What is Enterprise CRM? Top 14 Enterprise CRM Software for 2024
Just as individuals experience personal growth, so too do enterprises encounter expansion and the accompanying growing pains. As businesses evolve, their operations become naturally intricate, demanding the implementation of more sophisticated business solutions. An enterprise CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is an indispensable solution.
In the early stages, you may have managed customer relationships using standard CRMs, or perhaps even simple Sheets. However, once your business surpasses a certain threshold, it requires an integrated, customisable platform capable of connecting diverse business departments, whilst automating and streamlining sales, marketing, customer service, commerce, and beyond.
An enterprise customer relationship management system is specifically designed to address distinct requirements of a growing business, enhancing both operational efficiency and profitability. Indeed, as noted by Forrester, in 2022, 84% of enterprise software decision-makers stated that their enterprises intended to utilise CRM solutions, including sales force automation, as part of their operational strategy (Forrester’s Software 1 Survey, 2022).
What is Enterprise CRM Software?
Enterprise CRM refers to customer relationship management software designed to facilitate and optimise the fundamental processes of targeting, rationing, comprehending, and collaborating with customers, specifically tailored for businesses operating on an enterprise scale.
However, the mere size of an organisation is not the sole justification for investing in an enterprise CRM. Such software is indispensable for organisations requiring seamless collaboration across multiple departments and the swift, streamlined access to both customer and company data. The teams that stand to benefit most prominently include Marketing, Sales, Customer Services, Accounting, among various others.
Typically, enterprise CRMs enable companies to engage more effectively with their customer base by alleviating the burden of repetitive tasks and streamlining an array of business processes. It is important to underscore that enterprise CRM software often necessitates a structured onboarding process to ensure proficient usage. When implemented competently, such a CRM can address a wide spectrum of business needs, significantly reducing the time and effort expended on routine operations.
In essence, an enterprise CRM serves as a centralised hub, uniting all the customer interactions, data, and business process automation (BPA) within your organisation.
Eight Key Features of Enterprise CRM Software
Enterprise CRM systems are inherently complex, designed to cater to the multifaceted needs of various business operations. The extensive customisation options available within these systems further complicate the creation of a definitive checklist of essential features. Nonetheless, certain core processes are shared across most organisations, resulting in a set of key features that define the modern enterprise CRM.
Having identified these commonalities, we have distilled eight essential features that facilitate the execution of these widely shared business functions.
Sales assistance
For Sales teams, CRMs have become indispensable tools in supporting and enhancing their operational efficiency. Unsurprisingly, sales management is a fundamental feature within any robust enterprise CRM solution.
An enterprise CRM system provides comprehensive support to sales development representatives throughout the entirety of the sales process, from forecasting future performance to managing contracts. Specifically, such a a CRM encompasses the following functionalities:
- lead and pipeline management,
- sales forecasting and detailed reporting,
- sales automation,
- sales analytics,
- contract lifecycle management,
- task management alongside productivity tracking.
Each of these features is meticulously designed to alleviate the administrative burden from your Sales, thereby allowing them to dedicate their expertise to engaging with customers and driving sales.
For instance, one of the numerous processes that can be seamlessly automated via an enterprise CRM is the customer follow-up procedure. By configuring specific events - such as a predetermined period elapsed since the last interaction - automated follow-up emails can be triggered with precision. These automated workflows can comprehensively support the entirety of your sales pipeline, mitigating the risks associated with human errors while simultaneously enhancing overall operational efficiency.
360-degree customer view
The Customer 360 view amalgamates a broad spectrum of customer data into a singular, unified workspace, thereby fostering seamless cross-departmental collaboration.This holistic tool enables teams to rapidly discern customer needs and pinpoint opportunities for growth with unparalleled efficiency.
It serves as an invaluable resource for ensuring a deep understanding of customer interactions and preferences. For instance, Sales teams can monitor the precise status of a customer’s position within the sales pipeline, while Customer Service departments gain immediate access to a complete record of prior interactions and reported concerns or issues.
