What is the best crm for sales department. The right choice of CRM-system: by what criteria to evaluate CRM? What problems does CRM solve?

Detailed description One of the most important business tools is CRM systems. What is it, how does it work, what is its peculiarity, are there any shortcomings in it, what do experts think about CRM. How this system helps to improve customer interaction and the efficiency of the sales department.

Any company offering goods, products or services operates due to specific business processes. 90% of them are time-consuming, require constant staff expansion and increase salary costs. The larger the business becomes, the more difficult it is to control each process.

The main, but at the same time, the most difficult thing in business is the interaction with customers or buyers. And this includes several processes at once:

  • Creation of an effective model of interaction with clients.
  • Improvement in the quality of service.
  • Collecting and maintaining customer base information.
  • Marketing optimization.
  • Analysis of the results and work on possible errors.

Each process mentioned needs to be regularly improved in order to get more customers, repeat sales and, accordingly, increase profits. And the most effective method to do this is to introduce a CRM system into the business.

What is a CRM system and what does it look like

CRM (Customers Relationship Management) is a customer relationship management system that allows you to control the quality of the sales department.

The system provides for saving all the information received about the client and the history of interaction with him for further analysis in order to improve various business processes.

Using a CRM system allows you to always have a ready-made customer base at hand, some of which are ready for repeat sales.

The system itself can be represented as a separate software, or as a simple file in Excel or Google.Tables. At the same time, each file can be assigned to a specific manager, so that in the future it will be clear how many individual specialists process applications and how efficiently they work. It also gives the manager the ability to quickly identify strengths and weak sides their managers.

CRM allows you to record calls or requests from the site and show which manager is dealing with a particular incoming request. Such accounting makes it possible to constantly monitor the performance of managers and see the real working conditions with incoming leads and existing contracts.

The CRM system helps:

  • At any time, exercise control over the work of the sales department or an individual manager.
  • Get a standardized customer base.
  • Get statistical data on the effectiveness of working with leads, on the basis of which you can conduct various analyzes to improve the quality of the company and increase profits.
  • Optimize and automate some business processes.
  • Develop effective business development strategies.

What do I need from a CRM system? So that all incoming calls, all incoming calls from the site are automatically unpacked in it. That is, so that no one can forget to enter information that someone called or contacted.

For example, if I enter all this manually, for example, into an Excel spreadsheet, then this will mean a loss of information - holes. Because someone will forget, someone will not want to, someone will decide not to enter and work independently. And these are reasons for theft and loss of efficiency. You just won't understand how your marketing works.

The first thing I need, as soon as a call comes in, is that a card automatically appears in the CRM system, that is, in its interface, in which the name of the person, his phone number and other fields that need to be filled in are written. That is, I talk with the client and simultaneously fill in the required fields - I find out his city, the direction of the company, I determine whether he is a good client or a bad one in terms of priorities, how hot the application is and how to work with it.

The CRM system does not have common standards. It can be any program or service in which it is convenient to control work with clients, as well as analyze, plan and develop it.

The main tasks of any CRM system

Maintaining a database of clients with the necessary information about them

A CRM system is, first of all, the creation of a single customer database, to which both ordinary employees, such as managers, and the director of the company have access. This greatly simplifies the work with clients and protects against force majeure.

For example, if a manager falls ill and goes on sick leave, another employee can lead his clients. That is, the base and history of customer relationships is preserved, even if the manager who led them was fired.

Preservation and constant expansion of the base helps to draw the most valuable customers out of it and focus on working with them, since they are important for the company. It also allows you to maintain relationships with old customers who have not applied for services for a long time. That is, periodically they can send new, relevant and profitable offers.

Service quality improvement

Constant monitoring of work with clients has a positive effect on the quality of service.

Using all the information from the database of the CRM system helps to increase attention to customers, create a sense of care for them and thus get an army of loyal audience, ready for constant cooperation and repeat sales.

Attention should be understood as:

  • prompt provision of complete and interesting information about a product or service;
  • congratulating the client on a significant holiday for him;
  • inviting clients to events held by the company or its partners;
  • VIP client service favorable conditions and with an individual system of discounts.

This makes it possible, with some effort, to create and maintain an army of loyal customers to the company.

Increase in sales

Since the CRM system contains all the necessary information about customers, this helps to improve the quality of interaction with each of them. That is, after analyzing the data about the client, talking with him on the phone, he can make the most advantageous offer. In this case, the manager will be able to remove all possible objections, justify the price and convince of the profitability of the transaction.

CRM is more than just a customer relationship management system. With its help, management is able to monitor the work of the sales department and plan the actions of its employees. The manager can tell the manager how to properly communicate with the client, how to answer his questions, give convincing arguments and remove objections.

The key tasks of a CRM system, as such, are:

The first is digitization and analysis, that is, the fixation of processes.

The second is prioritization. That is, the creation of a system in which the best tasks, best applications face the best managers automatically.

The third is a system of next steps, in which the lead turns into a result, a rejection, or a transfer.

And the fourth is efficiency or the concept of the effectiveness of a manager, call and working time.

Mikhail Dashkiev - co-founder of the project "Business Youth"

Using a CRM system involves segmenting the customer base. After all, 80% of them simply waste the time of managers. While the main part of the profit is brought only by 20% of customers. Accordingly, more attention is focused on them. That is, clients are divided in the system according to their income, geography, occupation, hobbies and other necessary criteria. This has a positive effect not only on sales, but also on marketing effectiveness.

Advantages and disadvantages of using CRM systems

Advantages

  • The system can be used stationary and remotely, having a laptop or smartphone with the Internet at hand.
  • CRM helps to competently manage a company and create effective business development strategies.
  • The system optimizes business processes related to customer interactions.
  • Small companies can use free CRM systems to avoid additional expenses.
  • The system allows you to control not only the entire sales department, but also a specific employee.
  • CRM helps to collect and maintain a database of customer information.
  • The customer relationship management system increases sales and increases loyalty to the company.

disadvantages

  • Difficulties in ensuring security. There is always a risk of information leakage, since a whole department of employees has access to the customer base.
  • The system has many features, most of which may not be required for operation. That is, CRM contains some redundant information, due to which managers often face difficulties when working with the database.
  • There are difficulties with non-standard reports. Most CRM systems contain template reports. To change and adjust them, you need to attract additional specialists or train managers.

For which companies is CRM relevant?

The use of a CRM system is only appropriate if the company has more than 2 managers and more than 10 clients.

For a small company, a free CRM option is suitable, and a large one will need a paid one. software.

Regarding the field of activity, we can say that the CRM system is suitable for almost any business that provides services, sells goods or own products.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the CRM system is a useful tool that allows you to control the sales department, work with clients, the quality of their service, as well as analyze and develop effective business development strategies.

If you are thinking about business automation, then the first thing you should pay attention to is CRM systems.

Do you manage your customer base? Probably yes.If you don’t have many of them yet, 2-3, then a notepad and a pen, or good old Excel, is enough for this purpose. If the company's entire sales department is you, then most likely you remember well who you need to call back and when.

But if there are dozens, hundreds of clients? Even several managers may not have time to solve all the problems, call back in time, remember what this or that client wanted. As a result, the quality of service decreases, as a result, customers leave you for competitors.To prevent this from happening, there is a good solution - a CRM system.

The first CRM of the modern type -Siebel CRM - appeared back in 1993. FirstCRM systems appeared in the early 2000s.

There are a lot of different customer relationship management systems on the market today: both cloud-based and those that need to be installed, with different sets of functions. Every year new solutions come out. Portal Tadviser.ru presented data, according to which the volume of the CRM market in 2015 grew by 12.3%. At the same time, the most popular systems are for automating the sales process.

In this article, we will look at the TOP 10 CRM - paid and free, and we will understand in detail what it is - a CRM system, and how to implement it.

