CRM is an important tool for businesses of all sizes, as it helps them understand and meet the needs of their customers and build long-term, profitable relationships. But which CRM system to choose?
Content
Introducing the biggest players
Main benefits of each services
What is CRM?
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a term that refers to the practices, strategies, and technologies that companies use to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. The goal of CRM is to improve customer relationships, increase customer loyalty, and drive sales growth.
CRM systems are designed to store and organize customer information, such as contact details, purchasing history, and communication logs. This information can be used to track customer interactions and identify patterns and trends that can inform business decisions.
CRM systems can also include tools for managing customer interactions, such as live chat, email, and social media. These tools can help companies respond to customer inquiries and complaints in a timely and efficient manner, and can also be used to track customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Introducing the biggest players
When it comes to customer relationship management, there are plenty of options available for businesses to choose. In this article we will look at the most common ones.
HubSpot
HubSpot is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that provides a suite of software tools and services for sales, marketing, and customer service. The company's platform is designed to help businesses attract, engage, and delight customers through a variety of channels, including email, social media, and the web.
HubSpot was founded in 2006 by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, two MIT graduates who were inspired to create a new kind of marketing software that would be more in tune with the needs of modern businesses.
The company launched its first product, a content management system (CMS) designed specifically for marketing, in 2007. This was followed by the launch of a suite of inbound marketing tools in 2008, which included email marketing, landing pages, and lead generation tools.
Over the next few years, HubSpot continued to expand its product offerings, adding new features and tools for sales, customer service, and analytics. In 2013, the company went public, and today it is one of the leading providers of CRM and marketing software for businesses of all sizes.
Pipedrive
.png?width=900&height=450&name=N%C3%A1vrh%20bez%20n%C3%A1zvu%20(1).png)
Pipedrive is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that was founded in 2010 by three entrepreneurs from Estonia: Timo Rein, Allar Kaar, and Urmas Purde. The company was born out of a frustration with existing CRM solutions, which the founders believed were too complex and inflexible for small businesses.
To address this problem, the founders developed Pipedrive, a CRM platform that was specifically designed to be simple, intuitive, and easy to use. The platform focused on helping sales teams manage their deals and pipelines, and included a range of features such as lead and opportunity management, deal pipelines, and sales forecasting.
Over the years, Pipedrive has continued to grow and expand its product offerings, adding new features and tools for customer relationship management, marketing, and customer service. Today, the company serves thousands of businesses around the world, and is recognized as a leading provider of CRM solutions for small and medium-sized businesses.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform that was founded in 1999 by Marc Benioff, Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez. The company was launched with the goal of providing businesses with a new kind of CRM solution that was easy to use, scalable, and accessible from any device.
Salesforce's CRM platform was one of the first to be delivered as a cloud-based service, which meant that it could be accessed from any device with an internet connection, without the need for expensive hardware or software installations. This made it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, and the company quickly gained a large and loyal customer base.
Over the years, Salesforce has continued to expand its product offerings, adding new features and tools for sales, marketing, customer service, and analytics. Today, the company is a leader in the CRM industry, serving more than 150,000 customers around the world. In addition to its CRM platform, Salesforce also offers a range of related products and services, such as marketing automation, analytics, and customer service management.
Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform that was launched in 2016. It is a product of Microsoft, a technology company that was founded in 1975 and is known for its software and hardware products.
Before Dynamics 365, Microsoft had several other CRM and ERP products, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics AX. These products were designed to help businesses manage and automate their customer relationships, financials, operations, and other business processes.
In 2016, Microsoft decided to merge its CRM and ERP products into a single platform, Dynamics 365, which combined the functionality of both product lines into a single, integrated solution. The platform was designed to be flexible and scalable, and could be customized to meet the specific needs of different businesses.
Today, Microsoft Dynamics 365 is used by thousands of businesses around the world, and is recognized as a leading provider of CRM and ERP solutions.
