If you want to automate your sales activities, marketing initiatives, and customer service to make your small business operations more efficient, then you’ve come to the right place. The best operational customer relationship management (CRM) systems offer advanced features, like extensive workflow automation capabilities, that streamline your business and revenue operations (RevOps) processes.
We evaluated dozens of solutions and narrowed them down to the eight best operational CRM platforms in terms of standout features, affordability and scalability of plans, ease of use, and user reviews.
- Zoho CRM: Best (overall) for free lead management
- Bitrix24: Best free CRM for unlimited users
- HubSpot CRM: Best for free revenue management
- Pipedrive: Best for sales automation
- Insightly CRM: Best for project management
- monday CRM: Best for ease of use
- Salesforce: Best for business health reporting
- Copper CRM: Best for affordable productivity tools
My solid background in sales, customer service, and writing enables me to provide accurate software information for startups and small businesses. This is in accordance with the Fit Small Business editorial policy.
I work diligently to offer clear, unbiased, and objective insights in reviews and buyer’s guides, ensuring small business owners can access the critical information they need to make informed decisions.
When it comes to operating and reviewing different software applications, I have two decades of experience using call center software, communication and collaboration platforms, and CRM systems.
I received in-depth training and was employed in different call centers as a sales and customer service representative at multinational companies like T-Mobile, DirectTV, and eBay.
Best Operational CRM Platforms Compared
Provider | Free Plan | Free Trial | Our Rating out of 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | âś“ 3 users | âś“ 15 days | $14 | 4.62 |
 | âś“ Unlimited users | âś“ 15 days | $43 for five users | 4.59 |
 | âś“ 2 users | âś• | $15 | 4.52 |
 | âś• | âś“ 14 days | $14 | 4.48 |
 | âś• | âś“ 14 days | $29 | 4.37 |
 | âś• | âś“ 14 days | 4.34 | |
 | âś• | âś“ 30 days | $25 | 4.24 |
 | âś• | âś“ 14 days | $9 | 4.11 |
Zoho CRM: Best CRM for Operations Overall With Free Lead Management
Pros
- Its free plan includes tools for generating and managing leads.
- Workflow, task, and marketing automations are available across all plans.
- It has an omnichannel platform for engaging and nurturing leads via email, chat, phone, and social media.
Cons
- It has a steep learning curve because of its robust features and customization options.
- AI tools are locked in with higher tiers (starting at $40 per user monthly with the Enterprise plan).
- Customer segmentation and profile enrichment require the Enterprise plan ($40 per user monthly).
- You need a CRM with free or low-cost AI tools: Zoho CRM offers AI tools in the form of its voice assistant, Zia. This tool provides you with intelligent automations, smart recommendations for sales activities, predictions based on sales trends, and suggestions for email content. Unfortunately, Zia is only available for higher tiers, starting with the Enterprise plan ($40 per user monthly).
- Alternatives: If you want more affordable yet comprehensive AI features, go for Pipedrive’s Essential plan ($14 per user monthly). Its AI Sales Assistant provides automated task updates, reminders, forecast assistance, and tips for performance improvement. Bitrix24’s Copilot for deal and lead autofilling, transcribing calls, and creating quality email content is available on its free plan.
- You’re looking for a more affordable CRM with segmentation tools: Zoho CRM’s customer segmentation feature is locked in with its Enterprise plan ($40 per user monthly). For small businesses, this could be a steep price.
- Alternatives: HubSpot CRM’s free plan and Salesforce’s Starter Suite ($25 per user monthly) both offer customer segmentation. Bitrix24’s Basic plan ($43 per user monthly) also offers sales and marketing automation with customer segmentation. While it’s more expensive at first glance, it’s cheaper per user ($8.60 per user monthly).
- You need a CRM with free or low-cost AI tools: Zoho CRM offers AI tools in the form of its voice assistant, Zia. This tool provides you with intelligent automations, smart recommendations for sales activities, predictions based on sales trends, and suggestions for email content. Unfortunately, Zia is only available for higher tiers, starting with the Enterprise plan ($40 per user monthly).
