Top Customer Relationship Management CRM Agencies in the UK – Reviews
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) isn’t just another tech buzzword. It’s a robust platform that helps businesses like yours streamline operations, boost sales, and build rock-solid customer relationships.
Imagine seamlessly integrating your contacts, automating communication, and generating insightful reports – all in one place. This is the magic of a reliable and functional CRM system, but the choice can be overwhelming – so we have explored some of our favourites below.
UK Digital Marketing Agencies
Our Top 3 Overall CRM Agencies in April 2024:
Pipedrive 7 stars for their unique ‘Pipeline’ approach and user interface
Monday – 7 stars for their fantastic range of features, data management and integrations
Capsule 6 stars for their unbeatable price and free plan options
How have we selected these providers?
Choosing the ideal Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can significantly enhance your ability to manage customer interactions and foster stronger relationships. To empower your decision, we’ve identified the most essential features and will assess CRM vendors based on these critical areas (scored out of five stars):
Functionality & Scalability: Here, we look at whether the providers are scalable and able to accommodate an increasing number of users and data, whether they offer a comprehensive suite of features and integrations, and how customisable their solutions are.
User Interface & Usability: Are these CRM systems intuitive and user-friendly, with a clean and modern interface? Are they easy to navigate, and what is the training like for users? Are these systems accessible from various devices (for remote working)?
Integration & Data Management : Here, we look at how seamlessly the systems could integrate with your existing business tools (such as marketing or accounting software), security features, and how they handle large amounts of sensitive data.
Implementation & Support: We know that communication and re sponsive and knowledgeable support is vital for addressing campaign questions and concerns.
Cost & Value Proposition: Transparent pricing models with clear cost breakdowns are crucial, so we evaluate the agency’s value proposition – what sets them apart from the competition? In addition, we ensure their fees are commensurate with the level of expertise and services offered.
Why listen to our reviews?
Our team has been a trusted resource for over a decade, guiding businesses towards powerful Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. We leverage in-depth analyses and unbiased reviews to empower informed decision-making.
Our team’s deep understanding of the CRM landscape and experience across various vendors allow us to find the perfect fit for your company’s unique needs. The CRM market combines innovative solutions, each offering distinct strengths and functionalities. While we strive to deliver the most comprehensive recommendations, the ideal choice hinges on your business size, industry, and desired features (e.g., sales automation, marketing integrations, customer service tools).
Uncover the perfect fit for your business and use our CRM comparison tool today!
Topics covered in this article include:
What is CRM?
A CRM System is a powerful digital platform that combines various essential components to streamline customer interactions. Beyond a comprehensive contact list, it offers robust sales analytics and seamless social media integrations. With these advanced features, employees can engage with customers more effectively, access valuable information swiftly and enhance communication. Furthermore, the system enables efficient tracking of essential events, task prioritisation, and personalised customer profiles, ensuring each client receives tailored attention.
For business owners, CRM provides detailed insights into sales performance, lead generation from marketing campaigns, and employee productivity. Ultimately, CRM strengthens customer and employee relationships and fosters better collaboration among colleagues and business partners.
Benefits of CRM
CRM systems can make businesses run smoothly and efficiently and increase productivity . They can be instrumental in the success of sales, retail, and other industries. We have highlighted some of our favourite benefits below.
Perhaps the most important goal of a CRM system is to improve customer relationships. CRM systems allow users to access a complete 360-degree view of customer history and interactions, which allows for a much more personalised communication experience and stronger relationships.
In addition, CRM systems increase efficiency and productivity as they automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, which frees up your team’s time for more critical tasks. Better data organisation allows staff to quickly access information and resolve issues efficiently.
CRMs also generate comprehensive reports on customer interactions, sales performance, and marketing campaigns , which help users identify trends and measure ROI.
Our favourite benefit of using a CRM system is that they break down silos between departments by providing a shared platform for customer data and communication, which ultimately fosters better teamwork and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Disadvantages of CRM
While there are many advantages to using a CRM system, there are, as with anything, some drawbacks to consider. The main consideration is the cost, which includes licencing fees, ongoing maintenance, and subscriptions. It is also imperative to choose and implement the right CRM tool for your business needs, which can be quite time-consuming and expensive if done incorrectly.
As with any software that stores sensitive data, security risks and concerns arise when using a CRM system. You must ensure you choose a provider with robust security measures to protect your employees, customers, and financial information.
Depending on the model you use, implementing your new tool will involve training and user adoption. There may also be resistance , so you should think about how you engage your staff when introducing the new system.
