Software
9 min

Best CRM Software Tools & Platforms 2023 (Top 6 Comparison)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes to manage and optimize customer interactions
Best CRM Software blog post main image
Written by
The Storyteller
Published on
March 10, 2023

Table of Contents:

  1. What is a CRM system?
  2. How Does CRM Software Work?
  3. Why is a CRM system important?
  4. 6 best CRM platforms
  5. Conclusion

When it comes to managing customer relationships, having the right CRM software can make all the difference. With so many options out there, it can be tough to determine which one is the best fit for your business.

That's why we've compiled a list of the best CRM software tools and systems for 2023. From Hubspot to Salesforce, these brands offer a range of features and capabilities to help you streamline your customer management processes.

What is a CRM system?

Picture this: You walk into your favorite store, and the salesperson greets you with a big smile and remembers your name and previous purchases. They ask how you're doing and offer personalized recommendations based on your buying history. That's great customer service, right?

Now, imagine that same level of personalized service but on a much larger scale, involving thousands or even millions of customers. That's where the Customer Relationship Management software comes into play.

CRM software is a tool that businesses use to manage their interactions with customers and potential customers. It enables companies to understand and analyze customer data, communicate with them effectively, and ultimately build long-lasting relationships.

Customer Relationship Management - handshake illustration

How Does CRM Software Work?

Think of CRM software as a digital database that stores all your customer information in one central location. This includes contact details, purchase history, preferences, and any interactions they've had with your business.

When a customer interacts with your business, whether it's through a website, social media, or in-person, that information is automatically captured and added to their profile in the CRM. This means that your sales and customer service teams can access all the relevant data they need to provide personalized service and make informed decisions.

crm features for personalized services - illustration

But CRM software is more than just a glorified Rolodex. It also helps you track and analyze customer behavior over time. By looking at trends in customer behavior, you can identify patterns and make predictions about future actions.

For example, if you notice that a certain customer always buys a specific product in the summer, you can create targeted marketing campaigns to promote that product at the right time.

sales and marketing ideas - illustration

In addition, CRM software can automate routine tasks such as sending out emails and reminders, scheduling follow-up calls, and creating reports. This frees up your team's time to focus on higher-level tasks like building relationships and closing deals.

Overall, CRM software streamlines your customer interactions, helps you understand your customers better, and enables you to provide a higher level of service. It's like having a personal assistant for your entire customer service and sales teams!

Why is a CRM system important for Businesses?

With a good CRM system in place, businesses can keep track of customer information such as purchase history, preferences, and contact information. This allows them to personalize communication and offers, resolve issues quickly, and identify opportunities to upsell or cross-sell.

Customer Relationship Management software is essential for businesses of all sizes, as it helps them build and maintain strong relationships with their customers. Here are some key reasons why businesses should use CRM:

  1. Better Customer Service: CRM software enables businesses to provide personalized and efficient customer service by giving them quick access to customer information, purchase history, and other relevant data.
  2. Increased Sales: CRM software helps businesses track and manage their sales pipeline, identify opportunities, and close deals faster.
  3. Improved Marketing: CRM software enables businesses to segment their customers based on demographics, purchase history, and other criteria, allowing them to deliver targeted and effective marketing campaigns.
  4. Enhanced Collaboration: CRM software can help businesses collaborate across departments, enabling them to share customer information, track progress, and coordinate efforts.
  5. Better Data Management: CRM software enables businesses to collect, store, and analyze customer data, providing them with valuable insights that can be used to improve business processes and drive growth.
customer relationship management software - team photo

CRM software typically includes the following features:

  1. Contact Management: CRM software enables businesses to manage customer contacts, including contact information, purchase history, and communication history.
  2. Sales Management: CRM software can help businesses manage their sales pipeline, including lead management, opportunity tracking, and forecasting.
  3. Marketing Automation: CRM software enables businesses to automate marketing campaigns, including email marketing, social media marketing, and advertising.
  4. Customer Service: CRM software helps businesses manage customer service interactions, including support tickets, live chat, and phone support.
  5. Reporting and Analytics: CRM software provides businesses with valuable insights through reporting and analytics, enabling them to make data-driven decisions.
marketing automation - photo

6 best CRM software providers

After extensive research and analysis, we have identified the following CRM software as our top picks:

Salesforce

Salesforce is one of the most popular CRM software tools on the market. It's designed to help businesses manage their customer relationships more effectively, with features like project management, lead management, and sales forecasting.

Salesforce is known for its robust reporting tools, which help businesses gain insights into their sales performance and customer interactions. While Salesforce is a more expensive option compared to some other CRM software tools, it offers a wide range of features and customization options that make it a great choice for businesses of all sizes.