- Alternatives: If you want more affordable yet comprehensive AI features, go for Pipedrive’s Essential plan ($14 per user monthly). Its AI Sales Assistant provides automated task updates, reminders, forecast assistance, and tips for performance improvement. Bitrix24’s Copilot for deal and lead autofilling, transcribing calls, and creating quality email content is available on its free plan.
- You’re looking for a more affordable CRM with segmentation tools: Zoho CRM’s customer segmentation feature is locked in with its Enterprise plan ($40 per user monthly). For small businesses, this could be a steep price.
- Alternatives: HubSpot CRM’s free plan and Salesforce’s Starter Suite ($25 per user monthly) both offer customer segmentation. Bitrix24’s Basic plan ($43 per user monthly) also offers sales and marketing automation with customer segmentation. While it’s more expensive at first glance, it’s cheaper per user ($8.60 per user monthly).
Zoho CRM Pricing Plans*
Zoho CRM Add-ons:
- Additional File Storage: $4 per month for 5GB (paid plans only)
- Additional Data Storage (up to 200 users): $4 for 100MB per month (for Professional and up)
- Additional Data Storage (over 200 users): $2 for 100MB per month (for Professional and up)
- Data Backup: $12 per request
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown of the plans. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Zoho CRM offers affordable, robust tools like web and social media data capturing to streamline lead management. (Source: Zoho CRM)
Our Expert Opinion
Zoho CRM’s free plan includes tools for lead management, including web forms for lead generation, marketing campaigns for lead nurturing, and standard reports for lead tracking. You can track lead sources, statuses, owners, and conversions. In addition, all plans allow you to automate mundane tasks, such as emailing, lead follow-ups, and data field updates. Workflow automation helps improve the productivity of your sales and marketing teams.
Bitrix24: Best Free Operational CRM for Unlimited Users
Pros
- Its Free plan allows unlimited users with duplicate data detection, e-signatures, and live chat engagement.
- It has a great collaboration system with a shared team calendar, company drive for sales resources, and internal chat tools.
- It offers unlimited invoices with a convert deal-to-invoice function on its Basic plan for $43 for five users.
Cons
- It has a high learning curve for operating the features and navigating the interface.
- Mass text and email require the Standard plan ($87 per month).
- There’s a huge price gap between tiers (e.g., free to Basic at $43 per month).
- You need a free operational CRM for unlimited users: Bitrix24 is the only CRM software on this list offering free-forever tools for unlimited users. Its free plan includes many helpful sales tools like duplicate data detection, e-signatures, and live chat engagement. These capabilities are usually offered as paid options in other CRMs.
- You need robust data management tools: Bitrix24 offers users a high storage capacity on the free plan, including unlimited contacts and deals. It also stores different record types like clients, inventory, projects, products and services, and leads. Finally, Bitrix24 has excellent data management tools, like free automated duplicate detection, custom fields, and file editing within the CRM.
- You need a simpler CRM solution: While it comes with great features, Bitrix24 gets poor reviews for product usability. Users find the interface difficult to navigate, and the built-in tools have a steep learning curve.
- Alternatives: monday CRM takes the crown for the best operational CRM for ease of use. It has a simple interface that appeals even to true beginners. On the other hand, Copper CRM has a familiar interface similar to Google apps, which is highly intuitive.
- You want lower-priced email marketing features: While users can access email integrations on the Basic plan, deploying bulk email campaigns is not included until the Standard plan for $87 per month.
- Alternative: HubSpot CRM can save sales reps and marketing teams a lot of time by allowing them to send bulk emails on the free-forever plan.
