Many customer relationship management (CRM) users access their system on mobile devices. In fact, according to Software Advice research, about half use smartphones and tablets (48 and 45 percent, respectively) to access their CRM system. And it’s safe to say a hefty majority of users are accessing their CRM on an iOS (Apple) or Android device.

While many CRM vendors now offer mobile-compatible systems, the particular devices they support can also vary. For example, some will support both Android and iOS mobile devices while others may only work on one of these platforms.

When evaluating your options for using CRM on Android devices, it’s important to understand how this technology works in order to choose one that fits your needs. In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of Android CRM technology. Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is Android CRM Software?

Types of Android CRM Software

What Type of Buyer Are You?

Popular Functionality of Native Android CRM Apps

What is Android CRM Software?

If you’re unfamiliar with mobile device operating systems, android CRM software probably sounds like CRM software operated by human-like robots. It’s not.

Android is actually the most popular mobile operating system across the world with over 57 percent of the total market share, according to analytics site Net Marketshare. This includes both smartphones and tablets. With such a market share, it makes sense to invest in CRM software that supports Android operating systems.

As it applies to the specifics of CRM features and capabilities, Android CRM still offers everything you’d expect and need from a CRM, including these four core capabilities:

• Customer data management. Most CRM systems include a searchable database for users to store valuable customer information like purchase histories and contact information. With Android CRM software, this data can be pulled, references, and analyzed while away from a computer.

• Interaction tracking. CRM systems typically offer the ability to record and store any customer direct customer interactions, including conversations both in person and on the phone, through a live chat dialog box, email messages, social and other channels. Tracking these interactions helps paint a picture of a customer’s journey with your brand.

• Marketing automation. A function that streamlines and standardizes marketing process. Uses templates and automation to engage with customers in your pipeline. Automates email marketing campaigns as well as follow-up email correspondence.

• Reporting and analytics. Function used to track and manage performance and productivity across multiple subjects and projects. Can be used by managers as a CRM tool to monitor and test multiple email marketing campaigns and determine success based on performance. Can also be used to keep track of employee performance by automatically logging key performance indicators, such as number of customers called or number of new customer contact profiles entered into the system.

Types of Android CRM Software

Web-based: These browser-based applications enable users to access a CRM system via Android, using the device’s Web browser. They generally do not require software installation and are often optimized for mobile browsers.

Native apps: These apps are specifically designed to run on Android devices. They require software installation, but can usually run offline.

What Type of Buyer Are You?

If you only intend to access your CRM system via a single device with a Web browser, you have your pick of applications. However, if you’re looking for a system that grants access to multiple users, you’ll need to consider what types of devices they use (or intend to use) when making a purchase decision. Let’s take a look at each example:

Employees use only Android devices.

This is likely the case if you’re issuing company-owned Android devices to your employees. Even though you technically only need to select Android CRM software, there’s benefits to a web-based system. One benefit to choosing a web-based system you can avoid version control issues, and because they generally don’t require software installation, you won’t need to worry about software updates.

However, if you want to be able to access the system offline and want a solution that can make use of other functionality on your Android device (e.g., GPS), a native Android app is your best bet.

Employees use multiple operating systems.

If you fall into the ever-increasing company of companies that encourage a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD policy), you definitely have multiple operating systems in your business. Don’t panic though! It’s easy to satisfy everyone.

If all employee devices have access to a Web browser and you want everyone using the same operating system, consider a Web-based application. With Web-based apps, all users will see the same platform.

However, just because your team uses different operating systems doesn’t mean you can’t choose a native app for Android users. Look for a system that synchronizes well with the cloud-based CRM system you’re currently using to make sure all users can view the most current data. Also look for vendors that provide solutions and support for teams using multiple device types.

There are also plenty of mobile CRM software options that offer equal compatibility with iOS and Android devices. So it could honestly be a non-issue at the end of the day. Nonetheless, it’s something that has to be considered when implementing mobile software.

Popular Functionality of Native Android CRM Apps

Native Android apps sometimes limit functionality to a few core features that are most used by on-the-go workers. Below are a few tools that are common to native Android CRM apps: