It’s not unusual for companies to spend months going back-and-forth in their deliberations while considering different CRM options.

The reasons for those back-and-forth discussions can vary. Some people are unsure whether they need a CRM at all. Then there are others who know they need one, but they can’t decide which one. Finally, there are the organizations that know they want a CRM and have a solution in mind — they just need a leader to make the decision and make it happen.

A CRM selection checklist

These discussions should always take a big-picture view of your team’s needs. Whether you’re at the beginning, middle or end of your CRM selection process, you can organize the conversation by putting some key questions on the table. Consider this your checklist of things to consider before committing to new software:

1. Do you want to simplify internal communications?
2. Do you want comprehensive access to customer information in a single database?
3. Do you want to make it easier to identify quality leads?
4. Do you want to streamline marketing campaigns?
5. Could you benefit from automating some manual tasks?
6. Plus: A bonus question — to be shared at the end!

As you work through this checklist, you can start to identify which CRMs will help you work more effectively in the relevant areas.

Here are some key points to address for each question.

1. Do you want to simplify internal communications?

A good CRM should help your team stay on the same page and share information efficiently by:

• Keeping all of your relevant sales information in one place
• Ensuring the information is always up-to-date
• Giving everyone access to these details
• Acting as a “single source” of data

Your CRM should take team collaboration to the next level by giving team members access to centralized customer data and a shared calendar. It should also eliminate the need for team leaders to take on a liaison role where they’re constantly trying to “keep everyone in the loop.”

2. Do you want comprehensive access to customer information in a single database?

Trying to manage your customer information without a CRM is a recipe for lost information, and ultimately, lost sales. The right system will allow you to track every piece of information related to each customer relationship, including:

• Adding unlimited contacts per customer
• Tracking customer interactions (meetings, phone calls, emails, etc.)
• Specifying customer preferences   
• Maintaining details on quotes, invoices, and payments

Customer communications and scheduling should also be streamlined, allowing every member of your team to provide efficient and informed customer service.

Need to follow up with a particular customer next week? No problem. Ideally, you’ll schedule a follow-up activity and the CRM will automatically send you a reminder about it.

Wondering when your team last touched base with a customer and what was discussed? No sweat. With shared access to notes and activities in your CRM, it should be simple to check what’s happening with an account, without needing to track down your colleagues.

3. Do you want to make it easier to identify quality leads?

This is where your sales team will get excited. One thing a CRM should do — and this is a must-have — is help you turn your contacts into leads and turn those leads into customers. The system might help you accomplish those goals by:

• Capturing leads from your website through a contact form
• Allowing you to easily convert emails in your inbox into new leads
• Allowing you to mass import existing spreadsheets of leads

Once the leads are in your CRM, a comprehensive system should help you streamline the lead management process. This might involve categorizing and filtering your leads and tracking the status of potential sales in your pipeline. With these features, you’ll be well-equipped to close deals faster.

4. Do you want to streamline marketing campaigns?

A sophisticated CRM will help you streamline your email communications with existing and potential customers, allowing you to easily share reminders, promotions, and announcements. The platform should help you:

• Strategically filter your contacts based on key criteria
• Create mailing lists for targeted email campaigns
• Send out mass emails

Whether the CRM offers built-in email campaign functionality or integrates with other email marketing software, you should be able to leverage your customer data for better marketing results.

5. Could you benefit from automating some manual tasks?

Automating manual tasks is more than just an individual pursuit — it’s now a widespread and fast-growing trend in every sector and industry.

No matter what your business does, there are many repetitive administrative tasks that can take away from your day-to-day productivity. These might include:

• Processing orders
• Creating and sending invoices
• Managing inventory
• Turning timesheets into reports

Of course, every business has unique needs related to these complex processes, so it’s hard for out-of-the-box software to accommodate them. If you’re looking to streamline and automate specific tasks, it’s worth looking for a CRM that can be customized for your business.

6. The bonus question

It’s time to unveil the bonus question. And if you’ve already answered “yes” to the previous five questions, this could be the one that makes the final decision for you:

Does your business use QuickBooks?

This is key. If you already use QuickBooks for your accounting, then Method CRM could be the perfect CRM for you.

Method CRM offers a two-way, real-time sync with QuickBooks, giving you one centralized view of your customers, transactions and sales data. It’s a great solution that allows you to make full use of your QuickBooks data while extending its power far beyond accounting.

Plus, with Method CRM’s complete lead and customer management features and fully customizable platform, you’ll have everything you need to streamline your operations and grow your sales. Sign up for your free trial to see for yourself!

The post 6 Questions to Ask When Selecting a CRM appeared first on Method.

For starters, nonprofits need to market to and build strong relationships with their supporters, just as companies need to keep their customers engaged. Successful organizations have to demonstrate value, service, and a personal connection in everything they do — maybe even more so than for-profit businesses.

And much like small companies, most nonprofits are working with small teams and tight operating budgets. They must use their limited resources as efficiently as possible to maximize the impact they can have in their communities.

For all of these reasons, a good customer relationship management (CRM) system can be a game-changer for nonprofits. As the name implies, CRM software can help any type of organization better manage its relationships with its patrons. Many systems also offer features to help streamline workflows and improve efficiency.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all CRMs are suitable for the unique needs of the nonprofit industry. If you’re seeking a CRM for your nonprofit, here are some key features to look for.

1. Ability to Cultivate Donor Relationships

Obviously, the best nonprofit CRMs will actively help organizations cultivate donor relationships. Not only should the CRM track offline and online donations, but it should keep track of attendance at events, phone conversations, and other points of contact. The ability to schedule tasks also ensures that follow-ups occur in a timely manner.

These features will help you reinforce connections with your donors, as well as improve internal communication and organization amongst your team members.

2. Donor Management Features

To turn donors into loyal supporters, it’s important to let them know how much your organization appreciates their contributions. For instance, most donors expect tax receipts. They also certainly expect and deserve thanks for their generosity.

A good CRM for nonprofits can generate both of these documents automatically and email them instantly to donors. Contributors will appreciate this kind of prompt service. Best of all, it won’t take any additional manual effort on the part of your team to delight your supporters.

3. Email Integrations

Just as for-profit businesses are adopting technology to help them work more efficiently, so too are nonprofits. For instance, many nonprofits increasingly rely upon email for communication.

Besides offering the ability to schedule thank-you and follow-up emails, a good CRM for nonprofits should integrate with popular email providers and email marketing software. CRM email add-ons display a convenient overview of a donor’s history while users compose messages. Meanwhile, email marketing integrations make it easy to send out mass emails for fundraising campaigns.

4. Automation Features

Too many nonprofits waste time with manual effort for donor and donation management. The right CRM software can easily automate tasks and streamline workflows.

For instance, the process for accepting online donations typically starts with an online donation page. A good CRM will make it simple for even non-technical people to create an effective fundraising page. In turn, information entered on this page should automatically be saved to the CRM and trigger appropriate follow-up activities. After all, most nonprofits don’t have the time or money to spend on complex website development or repetitive data entry.

5. Integration With Your Accounting Software

Accounting software only ever works as well as the data it can capture. Often, nonprofit employees or volunteers have to manually copy information from the system that captures contacts and donations to their accounting software. This takes time and can lead to data entry errors.

A good CRM will solve this problem by integrating with popular accounting software like QuickBooks. By automatically syncing your donor and donation data to your accounting database, you’ll save time and improve your data accuracy.

6. Accessible Mobile Interface

These days, people like to be able to work anywhere from any device — and nonprofit employees are no exception. During the course of the day, you may be visiting different sites and going online using your laptop, desktop computer, tablet, or phone.

For maximum productivity, the best nonprofit CRMs will have mobile app functionality. This ensures that the features you need to use look good and work well no matter which device you’re working on.

7. Customization Options

Every nonprofit has its own unique needs and workflows. Furthermore, no organization wants to change their processes just to fit the constraints of their software. That’s why a customizable CRM is an ideal solution for nonprofits that don’t have the budget for a custom-built system.