Bitrix24 Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown, though monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Bitrix24 offers a 15-day free trial on paid plans. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Bitrix24 helps you find duplicate data for better lead database management. (Source: Bitrix24)
Our Expert Opinion
Bitrix24 offers free operational CRM tools for unlimited users. It provides a centralized system with plenty of free tools like duplicate data detection, e-signatures, and an AI assistant, perfect for startups. It’s an excellent free solution for optimizing sales operations while aligning sales teams with those responsible for client services. You also can’t miss the collaboration tools that streamline communication, reporting, and internal scheduling.
HubSpot CRM: Best for Free RevOps Management
Pros
- The Customer Platform includes all-in-one sales, marketing, and service features ideal for RevOps.
- It has a robust free plan with custom quotes, Slack integration, and document storage.
- It has a highly acclaimed system for its simplicity and ease of use.
Cons
- There is a huge price jump from Starter ($15 per user monthly) to Professional ($1,170 per month for five users) tiers.
- Forecasting is not included until the Professional plan ($1,170 per month for five users).
- It has no free automation features.
- You need an all-in-one CRM for RevOps: Evolved from traditional sales operations, revenue operations (RevOps) is becoming a popular structure that combines sales, marketing, and service into one business unit. HubSpot CRM is excellent for aligning strategies and sharing resources across these teams as this CRM system includes a Sales, Marketing, and Service Hub in its suite.
- You’re looking for a free operational CRM: HubSpot CRM is considered the best free CRM that can fulfill many day-to-day operational needs while allowing you to scale efficiently. Users get no-cost access to quote generation, document storage, email marketing, meeting scheduling, and a products library module. The Free plan also allows for third-party integrations, including Slack for collaboration and task updates.
- You want more affordable sales forecasting tools: For a sales manager, forecasting is crucial to properly planning rep capacity and a growth strategy. Unfortunately, HubSpot does not include forecasting tools until the Professional plan, which costs $1,170 per month.
- Alternative: Zoho CRM offers much more cost-friendly forecasting that’s just $14 per user monthly under its Standard plan.
- You need affordable workflow customization and automation: There’s no better operational productivity hack than workflow automation that autocreates or updates CRM records, assigns tasks, or sends communications based on triggers. While you’ll find these in HubSpot CRM, you’ll need the Professional plan to access these features for $1,170 per month for five users.
- Alternative: monday CRM offers workflow automation with low-code design and custom sales activity logging in its Standard plan for only $17 per user monthly. Even with a three-user minimum requirement for a total of $41, it’s way cheaper than HubSpot CRM’s Professional plan.
HubSpot CRM Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown of the Customer Platform. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost, except for the Enterprise tier. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
**Customer Platform includes sales, marketing, customer service, content, operations, and commerce software bundled in one plan. Individual modules can be purchased for lower prices.
Sales teams can use HubSpot CRM to generate quotes for free. (Source: HubSpot)
Our Expert Opinion
HubSpot CRM is our best CRM for small businesses and the top operational software on this list. As an all-in-one sales, marketing, and customer service management system, RevOps teams can align their resources and strategies to scale efficiently. Many vital RevOps features, including quote generation, document management, email communications, and appointment scheduling, are free.
Pipedrive: Best Operational CRM for Sales Automation
Pros
- It has a robust sales system for tracking deals, managing leads, and generating proposals.
- It includes the Smart Docs feature to automate proposal generation and Smart Contact to autoupdate lead records.
- It has excellent AI capabilities for enhancing productivity.
Cons
- It has no free plan, only a 14-day free trial.
- Project management tools require a Power plan ($64 per user monthly) or an add-on fee of $6.70 per user monthly.
- Essential operation features like email integrations, appointment scheduling, and workflow automation require the Advanced plan ($34 per user monthly).
- You need a free CRM system: Pipedrive, though not too expensive, does not come with a free-forever plan. Therefore, if you’re bootstrapping or simply want to try CRM software for free, you may want to consider other options.
- Alternatives: HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, and Bitrix24 are excellent operational CRMs with freemium plan options. HubSpot offers free-forever tools for two users, whereas Zoho CRM has a three-user allocation for its free plan. And Bitrix24 offers a freemium plan for unlimited users.
