How to Evaluate Close.com CRM Compared to Other CRMs?
Introduction
When it comes to evaluating CRM platforms, one name that often comes up is Close CRM. Many sales teams use it, but is it the right tool for you? Should you consider an alternative? What exactly does Close CRM offer? How does it stack up against other options in the market?
In this article, we’ll delve into how to evaluate Close CRM and when it might or might not be the right choice for your team. Instead of focusing solely on whether it's a "good" or "bad" tool, we’ll take a more nuanced look—drawing comparisons between different CRM "builds" and where Close CRM fits in.
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Close CRM: The Cottage of CRMs
Let’s start with a metaphor: imagine you're a developer with a plot of land, and you're deciding what to build. You have a few options:
A one-story cottage—simple, functional, and relatively cheap to build.
A two-story house—more complex, takes longer to build, but offers more flexibility and space.
A high-rise apartment complex—the most complex and expensive option, but it maximizes the value of your land.
Close CRM is that one-story cottage. It’s simple, functional, and built for quick and easy setup. You could get your sales team ready to start selling in just 30 minutes. For teams that need to get going fast without heavy customization or extensive onboarding, Close CRM is perfect. It’s intuitive, has all the basics, and is plug-and-play.
But like the cottage, Close CRM has its limitations. While it’s great for small or new teams, it lacks the flexibility and foundation for more advanced or specialized needs. For instance, if you want deep customization, complex integrations, or advanced reporting, Close CRM might fall short.
Quick Setup, But Limited Customization
One of the most appealing features of Close CRM is its simplicity. In just 15 to 20 minutes, you’ll find that you've pressed every button and learned everything the tool has to offer. The intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate, and you can get started right away without wading through extensive training or onboarding. It’s so user-friendly that Close CRM doesn’t even feel the need to provide many instructional videos—because you won’t need them.
However, this ease of use comes at a cost: limited customization. Close CRM doesn’t allow for much flexibility beyond its basic offerings, unless you're on the enterprise plan. Unlike more advanced CRMs like Salesforce, which offer layers of customization to suit complex workflows, Close CRM remains a simple, straightforward tool.
Who Should Use Close CRM?
For teams that want to jump right into selling without spending weeks setting up their CRM, Close CRM is a solid option. If you’re a sales team that needs to get going fast, without worrying about complicated configurations, it’s perfect. You could compare it to one of those modular houses that arrive ready to go—you just unpack, plug in, and get to work.
But if your team’s needs go beyond basic sales tracking and into areas like business intelligence or workflow automation, you might find Close CRM lacking. It offers basic reporting, but nothing that can provide the in-depth insights that larger teams with complex sales pipelines may require.
Comparing Close CRM to Other Platforms
Let’s extend our real estate metaphor to compare Close CRM with other CRMs:
Close CRM = The Cottage: Quick, simple, and ready to go. It’s great for teams that don’t need extensive features or customization.
HubSpot CRM = The Two-Story House: More flexibility, more complexity, but also more time-consuming and costly to implement. HubSpot and other mid-tier CRMs offer more features than Close CRM, but you’ll need more time to onboard and configure everything.
Salesforce CRM = The High-Rise Apartment Complex: Powerful, customizable, and capable of handling the most complex workflows and large teams. Salesforce allows you to build anything, but it’s far more expensive and requires a specialized skill set to manage.
The Good and the Bad of Close CRM
Good: Close CRM offers one of the fastest setups on the market. Within 30 minutes, you can have your entire sales team up and running. It’s ideal for teams that need a CRM but don’t want to spend hours or days learning how to use it. Close CRM is intuitive, simple, and gets the job done if you need a functional CRM that works right out of the box.
Bad: Where Close CRM falls short is in the areas of reporting and business intelligence. The basic reporting it offers is adequate for small teams, but it doesn't offer the depth that more advanced users or teams might require. If you need to track specific KPIs or want to get deep insights into your sales pipeline, you’ll likely need something more powerful.
For those accustomed to more feature-rich platforms like Salesforce, the limited functionality of Close CRM may feel like a drawback. You won’t get the extensive customization options or the ability to build workflows that can integrate with various other tools. For larger teams or teams with more complex needs, this could be a dealbreaker.
Is Close CRM Right for You?
Close CRM is a fantastic option for small-to-medium sales teams that need to hit the ground running. If you don’t want to deal with complicated setups or ongoing technical management, Close CRM offers everything you need to start selling right away.
However, if you’re looking for a CRM that will grow with your team, offers advanced reporting, or needs deep customization, you may want to consider something more robust, like HubSpot or Salesforce. Close CRM excels in simplicity and ease of use but falls short in customization and scalability.
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Conclusion
When evaluating Close CRM compared to other CRMs, it all boils down to what your team needs and how complex your workflows are. Close CRM is perfect for teams that need a simple, plug-and-play solution that doesn’t require extensive setup. However, for teams that need more advanced features, reporting, or customization, it may not be the best option.
In any case, the key is understanding your team’s specific needs and selecting the CRM that best fits those needs. Close CRM is one of the best options for quick and simple setups, but if you need more functionality, it’s worth looking at other CRM platforms that can offer the flexibility and power your team requires.
If you’re unsure whether Close CRM or another CRM is right for your business, book an assessment call with us. We’ll help you review your CRM needs, guide you in the right direction, and ensure you have the right tools to succeed.
At CF Closers, we believe that every sales team should have 100% visibility in their CRM 24/7 while automating 90% of the work. We build, train, and support you every step of the way.
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