Another consideration that could be a drawback if not addressed is that the effectiveness of any CRM system relies on up-to-date data , and implementing new systems can be time-consuming and require ongoing maintenance .
Cost of CRM
The cost of CRM will depend on a few things, such as your number of users, the features and add-ons you choose, your deployment model (i.e. cloud vs hardware), and customisation needs. We’ve created a basic guideline below:
Pricing Tier
Estimated Monthly Cost per User (GBP)
Typical Features
Free
£0
Essential contact management, limited features
Freemium
£0 – £8
Essential features with limited storage or functionality, paid plans for additional features
Starter
£8 – £40
Core CRM functionalities (contact management, opportunity tracking, basic reporting)
Professional
£40 – £80
Advanced features (sales automation, marketing automation, integrations)
Enterprise
£80+
Highly customisable solutions with advanced features, analytics, and integrations for large businesses
Should You Use a CRM System?
CRM systems can be valuable tools for a wide range of businesses, but here are some of the companies that can benefit the most:
Businesses with Sales Teams
Businesses with Customer Service Teams
Marketing & Advertising Agencies
Ecommerce Businesses
We think CRM systems can be a valuable asset for any business that wants to improve customer relationships, enhance communication and efficiency, and drive overall business growth.
CRM Providers
Choosing a CRM provider can be overwhelming, so we have chosen some of our favourites below:
Pipedrive
Our performance rating of Pipedrive out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
4 .7 out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
4.5out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
4.8 out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
4.5 out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
4.9 out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
4.7 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Pipedrive:
Pipedrive is a robust CRM solution for sales-driven businesses that value a visual pipeline, user-friendly interface, and robust automation features. However, its limitations in reporting and customisation for departments outside of sales may limit it for some potential customers.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Pipedrive : Video from a user’s perspective:
Pipedrive : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Pipedrive : The design & how it affects users:
Pipedrive enables the creation of unlimited custom deal pipelines and facilitates easy movement of deals through them via simple drag-and-drop actions. Moreover, the platform provides highly adaptable reports, seamless calendar and email integrations, and automated workflows, all geared towards streamlining the sales process.
Pipedrive : What sets it apart from its competitors?
Pipedrive CRM is an intuitive yet powerful sales management program that assists users in visualising their sales processes, automating tasks, and getting more done. Its intuitive design makes it ideal even for beginners; additionally, all four pricing plans offer unlimited deals, contacts, and customisable reports.
Features of Pipedrive
One critical function of any CRM system is automation, which is a vital feature of Pipedrive. Automation can simplify repetitive tasks and free up your team’s time to focus on developing relationships with customers and converting leads into sales opportunities.
They can also help you keep track of all important emails and calendar events, ensuring you don’t miss any notifications or misplace essential client data.
Pipedrive is an ideal document management platform. It streamlines the workflow for sending quotes, contracts, and proposal documents. It automatically tracks when documents have been opened and requires eSignatures from clients to close deals faster.
The SmartDocs feature allows you to take notes and monitor progress, simplifying the process of answering your customers’ queries.
Finally, you can utilise the mobile app for iOS and Android phones. This will let you manage your daily tasks more efficiently and book meetings from wherever life takes you.
Pros and Cons of Pipedrive
Pipedrive Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Visual sales pipeline
Easy to learn how to use.
Strong focus on sales activities
Strong automation features
Great mobile app
Focus on the sales pipeline makes it less suitable for customer service or marketing departments (but great for sales!)
Limited features on their free and low-tier plans
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Pipedrive:
Like most great CRM platforms, we love the user-friendly and straightforward mobile app that Pipedrive offer its users. We think this is the easiest-to-use CRM platform out of all we have reviewed, which makes it great for smaller teams with limited time to learn new systems, also minimising the potential for resistance from staff. Our only primary concern is how sales-focused this CRM is, which may deter larger companies looking for an all-encompassing system that can be integrated with other departments.
The evolution of Pipedrive over the years:
Improvements:
We love that P ipedrive emphasises sales activities and tracks important tasks and follow-ups, which helps sales teams stay organised and accountable for their pipelines.
Issues:
While Pipedrive offers a free trial and various paid plans, which we think are suitable for small businesses, the cost can scale significantly as your team grows, potentially becoming too expensive considering it is primarily a sale-based CRM and lacks advanced features that are suitable for other departments like customer service and marketing.
How can I purchase Pipedrive?
