Insightly Review: Enter a New World of CRM

Insightly Review: In-Depth

Insightly uses the Software-as-a-Service model to provide small and mid-sized companies with the tools they need to market to their audiences and streamline their sales funnels. Over the years, the brand has built up a client base of 1.5 million users in all kinds of industries. Some of the core functions of this platform include Gmail and Outlook plug-ins, email marketing integrations, project management, and CRM analysis.

Key Features

The platform focuses on two main aspects of any business: CRM and marketing. Through an interactive and streamlined dashboard, teams can create beautiful marketing emails and contact forms, or use an existing template. Convenient integrations and customization allow for smoother transactions and communication between employees and clients.

Insightly Review: Background Information

Insightly was founded by Anthony Smith in Perth, Australia, in 2009. Smith is a former IBM consultant and software engineer. His love for entrepreneurship and small businesses led him to work with several teams to improve their interactions with clients. Dissatisfied with the current systems out there, he decided to develop his own, and Insightly was born. Several venture capital firms believed in the brand’s mission, backing the founders with $50 million in funding. In 2012, the company relocated to San Francisco, California. Throughout the years, the team continued to add integrations to its platform, including Dropbox, Evernote, Microsoft Office, OneDrive, and Outlook.

Interesting Stats & Facts

This enterprise may have started small, but today it is a nationally-recognized CRM platform that works with over 25,000 businesses. It’s currently one of the top customer relationship management software on the Google Suite Marketplace. Other intriguing facts about the company include:

Service Features & Technical Details

As a customer relationship management platform, Insightly offers a variety of tools and integrations to help businesses in all types of industries. Creating lifelong interactions and partnerships with clients is the top priority, so the company strives to provide support in every facet of marketing and sales.

Customer Relationship Management

CRM isn’t just about pulling in new clients. It’s also crucial to secure the customers that one already has. With this mindset, the platform offers analysis and growth tools that make it easier than ever to improve communication between buyer and seller. There’s also a big focus on generating more sales and contacting previous clients for feedback. Through Insightly, employees can set reminders, upload and share files, and even chat internationally with buyers.

Advertising Agency Features

Reaching out to the desired audience can be tough, so this cloud-based service makes it easier to organize different campaigns and projects. This way, team members can work together towards a common goal while efficiently fulfilling their assignments. This creates a more cohesive experience from the customer’s end.

Construction CRM

Seen from an operational point of view, CRM requires lots of moving parts. Inefficiency or sloppiness in any aspect can lead to slower growth and dissatisfied consumers. Insightly makes collaboration simpler with schedules and calendaring options, as well as various organizational frameworks. These include project and task pipelines, automation, and data analysis that predicts future sales and customer retention.

Contact Management

More on the analytical side of things, contact management, involves collecting consumer data through multiple channels. These could be feedback forms, phone calls, emails, or online surveys. The software helps with recognizing patterns and identifying potential problems in the hopes of improving customer interactions and buying behavior. As one might expect, there is plenty of room for customization and collaboration.

Lead Management

To better serve consumers, the platform has various tools and integrations for targeting potential buyers, identifying profitable audiences and niches, and providing assistance across multiple communication channels. Automated integrations help with improving efficiency and pricing models as well as personalizing messages and campaigns for greater client retention.

Manufacturing Features

The end goal of this software is an improved experience for customers, so they’ll want to work with the business again. Therefore, things need to run smoothly on the back-end, too. Manufacturing management helps with ordering, estimating prices, and tracking shipments and deliveries.

Manufacturing Execution

To execute on those manufacturing goals, a team needs to work with all of the involved parties. A friendly front-of-house can quickly be overshadowed by delayed shipping and delivery. By creating a collaborative environment between companies and suppliers, the network becomes a well-oiled machine.

Online CRM

Just about everything is digital these days, which makes online CRM imperative for any business. Consumers’ expectations continue to rise, and many of them want to be able to talk to a representative anytime, anywhere. Website portals, quick response presets, and performance analysis ensure a streamlined experience from any support channel.

Professional Services Automation

Professionalism requires a minute margin of error. A few tools that help with this include proposal and quote generation, resource cataloging, and collaborative insights for tracking interactions, response times, and task delegation.

Project Management

Most businesses have more than one project going on at a time. Things like Kanban boards can quickly layout the various tasks and make it easier for team members to delegate jobs and send reports. Through Insightly’s cloud-based programs, everyone can keep up with milestones, goals, ideas, customer reviews, and schedules.

Project Planning

Before managing a great project, it must have a great plan. Integrated functionality allows for smoother transitions from Kanban boards to Gmail to Evernote and everything in between. This way, team members can share their progress, keep track of due dates, and much more.

