Save time and clients with the 10 best CRM solutions for training providers
The training sector has experienced an unprecedented boom in recent years, forcing market players to redouble their ingenuity and efficiency to remain competitive while competition gains ground.
One of the keys to success? The digitisation of activities and processes, which is essential if we are to increase productivity while working more intelligently. In this sense, a CRM for training organisations is THE answer to this objective. It helps you find more prospects, convert them more easily into customers and then maintain a fluid, personalised relationship with them, guaranteeing a better experience with your training organisation.
But which customer relationship management software is best suited to the specifics of your sector? There are 10 of them, and we present them to you in detail in this comparison of the best CRMs for training centres.
What is the purpose of a CRM for training organisations?
CRM ( Customer Relationship Management) software is designed to help companies manage all their interactions with customers and prospects.
👉 Find out the full definition in our article What is a CRM.
What about training organisations?
For these professionals, it is above all important to increase the number of enrolments and then to maintain relationships with their learners throughout their training path, but also with other stakeholders: employees, companies, prescribers, etc.
With this in mind, here are the functionalities expected of a good CRM for training centres:
- Management of contacts and prospects, with centralisation of associated information such as their contact details, age, interests, training history, interactions with your organisation, etc.
- Track opportunities throughout the sales process, from the initial contact with the prospect through to their conversion into a customer.
- Communicating with your learners and other key contacts, using emailing tools, text messaging, dedicated areas, etc.
- Processing registrations for the various training sessions offered by the organisation.
- Automation of repetitive tasks with little added value, such as sending training reminders, creating quotes or invoicing.
- Analysis and reporting to monitor your activities and performance in real time, so you can make better strategic decisions.
The benefits of CRM for training providers
For a training organisation, taking the CRM step means working towards the digitalisation of its activities, with the aim of improving efficiency. And that can clearly make all the difference in a highly competitive training sector. 💥
In practical terms, there are a number of benefits to be gained from equipping yourself with this type of platform, starting with :
- better management of your leads, which inevitably increases your chances of converting them
- personalised interaction with your various contacts, enhancing the customer experience;
- automation of time-consuming administrative tasks, which means considerable productivity gains for your employees;
- smoother in-house collaboration, as the consolidation and unification of data in the software streamlines communication and coordination between teams;
- greater analytical insight, thanks to real-time access to data that is both relevant and reliable.
In short, a CRM is a promise to work faster and better, while working to fully satisfy the requirements of your customers/learners.
However, there are many solutions capable of offering you such benefits. Which one should you choose 🤔?
The following comparison of the 10 best CRMs for training centres is here to guide you in your decision 👉.
Summary table of the 10 best CRMs for training centres
1 of 9
 Cirrus Shield |  Digiforma |  Eforma CRM & LMS |  HubSpot CRM |  Infocob CRM |  SC-Form |  SmartOF |  Youday CRM |  Zendesk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For companies with more than 50 employees | For all companies | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For companies with 2 to 250 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For companies with more than 250 employees | For all companies |
| See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software |
| Learn more about Cirrus Shield | Learn more about Digiforma | Learn more about Eforma CRM & LMS | Learn more about HubSpot CRM | Learn more about Infocob CRM | Learn more about SC-Form | Learn more about SmartOF | Learn more about Youday CRM | Learn more about Zendesk |
Cirrus Shield
A low-code French CRM, Cirrus Shield supports the processes of SMEs in a variety of sectors. However, the publisher has developed a business vertical for training centres, with a perfect understanding of their specific needs.
Cirrus Shield is software that guarantees significant time savings (up to 10 hours a week) on your sales, marketing and customer service operations, thanks in particular to the automation of numerous tasks.
For FOs, the platform supports 100% of their operations, with a wide range of functions, from emailing to analysis and reporting, including document editing and planning management.
👍 Key benefits and features of Cirrus Shield :
- A free offer enabling you to test quite a few features already (marketing, sales, learner, document management, etc.).
- Centralisation of your entire customer base in the software.
- Automatic creation of training sessions from the agreement or quotation.
- A portal for learners and a portal for trainers.
- Premium support from the Cirrus Shield teams, from identifying your needs to optimising the CRM.
- Software that supports your quality approach to obtain and maintain Qualiopi certification.
💶 Cirrus Shield rates :
Cirrus Shield offers the following 3 paying packages:
- Standard, at €99/month,
- Professional, €149/month,
- Enterprise, at €249/month.
Cirrus Shield
Digiforma
Digiforma is an all-in-one software package for training professionals. It covers everything from sales and marketing to administrative management, e-learning, quality control and digital enrolment.