- You want more affordable project management features: Project management is convenient for overseeing sales deals and client deliverables in one interface. While Pipedrive recently started offering a project management module, it requires a higher plan (Power for $64 per user monthly) to use.
- Alternative: Insightly CRM is the best alternative with affordable project management capabilities. It is a solid pick, especially if you want to combine contact and project management in one space. These features are available in the Plus plan for only $29 per user every month.
- You need a free CRM system: Pipedrive, though not too expensive, does not come with a free-forever plan. Therefore, if you’re bootstrapping or simply want to try CRM software for free, you may want to consider other options.
- Alternatives: HubSpot CRM and Freshsales are two excellent operational CRMs with freemium plan options.
- You want more affordable project management features: Project management in a CRM system is convenient for overseeing sales deals and client deliverables in one interface. While Pipedrive recently started offering a project management module, it requires the Power plan for $64 per user, monthly.
- Alternatives: Bitrix24 is the best alternative with free project management capabilities. Insightly CRM is another solid pick, especially if you want to combine contact and project management in one space.
Pipedrive Pricing Plans*
Pipedrive Add-ons:
- Projects management Free with Power and Enterprise plans : Starts at $6.70 per user monthly
- Email campaigns: Starts at $13.33 per company monthly
- LeadBooster Copy: Lead generation tool set (chatbot, live chat, prospector, web forms, and appointment scheduler) : Starts at $32.50 per company monthly
- Smart Docs Trackable quotes, proposals, and contracts; free with Professional, Power, and Enterprise plans : Starts at $32.50 per company monthly
- Web tracking and lead ranking: Starts at $41 per company monthly
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Pipedrive’s Smart Docs helps sales teams generate proposals by populating prestored documents with contact data. (Source: Pipedrive)
Our Expert Opinion
Pipedrive can convert a sales operation into an automated machine if you deploy all it offers. The system stands out by providing specialized advanced tools, such as Smart Docs, Smart Contact Data, and the AI sales assistant, in addition to traditional workflow automation features. Combine everything, and you can put nearly your entire sales process on autopilot.
Insightly CRM: Best for Project Management
Pros
- It has built-in project management tools to convert won opportunities into projects and automated workflows on CRM processes.
- It has solid contact management capabilities with custom fields and third-party cloud-based recordkeeping.
- It has data synchronization with the mobile app.
Cons
- It has no free plan, only a 14-day free trial.
- Telephone features require an additional cost ($35 per user monthly).
- Products, price books, and quotes management tools are locked in the Enterprise plan ($99 per user monthly).
- You need built-in project management tools: Insightly CRM is equipped with a project management module. You can seamlessly turn opportunities into projects after closing a deal. Sync all data and tailor projects using custom fields and page layouts for the best operational outcomes. Plus, enhance cross-team communication using pipelines and milestones—all in the Plus plan for only $29 per user monthly.
- You want a robust contact management system: Insightly CRM provides recordkeeping attributes, including contact linking to organizations, record classification, contact communication history, and batch updating. It also has lead qualification, tracking, and contact management tools that make sales operations and pipeline stage movement more efficient.
- You prioritize real-time data sync on the field: Sales teams looking for an operational CRM on the go will find Insightly CRM a great choice for its up-to-date synchronization of contact data in its mobile app. You can access information on leads and clients anywhere, anytime, making it easier to carry out sales activities without complex logistics.
- You need free operational CRM: Insightly CRM doesn’t offer a free plan. If you’re a small business with more team members, consider options with free-forever plans.
- Alternatives: HubSpot CRM offers a robust free plan for two users, including an intuitive lead management system. Bitrix24 is another solid free option with unlimited user allocation, especially if you want access to project management tools.
- You need a built-in telephone: Many sales teams continue to employ cold calling and telephonic communication as part of their sales processes. Unfortunately, with Insightly CRM, you’ll need to subscribe to its Insightly Voice product ($35 per user monthly) to access these features.
