Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

What is CRM Software?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software offers centralized tools for storing, organizing and analyzing important customer data. While worthwhile, keeping excellent data records can be time-consuming and prone to error when done manually. CRM software therefore helps to convert leads, retain existing customers, and improves internal processes. 

CRM systems, be they through integrations with other Customer Experience (CX) tools or simply as stand-alone systems, can be beneficial across departments, from marketing and sales to customer support. Centralizing all of your customer, lead, and sales data into one powerful CRM platform can streamline processes, improve lead conversions, drive sales, and help shape companywide decisions regarding new or existing business.

Key Features and Capabilities of CRM Software  

  • Customer profiling
  • Contact management
  • Calendar integration and management
  • Interaction tracking
  • Task management
  • Email integration
  • Social media integration
  • Lead management
  • Sales pipelines
  • Lead scoring
  • Lead tracking
  • Workflow automation tools
  • Document storage
  • Customer lifecycle management

Additionally, CRM platforms also integrate with other customer-focused platforms, such as customer intelligence software. With CX now being a top factor of consideration for businesses of all sizes, incorporating granular customer insights is essential to improving customer service, while also delivering timely personalized recommendations that are attuned to the needs of varying audiences.

Key Benefits of CRM Software  

  • Centralized customer data: Top CRM platforms essentially offer sales and service teams the ability to communicate with a customer via a single profile. This is done by integrating interactions from multiple communication channels, thereby delivering omnichannel communications through one unified platform – as opposed to having to toggle between multiple applications.
  • Streamlined access for sales and service teams: While centralized customer profiles contribute to smoother collaboration between teams thanks to a single-pane-of-glass interface, task management capabilities enable team members to create, assign and share tasks in order to stay on top of day-to-day duties.
  • Automation of repetitive tasks: Configuring workflows within a CRM can allow teams to automate common and mundane tasks, so precious time can be freed for more pressing responsibilities, or for tasks that require strategic attention.
  • Personalized recommendations: CRM systems, together with customer journey mapping tools, can help marketing teams deliver personalized recommendations that are carefully customized and timed to the unique needs of each customer, in order to resonate better – while also driving sales.

Have more questions about CRM software? Visit our CRM FAQs to learn more.

Top 10 CRM Software Vendors

NetSuite / SYSPRO / Salesforce Service Cloud / Monday.com / SAP S/4HANA / OnePageCRM / Oracle ERP / Maximizer / Insightly / Act!

WH Score
7.5
Front
17reviews
Starting Price:$19 per user / per month
Front is a complete CRM and Customer Success solution which ensures no task, message or customer quandary falls through the cracks. A central, unified console enables your team members to conduct omnichannel communications without having to toggle between multiple applications, while a mobile app al...
WH Score
7.5
Prophet
5reviews
Starting Price:$25 per user / per month
Prophet CRM is a comprehensive customer relationship management software that helps businesses of all sizes manage and grow their customer base. With Prophet CRM, you can easily track sales leads, manage customer interactions, and automate your sales process.
WH Score
7.4
HubSpot Service Hub
8reviews
Starting Price:$0 per user / per month
Hubspot CRM is a suite of powerful tools that can be customized for companies of all sizes, from startup to enterprise. HubSpot CRM allows you to keep all your contacts in one centralized, customizable database that automatically logs every interaction and gives you the option to link to documents a...
WH Score
7.3
Eldermark
0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Eldermark is a premier provider of senior living CRM software solutions dedicated to helping senior care communities streamline operations, enhance resident care, and optimize revenue. Boasting over two decades of industry expertise, Eldermark has solidified its position as a reliable ally for senio...
WH Score
7.3
Freshdesk
10reviews
Starting Price:$0 per user / per month
Freshdesk unifies contact center capabilities with the expertise and knowledge of help desks, giving consumers the benefit of having all their solutions in one place. A powerful, comprehensive ticketing system keeps all active agents aware of what others are doing to increase productivity and avoid ...
WH Score
7.2
Deltek Vantagepoint
10reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Deltek Vantagepoint is a comprehensive suite of ERP tools designed to empower businesses in the professional services industry. By streamlining processes, enhancing collaboration, and offering actionable insights, Deltek Vantagepoint can help you achieve significant benefits across your organization...
WH Score
7.1
TeamSupport
5reviews
Starting Price:N/A
TeamSupport CRM is not just a complete suite of customer service features. It also facilitates communication and collaboration among your internal team members and clients. TeamSupport is a fully hosted solution, which is delivered as a Software as a Service (SaaS).     
WH Score
7.0
Enquire CRM
0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Enquire CRM is an all-encompassing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software offering businesses a seamless solution to streamline sales, marketing, and customer service operations. Boasting a user-friendly interface coupled with advanced features, Enquire CRM empowers businesses to enhance cu...
WH Score
6.9
Firmao
0reviews
Starting Price:$19 per user / per month
Firmao is an online CRM software that is tailored to the CRM needs of small and medium businesses in service, sales, and manufacturing. Firmao is also a great CRM option for remote teams who need centralized tools for dynamic growth.
WH Score
6.9
WelcomeHome
0reviews
Starting Price:$500 per user / per month
WelcomeHome CRM emerges as a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution carefully crafted to streamline operations, optimize inventory management, and elevate customer service for senior living communities and organizations in the aging services industry. Through its robust suite of...

Learn more about Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Are CRMs part of sales or marketing?

CRMs are characteristically designed to assist sales and service teams, as agents in these departments are in the frontlines of answering customer inquiries, or attending to complaints/feedback. While marketing teams may not directly use the core functionalities of CRMs, they may find value in accessing any inbuilt reporting and analytics tools, if available.

Additionally, marketing teams can assist other teams that do actively use CRMs, by configuring custom workflows in order to automate common tasks, implement customer self-service tools, or deliver personalized recommendations directly within the CRM – based on insights derived from reporting tools.

Is a CRM a database?

CRMs are based on customer databases, all of which are connected to one another. But a CRM is more than just a collection of databases; it's an entire system, complete with an easy-to-navigate user interface that allows sales and service teams to interact with prospects/customers. Additionally, CRM systems also offer analytics across all the information in the system so that you can analyze that data to spot opportunities, issues, or trends to inform your decision making. 

What is the difference between CRM and CDP?

Although CRMs and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) are both solutions that are utilized for customer engagement and management, there are key differences between each. The main difference between CRMs and CDPs, however, lies in their core functionalities; while CRMs are systems that offer sales and service teams a set of tools to interact with customers across any channel of their choice, CDPs build centralized customer profiles by ingesting, analysing and unifying customer data from multiple channels.

Typically, CDPs connect with CRMs, so business teams can obtain deep customer insights directly into the latter, via the former. This integration then helps teams to automate tasks, customize recommendations, and contextually interact with customers – directly from the CRM interface.

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