Marketing automation
An enterprise CRM provides invaluable assistance to marketing teams by integrating a diverse array of channels - such as paid advertising, social media, newsletters, and events - into a singular, unified platform. This integration serves to streamline the management of multifaceted campaigns, enabling more refined audience analysis and segmentation. Moreover, it facilitates the identification of potential opportunities while automating customer interactions of key touchpoints throughout the sales funnel. In so doing, it ensures a seamless and a highly personalised customer journey, significantly enhancing both the precision and efficiency of marketing efforts.
Customer service capabilities
Сustomer Relationship Management systems are indispensable for providing comprehensive customer service. An enterprise CRM is typically equipped with sophisticated contact management features that facilitate communication with customers across a multitude of channels. Furthermore, it encompasses the capacity to develop a robust knowledge base, thereby equipping your team with all requisite information necessary for effective customer support.
In addition, the system will furnish your team with case management functionalities, thereby affording you complete oversight of the entire customer service lifecycle. This enables your customer care team to assist in a thorough and unimpeded manner, ensuring that every interaction is both efficient and effective.
Collaboration and productivity tools
Indispensable for fostering internal connectivity among teams and promoting overarching company-wide collaboration, collaboration tools constitute a fundamental component of any enterprise CRM system. Such tools, which encompass messaging applications, task management systems, and data-sharing solutions, facilitate a seamless and cohesive collaborative environment across various teams within the organisation.
Analytics and reporting
By aggregating and meticulously organising all pertinent analytics within a singular platform, your organisation facilitates effortless access and presentation of vital information. Enterprise CRM systems adeptly extract data and insights from diverse departments, seamlessly integrating them into comprehensive reports.
The era in which one had to solicit data points from five different executives to assess the organisation’s performance is now firmly in the past; enterprise CRMs automate the process of data collection and analysis, thereby empowering you to generate reports tailored to any circumstance with utmost efficiency.
Furthermore, the capability to fully automate reporting processes enables you to disseminate critical insights to your team on a regular basis, all without necessitating any additional effort.
Effortless integration and marketplace
Enterprise Customer Relationship Management systems undoubtedly present an array of remarkable features; however, the integration of such systems with auxiliary business tools, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, payment processing solutions, and video conferencing applications, remains paramount for the facilitation of seamless operational processes.
A robust enterprise CRM is characterised by its commitment to facilitating effortless integration, frequently achieved through dedicated marketplaces, as exemplified by platforms such as Creatio, Pipedrive, or Zoho. These marketplaces offer bespoke integrations, thereby ensuring comprehensive support for distinctive business processes that extend well beyond the mere functionalities provided out of the box.
AI
Let us confront the reality – should your enterprise CRM lack any AI-driven tools in 2024, you are undeniably falling behind the curve. Artificial intelligence possesses the capacity to assist with mundane, repetitive tasks, thereby affording your time greater opportunity to engage in productive endeavours that hold paramount significance for the business; indeed, this is fundamentally the objective of every enterprise CRM, is it not?
Moreover, it is essential to contemplate the distinctive features your business may necessitate, such as specialised workflows or sophisticated integrations. We invite you to peruse the various offerings available in the marketplace, allowing you to ascertain which software best aligns with your specific requirements and aspirations.
14 Best Enterprise CRM Software in 2024
In order to curate a list of the foremost enterprise CRM solutions, we conducted an extensive investigation, drawing upon a myriad of resources from independent advisory companies, user review platforms, and other pertinent resources.
This article elucidates the principal capabilities and distinctive features of each software, while also delineating the types of companies that stand to gain the most from their implementation. Additionally, where feasible, we have provided an overview of the pricing associated with the Enterprise or equivalent plans of the CRM systems.
1. Creatio
Creatio aims to provide a singular, highly customisable platform that comprehensively addresses all of your business automation requirements.
Its principal strength resides in its no-code, composable architecture, wherein various CRM components can be seamlessly assembled to craft bespoke experiences. Additionally, the UI platform’s Freedom UI feature ensures that the user interface is entirely adaptable to specific needs. This unparalleled flexibility affords you the liberty to develop and automate CRM-specific applications or intricate business processes without necessitating any proficiency in coding.