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) and project management platform that was developed by Russian software company Bitrix Inc. The company was founded in 1998 and has a long history of developing software products for businesses.
Bitrix24 was launched in 2012 as a cloud-based CRM platform that was designed to help businesses manage and automate their customer relationships and sales processes. Over the years, the platform has expanded to include a range of features and tools for project management, collaboration, communication, and productivity.
Today, Bitrix24 is used by thousands of businesses around the world, and is recognized as a leading provider of CRM and project management solutions. In addition to its CRM and project management features, Bitrix24 also offers a range of related products and services, such as marketing automation, HR management, and social collaboration tools.
Freshsales
Freshsales is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that was developed by Freshworks, a software company that was founded in 2010. Freshworks is known for its customer service and support software, and has a long history of developing innovative products for businesses.
Freshsales was launched in 2016 as a cloud-based CRM platform that was designed to help businesses manage and automate their sales processes. The platform includes a range of features and tools for lead and opportunity management, sales forecasting, and customer relationship management.
Over the years, Freshsales has continued to expand its product offerings, adding new features and tools for customer service, marketing, and analytics. Today, the platform is used by hundreds of businesses around the world, and is recognized as a reputable provider of CRM solutions for small and medium-sized businesses.
ActiveCampaign CRM
AC CRM offers a wide range of features that allow you to better understand your customers' needs and requirements and effectively manage all aspects of your business process.
ActiveCampaign CRM is designed to allow you to centrally manage your contacts and track the history of your interactions with each individual customer. This allows you to quickly identify who your most loyal customers are and what their needs and preferences are. This system also allows you to efficiently manage sales cases and coordinate sales activities between departments.
The main advantage of the system is also the comprehensive ability to work with the ActiveCampaign platform, which includes many automation options, great marketing emails and other features towards the marketing world. This allows you to connect your marketing and sales activities.
ActiveCampaign CRM is also equipped with advanced analytics tools that allow you to track key performance indicators, identify opportunities for improvement and optimize your business processes, and evaluate what marketing campaigns are working. By integrating with other applications and services, ActiveCampaign CRM can make the day-to-day work of your employees easier and improve the efficiency of your business.
Zoho
Zoho is a comprehensive business software suite that was founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu. The company emerged with a vision to provide businesses with software that is not only robust but also adaptable to different operational needs. Zoho understood early on that businesses, regardless of their size, require customizable solutions that can grow with them.
Initially focusing on customer relationship management (CRM), Zoho developed Zoho CRM as a tool designed for businesses to manage leads, monitor sales, and build enduring customer relationships. The platform offers a wide range of features, including robust task automation, in-depth analytics, and diverse communication channels.
Later, Zoho expanded its offerings to include solutions for marketing, project management, finance, HR, and data analytics, among others. Each of these solutions is engineered to integrate seamlessly, thereby eliminating departmental silos and enhancing organizational collaboration.
Today, Zoho's commitment to data security and adaptability makes it a leading choice for businesses of all sizes, solidifying its position as a premier provider of business software solutions.
Main benefits of each service
Hubspot
Automated lead tracking and nurturing: Hubspot makes it easier for businesses to track and nurture leads with automated workflows and contact profiles. This helps sales teams stay on top of their target customers and move them more quickly through the sales pipeline.
Reporting capabilities: Additionally, the platform’s reporting capabilities make it easy to determine how well users are performing so managers can better assess which strategies are working best.
A/B testing capabilities: Businesses can use A/B testing features in Hubspot to test different versions of their campaigns or content pieces to measure which one performs better. This allows companies to optimize their marketing efforts based on real-time results.
Personalized experiences: Using Hubspot’s tools, companies can build relationships with customers by providing personalized experiences tailored specifically for each user. Segmentation tools such as filters and personalization rulesets help ensure that leads get the right information whenever they interact with the company, enabling businesses to create more effective long-term relationships with customers.
Powerful forecasting tools: Hubspot features powerful forecasting tools that give insight into future trends and performance metrics – allowing businesses to make informed decisions about how best to approach new opportunities or customers.