Project Tracking

For larger teams, it can be difficult to keep track of everyone’s tasks and progress. Enter Gantt charts and Kanban boards that visually represent members’ contributions. Collaborators can see status updates and convenient percent-complete bars, making it easier to estimate timetables.

Real Estate CRM

Small businesses and entrepreneurs want to grow, but it’s not as easy as it looks. Insightly assists with scouting out properties, generating leads, and creating market campaigns. Segmentation and matching services are other functionalities that serve teams well in all fields.

Sales Force Automation

Driving sales means first knowing who the target audience is and how profitable they are. Collaborative features allow for seamless communication, progress reports, templates, predictions, and more. The platform helps with setting marketing campaigns up for success from the get-go through forecasts and opportunity identification.

Small Business CRM

The developers designed the platform with smaller teams in mind. That means start-ups and younger companies can access the building blocks of CRM all in one place. Highlights include file sharing and storage, sales predictors, automatic lead identification and scoring, and other automated features.

Key Features in Detail

This cloud-based platform has been a leader in CRM technology for years now. Here is a closer look at what makes it such a powerful force for start-ups and mid-sized brands.

Lead Routing: Send Potential Buyers to the Right Employee

It’s one thing to find the right consumers for a product or service. It’s an entirely different thing to organize those leads and opportunities within the company, so the right team member properly addresses each client. Pipeline management and automation allow for quicker interactions, so customers feel valued and excited to make a purchase. Plus, other employees can see each other’s progress and tasks, boosting collaboration and workplace morale.

Email Marketing: No Most Lost Messages or Neglected Customers

The platform’s intuitive dashboard makes it simple to see all of the current email marketing campaigns, as well as everyone’s actions and progress. The software integrates seamlessly with Gmail, MailChimp, and other programs for even more time-saving capabilities. This way, teams can send out bulk messages, commit to a consistent schedule, and get clear reports on click rates, bounces, and more. Best of all, there’s no IT experience necessary. Businesses and entrepreneurs have enough to worry about anyway.

Custom Dashboards: More Collaboration, Less Mess

Customization is a huge part of this platform’s appeal. The categorized lists are an organization snob’s dream come true. Track progress and deadlines with a simple click. Here, there isn’t any hard-to-read data and analytics. Rather, employees can get a general overview of the goals and reports with a glance, thanks to clear visuals and infographics.

Sales Funnel: Customize, Track, and Refine

Clients can personalize the funnel, so it makes sense for their company and goals. It has a convenient drag-and-drop function that allows employees to make changes in minutes, keeping the entire team up to date. Teams can find the layouts that work best for them, then get to work on categorizing campaigns and sifting out specific job tasks. Moreover, they can set up automated steps that are part of every buying/selling process. With the sales funnel, users can see clear visuals for every step of the ways, including:

Limitations: Few Faults, Mostly With Analytics

Fortunately, there aren’t many setbacks to using this software. The main thing to keep in mind is that it’s best for small or mid-sized companies. Even start-ups and entrepreneurs can make good use of the platform. However, a larger enterprise may struggle with a maximum of 50 users. Another potential pitfall is limited customizations and reports details.

Contact Management: Perfect for Sharing & Planning

Keeping in touch with contacts, team members, and manufacturers is quite easy via the dashboard. The layout is interactive and features a smooth drag-and-drop function. This way, it just takes a click or two to find information about projects, leads, sales, quotes, and more. Contacts lists integrate seamlessly and bring all of the user’s notes and tags along.

Project Management: Establish Trust With On-Time Deliveries

The delivery tasks and updates are built into the user interface, so it’s easy to track what’s going where and who’s receiving it. Plus, if clients have a third-party system that they love, odds are they can integrate it into the dashboard. Other key features include:

Social Media Contact Gathering: Manage Links, Profiles, & More

Insightly can open up social media pages for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter straight from the contacts list. This allows for more open communication between businesses and the people they serve. While it requires some manual labor for updates, it’s still a convenient system to have in place in this day and age.

