Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and Project Management software are two separate types of software that small businesses can use to help manage their operations. Here’s a quick look at each:
- CRM Software: businesses use CRM software to manage their interactions with customers and potential customers. It typically includes features such as contact management, lead management, sales pipeline management, marketing automation, and customer support ticketing. Some CRM software can also be integrated with other business systems, such as ERP or marketing automation, to provide a more complete view of the customer across the organization.
- Project Management Software: Project Management software plans, tracks, and manages projects from start to finish. It usually includes features such as task management, team collaboration, resource management, time tracking, and project reporting. Some project management software can also be integrated with CRM software or accounting software.
Small businesses can benefit from using combined CRM/Project Management software in several ways:
- Streamlining Workflows: Combining CRM and project management tools can help small businesses streamline their workflows and improve their productivity. By keeping customer data, project details, and task lists in one place, team members can easily collaborate and stay on top of their work.
- Improved Customer Experience: By integrating CRM features into project management software, a small business can better manage customer interactions and keep track of customer needs and preferences. This can help them to deliver a better customer experience and build stronger customer relationships.
- Better Project Management: By integrating project management features into CRM software, a small business can manage projects more efficiently and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. With task lists, project templates, and project reporting, team members can easily collaborate and stay on top of their work.
- Increased Visibility: Combining CRM and project management software can also give a small business increased visibility into its operations. They can make better-informed business decisions by having access to real-time data, such as customer interactions, project progress, and team performance.
Several CRM/Project Management software options are suitable for small businesses, including the following:
- Agile CRM: Agile CRM provides users with sales automation, marketing automation, and customer service features, along with project management tools to keep you organized. Its pricing plans start at $8.99/user/month for the Starter plan, going up to $47.99/user/month for the Enterprise plan. The benefits of Agile include a comprehensive set of features, seamless integrations with other software tools, and an intuitive user interface.
- Bitrix24: Bitrix24 offers CRM, project management, and communication tools all in one place. Its pricing plans start at $19/user/month for the Start+ plan, going up to $129/user/month for the Professional plan. The benefits of Bitrix24 include a comprehensive set of features, seamless integrations with popular software tools, and an easy-to-use interface.
- HubSpot CRM: HubSpot is actually free and cloud-based. It offers contact management, deal tracking, marketing automation, and project management tools to keep your team on track. Its pricing plans start at $45/month for the Starter plan, going up to $1,200/month for the Professional plan. The benefits of HubSpot include a user-friendly interface, a large knowledge base, and seamless integrations with other HubSpot products.
- Insightly CRM: Insightly is another cloud-based option that offers contact management, pipeline management, and project management. Its pricing plans start at $29/user/month for the Plus plan, going up to $99/user/month for the Professional plan. The benefits of Insightly include a robust mobile app, email tracking, and integrations with popular software tools like Gmail and Office 365.
- com: Monday.com is a project management software with built-in CRM features. Its pricing plans start at $8/user/month for the Basic plan, going up to $16/user/month for the Standard plan. The benefits of Monday.com include easy customization, visual project management tools, and integrations with other software tools like Slack and Jira.
- Pipedrive CRM: Pipedrive offers sales automation, contact management, and deal tracking, along with project management tools to help you stay on top of your tasks. Its pricing plans start at $12.50/user/month for the Essential plan, going up to $49.17/user/month for the Advanced plan. The benefits of Pipedrive include an easy-to-use interface, customizable pipelines, and integrations with popular software tools like Slack and Zapier.
- Salesforce CRM: Salesforce offers a wide range of features like sales automation, customer service, and marketing automation, along with project management tools. Its pricing plans start at $25/user/month for the Essentials plan, going up to $300/user/month for the Unlimited plan. The benefits of Salesforce include customizable dashboards, real-time insights, and mobile accessibility.
- Teamwork: Teamwork is a cloud-based project management software with integrated CRM features. Its pricing plans start at $10/user/month for the Free Forever plan, going up to $30/user/month for the Pro plan. The benefits of Teamwork include an intuitive interface, a mobile app, and integrations with other software tools like Slack and HubSpot.
- Zoho CRM: Zoho is a cloud-based software that offers sales automation, marketing automation, and customer service, along with project management tools to help you stay organized. Its pricing plans start at $12/user/month for the Standard plan, going up to $45/user/month for the Ultimate plan. The benefits of Zoho include easy customization, advanced analytics, and integration with other Zoho products.
I hope this list has given you a good starting point for exploring CRM and project management software options that are suitable for your small business.
Remember, it’s important to consider factors like pricing, features, and integrations when making a decision.
It’s also a good idea to take advantage of free trials or demos to better understand how the software works and whether it’s a good fit for your business needs.
In the end, choosing the right CRM and project management software can help streamline your business processes, improve team collaboration, and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
With the right tools in place, your small business can thrive and grow in today’s competitive market.
