Running a small business is both exciting and challenging. You’re often juggling a lot of responsibilities like sales, customer service, operations, and marketing, all at the same time.
In the midst of all these things, one thing becomes exceptionally clear: managing relationships with customers, leads, and vendors has become extremely crucial. This is where choosing the best cloud based contact manager for small businesses can be helpful.
In this article, you will learn how to find the most suitable cloud-based contact manager that can be useful for small-scale businesses. With these tips, you will be able to get the right system that can be helpful to your business.
Why Do You Need a Cloud-Based Contact Management System?
Still relying on spreadsheets, notebooks, or scattered email threads to keep track of your business? If so, you’re already at a disadvantage. A cloud-based contact manager will centralize all your customer and vendor information in one place that can be accessible from anywhere, updated in real time, and shared across your team.
Here’s what the best cloud-based contact manager will do for your business:
- Organizing and segmenting contacts in an efficient way.
- Making log interactions like calls, emails, and meetings more convenient.
- Syncing with your existing tools like Gmail, Outlook, Slack, or CRMs.
- Providing access anywhere to keep your team informed while on the move.
- Offering data security and backup to prevent data loss.
Apart from functionality, the right cloud-based contact management system will help small businesses develop stronger and more personalized relationships. You don’t even have to indulge yourself in the admin work.
Essential Features to Look For While Searching for the Right Cloud-Based Contact Manager
While evaluating options, you should look for these important features that align with business goals, apart from offering all the latest tech to just show off:
Ease of Use:
The tool that you’re using should be intuitive. You should not require an IT department to train a team.
Scalability:
Your contact manager should grow with your business. It should support more users and features as required.
Automation:
Automatic data entry, activity logging, and follow-up reminders can free up your precious time.
Integration:
The tool should sync with tools that you’re already using, such as Google Workspace, Zoom, Hubspot, QuickBooks, and various other tools.
Pocket-Friendliness:
Most small-scale businesses have a limited budget. That’s why you need to have a tool that delivers value without excess enterprise pricing.
Latest Cloud-Based Contact Management Systems You Can Consider
Some of the effective and widely-recommended contact manager systems for small businesses for the modern generation include:
HubSpot CRM:
HubSpot CRM is the best tool for small businesses that want a robust, free solution with marketing tools. It offers one of the finest CRMs out there in the market, as it includes a fully functional cloud-based contact manager.
You can store up to a million contacts, track deals, schedule meetings, and even send emails. You don’t have to pay a single penny while doing so.
Pros:
- Beautiful interface and intuitive design.
- Seamless Gmail and Outlook integration.
- Built-in Sales and Marketing Tools.
- Free forever plan for small teams.
Cons:
- Some features are only available in paid tiers.
- Some amount of learning is required for advanced tools.
Zoho ContactManager/Zoho CRM:
Zoho’s ContactManager is the best tool for small teams that require customization without spending too much. It has a contact management module within Zoho CRM that is highly configurable. This module can integrate well with other Zoho tools.
This tool is a great choice for those who want something more configurable than HubSpot and stay within their budget.
Pros:
- Pocket-Friendly Pricing Tiers
- Deep Customization Options
- Compatible Mobile Apps for Android and iOS
- Workflow Automation Included
Cons:
- The interface isn’t as polished as some competitors.
- It requires time to get the full value.
Pipedrive:
If your small-scale business is driven by sales, then having Pipedrive by your side is the best thing to do. It is a visual pipeline-based CRM that has strong contact and deal management capabilities.
Pros:
- It has a simple drag-and-drop interface.
- Smart contact data and enrichment.
- Great for pipeline visibility.
- Fast onboarding.
Cons:
- Limited Marketing tools.
- No free plan available, just a trial.
Streak for Gmails:
If you’re an entrepreneur operating a business without any partnership or have small teams using Gmail for communication, Streak for Gmail is the right tool for you.
This tool is capable of turning your Gmail inbox into a fully functioning cloud-based contact manager. It is perfect for freelancers, consultants, or small teams who don’t want to leave their inbox to manage contacts.
Pros:
- Built into Google, no need for extra logins.
- Track email opens and communication history.
- Lightweight and fast.
- Free plan available
Cons:
- Not ideal for large teams.
- Limited features outside the Gmail ecosystem
Nimble:
If you’re keen to integrate social media into your business, Nimble is the best option for you. It automatically pulls data from social media profiles, email conversations, and company databases. It is a modern-age contact manager that helps you better understand and engage with leads and customers.
Pros:
- Strong social media integration
- Smart contact enrichment
- Simple and modern UI
- Unified contact records
Cons:
- Smaller integrations library than others
- Not suitable for complex workflows
How to Choose the Right Cloud-Based Contact Management System for Your Business
Here’s a short checklist of things that will help you make a well-informed decision while buying the right cloud-based contact management system:
- Understand your requirements. Are you tracking leads? Managing clients? Logging vendor calls? Align your requirements with the strength of the tool.
- Check integration compatibility
- Consider your growth plan.
- Evaluate the support and community.
- Test drive before committing.
To Summarize
Building and maintaining relationships with your customers and clients is the biggest weapon for modern-day businesses. A reliable and effective cloud-based contact manager can help you in this mission, becoming the central nervous system of your operations.
Whether you’re a team of one or twenty, using the best cloud-based contact management personalized according to your goals will not only enhance the way you organize contacts, but also the way you serve them.
