What we know
Tools we've used properly, not just watched a demo of.
Anyone can list logos. Here's the same list with an honest opinion attached to each one, because knowing when not to use something is the useful part.
CRM
Pipedrive
Pipedrive is refreshingly simple, and that simplicity is the whole point. It works beautifully for teams who want to see deals moving, and it struggles the moment someone tries to make it do everything.
What it's good at
- Getting a sales team using a CRM within a week
- A clear visual pipeline people actually update
- Activity based selling, so nothing goes quiet by accident
- Sensible pricing for small and mid-sized teams
Where it gets awkward
- Marketing features are thin compared with the bigger platforms
- Pipelines sprawl if nobody polices new stages
- Reporting gets limiting once you want proper analysis
- Complex processes end up bolted on with add-ons
Our experience with it
We usually help teams simplify Pipedrive rather than extend it, then connect it to the tools that do the heavy lifting: email, automation and reporting. When it stops fitting, we say so rather than propping it up.
Things we've built or connected
Web forms feeding straight into the right pipeline and owner
Automated follow-up handled outside the CRM to keep it clean
Deal data pushed into reporting people outside sales can read
Usually in the same conversation