Our concluding thoughts on Pipedrive:
Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM solution known for its visual pipeline interface and ease of use, and it stands out to us as a remarkably user-friendly CRM, perfect for small businesses venturing into CRM software for the first time. The platform lacks advanced email marketing tools, project management features, and essential lead generation functionalities like web forms and chatbots that require paid add-ons. However, we love that Pipedrive excels in facilitating deal management and client meetings, proving itself to be one of the most user-friendly CRM platforms on the market. We love its intuitive interface and drag-and-drop functionality. It simplifies deal management as they progress through your sales pipeline, offering extensive customisation options with unlimited deal pipelines and robust reporting capabilities.
Monday
Our performance rating of Monday out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
4.7 out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
4.8 out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
4.7 out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
4.7 out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
4.4 out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
4.2 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Monday:
Monday.com CRM is a strong option for businesses seeking a customisable and user-friendly platform beyond basic CRM functionalities. It’s particularly well-suited for companies that value flexibility, visual organisation, and integration with various business tools. However, the potential for complexity for more straightforward needs, a learning curve, and potentially higher costs for larger teams might be drawbacks to consider.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Monday : Video from a user’s perspective:
Monday : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Monday : The design & how it affects users:
Accessible via web or mobile devices (iOS and Android), Monday.com presents a straightforward grid setup where users have control over its content. Similar to sheets in traditional spreadsheets, boards are the building blocks used by Monday to allow users to view multiple boards simultaneously. Most actions can be completed with minimal fuss due to its intuitive interface, and the platform’s drag-and-drop functionality allows for effortless rearrangement of elements on the page, further enhancing user experience and efficiency.
Monday : What sets it apart from its competitors?
Monday CRM is the sales and project management software from Monday, a software development company recently valued at £1.9 billion. Unlike other cloud-based platforms that are becoming CRMs, today’s software was built explicitly for CRM purposes. It has plenty of features that make it ideal for businesses looking to manage customer relationships effectively.
Features of Monday
Maintaining contact information is a necessary element of any sales process, and Monday CRM makes this easy by storing email addresses, phone numbers, social media accounts, website URLs, meetings, etc. This data provides invaluable insight into buyer intent so you can make informed business decisions – saving hours of tedious, repetitive work!
Monday sales CRM makes managing multiple sources of leads effortless, enabling users to track and assign them to specific members. Plus, Monday can separate leads based on company, deal size, location and more for easier management.
Small starting teams will find this tool invaluable, as it offers a free plan with up to two users. Their paid plans do, however, offer more features, such as advanced automation and integrations.
Monday CRM’s pre-built reports can give you an in-depth assessment of your pipeline status, forecasting, team performance, workload, etc. They help visualise data, so you get the most out of your sales efforts.
You can customise your charts and dashboards to meet specific needs. The user-friendly interface features colour coding for tracking leads and tasks. Add a background image to the dashboard and create custom columns for improved visibility.
Monday sales CRM integrates with various third-party apps to centralise your sales, marketing, and management data. It supports popular tools like Salesforce, Gmail, Mailchimp, Google Calendar, Outlook and more for added convenience.
Finally, it can import and merge data, enabling you to update your CRM quickly. This is particularly beneficial if your business has multiple departments that handle similar information.
Pros and Cons of Monday
Monday Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Monday excels at customisation.
Their software is both visually appealing and very user-friendly.
Offers project management features.
Automation capabilities
Great range of integrations
High level of customisation may be overwhelming for small businesses.
Limited reporting features
Learning curve
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Monday:
The evolution of Monday over the years:
Improvements:
The standard plan comes with 250 automation, which you can expand to 25,000 in the Pro plan. Create automation to send emails, alerts, and more based on trigger events you set. Plus, you can automate certain tasks based on specific dates, like sending out a monthly newsletter to your subscribers.
Issues:
Some users have concerned that Monday does not integrate well with SAP and that they have waited upwards of three days for assistance with technical issues, which can be debilitating to businesses. In addition, many features (such as time-tracking) are locked to the higher-tier plans, which restricts companies with smaller teams or budgets who still need access to these types of features.
How can I purchase Monday?
Our concluding thoughts on Monday:
We think Monday is the perfect tool for small teams who want to organise their client database and projects. It is incredibly user-friendly, and the dashboard is flexible and customisable. While the prices are slightly higher, particularly if you need to add many extra features, Monday is very flexible, aesthetically appealing, and highly customisable. We love the little features, such as making notes to follow up with customers, which allow users to provide exceptional customer service to their clients.
Overall, we think Monday is great for teams that need to manage a small number of leads and projects, as it provides a great database that can help boost CRM, Sales, and client relationship management.
