Mobile CRM systems: an overview of the best customer management solutions

‘The smartphone has become our main workstation. With CRM at our fingertips, requests are closed as quickly as messages arrive in the messenger,’ notes Yevhen Kasyanenko, an expert at KISS Software. ‘This simple solution significantly increases customer loyalty, and no additional budget is required.’

Below, we have compiled the main reasons for transferring CRM to a mobile format and compared the popular solutions that our customers most often choose.

Why is a CRM system with a mobile application a necessity for business?

For many companies, mobile CRM seems like a nice bonus, but in practice, it solves specific problems: it speeds up deals, synchronises disparate communication channels, and reduces the workload on the sales department. Here’s why it’s really necessary:

• Work without geolocation. Managers update deal statuses on their way to the client, and the manager sees the funnel in live mode – without waiting for the evening report.
• Instant access to interaction history. The phone will tell you what the correspondence was about and when to expect payment – less chance of losing a client.
• Notifications and reminders. Did a request come in at 8:30 p.m.? A push notification will ensure you don’t forget about it until morning.
• Synchronisation with your desktop. Add a contact from a business card in the app, and the card will immediately appear on your colleagues’ PCs.
• Offline mode. Even without the internet, you can create a meeting or add a comment, and the system will synchronise later.

CRM for your phone turns your gadget into a full-fledged work tool and becomes a competitive advantage for companies where every hour counts.

Key features of mobile CRM

When you have more than just a phone in your pocket, your decision-making speed increases significantly. Mobile CRM gives managers the same functionality as the desktop version, but without being tied to a desk and laptop. In one application, you can:

• view the current customer card before shaking their hand;
• close a deal while in the warehouse or in a taxi;
• receive a push notification about a new lead faster than a colleague can write in the chat.

Most importantly, all actions are instantly synchronised with the main CRM. Colleagues in the office see the changes immediately, reports are updated without manual summaries, and the manager evaluates the funnel in real time. This set of features turns a smartphone into a full-fledged command centre, reducing response time and increasing conversion.

Ease of use and data accessibility

All customer and transaction information is available in two or three taps — quick search, tag filters, cards with recent actions.

Communication and automation tools

Built-in chats, integration with WhatsApp and Telegram, call recording, auto-tasks and reminders – managers can keep the dialogue in a single window, and the system itself suggests the next step.

Real-time control and analytics

Dashboards show plans and actuals, geolocation helps build the optimal route for meetings, and managers can see their team’s activity on a map.

“We often set up mobile reports for our customers. The manager opens the app and in 30 seconds understands that work is in full swing and where urgent attention is needed,” emphasises Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Overview of popular mobile CRMs

Below we have compiled a selection of systems that allow our projects to launch the fastest.

Pipedrive

Built around a funnel. The mobile client features swipe control of stages, offline mode, a business card scanner, and built-in IP telephony. A good choice for sales departments with short deal cycles.

Zoho CRM

A flexible platform. It features custom modules, analytics, and its own task manager. The app supports offline work, and the Zoho Zia voice assistant prompts you with the next action for each deal.

HubSpot CRM

This app has a strong marketing component: push notifications about leads from the website form, email newsletters, and SMM tools — everything can be launched from a smartphone. Suitable for companies with a focus on content marketing and support.

KeyCRM

Focused on e-commerce. Orders from marketplaces, delivery statuses, and messenger dialogues are visible on your phone. Useful for online stores and sellers on Wildberries/Ozon.

How to choose a CRM for your phone: key criteria

Very often we see companies buying the most popular solution, and then six months later facing expensive modifications. Our expert Yevhen Kasyanenko advises everyone to focus on four questions.

Functionality

Easy access to the customer base is just the beginning. Check that the mobile CRM:

• Maintains communication without switching. Integration with WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and built-in telephony allow you to respond to customer requests with a single tap, without jumping between applications.
• Automates the funnel. When a request comes in, the system automatically creates a deal, assigns a responsible person and suggests the next step.
• Reminds you of deadlines. Push notifications and flexible reminders save you from forgotten calls and meetings.
• Collects analytics on the fly. Deal statuses, stage conversions, average cheque — everything is visible in the mobile dashboard, even when you’re on the go.

