CRM software helps companies organize their sales process , manage customer interaction and optimize their marketing actions . 

According to a Martech study , the use of a CRM system could increase revenue per salesperson by up to 41% and sales by 29%.

But what are the main features of a CRM system that your business cannot miss? Here is a list of key features that you should consider when choosing a CRM system .

1. CRM Features: Contact Management

There is no way to communicate with your customers if you have no idea how to contact them. One of the features of CRM software is effective contact management. Without this functionality, it would be difficult to maintain interaction with customers in an organized manner.

A good CRM allows you to access customer data , such as emails and phone numbers, and automate the capture of information through forms and marketing campaigns so you don't have to enter it manually.

Additionally, modern CRM systems integrate social profiles to enrich data and improve customer satisfaction . These include:

• Age
• Sex
• Place of residence
• Interactions

2. Prospect database

CRM systems allow you to generate and organize a database of quality leads ( potential clients ).

This is one of the most valued features of a customer relationship management CRM , as it allows you to efficiently manage leads and improve the sales process by capturing, categorizing and assigning potential customer data to sales executives.

3. Possibility to add notes to specific contacts

A prospect may change their mind many times as they move through the sales funnel .

In this sense, another of the most important features of a CRM is the ability to add personalized notes to contacts.

This will help you improve decision-making by analyzing customer behavior and adjusting marketing and sales strategies in a personalized way for each person.

4. Unified inbox

Integrating a CRM with Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo emails allows your sales team to manage all communications from a single platform.

All messages are centralized in a single ecosystem designed to extract user data and schedule appointments or phone calls.

Over time, you will notice that using a centralized platform increases your employees' productivity and concentration, as they do not have to migrate from one window to another to complete a task. This undoubtedly improves efficiency and customer service .

3. Management of quotes and budgets

Other notable features of a CRM are modules for cost management and invoicing.

A good CRM also integrates payment gateways, which allow you to send electronic invoices by email and credit payments by credit card or bank transfer.

This results in improved customer satisfaction .

4. Document management and backup

If you have ever suffered from the loss of important documents, or the helplessness of not being able to locate valuable information on your personal computer, a CRM is the companion you need.

Secure cloud-based document management is another CRM feature that businesses value highly. This makes it easy to access relevant information anytime, anywhere. And, most importantly, it gives you peace of mind.

5. Workflow automation

Why ask your employees to waste their time doing what a machine can do?

A CRM software should be able to automate repetitive tasks so that your team can focus on strategic activities.

This is one of the CRM features most sought after by companies that want to improve their operational efficiency and customer service .

6. Sales funnel optimization

Among the most valuable CRM system features is the ability to identify at what stage of the sales process customers abandon the purchasing process.

This allows us to fine-tune the sales funnel and increase conversions, which increases productivity.

7. Detailed knowledge of the customer

One of the main features of a CRM is the ability to know your target audience in depth .

Basic data such as age, gender and interests allow you to project a "buyer persona" that will eventually guide you in your mission to reach an ideal audience.

By using data analytics tools, CRM will help you create a detailed profile of your customers to further personalize marketing actions toward your goals.

8. Sales projection

Sales forecasting , that is, the ability to project profits or sales over a given period of time, is another CRM feature that helps businesses forecast their revenue and adjust their strategies.

A good CRM uses historical customer data to make these projections, improving decision making .

While not all CRMs offer this feature, most professional and enterprise plans do.

9. Mobile accessibility

Finally, mobile accessibility is one of the essential CRM features today.

Having a mobile app allows your team to manage customer service and customer interactions from anywhere, making it easier to track customer relationships and increase customer satisfaction .

CRM Features: Conclusions

Before choosing a CRM software , ask yourself these three questions:

1. What are the features of a CRM that best fit the needs of your business?
2. How will this CRM help your company improve customer satisfaction , optimize the sales process and facilitate decision making ?
3. What are the specific requirements of your business and team at this time?

Also, don't forget that there are several types of CRM, each designed for a particular business model.

If you are not sure which type of software best suits your business, use our free CRM comparison tool or contact us for a free consultation at ComparaSoftware .