Regarding its pre-configured offerings, Creatio delivers comprehensive solutions for Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service, all of which are fully customisable and can be tailored to accommodate your distinct operational requirements. Furthermore, Creatio offers over 20 industry-specific solutions that are designed to support specialised processes in sectors such as financial services, manufacturing, transportation, and beyond. Its Field Sales and Service functionalities are further bolstered by supplementary solutions available via its Marketplace.
Creatio also provides an extensive array of analytics and reporting tools, complete with customisable dashboards. In addition, the platform’s capabilities are significantly enhanced by its integration of AI and Machine Learning technologies, offering advanced functionalities such as predictive scoring, sentiment analysis, next-best actions, and more.
The integration capabilities provided by Creatio are notably robust. Beyond its in-built integrations, the platform offers access to specialised integrations available through its Marketplace. In addition to connectors and integrators, the Marketplace features a broad selection of applications, add-ons, business templates, and industry-specific solutions, further enhancing the platform’s versatility.
Creatio also boasts an extensive suite of productivity and collaboration tools, including its proprietary Enterprise Social Network, which facilitates real-time communication among users.
The pricing structure is equally transparent, free from hidden fees or obligatory add-ons. Creatio employs a composable pricing model, affording users the flexibility to select and purchase only the specific functionalities required to optimise their business processes.
Intended Audience
The solution is tailored for discerning clients who necessitate a highly flexible and scalable platform, adept at balancing comprehensive customisation options with robust functionalities, ensuring a seamless integration of unique requirements and turnkey efficiencies.
Pricing
For enterprise-level companies, Creatio provides two pricing tiers:
Enterprise - £42 ($55) per user per month, which delivers core enterprise functionalities
Unlimited - £65 ($85) per user per month, encompassing additional benefits such as unlimited database storage, governance for no-code applications, advanced support, and a host of other premium features.
2. Salesforce
Salesforce stands as a venerable institution within the industry, distinguished by the vast array of instruments and solutions it provides, encompassing renowned tools such as Tableau for analytics and Einstein AI for intelligent automation.
Its extensive portfolio of applications, coupled with a robust developer network, cultivates an advanced ecosystem that affords boundless possibilities for the automation and seamless integration of all business activities.
The enterprise CRM provided by Salesforce is renowned for its exceptional analytics capabilities, arguably among the most robust within the industry. Its Customer 360 view is further enhanced by comprehensive data integration from the Customer Data Platform, offering a wealth of pre-packaged insights while also equipping users with tools to develop bespoke analytical models tailored to specific needs.
Salesforce also includes an array of low-code and no-code tools, facilitating a high degree of personalisation.
However, the principal challenge lies in the complexity of adoption and onboarding. Despite its steep learning curve, Salesforce compensates by offering an extensive range of solutions designed to streamline and support a multitude of business operations.
Intended Audience
Large enterprises prepared to allocate the necessary time and financial resources into a comprehensive, multi-functional enterprise CRM solution would find Salesforce fitting.
Pricing
£127 ($165) per user per month
See also: Salesforce Alternatives and Competitors
3. HubSpot
HubSpot seamlessly amalgamates marketing, sales, and service functionalities within a single platform.
A particularly noteworthy feature of HubSpot's enterprise suite is its provision of custom objects, which enable organisations to store detailed, business- specific information. This is complemented by its predictive lead-scoring capabilities, allowing users to accurately identify and prioritise leads most likely to convert.
Automation within HubSpot is driven by its playbooks - a structured set of predefined actions and workflows crafted from industry best practices or tailored scenarios, effectively streamlining repetitive or complex sales and marketing processes.
Moreover, HubSpot's extensive ecosystem encompasses a wealth of integrations, advanced reporting tools, and a highly intuitive user interface, rendering it an all-encompassing solution for enterprises seeking operational efficiency and sustained business growth.
Intended Audience
Medium-sized enterprises seeking a straightforward, user-friendly CRM solution, with a limited scope for customisation but pronounced emphasis on marketing functionalities.
Pricing
£4004 ($5200) per month, which includes provisions for 10 paid users
4. Microsoft Dynamics 365
Developed by a technology giant, the Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution has established itself as a preferred choice among enterprises. The platform presents a wide array of features, including the automation of sales processes, management of accounts payable and receivables, monitoring of sales analytics, content management, and a plethora of additional functionalities.
