solutions for sales, marketing, and indicator monitoring teams. Getting started can be a bit complex for SMEs.
The (+) Of Salesforce
- (+) An excellent tool from a marketing, sales, and analytical point of view.
- (+) High-end customer support management.
- (+) Wide range of products and customization possible.
The (-) Of Salesforce
- (-) Less suitable for VSMEs.
- (-) High price.
- (-) Getting started is sometimes complicated.
Salesforce is a reference in terms of CRM, which remains relatively affordable despite its higher price than the competition. For a long time, it has been a tool of choice for SMEs that manage a lot of salespeople and need advanced marketing monitoring and indicators.
Zoho CRM
Zoho is a CRM tool suitable for all structures, from SMEs to large companies. The tool has the advantage of being able to adapt to many needs thanks to its great capacity for customization. The mobile version is well thought out and integrated with other complementary software.
The (+) Of Zoho CRM
- (+) Great versatility and possibility of customization.
- (+) Mobile app
- (+) Possibilities to create dashboards
- (+) Sales, marketing, and reporting facilitated.
The (-) Of Zoho CRM
- (-) Complex customization.
- (-) High price.
Zoho CRM is an excellent option for SMBs needing a personalized tool. Despite its high price, Zoho CRM is a good option that has proven itself to a broad audience.
Five Good Reasons To Opt For A CRM For SMEs
From commercial prospecting to after-sales service, the best CRM software allows a company to integrate all customer-related activity into a single tool. Among the many advantages of a small business CRM, we can highlight the following:
Boost Sales
With SME CRM software, it is possible to easily manage and track a company’s sales thanks to integrated tracking metrics and KPIs. This makes it possible to optimize the conversion rate, understand any blocking points, and thus offer customers a tailor-made offer.
Build Customer Loyalty
Each salesperson attached to the SME CRM can have a global view of their customer portfolio. For example, add customer follow-up alerts or send emails to each customer and prospect more easily.
Better Productivity
In an SME, each employee has a comprehensive and fluctuating range of responsibilities. We never get bored! A CRM makes it possible to automate specific tasks, thanks to email templates that can be sent automatically for follow-up or contact.
Monitoring The Indicators That Matter To You
Each company has its monitoring indicators—customer satisfaction, number of sales, customers or leads, or conversation rate. A CRM allows you to carry out exports and in-depth studies of your indicators.
Measurable Client Portfolio
For a small business, the value of a customer portfolio matters more than anything. Having all your customers in a CRM also gives you precise data to communicate to investors.
How To Choose The Best CRM?
To develop your SME, choosing a CRM adapted to your size and needs is essential. But also ready to accompany you in your growth. The price factor is also a vital and sensitive factor for smaller structures. Here are the critical elements to consider when choosing your future CRM:
An Easy Grip
Who has never experienced IT management tools so complicated that they end up in the closet? Or impossible to update or optimize according to your needs so that you have to resort to an expensive expert constantly? A good CRM should be easy to learn and intuitive.
The Possibility Of Working Together
Forget the Excel spreadsheet, which one person can only modify at a time! A good CRM must be able to be used by several users simultaneously but also by different departments within your small company. For example, sales, marketing, operations, or accounting must all be able to access your CRM.
Good integration
For an agile CRM to work effectively within a company, it must integrate perfectly within the different departments. The goal: is to save time and avoid silos and red tape for small businesses.
Security
Your customer data is your greatest asset. Ensuring their safety is, therefore, your highest priority. By opting for a CRM tool, you reduce your risk of hacking or leaking confidential data.
A Scalable Tool
Your business is still in its growth phase. Your needs today will undoubtedly be different from those of tomorrow. Some small business CRMs offer scalable services depending on the price you pay. Opt for a less comprehensive version today, safe in the knowledge that you can upgrade tomorrow. This way, you optimize your current costs. And you don’t have to change tools when your business evolves to meet different needs.
Conclusion: Identify Your Needs And Choose The Best CRM For Your Small Or Medium Business
It is essential to identify your needs to choose the right CRM for your entrepreneur, self-employed, or SME activity. Please choose from our 5 CRMs and make your life easier and that of your sales teams! In addition to a CRM, small businesses often need to equip themselves with reliable and affordable accounting tools (we’ve written about accounting for small businesses here ).
Finom meets all the expectations of SMEs and more! Finom makes life easier for young entrepreneurs by offering them various financial services. Among them are a business account, invoicing (we explain how to invoice correctly here ), and the integration of accounting software.
Small businesses and freelancers can try Finom’s free Solo plan, which provides access to additional features such as multi-banking and access to own bank accounts with local IBAN. If you are a resident of Germany, you can open a Finom account while your business is being registered.
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