Capsule
Our performance rating of Capsule out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
5 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Capsule:
In our opinion, Capsule CRM is a good option for small businesses that need a simple and user-friendly solution for managing customer contacts and interactions. It’s particularly suitable for companies with limited budgets and those who don’t require advanced features. However, we advise potential customers to review the lack of advanced functionalities and scalability limitations when considering them.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Capsule : Video from a user’s perspective:
Capsule : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Capsule : The design & how it affects users:
Capsule CRM adopts a sleek and minimalist design approach, featuring six main icons upon logging in Dashboard, Calendar and Tasks, People & Organisations, Sales Pipelines, Reports and Cases. Front and centre are a universal search box for quick navigation, accompanied by an Add (+) button facilitating the addition of new contacts, opportunities, and cases, along with contact imports. Adjacent to this is the account name, providing access to user preferences and account settings, and the Getting Started portal, which offers helpful video tutorials, which we think is a great little feature for new users.
Top of Form
Capsule CRM can be downloaded on the App Store and Google Play. Users can take their CRM wherever life takes them, staying connected to customers and clients. Furthermore, the app facilitates collaboration across teams and information sharing within companies, saving paper while guaranteeing everyone has access to the same data at all times.
Capsule : What sets it apart from its competitors?
Capsule CRM is an accessible online tool designed to assist small businesses in managing contacts, projects and opportunities. The free tier provides basic features, while the paid plans offer more comprehensive capabilities like sales reporting and file storage.
Features of Capsule
Capsule CRM’s contact database enables you to create a profile for each person or organisation you collaborate with. This profile contains essential information like email addresses, phone numbers, and your relationship with that individual or group. Furthermore, you can add notes, files, and tasks as needed.
Capsule’s pipeline functionality helps your sales team visualise deals and move them along in the sales process. It’s an invaluable feature for spotting potential deal opportunities and monitoring conversion rates, and it can be tailored to suit specific business requirements.
Capsule integrates with thousands of web apps through Zapier, allowing you to automate your processes and make the most of your time – whether capturing leads, sending emails or importing data from other apps.
All Capsule CRM plans to provide Google Single Sign-on (SSO) with a simple Google account login. This ensures your contacts, calendars, and email accounts will be automatically synced across devices so you can access your data anytime.
One of Capsule CRM’s most outstanding features is its capability to create a contact with just an email address. This saves users valuable time when setting up a contact for an incoming client.
Capsule CRM boasts an excellent task and case management system. Once a new task is created, it can be added to the calendar and assigned to someone specific. This lets you schedule meetings with contacts, monitor progress, and resolve issues quickly.
Capsule CRM’s mobile application is ideal for salespeople who are always on the go. It is available for iPhone and Android users, and when logged in, the app synchronises all data to the user’s device.
Pros and Cons of Capsule
Capsule Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Simple and user-friendly interface
Free plan available (with limited features, but an excellent way to try the software)
Affordable plans
Handy mobile app
Integrates with popular apps such as Google Workspace and Office 365
Limited set of features compared to some competitors from our list.
Limited customer support with a free plan
Scalability concerns
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Capsule:
The capsule is incredibly easy to set up and make changes, too, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this system isn’t up for complex tasks, as it is a little powerhouse that allows users to create complex workflows that enable teams to refine and integrate processes. They are also constantly adding updates, so while they do not offer as many as some other companies on our list, this is constantly improving – so they are worth keeping an eye on!
The evolution of Capsule over the years:
Improvements:
Users highly regard the free version of Capsule as having a great set of features. While some other free versions feel very restricted and limiting, Capsule feels like a gem of a CRM that is expensive to upgrade and add onto. Some free features include tracking new contacts, setting reminders, integrating with email, etc. We also love that the support staff are great at creating workarounds and bespoke solutions to different issues or concerns, all within a rapid timeframe.
Issues:
While we think Capsule is a great price point for a few users, it can get expensive if you have a large team and need to break away from the free plan. In addition, Capsule CRM’s task management system and layout can feel a little restrictive due to limited customisation options. We also think that users may find it challenging to differentiate between fields at a glance, as colours/icons are lacking for easy identification.
How can I purchase?
Our concluding thoughts on Capsule:
While Capsule CRM’s clean and intuitive interface may give the impression that it’s primarily for beginners, it’s a robust and valuable platform for businesses of all levels. Beyond its user-friendly design, Capsule can help uncover inefficiencies in sales processes and foster stronger relationships with clients and partners. It offers a range of features and functionalities that make it a reliable tool for streamlining operations and improving overall business performance.