- Alternative: HubSpot is our top pick for operational CRM with a built-in telephone. You can place outbound calls from your CRM account and receive calls in your browser or forward them to your device for up to 500 monthly minutes per account starting with its Starter plan ($15 per user monthly).
Insightly CRM Pricing Plans*
Insightly CRM Add-ons:
- Premier Support and Success Includes personalized support, proactive insights, and one-on-one technical guidance : Contact provider for a quote
- Guided Onboarding Includes guided CRM implementation, training, adoption, and consultation : $1,500 one-time fee
- Insightly Voice Integrated phone dialer with click-to-call, call logging, call recording, and call analytics; available to Professional and Enterprise plan subscribers. : $35 per user monthly
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month basis. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Insightly CRM lets sales teams create custom pipelines and convert opportunities to projects for a revenue boost. (Source: Insightly)
Our Expert Opinion
We find Insightly CRM an excellent operational CRM for businesses prioritizing an affordable project management system. We love this CRM’s relationship linking, custom fields, data entry automation, lead qualification, and web-to-lead capture that help identify sales opportunities. It’s an ideal option for business-to-business (B2B) sales teams and client-based operations.
monday CRM: Best for Ease of Use
Pros
- It is highly intuitive to operate and leverages spreadsheet style format for data entry and low-code design for automations.
- It offers sales ops management features for rep capacity planning, onboarding, and sales material storage.
- It includes great team collaboration tools like a shareable whiteboard, file sharing and editing, and user task assignment with alerts.
Cons
- It has no free plan (just a 14-day free trial) and misleading cost of paid plans with a three-user minimum requirement.
- Data duplicate management requires a custom-priced Enterprise plan.
- Email automation and sales forecasting features are locked behind the Pro CRM plan ($28 per user, monthly).
- You need a simple operations CRM: monday CRM has a minimal learning curve since it uses a familiar spreadsheet-style format for data entry, updates, and custom fields. Once added, users can quickly toggle between different viewing options to evaluate data. monday CRM also has low-code automation options that let teams create if/then workflows with dropdown options.
- You want a dedicated operations management module: monday CRM is unique in that it comes with dedicated tools for sales operations. These include rep headcount and capacity planning, employee onboarding tracking, sales collateral storage, and an internal knowledge base. There’s also a feature for obtaining approval from legal or security teams on contract terms.
- You need a free CRM for sales operations: While monday CRM has a 14-day free trial, it currently does not offer a free-forever plan. Instead, you can start using the platform by shelling out $12 per user monthly, with a minimum of three users.
- Alternatives: Zoho CRM, HubSpot CRM, and Bitrix24 are great CRMs for sales operations that offer free-forever plans. Zoho CRM offers free tools for up to three users, while HubSpot has a two-user allocation for its freemium plan. Bitrix24 offers a free plan for unlimited users.
- You want lower-priced data deduplication: Duplicate data management allows you to keep a clean database by finding and merging redundant records automatically. While monday CRM has this capability, it requires the Enterprise plan, which uses tailored pricing based on users and feature requirements.
- Alternative: Bitrix24 is the best alternative, offering automated duplicate management on its free plan.
monday CRM Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
monday CRM lets you easily find contacts, leads, and records using its color-coded labels, search tool, and filters. (Source: monday CRM)
Our Expert Opinion
monday CRM is the best option if your top priority is product usability. From an operations perspective, it offers a simple database for reps to access records—using a spreadsheet format familiar to most software users. We also can’t tout the automation capabilities enough. The low-code designer tools allow users to easily put sales tasks and pipeline stages on autopilot, regardless of technical skill.
Salesforce: Best for Business Health Reporting
Pros
- Customizable reports and dashboards show real-time views of business health.
- It has integrated tools for sales, email outreach, customer service, and commerce in one platform.
- It can create a payment portal and direct payment links for opportunities to boost sales productivity.
