Blog

In Latin America and Spain, 27% of the largest organizations use a professional CRM, compared to 44% of medium-sized companies and only 23% of smaller businesses . A CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) is probably one of the most valuable tools that any SME can implement to grow stronger and optimize the management and treatment of its leads.

Therefore, in this article we will talk to you about the benefits of using a CRM as an SME, we will recommend the best alternatives on the market and we will tell you how they help you boost your SME. We will also present you some success stories from those who already use HubSpot’s CRM.

Benefits of using a CRM as an SME

As you well know, in the world of sales you have to be aware of many activities at the same time (calls, meetings, emails, up-selling, cross-selling, follow-up, customer prioritization and negotiation evolution, etc.) and, sometimes, it can be quite complex to carry out all these actions without losing sight of quality.

There are many benefits that are obtained by implementing a CRM platform in a sales strategy. Below we mention the most important ones.

1. Organize your database

When a company begins to grow considerably, one of the first changes it identifies is the increase in its database. This growth makes it increasingly complex to clearly determine sales processes and track leads. On many occasions, companies lose contacts for not following up appropriately and for not offering the necessary information at the right time.

With a CRM platform you will be able to have a broader control of your databases, since you will be able to organize them and obtain a clearer picture of the process that each contact takes.

2. Customize your contact list

A CRM platform not only allows you to organize your database according to the status of each contact, but you can also customize each of your lists in detail. This way you can apply some filters according to different criteria such as: the company in which each contact works, their position, the description of the organization, etc.

You can create all the necessary labels for the filters and thus facilitate the entire process of following up and contacting your leads. In this way you will be able to manage all sales and customer relationship processes in a simpler way.

3. Contact your prospects on time

One of the most frequent and damaging mistakes within the entire customer relationship management process is the loss of qualified contacts. Just because you have a name, phone number, and email address doesn’t mean you’ve completed the task. In fact, this is not even half the job.

To make the most of your leads, a CRM platform, in addition to keeping records such as recording phone calls or emails sent, includes telephone and email services integrated within the same tool. This way you will have all the information in the right place to interact with your leads at the right time.

4. Optimize your mailing strategies

A good CRM will allow you to contact your leads immediately, within the same platform. It will also provide you with the necessary information so that you can understand when your leads want to hear from you and thus optimize your email campaigns and strategies.

5. Analyze the behaviors of your leads

Another benefit of a CRM for SMEs is that it helps you constantly analyze the behavior of your leads, since as they progress through their purchasing journey they begin to bond more closely with your company and slightly modify their behavior.

In this sense, having the ability to identify these changes is possible thanks to a CRM that helps you know your users in greater depth and thus be able to better adapt your strategy to their new behaviors.

6. Check other databases to get more leads

If your conversion rate has not been as expected, or if you are interested in generating more leads (in addition to those you obtain through your conversion processes, some of the CRM platforms (such as HubSpot) will allow you to see some databases from different companies so you can learn more about qualified leads that fit your industry and the services your company offers.

Before purchasing a system of this type, you must think that not all CRMs have the same functionalities and, therefore, not all of them can offer the same growth possibilities for your company. Therefore, below we will mention some of the best CRMs for SMEs, their costs and main features so that you can choose the one that best suits you to make the most of these platforms within your sales strategy.

1. HubSpot

Price: HubSpot offers a completely free CRM platform that you can start using right now.

HubSpot’s CRM is aimed at SMEs. It has the tools for your entire team and is very easy to use. It contains live chat, meeting scheduling, email templates and helps you track emails and notifications. In addition, it is very useful when creating reports.

Its free version allows you to manage up to one million contacts, as well as count an unlimited number of users and data and up to one million contacts regardless of the size of your team.

HubSpot’s CRM includes tools to help you organize, monitor, and follow up on lead relationships across any channel. It is very easy for sales management and Inbound Marketing.

Characteristics

• Available in Spanish
• Sending free emails
• Creating workflows
• Automated reports
• Report Dashboards
• User-facing feature environment
• Sales pipeline management

2.Onpipeline

Image from Onpipeline

Price: It has basic, standard and advanced plans that range between 12 and 49 USD per month.

This CRM helps you manage contacts easily and manage leads effectively. Its interface is easy to use and users can belong to one or more teams. This will allow you to have more complete visibility of all stages of your strategy and better recognize opportunities for your company.

Characteristics

• Available in Spanish
• 30 day trial version
• Sales pipeline generation
• Budget and invoice management
• Web Form Builder

3. Salesforce

Salesforce Image

Price: from 25 to 300 USD per month.

Includes an app for each phase of the customer journey (from first contact to loyalty).

Characteristics

• Available in Spanish
• 30 day trial version
• Process management
• Contact tracking
• Report generation

We know that the choice of CRM platform depends on whether it brings together the greatest concentration of information possible. For this reason, we have designed this comparative study between Salesforce and HubSpot, designed especially so that you have the information that allows you to choose the best option.

