CRM basics: do you need one?

A CRM (customer relationship management system) keeps every lead and customer in one place: who they are, what they asked for, every conversation, and what happens next.

When a spreadsheet is enough

• Fewer than ten new enquiries a day
• One or two people handle sales
• Most buyers are repeat customers you already know

When you need a CRM

• Leads come from many sources: ads, website, WhatsApp, calls, walk-ins
• Several salespeople or counsellors follow up
• You can't answer "how many enquiries did we get last month and how many converted?"
• Follow-ups depend on someone remembering

What a good setup includes

• Leads flowing in automatically from forms, ads and WhatsApp
• Clear stages, such as New, Contacted, Quoted, Won and Lost
• Follow-up tasks and reminders for each salesperson
• WhatsApp and call history attached to each lead
• A simple dashboard for the owner

Choosing a tool

Popular options in India include Zoho CRM, LeadSquared, HubSpot and several WhatsApp-first CRMs. The best one is the one your team will actually use. We recommend based on your size, budget and existing tools such as Tally or Zoho Books, and we don't take commissions from vendors.