Digiforma's value proposition lies in its ability to centralise all the relevant functionalities in a single integrated platform, designed and developed by training professionals who are fully aware of the sector's business challenges.
It's no surprise, then, that the software is particularly comprehensive on the CRM side: catalogue, pipeline, management of quotes and invoices, online payment, marketplace, and so on.
👍 Key benefits and features of Digiforma :
- Easy monitoring of your sales cycle using a highly intuitive pipeline view.
- A complete invoicing module, including invoice preparation and monitoring of payments and profitability.
- Automatic generation, in real time, of your Educational and Financial Balance Sheets.
- Digiforma can be linked to your accounting solution (Sage, Cegid, EBP, etc.) to import your invoices and streamline your accounting processes.
- Sending a payment link to your customers so that they can receive payments by credit card or SEPA.
- Enhanced protection for your data and that of your learners (128-bit encryption).
💶 Digiforma prices :
Digiforma offers 4 different packages:
- Starter, at €19 excl. VAT/month (50 learners/year),
- Indep+, at €99 excl. VAT/month (200 learners/year),
- Team, at €179 excluding VAT/month (500 learners/year),
- Orga, at €299 excluding VAT/month (1,500 learners/year).
Digiforma
eForma
A 360° solution, eForma is positioned as both a CRM and an LMS, aimed at training organisations as well as companies, consultants and independent trainers.
eForma's main strength lies in its ability to centralise all your activities in a single workspace, from commercial and administrative management to the management of the training courses themselves.
In terms of CRM, the solution is designed to respond perfectly to all your specific needs and to help you increase productivity, thanks to its powerful and extensive functional coverage.
👍 Key benefits and features of eForma :
- Management of all your marketing activities: reception of leads from various sources, allocation of teleoperators and then performance monitoring.
- Automatically send emails or SMS messages, adapted to the context, to your leads and learners.
- Generate comprehensive, reliable statistics (on your prospects, customers, employees, etc.) to optimise your strategy.
- Electronic signature of documents to speed up processing.
- A commission system for easy calculation of your sales reps' bonuses.
- Fast, personalised software installation in less than 24 hours.
💶 eForma prices :
eForma rates are available on request. Contact one of their advisers for a quote.
Eforma CRM & LMS
e-parcours
Developed by Axess, e-parcours is a complete business solution, available in SaaS mode, specifically designed for training providers, regardless of the type of training provided: continuing or initial training, inter-company and intra-company, classroom-based, e-learning, blended-learning, common or individualised courses, etc.
To meet all the needs of a training provider, e-parcours offers extensive functional coverage, from the training catalogue to the administrative management of trainees, including financial management and, of course, CRM.
The e-parcours solution is part of a project-based approach, which means that Axess supports your teams from A to Z in setting up the solution: help with getting started, training, updates, dedicated experts, etc. So you can fully satisfy your ambitions to digitise your activities and grow your business.
👍 Key benefits and features of e-parcours :
- Taking charge of all sales management: tracking customers and prospects, opportunities, appointments and sales team tasks, etc.
- Trainee and trainer areas to encourage exchanges between all stakeholders.
- Publishing and management of all your commercial and administrative documents.
- A clear, visual dashboard to monitor your activities in real time, so you can anticipate your actions more effectively.
- Software that meets the Qualiopi criteria, guaranteeing compliance with your quality approach.
- Tailor-made support throughout your implementation project, from deploying e-parcours to updating it to ensure compliance with regulations.
💶 e-parcours rates :
e-parcours offers 3 different packages:
- Essential, at €160 excl. tax/month - for 3 or more users,
- Collaborative, at €380 excl. tax/month - 5 users or more,
- eXperience, at €580 excl. tax/month - 8 users.
HubSpot
The well-known HubSpot CRM, unlike some of the other software products in this comparison, has not been developed specifically for training organisations. However, thanks to its extensive functional coverage, it is perfectly capable of meeting their specific requirements.
But how does HubSpot stand out on the market? In a few words, it's an all-in-one sales, marketing and customer service solution, perfect for managing your relationships and offering a differentiating experience to your learners.
To do this, HubSpot centralises all interactions with your contacts, providing an overview of the sales and administrative actions to be taken. All in a tool that's easy to use, but capable of evolving as your needs change.
👍 HubSpot's key benefits and features:
- The provision of free tools, handy for getting started with the software.
- Support for marketing actions to generate traffic on your website and attract potential candidates.
- Easier communication with your learners via a wide range of devices and channels: chatbots, live chat, online appointment booking, email, etc.
