CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a set of tools for managing cooperation with a client. Best CRM software allows you to fully automate marketing tasks of different levels, create, process and store analytical databases, take into account and analyze all operational parameters at once.
At the same time, the best inventory management software are diverse — that is, they are classified as tools for large businesses or are developed taking into account a specific specialization. You can choose and use free CRM platforms — they are reliable and tested by most customers.
Criteria for choosing CRM software
There are quite a few CRM platforms, so the choice may be difficult. The user needs to determine the level of tasks that will be assigned to the software. Such a task is solved with the help of analytical analysis — you choose the appropriate CRM tools based on the following criteria:
- purpose;
- main characteristics;
- specifics.
One of the most versatile software in this direction can be called Bitrix CRM solutions, suitable for most business projects.
Purpose of CRM
The classification of all CRM for companies consists of three main positions — sales, marketing and service. In sales, the program analyzes customer contact information from existing databases. Tracking is carried out in stages — purchase histories, preferred categories and other parameters are taken into account. Here, CRM software uses the help and information of third-party services.
Marketing in CRM tools implies the availability of high-quality and detailed analytics. This parameter greatly simplifies the collection and processing of databases for marketers, as well as performs other important functions — conducts segmentation of the customer database, evaluates the work of advertising and the likelihood of a return on investment in a business project.
The service is designed to simplify the work of personnel through automation. That is, the program independently sends notifications and advertising information to customers, forms applications and other important positions.
Main Features
When choosing CRM for companies, the user needs to study the basic functionality of the software and the possibility of adapting to a specific business. For example, Bitrix24 is a universal platform that fully serves small entrepreneurs and copes with the tasks for large businesses. Cloud-based Zoho CRM is most relevant for large and medium-scale projects, and the HubSpot platform is suitable for online projects of any level.
The main characteristics of CRM software are:
- the ability to make changes in the settings;
- safety;
- ease of interaction with the interface;
- integration with third-party platforms.
An important task of software is considered to be the protection of personal data of the company and the customer base. The CRM user must be confident in the reliability of the tools and the absence of any information leaks. Making changes to the basic settings is no less important than security. Editing allows you to correct mistakes made in the course of work, it is also necessary to be able to return the history of user actions.
The convenience of the interface plays a key role when choosing software — agree, this function allows you to save the company’s funds for staff training. Integration with third-party services makes it possible to expand the functionality of the software used to the maximum.
Specificity
This parameter allows you to select CRM according to the specialization of the business. There are three types of software by specifics: multitasking, specialized and industry-specific.
Multitasking software is universal. For example, this category includes CRM platforms like Bitrix24. A specialized system is part of an automated complex and performs certain tasks. Industry-specific CRM includes programs designed for a specific industry. For example, a platform for a car service, an IT project and many other areas.
Advantages of using free CRM platforms
Of course, the versatility and a large set of CRM functions greatly simplify doing business and conducting full-fledged advertising campaigns. You will not only be able to simplify the work of the staff, but will also save costs for organizing the workflow, advertising, and company management.
The main advantages of CRM tools include:
- versatility;
- security and privacy;
- the ability to use reliable free CRM platforms;
- automated work;
- accurate accounting, profit calculation, advertising settings.
Users can choose the right software among a variety of reliable universal or highly specialized platforms, giving preference to free resources.
In fact, CRM for companies is a large — scale automation of a work complex that improves productivity, attracts new contractors and buyers, and simplifies the work of personnel. The expediency of using CRM programs is obvious — it is a full fledged provision of efficient operation of all services and saving business costs. When choosing a CRM, you need to take into account the compliance of the software with the needs of the business project.