Essential CRM Features to Evaluate in Software Solutions

In the nowadays business landscape, where personalised customer interactions form the bedrock of commercial success, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have evolved into indispensable assets for organisations spanning diverse industries. These systems lie at the very heart of proficient customer engagement, enabling enterprises to forge enduring relationships and drive sales growth.

Nonetheless, amidst the plethora of CRM solutions available in today’s market, discerning the distinctive attributes that elevate a superior CRM above its counterparts is paramount. In this article, we shall delve into the most critical CRM features that warrant your consideration when seeking the optimal solution for your business endeavours.

Twenty Essential CRM Features

CRM platforms boast a myriad of features, yet in this context, more is not invariably advantageous; an excess of features can, in fact, prove detrimental. Additional functionality may inflate costs and render the system unnecessarily complex for its users. It is imperative to select features that will enhance customer-related operations without overwhelming the user. 

In this section, we delineate the core CRM functionalities, highlighting those features that are indispensable to effective customer relationship management. From contact management to analytics and reporting, we explore the tools that enable organisations to cultivate relationships, streamline operations, and gain valuable insights into their customer base and overall business performance.

Contact and Accounts Management

CRM software provides invaluable tools for organising, monitoring, and nurturing customer relationships. It enables businesses to develop a comprehensive 360-degree customer profile, which typically encompasses contact details, business information, current engagement status and activities, customer preferences, and record of  previous interactions with the company. This holistic view, accessible across the entire organisation, empowers businesses to engage with customers on a more personalised level, at the most opportune moments, and through their preferred communication channels.

Customer 360 view

A particularly advantageous aspect of this CRM functionality is the ability to categorise contacts and accounts. Users can segment their customers according to various criteria, such as industry, location, or purchasing behaviour. Furthermore, this feature ensures that communication with clients is both efficient and effective, aiding in the management of all their interactions and ensuring that no customer engagement is overlooked.

Lead and Opportunity Management

Lead and opportunity management is a crucial CRM feature, meticulously designed to enhance conversions rates and optimise sales performance. This feature automates and refines lead-to-revenue processes, enabling businesses to seamlessly guide potential clients through the entire sales journey, ultimately transforming prospects into loyal customers

Lead and opportunity management

Lead management facilitates the capturing and organisation of information from various sources, encompassing contact details, lead origins, and the nature of the prospect's interest.

As leads progress through the sales funnel, the opportunity management feature transitions these leads into tangible opportunities, offering a  structured approach to tracking and managing each phase of the sales process. The primary objective is to comprehend the unique needs of each prospect, delivering bespoke support at every juncture of their purchasing journey through tailored content, demonstrations, and proposals.

One of the notable advantages of this feature is its capacity to automate the repetitive tasks associated with lead and opportunity management, including automating lead capture, qualification, and segmentation based on predetermined criteria, scheduling follow-up email, and providing status updates. By automating these processes, businesses can maintain a consistent and timely approach to lead nurturing, allowing sales teams to concentrate on high-impact activities, thereby enhancing their overall efficiency.

Pipeline Management

Pipeline management equips organisations with sophisticated tools to visualise, monitor, and refine their sales processes. This feature is meticulously crafted to offer businesses a comprehensive overview of their sales pipelines, spanning the initial acquisition of leads to the ultimate closure of deals.

Through pipeline management, businesses can trace each stage of their sales journey, defining every phase from lead qualification to deal finalisation. This tailored visual representation provides transparency, enabling teams to swiftly access the status of each potential deal within the pipeline. Moreover, it allows for the identification of bottlenecks, analysis of conversion rates, and the extraction of  insights into the overall efficacy of the sales processes.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation stands as a fundamental feature within CRM systems, designed to elevate efficiency, diminish manual labour, and optimise processes across various organisational departments. This feature is intended to automate routine, repetitive tasks, thereby enhancing overall productivity.

Workflow automation caters to a diverse range of business operations, ranging from sales and marketing to customer service and internal administration. It involves the creation and optimisation of task sequences and actions that constitute business processes, adhering to specific rules and logic. For instance, onboarding a new client might encompass multiple steps - such as account creation, contract generation, and service activation - all seamlessly automated within a single workflow.

