Best CRM/database for SME?

[Sausage76]

Hello

I am looking for recommendations of cheap CRM/databases? I have a number of contacts and they need to go somewhere better than excel. I am thinking online, fairly easy to customise fields and good sales tracking.

Somebody mentioned Filemaker, and I know that if you move to MicroSoft Pro you get a database.

Any others?

Cheers
WS

 

[mountrecruitment]

Depends how complex a product you are looking for. Zoho is pretty good and free or if you prefer microsoft you can get hosted dynamics crm at a reasonable price these days.

Take a look at http://www.sharepointinitiative.com/sharepoint/hosted-dynamics-crm

 

[Yiuwin Tsang]

we use MS dynamics CRM over here at Sift - it's really good and integrates well with Outlook (as you'd expect!). In previous lives I've used Salesforce.com which again was very good and I think a bit lower cost...

 

[haywarddavid]

I used to work for FileMaker; it's a very diverse and versatile product and would make an excellent platform to develop a CRM Application that could be hosted online and integrate with office etc. However the drawback is exactly that, FileMaker itself isn’t going to work as a CRM out of the box, you’d need to develop it (or get a developer or try to find an off the shelf product which suits).

I’m with Yiuwin in backing SalesForce.com. It’s fully online, robust relational database which is easily customisable (with no programming skills), scalable and most importantly excellent at tracking sales and forecasting.

If you are needing something completely bespoke and therefore would like to explore FileMaker then I’d be happy to put you in touch with a Developer but it sounds like SFDC could be for you.

 

[Phil Richardson]

Isn't there a free contact management system which comes with Outlook, it's only a single user but you can add notes and set call backs etc.

If you do want a CRM system we use Microsoft Dynamics CRM which is good and the hosted solution is quite cheap. Sugar CRM is one I have never used but gets good results. Google open source CRM and see what comes up.

 

[wecandobiz]

We have a CRM system available to members of our site and it's aimed at SMEs.

You can see some videos showing what it (and the site in general) offers here.

Upgrade to a Pro for £60 for the year to get access to the simple version of the CRM.

If you want integrated email, SMS and survey marketing plus powerful reporting then it's £18 a month extra.

If you sign up give me a nudge via PM with your email address and I'll set you up with a 1 month trial of the full thing so you can see what it can do.

 

[marcusstronen]

Are you using other software to manage projects/billing?

You might be better off skipping basic CRM and getting something that incorporates all of your functional needs, and that way you won't have to (attempt to) integrate a list of different apps together later down the road that don't function together all that well.

With an ideal consolidated app you could manage contacts, leads, with all sales automation features, while at the same time being able to manage to-dos, projects, reminders, timesheets, invoicing, support, and other features under one system. Usually works best for those in the 1-100 range company size. WORKetc is an example of these, as it can do everything i've listed above. You can google them, worth taking a look at.

 

[VLAHAKISA]

I found that www.salesforce.com was brilliant. They have a 30 day free trial.

Amanda

 

[Sausage76]

Thanks everyone, lots of suggestions.

I'll have a look around.

 

[Working First Aid]

I've just started using Capsule, and so far I'm actually enjoying it! I haven't tried any others so can't say if it is better or worse than the competition - but it is certainly newbie friendly and keeping me on track...

 

[simonr]

a second vote for Sugar if you want the full works. Free, easy to instal and works on any OS.

 

[Creatania]

Im looking for a cheap CRM also, Zoho seems not too bad.

 

[Indivijewelistic]

Look up www Web CRM, prices start from £15.00 per user, it is easy to customise and easy to use. My partner is an IT Director and reckons they are really good - open to negotiations as well aparently.

 

[manojnair29]

Hello

I am looking for recommendations of cheap CRM/databases? I have a number of contacts and they need to go somewhere better than excel. I am thinking online, fairly easy to customise fields and good sales tracking.

Somebody mentioned Filemaker, and I know that if you move to MicroSoft Pro you get a database.

Any others?

Cheers
WS

Whats your budget btw? are u looking for a bespoke solution?

 

[GWilliams]

Hi,

I think Sage ACT is great.

I hope this helps

 

[leemason]

Have a look at vTiger: http://www.vtiger.com/. It's Open Source and completely free to download and use. There are also many plugins such as Outlook, etc.

 

[Indivijewelistic]

Check out WebCRM, they are said to be good.

 

[hmig89]

Hey Guys,

What about fat free crm?

 

[bitesoftwarecom]

Hiya, can I just give my opinion and say picnicCRM is possibly the simplest, easiest to use and no-frills version of an online CRM I've found.

 

[garyk]

Hiya, can I just give my opinion and say picnicCRM is possibly the simplest, easiest to use and no-frills version of an online CRM I've found.

Looks like a contact manager not CRM.

 

[Anjam]

If you use Google Apps then look no further than Insightly (Free)

 

[hmig89]

I am trying to install Fat Free as I think vtiger and sugar are too over powered for what I need. Trying to install it on hostgator.no luck tho

 

[Montaigne]

Picnic is ridiculously basic, WebCRM have a free trial but when you sign up say that it can take up to 8 working hours for you to get an email and Capsule looked quite good but I signed up for a free trial, still don't have an email confirming my sign up and when I requested my login details to be re-emailed that hasn't turned up either.

 

[bitesoftwarecom]

Picnic is ridiculously basic

Does the job for me, no frills and doesn't try to be something it's not.

Insightly is another great option if you use GMail!

 

[garyk]

Does the job for me, no frills and doesn't try to be something it's not.

Err thats it exactly what it does, the site is splattered with CRM references and its not even a CRM it does contact management nothing more.

 

[hmig89]

@ Gary are you using fat free crm?

 

[garyk]

@ Gary are you using fat free crm?

I took at look at it and its very good but it needed tweaking to import prospects/customers as I remember and i never got around to it.

Gary

 

[simonr]

free and effective. I've never understood why people pay for a traditional CRM to be honest!

That said, we use Pipeliner, a very non-tradtional CRM.