Comprehensive integration: Finally, Hubspot provides integration into hundreds of third party products making it easier for businesses to connect different systems together into one cohesive ecosystem that works together seamlessly from end-to-end process management improvements to automated task completion between multiple platforms. This enables companies to create and maintain efficient workflows across all their operations without sacrificing performance along the way .
Pipedrive
Easy setup & user-friendly interface: Pipedrive offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to quickly set up and start using the platform without extensive training or complex setup procedures. The user-friendly design makes navigation simple, allowing users to quickly find what they need without getting lost in complicated menus or extra layers of data.
Robust reporting capabilities & custom views: With Pipedrive's powerful reporting tools, users can easily generate custom reports tailored specifically to their needs. From detailed sales activities to overall customer insights, businesses have access to the data they need when making informed decisions about their strategies. In addition, users are able to create their own custom views so they can see only the most relevant information at any given time.
Detailed contact profiles: Pipedrive also provides detailed contact profiles with full histories of customer interactions, conversations, and more; so users can keep track of all their sales activities in one centralized location. This ensures accuracy when tracking leads while providing valuable insights into customer behavior that can help guide future strategies.
Automation of routine tasks: Pipedrive enables users to automate routine tasks such as creating follow-up emails or updating customer records with customizable workflows. This saves valuable time which can then be used for more productive activities like connecting with customers or researching new marketing initiatives.
Comprehensive integrations: Finally, Pipedrive also offers comprehensive integrations with many other services and solutions so companies don’t have to manually transfer data between different platforms. This streamlines processes across multiple departments while also increasing efficiency levels within the organization as a whole!
Salesforce
Easy scalability and flexibility: Salesforce offers easy scalability and flexibility so businesses can quickly adapt to changing needs while keeping costs down. The platform can grow as the business does, allowing companies to save money by only purchasing the features they need now and adding additional functionality as needed in the future.
Automation of routine processes & tasks: Salesforce automates many routine processes so users don’t have to manually enter data or perform tedious tasks. This saves valuable time that can then be used for more productive activities such as working on projects or connecting with customers. Plus, automation significantly reduces errors associated with manual data entry which helps ensure accuracy across the entire organization.
Real-time data & customer insights: Using Salesforce’s built-in analytics tools, companies gain powerful insights into customer behavior in real time so they can make more informed decisions quicker than ever before. Users can identify trends in customer buying patterns, preferences, and more; which enables them to create better experiences for their customers through personalized campaigns or product recommendations.
Collaboration simplified: Salesforce allows teams, departments, and customers to easily collaborate through its intuitive interface while still providing secure access control over who has access to what parts of the system. This simplifies communications among all stakeholders involved in any project while also enabling managers to delegate tasks quickly across multiple groups or locations without sacrificing security or privacy compliance standards
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Real-time insights: Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides real-time insights into customer activity, such as frequency and type of purchases. This helps businesses gain valuable data about their customers, enabling them to better understand their behavior and make more informed decisions in terms of marketing campaigns or product offerings.
Easy integration: The platform easily integrates with other Microsoft services and applications, providing users with streamlined processes for managing customer data across multiple platforms. This helps eliminate manual data entry errors and saves time which can be used for other tasks.
Automated workflows & notifications: Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows users to automate routine tasks like creating follow-up emails or updating customer records. Additionally, automated notifications help ensure accuracy and consistency when it comes to customer information.
Predictive analytics: The platform's predictive analytics capabilities help businesses identify trends in customer behavior so they can anticipate future demands or preferences more accurately. This gives organizations an edge when crafting new strategies or adjusting existing ones.
Comprehensive customer service capabilities: Finally, Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers comprehensive customer service capabilities including personalized support plans, automated issue resolution processes, and more – allowing companies to deliver better experiences while improving overall brand loyalty.