Sales workflow

Additionally, workflows can be customised to align with industry-specific processes. In the banking sector, CRM systems can automate workflows for loan application management, leveraging comprehensive customer data to provide personalised loan terms and streamlining the verification and approval process.

Loan application management

Orders, Invoices and Contracts

The CRM capability for managing orders,  invoices, and contracts furnishes businesses with a sophisticated suite of tools to oversee transactions seamlessly from inception to completion. This feature facilitates the creation of automated document management workflows, enabling the tracking of order status and history while also providing insights into the efficiency of order processing.

Order and contract management

Commencing with orders, this functionality empowers businesses to efficiently generate, monitor, and manage customer orders. It streamlines the ordering process, ensuring precision and reducing the likelihood of errors. By consolidating order information within the CRM system, teams can effortlessly oversee order status, monitor inventory levels, and swiftly address customer inquiries.

The invoicing feature allows the generation, tracking, and administration of invoices directly within the CRM system, ensuring a smooth financial process. Meanwhile, the contracts component provides a streamlined approach to managing and overseeing contractual agreements, ensuring that businesses can monitor and fulfil their obligations with ease and accuracy.

Campaign Management

Campaign management is an indispensable feature for marketing teams, offering a comprehensive suite of tools to meticulously plan, execute, monitor, analyse, and refine multichannel marketing campaigns. This feature empowers marketing professionals to effortlessly segment their target audience and craft automated campaigns that engage prospects or customers across various channels, such as email, PPC, and social media.

Campaign management

By leveraging campaign management, businesses can create campaigns informed by customer segmentation data from the CRM's contact and accounts management functionality. This integration ensures that campaigns are not only precisely targeted but also aligned with the preferences and behaviours of the intended audience. Furthermore, campaign management supports automation, simplifying  repetitive tasks such as email distribution, lead scoring, and follow-ups.

A critical aspect of this feature lies in its robust analytics capabilities which enable businesses to assess the return on investment for their campaigns. Marketers can track essential metrics, such as conversion rates, click-through rates, and customer acquisition costs. Additionally, A/B testing is seamlessly facilitated, allowing marketers to experiment with various campaign elements - whether email subject lines, visuals, or call-to-action buttons - and evaluate their effectiveness. These insights contribute to the continuous improvement of future campaigns, fostering a data-driven approach to marketing strategy.

Service Management

Service management within a CRM is a sophisticated feature designed to optimise and streamline customer service operations. It provides customer service teams with a unified digital workspace, enabling the delivery of seamless omnichannel support, efficient management of customer requests, and automation of service workflows within a single environment.

This feature is instrumental in tracking and managing customer service inquiries, ensuring that support operations are conducted with precision and efficiency. By automating routine tasks - such as ticket assignments, status updates, and follow-ups  - service management allows teams to concentrate on resolving customer issues rather than becoming entangled in administrative duties.

Case and service request management

Integration with other CRM functionalities, particularly contact and accounts management, empowers service teams with access to comprehensive customer profiles. This ensures that support agents possess a thorough understanding of the customer's history, encompassing past interactions, purchases, and preferences, thereby enhancing the quality and personalisation of the service provided.

Dashboards and Analytics

Sophisticated CRM systems offer a comprehensive suite of features designed to provide businesses with invaluable insights into their operations. Users have the ability to craft and tailor dashboards that display key metrics such as overall business performance, the current status of sales funnel, team KPIs, the ROI of marketing campaigns, lead generation summaries, and more.

Marketing dashboard

The analytics capabilities within CRM systems are crucial for converting raw data into actionable insights. By harnessing these insights, organisations can gain a profound understanding of their sales processes and customer interactions, enabling them to refine strategies, enhance the customer experience, and drive revenue growth.

Collaboration

The collaboration feature is integral to fostering effective communication and cooperation among team members within an organisation. This CRM capability provides a centralised workspace where team members can share information, insights, and updates in real-time.

Whether it involves collaboration on a specific task, discussing sales strategies, or addressing customer service challenges, this feature promotes transparent communication and enables teams to work together efficiently. Collaboration is not confined to internal teams; it can also extend to include external stakeholders, partners, and others, ensuring seamless cooperation across all levels.