Cons
- It has no free plan, only a 30-day free trial; there is a huge price jump from Starter Suite ($25 per user monthly) to Pro Suite ($100 per user monthly).
- Forecast and quote management tools are locked in with Pro Suite plan ($100 per user monthly).
- It has a sharp learning curve because of its robust and advanced features.
- You need a CRM to track your business health: Salesforce is known for its robust and advanced out-of-the-box reporting and analytics features. Across all plans, you can access prebuilt and customizable reports and dashboards to get a real-time view of your business health. These reports allow you to monitor key success metrics, such as opportunities won, sales performance, top accounts, and revenue pipeline.
- You want an AI-powered CRM for managing deals: With Salesforce, you get smart suggestions and next-best recommendations to help you move deals along the pipeline faster. Plus, you can create a payment portal and send embedded payment links for deals in your CRM. Salesforce also has AI-powered features like automated lead qualification, lead and deal scoring, and Einstein forecasting.
- You want a free or low-cost CRM for operations: While Salesforce offers a 30-day free trial, it does not have a freemium option. In addition, there is a huge price jump from the Starter Suite ($25 per user monthly) to the Pro Suite ($100 per user monthly).
- Alternative: Bitrix24 offers free and cost-scalable plan options for small businesses. Paid plans start at $43 per month for five users. Pipedrive is another excellent option because it has scalable plans with a low starting price (Essential plan at $14 per user monthly).
- You’re seeking more affordable tools for forecast and quote management: Salesforce’s sales forecast and quote management features come at a steep price of $100 per user monthly with its Pro Suite plan. This could be too expensive for small businesses with limited resources for CRM software.
- Alternatives: Zoho CRM’s Standard plan ($14 per user monthly) includes sales forecasting tools. Its Professional plan ($23 per user monthly) has an inventory module with quote generation tools. HubSpot CRM, on the other hand, lets you create and send quotes using its freemium plan.
Salesforce Sales Cloud Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown of the Sales Cloud plans for SMBs. Monthly billing for the Starter Suite is available for a higher cost. It comes with a 30-day free trial. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Salesforce facilitates sales and revenue tracking across the entire business operation. (Source: Salesforce Admins)
Our Expert Opinion
Salesforce’s ready-to-use, customizable reports and dashboards provide an accurate view of your business health in real time. AI-powered insights help you zero in on where your business is struggling so that you can take action to help you achieve your revenue goals. More than just a sales CRM, it offers marketing, service, and commerce tools on one platform to create a more seamless experience for your customers.
Copper CRM: Best Operational CRM Software for Affordable Productivity Tools
Pros
- Users can access the CRM in their productivity tools like Gmail or Google Calendar for only $9 per user monthly.
- It has a solid set of team collaboration tools like file sharing, user comments and mentions, and task assignments.
- It has a highly intuitive interface similar to Google apps.
Cons
- It has no free plan, only a 14-day free trial.
- There is a tier-based limit on contacts and custom fields.
- Mass email feature is not available until the Professional plan ($59 per user monthly).
- You want to use affordable productivity tools: Copper CRM is a Google CRM system designed to look like and integrate with Google apps. As a productivity hack, users can access the Chrome extension and put the CRM directly in their Gmail or Google Calendar interface—often the most commonly used apps for sales reps. From there, you can add or update records, manage tasks, and find files in one system.
- You need a simple team collaboration tool: Copper CRM is a highly intuitive CRM that looks and feels like a Google app. It also comes with a great set of team collaboration features. Users can mention one another in CRM records, assign tasks, share files, and log activity, allowing sales teams to coordinate on opportunities and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
- You need a lot of custom data fields: A key operational challenge with Copper CRM is that you only get up to 10 different customizable data fields on the Basic plan. Unlimited custom fields require the Professional plan for $59 per user monthly.
- Alternative: Bitrix24 offers free custom data fields with no limits on the number of unique, tailored fields.
- You want free access to mass emailing capabilities: Copper CRM’s mass emailing features do not come in until the Professional plan ($59 per user monthly), a relatively high cost compared with other options.
