Before diving into the topic of what constitutes the best CRM app, it is, of course, necessary to remind oneself that CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. CRM applications are those that help businesses and organizations, great and small, organize their client and customer databases, marketing efforts, task lists, deadlines, team collaboration and many other things. These web applications may be based on your server or in the cloud, and the complexity of learning to use these apps and the cost of developing or purchasing a good CRM app can vary greatly.
What makes CRM web applications great?
A CRM app can have many features, and a good one can both look and feel as something you have used in the past, or be completely novel and exciting in that way. Figuring out what the best CRM apps would be strongly depends on the needs of the individual looking into CRM integration. Some companies and groups would be content with the simplest of CRM applications that is basically an enhanced contact list, while others must have a Customer Relationship Management app that can do much more than that. Perhaps a criterion that everyone looks for is the ease of installation and low or no demands for professional support and training.
At the simpler end of the spectrum
Some CRM applications are simple to use and have a lower level of complexity. Some of the names falling into this category would be Google Contacts, Insightly, OnePageCRM, Vtiger and others. These are mostly about organizing your contact lists and adding any information that is important your files. These are joined by a group of CRM applications that are mostly concerned with your emails and other conversations - some of these are Nutshell, RelateIQ, and Contactually. If making sure that a pipeline of messages is built painlessly is a priority for you - these are some of the choices to look into.
Complexity when it’s needed
If you need your CRM app to go beyond emails and contact lists and into the full scope of project management, including the tracking of leads and deals, the above list would not bring you a satisfying option. This is where another group of much more complex and never complimentary web applications comes into play - such names as TrackVia, Odoo, Salesforce, and SugarCRM. If you are prepared to spend more each month on your top quality CRM, then this is something to look into.
These CRM applications can significantly simplify the process of following up leads and opportunities, while also having the functionality mentioned above for the simpler apps. Whatever you choose, we highly recommend a consultation with a Thoransoft expert to ensure that the CRM application meets your needs the best.