Table of Contents
Introduction
Selecting the proper CRM is just not merely about saving time and efforts, it is about empowering your staff, enhancing customer interactions, and fueling business development. With so many available on the marketplace, understanding the right CRM features really counts as a game-changer.
A recent study revealed that more than 61% of businesses prefer to have a CRM solution that is designed to their typical requirements. This indicates the importance of understanding the CRM features so you can choose the right platform with the right features for your business.
In this short article, we will explore the top 10 CRM features that are necessary for most of the businesses. Although this list is not a mandatory list, however, having these features will be essential to have a seamless workflow in your business.
We have covered about CRM in our previous blog posts, and you can find them here.
Let’s jump straight into the article and explore the CRM features your business must have.
Top 10 CRM features needed for your business
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of the CRM features that will help understand the importance of CRM for your business. Having these features will help you simplify the workflow in your business.
Contact management
Contact management is one of the basic yet most important features of a CRM. It helps you store and organise all the key details about your leads and customers like email addresses from online forms, phone numbers from meetings, or even links to their social media profiles. It is a smart way to keep track of every interaction as someone moves from being a lead to a loyal customer.
It also comes in handy with built-in reminders for follow-ups and a shared space for teams to add notes after each call or meeting. With everything in one place, your team can always see the latest info and understand the full history of every customer.
Single source of truth
In many businesses, different teams use different tools, and sometimes, important information ends up scattered across spreadsheets, sticky notes, or personal devices. This can make it really hard to keep track of customer updates and offer a smooth, personalised experience. That’s where a CRM steps in.
A CRM brings all that scattered data together into one clean customer profile. So now, your sales team can see what emails marketing sent or check if there’s an open support ticket. This not only helps your team respond faster but also gives AI tools better context to predict what a customer might need next.
Deploying Artificial Intelligence
AI has made CRM tools smarter and more helpful across every department. It boosts team productivity and gives you better insights into how your business is doing.
With predictive AI, you can spot trends like which deals are more likely to close or which customers might need extra attention. Generative AI can draft custom emails, write help articles, create product descriptions in different languages, and even launch targeted marketing campaigns. Then there’s conversational AI, like chatbots, which let your team ask questions and get instant answers, just like talking to a teammate.
But AI is only as good as the data it works with. Generic AI tools can miss the mark because they don’t know your business. Platforms like Data Cloud are built to understand your customer data deeply, spot patterns, suggest next steps, and even take actions like sending follow-ups or solving tickets automatically.
A good CRM also uses AI responsibly. That means it protects sensitive data, doesn’t keep your information longer than needed, detects harmful language, and hides personal details when necessary. This will ensure that your team gets useful, secure, and respectful responses every time.
Cloud-based CRM
Modern-day CRMs are typically cloud-based, meaning they are accessed on remote servers rather than being installed on your office computers. This configuration is also referred to as Software as a Service (SaaS) and allows you and your team to access the CRM remotely. It also saves you money in the long term since the CRM provider does everything like setup, updates, and security, and you don’t have to bother with IT woes.
Mobile CRM
One huge benefit of using a cloud-based CRM is that it’s accessible anywhere. No matter where your team is, i.e., in the office, from home, or on the go, they can log in on any device like phone, tablet, or laptop and have access to everything they need. And if your CRM comes with add-ons such as Slack, your team can communicate, share news, and stay on the same page without having to switch between different systems.
Workflow, approvals, and automation
Automating repetitive work can save plenty of time and allow your staff to concentrate on more important stuff. CRMs can be designed to automatically follow up on, say, emailing a customer for a second bite if they haven’t replied, or reminding the salesperson someone viewed a product but didn’t purchase. Bonus: these communications can be customised so that they still appear human.
CRMs also assist in creating workflows that maintain things in motion. For instance, your team will receive weekly reminders to update customer notes or reports. You can even build forms to manage internal requests, such as requesting IT assistance or sending something to the legal team for review.
Collaboration tools
When everyone on your entire team can access the same data, collaborating is a breeze. Solutions like Slack can integrate with your CRM, allowing teams to chat, search information, give tasks, and even create automated workflows all in one. And with conversational AI, they can just ask the CRM questions like they’re speaking to a colleague.
Scalability, flexibility, and customisation
A good CRM allows you to pick and choose only the features your business truly needs. And as you scale, you can add new tools or users easily without having to start over from scratch.
No matter if you’re a small business just beginning or an expanding team with ambitious plans, it makes sense to choose a CRM that can grow with you. That way, you won’t outgrow it, but the CRM will grow with you.
Third-party integrations
When customer information flows freely between teams, it allows everyone to provide a greater experience, and the same applies to tools beyond your CRM. Third-party integrations, such as MuleSoft, enable your CRM to integrate with other software like ERP systems, HR systems, accounting software, and more.
With these integrations enabled, your teams are able to access valuable insights from several platforms in one location. When paired with a robust data platform, it all gets consolidated to provide you with a holistic, easy-to-use view of your customer.
Security
CRMs contain a significant amount of critical and sensitive information both for your customers and your company. That’s why selecting a CRM with robust security features is imperative. It needs to include updated protections and consistent updates to help protect your information and keep your business in sync with privacy laws. Role-based access features also assist, allowing you to control who can view what, according to their employment role, so your data remains in the correct hands.
Conclusion
A CRM is only as strong as the features it provides and how well they support your business requirements. From lead tracking to automation, the right set of tools can make your CRM a growth engine. Assess what’s most important to your team, and use this list as a guide to select a CRM that works smarter, not harder.
Contact our sales team to know how our Kenyt.AI CRM features match with your typical requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
CRM features help streamline communication, automate repetitive tasks, and centralize customer data. This makes it possible for businesses to provide improved customer experiences, enhance collaboration among teams, and ultimately grow through more informed decision-making.
Begin by defining your business objectives, whether that’s enhancing customer service, handling leads, or streamlining sales efficiency. Select CRM capabilities that meet those objectives and solve your unique operational problems.
Yes. Most contemporary CRMs provide scalable plans specifically designed for small businesses. Even automation, customer segmentation, and reporting can have a significant impact without overloading your team or budget.
No, not necessarily. The list highlights the most critical features, but each business is different. You can begin with the essentials and add others as your needs change or your customer base grows.
Aaron Jebin is an enthusiastic SAAS technical content writer interested in writing for new and existing technologies, platforms, and tools. With an experience of over 4 years in technical writing, he is keenly focused on developing articles to provide readers with complete solutions to the common problems that arise in the everyday workplace. His writing mostly focused on team building, work ethics, business analysis, project management, automation, AI, customer and employee engagement methodologies. He has an interest in baking cakes and making stained glass art. He is currently honing his drifting skills.
