(Freshworks CRM): A Complete Guide for SMBs
In today’s competitive business environment, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools are no longer optional—they are essential.
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the right CRM can simplify sales processes, improve customer engagement, and provide actionable insights to drive growth.
Among the many CRM solutions available, Freshsales (Freshworks CRM) stands out for its affordability, ease of use, and advanced AI-powered automation.
Freshsales, developed by Freshworks, is designed to give businesses a 360-degree customer view, streamline workflows, and boost sales productivity.
It combines traditional CRM capabilities with innovative features like AI CRM (Freddy AI), a built-in phone system, sales sequences, and deal insights, making it a robust yet user-friendly option for SMBs.
This article provides an in-depth look at Freshsales (Freshworks CRM), its key features, benefits, integrations, pricing, and how it compares to other popular CRM solutions.
What is Freshsales (Freshworks CRM)?
Freshsales is a modern, cloud-based CRM solution that focuses on sales automation and customer engagement.
It’s part of the broader Freshworks suite, which includes tools for customer support (Freshdesk), marketing (Freshmarketer), and IT service management (Freshservice).
Freshsales sets itself apart by offering:
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AI-driven lead insights (Freddy AI)
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A built-in phone system for seamless communication
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Automated workflows and sales sequences
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A customizable 360-degree customer view
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Intuitive deal tracking and pipeline management
It’s designed for SMBs that need a scalable CRM solution—one that grows with their business without the steep learning curve or high costs associated with enterprise-grade software.
Key Features of Freshsales
1. AI CRM (Freddy AI)
Freshsales incorporates Freddy AI, an intelligent assistant that helps sales teams make data-driven decisions.
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Lead scoring: Automatically prioritize leads based on engagement and fit.
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Deal insights: Predict which deals are most likely to close.
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Next best action: Suggests the right time to follow up with leads.
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Sales forecasting: Provides predictive revenue projections.
This AI CRM functionality ensures that sales teams spend their time on the leads and deals that matter most.
2. 360-Degree Customer View
Freshsales consolidates all customer data into one place, giving businesses a complete view of every customer.
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Contact history: Emails, calls, meetings, and chats in one timeline.
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Behavior tracking: Monitors website visits and product interactions.
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Custom fields: Tailor data fields to fit your business needs.
With this 360-degree customer view, SMBs can personalize interactions and build stronger, long-term relationships.
3. Built-in Phone System
Unlike many CRMs that require third-party telephony integrations, Freshsales includes a built-in phone system.
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Click-to-call functionality right from the CRM.
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Call recording and logging for quality control.
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Automatic call tracking tied to customer profiles.
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Phone number purchase directly through the platform.
This eliminates the need for costly third-party phone systems and ensures all communications are logged and accessible within the CRM.
4. Sales Sequences
Freshsales allows businesses to design automated sales sequences that nurture leads consistently.
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Personalized email campaigns with scheduling.
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Automated reminders for calls and follow-ups.
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Multichannel outreach through phone, email, and chat.
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Engagement tracking to optimize outreach strategies.
These sequences help SMBs engage prospects at scale while maintaining a personal touch.
5. Deal Insights and Pipeline Management
Freshsales makes it easy to manage sales pipelines and monitor deal progress.
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Visual pipeline views with drag-and-drop deal movement.
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Deal insights highlighting high-probability opportunities.
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Custom stages to reflect your sales cycle.
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Revenue tracking and deal forecasting.
This ensures businesses have full visibility into the health of their sales pipeline.
6. Lead Scoring
With lead scoring, sales teams can focus on the prospects most likely to convert.
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Assign points based on actions (email opens, clicks, website visits).
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Rank leads by engagement and demographic fit.
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Use AI-powered scoring with Freddy AI for accuracy.
By automating lead qualification, SMBs reduce wasted effort and improve conversion rates.
7. Sales Automation
Freshsales simplifies routine tasks through sales automation, allowing teams to focus on building relationships.
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Automated data entry from calls, emails, and meetings.
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Workflow automation for assigning tasks and updating deal stages.
