The 10 best contact managers for developing your sales
Your contact list plays a key role in your business and your loyalty strategy. You need to nurture your contacts and closely monitor your interactions with them to ensure that their needs are properly met.
To do this, you need an adapted, modular and scalable tool that gives you easy access to all your contact information, and simplifies the qualification and outreach of your prospects.
The solution? A contact manager.
Also known as contact management software, this tool plays a decisive role in your business; when used properly, it enables you to consider new opportunities and secure new contracts.
Here's a closer look at how to use it, its benefits and the 10 best tools on the market.
What is a contact manager?
Definition of contact management software
A contact manager, also known as contact management software, is a tool that helps you store the contact information of your customers, prospects and suppliers while tracking communication between your company and them.
👉 Information can include:
- addresses,
- telephone numbers,
- e-mails,
- social network identifiers,
- orders,
- open quotes,
- sales history, associated companies, etc.
What does a contact manager do?
A contact manager also lets you easily organize and filter contacts according to predefined criteria. These may correspond to :
- sector of activity,
- title
- relations with your company, etc.
💡You can, moreover, manage communications using contact management software and integrate it with other tools such as calendars or your email to interconnect all sources of communication with your contacts.
What's the difference between a contact manager and a CRM?
The main difference between a contact manager and a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is their scope of action.
A contact manager focuses on centralizing contact information (customers, prospects, partners), making it easier to organize and track them.
A CRM, on the other hand, offers more comprehensive customer relationship management, including advanced functions such as sales process automation, opportunity management and interaction analysis. CRM therefore goes beyond simple contact management to include decision-making tools. 🪄
Compare 10 contact management software packages
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 monday CRM |  anaba |  Nelis CRM |  Zoho Bigin |  efficy Enterprise CRM |  EngageBay |  Pipedrive |  HubSpot CRM |  Freshsales |  Nimble |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For companies with 1 to 5000 employees | For companies with 2 to 250 employees | For companies with 2 to 5000 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For companies with more than 50 employees | For companies with 1 to 5000 employees | For companies with more than 1 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 50 employees |
| See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software |
| Learn more about monday CRM | Learn more about anaba | Learn more about Nelis CRM | Learn more about Zoho Bigin | Learn more about efficy Enterprise CRM | Learn more about EngageBay | Learn more about Pipedrive | Learn more about HubSpot CRM | Learn more about Freshsales | Learn more about Nimble |
anaba: contact management from your mailbox
anaba is a software package that automates and centralizes the management of all your company's contacts (prospects, customers, suppliers, service providers, partners, etc.) directly from your mailbox. Thanks to this easy-to-use tool, you can quickly create a complete, up-to-date contact database to communicate more effectively and generate new opportunities by expanding your network.
🧑💻 anaba is specially designed for SMEs such as law firms, architects or B2B event and communications agencies, who are looking for a simple and effective alternative to Excel to manage their contacts automatically.
💰 anaba offers an all-inclusive price of €249/month for an unlimited number of users.
Key benefits of anaba :
- automatic retrieval of your contacts from your emails, whatever the medium (PC, mobile, tablet): scan of your mailbox, retrieval of all your contacts up to several years of history, automatic addition and update ;
- access to tracked, organized and up-to-date information for all your employees: date of last exchange, team notes, changes when changing jobs or LinkedIn updates for one of your contacts, etc. ;
- integration with market-leading CRM and marketing automation solutions, such as Sellsy, Pipedrive, Mailchimp, Sendinblue, etc., to leverage the tool's capabilities and extract maximum value from your contacts.
💙 What we like
- the simplicity of the tool, to exploit the full wealth of your contacts without going through a CRM, for which you won't need all their features ;
- a solution focused on contacts above all else, powerful and collaborative, boosting the productivity of the whole company ;
- a simple, rapid and supported implementation, with free installation and deployment assistance.
anaba
Nelis: addressthe right contact at the right time
Nelis is a comprehensive, intuitive and easy-to-use contact management software that helps you develop your sales through better contact segmentation and personalized campaigns. A truly modular and scalable tool, it connects your contact management to all your business processes (CRM, RGPD, emailing, events...) for increasingly targeted and effective actions.
🧑💻 Nelis is designed for SMEs, key accounts and professional associations (clusters, professional clubs...).
