Sales management tools are applications, programs, or software that provide business owners, managers, and supervisors tools such as reporting and dashboards to help them visualize team performance and identify areas for improvement. We reviewed dozens of applications and arranged this list of the 15 best sales management tools for helping sales team leaders be most effective.
Top 15 Sales Management Tools 2020
Sales Management Tools | Best For |
|---|---|
Businesses wanting a visual tool to help managers and reps quickly determine deal status | |
Teams needing a lead management platform that supports web-based calling and scripting | |
People wanting an analytics-focused tool that inspects pipeline health and tracks sales goals | |
Sales leaders looking to create an online knowledgebase to supplement team performance | |
Managers wanting gamification software to create custom games and contests that motivate reps | |
Sales teams that want to showcase leaderboards on TVs for large group visibility | |
Organizations wanting a sales management platform with team management and rep performance dashboards | |
Sales managers who want to provide reps with verified contact lists for prospecting | |
Businesses looking to supplement Salesforce with mobile access to pipelines and reports | |
Sales managers needing a multipurpose tool for training and communicating with reps | |
Teams wanting a web platform for managing and reporting on document and email engagements | |
Sales teams looking to improve forecasting by empowering reps with inventory management tools | |
Businesses requiring a customer relationship management (CRM) solution with activity, forecasting, and trendline reports | |
Sales teams looking to sync contact records with dashboards for easy deal monitoring | |
Organizations wanting a phone line solution that supports simultaneous call handling and reporting |
How We Evaluated the Best Sales Management Tools
Sales managers are tasked with hiring and onboarding new hires, motivating reps, and identifying opportunities for coaching. To accomplish these tasks, they often look to consolidate information that feeds reporting and helps them make informed decisions regarding direct reports. Customer relationship management (CRM) tools, data analytics platforms, and other software can help manage and automate some of these sales management responsibilities.
Therefore, we evaluated the featured sales manager tools based on the following criteria:
- Price
- Customization
- Ease of use
- Mobile apps
- Reporting and analytics
- Customer support
1. Pipedrive
What it costs: $12.50 to $49.90 per user, per month, billed annually
What it does: Web-based CRM software that visualizes sales processes so the information you need is easy to find quickly
Pipedrive revenue forecast dashboard
Pipedrive is a CRM designed to provide users with a simple visual experience with Kanban-style boards that are easy to navigate. It also lets you create reports based on future expected commissions to be earned. All Pipedrive plans include sales and activity reports and a revenue forecast view, helping managers stay current on team efforts, goal attainment, and pipeline health.
Pipedrive supports live dashboards that display updated metrics in real-time and offer workflows that allow managers to automatically assign new leads and tasks, saving valuable time. To read in-depth user reviews about Pipedrive, visit our Pipedrive reviews page.
2. VanillaSoft
What it costs: $80 per user, per month with a discount available with annual contracts
What it does: Simplifies sales calls with dynamic call scripts
VanillaSoft scripting example
VanillaSoft is a sales management software that provides sales managers tools for coaching reps through phone calls with prospects and customers. The Sales Engagement plan from VanillaSoft allows teams to create custom scripts for reps to follow during calls. The scripts can provide information or address objections based on customer responses and suggest preapproved responses.
In addition to smart scripting, VanillaSoft’s CRM platform offers lead routing and management, a real-time activities dashboard, and customized reporting for $80 per user, per month. Add-on services are available, including a web-based dialer and call recording, each offered at a monthly price of $30 per user. Two-way telephony is also an option for $33 per user, per month, as is caller ID for just $2 per area code, per month.
3. Clari
What it costs: Custom pricing available upon request
What it does: Provides granular reporting on pipeline health and sales forecasts
Clari sales forecast
Clari is a revenue operations management software that includes sales goals tracker capabilities, making it easy for sales managers to keep up with how well sales activities are producing results. You can create reports that include deal flow analytics that help you see where deals get stuck or lost in the pipeline. This helps managers shift the team focus onto specific deal stages so nothing falls through the cracks.
Clari does not publish pricing on its website. Sales teams that are interested in learning more or obtaining detailed pricing should contact Clari’s sales teams via its website.
4. Guru
What it costs: Basic free plan for 10 users or less; paid plans range from $14 to $24 per user, per month, billed annually
What it does: Helps teams consolidate team training materials and resources into one easy-to-use knowledge base
Guru card pop-out on Zendesk browser tab
Guru is an online platform that supports the creation of internal, employee-facing knowledge bases. Sales managers can use it to centralize the storage of documents for future access by sales reps, including customer collateral, sales enablement materials, and performance standards. Sales reps can access their most-used resources, and sales managers gain access to analytics on how often the content is accessed and by whom.
Guru’s Essential plan includes an integration with Slack and starts at $14 per user, per month, while the Team plan is $24 per user, per month and includes API access. There is an Enterprise option that is custom-priced, includes a dedicated success manager to assist with setup, and priority customer support for assistance with technical issues, should they arise.
