You will find a plethora of ideas, stories, and tips about enterprise-level businesses, but there is seldom anything that actually discusses the pain points and issues of small businesses. So, here we are! In this article, we are going to discuss two CRMs. One of these CRMs—Act is considered the best for small businesses, startups and medium-sized companies. However, Zoho is a giant in the CRM market, but their pricing plans are considered apt for small businesses.
In this article, we are going to discuss Zoho CRM vs Act for SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses) so that they will be able to invest money in the right technical tools and applications.
Feature Comparison of Zoho CRM Vs. Act
There are various diverse features that both Zoho CRM and Act offer. Not all businesses need all the features that a CRM needs. Zoho being one of the market leaders offers more features and functionalities. You need to see what you need for your business, then opt for a CRM. Here is a comparison of features that usually small and medium-sized businesses need. It will help you know whether you need to invest money in Zoho CRM or Act.
1. Contacts & Lead Management
SMBs and even large enterprise-level businesses need to manage potential leads so that they can turn them into customers. Lead nurturing is a complete process that tells whether a lead is going to turn into a customer or not. And for that, it is crucial to manage potential leads. Both Zoho and Act by Sage offer effective features for contacts and lead management. Zoho offers contact management for not only the existing customers but also for the potential leads that can turn out to be your customers. Coming towards contact management in Act, there are some features that Act might lack for contact management in comparison to Zoho, yet it is suitable for small businesses and startups.
2. Sales Pipeline Tracking
Sales pipeline tracking is being offered by both Zoho and Act. Zoho’s sales pipeline feature is quite flexible. It allows users to customize stages as per the nature of the business and scenario. So, the complete process is quite in the control of the user. Just like Zoho, Act is also offering this feature of sales pipeline management. However, this feature of the Act is for small-scale businesses to manage the sales pipeline for small teams and a limited customer base. While Zoho offers broader customization and scalability for larger teams, Act! might be preferable for small businesses seeking a more straightforward approach to pipeline management.
3. Email Marketing Integration
The email marketing feature of Zoho is extensive. You can craft emails, schedule them, send them over, and track responses on these emails. On the other hand, email marketing in Act is simpler and more feasible for small businesses. Here, you can run and manage small email campaigns. Though there are various modern ways to market products and services, email marketing is still a significant method of marketing. If you run a small business, then again, your choice should be Act.
4. Opportunity Management
With varying degrees of sophistication, Act! and Zoho CRM both include opportunity management services to monitor and handle possible deals. With the extensive opportunity management system offered by Zoho CRM, customers can specify the phases, chances, and values of deals as well as automate procedures for more efficient development. The opportunity management system offered by Act! is simpler and supports easier sales workflows. Act! may be a better option for smaller firms in need of a more straightforward approach to opportunity monitoring than Zoho’s offering for those seeking significant customization and automation.
5. Automation & Workflow
Last but not least, we cannot end this discussion on Act! vs Zoho CRM in 2023 without shedding light on the level of automation and workflow that Zoho and Act offers. Zoho has a robust automation mechanism with enough flexibility and scalability. It allows users to automate complex workflows seamlessly and trigger actions based on various conditions. You can send notifications, update records, monitor analytics etc. Zoho’s automation is better suited for businesses with intricate process requirements, whereas Act! might be preferable for simpler automation needs in smaller business environments.
To sum it up, both Zoho and Act! Can fulfil CRM requirements of businesses, but for small-scale businesses, Act is a better choice. The per month packages of Act are cheaper than Zoho. So, if run a small business or a startup, if you have budget limitations, and if you look for a CRM, then Act is the best choice. Whether you need to integrate Act or Zoho, Techloyce has a team of experts to offer integration and Zoho consulting services. You can discuss with our experts, and then plan your investment in the CRM.
