Guide
What is CRM software, and who needs it?
CRM stands for customer relationship management. CRM software keeps one record of every customer and the work around them. This guide covers what it does, who needs one and how to start.
Definition
CRM software, in plain words.
CRM software stores your leads, contacts, companies, deals, quotes, invoices and support tickets in one place, with the history of each conversation. The goal is that anyone on the team can see where a customer stands.
Benefits
What a CRM gives a team.
Anyone can see the history, the open deals and the open tickets without asking around.
Tasks, reminders and stages keep a conversation from going quiet by accident.
Deals by stage and value show where revenue is likely to come from.
A colleague can pick up a conversation without starting from zero.
Forms, imports and automation replace retyping the same details.
Types
Three kinds of CRM.
CRM software is often described as operational, analytical or collaborative. Operational CRM automates sales, marketing and service work. Analytical CRM focuses on reporting and forecasting. Collaborative CRM focuses on sharing customer information across teams.
Most modern products mix all three. What matters for a small team is how many of those jobs one product can do without extra tools.
Checklist
Core CRM features to look for.
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Contact and company records | The base of every other feature. |
| Sales pipeline with stages | Shows where each deal stands. |
| Lead capture from forms | Stops enquiries getting lost in an inbox. |
| Tasks and reminders | Keeps follow-ups on schedule. |
| Import and export | Lets you bring data in and take it out. |
| Permissions | Controls who can see and change which records. |
| Reports and dashboards | Turns records into answers. |
What it does
Core CRM features, by team.
Lead management, a sales pipeline with stages, deals, quotes and invoices.
Support tickets, response targets, a help center and satisfaction surveys.
Forms, landing pages and campaigns that feed leads into the CRM.
An employee directory, time off, onboarding and reviews.
Dashboards and reports that read from the same records.
Spreadsheet or CRM
When a spreadsheet stops working.
A spreadsheet is fine for a handful of customers. It struggles when more than one person edits it, when you need reminders, or when you want to see deals by stage. Read the spreadsheet comparison or the first-week guide.
Get started
Set up a CRM in five steps.
- Choose your stages
Name the steps a deal takes in your own words.
- Import your list
Bring contacts and companies from a spreadsheet using CSV import.
- Invite the team
Add colleagues with the access each person needs.
- Capture new leads
Connect a web form so enquiries land in the CRM.
- Add automation later
Once the basics work, add rules for the repeated tasks.
CRM software
CRM questions, answered.
What does CRM stand for?
Customer relationship management.
Do small businesses need a CRM?
Once more than one person talks to customers, or deals take more than one conversation, a CRM saves time and keeps context. See what a small team needs.
How much does a CRM cost?
Prices vary by vendor and plan. Veliq CRM has a free Starter plan and per-user paid plans. See pricing.
What is the difference between CRM software and a spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet holds rows. A CRM links each customer to deals, quotes, invoices, tickets and conversations, and adds stages, reminders and reports.
What is an AI CRM?
CRM software with an AI assistant built into the records. Read the guide.