Customer relationship management (CRM) tools are utilized for managing, tracking, and analyzing customer interactions and data. These tools employ a combination of both basic and advanced technologies and features within a single platform to ensure successful management. While some industries may require specific features, there are essential features that are considered necessary for top CRM software providers. These features cover each stage of the sales process, including lead generation, lead nurturing, deal closing, and ongoing customer support. Notable features include marketing tools for managing marketing campaigns across various channels, email management for creating templates and tracking emails, pipeline management for visually tracking deals and leads, activity tracking for recording sales activities and improving customer service, mobile apps for accessing CRM features on-the-go, territory management for segmenting accounts and contacts, lead scoring for ranking leads based on engagement, sales forecasting for predicting customer actions, multi-currency and multi-language support for international businesses, and an integration marketplace for connecting CRM with other software. Considering these features and their availability in free or premium versions is essential when selecting a CRM provider.