Britix24
Comprehensive security: Britix24 features comprehensive security features, preventing customer data from being accessed by unauthorized personnel or organizations. This helps protect customer data from malicious actors, giving both customers and businesses peace of mind.
Analytics tools: The platform provides access to analytics tools that enable businesses to understand their customers better than ever before. From buying habits to preferences, data gathered through these tools can be used to make more informed decisions.
Automated booking: With automated appointment booking capabilities, customers can quickly book appointments or consultations without any hassle – simplifying the process for them as well as businesses.
AI-powered customer service: Finally, Britix24 offers AI-powered customer service capabilities enabling businesses to resolve queries quickly with minimal effort.
Freshsales
Customizable sales pipelines: With customizable sales pipelines, businesses can tailor their CRM systems to their unique needs. This allows them to create pipelines that fit seamlessly into their existing workflows and ensure that all activities are tracked accurately.
Access to 360-degree customer profiles: Through 360-degree customer profiles, businesses get a complete view of each individual customer – including past interactions, conversations and purchases. This information can be used to inform marketing campaigns or product offerings, which can lead to higher conversions in the long run.
Automation capabilities: Automation capabilities enable businesses to automate mundane tasks such as tracking leads or following up on appointments – freeing up time for other more important tasks.
ActiveCampaign CRM
Customer Interaction Tracking: ActiveCampaign CRM allows you to track the history of your interaction with each customer, giving you detailed information about their interests and preferences. At the same time, you also know the entire marketing journey of the user. This allows you to better understand your customers' needs and reach them effectively.
Integration with other applications: ActiveCampaign CRM is integrated with a number of other applications, such as other marketing tools or analytics platforms. This allows you to use a wide range of tools to optimize your business processes.
Personalization of content and communication: ActiveCampaign CRM allows you to personalize your content and communication with each customer, increasing the likelihood of successful deal closure. With advanced target group segmentation tools, you can effectively reach individual customers with precisely targeted offers.
Zoho
Customizable and Scalable: One of Zoho's standout features is its high level of customization. Businesses can tailor the platform's myriad applications to fit their specific operational needs, making it a scalable solution that grows with your company. This adaptability breaks down departmental silos and fosters seamless collaboration across your organization.
Robust Analytics and AI: Zoho offers powerful analytics tools, including predictive analytics and AI-powered data preparation. These features allow businesses to dive deep into their data, providing actionable insights that drive informed decision-making and growth.
Multi-Channel Communication: With Zoho, businesses can manage customer interactions across various channels—email, phone, social media, live chat—ensuring a consistent and efficient customer experience. This multi-channel approach helps sales and support teams stay on top of customer needs and expectations.
Data Security: Zoho takes data security seriously. Your data remains exclusively yours, with stringent measures to prevent third-party access. This commitment to data privacy makes Zoho a trusted choice for businesses concerned about the security of their information.
Comprehensive Mobile Capabilities: Zoho's dedicated mobile app allows you to manage your work anytime, anywhere. From email server hosting to project tracking, the mobile app ensures that you're not tied to your desk to get work done.
End-to-End Integration: Zoho offers seamless integration with a wide range of third-party applications. This allows businesses to connect different systems into a cohesive ecosystem that works smoothly, from end-to-end process management to automated task completion across multiple platforms.
Overall, when comparing CRM platforms like those above, it's important to consider the level of customization each offers.
While all of these platforms give users access to advanced features such as sales pipelines and customer profiles, some have more flexibility when it comes to customizing those features.
Another important factor is the forecasting tools on offer - which will help you gain an insight into future trends or performance metrics.
Additionally, it's worth looking into automation capabilities so mundane tasks can be automated and not take away valuable time from other activities.
Finally, the user interface can make a big difference in how easy it is to navigate each platform – so be sure to evaluate this before making your choice!
And what about drawbacks?
As with any software, there are potential drawbacks to using each of the mentioned platforms. For example:
Hubspot is a complex CRM platform with many features, which can be overwhelming for some users.
