CRM The Best CRM Tools Of 2024 By Anjali Krishna CRM 1 comment Last Reviewed: November 22, 2024 Few things are more important for a business than to maintain relationships with its customers. No matter whether you cater to businesses or consumers, it’s important to stay in touch with each of your existing and potential customers in an effective way. CRM tools make this task much easier! Compare Top CRM Tools Leaders But with the market flooded with hundreds of CRM software that cater to different needs and have unique strengths, it’s challenging to find the right match. This article will help you understand what a CRM tool can do for your business and explore top products with which to start your solution evaluation. Top CRM Tools Finding the right CRM tool for your company can be a headache, so we did the hard work for you and carefully chose five tools based on their usability, capabilities, features and other factors. Let’s take a look at our list of top CRM tools. Compare the Best CRM Tools Select up to 5 Products from the list below to compare Product Analyst ScoreAwardsUser Sentiment ScoreStart PriceFree TrialCompany SizeDeploymentPipeliner CRM 88 Best Overall93%Excellent $65Per User. Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Salesforce Sales Cloud 87 Best for Team Collaboration88%Great $25Per User, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Zoho CRM 87 Best for Account and Contact Management85%Great $14Per User, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Oracle Sales Cloud 81 Best for Opportunity Management81%Great $65Per User, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise HubSpot CRMNo ScoreNone87%Great $1,080Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Compare Compare For a more detailed analysis, visit our Jumpstart Platform to compare the products below, plus other industry leaders. Pipeliner: Best Overall 88 Pipeliner CRM PricingDemo Best Overall, Best for Opportunity Management Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$65 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Pipeliner CRM is a visually oriented customer relationship management solution that stands out for its intuitive interface and feature set. The platform excels in customization, allowing businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific needs without requiring extensive technical knowledge.Key features include reporting tools, mobile functionality through native iOS and Android apps, and team collaboration capabilities. Pipeliner is well-suited for small to large-sized businesses and sales teams that value visual data representation and ease of use. It can accommodate various industries and use cases, from basic sales tracking to complex, multi-stage sales processes.User reviews highlight Pipeliner's visual pipeline management as a major strength. Many appreciate the minimal training required to get started with the platform. However, some users have noted challenges with integrations and expressed concerns about pricing relative to available features.It offers four pricing tiers, ranging from $65 to $150 per user per month when billed annually. The Starter plan, suitable for small teams, requires a minimum of three users. The Enterprise plan at $115 per user per month is the most popular option, offering advanced reporting and customization features. Market Leader: According to our research, Pipeliner CRM stands out as the top solution, outperforming competitors like Zoho and Salesforce. With an impressive analyst rating of 88 and a user satisfaction rating of 94%, it delivers functionalities that serve diverse business needs.Enhance Team Collaboration: Our analysts ranked Pipeliner CRM as the top choice for team collaboration. It promotes seamless communication between marketing, sales and operations. The “Feeds” feature acts as a shared workspace, providing a complete history of communications for teams.Boost Client Communication: Pipeliner CRM scored 100 in our analysis for its text messaging capabilities. You can reach contacts individually or in bulk and create custom "Feeds Profiles" to display only text messages.Optimize Partner Management: Pipeliner received a perfect 100 for its partner scorecard tool in our analysis. You can assess partner performance, identify improvement areas and measure contributions using customizable scorecards.Simplify Contract Lifecycle: You can create contracts manually or automatically based on orders and effortlessly track contract details and amendment history. This improves visibility into contractual obligations over time. Lead Tracking and Prioritization: Pipeliner CRM excels in tracking sales leads using pipelines, helping you identify which clients to prioritize. This feature provides a clear visual representation of the sales process.Automation: The platform helps ensure timely follow-ups and simplify repetitive tasks. This helps your sales teams maintain consistent communication without the risk of overlooking important touchpoints.Voice Caller Integration: You can initiate calls directly from the Pipeliner cloud web application. The calling widget displays the dialed number and reminds users of their outgoing number, improving call management.Custom Reports: Pipeliner CRM scored a perfect 100 for its reporting facility. There are three main types of reports: Standard Table, Pivot Table and Advanced Table. Each type offers data analysis and