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CRM for startups is software that caters to the particular needs of companies in the early stages of growth. Those particular needs can be generalized. Startups generally do best with CRM software that:
Pivotal CRM is a fully featured customer relationship management (CRM) platform suited to organizations of all sizes. Core modules include marketing automation, lead management, sales force automation, customer service and more....Read more
With a strong emphasis on sales and marketing automation, customer support and partner management, NetSuite CRM+ is a comprehensive, Web-based client relationship management system for small and midsize businesses. ...Read more
Founded in 2006, Marketo was developed for the B2B marketer and is the most rapidly-growing solution on the market. ...Read more
Salesnet CRM is a cloud-based sales and marketing automation tool for businesses of any size with a focus on Sales Force Automation. Salesnet relies on dashboards, pipelines, forecasts, and reports to ensure that each member of th...Read more
Oracle CRM On Demand is a cloud-based suite containing integrated, business applications that enable organizations to make decisions and manage costs of operations. The suite includes customer relationship management (CRM) solutio...Read more
Whether you’re a mid-market company looking for an on-demand CRM application or a large enterprise that needs a robust, end-to-end client management solution, SAP can meet the unique technology needs of your company. ...Read more
Maximizer CRM is an integrated CRM solution that can be installed both on premise and in the cloud. It features sales management, marketing automation, customer service and support and business productivity tools....Read more
An industry contender since 1998, LeadMaster is an extremely comprehensive, fluid sales lead management software, offering an arsenal of web-based solutions for sales force automation, lead tracking, and more....Read more
For companies looking to meet the high service expectations of their customers, Oracle Cloud CX ensures that each and every customer is valued and supported. The customer experience suite gives businesses the tools needed to deliv...Read more
With its cloud-based, customer relationship management (CRM) platform, HubSpot CRM helps companies of all sizes track and nurture leads and analyze business metrics. HubSpot is suitable for any B2B or B2C business in a variety of ...Read more
Startups—they're not just the youngest members of the business world. Their new ideas and limitless potential draw a lot of attention. And while it's easy to poke fun at their button-down cultures, the truth is: startups regularly face some of the business world's toughest and most high-stakes decisions. Fortune 500 companies rarely encounter make-or-break decisions. For a startup, every decision can be make or break.
The selection of a CRM system is one of the most important decisions a startup can make. It's also one of the most challenging. This Buyer's Guide helps startups meet these challenges by answering and explaining the following:
What Is CRM for Startups?
A Comparison of Top CRM for Startups Solutions
Common Features of CRM for Startups
Deployment and Purchasing Options for CRM for Startups
CRM software comes in more shapes and sizes than probably any other genre of enterprise software. Aside from all-purpose CRM, there's CRM for small businesses, CRM specifically for retail establishments, for banks, insurance agencies and even casinos. That's a lot to consider!
But what about startups? That's where things get complicated. It's easy to see how banks, insurance agencies and casinos would have different requirements for CRM. After all, their Cs (customers) are different, and their Rs (relationship with their customers) are different, so it's no surprise that they'd be managed differently as well.
A handful of vendors representing the tip of the CRM iceberg
But "startup" is a stage of growth, not an industry vertical. So unlike with banking and insurance, there's no way to generalize about the typical startup customer or a startup's typical relationship with a customer. Those things don't exist.
Instead, CRM for startups is software that caters to the particular needs of companies in the early stages of growth. Those particular needs can be generalized, so let's do that! Startups generally do best with CRM software that:
With those priorities in mind, let's look now at some specific functionality.
Top Infusionsoft Comparisons | Top Marketo Comparisons | Top Pipedrive Comparisons |
Infusionsoft vs. Ontraport Infusionsoft vs. HubSpot Infusionsoft vs. Salesforce |
Marketo vs. Eloqua | Pipedrive vs. Zoho Pipedrive vs. Base Pipedrive vs. Salesforce |
Despite the great variation among CRM products, most will include some or all of the following core applications:
Customer database | Central repository that stores customer information, such as contact details and any records (e.g., purchase orders, RFPs) associated with that customer's account. |
Interaction tracking | Tracks customer interactions (usually across multiple channels) providing records of past interactions and reminders (scheduled or triggered) for following up. |
Workflow automation | Reduces the number of steps required for specific and commonly repeated processes, saving employees time and reducing errors and omissions. |
Reporting and analytics | CRM platforms typically provide many basic data visualization tools, such as graphic reports (for example, of sales activity) and real-time dashboards to monitor KPIs and metrics. |
Generally speaking, CRM software is used by any and all of a company's customer-facing departments, mainly sales, marketing and customer service. So, in addition to the core functions listed above, here are some other applications that can be included with CRM, organized by department:
Startups rely on CRM software to provide the customer experiences that improve metrics such as customer acquisition and churn rates. If those metrics don't turn heads, then the startup risks losing financial backing. A startup's success with a CRM implementation comes down to how well it can select and use the tools listed above to improve their key metrics.
Software as a Service, or SaaS, is cloud-based software, meaning the software is hosted remotely. Compared to the traditional model of on-premise deployment—in which the software is installed on the business's own servers—SaaS is the more popular choice for most startups. It offers several benefits, including:
Aside from those deployment options, CRM for startups usually offers several different purchasing choices. As mentioned above, SaaS is usually priced on a per user basis. There are also various freemium, free and open source and free trial options:
A CRM purchase is one of the most important decisions a company can make—it affects many of the most important moving pieces of business in the modern world. It not only helps determine how customers perceive a particular company (i.e., the customer experience), it also determines how efficiently and effectively customer-facing employees carry out their roles.
With all this in mind, startups are encouraged to choose their CRM carefully. Take advantage of the online demonstrations vendors offer, talk to the employees who will use it and consider trying the free trials offered by the vendors on your shortlist.
Of course if you need any help starting your search, completing your shortlist or setting up demonstrations or free trials, give our advisors a call at: (844) 852-3639.