4. Salesup

Image from Salesup

Price: from 15 to 39 USD per month.

You can integrate your Facebook account and receive contacts directly in your CRM; Also send personalized messages to your WhatsApp clients and record follow-up thanks to its integration.

Characteristics

• Available in Spanish
• Free trial version
• API integration with other developers
• Email templates
• Preparation of marketing campaigns

5. Zoho

Zoho Image

Price: between 10 and 20 USD per month

With Zoho you can automate the sales force and create optimized workflows that will help you streamline all your processes. Perform lead management and workflow automation, thanks to the addition of extensions and integrations through Zoho Marketplace (where you can search for categories such as finance, sales, productivity, among others).

Characteristics

• Available in Spanish
• Process analysis by touch point
• Process automation
• AI assistance

In this regard, you can check our comparison study between Zoho and HubSpot platforms to help you make the best decision.

6.Insightly

Image from  Insightly

Price: between 29 and 99 USD per month

Insightly is a CRM platform that can be useful in your work of managing customer information.In addition, you will have all the advantages that this type of platforms offer their clients. For example, mass emailing and workflow automation.

Characteristics

• Available in English
• Trial version available for a limited time
• Contact information management
• Metric Tracking

If you want more information about the features of Insightly, we invite you to consult this comparative study with HubSpot’s CRM , which will help you make the best decision for your business.

How to boost your SME with a CRM?

Having a CRM platform helps you properly manage clients and prospects; However, any system acquires greater value when all the information it needs is administered, in a timely manner. Below we give you 5 tips that will help you boost your SME with a CRM.

1. Make it as simple as possible

The biggest mistake most SMBs make is trying to implement overly complicated CRMs for their employees. Choosing based on the number of features will force your agents to research and learn a lot of information that will throw them off their routines. Any efficient CRM system only needs to have basic information on prospects, follow-up, reminders, dates and actions to assign. Prioritize these elements and the simplicity of the interface and you will see that you will have good results.

If a CRM is not complementary to what is already being used, it will not work. If data cannot be easily imported to and from the CRM, then no one will want to use it and therefore it will have very little impact. Choose systems that have good integrations and you will see that the effect of your tools will be enhanced quickly.

3. Offer constant training

Any technological tool must have as a priority allowing employees to perform their jobs with greater productivity and profitability. This is why it is vital to identify people considered «super users» (due to their easy adaptation and speed in using new technologies) and turn them into internal trainers of the system in your company. Don’t forget to give rewards to salespeople who use the CRM platform most effectively.

4. Make CRM the norm

Every company needs to treat its CRM as a historical file of information about activities, since no one will be able to measure anything or take credit from a new client if it is not registered. That is why each executive must set an example and always use it; Otherwise, you will lose valuable information about your commercial activity.

5. Improve the decision-making process

A CRM will provide you with the greatest number of reports in real time. In just two minutes you should obtain crucial information about sellers’ achievements over the past week, the leads most likely to convert this month, the possibility of reaching the sales goal for the quarter, etc.

6. Get personalized reports

Once you have integrated a CRM into your organization, you will be able to enjoy the advantages that this platform has for you. The vast majority of them offer the possibility of monitoring your results and even generating automated reports, as is the case with HubSpot’s CRM.

Thanks to this functionality you will be able to know the impact of the actions in your marketing campaigns and the monitoring of each lead, so you can decide what changes to apply to your campaign based on measurable and verifiable results.

HubSpot CRM Success Stories

Our customers’ experience provides a better insight into the use of HubSpot CRM in SMEs. Therefore we share the following testimonies with you:

1. Bisa Insurance

BISA Seguros y Reaseguros was born in Bolivia in 1991 and since then it has managed to remain in the market, adding more than 30 years of operation. It has focused on meeting the well-being, security and tranquility needs of its collaborators, suppliers and policyholders. It offers a broad insurance scheme for health, transportation, home, among others. The organization has around 370 collaborators and 150 agents distributed in eight branches.

2. Launchmetrics

Launchmetrics is a global technology and data company, whose platform has become the Brand Performance Cloud for fashion, luxury and beauty brands. It offers software and services to help marketing and communications teams in these sectors. Under the B2B model, it has more than a decade of experience with more than 1,200 clients around the world, such as Dior, Fendi, Shiseido and Net-a-Porter, among others. Launchmetrics was founded in New York and is headquartered in Paris. It currently has a presence in markets such as: the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain and China.

3. Nubox

Nubox was created in Chile in 2001 and since then it has become one of the most prominent references in the area of ​​software as a service (SaaS) in the Latin American region. Its area of ​​action is focused on the generation of solutions from the digital cloud, with applications aimed at developing better interaction for the generation of payroll, billing and accounting in companies in the region.

Now that you know all the basics about CRM for SMEs, you can choose the one that best suits the needs and objectives of your company. Start boosting the growth of your company right now!