Best field sales CRM

Why field teams need a mobile-first CRM

With its face to face and on the go nature, field sales requires a customer relationship management platform that can keep up with busy field sales reps who are often out with clients or prospects. Below, we’ve put together some things to consider when building your tech stack for field sales.

This guide is written for sales teams of 20–50 people where every rep is on the road and every pipeline has to move without a desk. The best field sales CRM is one that makes it easy to log activities on the go, sync data across your team in real time, and handle multiple pipelines without slowing anyone down.

Key takeaways

What is field sales?

Field sales, often referred to as outside sales, is the practice of selling products or services by meeting with potential customers and clients face-to-face. Unlike inside sales, which is conducted remotely from an office, field sales involve direct, in-person interactions with customers.‍

What features does a field sales CRM need?

To be a useful tool for field sales, sales teams of 20-50 people specifically need CRMs with the following features to boost their field sales performance collectively across all reps.

1. Mobile access: A responsive mobile app to ensure reps can update and access information anywhere, anytime, with seamless team visibility.
2. Offline functionality: Ability to log data and access crucial information even without internet connectivity, which is essential for areas with poor coverage.
3. Real-time data sync: Automatic synchronization of data when connectivity is restored, maintaining up-to-date information across all team members.
4. Integration capabilities: Compatibility with other essential tools like email platforms, calendar apps, and marketing software used by your team.
5. User-friendly design: An intuitive interface for quick adoption by diverse team members.
6. Customizable workflows: Flexibility to adapt the CRM to your specific sales process and team systems used by growing teams.
7. Route optimization: Built-in or compatible tools for planning efficient sales routes for field teams.
8. Collaboration tools: Features for team communication, lead assignment, and sharing insights to align your entire sales team.
9. Reporting and analytics: Comprehensive tools to monitor individual and team performance and pipeline health, essential for managing teams of 20-50 reps.
10. Scalability: The ability to grow and adapt with your expanding sales team and changing business needs.

👉🏼 Try folk now to get mobile access, offline mode, and real-time sync for your field team

Now that you know what to look for to distinguish between the best field sales software for medium-sized sales teams, let’s explore what some of the best CRM apps on the market have to offer.

The 7 best CRMs for field sales

1. folk

folk is a modern, collaborative CRM platform designed to streamline sales processes for teams of 20 to 50 people. It provides an intuitive, flexible system for managing contacts, leads, and workflows, making it an excellent choice for field sales teams that need to efficiently handle multiple pipelines and client interactions on the go.

Key features for field sales

• Customizable, multi-stage pipelines that adapt to specific field sales processes and team requirements
• Activity tracking with team visibility
• Repetitive task automation to boost team productivity
• Mobile-friendly interface optimized for field use
• Integration with email and calendar systems
• Mail merge between Outlook and Gmail with marketing automation for personalized outreach
• Collaborative features for seamless team communication and lead sharing

Pros

• Intuitive and easy to use interface, minimal learning curve for rapid team adoption
• Highly customizable to adapt to unique field sales workflows and team processes
• Effective collaboration tools for seamless communication and data sharing among 20-50 team members
• Robust offline access through mobile app, essential for field teams working in areas with poor connectivity.
• Comprehensive social listening tools to track important leads' activities on LinkedIn across your team.

Cons

• Advanced reporting and analytics features available on higher-tier plans
• Some team collaboration features may require onboarding

Price and plans

• Standard: $20 per user per month.
• Premium: $40 per user per month.
• Custom: From $60 per user per month.

2. Spotio

Spotio is a field sales enablement platform designed specifically for outside sales teams. It provides powerful tools for territory management, route optimization, and real-time performance tracking, helping field sales reps maximize their efficiency and effectiveness.

Key features for field sales

• Territory management and mapping tools for efficient coverage planning
• Route optimization for maximizing daily client visits
• Real-time performance tracking and leaderboards to motivate your team
• Lead management with customizable pipelines
• Seamless integration with popular CRM systems

Pros

• Comprehensive territory management features tailored for field sales operations
• Route optimization tools that significantly improve time management for field reps
• Strong performance tracking capabilities to motivate and manage remote teams
• Mobile-first design with offline capabilities for reliable use in any location
• Robust analytics for tracking team performance and territory coverage

Cons

• Limited integration options with non-standard CRM platforms
• Some advanced features may require additional configuration
• Higher pricing tiers may be necessary for full feature access

Price and plans

• Available on request

3. Zendesk Sell

Zendesk Sell is a sales CRM that integrates seamlessly with Zendesk's support platform, providing a unified view of customer interactions. It offers robust tools for managing leads and contacts, automating tasks, and tracking sales performance.

