CRM or Customer Relations Management are essential to modern business but small business often has different needs than big business and here well look at what is essential for CRM in small business.
Every CRM system is built on the contact database. In fact its key to the entire system. The contact database allows for the entry of information on customers and prospects. It also allows for the maintenance of this information. This will include basics such as name, address, phone, and email address.
If you sell to larger customers such as other companies where you have many contacts you will want your CRM software to have to the ability to mange contacts in groups related to one customer. So for example ABC Company might have Joe, Sam, Sally, and Molly all attached to it. This allows you to easily change information for the entire group.
You will want to closely exam the reporting capability. If you put all that information into the system you want to be able to retrieve it in a format that is usable to you. Some systems come with canned reports that you may or may not be able to edit to meet your personal needs. Some also come with a module called a report...