visualization, with options to embed charts on dashboards.Opportunity Creation and Pipeline Management: The platform enables easy creation and tracking of opportunities using a pipeline view. It allows you to move opportunities through sales stages, with optional or mandatory tasks and activities for each stage. While Pipeliner CRM offers customization options, it cannot create fully custom apps within the platform.It doesn't support the creation of hierarchical campaign structures, preventing users from effectively linking related campaigns or organizing multi-tiered marketing initiatives.Users might face challenges when connecting the CRM with other business tools or systems due to limited integration options. Through our thorough analysis and tests, we've found Pipeliner CRM to be a reliable and user-friendly solution that stands out in several key areas. Its visual approach to pipeline management makes it easy to track and manage sales opportunities at a glance. We were particularly impressed by how intuitive the interface is — you can get up and running quickly without extensive training.Pipeliner's customization capabilities let you tailor fields, create custom modules or design specific workflows, adapting to your business needs effortlessly. The mobile apps for iOS and Android are also noteworthy, offering full functionality on the go.Pipeliner excels in promoting team collaboration, with features like the “Feeds” that keep everyone on the same page. The reporting tools are comprehensive, allowing for detailed insights into your sales processes.However, it's worth noting that some users have reported challenges with integrations. While Pipeliner likely offers integration options, they may not be as extensive as some other CRMs in the market, like Zoho, Salesforce or Hubspot. Additionally, a few users felt the pricing was on the higher side for the features offered.All around, Pipeliner CRM is well-suited for organizations that value a clear, visual representation of their sales pipeline and need a system that can grow and adapt to their business. While it offers many advantages, potential users should consider their specific integration needs and budget constraints when evaluating the software. Pros Visual Pipeline Management: Users appreciated Pipeliner's visual pipeline feature, which provides a clear overview of all critical data points. Ease of Use: The platform is user-friendly and requires minimal training to get started. Customizable Features: Pipeliner offers extensive customization options, allowing users to mold the software to their exact needs and easily adjust as their business evolves. Cons Limited Integrations: Users mentioned challenges with integrating Pipeliner with other business apps. Pricing: Some users expressed concerns about the pricing, saying they expected more features for the price point. Learn more about Pipeliner CRM An opportunity report in Pipeliner CRM. Source Platform Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Workflows and Process Automation 100 AI-based Anomaly Detector Not Supported Accounts and Contacts Management 100 Case Management Supported with Partner Integrations Opportunities Management 100 Custom Apps Not Supported Product Management 100 Invoice Creation Supported with Partner Integrations Sales Performance Management 100 Order Generation Supported with Partner Integrations Compare CRM Pricing & Costs with our Pricing Guide Zoho CRM: Best for Account and Contact Management 87 Zoho CRM PricingDemo Best for Account and Contact Management, Lead Management Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$14 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Zoho CRM enables an organization’s sales force to work more effectively and close more deals. It incorporates lead management, marketing automation, contact management, multichannel forecasting, territory management, and a host of other capabilities.Built with conversational AI, it supports users by predicting lead and deal success, offering a voice assistant, and suggesting activities to automate based on behavior analysis. Users can leverage workflow automation to streamline manual tasks and stay on top of performance with real-time reporting and analytics. Real-Time Data Analysis: Track KPIs across the sales cycle with advanced analytics tools providing visibility for everyone from the C-suite to sales reps. We set up dashboard widgets and customized the metrics displayed, so we could surface the most important data. The system includes standard and custom reports, which you can filter to locate specific information and blend to create multidimensional reports.AI-Powered Performance Optimization: Use Zia is the system’s conversational AI assistant and helps users get more done and work smarter. We searched through our database by sending a request via text. You can use Zia to improve data accuracy, optimize timing for emails and calls, and understand the sentiment behind the emails your leads and customers send.Automated Lead Creation: Use the email parser tool to automate lead creation by sending email enquiries to the parser email that extracts the information. You can then reduplicate and approve the leads to ensure they’re good. We could add and color code tags, create custom views for leads and view leads in Zoho sheets.Support Mobility: Mobile CRM apps for both Android and iOS devices provide users with immediate access