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Concerning customer relationship management (CRM), every agency does have its own set of requirements. Whether you’re in search of a new software solution or getting started for the first time, purchasing a CRM is a big decision.
Customer relationship management software can assist you in keeping track of current customers and leads. The programs also aid in the integration of data across departments. But, with the availability of several options, how do you choose the best CRM tools for agencies? Today, we’ll assist you in making your decision by discussing important areas such as pricing, key features, reasons to avoid, and reasons to buy the best CRM for agencies.
Best CRM for Agencies (Summary)
Are you set to jump on board with a CRM? Let’s start by looking at some of the best CRMs for agencies available, as summarized below.
- Bonsai – Best CRM for Managing Deadlines
- Insightly – Best CRM for small or mid-size agency
- Podio – Best CRM for project and workflow management
- Nimble – Best CRM for firms that provide email marketing
- BenchmarkONE – Best CRM for simplicity and intuitiveness
- Pipedrive – Best CRM for various third-party email providers and tools
- Salesforce – Best CRM for industry-leading operations
- Sage – Best CRM for larger agencies
Bonsai – Best For Managing Deadlines
Pricing: You can pay Bonsai a collective annual payment of $204 ($17 per month) to save the most money.
Managing relations with customers can be tough if you don’t satisfy your client’s needs. One of the top requests of people is to get their projects done on time. This is why meeting deadlines for different tasks is necessary to keep your customer happy.
Bonsai’s CRM software will help you with that by offering a reminder option. You can set dates for different projects to ensure you never miss a deadline and upset your client. It is also easy to manage active tasks through a list overview option.
The platform also lets you check tasks under different client profiles to keep your projects separate. Such an organized system will save you time and help you achieve goals more easily.
Key Features:
- A clean dashboard for viewing features such as profit and loss reports
- Track time for different projects to bill clients accurately
- Communicate with operatives easily through email or in-app chatting option
- Share files with clients in a few seconds through the fast customer portal
- Find answers to your queries on a thorough help center
- Get e-approval from customers on your proposals
Reasons To Buy:
- It is easy to set up
- Helps you manage your client list more efficiently
- The software allows you to invite collaborators to share the workload
- Receive reminders for project due dates, tax-paying dates, and much more
- You can also create a to-do list on Bonsai for active tasks
- All contracts by the software are vetted by reliable lawyers
Reasons To Avoid:
- Accessing free templates also requires you to sign up first
2. Insightly – Best CRM for small or mid-size agency
Pricing: Prices start at $29 per month (It also has a free plan)
Insightly provides the level of functionality that a small business or mid-sized agency would require. It includes project management tools, an excellent user interface (UI), integration with third-party apps such as MailChimp, and numerous customization options. Users like Insightly because of the extensive functionality available in the free plan.
Key Features
- Email templates
- Event and task management
- File attachment from cloud storage
- Opportunity, contact, and lead management
- Mass emailing
Reasons to Buy
- It helps you organize project information
- It tracks leads
- It supports adding and sorting of contacts
Reasons to Avoid
- Contacts uploading can be a bit slow when done in bulk
- Fatal errors can be caused by API changes
3. Podio – Best CRM for project and workflow management
Pricing: Prices start at $7.20 per month (There is also a free plan)
Podio is a CRM with project management, workflow management, a social intranet, and product planning tools. Podio is an excellent choice for agencies looking to manage both creative projects and sales activities in one location with all of its additional benefits.
Key Features
- Calculations and automated progress reporting
- MS Exchange integration
- Lightweight CRM
- Sales tracking
- Content sharing
- Feedback workflows with clients
- Web forms
- Email integration
Reasons to Buy
- It helps you share real-time progress on projects to your customers
- Robust notification and alerts system
- It provides visualization of data
Reasons to Avoid
- Customer support can be better
- Difficult customization process
4. Nimble – Best CRM for firms that provide email marketing
Pricing: Prices start at $19 per user per month
Nimble focuses on the uniqueness of each customer, drawing insights from social media and other channels to offer you the most accurate, up-to-date profile information. This customer relationship management is especially useful for firms that provide email marketing because it includes several email marketing tools (or rely on it for their marketing strategies).
Key Features
- Contact management
- Calendar synchronization
- Custom fields
- Email templates
- Email tracking
- Marketing and outreach capabilities
- Unified inbox
Reasons to Buy
- It keeps track of your marketing transactions in real-time
- Good integration system with third-party software
- It effectively and efficiently manages task
Reasons to Avoid
- Its interface can be made more user-friendly
- More customization options can be provided
5. BenchmarkONE – Best CRM for simplicity and intuitiveness
Pricing: Prices start at $49 per month
BenchmarkONE is a marketing automation and CRM platform designed specifically for the needs of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and agencies. BenchmarkONE’s customizable lead scoring capabilities and a trail of email marketing automation and tracking tools make it straightforward to manage opportunities and grow sales. Customers prefer BenchmarkONE due to its simplicity, intuitiveness, and live-dedicated customer support.
