Do You Need A CRM System For A Startup?

A startup has ambitious plans, but also very modest resources, most of which are the enthusiasm of the founders. A startup team usually consists of only a few people, each of whom replaces an entire staff of specialists. There are not many clients either, and the main efforts of the business are aimed at finding them. In this regard, the question arises: is CRM needed for a startup, and if so, which one?

As long as the business is small, it may seem that spreadsheets will be sufficient to track customers and transactions. Of course, you can do without a table, but it will not remind you of the meeting, will not pull up the history of correspondence and will not send a letter at the right time. We talked in detail about the disadvantages of tables in this article. What can a startup CRM be useful for and why do you need the best crm systems for startups?

To organize a client base

The CRM system is designed to minimize your efforts to collect customer data. For example, NetHunt CRM itself will save the history of calls and Gmail correspondence, the necessary contacts from LinkedIn, Google account, social networks, completed applications from the site. CRM recognizes all open data, including phone, mail, website address, and independently saves them in the client’s card. 

To improve customer service

For a startup, every client is important and the level of customer service comes to the fore. CRM records in detail the history of interaction with the client, his needs and comments, the results of previous negotiations. The built-in task manager will not let you forget about an important date, meeting, letter or call.

For sales management

The functionality of the CRM system allows not only to save all the necessary information but also to track the success of the sales strategy, as well as to make forecasts for the future. In particular, a visualized sales funnel helps with this. Sales can use it to track each customer’s journey, and marketing can use it to improve overall strategy.

What if the only sales manager quit, got sick, or went on vacation? Unlike notebooks and tablets, which would disappear with him, the CRM system will save all the work of the employee.

For automation

The CRM system allows you to automate routine operations as much as possible, including maintaining a client base, mass mailings, creating reports, and others.

As you can see, a startup CRM system includes many useful features that cannot be replaced by a customer base in tables. But which CRM is better for startups?

How to choose a CRM for a startup

When choosing a CRM system for a startup, you need to take into account the specifics of the business. The difference between a startup is a small team and a client base, a limited budget, great dynamism and the absence of well-functioning business processes:

• Functional. When figuring out which CRM is suitable for a startup, it is better to follow the principle of minimalism: choose a service with the minimum sufficient functionality and simple management. To do this, describe the tasks that the CRM system should perform. Based on them, it will be possible to select a program with suitable functions.
• Price. At first, you should not give preference to expensive and complex programs. There is a risk that the investment will not pay off and many features will not be used.
• Convenience. A simple and pleasant interface is what motivates employees to use the CRM system. Today, many development companies focus on the usability of the program, because its main task is to simplify the work.
• Flexibility. The business processes of young teams are very dynamic. A CRM system for a startup must be able to change with the company. If the business is in an active stage of development, we recommend choosing CRM with the most flexible settings.

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