Like many of its SaaS counterparts, we’ve seen that Capsule CRM prioritises integration as a critical feature. Its seamless compatibility with other software and tools is a crucial consideration for customers when choosing a CRM platform, and by offering robust integration capabilities, Capsule ensures that users can easily incorporate it into their existing tech stack, enhancing efficiency and productivity across their operations.
To conclude, we think that Capsule CRM distinguishes itself as a sleek CRM solution tailored to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. With a competitive pricing structure, Capsule offers an accessible entry point for companies looking to streamline their marketing and CRM operations.
Salesforce
Our performance rating of Salesforce out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
4.4 out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
4.7 out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
4 out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
4.9 out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
3.5 out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
4 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Salesforce:
We think Salesforce stands out as one of the most customisable and complex CRM systems, undeniably robust in its sales and marketing capabilities. If offers users an excellent suite of tools that can benefit productivity and efficiency in many ways, this comes with a steep learning curve, making the usability score slightly lower in our review. Implementation and support scores are lower as well, as although they offer excellent technical and customer support, the system is complex to implement and may deter new businesses who do not have experience using CRM. In saying that, they really cannot be beat with their data management and integration options, and they are one of the most scalable solutions on the market.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Salesforce : Video from a user’s perspective:
Salesforce : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Salesforce : The design & how it affects users:
Unlike many other CRM platforms, Salesforce prioritises adapting the platform to align with your sales process rather than requiring you to conform to predefined structures. Salesforce offers unparalleled flexibility in customising your sales pipeline to suit your unique needs and preferences.
Salesforce also hosts an online community where users can exchange ideas and tips, benefiting both new and experienced users.
They also offer an impressive selection of pre-built and customisable workflows to help streamline your sales processes and boost team efficiency.
Salesforce : What sets it apart from its competitors?
Salesforce is an affordable solution for most small and medium-sized businesses, offering features such as sales tracking, customer support, data syncing, and more at various tiers. We love their extensive customisation capabilities that let you tailor almost every aspect of the software to meet your requirements. You even have the power to create custom plugins and add-ons explicitly tailored for your business.
Features of Salesforce
This software is designed to organise your customer relationships and enhance customer satisfaction. Additionally, it can assist in managing and analysing sales and marketing data.
Businesses seeking a CRM that integrates well with other business systems and applications, such as customer relationship management software, accounting/financial software, and project management tools, should consider this option.
Salesforce is a well-known brand in the CRM space, having been adopted by companies such as Facebook and PayPal.
Salesforce has an easy-to-use mobile app which is well-reviewed by users.
They are also a cloud-hosted CRM platform that can be integrated with any other business system. This enables you to create custom dashboards and reports that provide an insightful view of customer relationships.
Pros and Cons of Salesforce
Salesforce Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Incredibly customisable and scalable to grow with business needs.
Suitable for all-sized businesses, from startups to large enterprises
Great selection of third-party integrations
Mobile CRM app
Quite a steep learning curve for first-time users
Higher costs that can scale significantly with the growth of the business.
Some reports of data migration challenges
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Salesforce:
Salesforce offers many customisable features that are straight out of the box, making it a handy tool once you’ve undergone training and become proficient in its use. One of its standout strengths lies in its reporting capabilities, allowing users to generate detailed reports that provide invaluable insights, enhancing day-to-day operations. However, mastering Salesforce can be time-consuming, requiring dedicated effort to learn how to build dashboards and reports effectively. From a sales representative’s perspective, the platform may not offer immediate value unless one invests time and effort into learning its functionalities.
The evolution of Salesforce over the years:
Improvements:
Salesforce is known for providing excellent technical support to its customers. While Salesforce is a powerful and flexible tool with excellent integration and customisation options, it can also be complex to use and understand. We think that Salesforce’s commitment to providing exceptional support, as well as its online community and guides, is a great way to assist users in grasping the intricacies of their systems.
Issues:
Salesforce is undeniably robust in its sales and marketing capabilities, offering a comprehensive suite of tools for businesses. However, due to its complexity, navigating the platform can be daunting for individuals new to sales. We also think that the sheer abundance of automation, CRM configurations, and marketing functionalities presents a steep and somewhat overwhelming learning curve for beginners, making it challenging to set up and use effectively.
How can I purchase Salesforce?
Our concluding thoughts on Salesforce:
Salesforce CRM is a cloud-hosted customer relationship management (CRM) solution popular with small and medium-sized businesses. It boasts various features and can easily be tailored to fit individual needs. We think Salesforce’s true strength lies in its ability to tailor the CRM directly to your specific sales pipelines, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the entire sales cycle and performance metrics at any given moment.