Pipedrive is primarily focused on sales, so it may not have all the features that businesses need for other areas such as marketing or customer service.
Salesforce may require an extensive setup and high cost depending on what level of service you require.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 has been praised for its scalability but some users have found that the platform can be challenging to use.
Britix24 is focused on small businesses but does not offer much in terms of customization or integrations with other services.
Freshsales provides a quick on-boarding experience but some users may find the feature set limited compared to other CRM platforms.
ActiveCampaign CRM is a relatively new part of the ActiveCampaign platform that is gradually expanding. Therefore, it may not be suitable for more demanding clients.
Finally, Zoho's extensive features can lead to a steep learning curve for new users and may overwhelm businesses trying to pinpoint the most relevant tools for their needs.
But In the end, the choice of a particular CRM platform will depend on your personal preferences and the needs of your business. It may also be helpful to try out a free trial or demo to see if it meets your needs before committing to it. Price may also be a deciding factor for you.
Pricing
Here is an overview of the general price ranges for each of the CRM platforms. These prices should be up to date, but it is possible that they may change over time. Therefore, for each platform, we also provide a link to the current price lists on their websites.
HubSpot
HubSpot's pricing plans are divided into five main categories: Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, CMS, and Operations.
The platform offers services that are free across all packages. These include basic CRM features such as contact and lead management, email tracking, and transaction pipeline.
However, users can pay extra for more advanced services, which vary in price from package to package. In general, these include marketing automation, social media management or SEO tools. The price range for these services is from $23 to $2,000 per month.
In addition to these plans, HubSpot also offers a range of add-on products and services, such as customer service tools, integrations, and training, which can be purchased separately. The company also offers customized pricing for enterprise customers.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive's pricing plans are divided into four main categories: Essential, Advanced, Professional, and Enterprise.
The Essential plan, which starts at 14.90 EUR per user per month, includes basic CRM features such as contact and lead management and deal pipelines.
The Advanced plan, which starts at 24.90 EUR per user per month, includes additional features such as customizable sales reports, email integration, and Workflow builder with triggered automations.
The Professional plan, which starts at 49.90 EUR per user per month, includes additional features such as create, manage and eSign documents and contracts and revenue projections, forecasts and enhanced custom reporting.
The Enterprise plan, which is priced on a customized basis and starts at 99.00 EUR, includes all of the features of the Professional plan, as well as additional features such as API access, multi-currency support, and advanced security.
In addition to these plans, Pipedrive also offers a range of add-on products and services, such as integrations, training, and customer support, which can be purchased separately.
Salesforce
Salesforce's pricing plans are divided into four main categories: Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Commerce Cloud.
The Sales Cloud plans, which start at $25 per user per month, include basic CRM features such as contact and lead management, email tracking, and deal pipelines.
The Service Cloud plans, which start at $25 per user per month, include additional features such as customer service management, live chat, and knowledge management.
The Marketing Cloud plans, which start at $1,000 per month, include additional features such as marketing automation, email marketing, and social media management.
The Commerce Cloud plans, which start at $2,000 per month, include additional features such as e-commerce platform, order management, and customer service management.
In addition to these plans, Salesforce also offers a range of complementary products and services or an individual plan for large companies.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365's pricing plans are divided into ten categories, but the main three includes: Dynamics 365 Sales, Dynamics 365 Customer Service, and Dynamics 365 Marketing.
The Dynamics 365 Sales plans, which start at $65 per user per month, include CRM features such as contact and lead management, email tracking, and deal pipelines.
The Dynamics 365 Customer Service plans, which start at $50 per user per month, include additional features such as customer service management, live chat, and knowledge management.
The Dynamics 365 Marketing plans, which start at $1,200 per month, include additional features such as marketing automation, email marketing, and social media management.
In addition to these plans, Microsoft Dynamics 365 also offers a range of add-on products and services, such as integrations, training, and customer support, which can be purchased separately. The company also offers customized pricing for enterprise customers.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 price list
Bitrix24
Bitrix24's pricing plans are divided into four main categories: Basic, Standard, Professional, and Enterprise.