It's just an abbreviation so incomprehensible. It stands for Customer Relationship Management, which can literally be translated as "customer relationship management." In fact, everything is simple: a CRM system is software that will allow you to effectively maintain a customer base and build with them a good relationship. A program that will help you effectively manage your business and control the work of the sales department. This is a database of customer cards, a reminder, a scheduler and much more in one bottle.

If you have a CRM, you can not be afraid to forget to call the client back. You can do it directly from the system. Even if you are busy doing business, smart program will remind you of this.

How to work in CRM?

  • data about clients, calls, meetings and performers are entered into the database. Any cases and events are now recorded in the system. And nothing should be overlooked.
  • Each employee has his own profile in the system with his own access level. This allows you to separate responsibilities, avoid confusion and information leakage.
  • constantly updated information about the implementation of a particular task.
  • the system analyzes the process of performing tasks, and gives a signal if something went wrong.

CRM is usually used in companies where at least a few people already work. But if you are the only employee, it can also become a lifesaver for you. Here you can maintain a customer database, expand the task calendar, set reminders, create reports and other documents necessary for work.

The main goal of any CRM is to systematize customer data. You get a single database that all employees of your company have access to.

Goals and objectives of CRM

  • creation of a single database of the company's clients;
  • control of the work of employees or self-control (if you work alone);
  • storage of information about clients, transactions, about which one each of the clients is on;
  • automating the creation of reports and documents;
  • organization of team work;
  • tracking the performance of each employee and;
  • tracking the real state of affairs in the company;
  • segmentation of the target audience;
  • sales administration and planning;
  • attracting new and retaining old customers.

Each CRM-system helps to optimize business processes in the company, and for the manager - facilitates management.

The introduction of CRM can increase the efficiency of the company by 50%, and increase sales by 20-30%. All thanks to the fact that you receive data about the behavior of the client. Thus, you can analyze what he likes and what not, what can be done so that the client is always satisfied and does not go to competitors.

CRM-systems also have two small minuses.

1. The introduction of the system, like everything new, may meet with rejection and rejection among employees. In any case, it will be necessary to carry out preparatory explanatory work and training of personnel to work with the system.

2. If suddenly the software fails, it can completely stop the work of the company. Of course, software developers try to minimize such situations, but there is still a small percentage of risk.

Types of CRM depending on the type of business

CRM systems can be classified according to various parameters. Customer relationship management systems are different in purpose, in the level of information processing, in the way of organization. They can also be classified according to the type of business they are suitable for.

Let's look at the main types of CRM systems.

Let's start with the classificationby appointment. It can be:

  • marketing activity management systems . Such systems help to analyze the conduct marketing companies, calculate the return on investment in advertising. Find weak channels and failure points in marketing strategy, generate reports.
  • sales management systems - the most common type of CRM, which allows not only to build adequate relationships with customers, but also to make forecasts, analyze sales, losses and incomes.
  • customer service management systems , are used most often in call centers. Help to process requests and work with them in the future.

By way of organizationCRM systems arecloud and standalone. In the first case, all information is stored on cloud servers, and the company does not need any optional equipment to support the system. This is a great solution for small and medium businesses, and its most important advantage is ease of use and maintenance. In the second case, you need your own server, but the system can be fully adapted to your needs.

The difference between CRM and by the level of information processing. There are the following types:

  • operating rooms- for quick access to necessary information during customer service.
  • analytical- for deep analysis and creating reports.
  • collaborative - to be able to manage the processes of the company as a whole.

Depending on the type of businessCRM systems can be classified into the following types:

  • to automate the work of a company in the beauty industry (beauty salons, medical centers, salons, hairdressers). These systems are easily integrated with commercial equipment. They allow you to register customers for services, keep records of materials, collect sales statistics and much more.
  • for sales departments. These systems make it easy to maintain a database of clients and record transactions. They may have additional features such as invoicing, deal control, sales funnel tracking, internal mail, and more that are necessary for organizing the productive work of the sales department.
  • for online stores. Systems of this type allow not only maintaining a customer database, but also controlling the process of picking and sending goods to customers.

CRMs also differby cost- They can be paid and free. Free ones tend to have limited functionality and are often a stripped-down version of a paid system.

Best Paid CRMs

Let's get acquainted with the most popular paid customer relationship management systems today.

It's more than just CRM. One program to manage your entire company. The system is universal and suitable for any field of activity. It includes the following functionality:

  • Accounting for clients (client base).
  • Project management, Gantt chart.
  • Personnel management, timekeeping.
  • Document flow, electronic digital signature.
  • Accounting and warehouse, electronic reporting.
  • Embedded communications and IP-telephony.

What else is interesting about CRM "Simple Business"?

  • Version for any device and mobile applications: Windows, Web, Mac OS, iOS and Android.
  • You can work without internet.
  • License for the entire organization for only 1990 rubles. per month, free of charge workplace.
  • The best technical support on the market.

2. Megaplan.

One of the best CRM systems on our market. It is cloud-based and does not require any additional resources from you. It has everything for teamwork, maintaining a customer base and accounting for the company's finances. Thanks to a simple and clear interface, it is easy to implement and master.

To test the system, you can use the free trial period. There are 4 tariff plans, the simplest one is “ Collaboration”, costs 279 rubles per month. Even such a simple tariff will allow you to work with tasks and assignments, manage projects, monitor the work of employees and generate reports.

3. Amocrm.ru.

Another cloud based CRM system. Best suited for working in the b2b market, it contains all the necessary tools for the effective work of the sales department. A clear interface makes the process of implementing the system simple and easy. There are no extra buttons and pages, and you can even work in the system from a tablet.

There is a free trial period of 14 days. A solution for two people will cost 4990 rubles a year.

4. 1C-Bitrix: Corporate portal.

This is software that has much more functionality than a regular system. It can be integrated with other programs and the site, telephony. It is possible to separate access rights for each employee, project management. Will be useful for large companies with a lot of clients.

The cost of the software is 34,500 rubles.

5. Retail CRM.

This solution is for online stores. Among the useful functions are integration with the site, telephony connection, maintaining a customer database, working with courier services delivery.

There is a free plan, suitable if you have 1 user and up to 300 orders per month. The paid tariff starts from 1980 rubles per month, for a minimum of three users.

6. BaseCRM.

A simple cloud system for medium and small businesses. Allows you to work effectively with clients, lead projects and organize the work of the team. There are even social networking features.

The cost is from $45 per month.

The Best Free CRM Systems

Almost all the paid systems described above have free versions. There are other, free CRM-systems. Their main disadvantage is limited functionality. But then you can try new software without overpaying.

The main functionality and benefits of the system are described above in the "Best Paid CRM" section. This CRM also has a free version for 5 employees, which is the best option for small businesses and for mastering the system at an early stage. This CRM is definitely worth a try.

8. Bitrix24.

Includes free tariff plan no limit on the number of users. Allows you to solve the most basic problems - maintain a database of customers and control the execution of tasks.

9. Clientbase.ru.

This free program, with which you can automate billing, keep track of customers, make calls directly from the customer card, and much more.

10. Megaplan Free.

The paid system has a free "Start" tariff, in which you can manage 2 projects and up to 50 tasks. Up to 10 employees can use it, manage up to 1000 clients. As for a free solution - not bad at all.

11. Trello.

Cloud CRM system with no limit on the number of clients or employees. Synchronized with other devices, allows you to automate work on projects.

12. On-crm.ru.

Cloud CRM system for one employee. Allows you to work with clients, save work history and manage tasks.

Implementation and integration of a CRM system into a business process

The implementation of CRM is an important and serious step towards improving the management of your company. But this process requires certain efforts and must be carried out in several stages.