5. Ambition
What it costs: Contact the sales team for a custom quote
What it does: Allows sales managers to create engaging sales contests and games that incentivize sales reps
Ambition team contests interface
Ambition is a sales gamification tool that allows you to create custom sales contests and games. Sales managers can organize head-to-head match-ups, team competitions, and individual contests based on one or more metrics that can be weighted. Real-time insights are also available so that reps can know where they stand in relation to teammates and what to do in order to remain competitive.
Pricing is dependent on what types of features you want. Examples of features that affect pricing include scorecards, the number of metrics you want to measure, alerts, and coaching insights. Custom pricing for plans is available during a free demo or by calling customer support.
6. Geckoboard
What it costs: From $31 to $479 per month, billed annually
What it does: Offers small business sales teams affordable and customizable leaderboards on a large-screen display
Geckoboard metrics dashboard
Geckoboard is a tool for building sales dashboards that you can share on a large-screen display for your team. This is ideal for sales managers looking to exhibit leaderboards with customized widgets that can show the top appointment setters, callers, and quota-makers within a given time frame. Not only does this recognize top performers, but it also motivates reps who have room for improvement and keeps entire teams up to date on team performance.
Geckoboard’s introductory plan offers two dashboards on a single television for $31 per month. The second tier supports five dashboards on unlimited TVs for $127 per month, while the third supports 10 dashboards on unlimited TVs for $199 per month. Finally, the fourth tier supports unlimited dashboards on unlimited TVs. To learn more about Geckoboard or to start a free trial, visit their website.
7. HubSpot Sales Hub Professional
What it costs: $400 per month for five users; $1,200 per month for 10 users, billed annually
What it does: Provides snapshots of team and agent productivity in real-time
HubSpot Sales Hub team meetings report
Sales Hub Professional is the advanced sales management option from HubSpot. The cloud-hosted software supports team management, allowing sales managers to organize reps by teams. Rep performance dashboards quantify activities such as meetings, calls, emails, deals, and tasks by rep and in real-time or within specific date ranges. Data can then be exported and used as talking points during one-on-one coaching or performance reviews.
Sales managers who do not need team management, individual rep dashboards, or workflow automation still find value in HubSpot’s free CRM plan that includes access to a reporting dashboard, tracking of sales activities, and live chat features. The free plan also supports account, contact, lead, and deal management for an unlimited number of users, making it a solid choice for small business sales teams.
8. UpLead
What it costs: Ranges from $99 to $399 monthly, billed monthly, with a 25% discount for annual billing
What it does: Searchable database of verified contacts and leads
UpLead user interface
UpLead is a data provider that specializes in supplying sales organizations with leads, including names, titles, and email addresses professionally verified by their service. Teams looking to enable sales reps with quality call lists can export new contacts as spreadsheets or to a CRM database. This allows sales managers to create structured call plans based on current information, increasing the likelihood that reps will make contact and uncover new opportunities.
UpLead free trial users receive five credits, and each credit can be exchanged for a single new contact. The introductory plan is $99 per month and includes 200 monthly credits, and the second-tier plan is $199 per month with 500 credits. The third-tier package offers 1,500 credits and supports unlimited users at a per-month price of $399. Additional credits are 50 cents to 30 cents, depending on your plan.
9. Salesforce Sales Analytics
What it costs: From $75 per user, per month
What it does: Provides real-time data on pipeline health and sales performance in the form of graphics via a mobile app
Salesforce Sales Analytics deal monitoring
Salesforce Sales Analytics is a mobile app that supplements Salesforce CRM data with dynamic graphics on a mobile dashboard, keeping executives, managers, and reps up to date on recently won deals. The app also includes pipeline performance analytics, allowing sales leaders to compare pipeline health and revenue with previous years or within specific time frames, helping them better identify and attribute spikes or lulls in business.
Salesforce Sales Analytics is available with Salesforce CRM as Enterprise and Unlimited plan add-ons. Salesforce Enterprise is $150 per user, per month, and the Unlimited plan is $300 per user, per month. Because the analytics app costs an additional $75 per user, per month, it is a better fit for large teams with needs around partner management and workflow automation.
10. Monday.com
What it costs: Pricing is based on the number of users for each plan: for five users, plans range from $39 to $79 per month, billed annually; for 10 users, plans range from $79 to $159 per month, billed annually; prices go up accordingly per five to 10 additional users, and they also offer an 18% discount for annual billing
What it does: Simplifies team communication within one central platform
Monday.com team performance dashboard
Monday.com is a web-based platform that allows managers to assign tasks, facilitate collaboration, and monitor team performance in addition to lead, contact, and deal management. Managers can also create custom task lists in the form of a checklist with due dates to keep everyone on track.