The Basic plan, which starts at $46 per month for 5 users, includes basic CRM features for collaboration.
The Standard plan, which starts at $87 per month for up to 50 users, includes additional task management, Gantt charts, and time tracking.
The Professional plan, which starts at $175 per month for 100 users, includes additional features such as videoconferencing, instant messaging, and file sharing.
The Enterprise plan, which starts at $325 per month for 250 users, is designed individually for enterprise customers.
In addition to these plans, Bitrix24 also offers a range of add-on products and services, such as integrations, training, and customer support, which can be purchased separately.
Freshsales
Freshsales's pricing plans are divided into four main categories: Free, Growth, Pro and Enterprise.
The Free plan is obviously free and it offers simple leads management with built-in chat, email, and phone.
The Growth plan, which starts at $15 per user per month, includes basic CRM features such as contact and lead management, email tracking, and deal pipelines.
The Pro plan, which starts at $39 per user per month, includes additional features such as customizable sales reports, email integration, and task dependencies.
The Enterprise plan, which starts at $69 per user per month, includes additional features such as AI-based forecasting Insights, audit Logs or dedicated Account Manager.
In addition to these plans, Freshsales also offers a range of add-on products and services, such as integrations, training, and customer support, which can be purchased separately. The company also offers customized pricing for enterprise customers.
ActiveCampaign CRM
ActiveCampaign has different price lists in four categories: Marketing, Sales, Bundles and Transactional Email. The CRM is part of the Sales category.
The "Sales" category is divided into three packages: Plus, Professional and Enterprise.
The Plus plan starts at $19 per user per month. This package includes features like sales automation, 24/7 chat support, lead scoring, and task management.
The Professional plan costs $49 per user per month. This plan expands the Plus plan to include features like sentiment analysis, likelihood to complete a transaction, or Facebook advertising with a focus on leads.
The Enterprise plan is then personalized for individual customers. Personalized reports, SLAs, etc. can be set up.
Zoho
Zoho's pricing plans are divided into four main categories: Standard, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate.
The Standard plan starts at €14 per user per month and includes essential CRM features such as sales forecasting, reporting, and document sharing.
The Professional plan is priced at €23 per user per month and offers advanced functionalities like inventory management, workflow automation, and email integration.
The Enterprise plan begins at €40 per user per month and includes premium features such as AI-based sales assistant, multi-user portals, and custom modules and buttons.
The Ultimate plan, priced at €52 per user per month, is designed to scale exponentially with dedicated BI capabilities.
In addition to these plans, Zoho offers a range of add-on products and services, such as advanced analytics, additional storage, and specialized customer support, which can be purchased separately. Customized pricing is also available for enterprise-level customers.
For businesses looking for an all-in-one solution, Zoho offers Zoho One, a comprehensive suite that includes more than 40 integrated business and productivity applications. Its plan starts at €37 per user per month.
Zoho also offers a plan called "Bigin" specifically designed for solopreneurs and micro-businesses that are ready to move beyond spreadsheets. You can start using Bigin for free with limited features.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all of the CRM tools mentioned offer a range of features and tools that can help businesses manage their customer relationships and better understand and engage with their customers. When choosing a CRM platform, it's important to carefully consider the specific needs of your business and compare the features and pricing plans of each platform to find the one that best meets your needs.
For businesses that are looking for a comprehensive CRM platform with a wide range of tools for sales, marketing, and customer service, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho or ActiveCampaign may be a good choice. Pipedrive is a strong option for sales teams looking to manage their sales pipeline. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a good choice for businesses looking for a CRM tool that integrates with other Microsoft products, and Bitrix24 offers a range of features for CRM and project management. And Freshsales is also a great option for small and medium-sized businesses looking for a user-friendly CRM tool.
Do you need any guidance on CRM? We have many years of experience in this segment. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Topics: HubSpot