Key features for field sales

• Unified customer view integrating sales and support data
• Powerful automation tools for managing leads and customer communications
• Advanced analytics and reporting for tracking team performance
• Seamless integration with Zendesk Support for a complete customer service solution

Pros

• Provides a unified customer view by integrating sales and support data, which is ideal for field teams needing complete customer context
• Powerful automation tools to streamline lead management and communications
• Advanced analytics and reporting capabilities for detailed performance tracking
• Seamless integration with Zendesk Support, creating a comprehensive customer service solution for teams of 20-50

Cons

• The pricing is on the higher end, which may be a concern for smaller teams
• The interface can be complex to navigate, requiring training for full adoption
• Limited options for offline functionality, which could be a drawback for field teams in areas with poor connectivity

Price and plans

• Sell Team Plan: $25 per agent, per month
• Sell Growth Plan: $69 per agent, per month
• Sell Professional Plan: $149 per agent, per month

4. Salesforce

Salesforce is a robust CRM platform for large enterprises, offering tools for sales, marketing, service, and analytics, with extensive scalability.

Key features for field sales

• Advanced customization and scalability for enterprise-level field operations
• Extensive integration options with enterprise tools
• Advanced analytics requiring dedicated analysis
• Mobile app with enterprise-grade features

Pros

• Extensive feature set covering all aspects of sales management for large field teams
• High scalability and customization options to meet complex enterprise requirements
• Strong ecosystem of integrations and add-ons for enhanced functionality
• Advanced AI capabilities (Einstein Analytics) for predictive insights and decision support

Cons

• High cost and complexity, making it less suitable for smaller or mid-sized teams without dedicated admin support
• Steep learning curve requiring significant training investment
• Over-engineering risk for teams that don’t need full enterprise capabilities

Price and plans

• Starter suite: $25/user/month provides basic CRM features for small businesses
• Pro Suite: $100/user/month includes advanced tools for growing businesses
• Enterprise: $165/user/month offers extensive customization and automation for large companies
• Unlimited: $330/user/month provides comprehensive features for large enterprises
• Einstein 1 Sales: $500/user/month provides AI-driven insights and advanced features for large enterprises

5. HubSpot

HubSpot CRM is a user-friendly, scalable platform offering integrated tools for managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations efficiently.

Key features for field sales

• Comprehensive marketing and sales tools
• Free CRM with powerful paid upgrades
• Extensive integration capabilities

Pros

• User-friendly interface accessible to all team members
• Comprehensive free plan ideal for small to medium-sized teams getting started
• Strong integration capabilities for a connected tech stack

Cons

• Advanced features come at a premium, increasing costs for larger teams
• Some limitations in customization at lower pricing tiers

Price and plans

• Starter plan: $15 per user, per month.
• Professional plan: $450 per user, per month.
• Enterprise plan: $1,500 per user, per month.

6. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a web-based CRM for small businesses, offering lead management, automation, email integration, and customizable pipelines to optimize sales.

Key features for field sales

• Visual sales pipeline management for clear deal tracking
• Effective lead and contact management tools
• Sales automation for reducing repetitive tasks

Pros

• User-friendly, visually appealing interface that simplifies pipeline management
• Strong focus on sales pipeline management, providing clear visibility for field teams
• Affordable pricing options for small to medium-sized businesses

Cons

• May lack advanced features needed for larger, more complex field sales operations
• Limited offline functionality for field teams in remote areas

Price and plans

• Essential plan: Starts from $24 per user, per month.
• Advanced plan: Starts from $44 per user, per month.
• Power plan: Starts from $79 per user, per month.
• Enterprise plan: Starts from $129 per user, per month.

7. Zoho

Zoho is a CRM system with a strong sales focus. It has journey orchestration, sales process management, and workflow automation features. There's also something for marketing teams, including event management and customer segmentation.

Key features for field sales

• Comprehensive sales automation and workflow management
• Advanced analytics and reporting capabilities
• AI-powered insights for data-driven decision-making

Pros

• Extensive feature set at competitive pricing, suitable for various field sales needs
• Strong customization and integration options for adapting to unique team workflows
• Effective AI tools for enhancing sales performance and decision-making

Cons

• Steeper learning curve compared to more intuitive platforms
• Some advanced features may require higher-tier plans

Price and plans

• Standard: $20 per user, per month.
• Professional: $35 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: $50 per user, per month.

More resources

• Best CRM software for sales reps
• Best CRM for iPhone users
• Best CRM app for Android
• Best CRM for brokers
• folk vs Salesforce

‍

FAQ

What is a field sales CRM?

A field sales CRM helps outside reps manage leads, visits, and deals on the go. It prioritizes mobile and offline access, route planning, geolocation, and real-time sync so teams can log activities, update pipelines, and collaborate while traveling.

What features should a field sales CRM include?

Essential features: mobile app, offline mode, real-time sync, route optimization, GPS check-ins, email/calendar integrations, simple multi-pipeline management, customizable dashboards, task automation, and scalable pricing for 20–50 person teams.

Which CRM is best for field sales teams of 20–50 people?

For 20–50 person teams, folk fits multi-pipeline needs with a native mobile app (contact access, voice notes) and strong collaboration at a fair cost. Spotio suits route-heavy use, Zendesk Sell works when sales ties to support, and Salesforce fits large enterprises.

What is the difference between field sales and inside sales?

Field sales (outside sales) involves in-person meetings with prospects and clients, requiring travel and on-site visits. Inside sales is done remotely via phone, email, or video. Field sales CRMs emphasize mobile access, offline functionality, and route planning, while inside sales tools focus on communication automation and pipeline velocity.