to important information, no matter where they are. Sales reps can view daily activities and optimize in-person meetings with geo-location. They can also manage records even while offline — all changes automatically sync once their device reconnects. The card scanner app, supported on iOS and Android devices as well, enables users to digitally capture business cards at events and meetings.Personalized Solutions: Use the developer platform for full control over your software ecosystem. Unify data across business systems, develop apps and boost the capabilities of the CRM interface with a combination of tools including widgets, a REST API and SDKs for web and mobile. We found that it incorporates both code and WYSIWYG elements so users of all technical levels can leverage it successfully. Sales Force Automation: Automate tedious sales tasks such as lead generation and routing, data entry, email notifications, field updates and more. Optimize lead management, deal management, account management, contact management, and manage workflow and assignment rules.Process Management: Enable your sales team to follow a standardized sales strategy. Use the blueprint feature to log offline processes such as order management or deal closure, ensuring consistent execution. Create automated approvals for common activities such as vacation time requests, capital expense reports and pricing discount requests. Additionally, you can set rules for assigning leads, escalating cases and validating CRM data.Opportunity Management: Keep everyone’s antennas tuned to the same channel with Zoho’s activity tracking for all customer interactions like emails, calls, tasks and notes. Create deals and associate them with campaigns with drop-down fields and generate multiple pipelines using the standard template or your own personalized fields You can create a custom Kanban view using dropdown options and fields.Multichannel Support: Connect with your email platform to send emails directly from the CRM. Connect your brand’s social media channel to respond in real-time, follow relevant conversations and automate lead generation. Use the Phonebridge integration to enable sales reps to easily log and track information from calls. You can also embed live chat and lead capture forms on your website to facilitate sales, marketing and customer service efforts.Sales Enablement: Aid sales reps in their daily jobs using features like quotes and purchase orders (via integration with Zoho’s Finance Suite), a documents library, integration with Zoho’s presentation and document creation applications, and external-facing portals for partners and vendors. It also offers a calendar, a feature called SalesInbox for prioritizing the most lucrative emails, a web meeting platform through the Zoho Meeting integration, real-time notifications, collaboration feeds and more. Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM solution that serves businesses of all sizes and across various industries. It provides users with real-time data analysis, AI-powered sales performance optimization and extensive automation and customization. You can streamline workflows and improve sales efficiency with lead nurturing, deal management, and third-party integrations.During our test run of their free trial, we loved working with standout features like the customizable dashboard, automated lead creation via the email parser and drop-down linking for account, product, lead and quote creation.However, users report a learning curve associated with full feature utilization and customization. Additionally, some advanced features and functionalities require upgrades to higher tiers making it expensive for smaller teams. Overall, Zoho CRM offers an interoperable solution for businesses looking for a customizable, affordable CRM platform. Pros Work Offline: Users who mention this feature say the platform functions well even when used in offline mode. Business Management: The system monitors business performance, populates the website with suitable visitors and keeps a tab on productivity and output, eliminating unmatched customers and removing hassle according to users who mention this aspect. Affordable: Users said the software is budget-friendly as compared to other CRM systems and has considerably more adaptive features for the price. Integrations: Reviewers appreciated Zoho’s integration with in-house tools that support unified workflows, flexibility and email functionality. Cons Learning Curve: Users mentioned some features and customization requires additional time and learning to implement. Customer Support: Zoho’s customer support and inquiry resolution isn’t very responsive, according to users who refer to support. However, the chat support is comparatively better. Lags and Delays: Reviewers noted there is sometimes a lag in notifications for email tracking and updates. Learn more about Zoho CRM A comprehensive deals pipeline view in Zoho CRM. Source Platform Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Account and Contact Management 100 Custom Apps Not Supported Lead Management 100 Contract Management Supported with Additional Modules Platform Security 100 Shared Workspace Supported with Additional Modules Document Management 97 CPQ Software Integration Not Supported Communication Channels 92 Content Management System Integration Supported with Partner Integrations Compare CRM Pricing & Costs with our