  1. Decide for yourself what tasks and goals this system will solve. This will help you choose the best solution, the program that suits you best. If you choose one, and then in the process you realize that you want more, the implementation process will be delayed in time, and additional expenses may also arise. Discuss the implementation of the system with all stakeholders - primarily with employees and heads of departments. Find out what expectations they have.
  2. Next, you need to decide on the priority of tasks and goals in order to understand which of them, and in what order, you will transfer to CRM. It may be necessary to develop scenarios for these processes, reduce them to common standard. For example, how to correctly issue an invoice, or how to process an application from the site through the system - there should be instructions for all this.
  3. Identify those critical points that were in the processes due to the fact that you worked the old fashioned way. Now with the system you can solve these problems. For example, incoming requests were often lost and the client was forgotten to call back - with CRM this will no longer be the case. She will remind you of the call, and if no one from the sales department called, the notification will come to the manager.
  4. Train employees to work with new system. Familiarize suppliers and partners with the new working conditions.
  5. After a while, collect feedback and, if necessary, make adjustments to the work.

Another important question is to implement the system on your own, or to entrust this business to professionals? There are many offers on the market to help with the implementation of CRM in a business process, but is it worth trusting someone from the outside?

If you have a micro-business for 1-2 people, then you will figure it out yourself with the introduction of a simple system. Medium businesses and companies with more than 10 employees will need help, especially if integration with various software and services is expected. Yes, they will additional expenses to pay for services, but you will be deprived of unnecessary headaches and everything will be set up correctly.

The implementation of CRM is an important step for your company, getting on the path to greater efficiency. This will simplify the management of the company, and make the team more organized and cohesive. You just have to choose the solution that suits your needs.

The natural function of the sales department of any organization is communication with customers, as well as further analysis of the effectiveness of interaction with the identification of "failures" or vulnerabilities. They are not necessarily critical: the insufficient effect may be due not to the operator's lack of necessary skills, but to incorrectly chosen call times or an incorrectly composed main sentence.

Recording data by taking notes by hand or using Word or Excel “leaves” (and a standard “Notepad” is enough for someone) is extremely difficult even for an experienced sales employee, not to mention the new generation of specialists. Fortunately, with the development information technologies a simple and convenient solution has appeared - allowing you to automate the process of the CPM system. Seven of them, reliable and free, will be discussed later.

What are CPM systems and why are they needed?

As usual, you should start from the beginning, that is, with the terms. CRM (CRM, less often CRM) is an abbreviation that stands for customer relationship management (literally - customer relationship management). For greater euphony, the phrase "system feedback with a client"; he should be given preference. However, as in the case of the indicator, in everyday life they use the abbreviation CRM adapted for the Russian language.

The main purpose of the CRM system is to achieve stable interaction with customers. Depending on the functionality of a particular software, paid or free, a sales manager can enter into the database:

  • contact details of each client;
  • his preferences;
  • the results and features of communication with him by phone or via e-mail;
  • current orders;
  • claims and wishes of the buyer.

Many software products can automatically generate a call schedule, notify the manager about the next contact time, and visualize information by generating graphs and forming a sales funnel. As a rule, such options are not included in free CPM systems, but an interested user can always find the best option for himself: at present, there is no shortage of such software.

How much a CRM system is needed for the sales department, the manager must decide for himself: if we are talking about a small or non-selling business, it is more logical to let your specialists act the old fashioned way than to spend them work time to learn how to work with an unnecessary program. and it is quite possible to receive income from the sale of a simple product of the same type without a CPM system; but a large enterprise specializing in the production of diverse products will work much more efficiently taking into account the wishes of customers.

Important: although CRM is positioned as a system for sales department specialists, everyone can use them in their work - from a part-time job to an individual entrepreneur. The only question is the expediency and abilities of the user.

Not always free CPM systems for the sales department are fundamentally worse than paid versions. Even relatively old versions of the software have everything that an ordinary manager needs. Storing information and performing calculations directly in the cloud is more of a trend than a necessity: many sales professionals continue to successfully use CRM systems from 2014-2015, not considering them obsolete.

The need for CPM in the sales department is due to negative rather than positive factors. arising from the impossibility outside the system:

  1. Register each act of communication between the manager and the buyer and the complaints and appeals received from the latter.
  2. Plan your day in every detail. A sales specialist may forget something or lose sight of an important detail: this is a human factor, and it is impossible to completely get rid of it.
  3. Listen to the recording of the manager's communication with the client. This is especially important in the event of conflict or ambiguous situations that could lead to the rupture of relations with regular customer or the need for the organization to defend its interests in court.
  4. Track call statistics for each manager and client. In normal mode, it is impossible to make sure that a sales employee called the buyer, and not at home or in a neighboring office. As a result, the owner of the company risks not only losing money, but also spoiling relations with hired workers - and, as a result, his reputation.

For the leader large enterprise, who cares about increasing sales efficiency and generating more income, the acquisition of a full-featured CRM system can really be attributed to: with the right software settings and minimal managerial abilities, the costs will pay off in the shortest possible time. As practice shows, after the start of using the customer feedback system, the positive dynamics of sales is about 30%, which is extremely significant in the face of ever-increasing competition.

But do not rush: before introducing a paid CPM (and such systems are not cheap), it makes sense to try out one of the free versions, in many presented on the Internet.

Not always the most popular CRMs- the best: the most striking example is the advertised (and, I must say, really free) domestic Bitrix24 system. Users complain not only about frequent failures and the inability to access urgently needed information, but also about the careless storage of information and its deletion without notifying the user, which is especially unpleasant when it comes to not copies of documents (they should be stored on computers in the office anyway). organizations), and correspondence of sales managers with other specialists and customers. It is no longer possible to recover irrevocably deleted data - as well as to guarantee the availability of backup copies on the Bitrix24 servers.

Free CRM systems for the sales department

The following will list seven convenient and fully free systems CRM with Russian interface. Despite the different functionality, each of them is able to significantly, up to 30%, increase the performance of the sales department, while removing most of the intellectual load from managers.

Supasoft CRM

The first of them is the domestic development of Supasoft CRM. Both free and paid versions of the software are available to the user. Functionally, they are no different; the difference is only in the location of the database and the number of sales managers who have access to it.

After downloading, installing (or unpacking) and running the application, the sales manager can:

  • Start creating a new database by left-clicking on the "Data" menu item and going to the "Companies" sub-item.
  • Start entering information by clicking on the “Add” item.

  • In the new window that opens, you will need to make a maximum useful information about the partner organization, including name and contact details.

  • When finished filling in the main fields, the sales manager can add information about company representatives at the bottom of the same window, as well as notes about the current interaction with the enterprise, moving from one tab to another and clicking the "Add" button. Notes and information about contacts can be easily edited by highlighting them with the mouse pointer and clicking on the "Edit" button.

  • The most important last tab of this window is "Sales". By going to it and clicking on the "Add" button, the manager can:
    • indicate the date;
    • enter one or more categories of goods sold;
    • indicate the price of each unit of production;
    • write a note to the sale.

  • The total cost of each delivery will be calculated automatically based on the information entered. To do this, you must specify the number of units in the "For shipment" field.

  • When you have completed entering the information, you can click on the "OK" button, closing both windows. Now the client data is entered into the database. In the future, they can be changed or deleted as necessary.

  • From the same menu item, "Data", you can immediately go to individual previously filled in categories, for example, to products sold (sub-item "Products"). After opening it, you can add new products, edit or delete them.

  • For elementary analytics, the following section, “Reports”, is used. By going to it, and then to the "Pivot Table" sub-item, the user can, each time pressing the "Add" button, create reports on shipments, payments, cities of interaction and other parameters specified in the window.

  • You can get help on the program or ask a free question by using the last menu item (“Help”) and selecting the “Home Page” sub-item. The manager will be redirected to the developer's website, where he will find answers to all his questions.

The Supasoft CRM system is best suited for organizing information about counterparties and customers, as well as for compiling elementary visual reports. There is no talk of any charts or sales funnels here - such information is provided by applications that are more complicated.

Quick Sales 2

The second, equally popular and easy-to-use CRM system, has received almost exclusively positive customer reviews over the years.