If you have the time to learn how to use these systems, or your team is proficient with CRM already, Salesforce will give you the tools to make educated and practical business decisions, empowering teams to go above and beyond for customers. Although the add-on features can make it quite pricy, if you have the budget, it can be a one-stop CRM tool that will encompass all areas of your business.
Zoho
Our performance rating of Zoho out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
4.4 out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
4.6 out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
4.8 out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
4.5 out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
4 out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
4 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Zoho:
Zoho received a solid overall rating in our review. Users rated user interface and usability exceptionally high, and we found functionality scalability, integration, and data Management were also well-rated, scoring above 4.5 out of 5 stars. We rated cost and implementation slightly lower, as while users recommend their support options, the system has been regarded as being a little more complex to integrate than some of the other providers reviewed on our list for those with no experience using CRMs, and they are a little more pricy than some of their competitors.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Zoho : Video from a user’s perspective:
Zoho : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Zoho : The design & how it affects users:
Zoho’s dashboard is user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for sales agents to find the necessary information quickly. The homepage’s customisability lets them switch between classic, personalised, and custom views according to their workflows.
Its Free Edition is an ideal way to test the software and see how it can benefit your business without spending too much money. Unfortunately, the free plan only offers limited features and automation; a paid subscription is required if you want the most from this platform.
Zoho : What sets it apart from its competitors?
Zoho CRM Mobile Edition allows you to create and manage tasks, events, calls, and reminders from your smartphone or tablet. It can scan business cards to turn them into digital copies of customer records and automatically syncs data between devices so you can work offline when necessary.
Features of Zoho
Thanks to its mobile platform, Zoho provides your team access to all the CRM tools they need from any location, enabling them to do business from distant locations or even close deals on the go!
Zoho CRM allows you to track leads, contacts, and deals and engage your customers through social media and other digital channels. Its analytics feature tells you how effective your messages are at reaching out and when it is most suitable to contact them.
Zoho CRM makes content creation and sharing, collaboration on documents, and automation of processes a breeze. Plus, it features unified messaging, feeds, notes, and teams for improved collaboration across your organisation.
Your team will love the centralised communication channel, which enables them to monitor and respond to leads and customers across email, phone, and social media without ever leaving their CRM platform. Every interaction with a contact is attached to their profile for complete visibility and context so you can act quickly and efficiently.
This system’s workflow rules and webhooks allow you to automate repetitive tasks, saving time so you can focus on higher-value work. Furthermore, the system helps you track leads and schedule follow-ups to motivate your team to hit sales quotas.
Pros and Cons of Zoho
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
They offer a free (albeit limited) plan.
They are scalable.
Their software is incredibly customisable and integrates with a wide range of applications and tools.
Users rate it as being very user-friendly
The free plan is quite limited.
Some users mention there are integration issues.
High costs for advanced features (such as marketing automation or advanced reporting)
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Zoho:
Zoho CRM is a compelling option with a free plan, scalability, customisation options, and integrations. We love that they offer 24/7 support and have adapted to the times to include AI analytics and an AI Chatbox designer, which can help businesses provide a consistently high standard of customer care. However, consider the limitations of the free plan, the potential learning curve, and potentially higher costs for advanced features.
The evolution of Zoho over the years:
Improvements:
Zoho CRM stands out for its user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to navigate and customise the dashboard to suit their needs. With features that allow tracking of customer interactions, total opportunities, and work in progress, Zoho CRM proves invaluable for managing the sales funnel and strategising for future success. We also think its intuitive design facilitates efficient monitoring of customer status, empowering users to take proactive steps towards achieving their sales targets.
Issues:
While Zoho CRM offers a wealth of modules right from the start, customising systems and processes and modifying the user interface and experience can be pretty challenging. The platform’s flexibility allows for extensive functionality, but users may find it difficult to tailor the CRM to their needs or redesign the interface to enhance user experience.
How can I purchase?
Our concluding thoughts on Zoho:
Zoho CRM comes in various packages, from the basic plan for small businesses to an enterprise level, offering complete records and full AI features. Each plan offers features and storage capacity, so you should choose according to your business requirements.
Zoho CRM boasts an expansive knowledge base and engaged user community, so you can get up and running quickly.
In addition to customer support, the software comes with a sandbox that lets you test configurations before deploying them into an existing CRM environment. Plus, higher-tier plans come with onboarding assistance, remote screen-sharing assistance, and personalised settings. It can be helpful, as some users comment that it is a little tricky to grasp and get running initially.