Pricing Guide Salesforce Sales Cloud 87 Salesforce Sales Cloud PricingDemo Best for Team Collaboration Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$25 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Salesforce Sales Cloud is a customer relationship management (CRM) solution designed to help businesses of all sizes manage their sales processes more effectively. It offers a range of features to simplify lead management and boost sales.Key benefits include AI-powered lead scoring, customizable dashboards, reporting tools and mobile access for on-the-go sales teams. Sales Cloud stands out for its scalability, making it suitable for businesses ranging from small startups to large enterprises. Users appreciate Sales Cloud for its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options. Many find Einstein’s AI capabilities to be game-changing for their sales strategies. However, some users note that there can be a steep learning curve for advanced features, and costs can add up quickly with additional modules and user licenses.Its pricing starts at $25 per user per month for the Starter plan, suitable for small teams. More advanced plans range from $100 to $500 per user per month, offering more refined features. While not the cheapest option on the market, Salesforce can be a worthwhile investment for its comprehensive toolset and scalability Salesforce provides.Salesforce Sales Cloud is a good choice for businesses looking for a flexible solution, provided they're able to handle the potential complexity and cost associated with a top-tier CRM platform. Get Industry-Leading Expertise: Salesforce Sales Cloud, with an analyst rating of 87, ranks third on our list of best CRMs. It’s highly adaptable to diverse business needs and displays strong user satisfaction across different industries and company sizes.Detect Anomalies With AI: With a score of 100 from our analysts for its AI-based anomaly detector, Sales Cloud’s Einstein Analytics identifies unusual patterns in customer data, compares observed values to predictions and sends real-time alerts on detecting anomalies.Manage Cases Through Automated Routing: You can create, assign and track customer requests easily, while support agents can use tailored features like custom list views, custom Lightning pages and quick action buttons to resolve issues faster.Build Custom Apps To Fit Your Needs: Sales Cloud scored a 100 in our analysis for its highly customizable apps. You can build and share apps with your own branding, incorporating standard and custom objects, validation rules and calculated fields.Integrate With Content Management Systems: You can connect Salesforce Sales Cloud with platforms like WordPress and Drupal to streamline your content and CRM processes without needing a third-party integration. Sales Forecasting: You can build accurate sales projections and custom forecast types based on various data points, measures and dates to get a clear picture of your future sales performance.Lead Management: With Sales Cloud, it’s easy to capture leads, manage campaigns and convert opportunities into sales. You can create forms on your website, use LinkedIn ads or have AI chatbots talk to potential customers. AI-based Lead Conversion: The Einstein Lead Scoring tool analyzes past conversion patterns to predict which current leads are most likely to convert, helping you prioritize the most promising prospects. AI-based Lead Conversion: The Einstein Lead Scoring tool analyzes past conversion patterns to predict which current leads are most likely to convert, helping you prioritize the most promising prospects.Integration Capabilities: Connect Salesforce with your favorite tools and platforms. A wide range of plugins is available, enabling you to create a smooth workflow across all your applications.Reporting and Analytics: While the reporting system is user-friendly, quick and can generate real-time reports, it also offers flexibility for more advanced users who want to customize their reports. You can also create reports for territories and collaborative forecasts. Salesforce Sales Cloud lacks built-in partner scorecard functionality. Users can't assess channel partners' activities, contributions or areas for improvement without additional tools or integrations.It requires third-party integrations for event tracking, messaging platform integration and eCommerce platform integration.It doesn't support native webhook configuration. Users can't set up automated notifications to third-party apps based on specific business rules within the CRM system. Based on our research and user feedback, Salesforce Sales Cloud turned out to be a powerful and flexible CRM solution, capable of accommodating businesses of any size.Its AI-powered features, especially Einstein, truly set it apart. This tool provides predictive analytics, lead scoring, opportunity scoring and sentiment analysis to improve sales efficiency.We found the mobile app to be feature-rich, offering full functionality for sales teams on the move, including forecasting and account management.Yet, some users reported a learning curve for advanced features. While the basic functionalities are user-friendly, leveraging the full potential of Sales Cloud may require proper training. Additionally, smaller organizations might find the pricing structure challenging, as costs can accumulate quickly with add-ons and advanced features.Integration