After downloading and installing it (as in the previous case, a free one is available, and also, after registration in the system, a demo version), the sales manager can:

  • By clicking on the customers button located in the left sidebar or in the "Module" menu, add information about each new customer ("Add company" button).

  • Add representatives' data ("Contacts" tab).

  • Indicate statistics codes and other details of the client organization (details tab).

  • Enter any additional information about the organization (tab "About the company").

  • If necessary, the previously entered data can be edited or deleted by clicking the left mouse button on the "Card" link.

  • By clicking on the "Products and Services" tab at the bottom of the buyer's card, you can specify the names of the products sold, the unit price of the goods and the date of the transaction.

  • The next tab on the sidebar (“Calendar”) gives the sales manager the opportunity to plan his working day.

  • By moving to the “Reports” tab and selecting the necessary parameters (name of the product, its cost, transaction date), the user can get a text document, a pie chart or a bar chart as an output.

  • The last item of the side menu (“Sales Funnel”) will allow the manager to analyze the prospects of each customer in order to further discard inactive ones or direct efforts to correct the situation.

  • Unfortunately, the free CRM system does not support exporting data to an Excel spreadsheet: an interested user will have to purchase a network version of the program.

In addition, integration with 1C: Enterprise and import of the QS database are not available in the free version of Quick Sales 2. But you can import information about customers from a plain text file from the "Service" menu item - it is important that significant fields are separated by tabs.

Monitor CRM

Excellent single user CRM system available in free, demo and full mode.

Using it, the sales manager can:

  • Keep a diary, highlighting important and urgent matters, as well as leaving reminders of customer anniversaries, shipping dates, corporate holidays and other important events.

  • View the list of counterparties and add new ones (the "Contractors" tab).

  • Search desired organization, without scrolling through the entire list (tab "Search counterparty").

  • Enter information about sales requests, payment for operations and shipment of goods (menu item "Sales").

  • Each field in the list can be edited, correcting information and entering new information, simply by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.

  • Automatically generate all kinds of reports (“Main reports” tab):
    • for the best clients;
    • by margin and shipments;
    • by contacts and employees;
    • by sales;
    • by profitability.

  • Identify adverse factors: the reasons for the decline in sales and counterparties with debts of more than 50 thousand rubles. (tab "Problem areas").

  • Form a commodity-market matrix (tab "Additionally").

  • If necessary, print the information or export it to an Excel spreadsheet. (tab "Service").

  • Import and export reports ("Report settings" tab).

Monitor CRM is perhaps the most convenient of the free customer feedback systems that provides the sales manager with maximum functionality, including graphing and charting. Paid options are related to working on the Web and multi-user access - and, given the capabilities of the program, they are worth their money.

Galloper CRM

Another convenient, multifunctional CPM system, even in the free version, with the help of which a sales manager, after completing a short training course, will be able to:

  • Add new buying organizations to the list. To do this, go to the installed program, select the menu item "Registers" and the sub-item "List of organizations".

  • By clicking on the “New entry” icon (blank sheet), enter information about the company in the fields of the window that opens. After checking all the data, you must click on the "Save" button.

  • The position that appears in the main window can be changed by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button. In addition, the data can be exported to an Excel sheet by selecting the appropriate option.
  • By going to the "Registers" item in the "Manager's Schedule" sub-item, a sales employee can get acquainted with the current tasks for clients.
  • If necessary, you can add a new, unplanned event to the list by selecting the appropriate button and filling in the information fields.

  • In the next tab of the same item (“Diary”), the sales manager can enter the current affairs for the day. The developer provides for a half-hour interval of the fields, although any necessary time can be specified in the note.

  • By switching the display modes of the "Diary", you can choose the line for the month and for the week (the most convenient option).

  • In the next sub-clause of the same clause ("Branch Structures"), the user can add any number of relevant organizations. In the future, their cards will be editable (double-click) and deleted (button next to a blank sheet).
  • By going to the "List of accounts", the sales manager will be able to get acquainted with the payments of the current client or select any other.
  • The next menu item (“Reports”) allows the user to:
    • create a report on delays;
    • generate sales reports;
    • visualize the sales funnel.

  • Another interesting item ("Directories") makes it possible to create your own databases of cities, telephone numbers and routes.

  • Finally, the manager can always view the manual in PDF format by selecting the "Help" sub-item of the menu item of the same name.

With great functionality, the Galloper CRM system is difficult to use and can hardly be recommended to novice users who are deprived of the constant care of a specialist.

OFS

The time has come for networked CRM systems. The first of them is a service of Ukrainian origin OFS, completely free and available to a Russian user.

After completing a simple registration procedure, the manager (or head) of the sales department can:

  • Add a new customer (Customers tab).

  • By clicking on the “Add client” button in a new window and filling in all the fields, you will receive a personal card ready for work.

  • Next - proceed to filling out the task for the client (the "Add task" button).

  • In the task card, you will need to indicate the time and the customer (buyer). If desired, you can add other counterparties by clicking on the plus sign next to the main name.

  • The finished task can be printed, supplemented with a new one, or deleted. Upon completion of the operation, click on the green button "Task completed".

  • As a result, a corresponding mark will appear at the bottom of the screen opposite the “Result” field. If an error occurs, the manager can climb back and select the red "Task Failed" button.

  • By going to the "Task" tab of the main menu, you can see all the current and completed tasks. Currently, the page remains non-Russified, which, however, does not interfere with understanding at all.

  • The next most important tab (“Calendar”) gives the user the opportunity to plan their time as tightly as possible.

  • By clicking on any of the fields, the sales manager will be able to add a record, and later change or delete it.

  • If there are many buyers in the database, you can use the upper field to search for them: just enter the name of the client and click on the magnifying glass located next to it.

The main disadvantage of the OFS system is the complete lack of visualization; otherwise, it is not inferior to its more complex desktop rivals.

"Simple Business"

The sixth one is freeThe CRM system, available as an application for PC or mobile devices, allows the sales manager to:

  • Add client (button of the same name).

  • Modify and delete a previously created customer card.

  • Use cooperative mail within the service.

  • For ease of communication, fill out and subsequently modify your own questionnaire.

  • Work with the client base by adding and deleting positions right in the window.

  • In the "Calendar" tab, plan new tasks for the day.

  • Optionally switch to a weekly, monthly or even yearly schedule.

Despite the apparent cumbersomeness, "Prostoy Business" is easy to learn and can be recommended for both novice entrepreneurs and those who already have experience with CRM systems.

"Client base"

Last on the list is the CPM online service. By registering in the system, the user will be able to:

  • Add new clients.

  • Edit personal cards of buyers - individuals and legal entities.

  • Print customer data or send him an SMS.

  • Add new employees in the same way.

  • Assign tasks for yourself or each of your employees.

  • Change and add task items in a separate card.

  • From the "Companies" tab, send notifications or SMS to team members.

  • From the "Documents" tab, issue invoices, payment orders and sales receipts.

  • In the "Reports" section, view data on sales, assignments and cold calls.

  • Form a sales funnel by going to the appropriate menu sub-item and clicking the "Update" button.

So, we can safely say that the "Client Base" is the most convenient, functional and at the same time completely free online system that can be recommended to all users without exception.

Basic principles for setting up a CPM system

A properly functioning CRM system for the sales department should address the following issues:

  1. Improving the quality of processing applications from buyers:
    • acceleration of work with primary appeals;
    • increasing the loyalty of regular customers;
    • increase in the number of buyers “processed” by one manager (up to 300-400 people).
  2. Maximum automation of sales department workflows:
    • generation of tasks for the day and their distribution among employees;
    • creating reminders about the need to initiate / close a deal;
    • preservation of correspondence;
    • automatic sending of reports to the immediate supervisor;
    • notification of the manager about reading the letter by the client.
  3. Supervision of employees and organization of their work:
    • development and submission of technical specifications;
    • creation and distribution technical requirements, manuals and new job descriptions;
    • staff motivation.

