Cost effective CRM for small business

We have grown our business with this CRM, and when we were starting out it gave us a lot of "bang for our bucks", the experience has been excellent.

Pros

Having an awareness of the cost of some of the well known CRM platforms e.g. salesforce, dynamics, the thing that strikes you is that the cost of these is prohibitive for an SME with @30 light CRM users. RSS is different. The bottom line is that they offer excellent value for small businesses. I would view this as their USP.

They have a responsive team and have constantly improved the CRM over the years.

Key features I like are the permissions system which lets us give bespoke access to the teams in our business with everyone given the access to the client records that they require.

The integration with Kashflow (accounting) is incredibly useful and reduces unnecesary duplication in our business processes.

The marketing module has been a significant driver for new business, and again is very cost effective.

The activity section enables us to keep good records of client contacts, as does the ability to bcc email comunications into the client record.

The layout of fields is very easy to modify to your business requirements, adding extra fields with dropdowns as required.

Document storage is straightforward with drag & drop functionality.

Cons

Nothing to complain about, happy. Maybe preferred the earlier version which let you know the last time a record was updated and by who.

Does just what it promises, quickly and cheaply. Very easy to learn and good training too.

As a micro business owner, I have to do everything from developing to sales and marketing, and I suspect like many geek-run businesses like mine, I love the first part and loathe the latter. I'd found a few tools that do a limited number of things very well and help my business in other ways, like Trello, Toggl, gmail and so on, but I was struggling to find a CRM equivalent. I'd tried a few SAAS cloud solutions that would have been overpriced, and I tried installing a couple of open source solutions like SuiteCRM which proved to be way over the top and bloated for my needs. Finally I hit upon RSS CRM and we were the perfect match. I went to their first user conference earlier in 2016, and what impressed me greatly was not only how good and enthusiastic the CEO and his staff were, but also the other customers. I'd already experienced support via both phone and email (even though I was on the free plan at the time), and it was nice to actually meet the team for real, and know that they aren't outsourced from some sweatshop in a distant place. It's a UK company with a "proper" UK phone number, although there are support offices in other countries too, to account for the timezones which is good.

Pros

The freemium model is enough to get anyone new to CRM started quickly.
It's all "pay as you go", and you can bolt features on as needed. I wanted something that tells me what, when and how I did something, to whom and when, what the outcome was, and will then nag me to do the next thing.
And, for me, RSS does all that perfectly.

They also run free webinars which are also recorded in case you can't make it on the day. These are worth watching - I found I was missing several tricks and now get even more out of the system. I'm particularly impressed with the email integration which saves the whole endless copying and pasting debacle. It really is simple, but perfect at what it does.

Cons

All of that said, yes, the interface does look a little tired. However, I've seen the new version which should be launched by late summer 2016 and it's really impressive.
They've rewritten it with a responsive interface which works much better than the current version on a mobile.

Because the underlying functionality won't be changing significantly, they're going to let users initially choose whether to be "early adopters" of the new interface, which is a nice touch as change sometimes scares people!

Excellent for small business

The greatest benefit is sharing of customer/contact information internally across team members in an easy fashion at a reasonable price.

Pros

We selected this software for the ease of use. In addition, there was little required for our employees to access immediately. After using this for half a year, it continues to meet and exceed those expectations.

Logging in is done through a browser and does not require additional software. Sharing contact information, outstanding tasks for clients, and client specific documents are all easy tasks that are quite intuitive.

Also adding new users requires very little effort since there is no software required for to install on an employees computer.

Cons

There are several activities that are a bit clunky/annoying. When adding revenue, it is treated as an opportunity instead of simply entering the revenue for a client. Several apps within the program will also mark this revenue with the British pound instead of the U.S. dollar despite the fact that our settings are on USD.

Additionally for reminders you have to use your google calendar instead of the system sending you reminders. When setting these reminders in Google calendar, it always incorrectly translates the date/time to GMT despite the fact that our calendars are on EST. So you have to be careful to reset the correct day/time when entering in to your Google Calendar. We would greatly prefer a reminder system within the program itself instead of the current clunky process.

Great software

We use primarily for the service & support to log customer instrument faults - RSS helps massively as anything related to the case or customer is in one place. Being able to attach correspondence is great.

Pros

Its very easy to use and being able to tweak fields and add extra boxes is very beneficial in a small business as our needs are constantly changing. Support is great - always reply or sort within 1-2 days.