Customizable CRM software will make it easy to personalize donation pages, add new data fields, and set up custom processes. And as time passes and certain aspects of your organization evolve, the CRM can evolve along with them. In the end, this level of flexibility will save you money and increase productivity, allowing you to focus more energy on fundraising.

Choosing a Great CRM for Your Nonprofit

A great CRM can help nonprofits reduce manual data entry, streamline workflows, and improve donor relationships. While adopting new software may seem like a daunting task, don’t let the initial investment deter you. In the long run, the time you’ll save will allow you to focus your efforts on the work that really matters.

The post Essential Features of a Nonprofit CRM appeared first on Method.

The core purpose of a CRM (or customer relationship management) system is in the name: it helps businesses track important information about their customers. But that’s not all a CRM can do.

In fact, the right CRM system can truly become your all-in-one business management tool — as is the case with Method CRM. With its powerful QuickBooks integration and infinite customization potential, Method helps businesses create optimal workflows while effectively managing their customers.

To learn more about what Method CRM can do, check out the infographic below.

The post An Overview of Method CRM [Infographic] appeared first on Method.

To cut through the confusion, concentrate first on your own business model. You’re looking for a CRM solution that best meets your own company’s needs. Keep in mind how your processes currently work, as well as the direction your business is heading in.

Since a CRM is an investment, you don’t want to outgrow the software in a few short years.

Ideally, you want a solution that can continue to evolve as your business grows.

You also want to keep your employees in mind as adopting new software means training current and future staff members on how to use it effectively.

You want to ensure that the vendor you choose can meet your needs for employee training as well as ongoing customer service and technical support.

As you narrow down your CRM options, it’s helpful to look at some side-by-side comparisons — and that’s where this article comes in.

In this post, you’ll compare Method CRM and Salesforce Small Business Solutions.

The main difference between Method CRM and Salesforce Small Business Solutions is the flexibility, level of personalization, and integration deepness each solution offers.

Keep reading to understand which online CRM system option is the right one for you.

(Looking for more CRM comparisons? Check out our posts on Method vs. Zoho and Method vs. Insightly!)

Jump to:

Key Features

Targeted Industries

Software Integrations

Other Noteworthy Features

Free Trial Opportunities

Pricing Options

Customer Support

Key Features

Each CRM platform has certain key features that make up the core of the software. These features can vary significantly from one vendor to another. Keep your own team, industry, and current protocols in mind as you assess potential systems’ offerings. Here are the core features of Method CRM and Salesforce Small Business Solutions.

Method

• Built exclusively for QuickBooks and Xero users: One of Method’s defining features is that it has a deep two-way sync with QuickBooks. This gives businesses easy access to their accounting and customer data at all times, without concerns about missing information or double data entry.
• Centralized lead management: Method’s web-to-lead forms and email integrations help you automate lead collection. And with all of your data in one place, it’s easier to convert more leads to customers.
• Streamlined process management: Automated workflows and built-in customer portals allow you to serve customers efficiently and get paid faster.
• Top-notch customer management: Method gives you a 360-degree view of each customer’s history, which helps you build customer loyalty and drive repeat business.
• Enterprise software without enterprise pricing: Method is 100% customizable, which allows small and medium-sized businesses to create unique workflows that can adapt as their business needs change.

Salesforce

• Sell: The Salesforce CRM for small businesses is built to help you get started quickly. There is a wide variety of tools available to help you close deals and convert leads to customers.
• Service: Salesforce helps you connect with your customers and gain deeper insights into their needs. This allows you to provide more robust service for greater customer satisfaction.
• Market: Salesforce’s marketing automation tools make it easy and efficient to build your pipeline, amplify your message and build on your success.
• Connect: Get more out of Salesforce by connecting it with the other apps you use to run your business.

Targeted Industries

When investing in a new CRM, it’s good to check whether the vendor has any experience with customers in your industry. If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box solution, it’s a good sign when the product is used by businesses similar to yours.

Method

Method specializes in solutions for small and medium-sized businesses across many industries, including manufacturing, nonprofit, construction, accounting, and field services.

Salesforce

That’s Method – but what type of CRM is Salesforce?

Salesforce has customers in a wide range of industries. Some examples include banking, communications, consumer goods, government, media, manufacturing, retail, and nonprofit.

Software Integrations

It’s important to consider whether a potential CRM can integrate with your current tools. Most CRM solutions today are designed to integrate seamlessly with common business applications and programs. This makes it easier to adopt a new system and ensures that none of your data falls through the cracks. Here are some of the software integrations available for Method and Salesforce.

Method

• QuickBooks: Method is the CRM industry leader for QuickBooks integration. It works with all versions of QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premier, and Enterprise. The powerful two-way sync allows customer, vendor and transaction data to move seamlessly between your CRM and QuickBooks in real time.
• Gmail: Method’s free Sidebar for Gmail brings your CRM into your Gmail inbox. View your entire relationship with a customer or lead at a glance, from past conversations to overdue invoices. You can also create new CRM contacts, activities, and opportunities directly from the Sidebar — no need to switch between tabs.
• Outlook: Much like the Gmail Sidebar, this free add-in brings your Method data into Outlook. When you open an email from a customer or lead, the add-in provides a convenient overview of their history with your company, including transactions, opportunities, and more. You can also save new data directly to Method without leaving Outlook.
• Mailchimp: Don’t waste time exporting CRM contacts and manually uploading them to Mailchimp. Instead, this convenient integration lets you send contact lists from Method to Mailchimp in just a few clicks.
• Google Calendar: The two-way sync between Method and Google Calendar allows you to create, view and update CRM activities on whichever calendar you prefer.

Salesforce

Extend the power of Salesforce by integrating with a wide variety of business systems and applications. The full selection can be found on the Salesforce AppExchange. Some examples of apps that integrate with Salesforce include Campaign Monitor (for email marketing), Distribution Engine (for lead assignment and opportunity routing), FinancialForce (for accounting and financial management), and GetFeedback (for customer surveys).

Other Noteworthy Features

Many CRMs have features that go beyond simple customer relationship management. And for many businesses, these can be the features that truly set a CRM apart from its competitors. Here’s what makes Method and Salesforce special.

Method

Method CRM is built on a 100% customizable, no-code platform. This means you can adapt it to better suit your needs — either through DIY customization or by working with one of Method’s customization experts. The possibilities are huge, ranging from adding new fields and automating workflows all the way to building brand-new apps. And when combined with the deep QuickBooks integration, Method has the power to become much more than a CRM.

Salesforce

Perhaps the biggest difference between traditional CRM and Salesforce CRM is that Salesforce offers a huge range of app integrations available on its AppExchange.

If you’re interested in exploring more niche features like how to use a profile comparator for Salesforce, these third-party integrations are useful.

Users can also harness the power of artificial intelligence in Salesforce using Einstein. Einstein is a smart CRM assistant built into every aspect of the Salesforce platform, allowing sales reps, service agents, and marketers to work more productively.

Free Trial Opportunities

You should always take advantage of free trial opportunities before making your final decision to invest in a software solution. Use these trial periods to explore a CRM’s features, get a feel for the interface, and assess how usable the program will be in your day-to-day operations.

Method

Method offers a 14-day free trial that lets users fully explore the functionality of the system. No contract or credit card is required to sign up. The free trial also includes a free hour of customization services with an in-house expert; this lets you see the true potential of customizing Method for your business. To begin the trial, you must sync your QuickBooks data with your Method account.

Salesforce

Salesforce also offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card information required. If you ultimately sign up for a full year, you also get three months of G Suite at no additional charge.

Pricing Options

Most CRM vendors offer a variety of pricing packages. This allows smaller businesses to choose an option that suits their budget while leaving room to grow. As your business needs evolve, you can upgrade to a more advanced plan.

Method

Method offers two subscription plans — Contact Management and CRM Pro. Both plans are available on an annual or monthly basis, with no contract required for the monthly basis.

The Contact Management plan is $25/user/month billed annually or $28/user/month billed monthly. This plan includes everything you need to get started with customer relationship management, including QuickBooks sync, contact management, customer self-service portals, and unlimited customization potential.

