You need client management software no matter what size your business is. That’s because, from small to large companies, your business will rise or fall based on the relationship with your clients–both current and prospective ones.
Thankfully, client management doesn’t have to be labor-intensive: there are several client management software options that can help you.
With so many client management software options on the market, you might find it challenging to know which one is best for your business.
So we’ve done the heavy lifting and listed our top 8 choices in client management software. Below you’ll find a summary table and our top recommendations and below, we’ll examine client management in a bit more detail to ensure you make the right choice.
| Software | Rating | Benefits | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 5  | Robust yet simple software gives you a complete client picture and integrates with all your other freelancing tools. | Learn More or read our Moxie Review |
 | 4 | Simple drag-and-drop Kanban style interface keeps clients moving through your pipeline. | Learn More |
 | 3 | Feature-rich software to manage all your client interactions and everything else you need to move client projects forward. | Learn More |
 | 3 | Easy-to-use CMS with basic features to get you started. Integrates with proposals, contracts, invoicing, etc. | Learn More or read our Bonsai Review |
 | 5 | Clean interface with helpful CMS features to capture all client details in one place. | Learn More or read our Honeybook Review |
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| 4 | Easy to use CRM for freelancers – modern and elegant, designed for visual learners. | Learn More |
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| 4 | All-in-one tool for small to large businesses. Allows you to automate follow-up with clients and keep everything organized in one place. | Learn More or read our Keap Review |
 | 4 | Simple tools allow you to communicate with the right client, through the right channel, at the the right time to close more deals. | Learn More |
Moxie (formerly Hectic)
When you work for yourself, client relationships may feel like emotional roller-coasters at times. They’re how you grow your business, perfect your offerings and they most importantly will take you onward to financial stability. Moxie’s full-spectrum customer management approach helps you keep every single customer detail straight so that you can be the professional and person that both you and your customers want you to be. Read our full Moxie review here.
Key Features:
- Easily calculate lifetime earnings, check past notes, reference your contracts, time tracked, and more.
- Sends instant notifications about important updates between you and your client.
- Organizes your project deadlines and deliverables to proposals and invoices — all of which can be viewed in one snapshot.
Pros:
- Moxie provides resources (podcast, blog posts, academy, etc) to train users on how to use their systems best. In fact, their CEO, Darryl Kelly, is currently hosting a live tour of Moxie. You can book a slot here.
- Moxie sends instant notifications for whatever’s important between you and your client.
- Customer service is excellent and chat support teams are super-responsive.
- Moxie keeps you afloat with visual bandwidth planning that brings clarity to your commitments.
Pricing:
- Pro Plan: $16/mo
- Teams Plan: $26/mo
Bloom
With Bloom’s invoicing solution crafted exclusively for freelancers and visionary creatives, it’s all-in-one CRM is essential for anyone looking to grow their business. Bloom includes gorgeous portfolio templates which are super easy to set up with all sorts of integrations automatically included.
Bloom’s free invoice generator in particular allows graphic designers, consultants, photographers and creative freelancers work seamlessly with their clients and bring them the most modern payment experience.
The CRM is more than just an invoice software – it’s a suite of well-integrated tools set up to enable your freelance business.
Key Features:
- Client-Centric CRM: Nurture client relationships effortlessly with a CRM tailored to your freelance pursuits.
- Simplified Invoicing: Bloom empowers you with intuitive invoicing tools, ensuring prompt and professional exchanges with clients.
- Online Payment Integration: Seamlessly synchronize with major online payment platforms, enabling you to collect your hard-earned funds swiftly and securely.
- Time Tracking and Reporting: Stay on top of your projects with precise time tracking, while insightful reports provide valuable perspectives to fine-tune your strategies.
Pros:
- Tailor-Made for Freelancers: Bloom’s design revolves around the specific needs of freelancers and creative entrepreneurs, providing a refined experience.
- Insights for Growth: Leverage time tracking and reports to gain insights that drive informed decisions and business growth.
- Customizable Templates: Express your brand’s uniqueness through customizable templates, offering a consistent professional facade across all client communications.
Cons:
- Specialized Focus: Bloom’s features cater predominantly to freelancers and creative entrepreneurs, potentially limiting its suitability for larger enterprises with different requirements.
Pricing:
- Starter: $13/month
- Standard: $29/month
Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a web-based Sales CRM and distribution channel management platform that enables businesses to strategize their sales activities and monitor deals.