- Alternative: HubSpot CRM offers free-forever plans that include bulk emailing capabilities and email templates.
Copper CRM Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Copper CRM Chrome extension lets sales reps manage CRM records in Gmail or Google Calendar to boost productivity. (Source: Copper)
Our Expert Opinion
Copper CRM can optimize productivity thanks primarily to its unique Google Chrome extension. Because sales reps do most of their work through an email or calendar app, it would be ideal for them to be able to view and manage their CRM records from those systems. Copper’s extension gives you full CRM accessibility within Gmail and Google Calendar to stay organized and maintain work centralization.
How We Evaluated the Best Operational CRM Platforms
To determine the best operational CRM, we evaluated the essential features for managing a day-to-day sales team and improving its efficiency. These features cover forecasting, internal communication, and task automation. General CRM features were also considered when choosing the top CRMs for this list. We also looked at other critical product attributes, including price and user experience, in terms of product usability and solid customer support.
25% of Overall Score
We first looked at features vital to any CRM system, regardless of industry, company size, or whether it’s primarily used for operations management. For example, a mobile app lets teams work on the go, while a range of third-party integrations allow teams to connect with their favorite outside apps. We also looked at system customization and the sophistication of reporting and analytics tools.
20% of Overall Score
We evaluated niche features specific to operations management and rep productivity. Extensive workflow automation, for instance, lets you put repetitive and mundane activities on autopilot. We also looked at task management and internal communication features in each operational CRM example to help stay efficient and collaborate with team members. Finally, we evaluated features that can help scale a sales operation, such as forecasting and pipeline analysis tools.
20% of Overall Score
This criterion looked at the all-around affordability of each CRM and its operational features. Pricing considered the total costs of each paid subscription and whether there was a freemium option or free trial for users. We also evaluated billing flexibility, such as offering annual options to save on costs.
20% of Overall Score
Extensive support enables the best possible user outcomes while using these CRM systems. We wanted the providers to be available either during extended business hours or on a 24/7 basis. We also considered the range of support channel options like phone, email, live chat, and self-service resources, including a knowledge base and community forum in operational CRM systems.
15% of Overall Score
In addition to first-hand experience with these operational CRM systems, we wanted to consider real user opinions by evaluating online reviews. This lets us gauge how users felt about the features, perceived value for the price paid, and product usability while setting up, operating, and navigating the CRM system. We also searched general user sentiment regarding its learning curve and ease of setup. In addition, we considered its plan options to see if it was easily scalable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
An operational CRM system is a sales software with features for improving productivity, organization, scalability, and efficiency. It automates workflows to put specific tasks on autopilot and track tasks. A CRM for operations provides internal communication tools for collaboration and capacity planning capabilities, such as sales and revenue forecasting for strategic decision-making.
An operational CRM is one of three types. Collaborative CRM systems align departments, such as sales, support, and marketing teams, by sharing data resources and coordinating activity. Analytical CRMs prioritize finding insights and trends in customer data, pipeline activity, and the sales funnel to help improve operations and product offerings.
Choose operational CRM software to streamline and automate your day-to-day customer interactions and sales activities, reducing repetitive tasks. This tool can also help you launch email marketing campaigns and advertising initiatives quickly. Synchronize your data by integrating your CRM with other business apps you use to improve your operations further.
An operational CRM system automates sales, marketing, and customer service processes. Create workflows, such as rules for lead capturing, based on your operation’s needs. On the other hand, analytical CRMs provide deeper insights into customer behavior for strategic decision-making.
Bottom Line
Operational CRMs boost the efficiency and productivity of sales teams by providing tools for effective data management, automation, forecasting, and collaboration. Improve your day-to-day business operations by choosing the best operational CRM depending on your budget, feature priorities, and interface requirements. For example, monday CRM is great for ease of use, while Pipedrive can automate your sales activities. Zoho CRM, however, ranks the highest for its free lead management tools.