Here are some of the key benefits:

  • Sales management tools to help you manage your sales pipeline and opportunities
  • Customer service and support tools to help you manage customer interactions
  • Marketing automation capabilities to help you streamline your campaigns
  • Mobile app for on-the-go management
  • Third-party integrations with a wide range of tools and services
  • Enterprise plan available for businesses with large sales teams
  • 30-day free trial

Salesforce is a powerful and highly customizable CRM software ideal for larger businesses.

CRM system for larger businesses - photo

HubSpot

Hubspot is a popular CRM platform choice for businesses of all sizes. It's free CRM software to use, making it an attractive option for small businesses that are just getting started with CRM. Hubspot CRM offers a range of features that help businesses manage their customer relationships more effectively, such as contact management, email tracking, and pipeline management.

With its intuitive user interface and customizable dashboards, Hubspot crm is a great choice for businesses looking for a user-friendly and affordable CRM solution.

Here are some of the key benefits:

  • Free plan available with basic features
  • Marketing automation capabilities to help streamline campaigns
  • Contact management tools to keep your customer data organized
  • Sales forecasting to help you plan for the future
  • Third-party integrations with tools like Gmail, Outlook, and more
  • Hubspot Sales Hub and Marketing Hub can be added for additional functionality

HubSpot crm is a popular software that offers a range of features and integrations, making it a good choice for small to medium-sized businesses.

HubSpot crm is good for small businesses and medium businesses

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is another popular CRM software tool that's designed to help businesses manage their sales processes more effectively. It's known for its simple and intuitive user interface, which makes it easy for businesses to manage their pipelines and track their deals.

Pipedrive offers a range of features, including contact management, sales forecasting, and email integration. With its powerful reporting tools, Pipedrive is a great choice for businesses looking to gain insights into their sales performance.

Here's what you can expect from Pipedrive:

  • Lead management tools to help you track and manage your leads
  • Sales pipeline management to help you visualize your sales process
  • AI-powered sales assistant to help you with tasks like data entry and lead prioritization
  • Workflow automation to help streamline your processes
  • Unlimited contacts, making it a good choice for businesses with a large customer base
  • 14 days free trial
project management software - illustration

Monday

Monday is a popular project management tool that also offers CRM capabilities. It's designed to help businesses manage their projects and customer relationships more effectively, with features like lead management, contact management, and deal tracking.

Monday is known for its user-friendly interface and customizable workflows, making it a great choice for businesses looking for a CRM solution that can be tailored to their specific needs.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • Customizable CRM templates to fit your unique business needs
  • Customer data management tools to keep all your customer data in one place
  • Project management features to help you stay on top of your tasks
  • Multichannel marketing campaigns to help you reach your customers where they are
  • Mobile CRM app available for on-the-go management
user-friendly interface - illustration

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a range of features to help businesses manage their sales, marketing, customer support, and other activities. Some of the key features of Zoho CRM include:

  • Sales automation: Zoho CRM offers a range of tools to help automate your sales processes, including lead management, deal tracking, and sales forecasting.
  • Marketing automation: Zoho CRM includes marketing automation features like email marketing, social media marketing, and web analytics to help businesses generate leads and track their marketing efforts.
  • Customer support: Zoho CRM includes a range of tools to help businesses manage their customer support, including ticket management, knowledge management, and customer self-service portals.
  • Analytics and reporting: Zoho CRM provides real-time insights into your business with custom reports, dashboards, and analytics tools.
  • Mobile app: Zoho CRM has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, which allows you to access your CRM data on the go.
  • 15-day free trial
Cloud-based CRM platform - illustration

Nutshell

Nutshell is a powerful CRM software tool that's designed for small businesses. It offers a range of features, including contact management, sales forecasting, and pipeline management.

Nutshell is known for its intuitive user interface and easy-to-use reporting tools, making it a great choice for businesses that need a CRM tool that's both powerful and user-friendly.

Here's what you can expect from Nutshell:

  • Affordable pricing options, starting at $19 per user per month
  • Contact management tools to keep your customer data organized
  • Sales pipeline management to help you visualize your sales process
  • Deal management to help you keep track of your opportunities
  • Email marketing capabilities to help you stay in touch with your customers
  • Internal chat feature to help you communicate with your team

These five CRM software tools and systems are some of the best options available on the market today. Whether you're a small business looking for an affordable and user-friendly CRM tool, or a larger enterprise in need of a powerful and customizable CRM tool, there's a CRM platform on this list that can meet your needs.

Consider your specific business needs and budget when selecting a CRM system, and don't be afraid to try out a few options before making a final decision.

crm software solution - photo

Conclusion

Choosing the right CRM tool can make a big difference in your business's success. Each of the CRM tools we've highlighted has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to choose the one that's right for your specific needs.

Whether you're a small business owner looking for a simple and intuitive CRM solution or a larger enterprise in need of more advanced automation capabilities, there's a CRM tool out there for you. We hope this guide has helped you narrow down your options and find the perfect CRM software for your business.