capabilities are generally strong, but we observed that some key functionalities, such as event tracking and eCommerce integrations, rely on third-party providers. This could add complexity and cost for businesses requiring these features.Overall, Salesforce Sales Cloud is well-suited for organizations seeking a reliable, AI-enhanced CRM with extensive customization options and analytical capabilities. It's particularly valuable for businesses expecting growth, as the platform can scale effectively. However, potential users should carefully consider their budget, required features and available resources for implementation and management when assessing this CRM. Pros Easy To Use: Many users report that Salesforce has a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users. Good Vendor Support: Salesforce offers quality support. Users often mention that the company treats them more like partners than just customers. Highly Customizable: Developers find that the level of customization provided by Sales Cloud helps them extend Salesforce's features effectively. Scalability: Salesforce is suitable for companies of all sizes. It's a long-term solution that can adapt to evolving organizational needs. Cons Learning Curve: While the interface is user-friendly, users need proper training to use Salesforce efficiently, especially for more advanced features. Cost: Several users, particularly from smaller organizations, point out that the overall price can be a concern for businesses with limited budgets. Resource Intensive: While Salesforce can do almost anything, it often requires a dedicated team and skilled resources to manage it effectively. Learn more about Salesforce Sales Cloud A pipeline of opportunities in Salesforce Sales Cloud. Source Platform Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Dashboards and Reports 100 Partner Scorecard Not Supported Product Management 100 Webhooks Not Supported Team Collaboration 100 Messaging Platform Integration Supported With Integrations Opportunity Management 97 Ecommerce Platform Integration Supported With Integrations Account and Contact Management 96 Card Scanner Supported With Integrations Compare CRM Pricing & Costs with our Pricing Guide HubSpot CRM: Best for Integrations & Extensibility HubSpot CRM PricingDemo Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$1,080 Company SizeSmall, Medium DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons HubSpot CRM provides a full suite of capabilities that aid smart teamwork and allow companies to track, organize and close sales seamlessly. It’s entirely free of charge and provides automated contact management, customized tracking and reporting.App marketplace integrations let users expand performance capability based on their needs to achieve optimum business growth. Additionally, users can increase traffic, generate revenue, connect and manage leads all from one panel. The option to connect with the marketing, sales, service and CMS hubs allows companies to receive even greater functionality. Free Version: Provides a free forever edition that eases the budget concerns for small businesses and has robust features that can be used by companies of all sizes. Growth Platform: Analyze and keep track of employee performance, facilitate coaching and improve team productivity. Helps work on individual performance and team outcomes. Data Insights: Track team activity, productivity and individual performance with an up-to-the-minute view of the sales pipeline. Bulk Email: Save time and effort by sending bulk emails automatically optimized for different devices. Bulk Storage: Store and access up to 1 million contacts with no expiration date, eliminating incurring costs due to hitting storage limits. Pipeline Tracking: Auto-populates data from new deals and eliminates manual entries in forms. Add, edit and delete stages and properties from entered deals without help from IT. Lead Management: Helps sort and filter a prospect’s information based on geography, company size and number of visits. Custom views aid tracking prospects for optimum outreach. Monitoring: Monitors and gives insight on a prospect’s website activity, and identifies new prospects that visit the company’s website. Email Tracking and Notifications: Tracks sent emails, activities and aligns timed follow-ups for optimum sales growth. Email Templates: Promotes effective outreach and communication by making it quick and easy to draft emails. Doesn’t provide a feed forum for sharing announcements, creation of team groups or sharing attachments and collaterals. Doesn’t provide a user-centric audit trail for tracking user activities. HubSpot CRM is a free platform that supports the marketing and sales efforts of small to mid-sized businesses with features such as lead intake, deal management, ticket issues and more. It’s easy to use, unified and offers robust workflow management automation. A couple downsides reviewers observed include the limited functionality of the mobile app and the integrations mainly geared toward e-commerce. All in all, businesses looking for marketing and customer management at no cost will find HubSpot CRM is a solid option. Pros User-Friendly: 86% of users mentioning this aspect observed that HubSpot CRM is easy to use and install without much hassle. Workflow Management: Well-constructed workflows enable timely follow-ups, according to 76% of users mentioning