Cons

It's a shame that the tasks aren't linked with outlook possibly to give you an active reminder instead of you looking at the task list. Also, items that have gone red in the opportunities list - if these could be visible on the front screen with the urgent tasks reminder, this would be good.
As we use the service & support mainly - its good but it could be really improved if it had a planning tool for jobs i.e. Engineer site visits linked with the cases and so you could capture response times, first time fix & feedback. We use another software called Workmobile that contains our onsite engineer service reports - if it could link with this and send reports directly into the cases, this would save us time with manual attachments. As we use the opportunities fields for assets, it would be good to separate these out so the opportunities can be used for our prospects. Have you ever thought about adding a quality management section?

Speed of deployment and the ease of modification and use make this a winner for SME's

super fast deployment of sales and marketing function. Ease of use, ease of modification.

Pros

perfect for CRM basics of sales & marketing, deployment and customisation is so end user friendly, I have not found anything to come close. You don't need any skills, it's built in such an easy to use way. You can import and export your data without any issues.

Most people tend to over-buy on the technology, fail to deploy the basics and end up with a useless CRM. Really Simple Systems does all the basics so very well and unlike other CRM's where you buy then need to purchase further apps and add-ons just to make it do what you wanted in the first place, this just does it.

The support from the team is always very quick and they will jump on a call also if you need it.

If you want a cost effective tool that really work great for sales and marketing where anyone can use it with little to no experience or expertise, this is your product for sure.

Forget the bells and whistles CRM sales people try to lure you in with.. If you want core basics to deliver, it's these guys.

Cons

If you want more than sales and marketing, if you want all those apps and add on's then look elsewhere.

A Game Changer!

After being a bit overwhelmed by a number of different CRMs out there, I was determined to find something very basic with A) a limited amount of fields (but enough to do the job), B) affordability, C) excellent support and D) ease of use on mobile. Really Simple Systems has delivered on all counts- and then some. I sent an email to support mentioning that, although I love the software, I had two things on my "wish list" for their next update. I sent that request on a Tuesday morning. I received a reply within an hour (!) telling me they think they could accommodate me on both fronts. By Wednesday morning, BOTH of my requests had been incorporated into the software. Yes. You read that right. 24 hours later! I was blown away as these two enhancements continue to save me time and money on a daily basis. My advice for anyone is to try Really Simple Systems for a month or two to get a taste of how easy it is to use and how amazing the support team is. This is a game changer for small business owners like myself.

Pros

Affordability. Ease of use. Mobile interface. Unparalleled Customer Support.

Cons

None.

Easy to use CRM

If nothing else the audibility of customer interactions, this allows us to see any \ all communications with the customer.

Pros

Only pay for the functionality you need. Some other CRM's include marketing, systems management, financials, etc. but if you don't need them don't buy them.
Its a very easy system for users to pick up, comprised of a core architecture:
Customers \ Companies = Accounts
Contacts = the customers name, email, telephone
Tasks = To Do list
Activities = records the history of what you've done with that customer
Opportunties = Won or lost sales records

Then there's the reporting, where anything you put into Really Simple Systems can be interrogated, not just the content of certain restricted fields.

Cons

We're looking to do some integration and other CRM platforms easily allow this through API services, such as IFTTT or Zapier, Really Simple Systems only provide an API. You can of course code this into whatever you want, but will require time.

Really Simple is really simple. Which is really ideal!

As the owner, the manager, the sales rep, the customer service rep, in charge of returns, customer issues, I am the definition of jack of all trades. My business is just starting, but I realized it doesn't mean its not worthy of using quality software to help me save a few minutes here and a few minutes there. I was hesitant at first to go with any software because I kept saying to myself who needs management software when you are the only employee! But after getting some serial numbers mixed up with customers names one time... That was it! I needed help running my online business. I tried several different products. Started out using Team Viewer but then about fell out of my chair at the price. Used a Live Chat program for a while. But I cant always be at a desk waiting for that customer to hit the chat button. Then other CRM's were so bloated with stuff that just didn't make sense to my business. Then I spotted Really Simple Systems. The name is what got my foot in the door. I figured heck lets give it a try. So glad I did!

Pros

Has just enough information that its not redundant. I love the pay as you go approach. Instead of bogging us down with several hundred dollars worth of software we may never use, or even worse free versions that don't cover enough services to make you want to start using their products at all! I wanted a product that tells me what happened, when and how I did something, to whom and when, what the outcome was, and will then continue to bug me if I haven't done it yet.

