Google Apps Marketplace - CRM highlights, 7/27/2010

Editor's note: This is the latest in a series of posts on apps in the Google Apps Marketplace that have caught our eye here at Google. We’ll do this every few weeks or as we see things that we'd like to share. Look for the label "marketplace highlights" and subscribe to the series if you'd like to stay tuned.

Businesses that use Google Apps not only get access to Google's applications, they also get easy access to some of the best business apps on the web through the Google Apps Marketplace. These Marketplace apps are easy to try and buy; once more, they integrate with Google Apps "out of the box," making it simpler for businesses to run more of their systems in the cloud. You can learn more about the Marketplace and watch a short video on how it works here.

For this highlights post, we decided to focus on the top seach term for installable apps in the Marketplace: CRM. The lifeblood of all businesses, customers come in all shapes and sizes, and have different needs when interacting with businesses. We’re excited to have 13 different installable CRM apps in the Marketplace that can integrate with Google Apps in just a few clicks, each with a unique approach to helping you manage customer relationships. And because things are easier to digest when they come in 3’s, we’ve taken the liberty to present them in 3 different groups: CRM, Social CRM, and Project-based CRM.

>> CRM: apps with a focus on internal processes around selling and serving customers.

Zoho CRM is a complete customer relationship management solution for managing leads, contacts, customers, marketing activities and more. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Gmail
• Google contacts import
• Google Docs attaching and sharing

Applane CRM is an enterprise grade CRM that supports complete sales cycle and customer relationship through an efficient user interface and advanced features. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts import
• Gmail (contextual gadget)
• view actions in Google Calendar

Capsule CRM is a simple, flexible CRM for small businesses and sales teams that makes it easy to keep track of customers and other contacts, sales opportunities and follow-ups. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts auto-update
• Google calendar sharing

TimetoNote is a simple, fast, elegant tool to collaborate and share contacts, emails, notes, tasks, projects and more with your co-workers. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Gmail (contextual gadget)
• Google contacts synchronization
• Google Docs attaching and sharing

Tactile CRM is an easy to use CRM to track the people and companies you do business with, the opportunities in the pipeline, and what needs to be done next. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts import

>> Social CRM: apps with a focus on collaborative customer conversations via social web sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Google Buzz. (For more on Social CRM, see posts by Brent Leary, Paul Greenberg, and Michael Faucette)

Batchbook is a lightweight but powerful CRM that allows you to easily organize contacts, monitor social networks and track leads and deals. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts synchronization

Bantam Live provides a social CRM workspace for business teams to collaborate internally and build relationships across the web. Integrations include:

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts import
• Google calendar sharing
• Google Docs attaching and sharing
• Google Buzz feeds in contact records

Gist provides the full view of the contacts in your professional network by creating a rich business profile for each one that includes news, status updates, and work details. Integrations include:

• Gmail (contextual gadget)

Rapportive searches the social web to find information which helps you establish rapport, grow your network, and be more productive.

• Gmail (contextual gadget)

Etacts is a complete customer relationship management solution for managing leads, contacts, customers, marketing activities and more. Integrations include:

• Gmail (contextual gadget)

>> Project-based CRM: apps with a focus on project collaboration before and after the sale.

Insightly lets you track leads, proposals, opportunities, projects and manage files, all through an easy to use interface.

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts import
• Google calendar sharing
• Google Docs attaching and sharing

Solve360 CRM is a modern CRM that integrates features to manage client projects that is ideal for small teams in service based companies that need a flexible solution.

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts synchronization
• Gmail

Smartsheet pipeline gives you the core features of a CRM built into a familiar Google Spreadsheet format or with one of their sales, service, and marketing templates.

• single sign on from Google Apps
• Google contacts import
• Google calendar sharing
• Google Docs attaching and importing

If you’re looking to improve the way you manage and converse with prospects and customers, we encourage you to evaluate these apps. But also know we’re adding new apps to the Marketplace all the time, so check back if these don’t suit your needs.

Posted by Kevin Gough, Sr. Product & Marketing Manager, Google Enterprise