Business CRM is important for every company, yet in some ways it's even
important for the small business owner whose minimal staff must respond to the needs of a growing customer base. Even if the channels of communication between your various "departments" are wide open due to your company's smaller size, coordinating all your operations can still prove difficult without an effective small business CRM program. Such programs can help you seamlessly integrate the various parts of your operation into a smoothly functioning whole, delivering value-added service to your customers and preventing costly errors.
Yet, in a burgeoning small business CRM systems market, many business owners find it difficult to determine which small business CRM solution would best address their companies' unique needs. Fortunately, there are a number of available resources that can help you do just that.
Some advantages you'll gain by finding the right software for your business CRM are:
1. Better integration of all your company's operations.
2. Automation of many processes often done manually.
3. Fewer errors.
4. Happier customers.
Assess your company's CRM needs
Various resources are available to help you evaluate your specific CRM small business needs. These can help you better understand how best to address those needs.
I recommend: Companies like
Right Now Technologies offer consultation to help you assess your company's needs. Maximizer Software also offers its
"5 Signs that You Need CRM" podcast, as well as a
CRM Maturity Scale Assessment Guide, which can help you measure your company's current CRM effectiveness level.
Understand the different types of small business CRM solutions available
CRM software for small businesses is virtually everywhere, and fortunately, so is information that can help you understand the many options available.
I recommend: Websites such as
Capterra and
CRMBuyer give comprehensive overviews of a wide variety of CRM software for small business, along with links to demos, webinars and further information.
Compare the features of various small business CRM applications
Some great ways to compare features are viewing online demos, signing up for informational webinars, watching pre-recorded webcasts and taking advantage of free product trials. Free trial downloads are one of the simplest ways to get a feel for the software and learn firsthand how it compares to other similar products.
I recommend: Maximizer offers an online demo of its
CRM 10 application, as Sage does for its
ACT! CRM software.
Numara Track-It! 8 features a free webinar and free trial download. Intuit
QuickBase web-based CRM software also offers a free 30-day trial; and
Info-Tech provides a 15-page downloadable product-comparison report summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of various small business CRM software applications.
Determine which small business CRM software best suits your needs
Online comparison sites are a quick and easy one-stop way to find vendors that offer small business CRM systems appropriate to your company's needs. Some search their databases for CRM software that matches your specifications, while others allow you to choose which small business CRM software you're interested in further investigating.
I recommend: VendorGuru is an online service that compares CRM software for small businesses, matching your needs with the most appropriate product offerings from hundreds of different vendors, based on your answers to a few simple questions.
Capterra presents information about small business CRM programs and allows you to request information from multiple vendors with one click.
Learn how to make the best use of your small business CRM software
Small business CRM manufacturers provide a lot of helpful information on how to use their products effectively. Through podcasts, webcasts and webinars, they also pass on great advice for making your business successful through small business CRM solutions.
I recommend: Sage webcasts and
Intuit on-demand recorded webinars can help guide you in the use of their CRM small business software packages. CustomerThink also hosts a
Consona CRM webcast, highlighting Consona's Total Customer Management approach. Serena's
"Mashing It Up With CRM" webcast also guides you in consolidating the many different types of data you deal with daily in your business.
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