Ever since I published my first review, way back in January-1985, there is a single question I have heard over and over: What is the best CRM?

So, before I answer this imp[ortant question, the first thing you need to know is that I am a no B.S. straight shooter. That said, there is no single best CRM. There never will be. Why? Sales has always been a very diverse profession.

When I sit down with someone to explore their CRM requirements I always ask three questions to get started:

• What do you sell?
• Who do you sell to?
• How do you sell now?

The range of replies has always amazed me! You folks sell a staggering variety of goods and services to a vast array of interesting customers. That is just one reason why there are so many CRM solutions. The software developers work hard to solve real problems for specific niches. So, there has been a natural evolution of solutions as the software developers expand their reach to new niches. Consider just one variable that defines different sales scenarios, the sales cycle.

Then I segment sales cycles into three broad categories.

1. Continuous

A continuous sales cycle probably includes lots of ongoing support. Good examples include anyone who services a number of similar establishments in a given geographic region, for example restaurants in a county. Think of the ever-present Sysco trucks that you see everywhere. Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and non-food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers around the world. I assure you that before those trucks appear, a sales person was first on the scene, reviewing the restaurant’s business and presenting new products to the restaurant owner. There are many fine CRM solutions that serve continuous sales cycles.

2. Short and sweet

Many other sales situations have sales cycles that I call “short and sweet.” A need arises and a customer launches an investigation into available solutions. In a relatively short time, a decision is made and an order is placed. Most of the time, that is the end of the sales process until the next need emerges. A common example of such a sales situation is a mid-range copy machine. You can get a little one at Costco. A more full-featured model serving the needs of an enterprise account requires a long and complex sales cycle (next on the list.) The vast majority of CRM solutions serve this need well. The key is to find one that is easy to use.

3. Long and complex

There are many products, usually expensive items, that have a long and complex sales cycle. The high-end copy machines mentioned above are a good example. Any other piece of capital equipment falls into this category. The sales person usually has to work with the customer to help secure the funding for these projects. So, the sales cycle can easily be one to three years. For projects like this, there is often a team of decision makers. A good sales person must manage the information needs of everyone on this acquisition team even before any hard-core selling even starts. A nice assortment of CRM solutions has emerged to serve the unique requirements of the long and complex sales cycle.

I hope that you can see the wide variety of capabilities that emerge just to serve these three different sales cycles can lead to very different CRM solutions. So, please stop searching for the best CRM. There are many great CRM solutions available today. Find the one that fits your sales cycle and selling style and commit to using it. 

So, with this giant disclaimer, here is a short list of great solutions that will work well for many of you!