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
6.7
PointClickCare
0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
PointClickCare is a leading cloud-based software platform meticulously crafted for the senior care industry. This comprehensive solution is dedicated to empowering long-term and post-acute care providers, enhancing operations management, elevating the quality of care, and streamlining administrative...
WH Score
6.6
Continuum CRM
0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Continuum CRM is a tailored customer relationship management (CRM) software meticulously crafted for senior living and long-term care communities. This comprehensive solution elevates communities by streamlining sales and marketing processes, fostering seamless communication and collaboration, and u...
WH Score
6.4
Yardi RentCafe
0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Yardi RentCafe revolutionizes property management by providing a seamless rental experience for both property managers and residents. The user-friendly interface and robust features make it a top choice for managing rental properties of all sizes. 
WH Score
6.0
TeamWox CRM
1review
Starting Price:$500 per user / per month
The TeamWox allows you to organize an effective working group document and avoid the problems associated with multiple projects and campaigns. TeamWox stores all information about your clients and a history of relations with them, as well as different internal documents, tasks and discussions. With ...
WH Score
6.0
MatrixCare
0reviews
Starting Price:N/A
MatrixCare is a leading provider of software solutions tailored for the long-term care industry, delivering an extensive suite of products to streamline operations and elevate patient care standards. Renowned for its user-friendly interface and robust feature set, MatrixCare has garnered trust among...
WH Score
5.9
Eptica CRM
1review
Starting Price:N/A
The Digital Conversation solution from Eptica involves all aspects of your customer’s journey, so that all communication avenues are unified into one centralized platform. Monitor activities on a real-time basis, while creating unique engagement rules to address users with specific needs. ...
WH Score
4.8
W5Templates
0reviews
Starting Price:$20 per user / per month
W5Templates was created to assist small to medium size business and business units within larger corporations with their CRM and Project Management needs.     

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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