The CRM Pro plan is $44/user/month billed annually or $49/user/month billed monthly. This plan includes all of the features of the Contact Management plan, plus QuickBooks sales transactions, online payment portals, sales pipeline management, and web-to-lead forms.

Customers can add modules for QuickBooks purchase transactions, email campaigns, and case management to either plan for $10/user/month billed annually or $12/user/month billed monthly.

Salesforce

But how much does Salesforce cost for small business customers?

Salesforce Small Business Solutions is available in three different plans. All plans include lead management, customer and sales management, configurable reports and dashboards, and the Salesforce mobile app.

The Salesforce Essentials plan ($25/user/month) is an out-of-the-box CRM for up to 5 users. This plan includes account and contact management, case auto-assignment and basic omnichannel routing.

The Lightning Professional plan ($75/user/month; annual contract required) is a complete CRM for any size team. On top of the Salesforce Essentials features, it adds lead assignment and routing, enhanced team collaboration, and the ability to connect sales information to all of your apps.

The Lightning Enterprise plan ($150/user/month; annual contract required) is a deeply customizable sales CRM. It offers more accurate forecasting, advanced reporting features, and access to the sales console app.

Customer Support

No matter which CRM you choose, you’ll likely run into questions or problems on occasion. Not being able to access, edit, or understand your customer data can virtually halt your business. For this reason, it’s essential to select a CRM that offers an adequate level of customer support.

Method

Method offers a variety of support resources for customers, including 24/7 access to online help articles, webinars, and customization guidelines. Live support is available to all paid and trial CRM customers; users can reach support reps by phone, live chat, and email Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm EST. Users can also take advantage of unlimited one-on-one demos and training with Method’s customer success managers.

Salesforce

All Salesforce subscriptions include their Standard Success Plan, which helps customers get up and running with the CRM. Resources include self-guided learning, online technical support and customer communities. All customers can submit online support requests, with a guaranteed response within two days. 24/7 toll-free phone support and access to premier success resources are available to Lightning Professional and Lightning Enterprise customers at an additional cost.

Conclusion

Choosing the best CRM for your business can be tricky. Both Method and Salesforce are highly rated options that promise great customer satisfaction. However, each platform has its own unique strengths.

Salesforce’s Small Business Solutions CRM is an excellent out-of-the-box solution that allows for quick and easy setup.

Small businesses can work more efficiently by integrating the CRM with the other business applications they currently use.

People often ask, “why is Salesforce better than other CRM systems?” But assuming this based on the software’s popularity can be dangerous for your business. Salesforce is very reliable for some companies, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

Method is the ideal solution for small businesses that rely on QuickBooks. The combination of the deep QuickBooks integration and highly customizable platform lets businesses develop completely personalized workflows. Method also offers free telephone support to help users get the most out of their CRM experience.

Ultimately, working with Salesforce Sales Cloud vs QuickBooks Online Advanced (which Method excels with) comes down to personal preference.

In the end, the best CRM is the one that helps your business work more productively.

Sign up for a free trial and see what works for you!

The post <strong>CRM comparison: Method vs. Salesforce small business solutions</strong> appeared first on Method.

You may be looking for a system that’s user-friendly, automates tasks, and can be accessed on multiple devices — or perhaps all of the above. Ultimately, the ideal CRM helps you build stronger relationships with your customers.

With all the options out there, choosing a CRM can be challenging. Especially, when it comes down to whether the Insightly QuickBooks integration is the way to go, or if Method CRM reigns supreme. 

But you don’t need a degree in technology to make the right decision! The process is as simple as establishing your priorities, then evaluating how well the available systems meet them.

This is where side-by-side comparisons come in handy.

Today, you’ll compare Method CRM with the Insightly QuickBooks integration to see which is best for your business.

You’ll look at the:

• Method vs. Insightly QuickBooks integration.
• Key features for each tool.
• Pricing models.

TLDR; The main difference between Method CRM and the Insightly QuickBooks integration is how frequently and deeply they sync with QuickBooks. Spoiler alert: Method CRM comes out on top! 

Keep reading to learn which of these online CRM systems are best for you.(Looking for more CRM comparisons? Check out our posts on Method CRM vs. Zoho and Method CRM vs. Salesforce Small Business Solutions!)

Jump to:

Key features

Targeted Industries

Software integrations

Other noteworthy features

Free trial opportunities

Pricing options

Customer support

Why the right CRM is important to a growing business

Not all CRM software systems are made equal. And even if they were, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to choosing the right CRM for your growing business.

Every business is different, so you need to consider what unique combination of CRM features will best help yours in particular. Finding the perfect fit matters because a CRM serves as your new foundation to build and improve your workflows. 

So, if you don’t pick a CRM with the right suite of tools for your specific needs, your business will suffer where it could otherwise flourish. Even the so-called “best” CRM system might have features that are irrelevant to you.

That being said, for any growing business, a CRM system is a no-brainer. 

No matter what, as you grow your operations, it gets harder to stay organized. Managing employees, customers, and finances becomes more and more difficult. 

What’s worked for you in the past might not work anymore — and you risk doing serious damage to your business by trying to stay on top of it all yourself.

So the solution is to implement a CRM that takes a huge chunk of the work (and stress) off your plate. 

With a CRM, you stay organized by keeping your accounting information and contact details separate, yet centralized. Plus, you improve efficiency and productivity through workflow automation.

What to look for in CRM

While the best CRM for your business depends on your particular needs, there are a few things you want to look out for no matter what. This includes:

• A complete view of all your customer details, including interaction and transaction history.
• Automation of your daily workflows.
• Customer support and communication tools.
• Self-serve options for customers, such as web-based portals, help resources, and invoice/order management.
• Reporting tools to gather valuable insights on your customers and business operations.

Key features

Taking a quick look at a CRM’s website should give you some quick insight into what the product can do for you. Here at Method, we’re proud to be “The CRM designed for QuickBooks.” Meanwhile, Insightly encourages users to “Know your customers. Grow your business.” Of course, a simple tagline can’t tell you everything! A closer look at each CRM reveals its key features.

Method CRM

• Built for QuickBooks and Xero users: the patented two-way integration between Method CRM and your accounting software automatically syncs customer and transaction data. No more worrying about double data entry!
• Extensive functionality for lead and customer relationship management: automate lead collection, schedule activities, send emails, manage sales opportunities, and more.
• Reduce manual administrative work and streamline operations by using Method CRM’s built-in customer portals.
• Service customers efficiently and drive repeat business with a 360-degree view of each customer.
• 100% customizable, no-code solution: create a CRM that’s perfect for your business.
• Accessible whenever and wherever you need it: Method CRM is optimized for all devices, with iOS and Android apps included in your subscription.

Insightly

• Accelerate sales through sales pipeline management and workflow automation tools. Manage leads and opportunities in a pipeline view. Send tracked emails automatically.
• Deliver projects faster by automating repeat assignments with pipelines. Manage milestones and use workflow automation to ensure on-time delivery.
• Connect to apps and tools you already use. Capture data and take action from your email inbox. Keep your contacts, calendar, and documents on hand. Track accounting and email marketing from your CRM.
• Use built-in relationship intelligence to discover connections between your contacts and plan your sales approach.

Targeted industries

While a CRM’s key features may work for a wide range of businesses, it’s helpful to know if the CRM you’re considering is well-suited for yours. Both Method CRM and Insightly work well for small to mid-sized businesses, and each one can be used successfully by a variety of business types.

Method

Method CRM serves customers across many different industries, but it’s particularly helpful for these industries:

• Manufacturing.
• Wholesale.
• Distribution.
• Construction.
• Accounting.

Method strengthens your Transaction Creation, Sales Enablement, and Payment Collection workflows.

With Method CRM, you can create important documents like estimates and invoices, then easily manage them.

You also get features that boost your sales, like web-to-lead forms, opportunity and activity tracking, and email campaign functionality. 

Finally, through Method CRM’s custom web portals, customers can easily pay their bills. By automating your payment collection process, all you have to do is watch the funds enter your account.

Insightly

Insightly is also used across many industries, but it serves these best:

• Manufacturing.
• Finance. 
• Agencies.
• E-commerce.
• Professional services.