Key Features
- AI tools: AI-driven sales assist tool is one of the most peculiar features of Pipedrive. With Sales Assist, your representatives will get custom tips and automation suggestions.
- Pipedrive also provides personalized sales reporting tools to observe individual and team level targets, analyze sales data and generate reports.
Pros
- Integrations: Pipedrive’s mailing system easily integrates with various email service providers such as Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo. You will be able to send and receive emails from different accounts using your Pipedrive account.
- Easily Accessible: Pipedrive can be used anywhere using any web browser or dedicated mobile apps.
Cons
- Some basic features are not present in their lowest plan.
- Automation features are limited with unstable triggers.
Pricing
- Pricing starts at $12.50 per user per month subscription.
Monday
Monday is a well-known client management software that helps teams plan collaboratively and efficiently work on various projects to finish the job on time. Monday has excellent team management and task management tools that are easy to use and flexible to allow all users to manage different projects simultaneously.
Monday offers various packages that enable you to select a template subject to your business needs and specifications. For instance, Monday provides you with three different templates to assist your sales team: sales CRM, partner management, and sales assets.
Key Features
- Automation: With Monday, you can add custom automation to make your customer management as effective as possible. Monday has saved over 386 million human actions making sure you are not short on options.
- Collaborate with your team: With Monday as your client management software, you’ll be able to collaborate with your team quickly. You can pass on information to your team by adding comments on tasks, giving feedback, and giving everyone access to the details of the project.
- Dashboards: With Monday, you’ll be able to select the widgets you want to see and set up your custom dashboard.
Pros
- Suitable for any business: Monday has all the features to meet the needs of small to large businesses.
- User-friendly interface: Monday has a colorful and clean interface that makes it fun to use. You can use GIFs and emojis in your conversations or updates and color code messages. Also, they have helpful tutorials to assist you in functioning correctly.
- Review options: You’ll be able to review a task from start to finish to ensure that the job is being done correctly.
Cons
- Monday is slightly expensive, especially if you are starting with a small team.
- Monday has numerous features that first-timers would find difficult without watching the tutorials.
Pricing
Monday provides a free forever plan for up to 2 seats, after which pricing increases depending on the number of seats, as well as the features required. Paid plans start at $10/seat/month, are billed monthly for the basic plan, and include a minimum of 3 seats.
Bonsai
Bonsai is a simple software designed for service-based businesses such as freelancers and agency-builders. The tool allows you to sync your CMS with your project management, invoicing, and other business tools to keep everything in one place.
Key Features
- Full Process Control: Users can manage the entire client process from prospect to project all in one place.
- Deep Client Info: Users can track all their clients by including client information, lead details, and internal notes.
- Organization Made Easy: Documents, payments, tasks and timesheets can all be tagged by project to keep everything together.
Pros
- Bonsai shows you which information is most important and helps you keep track of it.
- Simple and affordable software means you can count on it for the long haul.
Cons
- Built primarily for one-person freelance teams. If you need something more robust, this may not work for you.
Pricing
- Starter Plan: $17/month
- Business Plan: $52/month
HoneyBook
HoneyBook is a cloud-based client management software designed for small businesses. The platform enables users to perform various functions such as sending invoices and payments, booking clients, signing contracts online, managing projects, and communicating status updates with clients.
The platform is particularly effective for entrepreneurs who tend to handle one project and freelancers who work in teams. From inquiry to invoicing, HoneyBook gives you different models that will make working with clients a breeze.
Key Features
- Task management enables users to view and track various stages of a project.
- Users can save invoices, contracts, and other documents in one database.
- Users can reply to clients with automated appointment requests and follow-ups using customized templates and notifications.
- Automated payment reminders can be sent, and task reminders can be created per the project.
Pros
- HoneyBook provides resources to train users on how to use their systems best. Their training sessions are informative and insightful.
- HoneyBook sends automatic email reminders to you when clients open, sign, and pay for proposals. They send automated email reminders to you even when clients haven’t opened your bids as well.
- HoneyBook sends sales proposals and contracts with custom payment schedules.
Cons
- The online scheduling tool does not function with different time zones.
- The transaction fees for instant deposits are costly.
- Some features are not entirely functional.
Pricing
- Starter Plan: $9 per month
- Unlimited Plan: $39 per month, or billed annually at $390 (a $78/year savings!)
