It’s true that even the biggest brands had to start with a small set up but they have managed to become giants because of sheer determination and impeccable customer service. Small business owners have to do a lot of struggle in establishing their identities but one of the best ways with which they can do this is by collecting, retaining, and converting quality leads.
Comprehensive sales CRM for small business can be the right tool to let entrepreneurs manage their database of customers and prospects efficiently. A Forrester study where they have researched on 2000 professionals working with Microsoft’s Dynamics found that businesses using CRM solutions effectively can expect an ROI of 245%.
CRM solutions have become an integral asset for evolving businesses as they help them in maintaining long-term relationships with a diverse customer base. But in the market offering multiple best CRM tools, the task of choosing the right one can be intimidation for small businesses. To help such business owners, let’s explore nine important factors to be considered before purchasing a CRM for your company.
1. Make Your Final Call Based On Evaluation Of Specific Business Requirements
It’s true that the majority of entrepreneurs are embracing CRM solutions to streamline their sales pipeline. But it doesn’t mean that you can blindly pick any random system. In order to choose the best CRM solution, you need to identify your specific business requirements. This will allow you to choose the one which is capable to meet these needs.
For instance, if you have an inefficient sales team the CRM platform which you choose must be one of the many ways to make your sales team succeed. In such a scenario, it’s a good idea to choose a system that has the potential to automate complex routine tasks for your sales team and allow them to pay full attention to selling better.
2. Seamless Accessibility With A Short Learning Curve
A CRM tool which is difficult to use and has a long learning curve will be of no use to your employees. This is why it’s better to pick a system which is easily accessible, simple to navigate and is blessed with an intuitive interface. Ease of use is one of the most demanded CRM features as per the Inside CRM survey.
In addition to ease of use, you should also make sure that your CRM vendor is ready to walk you through the entire tedious process of setting up and implementation. For example, Pipedrive and Salesforce are two popular CRM tools for small businesses that can be used by sales and marketing teams without any hassle.
Both these vendors do provide guided set up and onboarding support. These products have basic free plans but they also offer premium plans that allow you to take advantage of advanced features.
3. Affordability & Seamless Integration
Small businesses can’t afford to incur heavy amounts on setting up a CRM system. Rather they need something which does not burn a hole in their pockets and can be one of the ways to increase sales. Therefore, every entrepreneur needs to do his homework and choose the solution which is affordable yet equipped with all the features they want.
For example, Batchbook is an economical cloud-based CRM platform which is ideal for SMBs which has all the essential features under its umbrella for letting professionals keep a precise track of significant customers and maintain healthy relationships with them.
In addition to being a cost-efficient product, your CRM tool must be having seamless integration power that enables it to sync with ERP and other sales solutions you are already using such as an e-commerce app, a social listening app, etc. This will allow your CRM to work in harmony with all other tools and give you an opportunity to make better-informed business decisions.
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4. Customizable Interface That Can Evolve With Your Business
Your small business won’t stay stagnant forever but it will grow gradually with time and will enjoy managing and retaining an increasing customer base. This makes it mandatory for you to choose a CRM solution that is flexible and can be customized in accordance with your changing business needs and objectives.
The HubSpot CRM is an ideal platform for small businesses which can be easily modified by including new features and eliminating the unwanted ones based on your business needs. You can easily add custom fields and make the tool tailored to suit your unique workflow.
5. Comprehensive Dashboards & Marketing Automation Features
Your CRM system must be blessed with a customizable dashboard which makes it easier for you to perform daily tasks such as logging in, checking metrics, reviewing charts and graphs, etc. Also, the solution should be capable of managing all your contact details in a proper manner in order to allow sales teams to review marketing touchpoints that have taken place.
Freshsales is a CRM tool that provides its users with seamless accessibility to customer touchpoints and custom-fit dashboard that help in removing bottlenecks in your sales pipeline and open to more profitable business opportunities.
Marketing automation capability is another important factor to consider before finalizing the CRM for your small business. With the help of an in-built marketing automation tool, your CRM will allow you to run campaigns and tracking their outcomes, create landing pages, scoring and qualifying leads, etc. in an effective manner.
6. Efficient Reporting That Generate Powerful Metrics
Your CRM system should be able to provide you with useful insights into what’s working best for your business. This will allow you to make data-driven decisions by evaluating different metrics produced with the help of CRM reporting. This analysis can give you an idea of multiple things such as total closed deals, lost deals, the status of your sales funnel, future sales, revenue, etc.
7. Mobile-Friendly Design
Nowadays, it’s common for small businesses to have sales professionals working from remote locations. In order to let teams operating from different locations to be on the same page, you need a mobile-friendly CRM that facilitates accomplishing CRM tasks on the go. Also, because of increased mobile adoption, there’s a need for your CRM solution to be capable to run smoothly on smartphones. Zoho CRM is an acclaimed solution which offers mobile editions for Android, iOS, and Blackberry platforms.
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8. Prompt Customer Support & Help Desk Software
Once you are done with setting up the CRM tool it’s natural that you might face some issues in the future such as technical glitches. This makes it important for you to choose a system that provides prompt customer support for resolving any sort of problems. Some of the top CRM tools also have helpdesk software that simplifies your customer service experience.
Apptivo is a popular web-based CRM software which is blessed with impeccable customer service which is quick and efficient is fixing customer issues. This product is available for free but it also has premium paid plans.
9. Ability To Leverage Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms have become integral places for businesses to connect with their potential customers and maintain long-term relationships. Considering the trend it’s good if your CRM tool lets you interact with your customers through social media channels and generate quality leads.
An all-inclusive CRM system can be your true companion in improving productivity and profit margin for your small business. You just need to do your research and identify your needs to discover the best CRM tool that is a perfect fit.