Insightly puts your customers first and keeps them coming back. Naturally, it’s best used for customer-centric industries.

QuickBooks integration

Of course, in this context, your biggest question when comparing CRM systems lies in their QuickBooks functionality and potential for integration. Does Insightly integrate with QuickBooks? Does Method CRM? And which CRM QuickBooks integration will help your business the most?

Method

Unlike Insightly QuickBooks integration, Method offers a native two-way sync with your accounting software. This means that any change you make in either end automatically updates in the other.

With this, you completely eliminate issues of double data entry. Particularly for your accounting data, double entries are a problem that, if unchecked, has a detrimental impact on your business.

Method CRM’s powerful sync with QuickBooks is patented, so it does the trick better than any other CRM on the market.

With Method QuickBooks integration, you can:

• View and edit all your information in either platform, which automatically updates in the other.
• Keep your accounting and contact details distinct, yet consolidated.
• Customize and automate accounting workflows.

Insightly

On the other hand, Insightly QuickBooks integration is possible, but you need additional tools to make it work. If you’re looking for Insightly QuickBooks compatibility, you have two options to integrate, but neither of these offer a sync between the two software.

Option 1: Integrate natively

An administrator with an Intuit login can connect Insightly to your QuickBooks Online account within Insightly’s System Settings. The process is relatively straightforward, but requires an administrator to learn and execute all the steps.

Option 2: Use AppConnect

AppConnect is a third-party tool that helps you integrate popular apps that don’t have strong native integration capabilities.

AppConnect’s drag and drop interface and automated error-handling make integration easier than in Option 1. Because of QuickBooks’ popularity, there’s already a pre-built app connector for linking your Insightly and QuickBooks accounts.

While there is no Insightly QuickBooks sync available, integration between the two software results in improved efficiency across your business. With Insightly QuickBooks integration, you can:

• View your QuickBooks information in Insightly.
• Copy data in one system and link it in the other.
• Create new QuickBooks customer profiles in Insightly.

Software integrations

One of the challenges of adopting a new CRM is figuring out how it fits in with your existing tools. That’s why selecting a CRM that integrates with the software you already use is a smart choice.

Here are some of the software integrations offered by Method CRM and Insightly.

Method

• Gmail: Method CRM’s free Sidebar for Gmail is like having your CRM inside your Gmail inbox. View your entire relationship with a customer or lead at a glance, from past conversations to overdue invoices. You can also create new CRM contacts, activities, and opportunities right from the Sidebar — no need to switch between programs.
• Outlook: Much like the Gmail integration, Method CRM’s free add-in brings your CRM into Outlook. When you open an email from a customer or lead, the add-in displays an overview of their contact information, balance, opportunities, and more. You can also save new data directly to your CRM without leaving your inbox.
• Mailchimp: Don’t waste time exporting your CRM contacts and manually uploading them to Mailchimp. Instead, send filtered lists of contacts from Method CRM to Mailchimp with the click of a button.
• Google Calendar: Never miss a meeting again. The two-way sync between Method CRM and Google Calendar allows you to view and update CRM activities on whichever calendar you prefer.

Insightly

Insightly’s full suite of app integrations can be viewed here. Some examples include:

• Google/Gmail: Easily connect CRM records to emails, sheets, docs, and slides, and more.
• QuickBooks: Increase efficiency by viewing each customer’s account status, invoices, and payments inside Insightly.
• Mailchimp: Streamline your email marketing efforts by exporting CRM contacts with Insightly Mailchimp integration and viewing email campaign statistics in Insightly.
• Xero: Insightly’s integration with Xero provides a complete financial picture of your invoicing and payments within your CRM.
• Office365/Outlook: View CRM data inside your Outlook inbox, attach OneDrive files to CRM records, and sync events between your Insightly and Exchange calendars.

Other noteworthy features

Most CRMs can do a lot more than just manage customer relationships! These are the features that add value to the platforms and set them apart from their competitors.

Here are some of the noteworthy features for Method CRM and Insightly.

Method

Method CRM is built on a 100% customizable, no-code platform. This means you and your team can adapt it to better suit your needs — no need to hire a developer.

The customization possibilities are endless, from adding simple fields to automating processes and building entire custom apps. And when combined with the deep QuickBooks integration, Method has the power to become much more than a CRM.

Method also offers robust integrations with QuickBooks and Xero accounting software. So, you don’t have to worry about inconsistent information across your various business software. 

Other perks of using Method include:

• Day-to-day workflow automation.
• Self-serve customer portals that streamline customer support tasks.
• E-signature functionality.
• Email and invoice templates.

Here’s an example of what a Method portal looks like:

Insightly

Insightly places an emphasis on easy-to-use graphics and visualizations.

It also offers a number of features related to project management, including activity sets for repeatable processes, milestone tracking, workflow automation, file sharing, and versioning.

Pricing

Price will usually play a key role in your decision to purchase a CRM. Many CRMs offer multiple pricing and subscription options for different numbers of users and features.

Here’s what’s available for Method CRM and Insightly.

Method

Method CRM offers three subscription plans:

• Contact Management.
• CRM Pro.
• CRM Enterprise.

All plans can be purchased on an annual or monthly basis, with no contract required for the monthly basis.

The Contact Management plan is $25/user/month when billed annually or $28/user/month when billed monthly. This plan includes everything businesses need to get started with customer relationship management, including QuickBooks sync, contact management, customer self-service portals, and unlimited customization potential.

The CRM Pro plan is $44/user/month when billed annually or $49/user/month when billed monthly. This plan includes all of the features of the Contact Management plan, plus QuickBooks sales transactions, online payment portals, sales pipeline management, and web-to-lead forms.

The CRM Enterprise plan is $74/user/month when billed annually or $85/user/month when billed monthly. The plan includes all the features listed in the first two packages. Plus, CRM Enterprise offers powerful automation tools that save your time and money as your business grows. 

This plan is designed for growing businesses that need help staying on top of things. If you don’t want to use every feature, you can mix and match elements of the CRM Enterprise plan with Method CRM’s more affordable options to create your own custom plan — just talk to the customer support team!

Insightly

In addition to the free CRM described above, Insightly offers three paid CRM subscription plans. All plans include the custom Kanban sales pipeline, custom task and project management, custom reports and charts, the mobile CRM app and standard dashboards.

The Plus plan ($29/user/month billed annually) allows for 100,000 records, 2,500 daily emails, and 50 custom fields. It also includes scheduled emails, custom email templates, and Mailchimp auto-import.

The Professional plan ($49/user/month billed annually) allows for 250,000 records, 5,000 daily emails, and 100 custom fields. It also includes role-based permissions, workflow automation, and priority email support.

The Enterprise plan ($99/user/month billed annually) allows for unlimited records, 10,000 daily emails, and 200 custom fields. It also includes unlimited storage and a dedicated support specialist.

Customer support

Customer support is critical for small to mid-sized businesses purchasing their first CRM.

Whether you have a technical issue or just want some guidance on using the product, you need reassurance that you can get answers when required.

Method

Method CRM offers a variety of support services including free 24/7 access to its online help center, webinars, and customization resources.

Live support is available to all paid and trial CRM customers; support reps can be reached over phone, live chat and email Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm EST.

Insightly

Insightly offers 24/7 access to their online help center, which includes articles, video tutorials, and recorded webinars.

Email support is available during free trials and for paid plans during business hours. Phone support is also available during business hours for those who purchase a “Success Plan”.

These optional training programs are available for $1,500 to $10,000+ annually.

Free trial

Before adopting a new CRM, it’s best to test it out and make sure it works for your business. For this reason, most CRMs offer a no-commitment free trial of their platform.

Method

Method CRM offers a 14-day free trial of its CRM Pro plan that lets users fully explore the functionality of the system. No credit card is required to sign up.

The free trial includes a free hour of customization services with an in-house expert, so you can see the true potential of customizing Method CRM for your business.

Here’s what one Method CRM trialler who switched from Insightly had to say about the product:

“Is there anything Method can’t do? I’m looking at systems that are way more expensive than this and I’m not sure they can address all my needs like this.”