Freshsales
Our performance rating of Freshsales out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
3.9 out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
4 out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
4 out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
3.5 out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
3 out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
4.5 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Freshsales:
Freshsales is a CRM solution praised for its affordability and usability, earning a solid overall rating in our review. We have found that users particularly liked its intuitive interface, feature set, and competitive pricing. According to our research, integration capabilities and data management scored well but could still be improved. While implementation and support received a slightly lower rating, the overall value proposition remains positive, which tells us it is still a cost-effective and user-friendly option.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Freshsales : Video from a user’s perspective:
Freshsales : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Freshsales : The design & how it affects users:
Freshsales CRM features an intuitive user interface that makes adding contacts and related data quick and effortless. It also visualises your pipeline, with lifecycle stages displayed in a straightforward visual format—ideal for companies with large sales teams that need an overview of their pipeline at a glance.
Freshsales : What sets it apart from its competitors?
Freshsales allows users to generate and tag leads from their emails, simplifying platform juggling and saving sales reps time with easy access to lead information. Plus, users can set up email sales sequence workflows that automate lead nurturing activities.
It also features an automated feature to capture the contact details of people who send emails to your business, making it more straightforward to identify and engage with prospective clients. Furthermore, the application supports multi-channel communication through integrations with social media, WhatsApp and Apple Business Chat.
Features of Freshsales
When adding a contact to Freshsales, you can provide as much detail as you want too about them. This could include their name, phone number, website and other pertinent info. Moreover, you can add notes for further communication with them if desired.
They offer personalised offers with GetAccept. Personalising offers is a crucial feature for sales teams, and Freshsales CRM makes this possible. The tool allows sales teams to create customised proposals that include videos and other content for maximum engagement. Plus, they get a deal score, which indicates which parts of their proposal their prospects spend the most time on and informs them of any new stakeholders who have forwarded content.
Their AI-powered contact scoring system prioritises based on their engagement with your brand and helps you close more deals quickly. Plus, its visual pipeline helps identify bottlenecks and prioritise work accordingly.
Pros and Cons of Freshsales
Freshsales Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Free plan available with most core features
Scalable and affordable
AI-powered insights
Useful app
Reporting limitations
Not much marketing automation
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Freshsales:
We believe Freshsales CRM is a strong option for businesses seeking a user-friendly, affordable CRM solution with a good balance of features. It’s particularly suitable for smaller businesses that value ease of use, built-in features, and AI-powered insights. However, the limitations in customisation, reporting, integrations, and marketing automation compared to some competitors can be drawbacks for larger businesses with complex needs.
The evolution of Freshsales over the years:
Improvements:
We love that F reshsales utilises AI to provide lead scoring and sales automation features, helping prioritise leads and streamline workflows. It is also straightforward to learn to use, and their chat support receives positive reviews from users.
Issues:
We think Freshsales has several areas that could be improved to enhance user experience and functionality. Firstly, there is a lack of built-in functionality to review all tasks for a group of individuals, which should ideally be an essential feature within the activity’s dashboard UI. Additionally, sorting by specific fields is impossible, requiring workarounds using automation, the capabilities of which also need enhancement, particularly involving arithmetic operations and the ability to compare relative field values. Lastly, we think the integration between Freshsales and Freshdesk could be improved to offer more functionality within Freshdesk, as the current options are limited.
How can I purchase?
Our concluding thoughts on Freshsales:
Freshsales offers various pricing plans, allowing businesses to start with a free forever plan and upgrade as their needs grow. Its basic plan provides most of the features necessary for managing contacts and deals, while its Pro and Enterprise plans offer additional functionality and access to an experienced account manager.
Freshsales provides excellent support through live chat, phone, and emails 24 hours a day, five days a week, and customers seem impressed overall with how quick their team is in responding to queries and concerns. Furthermore, it has an impressive library of online resources where users can quickly find answers to their queries.
Overall, we do think Freshsales presents a great range of benefits and a visually appealing interface, making it an excellent tool for expanding its user’s customer base, and its user-friendly interface facilitates swift platform familiarisation and utilisation of its extensive features.
Zendesk Sell
Our performance rating of Zendesk out of 5 stars:
Our Overall Rating
4 out of 5 stars
Functionality & Scalability
4 out of 5 stars
User Interface & Usability
4.2 out of 5 stars
Integration & Data Management
4 out of 5 stars
Implementation & Support
3.5 out of 5 stars
Cost & Value Proposition
4 out of 5 stars
What other people think:
Real Customer Reviews:
Summary of Zendesk:
Zendesk Sell is a good option for smaller businesses and sales teams that value a user-friendly CRM that focuses on core sales functionalities. Its tight integration with other Zendesk products makes it a strong choice for businesses already invested in the Zendesk ecosystem. While it has slightly lower Trustpilot scores than other providers on our list, it is rated highly on sites such as G2, showing a more balanced review of its systems.
