TOP 5 CRMs to pair with automation

Introduction

In the digital age, any sales manager, executive or marketer is faced with a dilemma: “Which CRM should I choose?”.

And how could it be otherwise, with so many choices available? It must be adapted to your needs, easy to understand and use. Let’s see how you can make this crucial choice.

What is a CRM and why use it?

What is a CRM?

Technology: Imagine a large directory, but instead of just contacts, it includes all the interactions you’ve had with each of them. That’s CRM. A keeper of all essential information.

Strategy: CRM isn’t just a tool, it’s a vision. A vision that puts the customer at the center of everything. And, in doing so, it gives us a complete understanding of every interaction, every transaction, and every comment.

Process: The CRM process is like a well-choreographed dance. Every step of the way, he makes sure the customer feels valued, understood and cherished.

Importance of CRM:

Strengthened relationships: In the digital age, relationships are everything. A CRM ensures that every relationship is cultivated and nurtured.

Centralized information: Gone are the days when information was scattered all over the place. With a CRM, everything is at your fingertips, ready to be used to improve processes and interactions. And above all! From sales to accounting, everyone has access to all the information.

Advantages of cloud-based CRM:
Imagine having access to all the information you need, anywhere, anytime. That’s what cloud-based CRM offers you. Total freedom!

What’s it for?

In-depth customer knowledge: A CRM doesn’t just collect data. It analyzes them, offering insights that can transform your business.

Optimal communication: With a CRM, every message is personalized, every interaction counts, and every customer feels special.

Increase sales: By identifying every opportunity, a CRM ensures that every lead is followed up and converted.

Continuous improvement: automation and centralization all lead to one thing: increased productivity.

Unwavering loyalty: With a CRM, you don’t just sell products or services, you build lasting relationships.

A good CRM is like having a superpower. It gives companies the ability to see beyond the present and anticipate customer needs. But with the addition of automation, this superpower becomes almost divine. Let’s discover these marvels of technology.

Top 5 CRMs to pair with outbound marketing automation

1) Pipedrive:

Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM designed to boost your growth. It’s a tool designed for salespeople, by salespeople.

Pricing :

Pipedrive offers several formulas:

Essential (€14.90/month): For basic sales processes.
Advanced (€27.90/month): Optimized messaging and automation.
Professional (€49.90/month): Advanced reporting and customization.
Power (€64.90/month): For large teams.
Enterprise (€99.00/month): High-end solution.

USES CASES

CRM for sales professionals

Pipedrive centralizes sales activities, from lead generation to deal closing. It’s a tool that boosts productivity by automating repetitive tasks.

Identifying the ideal CRM

A CRM must be customizable, automate routine tasks, offer relevant analysis, and be easy to use. Pipedrive meets these criteria.

Intuitive customer relationship management

Pipedrive consolidates your tools, providing a platform for managing leads and strengthening customer relationships.

Team performance monitoring

Managers need to monitor performance in real time. Pipedrive provides a clear view of progress and areas for improvement.

We recommend it if you only want to equip your sales force, rather than your entire team, especially those in charge of marketing.

2) Hubspot:

HubSpot is a powerful CRM solution designed to automate, centralize and optimize your marketing and sales efforts. It aims to transform the way you interact with your customers, while providing a 360° view of your sales pipeline.

Pricing :
HubSpot offers different plans to meet different needs:

CRM Suite Starter: Special offer for new customers, €20/month.
Marketing Hub: Essential marketing tools, rates start at €18/month.
Free tools: A set of tools for various functions, from marketing to customer service.
Professional: Complete marketing suite, from €792/month.
Additional features: HubSpot regularly adds new functions to adapt to the ever-changing needs of its users.

Regardless of your company’s size or sector of activity, HubSpot offers powerful tools to transform your customer management, marketing and sales.

USES CASES

Marketing optimization with HubSpot

The digital age demands a refined marketing strategy. Companies face :

Challenges: Multiplicity of channels, rising customer expectations, and measuring returns on investment.
Solutions with HubSpot: data centralization, campaign automation and in-depth analysis.
Results: Increased traffic, improved conversion rates, and higher ROI.

Boost your sales with HubSpot

Today’s sales teams need powerful tools to :

Challenges: Managing pipelines, coordinating with marketing, and tracking performance.
Solutions with HubSpot: Centralized lead management, task automation, and detailed reporting.
Results: Shortened sales cycles, increased revenues, and better interdepartmental coordination.

This is THE CRM we recommend if you want to equip your entire team and create automated workflows combining sales and marketing strategy.

3) Zoho :

Zoho CRM is designed to optimize efficiency and drive business growth. It stands out for its complete automation, in-depth analytics and ability to deliver personalized customer experiences. It’s a modern tool for today’s businesses.

Pricing :

Zoho CRM offers several different packages:

Standard (€14/user/month): Includes basic features with additions such as multiple pipelines and bulk e-mailing.
Professional (€23/user/month): Advanced package including SalesSignals, Blueprint and inventory management.
Enterprise (€40/user/month): High-end version with Zia AI integrations, multi-user portals and advanced personalization.
Ultimate (€52/user/month): The most comprehensive package, with advanced business intelligence, extended feature limits and a 30-day trial.

USE CASE: Optimizing an insurance company’s call process with Zoho CRM

Problem :

Insurance agents need to efficiently record the details of every call. Managers, for their part, want access to these records, detailed reports and customer feedback on service quality.