When properly configured, the CPM system gives desired result in full, but there are a number of errors that reduce the effectiveness of the software to zero. These errors include:

  1. Incorrect naming of worker processes. If the status of the client does not make it possible to understand at what stage of the path to making a purchase he is, the sales manager will not be able to conduct a constructive dialogue with him - this can ruin even the most promising deal.
  2. Lack of integration with telephony and corporate portal. Not all free CRM programs give the head of sales or the entire enterprise the ability to listen and record calls of subordinates in automatic or manual mode(despite the fact that this option is incredibly important: it allows you to identify mistakes made by the manager and get rid of flaws in the scripts of communication with the buyer). And the integration of the CPM with the site ensures that the current correspondence and documents generated by the system will not be lost when it suddenly “falls”.
  3. Interaction of CRM with other systems used in the organization is not established. As a result, data has to be either transferred from one program to another manually, which is associated with an inevitable slowdown in the process and possible losses. valuable information, or use each application regardless of the others, and this already negates the entire value of the built intranet.
  4. The target object is incorrectly defined. The most common mistake is prioritizing buyers over deals. The ultimate goal of the manager of the sales department, the entire department as a whole, and the seller enterprise itself is to conclude as many profitable deals as possible. It is necessary to focus on them, and not on the list of potential customers - otherwise the most expensive and promising CPM system will turn into a simple phone book.
  5. Some of the work is still done by hand. Relearning and getting used to new things is difficult for any person, and sales managers are no exception. In the absence of proper motivation, they will probably continue to record information in previously created databases that are not compatible with the CRM system. Consequently, important information (partially or completely) can be lost or distorted at any time, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in sales.
  6. Lack of thoughtful instructions for working with CPM. Even in the free and simplest customer feedback system, you can “get lost” after spending all day on solving an elementary problem. Thus, the unwillingness of the manager to take care of his subordinates in time leads to the loss of money and, in some cases, clients and business partners.

Summing up

Currently, there is no shortage of CRM-systems for the sales department: paid and free, highly specialized and representing a kind of social networks.

The main thing for the user is to correctly prioritize, without saving on really necessary options, but also without spending money on unnecessary subscriptions: there is a lot of CPM, and by spending a little time comparing, you can make the perfect choice, which you won’t have to regret later.

Any commercial organization or an individual entrepreneur, sooner or later, in their activities, they face the need to quickly structure information about their customers and have access to the necessary information in the shortest possible time.

At first, such data began to be drawn up in the form of tables, then Excel was mastered for these purposes with its powerful functionality. It would seem that a smart program from Microsoft was able to satisfy all the needs in the formation of a customer base. However, there were significant disadvantages, such as the impossibility of multi-user and remote work, the complexity of the Excel program for the average user and the need to learn it, the risk of data loss. Therefore, seekers of convenient ways of constructing commercial work reached the creation of the so-called CRM-systems.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a system in the form of one or more tables that allows you to control all processes in working with clients. It includes the collection of information, its classification, secure storage, convenient search and filtering, as well as uninterrupted reminders. Any CRM-system seeks to satisfy these needs of its user. But each does it differently.

This CRM review will show you how far business management technology has come and how much it will cost you.

Ideally, a CRM system should help its user to establish full control over the business. Therefore, the more processes it controls, the more useful and versatile it is. The result of the use of CRM is an increase in sales, identifying weaknesses in the company, increasing employee motivation, and increasing control over the results of work.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM


One of the most powerful business management programs. It can be customized for any company requirements. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is very popular in large companies. It's practically a development environment. It is equally in demand both for the sphere of sale of services, and for the commodity sphere. Wikipedia says about this CRM that its last version was released in 2013, today there is support for 41 languages. Microsoft Dynamics CRM often wins CRM comparisons due to its versatility. It can be used for the work of a great variety of sales managers, service specialists and other employees. However, this will require fine tuning and special installation knowledge. This sales management system costs 3250 rubles per month per user.

  • Access from any device via the Internet,
  • Ability to customize for any task,
  • Reliable data security.
  • Difficulty of setting
  • Price.

1C CRM


This system works in symbiosis with 1C:Enterprise resources. Its use fully automates the process of doing business in an environment that is known to all Russian accountants and managers. Cost: Basic version for an individual entrepreneur - 3300 rubles, Version for big business will cost 31,200 rubles for one workplace. The system is ideal for large organizations involved in the promotion of goods, especially with a large assortment.

  • Integration with 1C:Enterprise,
  • Convenient interface
  • Full and transparent management of all processes in the enterprise,
  • Powerful data analysis system.
  • High price for big business
  • Difficulty of implementation and use for small and medium organizations,
  • The need for detailed training of employees.

Terrasoft CRM


Terrasoft CRM is recognized as one of the best CRM systems in the world. In 2011, the CRM IDOL rating put it in first place among others. It is the market leader in the CIS countries. Produced by a Ukrainian company. It is used in many well-known large companies, for example, Yandex, VTB, Tele2. Well suited for the service industry and for managing the marketing department. The cost for one user starts from 1000 rubles and more, depending on the modification of the program. It has 25 ready-made industry solutions for the main business areas. One of the most expensive systems. The cost per user for a year will be 17,500 rubles.

  • Job templates for various industries,
  • Possibility of fine tuning
  • Large selection of pricing options.
  • Complexity of setup for small businesses,
  • High price,
  • Inability to issue an invoice and acts of work performed.

Zoho CRM


The most popular CRM systems Zoho CRM - photo

An online system that does not have a desktop version. Because of this, it cannot be customized for all user needs. Suitable for freelancers, entrepreneurs and small organizations. For businesses with up to 10 people - completely free. Cost for more users starts from 700 rubles. Zoho CRM supports integration with Google Adwords, and is also capable of doing website and social media analytics.

  • Low price,
  • Free for 10 users,
  • Work only through the Internet,
  • Lack of fine tuning

vTiger CRM


Another CRM system that works via a web interface. It is open, that is, it is possible to fine-tune it. It did not develop as an independent system, but became a derivative of SugarCRM. Designed for small and medium enterprises operating in the service sector. Available in Russian, although it was created in India. The cost starts from 700 rubles. It integrates well with the Asterisk service. This is a service telephone connection to create call centers in organizations.

  • Open to programmers
  • Ideal for small businesses
  • Low cost.
  • Customization requires specialized knowledge.

SAP CRM


The most popular CRM systems Sap CRM - photo

Sap CRM is able to handle any amount of work and tasks. Has batch connection functions. Settings are easy to add and just as easy to turn off unnecessary ones. Has powerful analytics. Ideal for medium sized companies. Allows you to create a single information space in the organization about all products, prices and services. Because of this, it is well implemented in companies with a large range of products.

  • fast implementation,
  • Powerful customization tools.
  • Poor developer support for Russia.

Bitrix CRM


The most popular CRM systems Bitrix CRM - photo

Powerful CRM system. The developer provides a large package of additional features. For example, a virtual PBX. Orders can be managed with mobile phone. The system allows you to create a kind of corporate social network, where communication and discussion of projects with any employees is possible. At the time of writing this review, the Google search engine for the query "CRM" in the first lines issued exactly Bitrix CRM. Its main difference from other systems is that it is free, but only for companies of up to 12 people. Therefore, Bitrix CRM is perfect for entrepreneurs and small firms, especially online stores created on the basis of Bitrix. For larger companies, the cost will be approximately 5,000 rubles per month for any number of employees.

  • Access from any device
  • Free for small organizations
  • Great functionality.
  • High price for medium business,
  • Complex fine tuning
  • overloaded interface.

Siebel CRM


The most popular CRM systems Siebel CRM - photo

A very popular American CRM system in the world market. It already has over five million users. Able to integrate with any corporate programs. It has a large number of ready-made template solutions for different types business. The functionality can be extended using plug-in software modules. With its help, you can identify "problem areas" in business processes through powerful analytics. The system works in a browser window. Easily copes with maintaining several tens of thousands of clients.