Interface & In Use: Seamless Once Employees Get Acclimated

Don’t be put off by the bells and whistles of Insightly. At first glance, things can look overwhelming, but the dashboard’s design prioritizes focus, clarity, and organization. After familiarizing themselves with the software, individuals and teams feel better prepared to tackle their project workload and sales goals. Moreover, there’s always the choice to customize the layout for easier use. Plus, the CRM mobile app means that excellent customer service doesn’t have to stop once an employee leaves the office. Team members are just a screen away from seeing valuable insights such as:

Reporting: Birds-Eye Views and Detailed Lists

The platform offers different dashboards and personalization so employees can see an overview of current and completed campaigns. Users can feel free to get as detailed as they want and track employee performance, opportunities, and sales targets. The addition of integrations makes for a quick and efficient layout and beautiful visualization. Some of the options that users will see on the dashboard include:

Integrations: Sync Up Seamlessly

Since most companies work with a third-party, the platform makes it easy to implement that partnership into the day-to-day strategic tasks. Some teams take advantage of these integrations to sync up even more third-party apps, so don’t be discouraged if Insightly doesn’t directly work with something. Below are the top integrations:

Insightly Plans & Pricing

To appeal to the budding entrepreneurs that Insightly’s founders were early on, the software offers several packages. The plans come with Insightly Voice, an integrated CRM telephony solution as well as tech support. Free trials are also available.

Plus Package

This plan covers all of the basics that individuals and partners need to get the ball rolling. This includes access to Insightly’s API, custom sales processes, and integrated project management. Teams can use templates, scheduling, and relationship linking via the mobile app to send mass emails, record milestones, and plan tasks and events.

Professional Package

Unlike the previous package, users on the Professional plan can build and share custom Microsoft Power BI dashboards. This allows for interactive visuals and more intelligent business reports. They can also schedule outbound emails, which they can’t do on the Plus plan. Other perks include milestone tracking and the telephony application with call logging and automatic call analysis.

Enterprise Package

This is the software’s largest plan available. It’s perfect for businesses that want to pursue limitlessness. They’ll get custom reports, file storage, and even a dedicated support member who can guide them through the dashboard. For greater opportunity and lead management, this is the way to go.

Pricing & Key Features Comparison Table

Each of these three plans has something to offer, so it depends on the particular client. Business partners and entrepreneurs may be just fine with the Plus package. Meanwhile, a budding start-up may want to try the Professional kit. The Enterprise plan is best suited to mid-sized companies.

Terms & Conditions

The last update to the Terms of Service was in August 2019. This legal notice makes it clear that “CRM data” refers to any information that a client adds to the platform’s interface. This includes graphics, text, images, music, audio, video, and software. Customers are solely responsible for these details, and the company does not assume liability for lost or stolen data. Also, users should know that transactions on the platform go through a third-party provider. This should eliminate any surprises on their credit card statements.

Privacy Policy

The software collects certain client information and uses it to improve the products and services, as well as maintain the accuracy of the website. Personal details include account information, contacts, communications with the brand and support team, contributions to the community forum, and IP address. The business conducts regular surveys and uses cookies to gather consumer info. It also uses Google Analytics and other third-party services to track visitor behavior and usage.

Refund Policy

Users can pay for their subscriptions on a monthly or yearly basis. They’ll save money if they opt for the one-time annual payment. Modifying a chosen package is acceptable. This means that clients can downgrade or upgrade their plan. They’ll be credited or charged depending on whether they move to a smaller or larger package. That said, all sales are final, and there is a strict no-refund policy.

Customer Support

As a full-fledged enterprise, Insightly has multiple ways that customers and potential buyers can get in touch with the support team.

Telephone

For those who are perusing the site and are interested in learning more before purchasing a plan, they can call the support team. Simply click the “Sales” link under “Contact” at the bottom of the homepage. From there, fill out the form with a name, email address, and phone number. Alternatively, people can dial 1-888-999-4039 to speak to an agent faster.

Email

For those who are fine with waiting a day or two for a response, they can get in touch with the Insightly team via email at [email protected] They should include their name, phone number, and employee count in their message.

Online Chat

Upon visiting the business’ homepage, a chatbot pop-up window will appear. This is for sales-related questions, so it’s mostly used by potential customers. That said, the responses are quick, and it’s an easy way to get answers to frequently asked questions.

Support Center

The website also has a Help Center, complete with video tutorials and articles. Visitors can browse by category and find further information about billing, marketing, set-up, and more. A search bar at the top of the page allows them to type in their query and pull up relevant articles and webinars. There’s also a beginner’s guide that goes through the basics of the platform.

Quality of Service

A- with the Better Business Bureau, although it’s not accredited with the organization. Most of the complaints revolve around pricing and the strict no-refund policy. On Trustpilot, the company has an average customer review score of 3.2 stars. However, this is based on just a few reviews, so take it with a grain of salt. Those who are digging around online will reveal positive reviews in general, particularly around its holistic approach and ease of use.

Customer Types

For those wondering if this software is good for their business, here is how the platform would fit into companies and teams of various sizes.

Small Business

Smaller companies will allow the program to shine in all its glory. After all, it was built from the ground up by software engineers and entrepreneurs who wanted to improve the way smaller brands communicated with buyers.

