Top tools for managing CRM workflow

If there is one thing that customer managers learn in their first week it’s that customer data can become quite hectic, quite fast. Even a relatively small business can accumulate a surprising amount of customer data within a short span of time. Now, if you’ve done what you should and connected your accounting tools with your CRM, you are going to have a hard time managing all that data. Luckily, there are certain tools for managing CRM workflow that can ensure smooth sailing. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at top tools that every CR manager needs to be aware of.

Understanding CRM workflow

If you are unfamiliar with CRM you might not be sure what the workflow entails. Well, to put it simply, the workflow is the procedure that people and automated programs make from engaging with a customer to giving them a solution. This can mean both actually solving problems that the customer has. To using customer data to engage them. It can even mean maintaining a relationship with a customer in order to form a long-lasting professional bond. So, overall it is practically vital to have a well-functioning workflow.

Unfortunately, managing CRM workflow is far from easy. Even a competent, well-experienced professional can struggle with difficult problems and high demands. Luckily, as technology progressed, people developed new tools to help manage CRM. While we cannot fully automate CRM, and probably never will, a decent part of it can be automated by virtual tools. These tools can not only make CRM easier but also enable managers to collect various types of data in an efficient way. Therefore, if you wish to manage CRM, you need to know which are the best tools.

Our pick of best tools for managing CRM workflow in 2021

Before we take a look at some of the top tools for CRM workflow management, it is important to note that they are no substitute for experience and knowledge. Like any other tool, they are only as powerful as the person wielding them. So, if you want to make the most out of them, you need to know what CRM entails in your industry. Different industries have different demands. This is why there is no one-for-all solution when it comes to CRM. And why you need to do your part in researching customer relations and their role in your business. Now, without further ado, let’s take a look at some tools.

Agile CRM

If you are not sure how to handle your CRM, we would suggest that you use Agile CRM. This is a versatile, well-rounded tool that gives you a bit of everything. You can use it to automate various aspects of your workflow. Sync data between various teams in your company. And even integrate with other tools. You can even use it for marketing, as it offers social media and email tools. Finally, this awesome tool is cloud-hosted, which means it is easy to install and keep updated. Considering that it has a free version for up to 10 users, there is no reason not to try it out. And, if you like it, you can pick between three different options:

• Starter – $8.99 a month.
• Regular – $29.99 a month.
• Enterprise – $47.99 a month.

Zoho

Another great all-in-one tool for beginners is Zoho. As of 2021, it is easily one of the most intuitive, easy to install CRM tools out there. With it, you can manage pretty much everything from customer data to real-time analytics. It uses a fairly comprehensive system for workflow management, which takes little getting used to in order to master. The truly great thing about it is that you can learn about CRM while using it. Some of the real-time analytics are very useful, and they can guide your future decisions in an efficient way. You can get Zoho in a free version, which limits you to 3 users. For anything more you will have to pay:

• Standard – €12.00 per month.
• Professional – €20.00 per month.
• Enterprise – €35.00 per month.
• Ultimate – €45.00 per month.

Pipedrive

If your CRM is mostly related to sales, then Pipedrive is the tool to consider. With it, you will have an easy time sorting through various leads and responding to them in a timely fashion. You will also be able to separate them into stages and decide which ones have higher priority. It also gives you analytics tools to help track your performance and see what changes are necessary. All in all, if your CRM is sales-oriented, this is one of the CRM tools to have in 2021. Pipedrive offers a 14-day trial period. After that, you can choose between 4 plans:

• Essential – $12.50 per month.
• Advanced – $24.90 per month.
• Professional – $49.90 per month.
• Enterprise – $99.00 per month.

Insightly

When it comes to budget-friendly CRM tools, Insight is an easy one to recommend. It has considerable storage capabilities, API access, and unlimited custom reports. Feature-vise is pretty well rounded with tools that cover a wide array of CRM workflows. With it, you can plan your email marketing and integrate it with third-party tools. You can even integrate it with Google calendar and Contacts. So, if you already have customer data and are not sure how to put it in a workflow, Insightly is the way to go. The free version of Insightly is more than enough for basic use, which is why we consider it so budget-friendly. Furthermore, if you grow to need some extra tools, Insightly gives you three options:

• Plus – $29.00 per month.
• Professional – $49.00 per month.
• Enterprise – $99.00 per month.

Final thoughts about CRM tools

Once you start using one of the tools for managing CRM workflow that we’ve mentioned, you’ll see that they are pretty well rounded. Unfortunately, no single CRM tool can cover everything. So, if you find these tools lacking, you’ll need specialized tools for precise CRM tasks. But, until that time, the tools we’ve outlined should be more than enough for successful CRM management.