Solution with Zoho CRM :

Use telephony integration to automatically document calls.
Automated satisfaction surveys sent after each interaction.
Implementation of a dedicated module for monitoring call quality.
Specific permissions granted to managers to access data and generate reports.

Results :

With Zoho CRM, agents can concentrate on their core business, reducing administrative tasks. Customer feedback and detailed reports enable us to constantly improve the quality of the service we offer.

We recommend it if your primary concern is managing your sales teams. It’s a little more technical than Pipedrive in terms of understanding and handling the tool. Often used by small and medium-sized technology companies.

4) NoCrm:

NoCRM is an innovative solution designed specifically for commercial prospecting. Its aim is to make it easier to turn prospects into customers by simplifying lead management and follow-up. Ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, it stands out for its ease of use, its focus on upcoming actions and its ability to integrate easily with other applications.

Pricing :

NoCRM offers :

Starter Kit (€10/user/month): Ideal for beginners, it covers essentials such as Excel import, lead management and a mobile application.
Sales Experts (€19/user/month): An expanded offering that includes cold lead tracking, post-sales task management and advanced reporting.
Dream Team (€29/user/month): The most comprehensive version, with features such as email integration, goal-setting for sales teams and advanced security settings.

USE CASE

Problem :

The company wanted better collaboration between sales and marketing teams. It also wanted an efficient lead qualification system.

Solution with NoCRM :

NoCRM integration for a unified view of sales and marketing data.
Allocation of marketing activities to map the complete customer journey.

Benefits :

Better data visibility and accessibility for teams.
Simplified lead qualification process.
Improved collaboration between sales and marketing teams.

Results obtained :

Impressive 60% increase in business recorded by sales teams.
Sales growth of 25%.
Faster, more accurate data integrated into the sales database.

In conclusion, NoCRM has established itself as a key solution for optimizing sales processes, offering not only better lead management but also seamless integration with other platforms.

This CRM was the choice of Stepward in particular, as it is very sales-oriented. After testing the others, our sales team decided to keep this one. In terms of interface and functionality, it’s very similar to classic sales prospecting. Useful for a 1st choice CRM specialized in sales.

5) Axonaut:

A newcomer to the market with a proven track record. Axonaut combines elegance with power, offering businesses a complete solution.

Axonaut is the ideal CRM for small businesses, combining simplicity, efficiency and power. The software offers integrated management of essential business needs, from customer management to support, all at a competitive price.

Notable features :

Intuitive CRM: Axonaut simplifies contact management and customer relations thanks to seamless integration with e-mail and calendars.
Finance made easy: With tools for creating quotes and invoices, a detailed financial overview and automated expense management, Axonaut helps companies keep an eye on their financial health.
Marketing Tools and Project Management: Features include marketing campaign management, task planning and project profitability tracking.
Human resources and customer support: Axonaut takes care of its teams by facilitating the management of days off and vacations, while ensuring efficient after-sales service.
Integrations and automations: Connected to the most popular tools, Axonaut enables advanced automation of tasks to boost productivity.

Pricing :

Axonaut offers simple, unified pricing:

Monthly: €49.99/month
Annual (20% discount): €39.99/month
Bi-annual (30% discount): €34.99/month

USE CASE: Automated prospecting with Axonaut :

Axonaut fits perfectly into a chain of tools for automating sales prospecting:

Identification via Linkedin Sales Navigator.
Information gathering with Phantombuster.
Data enrichment via Dropcontact.
Cold emailing with Lemlist.
Seamless integration with Axonaut thanks to Zapier.
Integrated tracking and optimization for better conversion.

Axonaut is an essential tool for any small business looking to optimize its management and grow its business. Its flexibility, ease of use and integration with other powerful tools make it the solution of choice for automating and simplifying business processes.

Which CRM is right for you?

Each of these CRMs offers a range of advantages and distinctive features. Here’s a brief comparison highlighting their main strengths and differences:

1) Pipedrive:

Strengths: Designed by and for salespeople, Pipedrive is strongly focused on the sales process. It features an intuitive user interface and automated sales tasks.
Ideal for: Sales-driven companies looking to streamline their sales processes.

2) HubSpot:

Strengths: HubSpot is recognized for its powerful set of integrated tools covering marketing, sales and customer service. The free offer is a major advantage for small businesses.
Ideal for: Companies that want an all-in-one solution for marketing and sales, especially those following an inbound marketing approach.

3) Zoho:

Strengths: Zoho is known for its flexibility and comprehensive range of features. With its AI integration and adaptability to various industries, it is competitive in terms of price and functionality.
Ideal for: Medium-sized to large companies looking for a complete, customizable solution.

4) NoCRM:

Strengths: As its name suggests, NoCRM focuses on simplifying the sales process and minimizing administrative tasks. It focuses on action and lead transformation.
Ideal for: SMBs and VSEs who need a simplified solution to manage and convert their leads without the hassle of a full CRM.

5) Axonaut:

Strengths: Axonaut offers an all-in-one solution for small businesses, integrating CRM, finance, marketing and human resources management. Transparent pricing is another plus.
Ideal for: Small businesses and startups looking for a complete solution at a competitive price.

The choice of CRM depends primarily on your company’s specific needs. If you’re strongly sales-oriented, Pipedrive could be your best choice. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, HubSpot or Zoho might be more appropriate. For a more simplified approach to lead management, NoCRM is an option. Finally, for small businesses that want everything from CRM to HR management, Axonaut is a promising solution.