Furthermore, it encompasses real-time analytical capabilities, adept at offering recommendations for subsequent steps within your workflow.
The enterprise CRM is robustly underpinned by artificial intelligence, with Microsoft providing a suite of pre-packaged AI models encompassing churn prediction, customer lifetime value assessment, recommendations, and sentiment analysis. Furthermore, organisations have the option to acquire supplementary tools for the development of bespoke AI models tailored to the specific requirements.
Additionally, Microsoft Dynamics boasts low-code capabilities; however, it is noteworthy that substantial alterations may necessitate the procurement of an additional licence.
Intended Audience
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is particularly well-suited for larger, resource-abundant enterprises that do not necessitate extensive customisation tools and demonstrate a preference for the Microsoft ecosystem.
Pricing
Sales and Service modules are charged separately, with each priced at £73 ($95) per user per month
5. Oracle CX
Oracle stands out as a distinguished enterprise Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, characterised by its pronounced emphasis on industry-specific workflows. Its focus encompasses nine primary sectors, including communications, utilities, financial services, government, healthcare, food and beverage, retail, life sciences, and construction.
Among its extensive array of offerings, Oracle's Marketing and Sales applications are particularly esteemed, effectively facilitating complex revenue operations. Furthermore, Oracle’s Service platform boasts comprehensive channel management, robust knowledge management, and efficient self-service functionalities.
Notwithstanding the commendations from clients regarding Oracle’s depth of product and industry specificity, certain users have raised concerns regarding the fragmentation of tools, which may impede the seamless operation of the CRM system. Moreover, there have been observations regarding an extended time-to-value, suggesting that the implementation and integration process could necessitate a protracted period for the full realisation of benefits and operational efficiency.
Intended Audience
Companies necessitating highly-specialised workflows are likely to derive the greatest advantage from Oracle’s offerings.
Pricing
£154 ($200) per user per month
6. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM Plus presents a fully integrated suite encompassing sales, marketing, and customer service, further enhanced by sophisticated Business Intelligence and analytics tools that facilitate the unearthing of hidden insights. A comprehensive array of collaboration applications, including real-time messaging, fosters streamlined cross-cooperation among users, promoting enhanced operational synergy.
The platform’s AI capabilities empower customers to construct predictive models utilising third-party data, thereby operating synergistically with the business intelligence solution.
Zoho clients comprise both B2B and B2C enterprises, which generally favour this enterprise CRM for its user-friendly interface. Nonetheless, while the portfolio of integrations and the suite of functionalities are admirable, there remains ample scope for enhancement.
Intended Audience
Zoho is particularly well-suited for smaller and medium-sized enterprises that necessitate intricate sales and marketing analytics.
Pricing
£30 ($40) per user per month
7. NetSuite
NetSuite CRM constitutes an integral part of the more extensive NetSuite ERP suite. Beyond the conventional features associated with enterprise CRM systems, NetSuite further enhances its offering with functionalities encompassing quotes and commission management.
The CRM system is distinguished by its robust reporting capabilities, which furnish real-time insights into sales performance, customer behaviour, and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Such a data-driven approach proves invaluable in facilitating informed business decisions.
However, it is worth noting that NetSuite presents a more limited array of integration options in comparison to its competitors within the enterprise CRM landscape, which may pose challenges for organisations that prioritise automation.
Intended Audience
Opting for NetSuite is particularly judicious for companies that are already leveraging the NetSuite ERP system.
Pricing
The pricing structure comprises a licensing fee of £769 ($999), supplemented by a monthly charge of £76 ($99) per user.
8. SAP CRM
SAP's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) suite encompasses a comprehensive array of applications dedicated to sales, marketing, customer service, and commerce.
This suite exhibits a formidable emphasis on data management, thereby assisting businesses in orchestrating campaigns, engaging potential leads, monitoring performance metrics, and fostering collaboration amongst teams throughout the sales process, albeit requiring adept navigation of the system.
Constructed upon a variety of platforms and technological stacks, the suite unfortunately suffers from inconsistencies in administrative tools and a deficiency of AI-driven insights that are often found in more prominent CRM solutions. Furthermore, the absence of field service functionality somewhat constraints its applicability across diverse use cases.
