The Guide to Property Management Systems: CRMs

Before choosing a CRM, there are a few things you need to evaluate.

• What teams will be using your CRM? If it is sales only, a simple CRM will work for now. If you want other teams in your company to be able to use the CRM, so you have access to enhanced cross-departmental reporting, you'll need a more robust solution than a simple sales CRM.
• Do you want your CRM to work with automation? Not every CRM out there is built for the task. If you're thinking of expanding and starting to automate your operations, you'll want a CRM that can grow with you—or at least one that will be easy to move your data out of when you decide to move.
• Does the CRM you're considering have a robust knowledge base and training system—or do you have to figure it out on your own? One of the reasons we chose to build the Property Management Operating System (PMOS) was because of the amazing training that comes with all HubSpot accounts (and this training is even free to non-HubSpot users).
• Does it integrate with your property management software so your records are always up to date? If you adopt a CRM and also have to update your information in multiple other places, you might find that data is inconsistent—leading to errors and other inefficiencies. Find a CRM that integrates with your property management software for the best results.

Sure, a CRM is amazing for sales and business development, but it is also a key player in the property management automation scene.

• The simplest form of automation you usually see with a CRM is the automation of data gathering into a CRM.
• Most good CRMs these days can pull information into the CRM from an email signature and even company info from what is out there on the web.

For example, if you send us an email, HubSpot is going to pull in your company data along with the info in your signature based on the URL in your email address. This saves our sales team time: they don't have to go and look it all up; it is populated right into the CRM.

Your CRM, when connected with other tools such as sales, marketing, and service options, can ensure that:

• The right marketing email goes to your prospects at the right time
• Your sales team is talking to the most qualified leads each day
• Your work orders and service tickets are addressed within your set time frame
• Tasks are created and tied to a client record so you can always answer client questions quickly and accurately
• Rent is collected on time
• Renewals are easier
• You can eliminate your paper budget.