CRM allows businesses both large and small to organize, automate, and synchronize every aspect of the customer interaction. It is a versatile tech so it can cater to multiple sectors of business -like marketing, sales, customer service, and support. Most of the CRM platforms involve businesses analyzing customer interactions and improving customer relationships. All this has made CRM technology widely embraced throughout the business world, giving rise to several CRM providers.
The CRM market is overcrowded which leads to increased noise that confuses the potential customer and makes it more difficult to convey the message. Often these CRMs mislead the customer by providing bloated software and poor UX which leaves bad feedback for CRM. Besides, CRM can be a very generic term, perceived as anything from Help software to HR support. This creates another challenge for the focused CRMs like OnePageCRM. OnePageCRM is aimed to drive sales for small and medium-sized businesses.
In the Beginning Was the Napkin
Back in 2010, Michael FitzGerald (Founder and CEO) was looking for a CRM software to help him grow his website development business. On not finding the solution that would help him act on the leads rather than just store their information, he decided to build it on his own. He sketched the first-actionable CRM model behind a napkin while getting an ice-cream! The CRM was to be based on the GTD (Getting Things Done) productivity principle that encouraged a person to remove the clutter and focus on a task at hand. He and his team worked on the model and launched the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in a mere three months.
Due to the team’s strong conviction that the action method is the ultimate way to go for efficient sales, the app gained popularity amongst the clients. OnePageCRM team utilizes their own app and has avoided distractions throughout the journey. Now OnePageCRM is one of the leading CRM providers with over 11,000 paying customers, ranging from small businesses to international giants. Michael concluded by saying, “We’re passionate about what we’re doing and our product. We are building the most effective sales app in the world. And our story is just beginning!”
Diverse From the Other CRMs
The market is filled with CRMs that are more of a “Dead” database used by the salesperson to store contact information. This makes maintaining and updating them as another admin task that can be ignored. However, OnePageCRM is built on the ‘Getting Things Done’ principle and is focused on sales actions. The company believes that the more sales actions one makes, the more one can sell. Thus, it has tailored an approach where each contact added to the system is assigned the Next Action. For instance, the moment a salesperson completes this sales action (say, sends an email or makes a call), it pushes them to set the next one. This approach assists them to follow-up with the lead and, ultimately, builds strong client relationships.
In addition to this, some of the other notable highpoints of OnePageCRM are,
- It stores all the relevant contact information like associated deals, logged calls and notes, and latest updates, on one scrollable page, which makes it easier for the team to stay updated with the contact’s progress
- OnePageCRM offers both Kanban and Forecast Pipeline views, which makes it customizable for any sales process, and creating a deal takes just a few clicks
- It closes in on “zero admin” for the users as OnePageCRM has automated all tedious admin tasks, thus a user will require exactly 37 seconds from creating a deal to sending a sales quote
- It offers native iOS and Android apps so the users can harness the power of its CRM on the go
- OnePageCRM can help automate lead generation through its Chrome Extension and gather leads from anywhere on the web in a click
The Product Guy of OnePageCRM
Michael works closely with a lot of stakeholders in the business, from users to the tech team, and he terms himself as the product guy of OnePageCRM. Through his position, he tries to focus on building strong relationships across the board. According to Michael, strong relationships are what helps to deliver a great product and establish it in the market. His decisions are supported by his rich experience and the technical background.
As a leader, Michael believes that time should not be wasted on unnecessary meetings. He and his team aim to stay agile and only focus the attention on tasks that are important. He adds “Our software operates on strictly no-clutter policy, so it’s only logical that the same applies to our daily operations.” Michael has been successful in creating an eclectic team with the right individuals handling the right roles. He thinks that one should focus on getting the right people on the bus and getting them into the right seats. This approach has helped him acquire strong leadership in Customer Success, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and Tech.
Aiming To Evolve and Upgrade
“In our app, we put the salesperson first, not management or finance. If the salesperson is served first (and best), the sales boost will follow,” asserted Michael. OnePageCRM has already raised the bar for the CRM UX and Michael has noticed that many other systems are influenced by it. Having a different approach, the company has pioneered “actions” as the key to gain the customer base and move a sale forward, as opposed to focusing on graphs and charts.
Being one of the leading CRM providers, OnePageCRM is planning to evolve and upgrade its CRM system, while maintaining its focus on sales and action. “CRM needs to evolve as more and more sales happen without meeting face to face. It needs to turn its attention to servicing the buyer without being in the room,” concluded Michael.