  • fine tuning,
  • More than 20 template solutions,
  • Expand functionality with modules.
  • Difficulty in fine tuning.

Rarus CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Rarus CRM - photo

domestic program. It interacts well with 1C:Enterprise programs, as it was developed on this platform. It has all the qualities of a premium CRM system. It will allow you to save the entire history of working with the client, remind you of all events in time, and provide in-depth analytics. Provides wide functionality for working with phone calls and customer surveys. With it, you will know everything about your client at all times! The program is perfect for creating a cold sales department or a call center that works according to call scenarios. Has its own mail client. Fax messaging is available. If necessary, you can organize remote access to the program. Rarus CRM has a wide price range due to various modifications. The minimum equipment will cost 4500 rubles.

  • Integration with 1C:Enterprise,
  • Deep analytics,
  • Remote office available.
  • Difficulty of implementation
  • overloaded interface,

Sugar CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Sugar CRM - photo

Powerful, but not focused on the Russian market CRM-system. However, its Russification is available. In the program, you can send mailings to the email addresses of your customers. Its distinctive feature is the ability to install on different operating systems. If necessary, Sugar CRM can be transferred to another computer without loss of performance and data. The CRM system has been developing since 2004. Due to the open license, its independent refinement and customization is available.

  • Work in any operating systems,
  • Quick recovery in the event of a "fall" of the operating system,
  • A fully functional free version is available.
  • Orientation to the English-speaking market,
  • Difficulty of implementation.

Retail CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Retail CRM - photo

It is positioned as an excellent CRM system for online stores. The way it is! Detailed reporting on the work of an individual manager or the company as a whole is provided. Happy with the price of the product. It depends on the volume of work of online stores, on the number of orders passing through the program. The more orders, the lower the price. In Retail CRM, you can generate any documents related to the sale, such as an invoice. The system can independently send letters and SMS to customers. Therefore, back in November, you can set up a New Year's mailing list with congratulations and be sure that the program will congratulate all counterparties at the right time. It is also possible to set up automatic distribution of responsibilities for maintaining clients, depending on the workload of managers.

  • Ease of setup
  • Low price,
  • Ability to send SMS and emails.
  • Not suitable for other business niches.

Asoft CRM


The most popular CRM systems Asoft CRM - photo

One of the oldest and most reputable CRM systems. It can be customized for any business processes. There are many different versions of programs for various kinds business. Including there are special modifications for banks, real estate offices, transport companies. There is also an option to install a free version. Its functionality is limited, but sufficient for single-user use. The manufacturing company, in addition to the CRM itself, offers a unique system electronic document management for large organizations, an electronic encyclopedia for creating a corporate knowledge base, a service for conducting online seminars and conferences. Asoft CRM allows you to create an ERP system in an organization, that is, to automate all business processes. A single information environment is created due to the possibility of integration with 1C. The license price starts from 4500 rubles for 5 users and decreases for more employees.

  • Variety of modifications
  • Customization for a specific type of business,
  • Availability of a free version.
  • High price for small firms,
  • Overloaded and not intuitive interface.

Galloper CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Galloper CRM - photo

Simple CRM system. Developed since 2008. The creators position it as a system that is easy to handle. This is a great solution for individual entrepreneurs and small companies. For the first, by the way, the program is available for free on the developer's website. For multi-user mode, the program is available at the following price: 4400 rubles for the server software core + 4500 for each user. The program allows you to work with phone calls - record, make a call directly from the program. Integration with 1C is also available. At the same time, training of managers in 1C skills is not required, because all operations are synchronized automatically and without human intervention. According to the developers, you can implement Galloper CRM in 15 minutes. And in the future, fully customize to the requirements of a particular business.

  • Free version for one user,
  • ease of learning,
  • Rapid implementation.
  • Not suitable for large enterprises.
  • High price for medium business.

Travel CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Travel CRM - photo

An industry-specific CRM system designed exclusively for travel agencies. But the program is absolutely free! At the same time, its creators offer great customizable functionality. Most of the functions are available when connecting additional modules to the program. With the help of this program, you can get acquainted with the capabilities of CRM-systems. For large companies, its functions will not be enough.

  • Absolutely free
  • Tailored to one industry
  • Will not satisfy all the needs of medium and large businesses.

fresh office CRM


The most popular CRM systems Freshoffice CRM - photo

This CRM system has been developing for about 10 years. During this time, it has become a full-fledged, multifunctional and convenient program. Developed by the Russian company SMTsoft. It is used in their work by well-known radio stations (Our Radio, Russian Radio. Echo of Moscow). The system has a virtual PBX, a version for mobile devices, chat and other useful features. The cost starts from just 430 rubles. A local version is also available for ordering, which can be configured on your server. The developers guarantee a high degree of reliability of the organization's data storage in cloud services. For this, the Microsoft Azure cloud is used. All customers receive free support for the entire period of using the program. The system makes it possible not only to keep records and analyze sales data, but also to conduct a dialogue with the client directly from the program.

  • Lots of useful little things
  • Reliability of data storage,
  • Convenient interface
  • Low price.
  • Difficulty in customization
  • slowness of work,
  • Lack of ability to assign tasks to employees.

Sales force CRM


American business management system. It is very popular with Western companies. Successfully conquers the markets of other countries. However, the developers have already tarnished their reputation, and the credibility of the program has fallen. This was due to the fact that a few years ago there were leaks of confidential customer data from the system. In this regard, the security level of Salesforce CRM has been increased. Today, this system has a wide range of functions, many of which are connected using modules. Integrates with Outlook, Gmail. A cloud is provided for data storage of 1 GB for each employee. The price for the program starts from 1700 rubles.

  • Implementing quickly
  • Has powerful functionality
  • There is a Russian version.
  • High price,
  • Complicated setup.

Regionsoft CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Regionsoft CRM - photo

A worthy version of a business management system for individual entrepreneurs. It has all the functions of modern CRM-systems. Supports cash flow accounting. Integrates with Skype. Has advanced features for planning personal affairs. To do this, calendars and task lists are used. Industry versions of the program are available. For example, for television and radio, for cafes and restaurants. The godsend will be Regionsoft CRM for transport companies. The program has the ability to install GPS-control over cars or cargo. The system allows you to maintain full control over your business, with the exception of accounting. Provides detailed and interesting sales reports. It also differs in that it can be quickly implemented in business processes. Minimum system requirements are required to work, which guarantees the speed of work. The cost of the program ranges from 4300 to 15800 rubles, depending on the version.

  • Many industry versions,
  • Implementing quickly
  • High speed.
  • Difficulty of implementation.

Monitor CRM


The most popular CRM-systems Monitor CRM - photo

Developers aim to use Monitor CRM to increase sales. This Russian program has wide interface settings for each user. The system has full functionality for any business and several interesting features. There is a map of contractors - customers are marked on the map of the city. In addition, the program integrates well with external programs, including the SMS service. There are special industry versions of Monitor CRM for educational institutions, printers and media editors. Developed since 2000. It can be integrated with 1C programs, as well as Excel, Word and Outlook. When purchasing the program, developers give a nice bonus - 3 months of free support, regardless of the configuration. Support includes consultations, updates, problem solving.

  • high speed,
  • customization,
  • Map of counterparties.
  • High price
  • Difficulty of setting.

CRM Excel

This is not some kind of separate program, it is Excel that is familiar to all of us from the Microsoft Office package. It can also be used as a CRM system, as discussed above. However, this is only useful for one user. To create CRM in Excel, you need good knowledge programs. But you can also download ready template from the Internet. The main advantage of using Excel is the ability to customize it to your needs without resorting to the services of programmers. The wide functionality of the Excel program allows us to talk about it as an independent CRM system.

  • Is free,
  • Individual setting.
  • Requires special knowledge
  • Applicable for single-user purposes only.