– Founder at a wholesale company

Insightly

Insightly offers a 14-day free trial offer with no credit card required to sign up. After the two weeks are up, users can choose to upgrade or downgrade their plan selection.

Insightly also offers a free CRM for up to two users; this no-frills plan allows for basic management of contacts, sales, and projects.

Bottom line: Which CRM is the best fit for your business

For those in search of a cloud-based CRM system, both Insightly and Method CRM are well-suited for small to mid-sized businesses.

Each CRM offers modestly priced entry-level plans in addition to more robust plans for teams with greater needs.

Insightly is a great option for customers looking for pre-built sales and project management features, while Method CRM’s deep QuickBooks sync and no-code platform allow users to build customized, scalable workflows for all aspects of their business.

Access to free telephone support with Method CRM is another benefit for users who are new to CRM systems.

Ultimately, the most important consideration when choosing a CRM is to make sure it suits your business needs.

Method vs. Insightly FAQs

What does a good CRM look like?

A good CRM includes:

• A centralized view of contact details, including interaction and transaction history.
• Customer support and communication tools.
• Invoice and order management.
• Self-serve options for customers (i.e. web-based portals, help resources, etc.)

What questions should I ask before choosing a CRM?

The questions you should ask before choosing a CRM are:

• What are my specific business needs and goals?
• How do I want to organize my customers?
• Where do I need to improve productivity?

How to use QuickBooks as a CRM?

Using QuickBooks as a CRM is technically an option, but it’s not a very good one. A CRM is designed to make your sales process more efficient and your business more organized. 

Using QuickBooks for contact management has the adverse effect. You risk easily jumbling up your accounting information, which causes confusion among your employees. 

As a result, you actually slow down sales operations, which is of course counterproductive to the reason you establish a CRM system in the first place.

Ready for a QuickBooks-integrated CRM? Give Method CRM a try for free.

The post Method CRM vs. Insightly QuickBooks integration appeared first on Method.

That’s good news because the right CRM system takes your company to new levels of productivity.

As the name suggests, a CRM helps you maintain strong relationships with customers and prospective customers.

It’s also a central hub for your customer and sales data — allowing you to work efficiently and understand key metrics.

Choosing a CRM that is appropriate for your company and industry is one of the most important business decisions you’ll make.

Thankfully, you don’t need to have a software degree to make a wise choice.

Keep reading to understand the ways in which Method CRM and Zoho help or hinder your business.

The main difference between Method CRM and Zoho is the level of integration, ability to customize, and length of the free trial. Now, let’s dive in deeper!

Jump to:

Key Features

Targeted Industries

Software Integrations

Other Noteworthy Features

Free Trial Opportunities

Pricing Options

Customer Support

Key Features

Every CRM has certain key features that make up the core of its offerings. When shopping for a CRM, start by looking at these key features to determine whether the system could potentially match your business needs.

Method

• Built exclusively for QuickBooks users: the two-way integration mirrors customer and transaction data seamlessly between Method and QuickBooks in real time.
• Organize your sales process and win more deals by automating lead collection and centralizing your leads.
• Streamline operations and service customers efficiently without loading undue administrative work onto your sales team.
• A 360-degree view of each customer helps you provide superior customer service and drive repeat business.
• 100% customizable: Future-proof your business with software that grows as you do.

Zoho

• Automates repetitive tasks to allow sales reps to spend more time on selling and less time on data entry.
• Multi-channel support allows you to reach your customers via phone, live chat, email, or through social media.
• Allows for the addition of industry-specific modules and custom buttons to adapt the interface and functionality for your business.
• Lets you view what your customers and prospects are looking at online and whether they are opening your emails.
• Advanced CRM analytics give you deeper insights into how your business is functioning.

Targeted Industries

After identifying key features that would benefit you, it’s helpful to know if the CRM you are considering was built with your industry in mind. Here are some of the industries that Method and Zoho are well-suited for.

Method

Method serves customers in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, construction, accounting, field services, and nonprofit.

Zoho

Zoho offers customized vertical solutions for a variety of industries, including automotive, environment and sustainable energy, real estate, tourism, retail, nonprofit, insurance, telecommunications, and event management.

Software Integrations

Before adopting a new CRM, it’s a good idea to check whether it can integrate with the other software programs you already use. This will ease the transition to a new system and ensure that no customer data falls through the cracks. Luckily, both Method and Zoho offer integrations with common software applications.

Method

• QuickBooks: Method is the CRM industry leader for QuickBooks integration and is compatible with all versions of QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premier, and Enterprise. The powerful two-way sync between Method and QuickBooks allows customer, vendor and transaction data to sync between your CRM and your accounting software in real time.
• Gmail: Bring your CRM inside your Gmail inbox with Method’s free Sidebar for Gmail. When you open an email, the sidebar displays the contact’s phone number, address, balance, QuickBooks transactions, CRM activities, opportunities, cases, and documents. You can also save new data to Method directly from Gmail, eliminating the need to switch between tabs.
• Outlook: Similar to the Gmail integration, Method’s free add-in for Outlook lets you see your whole relationship with customers, leads and vendors at a glance. When you open an email, the add-in displays the sender’s contact information alongside valuable QuickBooks and CRM data. Easily save new leads, activities, and opportunities to your Method account — all without leaving Outlook.
• Mailchimp: Rather than manually exporting contacts from Method and importing them into Mailchimp, this integration does the work for you. Simply select the CRM contacts you want to market to, then send them to Mailchimp in just a few clicks.
• Google Calendar: View your scheduled CRM activities, such as meetings with customers, follow-up emails to leads, or conference calls with vendors, right in your Google Calendar. You can also create and update activities in your Google Calendar that will sync back to Method.

Zoho

Zoho offers a wide range of software integrations; the full assortment can be viewed here. Some examples include:

• QuickBooks: There are QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online extensions for Zoho CRM. Choose which records you want to sync between programs and customize the field mapping from your Zoho dashboard.
• Google Drive: Easily sync, share, and collaborate on documents associated with customer records in Zoho.
• Microsoft Office: Sync Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases with Zoho CRM records, then manage them from within Zoho.
• Mailchimp: Sync Mailchimp lists with Zoho Campaigns, get notified in Zoho when subscriber profiles are updated in Mailchimp, and merge fields between Mailchimp and Zoho.
• Eventbrite: Quickly capture new leads from events and trade shows by syncing your Events and Tickets data into Zoho.

Other Noteworthy Features

Many CRMs include features beyond the basic lead and customer management tools. While these may not be highlighted as prominently on the company’s website, these selling points add value to the products nonetheless. Here’s what Method and Zoho have to offer.

Method

Method CRM is built on a 100% customizable, no-code platform. This means you can continuously build on it to better suit your needs, without needing to hire a developer. From adding new fields to automating processes to building custom apps, Method has the flexibility to become much more than a CRM. And when combined with the deep QuickBooks sync, this flexibility allows you to create optimal workflows for your business.

Zoho

Zoho offers industry-specific modules that can be included in your CRM to tailor it for your business’s needs. The Zoho marketplace also includes a wide range of extensions for other business functions, like FedEx shipment tracking, SignEasy document signing capabilities and more.

Free Trial Opportunities

Before implementing any new software, prospective buyers should ideally be able to test out the capabilities of the program. To that end, most CRMs offer a no-commitment free trial period.

Method

Method offers a free trial that allows users to fully explore the functionality of the system. There’s no contract, no obligation, and no credit card required. The free trial also includes a free hour of customization services with an in-house customization expert so you can see the true potential of customizing Method for your business. In order to begin the trial, you must sync your QuickBooks data with your Method account.

Zoho

Zoho offers a 15-day free trial of all four of its subscription plans (described below). No credit card is needed to sign up. Zoho also offers a free CRM for up to three users; the CRM includes basic functionality for sales force automation, workflow management, social integration, and team collaboration.

Pricing Options

For most businesses, CRM pricing will play a key role in the decision-making process. Luckily, most CRMs offer a variety of pricing and subscription options. Here’s what’s available for Method and Zoho.

