A startup means ambitious plans, but also very modest resources, most of which are the enthusiasm of the founders. A startup team usually consists of only a few people, each of whom replaces a whole staff of specialists. There are also few clients, and the main efforts of the business are directed at finding them. In this regard, the question arises: does a startup need a CRM, and if so, what kind?
Is it worth implementing a CRM system in a startup?
While the business is small, it may seem that spreadsheets will be enough to keep track of customers and transactions. Of course, you can get by with a spreadsheet, but it won’t remind you of a meeting, pull up your correspondence history, or send an email at the right time. We talked in detail about the disadvantages of spreadsheets in this article. Why can CRM be useful for a startup?
To organize the customer base
A CRM system is designed to minimize your efforts to collect customer data. For example, NetHunt CRM will store the history of Gmail calls and correspondence, the necessary contacts from LinkedIn, Google account, social networks, and completed applications from the website. The CRM recognizes all open data, including phone, email, website addresses, and saves them in the customer’s card. This information is stored in a convenient form and is always available to all team members.
To improve customer service
Every customer is important to a startup, and the level of customer service comes to the fore. The CRM records in detail the history of interaction with the client, their needs and comments, and the results of previous negotiations. The built-in task manager will not let you forget about an important date, meeting, letter, or call.
For sales management
The functionality of the CRM system allows you not only to store all the necessary information, but also to track the success of the sales strategy, as well as to make forecasts for the future. In particular, a visualized sales funnel helps with this. The sales department can use it to track the path of each customer, and the marketing department can use it to improve the overall strategy.
To optimize work
In a CRM system, it is convenient to assign tasks, manage them, and track their progress. Standard tasks can be assigned automatically, such as calling a lead after receiving a request. The CRM includes a reminder function, as well as performance dashboards for managers and the team.
Communication within the startup is simplified, as you no longer need to send files to each other – cloud CRM supports parallel access and real-time collaborative editing from anywhere in the world from any device.
What if the only sales manager quit, got sick, or went on vacation? Unlike notebooks and spreadsheets that would disappear with him, the CRM system will save all the employee’s work.
For automation
A CRM system allows you to automate routine operations as much as possible, including maintaining a customer base, mass mailings, generating reports, and more.
To combine services
Another value of a CRM system is that it acts as a central hub that combines information from different programs. In addition, CRM itself replaces many services that are used, including a task manager, mailing service, Gmail extension, analytics tools, etc. Read this article to compare the functionality of a CRM system and 15 third-party services.
As you can see, a CRM system for a startup includes many useful features that cannot be replaced by a customer database in spreadsheets. But which CRM is best for startups?
How to choose a CRM for a startup
When choosing a CRM system for a startup, you need to take into account the specifics of the business. The differences between a startup are a small team and customer base, a limited budget, high dynamism, and a lack of established business processes.
Functionality
When figuring out which CRM is suitable for a startup, it is better to adhere to the principle of minimalism: choose a service with the minimum sufficient functionality and simple management. To do this, describe the tasks that the CRM system should perform. Based on them, you can choose a program with the appropriate functions.
Price.
At first, you should not give preference to expensive and complex programs. There is a risk that the costs will not pay off, and many features will not be used.
User-friendliness
A simple and pleasant interface is what motivates employees to use a CRM system. Today, many development companies pay special attention to the usability of the program, because its main task is to simplify work.
Flexibility
Business processes of young teams are very dynamic. A CRM system for a startup should be able to change with the company. If the business is in an active stage of development, we recommend choosing a CRM with the most flexible settings.
Before implementing a CRM system in a startup, there are two more steps to take. First, read real reviews and reviews of the program. Secondly, test the CRM system during a trial period to make sure that the chosen program is really suitable for the company.