Medium-Sized Companies

A mid-sized business can still take advantage of Insightly. However, depending on the exact number of employees, there may be some pitfalls. As long as there are fewer than 50 team members, there is plenty of room for collaboration and project delegation.

Large Enterprises

A bigger company should think about exploring other options in addition to Insightly. There are plenty of other programs out there that cater to larger teams. With this one, there are too many limitations on the number of profiles and collaborative tools.

Freelancers

A freelancer or entrepreneur should give this platform a try, even if it’s just a free trial. Whether they want to work alone or with a business partner, the Plus plan is perfect for organizing leads, setting up campaigns, and scheduling emails and correspondence with contacts.

Top 6 Best Insightly Alternatives

If someone runs a larger business or wants to explore other options, here are some competitors that mimic many of the same features as Insightly.

1. Salesforce: Bigger is Sometimes Better

The two companies have similar pricing structures, but Salesforce caters to larger businesses as well as start-ups. The two platforms are evenly matched in terms of customer service and overall value. Where Salesforce shines is in its social media integrations.

2. Zoho CRM: Similar Functionality at Half the Price

A glance at Zoho CRM reveals many of the same attributes as Insightly. That said, the pricing is much more approachable and will pull in a lot more buyers. In terms of support, Zoho makes collaboration fun and easy, even when faced with multiple campaigns and sales funnels.

3. Pipedrive: Power in Simplicity

Pipedrive runs $15 per user versus Insightly’s $29. While Pipedrive is powerful, it’s also quite simple. Even so, that gives way to a seamless organizational flow. The customization is good, and there are recruiting tools that human resources managers will appreciate. However, the support service is lacking.

4. Nimble: It Comes Down to a Trade-Off

Once again, Insightly loses in terms of pricing, as Nimble costs $19 per user rather than $29. On the other hand, Nimble can only support teams of fewer than 100 people, so that eliminates lots of clients. The integrations are on par with competitors.

5. Airtable: Collaborative, But Lacks CRM Power

At just $12 per user, Airtable will catch the attention of many organizations. That said, this service is designed to support smaller teams within larger businesses. Therefore, it has many of the same collaborative capabilities as Insightly with fewer CRM tools.

6. MailChimp: An Email Marketing Powerhouse, But That’s It

MailChimp is the cheapest alternative of them all, but it can’t support nearly as many functions as its competitors. Where MailChimp excels in email marketing, it lacks in collaboration and mobile accessibility. The lead scoring capabilities are also limited.

Alternatives Comparison Table

This chart reflects the basic packages for each provider and the functionalities and features included in those plans. Pricing may vary depending on whether clients choose monthly or yearly billing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Insightly Free to Use?

Yes. Not only is there a free trial, but there is a very limited no-cost plan that people can try out. This package only supports two users and features the standard dashboard capabilities. This includes limited integrations, custom pages, regular support, and mobile access. Individuals can send 10 mass emails daily, generate 10 reports, and utilize five email templates. This is a great way for entrepreneurs to get their feet wet.

Is Insightly Cloud-Based?

Yes. The platform developers designed the software to be cloud-based because they believed that eliminated unwanted server issues for small businesses. This way, they could focus on priority tasks without worrying about IT blockages or heavy technical problems. That said, the software is also available on mobile via iOS and Android. There is also Insightly Voice, telephone service available for an extra charge.

Is Insightly CRM Free?

Yes, but only in limited functionality. With the free version, two users can access the software and generate custom leads and opportunities, draft proposals, and sync their contacts list to the dashboard. Personalizations are included for streamlining a sales funnel, sending out mass emails, and managing projects and tasks. It’s probably not a long-term solution for most brands or partners, but it’s a good way to get a feel for what the full service could do for a small business.

Does Insightly Integrate WIth QuickBooks?

Yes. The user dashboard has a convenient QuickBooks Online tab, where clients can view the payment status and history for their buyers. This makes it simple to check on transaction processes without leaving the platform, and that makes for better CRM. It also leaves less margin for error, since employees can link QuickBooks invoices, estimates, and contracts via the integrated plug-in. Not every Insightly customer utilizes QuickBooks Online, but those that do can expect smoother processing and better customer interactions.

Final Thoughts: It's What's Inside That Counts

Although it works best for smaller teams and companies, this software contains all of the essentials for customer relations, email marketing, lead generation, and project management. If what’s inside counts, then individuals and collaborators can count on this platform to deliver. There are plenty of tools for reaching potential buyers, tracking emails and marketing campaigns, and getting detailed data reports. The least teams could do get the free trial and see how the dashboard caters to their needs.