Omnichannel communication feature

AI/ML data models

Modern AI and machine learning (ML) technologies are instrumental in automating workflows and crafting data-driven forecasts and recommendations tailored to diverse use cases. This feature leverages sophisticated algorithms to scrutinise datasets, discern significant patterns, and formulate intelligent predictions that enable businesses to anticipate customer needs and refine their operations.

Generative AI and Machine Learning

Advanced CRM systems provide an array of AI-powered machine learning models, encompassing classification, recommendation, segmentation, and scoring, as well as industry-specific data models, such as a Next Best Offer feature for the banking industry. By delving into historical data, these models can unearth correlations and trends, furnishing insights into potential future outcomes.

Integration Capabilities

Integration capabilities of a CRM system enable business to seamlessly connect with a myriad of third-party applications, ranging from email marketing platforms and project management tools to accounting software and e-commerce solutions.

This interconnected ecosystem facilitates the effortless flow of data across various systems, providing a holistic view of critical information. The versatility of this integration feature guarantees that businesses can customise their CRM system to align with their unique requirements and operational  workflows.

Task Management

Task management is a pivotal feature within CRM systems, designed to empower businesses to efficiently organise, prioritise, and streamline their workflows. This functionality acts as a centralised platform where teams can create, assign, and monitor tasks, ensuring coherence with organisational objectives and individual responsibilities.

Teams can categorise tasks according to their urgency or deadlines, fostering a more structured and effective approach to daily operations. For instance, high-priority tasks, such as finalising a deal or addressing a pressing customer issue, can be easily identified and tackled promptly.

Sales Forecasting

Sales forecasting empowers businesses to anticipate future revenue streams by drawing upon historical data, prevailing trends, and real-time analytics. This capability is instrumental in guiding businesses towards judicious decision-making, optimal resource allocation, and the establishment of attainable objectives.

CRM systems utilise historical sales data to unearth patterns and discern trends. Through the meticulous analysis of past performance, teams can gain profound insights into the myriad factors that influence sales outcomes, including seasonality, market dynamics, and the efficacy of specific marketing campaigns.

Sales forecasting

When integrated with other CRM functionalities - such as pipeline management and AI/ML data models - the precision and detail of sales forecasts are further refined, enabling a more nuanced and informed approach to predicting future sales performance.

Field Sales Management

For organisations with sales representatives operating in the sector, a robust field sales management feature is indispensable. This functionality equips your team with the necessary tools to effectively coordinate and optimise their efforts while on the move. A mobile application ensures that your sales personnel can swiftly access critical information such as customer profiles, contracts, orders, pricing details, and marketing materials, thereby facilitating smooth and successful client interactions.

Field sales management enables businesses to strategically organise and assign sales territories to their field representatives. By ensuring that each salesperson is accountable for a specific geographic area, this feature maximises operational efficiency and minimises overlap - an essential advantage for business with extensive or varied customer bases.

Field sales and service management

Additionally, this feature integrates seamlessly with other CRM components, fostering a fluid exchange of information between field sales and central operations. For instance, updates on client information, interactions, and orders recorded in the field are immediately synchronised with the CRM system, granting the entire organisation real-time insights into sales activities.

Mobile CRM

Mobile CRM offers unparalleled flexibility, enabling teams to manage customer relationships, access vital data, and maintain connectivity whilst on the move. This functionality ensures that team members can engage seamlessly with the CRM system at any time and from any location, liberating them from the constraints of desktop-bound operations. 

Contemporary CRM systems are equipped with mobile-friendly interfaces, providing users with full access to CRM functionalities on smartphones or tablets. Whether in the field, attending client meetings, or travelling, team members can effortlessly view and update customer details, manage tasks, and stay informed of the latest developments.

Data security

Data security is an essential feature within CRM systems, addressing the imperative need to protect sensitive customer information and organisational data. In an era rife with cyber threats, this feature ensures that businesses can rely on their CRM systems to safeguard confidential information and maintain regulatory compliance.

A pivotal element of data security is access control, which allows organisations to define and manage who has access to specific data within the CRM. Role-based access ensures that employees can only view or manipulate information pertinent to their roles, thereby preventing unauthorised access to sensitive data.

Compliance with Data Protection Regulations, such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), is another crucial aspect of data security. CRM systems incorporate features that enable organisations to adhere to these regulations, ensuring that customer data is managed responsibly and that privacy rights are respected.
 