this feature. Report Generation: It's easy to upload and export reports, as indicated by 53% of reviews referring to reporting. Automation: This feature makes it easy and faster to conduct daily professionals tasks, as noted by 60% of users referencing it. Affordable: 55% of reviews mentioning price suggested the application is inexpensive for the features offered. Unified Solution: A simple, unified dashboard makes it easy to carry out multiple activities, according to 66% of reviews that mentioned this aspect. Cons Mobile Application: 50% of reviews about the app suggested it’s inefficient and limited to monitoring the status of customer requests. Integration: The platform lacks basic third-party integrations, with 63% of reviews on the subject saying the integrations are primarily beneficial for e-commerce businesses. Learn more about HubSpot CRM Example of a workflow created in HubSpot. Source Platform Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Dashboards and Reports 100 AI-Based Sales Recommendation Not Supported Product Management 100 GeoTagging Supported With Integrations Integrations and Extensibility 100 Territory Hierarchy Not Supported Communication Channels 96 Marketing Development Funds Not Supported Account and Contact Management 95 Contract Creation Supported With Integrations Compare CRM Pricing & Costs with our Pricing Guide Oracle CX Sales: Best for Partner Relationship Management 81 Oracle Sales Cloud PricingDemo Best for Opportunity Management, Partner Relationship Management Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$65 Company SizeMedium, Large DeploymentCloud, On-Premise OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Oracle Sales Cloud is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform designed to simplify the sales process for organizations of all sizes. It offers various features, including lead management, opportunity tracking, forecasting and quoting.It’s great for businesses wanting a complete system that can grow with them. Key benefits include increased sales productivity, improved forecasting accuracy and better customer relationships.The platform also offers mobile access, social media integration and advanced analytics. While users generally appreciate its robust features, ease of use and scalability, some find it pricey and challenging to learn initially.Oracle Sales offers various pricing plans to meet the needs of different businesses. The basic plan starts at $75 per user per month, while the enterprise plan can cost several thousand dollars per month. It also provides a free trial that allows users to try the platform before they buy. Pros Comprehensive features Easy-to-use interface Scalable for large teams Mobile access and collaboration Advanced analytics and reporting Cons High implementation cost Steep learning curve Limited customization options Integration challenges Easily Manage Partner Relationships: According to our data, Oracle Sales Cloud ranked the best for partner relationship management. It lets you turn your partners into an extension of your sales team. You can manage partnerships more effectively by tracking partner performance, automating lead distribution and aligning your marketing efforts across your entire ecosystem.Access Real-Time Insights: Scoring a 100 in our analyst rankings for forecasting, the platform provides instant access to key metrics, reports and predictions. Comprehensive analytics help you visualize, track and act on trends, all in real time.Target Efficiently With DataFox: Oracle Sales Cloud lets you find and prioritize target companies through automated data collection. This includes over 70 firmographic data points, 68 types of real-time company signals, filters, company scoring models, balanced territories and more.Leverage Adaptive Intelligence: Identify opportunities with high probabilities of conversion by leveraging probability scores, automated recommendations and deal acceleration. AI-derived firmographic data and signals help you with account enrichment, as well as account scoring and prioritization.Discover Insights With Pre-Packaged Reports: Again scoring a 100 for its reporting features, the platform provides actionable business insights with over 500 pre-built reports. These use built-in business intelligence (BI) solutions embedded within Oracle’s CX sales solutions. Sales Force Automation: Oracle lets you automate the sales process using mobile access, artificial intelligence, email integration, sales-focused digital assistants and elastic search. It also provides contextual insights, recommendations and predictive outcomes and effectively manages leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities, assets, activities and assessments.B2B Service Center: You can streamline interactions and enable collaboration between multiple teams with a 360-degree customer view, which provides: Milestones, entitlements and SLA tracking for managing critical dates and contractual obligations. Integrated sales and service capabilities on a single platform. A combination of sales automation, service request management, knowledge management and digital customer service. Milestones, entitlements and SLA tracking for managing critical dates and contractual obligations.Integrated sales and service capabilities on a single platform.A combination of sales automation, service request management, knowledge management and digital