Method CRM vs Referral Maker

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Our analysts compared Method CRM vs Referral Maker based on data from our 400+ point analysis of CRM Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Method CRM Software Tool
Referral Maker Software Tool

Product Basics

Method CRM is a web-based customer relationship management software designed to assist businesses of all sizes in enhancing their customer relationships. The software offers a range of features, including contact management, email marketing, lead management, and sales pipeline management, all aimed at streamlining customer interactions and driving sales growth. Method CRM provides businesses with tools to efficiently manage customer data, track sales activities, and gain valuable insights into customer behavior.

Users particularly appreciate its user-friendly interface and customization options, allowing businesses to tailor the software to their specific needs. The pricing structure is based on a monthly or annual subscription model, making it accessible to businesses with varying budgets. Keep in mind that pricing and features can change over time, so it's recommended to check the official website for the latest information.

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Referral Maker is a cloud-based solution that helps businesses manage leads, client feedback, databases, performance tracking and more from a central location. With features like a Dashboard and Priority Action Center, it boosts productivity and lead-to-close ratio.

Suited for businesses of all sizes, it maximizes sales efficiency and expands operations through relational marketing.
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$25/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$49 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

Documentation
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Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Integrate With QuickBooks: Two-way sync with QuickBooks Online (QBO) and QuickBooks Desktop provides instant access to data such as contacts, sales and vendor transactions, payments, lists and time tracking (Desktop version only). 
  • Customize Without Coding: The no-code platform is 100% customizable. Build fields, tables, apps, workflows, lead generation forms, transaction templates and reports using a drag-and-drop tool. Create a portal to support customer self-service and customize the system according to changing needs of the company. 
  • Work More Efficiently: Manage leads with tools for tracking opportunities, creating estimates and converting leads to customers that are transferred into QuickBooks in a single click. Automate lead capture and workflows, eliminate double data entry, streamline purchase order creation, speed up the payment process and cut down on manual admin tasks. 
  • Personalize Interactions: See all customer information in a single, central database that provides a 360-degree view of each customer. Personalize services by viewing history of interactions, purchases and more. 
  • Win More Customers: Attract and convert leads with email campaigns and lead capture forms, along with tracking the activity for each contact. Store an unlimited number of contacts, and view the status and stage of each lead. 
  • Connect With Popular Apps: Supports native integrations with third-party tools such as Gmail, Outlook, Mailchimp and Google Calendar. Connects through Zapier to more than 1,000 apps for e-commerce, marketing and payment processing. Also integrates with payment gateways such as PayPal Payflow, Intuit QuickBooks Payments (U.S. QBO only) and Authorize.NET. 
  • Access Full-Service Customization: Take advantage of customization services through a consultant who will build apps and screens based on unique needs. Includes a free hour with a consultant (in conjunction with a free trial) for whatever’s needed — customization projects, basic training, consultation and more. 
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  • Simplify Access: A simple, easy-to-use interface improves adoption rates while reducing the learning curve. 
  • Ensure Data Security: Ensure data safety through privacy-preserving encrypted data processing and automated scheduled backups. 
  • Leverage Cloud-Based Deployment: Leverage a cloud-based suite that prevents hardware investments and supplies operational agility. 
  • Get Mobile Accessibility: Access the software through a mobile website login and dedicated mobile apps over Android and iOS devices. 
  • Avoid Data Duplicity: Run duplicity scans to solve data duplicity and redundancy issues while managing contacts, listings and document data. 
  • Increase Revenue: Boost revenue by optimizing sales processes and improving win rates for faster ramp-up times and larger deal sizes.  
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  • Lead Management: Email integrations help save data directly from users’ inboxes. Embed lead capture forms on websites and upload a spreadsheet of leads. In addition, create estimates based on QuickBooks items, track sales details and add custom fields. 
  • Customer Management: Manage all aspects of customer relationships. Generate invoices, payments and receipts without using QuickBooks. Follow up with customers to keep them engaged, and build email campaigns or send contact lists to Mailchimp to drive additional interactions. Identify top products and customers to increase sales through custom reports. 
  • Mobile Apps: Available on iOS and Android, access both QuickBooks and CRM data from anywhere, at any time. 
  • Customer Portals: This built-in feature enables customers to pay via a secure online gateway. This also provides access to self-service options that let them track support requests, edit contact info and view purchase history. You can use it out-of-the-box or customize any component to fit the portals to your needs. Customizations allow customers to order items, request info and approve documents. 
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  • Dashboard: Get a visual overview of key metrics, activities and reports with a drag-and-drop customizable dashboard. Track metrics like average list price, average sales-to-close ratio, commission and upcoming appointments in real time. Collect useful insights for decision making at a glance. 
  • Calendar Management: Integrate with Google and iCalendar to get meetings, calls and appointment reminders in a timely manner. 
  • Campaign Management: Create and manage concurrent campaigns across multiple channels while tracking and optimizing them in real time to improve conversion rates. 
  • Contact Management: Store, organize, group and segment contacts centrally. Add tags and custom fields while using smart filters to search for contacts with similar attributes. Linear communication timelines make relevant information readily accessible. 
  • Email Marketing: Engage leads and build customer retention and loyalty through each stage of the buying journey with the email marketing module and customizable dynamic templates. 
  • Goal Tracking: Set up and track quantifiable time-based goals at the user, team, and organization levels to stay on the right track and maintain performance. 
  • Interaction Tracking: Track call and meeting details and attach notes for further information and follow-up activities. Track response rates for email interactions. 
  • Lead Management: Maintain a sales and marketing lead database while recording all marketing interactions between each prospect and the organization, including website visits, email clicks, scoring changes, and data updates and history. Also, track the sales activities for each prospect and their movement along the sales pipeline. 
  • Pop-By: Track clients in the vicinity and schedule visits through advanced mapping technology on the mobile version of the software. 
  • Priority Action Center: Get automatically populated to-do lists for the day with prompts for all activities such as calling prospects, writing notes and planning client meetings. 
  • Referral Tracking: Utilize an existing network of customers and users to send, receive, and track business referrals and sales leads. Keep networking activities up-to-date in one place. 
  • Reporting and Analytics: Access reports about data contained within the system, including sales, marketing and operational activities. Create ad hoc reports according to specific requirements. 
  • Task Management: Access an intuitive task management module that curates meetings and other important tasks and sets up automated reminders and notifications. 
  • Video Messages: Record and attach video messages to emails for increased engagement rates with an add-on feature. 
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Product Ranking

