Client Database Software and Why You Need It Now

If you're one of the lucky few who has more business coming in than a spreadsheet can handle, it's time to move toward a cloud-based solution for managing those fortunate clients. While you may associate the super-famous acronym CRM with expensive, bulky tools like Salesforce and Hubspot, there are actually free and inexpensive ways to manage your clients in a scalable, customizable, and highly available environment.

My personal favorite CRM is Super Easy CRM. It's a productivity-focused cloud application that not only enables you to manage your clients but also their projects, services, profitability, cases (tickets), meetings, and everything in between. All of these features are, of course, available in the highest tier offering at $25 per user per month.

But for those looking to save some cash, there is a Free Forever tier that gives you access to client, contact, lead, and ticket management. This is generally more than enough for small businesses that don't need all the fluff and complexity other platforms offer. For more info on what client database software is and why you need this for your business yesterday, keep on scrolling.

What is Client Database Software?

Any application that houses your company's client information within a database that is accessible to you via web browser, mobile, or desktop application can be considered a client database software platform. Here are some examples of popular applications that can likely meet your client-serving needs.

Super Easy CRM
Suite CRM
vTiger CRM

What can client database software do for me?

If you're here, then you have possibly exceeded the upper limits of what Microsoft Excel can do for your data management. Excel is a great tool, but I've often seen people misuse it to disastrous results. You can do a ton of great analysis in Excel without writing a single line of code, but no matter what fancy formulas you string together in a spreadsheet, Excel will never be a database.

What a CRM can provide you with is a better way to collaborate with others on your team and a more scalable approach to managing your precious client data. At first glance, CRM software can be pretty intimidating, especially if you're looking at the admin panel of a Salesforce instance.

But as you dive deeper, you'll learn that it isn't too different from what you're used to, at least in principle.

How is Excel like a CRM?

Like Excel, CRM systems consist of many rows of data. That data is often presented in list format when viewing multiple records, or it resembles a typical website when viewing a single record. To find data in a spreadsheet, you first look for the column header.

This column header will tell you everything you need to know about the data in the cells within the column. Similarly, fields in the CRM let you know what type of data you can expect to see. Things like email, address, profitability, etc., are fields you can expect to see in most CRMs.

So, CRM applications are not scary, they're really just the natural evolution of the Excel spreadsheets people hold near and dear to their hearts. By moving to a CRM you are essentially giving your Pikachu a Thunderstone, allowing it to become the ultra-powerful Raichu it was always destined to be.

Another awesome benefit of CRM applications is the ability to automate those repetitive tasks that are crucial to your business but annoying to do. Here's how you can use Super Easy CRM to alleviate that burden.

Using CRM for Automation

Within Super Easy CRM lies a cool little automation feature known the world over as Task Templates. These templates are completely customizable, and they allow users the ability to pre-program all the tasks they need done and have them automatically trigger and assign whenever certain conditions are met.

Before running headfirst into this automation tool, it's important to map out exactly what your team needs to do. For example, if you complete the same set of tasks whenever onboarding a new client, you'll need to enter each item on that to-do list into the template.

Once you've done that, simply tell the system what to listen for. This trigger will be based on the status or type of the ticket/case being created. Using the client onboarding example, we can configure the CRM to listen out for any tickets with a type of 'Onboarding'. Once Super Easy hears there is a new client coming aboard, it will immediately fire all the tasks in the task template off and assign them to whomever you've selected.

You'll never have to worry about forgetting to ask someone for something or getting your request lost in the mound of emails we all receive every day. It is truly a game-changer and makes the product an absolute must-have for us small business owners. I have one more hidden gem to outline and its all about project management.

How can CRMs help you with project management?

In Super Easy CRM, and a few other platforms, you can create project templates that let you work on the same type of project with a consistent set of tasks every time. This ensures a repeatable process and keeps errors to a minimum. What makes Super Easy CRM stand out is its not-so-hidden ability to 'broadcast' changes to all projects that were created using that template.

With the broadcast feature, you can effortlessly add new tasks or update information across multiple projects without having to make changes manually to each one. It's a lifesaver for anyone managing multiple projects at once, making it super easy to disseminate updates and ensure everyone stays on the same page. This is especially helpful for businesses that are constantly evolving their processes to accommodate unique client needs.

Get Started Managing Your Client's Data Better Today

Managing your client's information in anything but an application designed for such a task is a surefire way to lose business...fast. With the proliferation of AI and advancements in web development technologies, there are literally thousands of free and inexpensive options out there for you to choose from. For a free client database software for small business, there is nothing better than the Free Forever tier from Super Easy CRM. But, if you want to host the CRM yourself, check out my review of SuiteCRM, the best open-source CRM on the market today.

Matt Irving is the CEO of Super Easy Tech, LLC.

Matt is the CEO of Super Easy Tech and creator of Super Easy CRM. He is a passionate software engineer, tech blogger, and gamer. Feel free to connect on any of the platforms listed below.