💰 Nelis is available from €20/month/user with a free trial.
Key benefits of Nelis :
- centralization and automatic segmentation of your contact database using intelligent filters and personalized criteria (opportunities, emailing, prospecting, invitations...),
- a secure common space for a 360° view of your contacts: manage access rights according to teams, and automate contact majors via Nelis API connectors to your business applications (Zappier, Teams, Outlook...),
- effective, tailor-made email campaigns: qualify your contacts according to your smart lists, detect active/inactive contacts in just a few clicks, and import your HTML templates to comply with your graphic charter.
💙 What we like
- iOS and Android mobile apps directly connected with Outlook and Gmail to import and track your contacts securely and easily,
- the platform gives you a free audit of your business and a no-obligation free trial, a great way to test the tool before you get started,
- statistical and KPI reports updated in real time to help you make the right decisions.
Nelis CRM
Bigin by Zoho: the complete contact manager for small businesses
Bigin by Zoho CRM is an affordable, pipeline-oriented CRM solution designed for small businesses, created by Zoho. With Bigin, small businesses can manage contact communications and customer relationships, with no technical knowledge required. You simply have access to all your contact information (activities, email, history, contact details, interactions, etc.).
🧑💻Bigin is designed for very small businesses.
💰Bigin has a free version for very small structures, and is available without limitation at €8/month/user.
Key benefits of Bigin:
- improved prospect engagement via Web forms integration: get visitor details, send and receive e-mails, and keep a complete view of every prospect interaction.
- a complete view of your contacts: from e-mails to activities to sales, all your contact information is organized in an orderly and sequential way, in one single place,
- the ability to create simple sales pipelines with fully customizable stages: access your contacts' information simply and in the most visually appealing way, while following them throughout their entire customer journey.
💙 What we like
- its integrated, hardware-free phone system, which lets you receive calls and buy phone numbers for your team,
- its minimalist, ultra-simple concept that lets you focus on features that will really improve your contact management,
- its very affordable price , enabling even very small structures on a tight budget to benefit from a complete contact manager.
Zoho Bigin
Efficy CRM: theready-to-use solution for SMEs to large groups
Efficy CRM is a European publisher and integrator offering a SaaS and on-premise customer relationship management platform . From VSEs to major accounts, the tool adapts to the business issues of BtoB and BtoC companies, at a controlled cost. Benefit from the expertise of over 300 employees in 13 European countries.
🧑💻Efficy CRM is designed for VSEs, SMEs and large groups.
💰Nimble is available from €20/month/user.
Key benefits of Efficy CRM :
- secure, intuitive management of all your contacts: identify your contacts by presenting a complete customer file (addresses, contacts, history of the relationship, prospecting and loyalty actions, orders and complaints, etc.).),
- highly collaborative and personalized functionalities : interact with all company players (employees, customers, suppliers, subcontractors, partners, etc.) and bring fluidity, transparency and regularity to each of these relationships,
- a complete management and follow-up of your contacts in real time: all the history of your relationship can be stored there, every action to be taken can generate alerts, and with every interaction, the tool helps you provide the right support to guarantee the best service to your customers.
💙 What we like
- its all-in-one nature (document management, tour optimization, invoicing, claims processing, knowledge base, event organization, etc.),
- its ISO 9001 and RGPD certifications , which guarantee the security of your data and documents,
- features for creating email campaigns tailored to your contacts (phoning campaigns, web forms, lead management, etc.).
efficy Enterprise CRM
EngageBay: the contact manager for growing businesses
EngageBay is contact and customer relationship management software that lets you manage your business and your customers via a simple, powerful and unified platform that brings together all your marketing, sales and service needs. You get a complete view of every interaction with your prospects, and simply track every piece of information.
🧑💻EngageBay is designed for SMBs looking for affordable, all-in-one sales and marketing software to acquire, engage, nurture and convert visitors into customers.
💰EngageBay is free for 15 users and available from $8.99/month/user with a free trial with no credit card required.
Key benefits of EngageBay :
- real-time updates on your contacts, enabling you to track their activities according to the chronology of your exchanges and their behavior patterns,
- simple, intuitive creation of 100% customizable, centralized contact records: contact details, recent and past interactions, areas of interest, response rates, social presence, call notes, task history - all on a single page, with 360-degree visibility,
- integration of the platform with your email, to interconnect your exchanges and information with your database (Gmail, Office 365 or any other IMPA service).