Testing Environments

Testing environments within a CRM system are indispensable for ensuring the smooth deployment,  optimisation, and continual enhancement of the platform. This feature provides a meticulously controlled and isolated space where organisations can rigorously test updates, configurations, and integrations without risking disruption to the live environment.

These environments offer what is often termed a ‘sandbox’ that faithfully replicates the actual CRM setup. This allows organisations to emulate real-world scenarios, trial new features, and evaluate the impact of proposed changes in a risk-free setting before rolling them out to production. Teams can simulate the effects of alterations on workflows, integrations, and data structures, thereby preemptively identifying and rectifying potential issues.

Customisation Opportunities

Customisation is a cornerstone of a versatile CRM system, enabling organisations to tailor the platform to align precisely with their distinct needs, industry-specific demands, and dynamic business processes. This feature ensures that the CRM system transcends the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach, instead offering a flexible and adaptable solution that can be finely tuned to the organisation's objectives.

Customisation opportunities empower organisations to select specific functionalities and modify fields, layouts, and workflows within the CRM system, ensuring that it is perfectly tailored to their operational requirements and preferences.

Another critical aspect of customisation lies in the personalisation of a User Interface. Teams can configure dashboards, reports, and views according to departmental needs and individual preferences. This bespoke approach ensures that users experience a customised interface, thereby enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness in utilising the CRM system.
 

Performance Management

Performance management within a CRM system is a sophisticated functionality designed to monitor, analyse, and refine key metrics and activities to elevate the overall efficiency and productivity of sales, service, and marketing processes. This feature equips businesses with invaluable insights, enabling them to optimise strategies, identify areas requiring enhancement, and align their operations meticulously with overarching organisation objectives.

Service performance analytics

This process entails the establishment and surveillance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) pertinent to business functions, encompassing metrics such as lead conversion rates, the duration of the sales cycle, customer satisfaction scores, and campaign revenue. By instituting well-defined performance benchmarks, organisations can rigorously assess the effectiveness of their initiatives and undertake necessary refinements to ensure continuous improvement.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an integral CRM feature that empowers businesses to craft, automate, and refine email campaigns with precision. This functionality facilitates personalised communication, fostering deeper engagement and stronger relationships with both leads and customers through the email channel. This seamless integration with the CRM platform allows organisations to leverage customer data - such as recent purchases and interactions - to deliver highly personalised and impactful email campaigns.

Businesses can efficiently segment their contacts based on various criteria, ensuring that emails are tailored to specific audience segments. Personalised email content is made possible through the use of individual names, preferences, and relevant product recommendations, thereby providing a bespoke experience for recipients.

Email marketing feature

CRM systems further streamline email workflows by enabling the creation of automated campaigns triggered by specific events or customer actions. For instance, an email series can be automatically initiated when a user completes a form embedded on a website, eliminating the need for manual intervention. Email marketing also plays a crucial role in lead nurturing, enabling organisations to guide prospects through the sales funnel with precisely targeted and timely emails.

Premier CRM Vendors

1. Creatio

Creatio CRM stands as a formidable solution crafted to elevate enterprises in their pursuit of exemplary customer relationship management. It offers a fully customisable platform, powered by the no-code platform Studio Creatio and encompasses three main CRM modules: Sales, Marketing, and Service.

Creatio boasts a composable architecture that provides unparalleled customisation and configuration possibilities. With intuitive drag-and-drop functionality and an extensive repository of pre-built components and blocks, businesses can tailor the CRM to their unique specifications, preference, and operational needs. Furthermore, organisations can leverage pre-configured industry-specific workflows, enabling a more specialised CRM experience while expediting system development. 

Creatio CRM encompasses countless features designed to enhance the productivity of sales, service, and marketing teams. Whether it is the comprehensive customer 360 view, lead and opportunity management, campaign management, workflow management, or order and contract management, Creatio furnished a robust suite of tools essential for streamlining business operations and enhancing customer relationships. Additionally, the Creatio Marketplace enriches the CRM experience, offering an array of applications, add-ons, templates, connectors, and industry-specific solutions that extend and amplify the system’s capabilities.