‘If a manager learns about a new lead faster than the customer has time to close their browser, it’s almost a done deal,’notes Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Compatibility

iOS and Android without compromises. A CRM system with a mobile app should work equally well on both platforms:

• Synchronisation with email and marketplaces. Letters, orders and statistics are pulled up automatically, eliminating double data entry.
• Consistency with the desktop. If you change the status of a deal on the go, your colleagues in the office will see it at the same moment. This single-screen effect eliminates chaos and duplication of tasks.

User-friendly interface

A smartphone is not the place for complex multi-level menus. We recommend:

• Check the ‘create – save transaction’ path. If it takes more than three or four taps, the interface is overloaded.
• Run a mini-test. Give a newbie five minutes without instructions — if they find the right section and add a customer, the UI designers have done their job.
• Gesture support and offline mode. The ability to scroll through funnel cards and work without the internet speeds up daily tasks.

‘In the next two to three years, mobile CRMs will become even smarter, and an intuitive interface will be an advantage. You will see voice input for notes, AI-based prompts, and AR visualisation of meeting routes — all of this will move from the desktop to the phone,’ writes Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Price

The real economics of CRM is the total cost of ownership. Don’t look at the monthly price tag, but at how much the system will cost after a year of active growth, paying attention to the following aspects:

• Licence/subscription fee. Check whether all mobile features are included in the basic tariff.
• User fees. Check how the cost changes when the sales department grows from 5 to 25 people.
• Integrations and API. Some vendors charge extra for connections to email or messengers.
• Support and updates. The SLA is important, namely how much a quick response from technical support costs and whether future releases are included in the subscription.

When choosing a mobile CRM, focus on processes rather than trendy brands. Write down the critical features, check compatibility with your current services, and calculate the total cost. The KISS Software team will help you navigate this process without unnecessary expenses.

Who is mobile CRM suitable for?

“A CRM system with a mobile application turns a smartphone into a full-fledged work centre. Open the app and you can immediately see all sales, current tasks and customer communications,” emphasises our specialist.

Below are four situations in which such a solution is most beneficial:

• Small and medium-sized businesses. Managers travel to meetings, and requests pour in from messengers and the website. Thanks to the system, customer cards, deal statuses, and invoice reminders are always at hand. Managers can see the progress of the sales funnel without Excel reports.
• Online stores and e-commerce. Mobile CRM pulls up orders, shows balances, and sends push notifications about status changes. Assembly checklist and delivery tracking — right on your phone.
• Agencies and freelancers. Clients in different time zones, projects with yesterday’s deadlines. A request from the form automatically becomes a task, deadlines come with push reminders, and the communication history is stored in a single chat. No panic, even if you’re working from the beach.
• Large companies with field teams. Problems arise in coordinating field specialists and monitoring KPIs. Geotags record visits, photo reports are uploaded from the app, and the dispatcher can see the status of the task online. The data is immediately synchronised with the desktop version.

‘By implementing mobile CRM, we have halved the response time to customer requests: managers respond on the go, rather than after returning to the office,’ says Yevhen Kasyanenko, KISS Software, giving an example.

Conclusion: why businesses should switch to mobile CRM now

The world has moved to working from anywhere. And so have customers. A system that only works on a desktop computer holds business back. Every modern entrepreneur needs the following in their business:

• Speed. Responses to leads must be immediate.
• Flexibility. Changes in the price list, new delivery statuses, corrections to the invoice — everything is updated in real time.
• Transparency. The manager can see the funnel and the team’s workload without paper reports.
• Loyalty. The customer receives a quick response and feels cared for — they stay longer and buy more often.

At KISS Software, we help companies transition to turnkey mobile CRM solutions:

• we analyse your processes and select a platform,
• set up integrations with telephony, messengers, and marketplaces,
• train the team, and bring the system to 100% return on investment.

‘A good CRM doesn’t force managers to work differently; it adapts to their rhythm and enhances results,’ emphasises Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Ready to reduce response times, increase sales, and keep your customer base in your pocket? Write to us, and in a short time you will see how mobile CRM changes your team’s daily work.