Cons

Would like to see more third party integrations. Now days it seems like almost every app, software, smart phone, computer, tablet, printer, etc connect to each other somehow.

Really Simple Systems - Really Great for a Startup

Really Simple Systems was just what we needed as a SaaS startup who was lean, but with lots of prospects and really needed a CRM that was affordable, easy to setup with the potential to scale. We definitely got that with Really Simple Systems. They've been great to work with. Strongly recommend them.

Pros

Very easy to setup, especially the CRM portion. One of my partners had never used a CRM previously and was able to start using it and be productive (really productive) almost immediately.

It was very affordable for us to get started which combined with the positive reviews that we saw it made it very attractive to us.

Their support is great! Really responsive. You never feel like you're talking to a black hole. Really important for us.

Cons

They have some work to do on the marketing module. There is an update coming, and it will help a lot. This module is just clunky at the moment, especially the email editor.

I have used other CRM software and RSS is all you need, it is simple but useful and to the point.

Their Customer support is the best. I send an email and they respond quickly. I thought as a UK company, getting a response to a request would be the next day at best since I'm on the west coast. Some things are easy and I say Duh, but some are complex and you get the same excellent service. It is easy to do marketing campaigns, it is easy to change fields and add drop downs. You should think things out before moving forward but know that you can change a field. The flexibility is great. And there is also online help, videos, and webinars. It is simple to use and understand.

Pros

It really is simple. Reports are easy to run. I've used other CRM's and the reporting can be very confusing. It is not over done. It is a CRM, not trying to run your inventory or production from this software. You can pick it up on your smartphone and tablet, which is helpful for on the road sales folks. Quick support answers are always helpful.

Cons

The limit of the 20 fields.

Glad to have a straightforward system, which just about covers all my needs.

A compact place to store all my customer sales information.

Pros

I am able to contain all the relevant information about my customer in one place. I have been grateful for the prompt responses from the support team when I have had some issues.

Cons

Not being able to attach actual documents into the customer account. Not a big fan of cloud base systems. I have not worked out how to put alerts and reminders against specific customers, therefore I would like to be able to find this out alongside other applications, either by webinar or video link. Also just been advised that we have been upgraded from version 4 to 5. Layout is very different from the previous one. Not sure the change was necessary unless it substantially improves the ease of use.

Really Simple is just that.

Pros

I have experience with some of the larger CRM products and they are probably justified for very large and complicated organizations. But, they are far too complicated, often times require programming or special knowledge to customize and are very expensive for a smaller businesses. Most of us need a CRM that provides the business basics such as forecasting, maintaining customer information, document and record storage and the ability to schedule and document activities. After trying quite a few options I found Really Simple Systems to be very easy to use and adapt to my business requirements. The cost is more than reasonable for what you get. I ran my business on the free version for quite awhile until I grew to a point where I wanted to add features that had a cost associated with them. Don't buy an over engineered product. Buy what you need.

Cons

So far it has everything I need. Since I am paranoid about losing data and loss of internet connectivity, it would be nice if the program could provide an option to reside on my computer. If the internet or my service is down, I cannot adequately run my business without access to Really Simple.

Helpful and Useful tool

WJ is a small local business based in Hull. We have around 30 employees and specialise in several different areas from anti-slip decking to Timber Treatment and through to metalwork engineering. As the company salesman it is essential that I have regular and consistent contact with my customers as well as a smooth way of keeping records of these meetings. Without Really Simple Systems I would use a diary to keep track of this. This however makes it very difficult for anybody but me to understand where we are with each customer in our sales and follow up cycle. I always struggle to maintain order with this. Really Simple Systems offers not only a great way to keep and maintain a customer diary but also allows me to keep meeting notes and documents all stored in the same that everyone can also see.

Pros

When we have ever had issues with the system and contacted customer service we have always had a response within 24hrs which has been understandable, concise and always helpful. the task setting and reminder system is accurate, amendable and 'Really Simple'.

We had an issue around sales tracking and Forecasting where we wanted to be able to see monthly potential sales if a sale was to come off. However when we questioned and asked if this was possible within about 6 hours the facility to do what we want had been added in to the system which we greatly appreciated.

Cons

We have no issues around the system.

Love this software!