💙 What we like
- its advanced , high-performance marketing automation features to enhance your emailing strategy and customer relations,
- its unlimited contact storage capacity and numerous support features for perfect customer service,
- its complete free version for up to 15 users , perfect for small businesses.
EngageBay
Pipedrive: the complete CRM that's easy to learn and use
Pipedrive is a simple, intuitive CRM that helps you develop an unlimited database of organizations and contacts, and maintain your business relationships efficiently through advanced functionalities:
- e-mail tracking,
- contact and call history,
- personalized customer files, etc.
🧑💻 Pipedrive is designed for VSEs, SMEs and large groups.
💰 Pipedrive offers 4 price points ranging from €12.50 to €99 with a free trial.
Key benefits of Pipedrive :
- efficient management of sales conversations directly from your inbox: automatically receive e-mails linked to contacts and offers, with everything recorded for optimum follow-up,
- a complete module for organizing meetings between staff and customers : send proposals, contracts and quotations live and traceable, and be notified directly when a document is opened,
a wealth of functions: contact map, customizable signatures, statistics and reporting, etc.
💙 What we like
- its ultra-simple handling and use, which requires no prior technical knowledge,
- its extensive connectivity with over 275 applications and integrations,
- its numerous certifications to protect your data (ISO 27001, GDPR...).
Pipedrive
monday CRM: the CRM giant for VSEs and SMEs
monday CRM is a CRM that needs no introduction. Collaborative, easy-to-use and scalable, it lets you store, manage, analyze and track all your contacts via a host of advanced customization and automation features. It guarantees complete tracking of prospects and customers, all intuitively and centrally.
🧑💻 monday CRM is designed for small and medium-sized businesses.
💰 monday CRM is available from €12/month/user with a free trial.
Key benefits of monday CRM :
- powerful yet simple CRM functionality, enabling you to build a complete, clear, organized and automated sales pipeline: visualize the progress of your contacts, automatically assign them to the right department, send automatic emails, etc,
- all-in-one functionality, giving you access not only to advanced contact management and segmentation functions, but also to project management tools, quote generation, statistical reporting, etc,
- effective communication with your contacts by integrating your email : automatically record emails sent, track interactions and use personalized email templates to save time.
💙 What we like
- Its ultra-reactive support team, available at all times, which guarantees you complete, personalized support, with a record response time of less than 60 minutes,
- Its design and great reputation with over 152,000 customers worldwide: a streamlined, dynamic, colorful interface simplified using a drag-and-drop system,
- Its many certifications guarantee the security of your information, documents and data (ISO/IEC standard, HIPAA compliant, RGPD, etc.).
monday CRM
HubSpot: the robust, easy-to-use CRM
Hubspot CRM is a powerful contact management software used by SMEs and major accounts alike. It unites sales, marketing and customer service teams around a single data platform, enabling you to track contact actions, improve customer service and generate more leads.
🧑💻Hubspot CRM is designed for SMEs and large groups.
💰Hubspot CRM is free of charge, with no limit on the number of users or duration, and up to 1 million contacts/companies with paid services.
Key benefits of Hubspot CRM :
- your contacts' information sheets are automatically enriched with data from over 20 million companies: your sales team is also instantly notified when a prospect opens an e-mail or visits your website, and has all the information they need to set up a relevant follow-up at the right time,
- automatic retention and updating of all records, with no additional maintenance: manage your business on a single screen, without having to go from one place to another to access your contacts' information: contact details, meetings, communication history, etc,
personalized, centralized, all-in-one functionalities: prospect and pipeline management, e-mail templates and tracking, forms, conversation inbox, etc.
💙 What we like
- its high profile, used by over 135,000 customers across 120 countries worldwide,
- its many sales pipeline management features, which multiply the productivity of your sales teams,
- itshighly responsive customer service, available in several languages, 24 hours a day.
HubSpot CRM
Freshsales: the comprehensive, intuitive e-commerce CRM software
Freshsales is a comprehensive, easy-to-use CRM software that enables you to track your contacts' communication, improve customer engagement and develop lasting relationships with them. Your teams can access all essential contact information directly from a robust database.