Keap
Keap, formerly known as Infusionsoft, is a cloud-based client management software that helps small to large businesses effectively manage their sales and customer relations.
Key Features
- Users can segment contacts: With Keap, you can segment your contacts to email them directly. Prospective and past customers are not left out; with Keap, communication with your clients couldn’t be more straightforward.
- Campaigns: You can run campaigns with customized communication triggers depending on emails opened, clicks, and more.
Pros
- You will perform inventory management functions from payments and purchase fulfillment to setting up online shopping carts.
- Keap provides analytics tools that would enable you to run analyses on parameters such as emails, campaign performance, and ROI data.
Cons
- Usage of Keap can be complex for first-time users.
Pricing
Pricing starts at $79 for 500 contacts and unlimited emails.
Zoho
Zoho has many products to keep your small to large business moving forward. Their CMS product is called Zoho CRM. It’s one of the most robust CMS products on the market.
Key Features
- Users can segment contacts: With Keap, you can segment your contacts to email them directly. Prospective and past customers are not left out; with Keap, communication with your clients couldn’t be more straightforward.
- Campaigns: You can run campaigns with customized communication triggers depending on emails opened, clicks, and more.
Pros
- Zoho claims to have the “the fastest implementation in the enterprise CRM market” which means quick setup so you can get back to work that really matters.
- Advanced analytics tools, custom reports and dashboards, and even an AI bot to help you make future decisions based on previous successes.
Cons
- At $40/user, Zoho CRM comes in a bit pricey. And that’s just for their CRM tool. You’ll pay extra if you want to integrate with all their other tools.
Pricing
Pricing for just the CRM starts at $14 per user per month, but to get all their features, plan on more like $40 per user per month.
What is Client Management?
Client management entails forming relationships between a business and its customers. It covers everything from customer lifecycle planning, setting predictions, building trust, to setting boundaries and measuring customer satisfaction.
To properly manage clients, you need to do the following:
- Understand the pain points of clients
- Provide easily accessible lines of communication
- Address client queries and concerns promptly
To understand the needs of your clients, you may have to run surveys. In addition, you should use CMS software to aggregate data on customer behavior. That can help you know the client’s needs even before the client knows them.
Of course there are also several benefits. First of all, your clients are likely to stay with you longer if you stay organized. Seeing that it’s easier and less expensive to retain a client than to find a new one, client management is a must.
What is Client Management Software?
Client management software is any tool that helps you manage client relations. Typically, such software are cloud-based SaaS tools that you can subscribe to monthly. In many cases, you can choose pricing based on the features you choose.
Overall, a good CMS enables you to automate your communications with clients and keep track of important details. However, some tools are tailored to specific functions.
For instance, you’ll find tools that are big on optimizing your marketing processes and increasing sales. Others may major in project management and client deliverables.
Ultimately, your choice of client management software depends on your industry and your needs.
How to Best Use a CMS
The ultimate objective of client management software is to give your clients quality services for the sake of maximizing sales. You can categorize this into two segments: customer acquisition and customer retention.
Customer Acquisition
Efficient client management enables you to give customized, focused service to your prospective customers. Due to this, you’ll have a more significant opportunity of changing these prospective customers into actual shoppers.
With a helpful CMS, you can effortlessly oversee existing leads, control client communication, and plan personalized client communications. This is much easier as compared to manually trying to track all your information.
Customer Retention
Customer retention is an essential part of enjoying success in your business. In a recent report by Bain and Company, it was revealed that a 5% increase in customer retention could lead to a 25% rise in profit. The report also highlighted that 93% of customers are highly prone to buying from organizations with an excellent customer care system.
Effective client management is an excellent way to establish loyalty with existing clients and provide them with top-notch service. In doing so, you’re raising your chances of them buying from you in the future.
That’s where software comes in; with a CMS, you’ll be able to store information about your existing customers and send planned follow-through messages to persuade customers to patronize your products and services some more.
How to Get the Most Out of Your CMS
Across the board, CMS have mostly similar features and tools, but no two CMS are the same. For instance, each one has a unique interface that would likely take some getting used to.
That’s why you should take advantage of the tutorials and how-to guides that each software offers. That way, you shorten your learning curve and get the best out of the software.
It is essential to choose a platform that is tailored for your desired needs. While deciding on the right CMS platform for you can be cumbersome, it’s necessary to find the distinct features of each one, so you can find the one that will best fit your business.
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