Intended Audience
SAP CRM is poised to deliver optimal value to companies already entrenched within SAP’s extensive ecosystem, particularly those that place a significant emphasis on data management.
Pricing
Details available upon request
9. Pega
Pegasystems' CRM system is fundamentally anchored in a real-time decision engine, which serves as the cornerstone for an array of process-centric applications encompassing marketing, sales, and service.
The true strength of Pega CRM resides in its bespoke workflows tailored specifically for industries such as financial services, insurance, communications, healthcare, and government. This level of specialisation facilitates customised solutions that are intricately aligned with the distinctive requirements of these sectors.
Among the notable attributes of Pega CRM is the integration of advanced analytical modelling with robust business logic. This amalgamation empowers organisations to personalise and optimise outcomes for each individual customer, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience and driving superior results.
Intended Audience
Pega is particularly advantageous for large enterprises that are engaged in the management of intricate processes.
Pricing
$90 per user per month
10. Freshworks
Freshworks' CRM distinguishes itself through its remarkable speed and user-friendly interface. The suite, comprising Freshmarketer, Freshsales, Freshdesk, and Freshchat, functions harmoniously within a singular platform.
This enterprise CRM suite excels in its digital sales and service capabilities, adeptly supporting contemporary messaging channels while automating engagement sequences. Moreover, it encompasses fundamental marketing and field service functionalities, thereby offering comprehensive solutions for modern business needs.
The commerce capabilities are somewhat constrained, primarily encompassing messaging-enabled conversational commerce, augmented by a modest assortment of packaged AI scenarios and rules-based process guidance.
Although the intuitive interface of Freshworks undoubtedly stands as its most admirable attribute, the platform encounters challenges in demonstrating a more consistent level of operational maturity, particularly when addressing the needs of larger clientele.
Intended Audience
Freshworks is particularly well-suited to medium-sized organisations that place a premium on ease of use and rapid deployment, whilst possessing a moderate requirement for comprehensive analytics and customisation.
Pricing
Freshworks employs a separate pricing structure for each of its platforms: Sales is priced at £53 ($69), Service at £83 ($109), and Marketing at £230 ($299) per user per month.
11. Zendesk
Zendesk adeptly streamlines the customer relationship management process for both enterprise-level and small to medium-sized business sales through its remarkably intuitive interface. The platform’s customisable dashboard consolidates essential customer data across various departments, thereby facilitating prompt and efficient collaboration.
Significantly, Zendesk is renowned for its rapid implementation, boasting a setup time of merely seven days. The suite encompasses a comprehensive array of features, including robust CRM analytics and reporting, mobile application, contact management tools, lead generation functionalities, sales forecasting, as well as integrated calendar, reminders, and collaboration tools.
Intended Audience
Zendesk is particularly well-suited for organisations that place a premium on exceptional customer service while concurrently seeking to implement a swift and efficient sales management process.
Pricing
Details available upon request
12. LeadSquared
LeadSquared serves to expedite sales for enterprise teams, utilising customisable workflows and meticulously structured sales planning, to guarantee that deals progress promptly through the pipeline, all the while minimising the risk of overlooked opportunities.
Among the salient features of LeadSquared is its capacity to facilitate the effortless construction of tailored workflows via no-code sales process builders.
Its feature for conditional task assignment guarantees that leads are allocated to the most appropriately qualified agent in accordance with predefined criteria, thereby optimising sales efficiency.
Additionally, it provides customisable dashboards replete with a comprehensive array of data points and parameters, empowering users to monitor critical metrics effectively. Furthermore, LeadSquared proudly offers seamless integrations facilitated through native connectors as well as its proprietary developer platform.
Intended Audience
LeadSquared primarily serves the needs of large organisations endeavouring to enhance the efficiency of their sales processes.
Pricing
£77 ($100) per user per month
13. Pipedrive
Pipedrive presents itself as a user-friendly Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, meticulously designed for growing sales teams aspiring to achieve streamlined management of conversations and conversions. The platform facilitates lead generation, the allocation of deals, contact management, the creation of custom workflows, and seamless integration with various software applications.
