SME vs Midsize vs Enterprise CRM: What’s the difference?

If you’ve been weighing up CRM’s, you’ve probably come across two broad categories: enterprise CRM and SME CRM. The truth is, while enterprise CRMs might talk the talk, they often come with a surprising number of hidden costs. While SME CRMs can be too limited for growing companies, a midsize CRM could be a much smarter, more effective alternative.

What is enterprise CRM?

Enterprise CRM is a system specifically built to handle the vast scale and intricate demands of large, complex organizations. These are the solutions designed for businesses with thousands of users, sprawling departments, and global operations. You’ll typically find them packed with features like deep, often bespoke, customization capabilities, iron-clad enterprise-grade security, and broad integrations with a multitude of other business systems.

What is midsize CRM?

A midsize CRM is a system designed to be the sweet spot – it’s powerful enough to handle your expanding needs but avoids the unnecessary complexity and cost of enterprise platforms. It prioritizes scalability, usability, flexibility, and value. Midsize CRM is ideal for companies that have outgrown basic, entry-level tools but don’t yet need (or want to pay for) the full enterprise-level complexity. It delivers the features you need to thrive without the bloat.

What is SME CRM?

If midsize CRM is the sweet spot, then SME CRM often refers to the solutions tailored for small to medium-sized enterprises – think of it as the friendly, accessible, and highly practical end of the CRM spectrum. CRM software for SMEs is built with agility in mind, focusing on ease of use, rapid deployment, and delivering immediate value without overwhelming features or complex integrations. When you’re looking for a CRM that helps you manage customer interactions, streamline sales processes, and improve service without needing an IT department to run it, opting for a CRM for SMEs is a safe bet.

Midsize CRM vs enterprise CRM – the key differences

Let’s weigh up the differences between midsize and enterprise customer relationship management tools.

1. Complexity and implementation time

Enterprise CRMs are notorious for their lengthy and intricate implementation processes. It can take months, often requiring dedicated internal teams or expensive external consultants to get everything up and running. On the other hand, midsize CRMs are typically much faster to implement. Their configuration is usually more straightforward, and onboarding your team tends to be a smoother, quicker process, getting you to value much sooner.

2. Customization and flexibility

While enterprise systems offer high levels of customization, unlocking that potential often requires significant technical expertise or, you guessed it, more consultant fees. Midsize CRMs strike a fantastic balance here. They offer plenty of flexibility and can be tailored to your specific workflows, often without needing heavy IT support, making them much more agile for everyday business users.

3. User experience

Power can sometimes come at the cost of usability. Enterprise CRMs, while incredibly powerful, can sometimes be intimidating and complex for non-technical users, leading to slower adoption. Midsize CRMs, however, often place a strong emphasis on simplicity and an intuitive user experience. This focus on usability dramatically increases team adoption rates, ensuring your investment pays off.

4. Support and service

When it comes to support, enterprise CRM providers might have slower response times or offer tiered support based on the size of your contract, meaning smaller issues might get less attention. Midsize CRMs typically pride themselves on offering more personalized support and hands-on account management, ensuring you get the help you need when you need it.

Pricing – How enterprise CRM providers overcharge you

It’s frustrating to see how easily people can overpay when working with enterprise CRM vendors. They have a knack for inflating costs in ways you might not expect.

1. Licensing complexity

Enterprise vendors are masters of intricate licensing models. They might charge you based on per-seat, per-feature, or even per-data access. It can feel like you need a spreadsheet just to figure out what you’re actually paying for, and it often leads to unexpectedly high bills.

2. Hidden costs

That appealing upfront price? It’s often just the tip of the iceberg. Be prepared for a parade of hidden costs, including extra charges for implementation services, comprehensive training, critical integrations, or even essential features that aren’t part of the base package.

3. You’ll pay for features you don’t use

Being honest, most businesses only use a fraction of the vast feature set packed into enterprise CRMs. Yet, you’re paying for the whole package, including all those advanced functionalities that gather dust.

4. Ongoing maintenance and admin

Managing an enterprise CRM isn’t a “set it and forget it” task. It often requires dedicated in-house administrators or continuous engagement with external consultants for ongoing maintenance, updates, and customizations. This adds significant, long-term overhead to your operating costs.

This is precisely why we believe there’s a smarter way forward. Overcomplicated, overpriced solutions don’t serve your business growth.

Why midsize CRM solutions like Workbooks are a better fit

For growing businesses, midsize CRM solutions like ours at Workbooks genuinely offer a better, more sustainable fit. They’re the perfect CRM for SMEs too.

Here’s what Workbooks offers that enterprise CRMs can’t match:

• Scalability but not overkill: Workbooks grows with your business, providing powerful functionality without locking you into unnecessary complexity or bloated features.
• Transparent pricing: What you see is truly what you get. We pride ourselves on clear pricing with fewer hidden costs, so you can budget with confidence.
• Built for the mid-market: Workbooks is specifically designed to deliver powerful CRM functionality that meets the unique needs of mid-market companies – no enterprise bloat, just what you need to succeed.
• Hands-on support: You’ll have access to tailored onboarding and personalized customer service, ensuring you get the most out of your CRM every step of the way.

Ready to find a CRM that truly aligns with your growth strategy, without the hidden costs and complexity?

Check out how Workbooks CRM helps midsize businesses grow with confidence.