Managing projects the right way plays a huge part in a company’s success. A study from the Project Management Institute found that businesses with strong project management practices reach their goals 89% of the time, compared to only 34% for those without. Without good management, things can quickly fall apart—teams may miss deadlines, waste resources, or struggle with miscommunication. This can hurt the business and leave customers unhappy.
That’s why having the right tools to manage projects is so important. They help teams stay organized, work together more easily, and make sure goals are met on time. When projects involve customer relationships or ongoing support, these tools become even more crucial. This is where combining Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and project management creates a smart solution.
What is CRM Project Management?
CRM project management is when you combine customer relationship management (CRM) tools with project management tools into one system. It helps teams organize their work, track progress, and manage customer data all in one place. This way, businesses can deliver successful projects while maintaining great relationships with their customers.
How Is It Different from Regular Tools?
- Compared to project management tools, CRM project management goes beyond organizing tasks, tracking deadlines, and managing team workloads by ensuring customer-related information like preferences and past interactions is included.
- Compared to CRM tools, CRM project management adds the ability to organize tasks and monitor project progress, which standalone CRM tools typically don’t offer.
CRM project management puts both systems together, helping your team manage projects while keeping the customer’s needs in focus.
How Does CRM Project Management Work?
CRM project management systems keep everything related to a project—or a customer—in one place. For example, once a deal is closed, tasks can be created and assigned to team members. Teams can see timelines, keep track of their work, and have access to customer information (like past communication) without bouncing between various tools. This makes workflows easier to manage and improves communication.
Key Features and Functions of CRM Project Management Tools
- The Customer Information feature ensures that all essential details, like contact info, purchase history, and past interactions, are stored in one place for easy access.
- The Task Tracking feature allows teams to assign tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress, keeping projects organized and on schedule.
- The Team Collaboration feature makes it simple for everyone to share updates, files, and notes in one system, ensuring the entire team stays on the same page.
- The Reports and Insights feature provides valuable data, like team performance or customer feedback, to help you identify what’s working and where improvements are needed.
- The Pipeline Tracking feature helps you monitor the status of a project and manage resources, such as time and team members, to keep everything running smoothly.
- The Automation feature streamlines work by automating repetitive tasks, like scheduling emails or sending reminders, so teams can focus on more crucial tasks.
- The Integration feature connects the tool with emails, calendars, and other systems, ensuring a seamless workflow across platforms.
- The Notifications feature keeps everyone up to date by sending real-time alerts about deadlines, project updates, or client feedback.
Choosing the Best CRM and Project Management Tool
Selecting the right CRM and project management tool can greatly improve how your team works together and interacts with customers. Each tool offers unique strengths that suit different business types and needs. Below is an overview of these tools to help you make a decision in simple terms.
1. Monday.com
Monday.com is well-loved for its customizable dashboards that visually track both sales and project tasks. It’s easy to use, making it a good choice even for people who are new to such tools. Starting at $8 per user a month, it’s affordable and works with apps like Slack and Salesforce.
Teams that need flexibility and tools they can grow with often pick Monday.com, though it’s not the best for highly detailed CRM tasks. It’s ideal for managing creative projects, tracking deadlines, and organizing team workflows all in one place.
2. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is great for businesses focused on sales, marketing, and building customer relationships. While the basic CRM part is free, you’ll need to spend $50 or more per month for project management. It lets you automate emails, track customer interactions, and organize tasks.
HubSpot also connects with tools like Google Workspace and Trello to centralize your work. It’s perfect for sales teams that want an easy way to manage customer communication while keeping collaboration smooth across departments. However, small businesses looking for detailed project tracking may need a more elaborate system.
3. Zoho Projects & CRM
Zoho Projects & CRM stands out because it’s affordable, starting at only $5 a month per user. It’s tailored to support growing businesses with features like time tracking and customer engagement tools.
Zoho works well with other apps like QuickBooks and Dropbox, making it a great fit for tightly budgeted teams that want everything in one place. That said, it might feel overwhelming for new users as it offers many features. For example, a service business can use Zoho to keep track of client deadlines, manage budgets, and maintain touchpoints—all from one structured system.
4. ClickUp
ClickUp is an all-in-one option combining task management, time tracking, and customer relationship tools. It’s free for small teams, and its paid plan starts at $5 per person monthly.
ClickUp connects with Slack, Zapier, and Google Calendar, which makes it suited for managing various tasks. It’s a favorite for teams juggling complex projects, like startups planning product launches. While it’s highly versatile, beginners may find it tricky to adjust to its many capabilities. Teams who want task lists, timelines, and customer follow-ups in one place will find ClickUp very helpful.
5. Salesforce Essentials
Salesforce Essentials is designed to provide quality CRM features with some simple project management tools. Starting at $25 per user each month, it adds value for medium-sized businesses by offering customer data insights using AI. It integrates with hundreds of tools, including MailChimp, making it perfect for companies that want advanced reports.
However, smaller teams might feel it’s complicated to use and expensive for what they need. A small software company could use Salesforce to track leads while scheduling onboarding sessions and troubleshooting issues seamlessly.
6. Nifty
Nifty brings CRM and project management into a single lightweight system, costing $5 per user monthly. It focuses on helping with multiple projects while keeping clients’ information organized. It connects easily with Slack and Google Drive, making file sharing and communication simple.
However, it doesn’t cover advanced customer analysis. This is a good match for consulting teams dealing with several clients at once, as it allows you to break down workspaces by client and track progress effectively.
7. Trello with Crmble Power-Up
Trello with Crmble Power-Up is a straightforward option for better customer tracking on Trello’s visual project boards. While Trello is free, Crmble might involve added costs. It’s a great pick for teams wanting an easy way to handle leads and customer pipelines through drag-and-drop boards.
Although it’s not great for more complicated setups, small teams or freelancers who like a visual and hands-on approach often choose it. Having the ability to see project stages at a glance helps keep everything organized without overwhelming users.
8. Asana with CRM Templates
Asana with CRM Templates uses its existing project management setup to provide customer tracking options. Starting at $10.99 per user monthly, it offers integration with Microsoft Teams and Zapier for smooth teamwork.
While its CRM tools aren’t as deep as Salesforce’s, it works well for event-based businesses. For example, an event coordinator can track vendors, keep deadlines in check, and follow up with clients effortlessly. It’s highly practical if you need strong project tools with light customer management features.
Should You Use a Combined CRM and Project Management Tool?
A combined CRM and project management tool can save time and make running your business easier. It’s especially handy for teams that need to manage both projects and client relationships in one place. For example, marketing agencies juggling campaigns and client updates or startups balancing product development with customer onboarding will find these tools helpful. They keep everything streamlined and minimize the hassle of switching between different platforms.
If your team needs better collaboration and struggles to stay organized, this type of software could be a game-changer. It’s ideal for businesses that deal with many customers or projects or need tools that can adapt and grow with their needs.
The key is to find a tool that fits your workflow and goals. Ask yourself: Does your team struggle with keeping things coordinated? Do you want to improve how you track customers or tasks in one system? If yes, investing in a combined CRM and project management tool could be just what you need to stay productive and focused.