As a relatively new Company (2016) it was really helpful that RSS CRM was free until we reached 100 accounts. We passed that just recently and upgraded to a payment option. In terms of applying for business loans it was great to be able to easily download a list of enquiries and demonstrate how many projects we had won and what was in the pipeline.

Pros

Easy to use. The reports are great and easy to customise.

Webinars are really helpful

Cons

Nothing really. If I was being picky I'd like the facility to change the account name of an opportunity as sometimes our projects can be sold on to other clients and it would save uploading them all over again.

I would also like the software to be compatible to other software that create dashboards

An easy to use, high quality CRM, with great features and excellent customer support.

As a company we've been able to grow considerably due to the fact that Really Simple Systems allows us to easily keep track of communications with our existing accounts and potential customers. We've been able to drip feed marketing emails and other mailshots using their fantastic email system.

Pros

Really Simple Systems is fantastic. I've never had an issue with it. It's a highly capable system with all the features you could need from a CRM. The email tool is fantastic and the dashboard gives you an at-a-glance look at your sales performance. Also, if you ever get stuck, their support team is incredible.

Cons

The only thing I haven't enjoyed is the time between version 4 and version 5. In the changeover period things became slightly clunky and it maybe wasn't as seamless a process as they might've wanted. It's all working fine now though.

Exactly what it says on the tin!

I have been using this product for over ten years when I was introduced to it when working at Iizuka and subsequently for my own business. I have also introduced it to other small businesses and one homeless charity I worked for called Emmaus. RSS were generous enough to provide it pro bono! It was a fantastic way of keeping profiles of each resident and sharing the information should the resident move on to another establishment. It solved a complex problem very easily!

Pros

The product is very easy to use. It is easy to manager clients and the interactions with me. whether it be by phone or email. With the subscription product, emails can be synced with the client details which saves having to copy and paste.

Excellent UK based and GDPR Compliant CRM System

1. Created a single CRM database for all my sales and marketing records built up over the last 20 years. 2. Brilliant email/campaign marketing module with excellent dashboard view of all email campaigns. 3. Simple web based CRM system based on a low cost SaaS pricing model backed up by an excellent support team.

Pros

Replaced all my old Excel worksheets built up over the last 20 years with a single web based CRM application available to access on my Laptop, iPad and iPhone and giving complete flexibility of access to data.

Easy and intuitive to use with an excellent dashboard view, task management, sales pipeline and built in reports and excellent dashboard widgets.

Good simple annual pricing model based on users and modules required and simple and easy to use CRM system.

Cons

Data import was not a simple as it looked to be and needed support team to import my CSV files, this was done quickly and efficiently by the support team.

RSS easy to navigate

Pros

The software is easy to use and navigate through. I love the fact that it can be tailored to meet your specific needs as this was very important to me and one of the factors that played an important role in me choosing RSS. Functionality is great and there are a lot of extra options that are available that I can switch on and off as and when I require them.

Cons

The customer service/support is slow at times and this becomes very frustrating. I have scheduled in calls in the past and the client service level has been poor where on occasions I have had to chase support for help. In terms of the software it is great that you add extra features but there are some extras which I feel should be included within the standard packages.

Simple as promised, but let down by a fixed architecture and apathetic customer service attitude.

It was adequate when we started out, but the service forced us to explore other options.

Pros

As expected it's simple to use and get the hang of - basic but functional. The latest version - 5 - is bright and clear on the screen.

Cons

The architecture is inflexible and really didn't suit our business (combined B2B and B2C) without us fudging workarounds. We would have lived with it, and even put up with the mid-term price hike they sprung on us, but it was customer service that killed it. Emails and phone responses were cold and unhelpful. I know they are British so we were prepared for the attitude, but even with that they didn't seem to care about a small business our size. This spurred us to look around, and we found solutions out there with totally superior architecture and service that were priced similarly. So, to the relief of my staff, we made the effort to migrate away.

Flexible system which is always evolving, with outstanding support

We've had the system for five years now and it's unlikely I would consider changing it. Synchronising our outgoing emails is invaluable, plus it's really easy to print off a quick report on the number of leads taken at a show, or our sales pipeline. It's very user friendly and intuitive too.

Pros

The fact that the account screens are tailored to our business, the features are updated and improved regularly, and if we have an issue the team are on it straight away.

Cons

It's a little pricey, but we do have the marketing suite so that we can send emails from it which is great.