Let’s face it, running a small business is never easy, whether you have free CRM software or not. In the current rapidly evolving digital landscape, companies’ management faces a big challenge in the form of maintaining highly competitive standards of customer service. When resources are scarce (as is usual for SMBs), this challenge becomes even more formidable.
Customer Relationship Management (or shortly CRM) systems help streamline customer interactions, enhance service quality, and ultimately drive business growth for enterprises that use multiple channels for engaging their audiences, such as email, messaging apps, and phone calls. In the article, we’ll explore what to look for in a free CRM when picking a solution for your business.
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Free CRM software for small businesses: what it is
Free CRM software refers to programs that facilitate customer relationship management, allowing a company to keep an organized customer database, track tasks, view sales pipeline, and the history of interactions with each client. While many solutions are available for a lifetime purchase or on a subscription basis, some CRM systems can be used entirely free.
Features to look for in a free CRM for small businesses
When deciding which one of the top free CRM systems to adopt, it pays off to assess how available choices compare to each other in the following aspects.
User-friendly interface
When we talk about small organizations, not all of them can afford to keep specialized IT departments for setting up a CRM system and new user onboarding, whenever a new employee joins the company. Because of this, the CRM’s simplicity and usability play a critical role. An intuitive design allows all team members to embrace the CRM system quickly, reducing the learning curve and increasing productivity.
Easy lead management
Effective contact and lead management are essential components of any CRM system. An enterprise should be able to maintain a centralized database where all customer information is kept securely while remaining easily accessible by relevant specialists. Free CRM software should provide contact segmentation tools based on a variety of parameters, allowing for more targeted communications.
Integrations with other software
It is common practice for businesses of all sizes to utilize a range of digital tools to streamline various aspects of their daily operations. When picking free CRM software, take time to explore its integration capabilities to ensure it can be easily made a part of the existing workflow, which often includes email marketing platforms, e-commerce software, and accounting apps. This way you can achieve a unified and efficient approach to data management, minimizing manual data entry and potential human risk errors.
Multi-channel communication
A truly effective free CRM goes way beyond traditional phone and email, embracing messaging apps and social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. Here, the key thing is to choose a solution that supports integrations with the communication channels that are already used for engaging customers. Alternatively, tools such as Umnico WhatsApp integration for Bitrix24 can be used — it allows conversations to be processed on the world’s most popular messaging app right within a renowned CRM system, making connecting with customers easier than ever.
Automation capabilities
By automating routine operations, teams can save time and reduce the workload, focusing more on tasks that require a human touch. An ideal free CRM software should allow small businesses to automate routine tasks such as sending follow-up messages, triggering certain actions when a lead goes to the next stage, scheduling appointments, and generating analytical insights.
Scalability
While it is not as important to use free CRM software as it is to use paid software, companies should still consider future expansion when choosing a CRM tool. Even if you won’t face unnecessary expenses if the chosen CRM shows its inability to scale with the company one day, it is nevertheless painful to switch to another software during a rapid growth stage, as it requires employees to learn how to work in a new program. The key takeaway here is that an ideal CRM system should be scalable, guaranteeing that it can develop with the business and supplying a long-term solution rather than a quick cure.
Summing things up
Choosing a free CRM software for small businesses is about creating a holistic experience for the team. It should offer an intuitive user interface, efficient customer base management, seamless integration with other digital tools, and automation capabilities.
Since it is a new norm for brands to engage with their clients across multiple channels, including email, website, social media, and messaging apps, an omnichannel customer communication platform like Umnico can elevate your customer service to the next level. While the platform can function as a basic standalone CRM itself, it can also connect the popular text-based communication channels with other widely-used CRMs, providing brands with the flexibility to connect with customers on their preferred platforms and ensure every customer interaction is efficient and meaningful.