#38

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#196

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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 158 reviews
Great User Sentiment 42 reviews
84%
of users recommend this product

Method CRM has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 158 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

86%
of users recommend this product

Referral Maker has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 42 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

4.6 (42)
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4.0 (42)
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4.31 (21)
4.0 (63)
4.3 (21)
4.7 (11)
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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Gmail Integration: Method CRM offers a seamless integration with Gmail, allowing users to manage contacts, leads, and customer interactions directly within their inbox. This eliminates the need to switch between applications, saving time and effort.
QuickBooks Sync: The software's ability to synchronize with QuickBooks ensures that financial data is always up-to-date and accurate. This streamlines accounting processes and provides a comprehensive view of customer information.
Customizable: Method CRM is highly customizable, allowing users to tailor the platform to their specific business needs. This includes creating custom fields, workflows, and reports, ensuring that the CRM system aligns with unique requirements.
Lead Management: The platform offers robust lead management capabilities, enabling users to track leads from initial contact to conversion. This includes features such as lead scoring, automated follow-ups, and pipeline management.
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Simple and Easy to Use: Referral Maker is praised for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, making it easy for users of all technical levels to navigate and utilize its features effectively.
Effective Referral Tracking: The platform provides robust tools for tracking referrals, allowing users to monitor the progress of their referral campaigns and measure their success in real-time.
Customizable Referral Programs: Referral Maker offers a high degree of customization, enabling users to tailor their referral programs to their specific needs and goals, including setting custom rewards, designing unique referral links, and creating targeted campaigns.
Automated Referral Process: The platform automates key aspects of the referral process, such as sending referral invitations, tracking referrals, and distributing rewards, saving users time and effort.
Integrations with Popular Tools: Referral Maker integrates seamlessly with various popular CRM and marketing tools, allowing users to connect their referral program with their existing workflows and data.
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Limited Customization: Users express frustration with the inability to tailor the platform to their specific workflows, particularly when it comes to automating tasks and creating custom fields. The lack of flexibility can hinder efficiency and adaptability for businesses with unique requirements.
Reporting Limitations: Generating in-depth reports and gaining comprehensive insights from data can be challenging due to the platform's reporting constraints. Users often find it difficult to extract the specific information they need to make informed decisions, leading to a lack of visibility into key performance indicators.
Mobile App Shortcomings: The mobile app's functionality falls short of expectations, with limited features and a less intuitive interface compared to the desktop version. This can impede productivity and accessibility for users who rely on mobile devices for managing customer relationships on the go.
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Limited Integrations: Referral Maker's integrations with other business tools and platforms are limited, making it challenging to incorporate into existing workflows and hindering data synchronization with other essential systems.
Customization Constraints: The platform's customization options are somewhat restricted, potentially limiting the ability to tailor the referral program to specific branding and unique requirements.
Mobile App Deficiency: The absence of a dedicated mobile app can inconvenience users who prefer managing their referral programs on the go, potentially impacting engagement and responsiveness.
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Method CRM receives praise for its user-friendly design and robust features, making it a popular choice among businesses of all sizes. Users appreciate its seamless integration with QuickBooks, allowing for efficient financial management and streamlined invoicing processes. The software's ability to generate custom reports with multiple filters empowers businesses to gain valuable insights into their sales pipelines, customer interactions, and overall performance. However, some users note a lack of integration with other software applications as a drawback. What truly sets Method CRM apart is its focus on providing a comprehensive solution for businesses seeking to enhance their customer relationship management and financial operations. The platform's online portal offers customers 24/7 access to invoice payment functionalities, promoting transparency and convenience. Additionally, features like contact and lead management, sales pipeline tracking, and email marketing capabilities contribute to its effectiveness in streamlining sales processes and nurturing customer relationships. Considering its strengths and limitations, Method CRM is an ideal fit for small to mid-sized businesses, particularly those that heavily rely on QuickBooks for accounting purposes. Its affordability, ease of use, and integration with QuickBooks make it a valuable tool for managing customer interactions, finances, and sales processes efficiently. However, businesses with extensive integration needs may want to explore alternative options that offer broader compatibility with other software applications.

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Is Referral Maker a cut above when it comes to making referrals? User reviews from the past year suggest that Referral Maker, while helpful for some, might not be the "referring" champion for everyone. Users appreciate its straightforward setup and ease of use, especially for those already familiar with Buffini & Company's systems. The program's task management and contact organization features are praised for keeping users on top of their client relationships, a crucial aspect of real estate. However, some users find the software's functionality somewhat limited compared to competitors like LionDesk or Top Producer CRM, particularly when it comes to advanced features and integrations. For instance, a lack of in-depth reporting tools and limited customization options are common complaints. Referral Maker seems best suited for real estate professionals already invested in the Buffini & Company ecosystem who prioritize simplicity and ease of use over a wider range of features. If you're looking for a basic CRM to manage contacts and stay organized, Referral Maker could be a good fit. However, if you require robust reporting, advanced automation, or integrations with other platforms, exploring alternatives might be worthwhile.

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