In a crowded market for customer relationship management (CRM) tools, it can be difficult for businesses to determine what is the right solution for their needs. There are a host of platforms on the market today all vying to be crowned the best CRM software. Some focus on workforce management, while others prioritize customer communications. The best solutions perform well across all the functionalities that customers have come to expect from CRM software. Among these options worthy of your consideration is Zendesk Sell.
Part of a suite of solutions that fall under the Zendesk umbrella, Zendesk Sell comes to you from the developers of a customer service tool and a bespoke customer experience platform. This review, however, will focus specifically on Zendesk Sell and why it should be one of the front-runners in your search for a CRM solution.
Zendesk Sell CRM Review: Snapshot
Zendesk Sell may not be the cheapest CRM platform - especially when it comes to the more advanced tiers - but that won’t be an issue for larger firms. They’ll discover a feature-rich CRM that is well-designed with an intuitive user interface. It integrates nicely with a range of other B2B tools - especially if you are already a user of some of the other Zendesk solutions that are on the market. All-in-all, this is a great CRM tool. The only real downside is the lack of a free plan.
Zendesk Sell CRM Review: Plans and pricing
When you’re assessing any CRM tool, price is unlikely to be far from your thoughts. In fact, for any piece of B2B software, it’s likely to be a core consideration. That’s why in the world of cloud computing, for example, an entire market has developed looking to bring you the best free cloud storage services. The CRM landscape is no different.
It has to be admitted that Zendesk Sell is not the cheapest CRM tool on the market. There is no free plan, and if you’re looking beyond the most basic tier, things can quickly get pricey. The cheapest option, Zendesk Sell Team, is priced at $19 per user, per month, if paid annually and should be fine if all you need is email tracking and a single sales pipeline.
If you require more advanced functionality, you are probably looking for Zendesk Sell Growth of Zendesk Sell Professional. The former costs $49 per user, per month, while the latter is $99. It’s also worth noting that there is also an Enterprise tier, which will set your business back $150 a month.
If you’re comparing purely on price, Zendesk Sell will struggle to keep up with some of the most affordable CRM tools. For instance, Zoho CRM’s Ultimate tier is priced at just $52 per user, per month, which represents a significant saving - particularly if you’ve got a fairly large number of users. Be sure to read our Zoho CRM review for further information about which of the two platforms represents the best value for money.
Of course, businesses shouldn’t simply opt for the cheapest tool available to them. The range of features on offer with Zendesk Sell is impressive - and SMBs may find that it is a better fit for their needs than cheaper tools.
Zendesk Sell CRM Review: Features
To properly assess the features provided by Zendesk Sell, it’s easiest to break the CRM platform down by pricing plan. The Team tier, for example, does come with team collaboration functionality, letting you track emails, text messages, and calls, but not a great deal else. It does also come with customizable deal pipelines and activity tracking, but the reporting is pretty limited. The features available with this plan might suit smaller firms but might be too limited for larger organizations.
Moving on to the Growth tier, there’s more lead capture functionality and integration with other tools like MailChimp and Zapier. There are also enhanced forecasting and more advanced reporting options. Customers at this price point also gain access to customized sales reports and dashboards, sales forecasting and goal tracking, and advanced activity reports.
Professional customers also gain access to lead and deal scoring, task automation, advanced roles, and permissions, as well as the ability to build a company hierarchy tree to clearly define parent and child company relationships. The ability to further explore automation and analytics features means that this pricing tier is likely to be more suitable for bigger firms.
And finally, the Enterprise tier enables users to create custom notifications and access an automated power dialer, which is a great way of boosting productivity, allowing your employees to reduce the time they spend on customer outreach. Disappointingly, even more advanced functionality is only available as part of the Elite plan - which means additional financial outlay, with this plan costing $199 per user, per month, if paid annually.
Zendesk Sell CRM Review: Ease of use
Although you might find the cost of Zendesk Sell a little steep, the same can’t be said for its learning curve. This is a very user-friendly CRM, with few instructions required. Those you may find yourself reaching for are easily accessible too through a plethora of online lessons and chat support.
Increasing the user-friendliness of Zendesk Sell further still is how customizable the platform is. The ability to modify settings and personal preferences means that it is easy to set the platform up to suit your requirements. This means you are not only less likely to need support when setting up the platform but also throughout your time using it. Training is also available for free online - which is a nice bonus if you aren’t particularly experienced when it comes to using a CRM.
Zendesk Sell CRM Review: Final Verdict
If you’re searching for a CRM tool that ticks all the boxes, Zendesk Sell could be exactly what you need. Although perhaps on the pricier side, customers do receive access to a broad range of features, assembled as part of an intuitive, customizable user interface. As long as you select the right price point for your needs, you are bound to find everything you need to supercharge your sales pipeline.