Method

Method offers two subscription plans — Contact Management and CRM Pro. Both plans are available on an annual or monthly basis, with no contract required for the monthly basis.

The Contact Management plan is $25/user/month when billed annually or $28/user/month when billed monthly. This plan includes everything businesses need to get started with customer relationship management, including QuickBooks sync, contact management, customer self-service portals, and custom app services.

The CRM Pro plan is $44/user/month when billed annually or $49/user/month when billed monthly. This plan includes all of the features of the Contact Management plan, plus QuickBooks sales transactions, online payment portals, sales pipeline management, and web-to-lead forms.

Additional modules for QuickBooks purchase transactions, email campaigns, and case management are available for either plan for $10/user/month when billed annually or $12/user/month when billed monthly.

Zoho

In addition to the free CRM described above, Zoho offers four paid CRM subscription plans.

The Standard plan ($12/user/month billed annually or $18/user/month) includes everything in the free version. It also includes features such as sales forecasting, scoring rules, charts and KPIs, and web forms.

The Professional plan ($20/user/month billed annually or $30/user/month) includes everything in the Standard plan. It also includes features such as email integration, social CRM, inventory management, and unlimited records.

The Enterprise plan ($35/user/month billed annually or $45/user/month) includes everything in the Professional plan. It also includes features such as multi-user portals, custom modules and buttons, conditional fields, and conversational AI.

The Ultimate plan ($100/user/month billed annually) includes everything in the Enterprise plan. It also includes features such as free premium support, automation suggestions, enhanced storage, and email sentiment.

Customer Support

Good customer support is critical for companies implementing their first online CRM system. You’ll want to work with a company that stands behind its products and has support reps available when you may need them.

Method

Method offers a variety of support services including free 24/7 access to the online help center, webinars, and customization resources. Support reps are available over phone, live chat, and email Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm EST.

Zoho

Zoho offers 24/7 access to their online help center and community message boards. Customers can submit requests for support by email or through an online form on the company’s website. Phone support is available for paid CRM customers Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day.

Conclusion

When comparing Method CRM to Zoho CRM, you’ll see that both platforms can be used successfully by a variety of industries. Zoho is a great option for customers who are looking for a robust out-of-the-box solution, while Method’s deep integration with QuickBooks and infinite customization potential make it well-suited for companies who want a CRM that can grow along with them.

All in all, the best CRM for your business is the one that helps you get more work done — so your CRM comparison doesn’t need to stop here. Sign up for a free trial of both systems and see which one is right for you!

The post CRM Comparison: Method vs. Zoho appeared first on Method.

A construction CRM should keep all the information you need about prospective customers at your fingertips. In addition, the software should integrate fully with your existing business processes, allowing you to track customers throughout their lifecycle. To help you select the perfect software for your business, this article will look at five key features that any construction CRM should have.

1. Project management

Project management in construction means tracking each bid as it moves through the pipeline. Any CRM you choose should have features that complement your existing project management software. Ideally, CRM software should allow construction companies to create estimates on the fly and send them to prospective clients. In addition, it should allow your team members to schedule follow-up tasks for each project.

The primary benefit of project management in construction is to avoid missing opportunities to secure new projects. Consequently, your CRM should send automatic e-mail reminders to ensure that tasks don’t fall through the cracks. It should also allow you to log customer interactions directly from your inbox, allowing bid information to be easily updated.

It’s important for construction businesses to focus on the hottest bids since they typically have many pending projects. A CRM’s project management features should help you prioritize bids throughout each stage of the pipeline, from prospecting to the proposal. A common approach is to allow users to assign a value to each bid, indicating its potential revenue.

2. Customer history

The ability to view a customer’s entire history in a single location is an essential requirement for a construction CRM. This typically involves maintaining a shared list of bids, allowing you to deliver world-class service to each customer. A shared list helps you maintain strong relationships with your contacts, regardless of who answers your phone.

Having all of your contacts in a single location is important in construction because of the amount of collaboration required. For example, contractors must deal with contacts such as architects, inspectors, and subcontractors while working on a single project. A CRM containing everyone’s contact information makes it easier to identify the person needed for a particular task.

A complete view of customer history also allows you to manage relationships proactively. Your CRM should allow you to schedule tasks reminding you when it’s time to touch base with a customer. This practice helps to ensure that you can identify and correct potential problems before customers become dissatisfied with your service.

3. Complete workflows

A CRM that offers end-to-end workflows allows you to automate many of the steps involved in managing a construction business. In particular, manually entering the same data more than once becomes tedious when it has to be done for every project. Automated workflows allow you to send invoices and receive payments in less time, with fewer people involved.

Another desirable feature in a CRM is the ability to customize these workflows to meet changes in requirements, which is a common occurrence in construction. Customization allows a single system to perform various distinct functions, which eliminates the need to implement multiple software systems.

Construction CRM software should also reduce redundancy by synchronizing with your existing software programs, such as QuickBooks. This allows you to easily create an estimate, convert it to a sales order and issue an invoice in either program without needing to re-enter data. Syncing with QuickBooks also allows your customers to pay invoices online without your team needing access to QuickBooks.

4. Payment services

The ability to accept credit card payments is an essential feature for a construction CRM platform. This feature should also support ACH payments made in the United States. Convenient payment options in your CRM help you simplify the payment process and get paid faster. Some CRMs enable users to send invoices with a link to an online portal, which lets their customers view and pay balances online.

The main advantage of a CRM that offers payment services is that it greatly reduces the risk of error during the payment process. Sales team members will no longer need to process payments manually, which requires multiple steps. This feature also eliminates the need for employees to have access to QuickBooks when processing payments. This is particularly beneficial to construction businesses whose team members are often in the field.

5. Email integration

The integration of a CRM with existing email services is becoming an increasingly important feature in construction. These integrations allow you to view a customer’s personal data from your inbox, including their name, address, and phone number. They also allow you to see account data such as balance, past transactions, and other activities. Additional capabilities of CRM email integrations should include the ability to add new contacts and save new information without leaving your inbox. A construction CRM should also offer email integrations with a high degree of customization, allowing them to meet the distinct needs of construction businesses.

The greatest benefit of email integrations is that they streamline your workflow by eliminating the need to switch between tabs. Instead of pasting emails into your CRM, you can easily log interactions with customers right from your email program. The ability to work within your inbox can significantly increase your operational efficiency.

Summary

CRM software is an essential tool for streamlining operations in a modern business. It’s particularly useful for construction businesses, where team members are often spread across multiple locations. Construction businesses also rely on CRM software to track interactions with their many contacts. By eliminating the need for double data entry and consolidating many business functions into a single platform, construction CRM software can dramatically reduce a company’s workload and improve efficiency.

The post Key features of a construction CRM appeared first on Method.

Beyond this, you help your clients better understand their businesses and their respective industries. So whether you’re a bookkeeper or an advisor, CRM software for accounting firms is a powerful tool that helps simplify your workflows.

How? With all the tasks you need to do every day to service your clients, a CRM automates a lot of that work, allowing you to focus on big picture solutions for your clients. 

In this blog, you’ll learn some tips on what to look for in CRM software for accounting. But first, let’s take a look at some of the software you already use.

What software do accounting firms use?

As an accountant, you’re used to working with accounting software daily. But with so many contacts, appointments, and other things to do, you’re also probably using a range of other solutions. 

Some of those tools likely include:

• A calendar for scheduling tasks and meetings.
• Financial dashboards and bookkeeping tools.
• A time tracker for billable hours.
• File sharing tools to help with collaboration.
• Invoicing software.
• Spreadsheets for financial analysis and forecasting reports.

In today’s competitive environment, new innovative applications are developed every day. In fact, QuickBooks found that accounting professionals spend 86% of their time on tasks that could be automated.

“86% of accountants spend time on tasks that could be automated.” 

— QuickBooks, 2017.

While the word “automation” may be scary to some, it doesn’t mean that eventually accounting will become obsolete. Far from it. 

Automation boosts your efficiency by freeing you from manual tasks like data entry. It allows you to spend your time on more lucrative endeavors like sales activities and growth opportunities.

