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Ask HN: For your startup, do you use a CRM?

• pjh 10y ago
  Nope, no CRM here at Beeminder.com We support our 4,500 active users with a combination of a shared gmail support account, admin screens on the core web app, and a tiny globally distributed team. One day that won't be sufficient, but it's seen us through the first five years. Our original intention was to automate some of the standard interactions, that we would just manually process the transactional emails 'for a while'. But funny thing is, the human interaction has proved to be a critical and valued part of our service. We’re pretty sure those actual humans will always be part of the service Beeminder provides.
  • tixocloud 10y ago
    Wow. That's a great story that you can support that many users without the need for a CRM. Would you care sharing what are some of the key functions that the combination of a shared gmail support account and admin screens that made your team so effective?
• dreeves 10y ago
  Here are my notes on possibilities, for if we ever actually get a CRM: 1. HelpScout -- http://helpscout.net http://helpscout.net -- Seems nice 2. SupportBee -- http://supportbee.com http://supportbee.com -- Almost want it for the name alone but we got an anti-recommendation from a friend at Gratipay 3. BeSnappy -- http://besnappy.com http://besnappy.com -- Possibly recommended by patio11 but then I heard they shut down? 4. Intercom -- http://intercom.io http://intercom.io -- Recommended by Matt at HookFeed 5. FreshDesk -- http://freshdesk.com http://freshdesk.com -- Recommendation from friend at Gratipay 6. Front -- https://frontapp.com/ https://frontapp.com/ -- Lots of funding and big names behind it; Patrick Collison recommened it now too (coupon code for 3 months free: startuppack) 7. FogBugz -- http://blog.fogcreek.com/fog-creeks-email-workflow/ http://blog.fogcreek.com/fog-creeks-email-workflow/ -- Blog post by Fog Creek about what they do
  • tixocloud 10y ago
    Thanks. What would make you actually think about getting a CRM in the first place?
• rcavezza 10y ago
  Hubspot CRM seems like a no-brainer for small startups. 100% free and you get their GMail chrome extension that allows email open and click-rate tracking. I've heard a lot of good things too. It was discussed the The Steli and Hiten podcast. Steli thinks Hubspot went and took certain features that people like from various CRMS when they built this CRM. Seems solid. I'm using it by default since I use their Gmail chrome extension. I think each time you send an email using the email tracking, that contact is automatically created in the CRM. So it should be able to track each email I've ever sent to each person as long as I had the tracking on. https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm (edited to add link)
  • tixocloud 10y ago
    That sounds like a really handy feature. On the flipside, any reason why you think Hubspot CRM isn't a good tool for small startups? Is there anything that you don't like about it or that it can't do?
• david_bonilla 10y ago
  Here you have another alternative: Pipedrive https://www.pipedrive.com https://www.pipedrive.com It's easy to use, it has tons of integrations and it's cheap. About why you should use a CRM, for example, to classify different leads.
  • tixocloud 10y ago
    Thanks. The product DOES look simple and easy to use. What are some of the things that you don't like about Pipedrive or that it can't do?
• patio11 10y ago
  I really like Close.io; everything less-technical sales reps/etc need from a CRM (principally it plays really well with Gmail so even if they don't live in the app your business can pretend that they do) plus a really powerful API for integrating deep into your app/email toolchain/Slack channel/etc.
  • tixocloud 10y ago
    Thanks for your thought. Any downsides you see with using Close.io?
• forgotmysn 10y ago
  streak.com is the way to go. integrates right into gmail.