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Trigger-based actions like sending emails or creating follow-ups.
These tools save time and reduce errors, making the sales process more efficient.
Integration with Freshworks Suite and Beyond
Freshsales seamlessly integrates with the Freshworks suite:
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Freshdesk (Customer Support) – connect sales and support data.
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Freshmarketer (Marketing Automation) – align sales and marketing.
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Freshservice (IT Service Management) – unify IT and sales data.
It also integrates with third-party apps like:
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Slack (team collaboration)
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Zapier (automation across 5,000+ apps)
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Mailchimp (email marketing)
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Google Workspace & Microsoft 365 (email, calendar, productivity)
These integrations ensure businesses can maintain seamless data exchange across platforms.
Benefits of Freshsales for SMBs
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Affordability: Pricing is accessible for small businesses while offering enterprise-grade features.
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Ease of Use: Intuitive design with minimal learning curve.
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AI-Powered Efficiency: Freddy AI helps sales teams prioritize and forecast effectively.
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All-in-One Solution: Built-in phone system, email, automation, and analytics.
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Scalability: Grows with businesses, from startups to mid-sized companies.
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Omnichannel Communication: Connects with phone, email, and chat in one place.
Pricing Plans for Freshsales
Freshsales offers flexible pricing tiers (monthly or annual billing):
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Free Plan ($0): Basic CRM with contact management, built-in chat, and email.
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Growth Plan ($15/user/month): Includes lead scoring, sales sequences, and automation.
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Pro Plan ($39/user/month): Adds multiple sales pipelines, advanced metrics, and AI-driven insights.
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Enterprise Plan ($69/user/month): Advanced AI CRM (Freddy AI), custom modules, and dedicated support.
This pricing structure makes Freshsales accessible to businesses at every growth stage.
Comparison with Alternative CRM Software
While Freshsales is a strong choice for SMBs, it’s helpful to compare it against other CRM solutions.
1. HubSpot CRM
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Strengths: Free plan, robust marketing automation, intuitive interface.
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Pricing: Free basic CRM; Sales Hub starts at $45/month.
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Best For: SMBs focusing heavily on inbound marketing.
2. Zoho CRM
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Strengths: Affordable, strong workflow automation, AI-powered Zia.
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Pricing: From $14/user/month.
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Best For: Cost-conscious SMBs needing advanced automation.
3. Pipedrive
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Strengths: Visual sales pipelines, ease of use, strong reporting.
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Pricing: Starts at $14.90/user/month.
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Best For: SMBs seeking a deal-focused CRM.
4. Salesforce Essentials
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Strengths: Enterprise-level customization, scalability, strong ecosystem.
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Pricing: $25/user/month.
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Best For: SMBs planning rapid growth into enterprise scale.
5. Insightly
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Strengths: Combines CRM with project management.
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Pricing: Starts at $29/user/month.
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Best For: Businesses that need both project tracking and CRM.
Use Cases of Freshsales
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Startups: Quick setup, affordable, and AI-driven insights.
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SMBs in B2B Sales: Manage long sales cycles with automation and deal insights.
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E-commerce Businesses: Track leads and customer engagement across multiple channels.
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Consulting Firms: Nurture clients with sales sequences and personalized communication.
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Real Estate Agencies: Manage property listings, calls, and deals directly in the CRM.
Conclusion
In a market flooded with CRM solutions, Freshsales (Freshworks CRM) stands out as a cost-effective, AI-powered, and user-friendly platform that simplifies customer relationship management for SMBs.
With features like AI CRM (Freddy AI), a 360-degree customer view, a built-in phone system, sales sequences, deal insights, and lead scoring, Freshsales helps businesses streamline sales processes, improve productivity, and close more deals.
Compared to alternatives like HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Salesforce, and Pipedrive, Freshsales offers an impressive balance of affordability and functionality.
Its deep integration with the Freshworks suite further enhances its appeal as an all-in-one business solution.
For SMBs seeking to modernize their sales operations and build stronger customer relationships, Freshsales is an excellent choice that delivers long-term value.