How cloud accounting software can help your accounting firm

Cloud solutions have reshaped the accounting industry. Now, you might ask, “What is cloud computing?”… Well, it’s the data storage and access over the Internet instead of on your physical hard drive.

A SaaS (Software as a Service) model allows your staff to access their software from anywhere in the world and view the same information for easier collaboration. 

Furthermore, SaaS solutions come in different sizes, subscription plans, and pricing options. So, cloud-based business systems are suitable for any company – from small B2B organizations to larger companies. 

And while this technology has been around for a while, cloud computing has empowered accountants with hundreds of cloud-based apps, especially software focussed on accounting, finances, and analytics. 

Many bookkeepers choose accounting software such as QuickBooks Online to track their expense, make better budget plans, and more. With categories for every aspect of your finances, it’s easy to streamline your operations with a cloud accounting system.
Some benefits of integrating a cloud accounting system with your business operations include:

• You can access your accounting data from multiple locations and devices.
• Your financial information updates in real-time so your team always has accurate data.
• Your overhead is lower as you can scale up the number of licenses you need seamlessly.

Is cloud software safe for accountants?

A concern accountants may have with cloud accounting services is privacy and security. With an obligation to keep client data secure, especially their finances and confidential contact information, accountants have to ask themselves, “Is cloud accounting software safe?” 

And this question is more than valid. Especially when you consider that FBI reporting showed close to 4,000 cyberattacks a day on businesses, government sites, and medical companies during the pandemic.

The good news is that cloud-based accounting software provides a few security advantages over desktop-based accounting. The first is that data is encrypted between your device and the cloud server, so it’s difficult for third party users to intercept it. 

Second, keeping your data offsite reduces the risk of it being compromised if your devices are stolen or physically damaged — since they’re not in the same location. Finally, a cloud service acts as a backup for your data in case your devices are lost, stolen, breached, or broken.

Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of cloud accounting software, let’s look at how your accounting company can improve your client relationships and sales with a cloud CRM for accountants.

What is CRM in accounting?

In a nutshell, a customer relationship management (CRM) software uses technology to augment traditional customer service. You can store and access client data in one centralized location, which improves the way you interact with your clients. Better customer interactions and communication ultimately lead to stronger customer relationships and improved loyalty.

What can a CRM do for your accounting firm?

What’s great is that the benefits of CRM software for accounting firms are widespread. Here are a few examples of how using a CRM can fuel your firm’s prosperity. 

With an accounting CRM, you:

• Better serve your clients with a self-service online client portal. 
• Gain insight on your sales pipeline and marketing performance in just a few clicks.
• Easily capture details of your prospects from your website visitors. 
• Get a 360-degree view of every customer, from leads to repeat purchasers.
• Maximize your productivity by automating tedious tasks.

With a powerful CRM, you can simplify many aspects of your accounting practice and grow your list of clients. 

How this is possible will become clear as you learn the top CRM features accountants should look for in this next section. 

What accountants need to look for in a CRM

Of course, not all CRM programs are created specifically for accountants. To help you navigate the process of selecting a CRM solution for your company, check out these key points that any accounting CRM should have. Feel free to scroll to the bottom for the TL:DR version of these seven essential CRM features for accountants.

1. The most important feature — Integrating accounting and CRM software

This is a big one. 

As an accountant, you understand the value of a self-serve portal to get a clear view of your client’s transactions. Having all of this data on hand allows you to provide consistent, professional accounting services to keep you ahead of the competition. 

The logical step is to choose CRM software that integrates with your existing accounting software, such as QuickBooks. This allows you to enter new client or transaction information in either program and have it automatically sync to the other.

With everything from transaction history to past interactions compiled in one place, you’ll have a single system that covers every aspect of your relationship with each client. No more trying to filter your information, backtrack, and double-check figures or dates, which is time-consuming and tedious. Taking advantage of this integration makes your entire workflow more efficient.

2. Streamlined client onboarding

Whenever your accounting firm brings on new people, they should go through an onboarding process. This ensures your client is aware of the tasks and timelines they are responsible for while you’re providing accounting services. Everyone is on the same page, saving you time and your client money.

Look for a CRM platform that allows you to set up and organize your client onboarding strategy. Features such as document management, email templates, and scheduled reminders help ensure that every new client receives the same information on the same timeline. The more you can automate the process, the better the experience for both you and your clients.

3. Improved client management

When you set up a CRM system, it goes without saying that it will store all of your client information. 

However, it’s important to make sure that everyone on your team can easily access and update this information. Here are some questions to guide you through your selection decisions:

• Is the CRM cloud-based? 
• Does this CRM allow for anywhere, anytime access? 
• Is this CRM mobile-friendly enough to support teams that are typically on the go? 
• Is your team comfortable with the user interface? Does the software offer a demo?

By choosing a program that all your departments are comfortable with, you’ll reduce common errors in data entry and communication.

As time passes, one of the biggest benefits of better client management is gaining more clients organically. 

Managing client information in a CRM helps you improve relationships through more personalized service. As a result, your satisfied clients are willing to provide you with free marketing through reviews, word-of-mouth, and referrals. This boosts your revenue, which increases your ROI in choosing a CRM as your business management solution.

4. Easier client communications

In general, accountants have different types of secure communication with clients, such as email and video chat. But do you have a way to keep track of all of these emails and conversations over time? If not, implementing CRM software gives you this valuable tool for customer service. It sends out notifications to your team the second a service request is received.

By maintaining a detailed history of communications in your CRM, you can refer back to this information at any time. This also improves your sales process as your client history is readily available, and your sales reps no longer waste time digging through old files and documents.

This way, your team can seamlessly take care of clients without having to backtrack for information. Your clients will appreciate this attention to detail, which will put them at ease. As a result, your clients will end each exchange with your accounting firm satisfied.

Moreover, by automating sales processes and deals, a CRM streamlines client communications and ensures that no opportunities are missed. With sales automation in place, accountants can focus on servicing clients.

5. Client self-sufficiency

Are you looking for ways to get more hours out of your workday as an accountant? If yes, then look for CRM software that includes tools for building self-sufficiency among your clients. A great example of this is a CRM that offers built-in self-serve portals, which give your clients more options for accessing your business.

For those of you new to portals, this video gives a quick overview.

Your clients can view their transaction history, quotes, and invoices, resulting in fewer calls and emails to you. Some CRMs also enable billing and payment gateways directly within these portals, which reduces the administrative costs on your team.

Aside from making faster payments, a CRM allows clients to sign contracts using digital signatures (or e-signatures) to approve documents quicker. Even better, it saves you from printing checks when making payments on orders from your vendors.

6. Brand-building tools

Whether you’re a small business owner or you work at a large manufacturing enterprise, your company’s branding matters. Branding is much more than the name, logo, or design of your product or service. It’s about developing a personal relationship between your client and your product or service. 

As an accountant, your personal and professional brand follows you throughout your career. Think of it as a walking calling card for your accounting services.

When doing your research on choosing the right CRM, consider whether it has tools to help you build your accounting brand. It’s helpful to think about the various touchpoints you would like to reach your clients through.

One way to build your accounting brand is by sharing resources with your clients. Let’s say you have a digital article or notes about the latest tax code that you want to pass along. If your CRM makes it easy to share content with clients (for example, through email marketing campaigns or another marketing automation tool), you can position yourself as a thought leader. This increases your brand visibility, as well as client confidence in your products and services.

7. Customization of automated workflows

As an accountant, you handle a huge number of repetitive entries and tasks every day. So, wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could automatically complete certain tasks.

This is the concept behind using a CRM with flexible workflow automation. 

For example, accounting CRM software automates order status tracking, enabling you to easily monitor the progress of your orders. You can also implement other processes such as document storage, inventory management, and equations with custom CRM software.

Equipped with a CRM that works the way you do, you can control and update your workflows as desired to meet the changing needs of your accounting firm. 

Recap: The importance of a CRM for accountants

You may spend your days in the office crunching numbers, but your focus is ultimately on customer service. Being able to provide your clients with the best services to meet their financial needs is essential. 