The dashboard is particularly noteworthy, as it showcases a visually engaging sales pipeline, thereby simplifying data entry and enabling effortless management of deals through a drag-and-drop interface.
Moreover, the CRM system excels in automation routine tasks, leveraging artificial intelligence to track consumer data, and offering mobile accessibility. It also integrates proficiently with an array of applications, thereby ensuring efficient consolidation of data.
Intended Audience
Pipedrive is particularly well-suited for medium-sized enterprises that are in pursuit of comprehensive tools for the optimisation of their sales processes.
Pricing
£76 ($99) per user per month
14. Infor CRM
Infor offers a comprehensive suite of sales and marketing capabilities, thereby empowering organisations to make informed decisions that drive revenue growth.
By integrating sales modules, advanced analytics, and meticulous customer tracking, Infor facilitates personalised sales experiences, thereby fostering more robust connections with customers.
Moreover, it provides the ability to customise sales strategies, augment functionality, and implement integrations, all of which contribute to streamlined operations and enhanced performance.
Intended Audience
It is particularly well-suited for enterprises that are in search of holistic solutions within the realms of manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services.
Pricing
£50 ($65) per user per month
Distinction Between SMB and Enterprise CRMs
By this juncture, you are likely well-acquainted with the distinctions between standard and enterprise Customer Relationship Management systems, which can be succinctly summarised as follows:
- An enterprise CRM typically encompasses an array of interactions with customers, integrating functions such as Sales, Service, Marketing, Field Service, and Commerce. In contrast, standard CRMs predominantly support only one or two of these functionalities.
- Enterprise CRMs are characterised by a multitude of features that are often unnecessary for smaller businesses
- The capacity for enhanced customisation, personalisation, and scalability is a hallmark of enterprise CRMs, enabling organisations to tailor the system to their specific needs.
- The ability to facilitate a diverse range of integrations, which is essential for the seamless coordination of various business processes across platforms.
- Enterprise CRM systems are designed to accommodate a larger number of clients thus enabling organisations to manage vast volumes of customer data and interactions.
Thus one may ponder the method by which to ascertain the most suitable enterprise CRM system to adopt. Should you have perused our compilation yet remain uncertain regarding the optimal choice to pursue, allow us to offer some guiding recommendations.
How to Select the Suitable Enterprise CRM?
Prior to committing to an investment in the most suitable enterprise CRM software for your organisation, there exists a series of inquiries to deliberate upon and a degree of research to undertake.
- Identify your requirements and objectives: It is imperative to delineate the specific needs, goals, and challenges faced by your organisation. Ascertain which functionalities are indispensable for your operations, such as sales pipeline management, customer service capabilities, marketing automation, among others.
- Consider scalability: Ensure that the chosen CRM possesses the capacity to scale in tandem with the growth of your business. Consider your future growth projections and assess whether the CRM can accommodate an increase in data, users, and functionalities as your enterprise expands.
- Check customisation and integration: Seek a CRM that affords extensive customisation options, thereby enabling you to tailor the system to align with your business processes. Moreover, it should facilitate seamless integration with the existing tools utilised within your organisation.
- Ask about vendor support and training: Evaluate the support services provided by the vendor, which should encompass training options, responsiveness of customer service, and the availability of resources for ongoing assistance.
- Examine the cost and ROI: Consider the total cost of ownership, encompassing initial setup, subscription fees, customisation expenses, and potential additional costs related to integrations or upgrades.
By meticulously assessing these factors and aligning them with the specific requirements of your organisation, you shall be equipped to select a CRM that best serves your business objectives and enhances overall operational efficiency.
Conclusion
In the realm of enterprise Customer Relationship Management systems, one encounters an extensive array of options, each characterised by its distinct strengths and bespoke offerings. The process of selecting the most suitable CRM for your business demands a comprehensive understanding of your specific requirements, anticipated growth projections, and the essential integration capabilities.
By meticulously evaluating the features, customisation possibilities, and alignment with industry standards of these fourteen CRMs in relation to your organisational objectives, you will be poised to optimise operational efficiency, foster sustainable growth, and strengthen customer relationships over the long term.