customer service. Oracle Sales Cloud doesn’t currently support direct navigation to the details page of a sales object. This means users may need to follow additional steps or use workarounds to access specific sales object information.The platform doesn’t support the display of subtabs on custom object mobile pages, limiting the amount of information that you can display and access on mobile devices.It doesn’t allow users to update the unit of measurement for saved products. This can be a hurdle for businesses that need to adjust product measurements or pricing based on different units. While getting hands-on with Oracle Sales Cloud, I was very impressed by its complete feature set. The automation tools were particularly helpful, simplifying workflow from lead management to opportunity tracking. Users also agree they find themselves spending less time on administrative tasks and more time engaging with potential clients.The B2B Service Center turned out to be essential for cross-team collaboration. Having a 360-degree customer view makes it easy to address client needs promptly. I also appreciate the milestone and SLA tracking features, which help to stay on top of critical deadlines without breaking a sweat.Even though the platform's comprehensive nature initially felt overwhelming, I soon learned the capacity of its AI capabilities. The adaptive intelligence feature can become a go-to for identifying high-potential opportunities, and predictive analytics helps tailor your approach to each client's unique needs.In a time where subscription-based models are becoming increasingly prevalent, having built-in tools like Oracle’s subscription management can be a significant advantage. While I didn't have the chance to explore all of them, Oracle's industry-specific solutions and their tailored approach for different sectors like healthcare and financial services showed me how versatile the platform could be.Yet, I did encounter a few hurdles. The learning curve was steeper than I anticipated. Also, its high cost and complexity may be a barrier for some users. Despite these challenges, the benefits of Oracle Sales Cloud far outweigh its drawbacks. The platform's scalability and integration with other Oracle products make it a solid choice for businesses looking to future-proof their CRM solution. Pros Streamlined Sales Process: Users state that Oracle Sales helps them automate their sales process, from lead generation to opportunity management and closing deals. Better Sales Visibility: Oracle Sales provides a comprehensive view of your sales pipeline, allowing you to track your progress and identify areas for improvement. Improved Customer Relationships: Users often mention the platform helps them build stronger relationships with their customers by providing them with a personalized experience. Scalability: Oracle Sales is a scalable and flexible solution that can grow with your business. Cons Cost and Complexity: The platform can be expensive to implement and maintain, especially for small businesses. The initial cost of the software can be high, and there are ongoing maintenance costs. Additionally, Oracle Sales can be complex to implement and use, which can require significant training for your sales team. Steep Learning Curve: It has a steep learning curve, which can be challenging for new users. The interface is not as intuitive as some other solutions. Limited Customization: Oracle Sales is not as customizable as some other CRMs. You may not be able to configure the software to meet your specific needs. Integrations: It does not integrate with many third-party applications, making it difficult to integrate with other tools that you use. Learn more about Oracle Sales Cloud A sales performance management dashboard in Oracle CX Sales. Source Platform Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Dashboard and Reports 100 Call Recording Supported With Integrations Partner Relationship Management 100 Version History Not Supported Opportunity Management 100 Email Signatures Not Supported Account and Contact Management 98 Caller Identification Not Supported Quotes, Orders and Contracts Management 97 Gamification Supported With Integrations Compare CRM Pricing & Costs with our Pricing Guide How We Choose Products Our team of writers and analysts at SelectHub is committed to giving you the best recommendations based on our data. To make our list, products had to meet two criteria: Closely match the topic Earn a top-5 analyst score in our selection platform Our analyst scores are based on an in-depth research process using primary and secondary sources. This includes SelectHub Analyst Briefings, direct communication with vendors, and reviewing materials such as user reviews, product brochures, specification sheets, case studies, user manuals, and technical documentation. Our platform’s Scoring Engine processes the research and computes the analyst score. The score also factors in platform settings such as industry and company size. Learn more about our research methodology and editorial standards Types of CRM You can categorize customer relationship management tools into two segments based on the following: 1. Functionality Operational CRM streamlines three critical components of a company — sales, marketing and customer service operations. Analytical CRM stores and analyzes customer data to provide business-specific insights. Its capabilities include data mining, conversion attribution and online analytical processing (OLAP). Collaborative CRM fosters easy communication and collaboration across teams and stakeholders. 