On CRM


Actively developing CRM-system. Well suited for individual entrepreneurs, as it is provided free of charge for two users. Works as an online service. It has standard CRM functions: contact database, reminders, calendar, diary, data export to Excel. The price for small and medium-sized businesses varies from 600 to 10,000 rubles per month. Large companies will not have enough On CRM functions. Suitable for the unpretentious user. The interface is made in the form of a desktop with "sticky" leaves. Program modules can be placed on the screen as you like. You can leave yourself a reminder in a conspicuous place. The principle of sales management includes the division of all transactions into two types - simple and complex. The second type is sales with a long cycle. They are registered using a different technology. Partners can attach photos. On CRM has good functionality for managing personal projects.

  • Free for two users,
  • Access from any device
  • Low price.
  • No fine tuning.

What do we have in the dry residue?

This is not all CRM developed today. As you can see from the review, basically all systems offer the same functionality. Sometimes the difference lies only in the interface or in the presence of minor features. Nevertheless, the choice of a CRM system should be approached responsibly. To select the appropriate option, you can use the site CRM.ru . It presents a comparison of CRM according to the main criteria . Keep in mind that the best CRM systems, as a rule, are difficult to configure when independently implemented in business processes. It is more expedient to entrust their installation to special firms engaged in the supply of CRM in your region. However, the use of powerful business management programs will bear fruit in the form of complete control of the situation, reducing production costs and the work of the sales department.

CRM systems, an overview of which is presented above, are the most popular in the world and Russian market. The process of choosing the right one always starts with determining the tasks that the CRM system will solve in the organization. So, if your company uses programs from the 1C: Enterprise package, then you can pay attention to CRM solutions that integrate with 1C resources, for example, 1C CRM, Rarus CRM. Then a single information and working field will be formed in the organization. All business processes will be recorded, stored and analyzed using the CRM system.

If you operate as an individual entrepreneur or freelancer, then a simpler and cheaper CRM system that works via a web interface is quite suitable for monitoring your activities. Is it Zoho CRM, Retail CRM or SugarCRM. In them, the quality is fully consistent with the price - there is nothing superfluous, but the functionality is sufficient for small business forms.

When choosing a CRM system, you should take into account interesting statistics. According to the Gartner group of companies, half of the CRMs ever created have already been closed and are not being serviced because they have not gained popularity. Also, statistics show that due to the wrong choice and use of programs in 70% of cases, the implementation of CRM ends in failure.

Top-5 CRM systems

To make it easier to choose a CRM system, we will try to compile the Top 5 of the best of the best. To do this, we will determine for which category of users the list will be compiled. The selection criteria are as follows: we need a CRM for a Russian company of 15 people engaged in promotional activities. In this case, the choice would be:

  1. Rarus CRM - thanks to the ability to integrate into the 1C environment, this CRM system is an excellent choice for Russian companies. This is ideal for organizations with only full-time employees.
  2. Bitrix CRM - will allow you to control the work of full-time and freelance agents. Unlike the first one, it is more accessible in customization. It can be implemented without the involvement of IT specialists.
  3. Terrasoft CRM will fit well into business processes for promoting any services. If there is a CRM template for your business area, its implementation will happen quickly.
  4. Sap CRM - thanks to its modularity and flexibility, it can turn into a program without extra buttons and fields.
  5. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a solution for ambitious and promising companies that plan to constantly grow and expand. To service it, you will need the help of a specialist.

Paid or Free CRM?

Another important question about CRM systems is how justified is the use of free solutions. Experience and consumer feedback show that using free CRM is quite possible and does not cause any problems. It is advisable for individual entrepreneurs, freelancers and micro-enterprises. However, it is worth using only those offers that also have a paid version. This ensures that the system is supported by the developer, constantly evolving. Completely free CRMs, especially desktop ones, tend to become obsolete very quickly, do not meet the needs of the user and do not have wide customization.

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  • CRM - what is it and why is it needed + description of 5 main tasks of the system + what is the benefit + 2 types and 3 types of software + how to choose and implement a system.

    In fact, it is now difficult to imagine doing business without automating many processes ...

    Can you imagine what could happen if the staff keeps the data about customers and clients in their heads or in the form of notes on paper?

    And in this case, how to keep records?

    The answer to this question is that there will be complete confusion and it will be almost impossible to generate reports for analysis.

    For this reason, large firms have long used specially designed computer programs for these purposes.

    And the topic of today's article is: CRM systems - what is it and what are they for?

    If you are interested in the answers to these questions, then keep reading.

    CRM abbreviation: what is it?

    Let's start traditionally with deciphering the abbreviation.

    CRM- is a phrase for English language"customer relationship management", namely "customer relationship management".

    And such management is a developed strategy for organizing a business in the field of working with clients with whom it is necessary to establish fruitful cooperation.

    But the main factor determining the success and efficiency of a firm or company is constant interaction with buyers of goods or services, as a result of which the competitiveness of the enterprise increases and its profit increases.

    The original meaning of using CRM is to win the loyalty of the client, that is, he will be “faithful” to a certain manufacturer.

    Why is this happening?

    Yes, because the counterparty is completely satisfied not only with the goods and services that he acquires, but also with the work with the supplier itself.

    The main goals pursued by companies when using the strategyCRM:

    • selection of potential customers and work with them;
    • drawing up a plan for working on relationships with selected clients;
    • attracting new customers and retaining old ones;
    • income from cooperation with buyers and customers.

    Thus, CRM is the organization of relationships with customers, including their attraction, retention and loyalty, as well as the collection of the necessary information that can be used in order to build business and mutually beneficial relationships.

    What functions and tasks does CRM solve?


    Based on the capabilities of the company, it is necessary to decide what to expect from the implementation of the CRM strategy.

    But its basic functions and tasks are:

      Creation of a database of counterparties.

      This includes the entry of all those with whom there is cooperation on a permanent and temporary basis: suppliers, partners and customers themselves.

      Firstly, all the necessary information will be collected in one place, secondly, time is saved on the search process, and thirdly, new employees will have the collected data and will be able to start working immediately.

      Saving the history of completed transactions.

      Thanks to this CRM function, it is possible to analyze the activities of the sales department, as well as calculate how much money the company has brought cooperation with a particular client.

      Planning for future work.

      When deciding to use in your business CRM it becomes possible to rationally plan the time for meetings and negotiations.

      Development of loyalty programs for regular clients.

      Having in hand a detailed database compiled specifically for the organization of CRM, you can identify those customers who may be about to refuse cooperation, as well as those who have been faithful to work with one company for a long time.

      In one and the other case, it is necessary to encourage counterparties with various discounts and bonuses.

    CRM-systems: what is it and what is it for?

    One of the customer relationship management tools is CRM systems.

    What is it and what is their work, we will now consider.

    There are several definitions of the concept of CRM-system. This:

    • software;
    • set of applications;
    • information automated system;
    • well-established accounting and control of all processes related to sales and work with clients.

    And regardless of which definition is used, it is important to understand that the work of the CRM system will be aimed at interacting with consumers.

    It does not matter how it will happen - using a PC or on paper, it is important that the actions are coordinated and allow you to control the entire process.

    But if we talk about modern times, then it is thanks to the automation of CRM that you can achieve faster results and increase labor efficiency, because all the processes associated with fixing, accounting and reporting are easier to implement using a computer.

    The CRM system itself can be presented in the form of a special program or banal Excel spreadsheets.

    The problem is that in the second case, not every employee will want to mess with it and manually enter all the data, which in the end will significantly reduce work efficiency.

    For this reason, it is best to use software that will:

    • maintain a customer base and provide quick access to it;
    • analyze future and past transactions;
    • forecast growth or decline in sales;
    • automatically generate operational reports for each client or the whole group;
    • independently send advertising and cooperation offers to customers.

    It can be seen that the use of a CRM system in business greatly simplifies the life of employees and the director of the company.

    Firstly, this is due to the fact that all authorized employees have access to it, and secondly, part of the work is performed automatically, which allows employees to focus on other points.