The pricing for each Creatio’s CRM module begins at £12 per user per month. The Studio Creatio platform ranges from £19 for the Growth plan to £64 for the Unlimited plan, catering to the varied requirements of both small and large corporations.

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2. Salesforce

Salesforce CRM is a cloud-based platform renowned for its ability to streamline and automate a multitude of business processes. It is particularly lauded for its feature-rich offerings, including Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Service Cloud, which empower businesses to enhance their prospecting efforts, expedite deal closures, and deliver excellent customer service.

Salesforce’s Customer 360 suite harmonises sales, marketing, service, commerce, and IT teams by providing a unified view of customer data. The platform is distinguished by its intuitive user interface, extensive customisation options  - achievable through low-code and no-code capabilities - robust AI-driven tools, and a vast marketplace of third-party applications. Key functionalities include sales tracking and forecasting, lead management, mobile accessibility, real-time analytics, and bespoke reporting.

Salesforce presents three distinct CRM solutions tailored for sales, marketing, and service, with pricing commencing at £19 per user per month for the Starter Suite, and escalating to £250 per user per month for the Unlimited package. Additionally, it offers access to its advanced generative AI assistant, Einstein, for £378 per user per month. For small and growing enterprises seeking to harness the foundational capabilities of CRM across sales, marketing, and service, Salesforce provides the Starter Suite at £19 per user per month and a Pro Suite at £75 per user per month.

See also: Salesforce Alternatives & Competitors and Salesforce Marketing Cloud Alternatives & Competitors

3. Monday

Monday.com is not your conventional CRM system but rather a sophisticated cloud-based work management platform designed to assist users in crafting and customising boards and workflows tailored to customer-centric activities. Despite its broader scope, Monday.com does offer a dedicated sales platform known as Monday Sales CRM. This platform is equipped with a range of features, including sales pipeline, contact and lead management, lead scoring, performance tracking, email synchronisation and tracking, as well as post-sales management.

Monday CRM stands out for its intuitive and user-friendly design, aimed at streamlining and automating sales processes. It is a fully customisable, no-code solution that integrates seamlessly with various communication platforms and third-party applications such as Gmail, Slack, Excel, and Mailchimp, among others. The platform offers a vast array of pre-built templates, custom automations with ready-to-use automation recipes, and workflows that enhance project management, task tracking, and communication efficiency.

Pricing for Monday sales CRM begins at £10 per user per month, with a minimum of three users required for the Basic CRM plan. For organisations seeking a more comprehensive solution, the Standard CRM is available at £14 per user per month, and the Pro CRM plan is offered at £23 per user per month.
 

4. Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an esteemed CRM platform that encompasses a suite of modules, including Dynamics 365 Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Commerce, and Customer Insights. It is designed to assist businesses in streamlining their operations, enriching customer experiences, and driving sustained growth through its flexible and scalable solutions.

A notable strength of Microsoft Dynamics 365 lies in its seamless integration with other Microsoft products, ensuring effortless data sharing across platforms. This CRM solution offers an array of sophisticated features, such as sales process automation, lead management, predictive analytics, content management, and account-based email marketing, among others. The platform is distinguished by its low-code capabilities, advanced AI-powered tools, comprehensive reporting and analytics, customisable workflows, and an expansive marketplace of applications.

The pricing structure for Dynamics 365 pricing model is notably intricate. The Business Central Essentials plan commences at £55.50 per user per month, while the Business Central Premium plan is priced at £78.80 per user per month. However, various options and add-ons can significantly elevate the overall of the complete product.

Why Is CRM Software Essential for Your Business?

The adoption of CRM software transcends mere technological enhancement; it represents a strategic investment in the sustained success and growth of a modern business. By consolidating customer data and refining operational processes, CRM software significantly elevates customer relationships, amplifies sales performance, and invigorates marketing endeavours. The platform's data-driven insights empower organisations to make informed, strategic decisions, while simultaneously fostering collaboration across various teams.

CRM software is instrumental in ensuring proactive engagement with customers, thereby enhancing their satisfaction and bolstering retention rates.

Through the power of automation, businesses achieve heightened operational efficiency and agility required to adapt to the ever-evolving demands on the market. In essence, CRM is the cornerstone of modern business success, providing a holistic solution to the multifaceted and dynamic challenges faced by today's enterprises.