6 Alternatives to Salesforce: Finding Your Perfect CRM

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a software that helps businesses of all sizes significantly increase their productivity and stay up to date with their customer data. It allows for the accurate management and prediction of sales and gives insight into customer relationships which in turn helps to improve Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). Storage and tracking of customer details and history all may be found within one space, significantly reducing paperwork, hassle, and time-wasting. A communication system among employees facilitates the sharing of information and documents in real time, increasing the efficiency and speed at which tasks may be completed.

Last year, overall CRM usage was found to have increased from 56% to 74% and the percentage of businesses using cloud-based CRMs is now 87%, compared to a mere 12% in 2008! (source: SuperOffice)
In our increasingly modern world, cloud-based CRMs are the direction in which all businesses are going, and for good reason. If you are a business who does not yet use a CRM, now is the time to get on board. With new cloud-based systems, it is now possible to sync any device, as well as mobile phones (most CRMs now have an App available). Employees now have everything they need (quite literally at their fingertips) and may work from any location!

Salesforce is the world's most known and used CRM tool; however, your choices are not limited to one single product. We present you more information on alternative CRM software in this comparaison.

Salesforce Sales Cloud is the world’s #1 CRM application which has come to exemplify SaaS (Software as a Service). Automatic updates, its community input, and customer relationship efforts, plus its exemplary online training support and assistance mean no additional software and hardware systems need to be purchased.

However, the oversimplified user interface can be a hindrance to more experienced users, and the customization toolkit cumbersome to use. If business intelligence, like predictive analytics, is what you need, we suggest looking elsewhere. 
Our biggest qualms are the lack of a Service Level Agreement in the standard contract and the fact that it doesn’t support public Clouds. This limits hosting options and portability as well as greatly increasing exit costs.

Teamleader offers standalone sales automation, a help desk, an online self-service tool, and live chat. Customizable to suit various business types. Accessible via both desktops and mobile devices through a mobile app. Organize your sales contacts, analyze the pipeline and store documents through a unified database.

A calendar lets you set appointments and follow-up reminders. Make use of project management, ticketing, and employee performance-reporting features. Teamleader integrates with Google and Office 365, amongst others. This CRM is perfect for coordinating your team and making your business thrive.

Main pros:

• Easy to implement and use
• Customizable
• Free support
• Accessible via various platforms
• Unified database

Main cons:

• Perhaps not appropriate for freelancers (starting price is for 2 users)

Price: €25/month for 2 users, $10/month for each additional user

Zoho includes vital features for automating across sales, marketing, and customer service. Time-saving tools for creating workflows and assignment rules are included. Report tools help you visualize progress. Inventory management tools and social media make it a well-rounded CRM software. Many integrations are available, such as Google Suite, Slack, Outlook, social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and more.​​​​​​

Main pros:

• Time-efficient
• Visual reports
• Affordable
• Inventory management tools
• Strong social media functions

Main cons:

• Limited third-party integration

Price: $0 - 20/month per user

A simple user interface perfect for small business owners. noCRM is straight-forward and affordable without business jargon or too much data. This tool is all about prospects, follow-ups, to-do lists and calendars – forget complex business reports. It is refreshingly hassle-free and focused on selling.

Main pros:

• Straightforward perspective
• A simple and intuitive user interface
• Admin panel easy to set up and control
• Various creation tools, e.g. a business card system
• Affordable and adaptable pricing

Main cons:

• Weak in terms of business reports
• Lack of security layers
• Indirect contact upload from spreadsheet 

Price: $19/month + $7 for each additional user.

A pipeline view allows users to easily see the status of business opportunities. Simple visual indicators and drag-and-drop functions make tracking developments easy. The task manager and email reminders keep everyone on the same page.

Sellsy is great for fostering communication and teamwork; shared agendas, file management, discussion walls, and live chat are all included. With an interface that is easy to master, you may begin using it immediately.

Main pros:

• CRM pipeline views
• Intuitive interface
• Mobile apps: use it anytime, anywhere
• Task management and time tracking
• Helpdesk
• Inventory and purchases management
• Connected cash register system and invoicing

Main cons:

• Only available in English and French
• Not always appropriate for freelancers (starting price is for up to 5 users)
• Additional tools require separate payment

Price: $50/month for up to 5 users.

Great if you are looking for a minimalist interface. As the name suggests, its primary function is to offer a visual pipeline for deals. You can use the standard sales pipeline, easily customize it or create a new one. Customizable Web Forms facilitate getting web-based leads into the CRM. An icon next to each deal in your pipeline signals whether any of them require attention.

Emails are synced with Pipedrive for added simplicity, and a Statistics tab gives you an overview of your deals. Pipedrive integrates with third-party productivity tools such as Google apps and MailChimp, which you will probably need to use.

Main pros:

• Simple, intuitive interface.
• Useful guidance.
• Simple setup.
• Reliable mobile apps.

Main cons:

• Somewhat limited functionality for the price

Price: $15/month per user

It boasts powerful, real-time sales analytics with attractive graphs. Sell (which has recently undergone a name change, previously ‘Base’) can also track phone conversations and save them to client contact cards for future reference. Tool-tips pop up when you mouse over icons, and instruction videos are available as a guide. Its design is simple and to the point. Sell offers many add-on functions but is limited in regards to third-party integration.

Main pros:

• Great for mobile working, with the App that is available
• Easy to set up and use
• Great sales analytics
• Helpful instructions
• Multiple security layers
• Simple user interface

Main cons:

• Limited third-party integration
• Limited customisability

Prices start at $49/month per user

Increase your sales force productivity and close deals faster with SocialJsCRM. All the information you need about your clients and leads are centralized in a single tool online. Your lead management and scoring are significantly enhanced, as you perform a better customer follow-up.

• The collaborative tool helps reduce the sales cycle
• Automated tasks and agile management integrated with the software 
• User-friendly interface - see the information straight away  
• Monitor your sales on a daily basis.

$25/month per user

While Salesforce is still the dominant CRM, there are multiple other options to choose from - one size does not fit all in a diversifying market. If you’re a freelancer, you might want to keep costs down and focus primarily on selling.

Or, you might be an SME and want a CRM geared towards improving teamwork. Perhaps what you really value is mobility and flexibility, or a CRM which is highly customizable to suit your needs to a T. Whatever the case, you have a good selection in front of you.