    Before thinking about solving future problems, learn how to deal with today's in the least time and with greater efficiency.
    Peter Drucker

    The CRM system itself is necessary to solve many problems:

    A taskDescription
    Formation of a database with information about customersAs soon as the first contact with the client occurs, data about him is immediately entered, which will be further supplemented with information in the course of cooperation.
    Note: who, when and how worked with a particular client is also recorded, which allows you to further evaluate the effectiveness and quality of work of each employee of the sales department.
    Recording incoming calls and messages from clientsIN modern conditions business competition is very strong, and this forces entrepreneurs to carefully ensure that customers are sought and retained. Thanks to CRM, you can record and track every call and request from customers, as well as leads.
    Work standardizationIf all employees work according to the scheme they have chosen, and not a single one for the entire company, then there will be no order. Firstly, it will be practically impossible to get access to general data, and secondly, it will be quite difficult to track the work of a single person, and even more so to “decrypt” his records.
    Therefore, working according to a single standard disciplines everyone and increases efficiency.
    Service quality improvementDue to the ability to constantly monitor work with clients, you can quickly identify errors and correct them as soon as possible.
    Thanks to an established CRM system, you can constantly pay attention to your customers: sending out offers and information about new products and services, congratulations on holidays, invitations to business meetings and events.
    Systematization of clientsAny firm or company has both permanent and temporary customers. The latter operate on a one-time or occasional basis. Therefore, the point of the system is to work with “faithful” customers first of all and develop a loyalty program for them, which we talked about above.
    At the same time, we should not forget about non-regular customers. But if in the course of working with them the result is not visible, then there is no need to try to continue to focus on them.

    Who needs to use a CRM strategy?

    Having dealt with the basic basics of a CRM system: what it is and what its capabilities are, you need to understand who should use them.

    Therefore, in order not to fall for the "bait" of those who sell such software, you need to deal with this issue.

    So, first of all, CRM systems are used in such types of customer-oriented business:

    • services sector;
    • trade;
    • production;
    • construction and repair;
    • financial sector - banks, insurance and financial companies;
    • telecommunications.

    As for the size of the business, it is the owners of large companies that definitely need to use such software.

    In any case, there will be many customers, and it is important to constantly collect and systematize information about them.

    Medium and small businesses, depending on their focus, also need to implement a CRM system.

    But it is advisable to use it if such a firm employs at least two managers who deal with issues of 10 counterparties that can be tracked.

    What is meant here?

    If it is a wholesale supplier, then buyers can be easily recorded, entered information about transactions, and develop a loyalty program for them.

    And if this is a small shop selling any goods, then there is no way to collect information about every person who comes.

    CRM is a benefit for the director and employees of the company

    CRM is used by employees of the sales department and the director of the company himself.

    Therefore, in order to evaluate the benefits for business from using the strategy itself and its tools, it is necessary to consider it from two sides.

    Sales managers and marketers are those employees who carry out the bulk of the work using a CRM system.

    For them, the benefits are as follows:

    • the ability to plan your work with the construction of the right priorities;
    • constant accounting, support and control of completed transactions;
    • all information is concentrated in one place;
    • the ability to prove themselves in attracting and retaining new customers;
    • it is quite easy for new employees to get into the work, because all the information will be right in front of their eyes in the program.

    The future fate of the company depends on how the director organized the work.

    He must always control the workflow and make decisions.

    And thanks to the use of CRM, he can:

    • identify weaknesses in working with regular and temporary customers, as well as those employees who make little effort to attract and retain them;
    • quickly enough to get acquainted with all the information about a particular buyer, if a personal meeting is necessary;
    • form .

    But against the background of all these advantages, there are several disadvantages that must be taken into account when working in a CRM system:

    • information leakage is possible, since the entire sales department will have access to the program;
    • rather high cost of the license of some types of software;
    • template system, which requires the involvement of specialists who can expand the interface and adjust it to a particular type of business.

    Types and types of CRM systems


    Since modern CRM systems are specially designed software, it is impossible not to guess that it will vary depending on the functionality and the area in which it will be used.

    First, let's talk about the types of CRM systems:

      Saas is software that is hosted on a server by its developer.

      The meaning of its use is as follows:

      • connection to CRM via - browser, mobile app or client-program;
      • in the developed program, you cannot adjust anything to your activity and make changes to it, thus, you will have to use the limited features that the developer provided.
    1. Standalone is a separate program that can be used only after purchasing a license.

      Most often used for large businesses, where you need to take into account many points.

      It can be modified for yourself, add additional functions and extensions, but only on condition that the developer of the CRM system thought them through.

    As for the types of CRM systems, there are three of them:

    • operating rooms are "pioneers" of their kind and are a classic example of what a program should look like;
    • analytical - a relatively new type, which many still do not attribute to CRM systems, but since management is an individual process, it does not have a certain framework;
    • combined- has the features of the two previous CRM-systems: accounting and analysis.
    OperatingAnalyticalCombined
    Functions
    Planning and coordination of contacts with clients;
    collection and systematization of information;
    control over transactions and analysis of their stages.
    Classification of customer information;
    assortment and price analysis;
    competitor analysis;
    sales analysis;
    interaction with other accounting systems.
    Combines the functions of operational and analytical CRM systems:
    accounting;
    analysis.
    Companies that use
    Those who are counting on long-term cooperation, in which several specialists will be involved:
    banks;
    Insurance companies;
    financial institutions.
    Those that make a lot of short-term trades:
    small and large wholesale;
    provision of mass services.
    Those that focus on the mass provision of services, but at the same time can cooperate with the clientele and on a long-term basis:
    various manufacturers;
    construction companies;
    advertising agencies.
    Features of work
    Individual approach, since it is necessary to establish long-term cooperation with the client;
    strict observance of the terms and conditions of the contract;
    granting VIP status to some clients;
    interaction with other accounting systems.
    Loyalty of work - promotion with bonuses or discounts;
    permanent availability of goods;
    flexible price policy;
    deep integration with other accounting systems.
    The constant availability of goods in the warehouse, as well as employees who can provide services;
    negotiation of working conditions with clients;
    loyalty programs for regular customers.
    Popular Representative Programs
    Terrasoft CRM
    Microsoft CRM;
    Sales Logic;
    Rarus CRM.
    Data Analyzer;
    Marketing Analytic;
    OROS Enterprise.
    Use of two programs - operational and analytical.

    How to choose and implement a CRM system?


    The choice and implementation of a suitable CRM system is a rather troublesome task, the result of which depends on how much the software will correspond to the type of business and the company's activities.

    So, when choosing a CRM system, you need to pay attention to the following components of the program:

    • the presence of certain functions that may be needed in the work;
    • architecture and interface of the program;
    • the flexibility of the program, namely, its adaptation to a particular activity;
    • the ability to expand capabilities and add functions;
    • availability of CRM interaction with other information systems;
    • integration with telephony and SMS service;
    • availability of ready-made solutions (mailings);
    • the cost of the license and implementation of the program;
    • in case of problems or malfunctions, the presence of support by the program developer.

    The process of implementing a CRM system itself has the following rules, the implementation of which will lead to a successful result:

    1. It is necessary to choose a CRM-system according to the field of activity of the company and its needs.
    2. Formation of a clear sales funnel and its phased implementation.
    3. Continuous monitoring of CRM work and prompt detection of errors.
    4. The motivation system for sales staff should be built in such a way that they reflect each action in the program.
    5. At the initial stage, you need to try out the basic functions in order to understand the principle of the program, and then install additional extensions.
    6. Employee training unified system filling in the fields of the CRM program and further compiling reports on doing business.

    Once again, what is CRM is described in the video:

    and a memorable name for the company, in the video:

    So, in today's realities CRM is It's really not just a whim, but a necessity.

    With this useful tool, you can not only analyze the results of activities, but also work to improve quality, pay attention to each client, which will create a positive image of the company.

    It is important to approach this topic after carefully studying all the programs available on the market and properly motivate staff.

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