Managers using Monday.com can also design knowledge bases with email templates, phone scripts, and product notes. They can share them, as well as files and attachments, with individuals or groups via direct messaging.
11. SalesHandy
What it costs: Ranges from free to $40 per user, per month, billed annually
What it does: Offers sales leaders data on the performance of shared content, including emails
SalesHandy document tracking interface
SalesHandy is a small, business-friendly tool for tracking engagement with documents such as proposals or other client communications. It allows you to measure shares in terms of the number of views, average view length, and total visit length. Furthermore, sales managers can use these findings to point out which documents sales reps should use to stimulate more interest from potential buyers.
SalesHandy offers a free-forever plan that includes email tracking and a cost-friendly introductory plan that includes document tracking for $7 per user, per month. The middle tier is $16 per user, per month and comes with a mail merge feature, while the highest tier supports larger content-sharing campaigns for $40 per user, per month.
12. Zoho CRM
What it costs: Ranges from free to $55 per user, per month; a 20% discount is offered with annual billing
What it does: Provides a CRM with tools for forecasting and inventory management
Zoho CRM price books interface
Zoho CRM is a pipeline management tool that helps sales managers and their teams provide more accurate sales forecasting. Sales managers can use product price books to ensure deals and price quotes reflect accurate revenue totals based on the products in consideration for purchase and their associated costs. They also ensure that pipelines and revenue forecasts are accurate, leading to better inventory management and resource planning.
Product price books and quotes are included with the Professional plan for a monthly price of $20 per user. However, less feature-inclusive plans, like Zoho’s free-forever plan for three users, or Starter plan, costing $12 per user, are also available. In addition, there is a whole suite of additional Zoho-branded tools like Desk and Workplace for more seamless and centralized office productivity. Learn more about what users think by visiting our Zoho CRM reviews page.
13. Freshworks CRM
What it costs: From free to $79 per user, per month
What it does: A CRM that includes reporting on the effectiveness of sales activities, forecasting, and trends
Freshworks CRM customer insights dashboard
Since we last updated:
Freshworks CRM, formerly Freshsales, recently rebranded with a new name, new service plans, and access to Freshmarketer automation software. Forever-free plans are still available and include mobile apps, 24×5 support, live chat, and more.
Freshworks CRM is a web-based CRM that automates sales tracking by reporting on activities, sales velocity, and business trends as part of its Garden plan. That plan is $25 per user, per month and provides sales managers and executives with the information they need to allocate order fulfillment resources, spot obstacles to the sales process, and make decisions regarding future sales initiatives.
Freshworks CRM’s free-forever plan gives sales teams access to web-based calling and account, contact, and deal management. Additional plans range from $12 to $79 per user, per month and offer lead assignment, team management, sales forecasting tools, and workflow automation. To learn more about what users think, visit our Freshworks CRM reviews page.
14. Keap
What it costs: $0 for your first month on all plans, after which plans range from $79 to $199 for one user; expert coaching is available for a one-time payment of $99 to $999, depending on your plan
What it does: A CRM that allows teams to sync contact records with dashboards for real-time updates
Keap dashboard
Keap (formerly known as InfusionSoft) is a CRM that allows users to sync pipeline activities with contact records which then feed the customer life cycle dashboard. This allows sales manager-users to see where each contact is in the sales process from a single page. Keap also supports customer relationship management and detailed reporting dashboards that track recent activities, appointments, and tasks, providing managers with real-time insights. Keap offers three packages that support one user and 500 contacts.
15. Nextiva
What it costs: Ranging from $21.95 to $65.95 per user, per month with a prepaid 36-month agreement for five to 19 users. Pricing goes down as you add more users.
What it does: Provides a virtual phone service to sales teams that want call recording and reporting functionality
Nextiva administrator dashboard
Nextiva is a virtual phone service provider that supports the recording of both incoming and outgoing calls, allowing sales managers to play calls back and pinpoint opportunities for coaching or training. Call analytics are also available, providing data on missed calls and comparing call volumes at different times. Not only does this help managers identify peak call times, but it also helps them determine staffing needs.
Nextiva gives sales teams the same tools as many traditional business phone systems, such as call routing, voicemail, and fax. It features a customizable auto-attendant that prompts callers to respond with choices that will route them to the appropriate representative, play hold music, a dial-by-name directory, voicemail transcription, and business texting. Learn more on our Nextiva reviews page.
Bottom Line
Sales management tools help small businesses track their sales activities, measure performance, monitor pipeline health, forecast future revenue, and track trends that affect the development of new sales. They can help sales teams communicate and foster transparency to promote a positive customer experience and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
The heart of every good sales management plan is an excellent CRM for developing customer relationships. For example, Pipedrive is an online CRM that provides a visual experience to help sales managers and sales reps alike manage deals and pipelines, encourages transparency, and fosters robust communication. Visit Pipedrive’s website to start a free trial today.