2. Installation Type On-premise CRM tools are hosted on the company’s server. They incur a hefty installation cost and require organizations to independently run, maintain and plan disaster recover Cloud-based CRM tools store all company data on a cloud server, accessible via an internet browser. They come with a monthly or annual subscription cost. Business Challenges Without CRM Solutions Some major challenges that businesses without a CRM have to deal with include the following: Disorganized and scattered data Lack of collaboration Time-consuming manual processes Suboptimal use of human resources Disjointed sales strategy Stagnant customer experiences Low customer retention rates Poor business performance insights If your business faces any of these issues, investing in a CRM tool to revitalize your business processes and kickstart long-term growth should be your go-to solution. Compare Top CRM Tools Leaders Primary Benefits When it comes down to it, different types of CRM tools benefit customers similarly. They save your business time, effort and money while building healthy customer relationships and improving chances of converting prospects into paying customers. Although individual CRM tools support different business functions, they work best in a single ecosystem. Let’s look at some CRM features and how they benefit four core business functions. Relationship Management The primary function of a CRM tool is engaging and managing your client relationships to improve customer satisfaction and retention numbers. Moving from a transactional relationship to one focused on building value for your customers increases customer loyalty, reduces marketing expenses and drives revenue. Relationship management tools help you: Manage customer data Track customer service Leverage AI insights to build customer journey maps You benefit via: Improved customer satisfaction Higher client retention Marketing Automation CRM tools with marketing automation capabilities give you the best of both worlds. Marketing tools capture user activity to build a behavior profile. That profile varies depending on the websites visited, emails opened and products browsed. Combining this data with your CRM’s user information database creates a personalized marketing strategy to convert prospects into customers. Marketing automation tools help you: Develop marketing strategies Provide personalized customer experiences Gather campaign performance insights You benefit via: Greater ROI on marketing expenses Increased customer engagement Sales Force Automation Sales force automation tools help sellers decide their sales strategy using machine learning and comprehensive user data. They automate sales functions like lead, contact, task and opportunity management to save time and eliminate sales funnel errors. Your sales rep may forget to follow up on a lead, but SFA tools ensure that you don’t miss out on a single sales prospect. CRM tools with probability weighting and forecasting capabilities foster smart sales so you can increase profits while cutting down on selling expenses. Sales force automation tools help you: Segment and prioritize leads Automate sales tasks Gather actionable insights You benefit via: Improved sales performance More innovative products Workflow Automation From drafting emails to updating customer information, there are a lot of repetitive tasks in an average employee’s workday. Automating and streamlining your workflows frees employees to focus on more critical and creative tasks. CRM tools automate tasks from scheduling and time tracking to email and data management so employees can work smarter, not harder. Workflow automation tools help you: Automate repetitive tasks Setup reminder systems You benefit via: Greater efficiency across departments Reduced manual errors Compare Top CRM Tools Leaders Things To Keep In Mind Just like making a checklist of things to consider before buying a car, it’s equally important to create one for a CRM tool. Here are a few questions that’ll help you select the right system: Is the CRM system device-agnostic? Does it provide social sharing capabilities? Is the CRM tool customizable? Does it secure your data? Does it offer native integrations with your existing systems? Is it scalable? How user-friendly is the platform? Compare Top CRM Tools Leaders Next Steps Considering the challenges businesses without customer relationship management tools face, it’s clear that having a CRM gives you an advantage when trying to sustain and grow your business. The right CRM tool will connect your sales and service teams for a more comfortable and user-friendly customer buying experience. While we’ve covered the strengths and capabilities of the best five CRM tools in detail, you can check out our free CRM comparison report to compare even more products and see how they stack up against your business needs. Did we miss out on any of the top CRM tools? Which features can benefit your business the most? Let us know in the comments below! Analyst-Picked Related Content Pricing Guide: Discover the true cost of CRM tools Comparison Report: An Interactive analyst report with comparison ratings, reviews and pricing Anjali KrishnaThe Best CRM Tools Of 202408.09.2024