Key Features
- Contact Management
- Marketing Automation
- Call Logging
- Project Management
- Lead Scoring
- Customer Support
- Product Catalog
- List Management
Reasons to Buy
- You can send an email to multitude of potential clients at a time
- It is easy to use
- Automated campaigns are possible with it
Reasons to Avoid
- Creating of new templates is a bit difficult
- The automation builder is not easy to sue because it is not a visual editor
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6. Pipedrive – Best CRM for various third-party email providers and tools
Pricing: Prices start at $12.50 per user per month (There is also a free trial)
Pipedrive is a sales CRM that encourages salespeople to follow up with leads and customers. It works with various third-party email providers and tools, including Outlook, Gmail, Google Maps, Trello, and Zapier. Because it is primarily a pre-sale tool, it is ideal for agencies with long or complex sales cycles.
Key Features
- Email and communications
- Integration
- Customization
- Automation
- Insights and reports
Reasons to Buy
- It works with many third-party tools such as Trello, Zapier, and Google Maps etc
- Advanced quote management function
- Great interface
Reasons to Avoid
- Customer service needs improvement
- More functionality can be added
7. Salesforce – Best CRM for industry-leading operations
Pricing: Prices start at $28.33 per user per month
If you require a CRM with all of the bells and whistles, the industry-leading Salesforce CRM may be the right choice for you. Salesforce software is a powerful tool once you’ve taken the time to learn how to use it, even if some users find the UI and the numerous capabilities overwhelming.
Key Features
- Lead Management
- Email Integration
- Sales Collaboration
- Customer Cloud
- Marketing Cloud
- Collaborative Forecasts
- Workflows
Reasons to Buy
- Adaptable interface
- It helps you take logical and strategic decisions by ensuring detailed reporting
- It help you gain access to on-demand computing resources
Reasons to Avoid
- Without stable internet connection, it can be challenging to access resources
- It can be challenging choosing the right tools in the midst of wide range of functionalities
8. Sage – Best CRM for larger agencies
Pricing: Prices start at $45 per month per user
Sage CRM is a multifunctional solution that integrates your sales and marketing activities with other departments such as accounting, service delivery, and customer service. It’s an excellent solution for larger agencies with complex or dispersed sales teams, including lead scoring, email marketing, and territory management features.
Key Features
- ACH Payment Processing
- Bank Reconciliation
- Account Reconciliation
- Accounts Receivable
- Accounting
- Automatic Billing
- Accounts Payable
- Aging Tracking
Reasons to Buy
- The software is easy to set up
- It enables you to share the same system with your clients in different locations
- Powerful integration system
Reasons to Avoid
- Its general functionality can be improved
- Data storage not large enough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most critical functionality you need?
For example, are you looking for a tool to help you organize your multichannel marketing campaigns or something to help you streamline your sales process?
Are you searching for a CRM for your agency or one for your clients?
The more users you have in your CRM, the more expensive it will be (in general). Which of these processes would save you the most time and money if they were automated? Automation options vary by CRM, for example, triggered email drip campaigns or automatic lead scoring. Which of these do you require, and which can you live without?
Which user interface (UI) do you prefer?
Not all user interfaces are created equal. Some employ spreadsheet-style interfaces with distinct “views” that allow you to sort and filter records. Others are similar to social media networks in that they have centralized news feeds or dashboards that all users see when they log in.
Are you really in need of something new?
If you use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of client relationships, the answer is most likely “yes.” However, if your current CRM lacks a couple of features you wish you had, consider whether you really need them. There is no perfect CRM, and switching to a new solution can be time-consuming and costly.
What exactly is CRM software?
CRM software enables you to communicate with all your leads and clients in a single location. You can use these tools to centralize data and tasks, making communication easier for your team. CRM platforms for marketing may differ from standard CRMs in that they place a greater emphasis on strategies that aid in the generation of new leads. Most CRM programs have cloud-based apps that allow you to log in or use a browser extension to access them on multiple devices. Some have mobile apps that do the same thing.
Why Should You Use CRM Software?
CRM software enables you to automate some of your manual processes. This can help your team be more efficient while doing less work. It frees up your time for more human-required tasks. CRM software offers you all the tools and information needed to efficiently run your marketing and sales campaigns. This means you’ll be able to generate more leads and close more sales. Most programs also let you customize your workflows and campaigns. This allows for more lead customization, which keeps customers returning for a more personalized experience.
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