Positive customer reviews:
Negative customer reviews:
Zendesk : Video from a user’s perspective:
Zendesk : Visual from a user’s perspective:
Zendesk : The design & how it affects users:
Zendesk Sell boasts a clean and uncluttered interface that minimises complexity. They also have a signature visual pipeline that utilises drag-and-drop functionality and clear stages to visualise the progress of deals and opportunities within the sales funnel. This allows sales teams to track progress and identify potential roadblocks quickly.
Zendesk : What sets it apart from its competitors?
This online portal will enable customers to track their tickets and progress, and it can be customised with your business logos and themes. Furthermore, you can offer live chat features and integrate with other business applications. We also think their integrations with the Zendesk suite can provide a comprehensive CRM solution.
Features of Zendesk
The best CRMs provide powerful automation and reporting features that can reduce manual labour in sales and support departments, which Zendesk does. These features include smart lists/templates, sequences/power dealers/triggers that automatically send emails at predetermined intervals or when certain events occur.
Zendesk allows you to use Custom Fields Instead of Tags. Tags are a standard method for tracking customer support inquiries, but it’s essential to note that they’re often repeated. This causes Zendesk CRM to miss out on information, making custom fields the better option. With these fields, you can more easily monitor and report on your tickets while saving yourself time in the process.
Zendesk Sell’s contact management feature is an indispensable resource, providing up-to-date details about your contacts, including their latest activities and updates. Additionally, it can fill in missing customer details by connecting to other cloud-based data sources.
You can utilise this feature to monitor your sales opportunities, helping expedite the process. Furthermore, you can monitor deal milestones and gauge how quickly they progress so you can more accurately forecast revenue targets.
Zendesk customer support software offers an accessible and versatile solution to create an online portal where customers can submit requests or ask questions. Plus, it features a knowledge base and community platform to promote your brand and build customer trust!
Pros and Cons of Zendesk
Zendesk Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Strong sales focus
Easy to learn how to use.
Great integration options with other Zendesk products
Pipeline management.
Great range of communication tools
Limited reporting features
Pricing can be a concern for larger teams with more complex needs.
Not suitable for businesses with highly complex sales needs
Our own experience with the pros & cons of Zendesk:
Zendesk has a lot of impressive strengths, including a robust sales focus and user-friendly interface, making it easy to learn and navigate. We also think that its integration capabilities with other Zendesk products enhance workflow efficiency, particularly in pipeline management and communication. However, the platform’s reporting features are somewhat limited, which may pose challenges for businesses requiring in-depth analytics. Additionally, we do not think that Zendesk is going to be the best fit for businesses with highly intricate sales requirements.
The evolution of Zendesk over the years:
Improvements:
We think the best thing about Zendesk is its seamless integration with other Zendesk products. Zendesk Sell integrates seamlessly with services like Zendesk Support, creating a unified customer service and sales ecosystem. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses already using Zendesk for customer support.
Issues:
Zendesk Sell prioritises ease of use and a streamlined interface, which is great for small businesses with simple CRM needs. However, for larger companies with more complex needs, this comes at the expense of some advanced features offered by competitors.
How can I purchase Zendesk?
Our concluding thoughts on Zendesk:
Zendesk CRM is a customer service management tool with features like automation, reporting, and knowledge management. It also integrates with other business software packages. Furthermore, its user-friendliness makes it ideal for saving teams time and effort by streamlining their daily tasks.
Its ability to automate tasks saves users time, allowing teams to focus on more complex customer needs. We also like its collaborative tools, which foster a streamlined approach that allows different departments to be on the same page.
However, what really stands out to us is its robust lead and deal management features, and the flexibility to select or change the Zendesk Sell number adds to its appeal. However, the pricing structure may pose challenges for smaller businesses with limited budgets, and improved training resources alongside better access to their customer support team could help reduce the learning curve for advanced features.
James Ward is CEO and founder of CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, a website that won the Prestigious ‘Website of the Year’ only in its second year of operations in 2015. The website has grown organically since then offering comparisons on over 20 different products including insurance, energy, telecoms, card machines, coffee machines and much more. James has a range of interests including horse racing, skiing, rugby and boxing. He splits his time between home family life, friends, exercise and socialising.