Using a CRM for accountants can help you save your firm time and money that is better spent elsewhere. 

CRM software also gives you the tools required to better maintain your client relationships. So instead of getting sidetracked by missing data, you always have a clear picture of every client.

To review, these are the key features you should look for in a CRM:

1. The ability to integrate with your accounting software.
2. Functionality that streamlines your client onboarding process.
3. A simplified approach to client management.
4. The ability to easily communicate and track interactions with your clients.
5. Portals for greater client self-sufficiency.
6. Brand building capabilities.
7. Flexible workflow automation for your repetitive entries and tasks.

As you consider whether to invest in a CRM for your accounting firm, take a moment to consider the cost of inefficient, ineffective customer service. Chances are, the benefits of a great CRM platform will outweigh the investment.

Ready to take your accounting firm to the next level? Start your free trial of Method CRM — the #1 QuickBooks CRM.

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Using a CRM offers several benefits to those working at creative agencies. These software platforms can help automate processes, synchronize different departments’ work efforts, and enhance client interactions. But there are a lot of CRM options out there, so which ones should you focus on? Not to worry — in this article, we’ll look at 7 key features that any CRM solution for agencies should have.

1. Web-to-Lead Functionality

Web-to-lead functionality offers an easy method to capture lead information from your website, landing pages, and splash pages. First, you set up a form on your desired webpage. When a visitor fills it out, they are automatically logged in your CRM system as a potential lead. The CRM also sends an alert to your sales reps so they can efficiently follow up with your new prospect. This feature cuts down on the amount of lead data entry required of your sales and marketing teams. It can also prevent duplicate entries from being created by different team members who are updating the database at the same time.

2. Customization for Increased Productivity

Ideally, you should look for a CRM that can be customized to your operations. One of the main issues that small creative agencies face is data overload. You collect so much information about clients, projects and marketing trends that it can be difficult to organize all of it. A CRM program that allows for customizations, such as the creation of new fields or apps, allows you to capture and organize the data you need. This helps to simplify your workload and increase productivity throughout your organization.

3. Mobile Access

It’s not uncommon for a project manager or creative designer to meet a client at their place of business. But when your team members are out of the office, you want them to be able to stay connected. Search for a CRM that provides user-friendly mobile apps. With a system that can be used on smartphones and tablets, your team can access data instantly and pick up where they left off, anywhere they go.

4. Customer Service Coordination

A client may call your accounting department to find out about their invoice. But during the call, they may bring up a problem with their project that needs to be resolved by your creative team. Unless this information is relayed between departments, the project manager won’t know that they should make a follow-up call. So what’s the solution? Your cloud-based CRM should allow all departments to easily access and update information on clients. This allows your team members to provide better, more consistent customer service.

5. Enhanced Email Communication

More and more business/client interactions are occurring over email. Clients want to know the statuses of projects, web designers want updates on the latest graphics…it never ends! When searching for a CRM for agencies, look for one that integrates seamlessly with your email provider. Whether you’re using Outlook or Gmail, a CRM add-on in your email can provide immediate access to the client’s contact information and past interactions. This type of feature helps you to work more efficiently by centralizing client details right in your inbox.

6. Client Retention Features

Your business doesn’t just survive by converting new leads into clients. It also needs to retain existing clients and provide additional services to them. Any CRM you choose should offer a 360-degree view of each client’s history, including previous interactions, notes, projects, and transactions. This visibility enables you to develop cross-selling and upselling strategies to maintain client loyalty.

7. Client Portal Options

Sometimes, your clients may want to check the status of their invoices or support requests after business hours. That’s why it’s a great idea to select a CRM that offers self-serve portals. These portals allow clients to access their account information and transaction history anytime, without needing to contact you. And the benefits don’t stop there! You could even customize these portals to offer greater functionality, such as allowing clients to submit updates to their projects.

Choosing the Right CRM for Your Agency

Every creative design, web design, and marketing agency is different. As a result, you’ll require a CRM solution that can be uniquely tailored to your business’s processes. The features described here are a great starting point for streamlining or automating common day-to-day operations. But to identify the right CRM for your agency, you’ll need to take a close look at your current processes and determine what additional features will help you work towards your larger company goals.

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So how do you take full advantage of your CRM free trial? Regardless of which CRM you’re considering, the following checklist provides you with an outline to follow before and during the trial period. By the time your trial ends, you should have excellent data about what the system has to offer and how it works for your organization so you can make an informed decision for your company.

1. Assess Your Own Processes First

Before you even start to research different CRM systems, you need to understand how your own processes work. You can’t set goals unless you have a clear picture of your starting point. Analyze all of the workflows and tools involved in your current customer relationship management protocol. Note where your system is performing well and where you’d like to see improvements.

2. Make a List of Everything You Want in a CRM

Make sure you have a clear idea of what you’d like your CRM to accomplish. There are a number of ways that a CRM can alleviate tedious parts of your employees’ workdays to allow for better productivity. You should have a list of features that you feel are essential for your future CRM system — these may include things like lead management, mobile access, and integrations with other software.

3. Research CRM Providers to Narrow Down Your Choices

Once you have a list of what you’d like in a CRM system, you can research vendors. By having a clear picture of exactly what you hope to accomplish, you’ll be able to narrow your list down substantially. Your research will also likely give you new ideas of features to add to your wish list.

4. Assign a Point Person

In order to capitalize on the free trial experience, one person or team in your company should be in charge of assessing the CRM during the trial period. Assigning responsibility adds weight to the process and turns it into a focused research project that will yield results. It also means that there will be experts on staff who can help train other employees once a CRM system is chosen for implementation.

5. Demo the System

Don’t enter into a CRM free trial without going through a demo first. This allows you to see how the system works in advance, giving you a better feel for the platform, interface, and whether the tools might fit your business needs. If possible, it’s best to do a personalized demo with a support rep so you can ask questions.

6. Implement the Trial in an Organized Way

Based on the demo, take note of the features that look promising, those you don’t feel you’ll need, and any potential stumbling blocks for implementation. This will help your point person stay organized as they start the free trial and begin to assess the system. You’ll also want to ensure they have a system for noting new benefits and downsides as they become aware of them so you can review this data at the end of the trial.

7. Consider How the CRM Integrates with Your Current Systems

Use the trial period to assess if and how the CRM integrates with your current software. For instance, making sure the CRM integrates seamlessly with your accounting software means you’ll be able to streamline your workflow, eliminate double data entry, and minimize the chance of data entry errors. Of course, there can be obstacles as you set up integrations between programs. The trial period gives you a chance to assess these issues before implementing the new software permanently.

8. Assess Customer Service and Support

Customer service and support are integral to a good CRM system. Make sure you take some time to contact the vendor’s technical support and customer service to assess how well they respond to their customers’ needs. Look for a vendor that offers plenty of live support during the hours that you may need it. In addition, take note of how helpful their training materials are. Do they have ample documentation on product features? Do they offer hands-on training for your employees? Are there webinars or other resources you can take advantage of?

9. Ask About Possibilities for Customization

Your business has its own unique processes and protocols. Some CRM systems are out-of-the-box or one-size-fits-all, but others offer ways to customize the software so it’s better suited for your business and workflows. Use the free trial period to assess these possibilities.

10. Look At Your Real Data in the CRM

Case studies, demos, and feature documentation will give you a good idea of how a CRM system works and what it offers. But using the system with your own data will give you real-world experience in a way that simple research will not. Make sure that you assess the benefits of using the system with your own data throughout the trial.

Closing Thoughts On Choosing a CRM

Your CRM choice should make sense for your business and the people who will use it. Most of the systems you’ll research can offer excellent benefits, but they’ll only work for you if they’re used to their full capacity.

Implementing a new CRM system throughout your team involves a commitment of time, money, and training. Think of your free trial period as an essential step before making a concrete decision to adopt the system. There’s no monetary commitment during the trial, which means you’re not locked in if it doesn’t look like a good fit. But you won’t know for certain how advantageous the system is if you don’t use that time wisely.

Every company is different. When choosing your CRM provider, make sure what they offer makes sense with your current protocols and future goals.

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