🧑💻Freshsales is designed for small, medium and large businesses.
💰Freshsales is available from €12/month/user.
Key benefits of Freshsales :
- a chronological view of your contacts : you can check the activity of your website (click-through rate, average visits...) and email campaigns (open rate, conversion rate...),
- automation features that improve your sales productivity by ranking your hottest prospects: speed up sales prospecting, manage sales teams in all geographical zones, etc,
a module for creating customized reports on prospects and contacts: thanks to intuitive charts and graphs, you can quickly understand sales results.
💙 What we like
- its functionality for creating and using AI-based chatbots to chat with your visitors in real time,
- its predictive contact scoring system that keeps you focused on the best opportunities,
- its fast learning curve and ultra-smooth operation, which means you'll be able to navigate smoothly with no technical knowledge required.
Freshsales
Nimble: find opportunities and build relationships
Nimble is CRM software that gives you everything you need to manage your contacts, achieve your goals, find opportunities and build relationships. Nimble Prospector lets you access benefits anywhere, including social platforms, web browser applications and inboxes.
🧑💻Nimble is designed for VSEs and SMEs.
💰Nimble is available from $25/month/user.
Key benefits of Nimble :
- efficient, centralized contact management capabilities: automatically combine contacts, social media connections, communications, inboxes and calendar appointments with over 160 applications and CRMs in a unified relationship manager,
- usable, accessible contact records: simply locate contact information and interaction history, add notes to a record, update transaction status and access social credentials.
- Simple organization and segmentation of your contacts into lists to take actions such as sending group emails to a list of contacts and more.
💙 What we like
- its free trial version with no commitment or CB required, allowing you to test the tool before you get started,
- its availability in several languages and in 5 different countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany),
- its ease of use and the ergonomics of its site, which make navigation considerably easier.
Nimble
Why invest in a contact manager?
Contact management software enables you to organize your contacts, and the tasks and transactions associated with them, centrally. Equipping yourself with such a tool offers a number of advantages:
Automated contact storage and classification
A contact manager automatically stores all your contact, prospect, customer and supplier information in a single platform, from a variety of sources:
- social networks,
- chatbots,
- telephone calls,
- direct conversations (e-mail),
- purchase records,
- requests for information,
- website visits, etc.
You no longer need to enter this data manually and risk typing errors: your data is automatically recorded and classified according to predefined criteria tailored to your needs:
- contact status (potential customers, active customers, inactive customers),
- contact details (last name, first name, company, contact details, company size, function, services, etc.).
You can consult the records of your communications with your contacts to define the best proposal of products or services adapted to their characteristics.
👉 This will also help you to follow up fully and understand their needs and challenges.
Enhanced customer experience
With a contact manager, you can dramatically improve your customer experience thanks to in-depth analysis of contact data. In fact, you'll have access to a detailed history, enabling you to put in place an adapted and therefore more effective marketing action plan:
- making contact,
- follow-ups,
- inquiries,
- purchase history,
- customer support, etc.
A better customer experience will considerably improve the image your customers have of your brand, which in the long term will help increase customer loyalty.
Better internal collaboration
The whole team can view data via contact management software, increasing visibility and transparency within your company.
👉 Consequence? The tool :
- streamlines your workflow,
- reduces the need for frequent meetings,
- leads to fewer errors,
and keeps everyone informed in real time.
More effective sales strategies
By consulting your contact list, communications and customer data on a single platform, you can more easily and quickly determine the right type of products and services to provide.
👉 It will also help you develop a tailored marketing strategy based on automatically updated, real-time information. As a result, your interactions and sales action plan will be considerably improved.
Contact management software, a lever for improving your customer relations
Contact management software is much more than a simple organizational tool: it's a real lever for optimizing your customer relations. By centralizing all your contacts' information, it helps you better understand their needs, improve the personalization of interactions and track every stage of the business relationship. As a result, you benefit from better coordination between your teams, which translates into increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Investing in contact management software means opting for a more efficient strategy that optimizes internal processes and promotes your company's long-term growth. Whether you're an SME or a large corporation, these tools help you to anticipate your customers' expectations and build lasting, fruitful relationships.
Article translated from French