- Advanced analysis and reporting, enabling you to monitor a wide range of indicators such as your conversion rate or the source of your leads.
- Integrations with third-party applications (Gmail, Outlook, Messenger, etc.).
- A market leader with a large community... and lots of online resources to help you make progress with CRM!
💶 HubSpot prices:
For the CRM suite, HubSpot offers the following packages:
- Starter, at €45 excluding VAT/month,
- Pro, at €1,580 excluding VAT/month,
- Enterprise, at €6490 excluding VAT/month.
HubSpot CRM
Infocob CRM
Although Infocob CRM is not software specifically developed for training centres, the publisher's promise is nonetheless interesting: to design digital ecosystems that are entirely modular and customisable.
Training centres will be delighted with this made-to-measure solution, which will provide them with a 360° view of their activities, at commercial, financial, organisational and educational levels.
If we focus on customer relationship management, Infocob CRM integrates all the tools you need to be more efficient in handling your leads, contacts and business opportunities.
👍 Key benefits and features of Infocob :
- Interfacing your training catalogue with your website to increase your online visibility and reach more prospective customers.
- A complete emailing and SMS module, with your segmentation criteria configured.
- Generate all your sales documents (quotes, sales proposals, etc.) in just a few clicks.
- Workflows aligned with your own processes.
- Visual, customisable dashboards so you can monitor your KPIs at a glance.
- Software made in France, with a team that will work closely with you to ensure the success of your CRM project.
💶 Infocob prices:
Infocob's rates are available on request. Contact one of their consultants for a quote.
Infocob CRM
SC-Form (Galia)
SC-Form is more than just a CRM for training organisations: it's a complete ERP incorporating all the functions that are essential for this type of organisation: educational, commercial, administrative and financial management, and so on.
But SC-Form also offers a range of products based on three different industry-specific software packages, depending on the nature of the business: Galia for degree courses, Sofia for courses aimed at jobseekers and Gessica for continuing education courses.
For the purposes of this comparison, however, we will focus on Galia, which offers the most attractive customer relations options for its target market.
👍 Benefits and key features of SC-Form/Galia :
- Management of all sales activity, including follow-up with candidates and companies.
- The ability to generate marketing campaigns by email, post or SMS.
- EDM (Electronic Document Management) functions to centralise and efficiently manage all your documentation.
- Candidate segmentation, with infinitely configurable fields, to match their profiles to companies' needs.
- Statistics on your sales forecasts so you can anticipate your actions more effectively.
- An educational portal, with unlimited access, for learners, lecturers, tutors, etc.
💶 S C-Form/Galia prices :
SC-Form rates are available on request. Contact one of their advisers for a quote.
SC-Form
SmartOF
SmartOF is an elegant, comprehensive platform dedicated to training organisations. A good management solution, it includes modules for administrative management, CRM, financial monitoring and quality management.
The software's strength? Accessibility, ease of use and customisation. All qualities that will appeal to training professionals who want to save time in running their processes, without the headache.
SmartOF also delivers on its sales management promise, incorporating all the features you need to boost sales and build customer loyalty.
👍 Key benefits and features of SmartOF :
- A product library that's easy to edit and modify, to make the most of your offering.
- Optimised monitoring of your business opportunities and relationships, with a list or Kanban view.
- Centralised collection and processing of your complaints, to improve customer satisfaction and the quality of your training courses.
- A reminder and notification system that prevents you from forgetting deadlines and other actions to be taken.
- An interface and documents that can be customised in terms of logo, text, fields, etc.
- A dedicated team of experts ready to support you as best they can in using the solution (training, customisation, updates, etc.).
💶 S martOF prices :
SmartOF's rates are available on request. Contact one of their advisers for a quote.
SmartOF
Youday CRM
100% French and hosted in France, Youday CRM is all about ultra-personalisation. It is therefore ideal for VSEs and SMEs in all sectors, starting with training centres.
Featuring an interface that can be easily configured (with support from Youday's project teams if required), this software allows you to create as many fields and functions as you need, to best suit the environment of each organisation.
All in all, it's a very attractive solution for managing both your administrative obligations and your sales follow-up, with the aim of improving performance and building customer loyalty.
👍 Youday's key benefits and features :
- Precise and comprehensive administrative and commercial monitoring, from prospect management to invoicing, including budget management.
- Simplified management of learners' progress, by centralising all their information and interactions within Youday.
- A document database to group together and generate all your key documents in just a few clicks: attendance sheets, agreements, educational reports, etc.
- Creation and updating of a complete training catalogue.
- Intuitive dashboards for monitoring your KPIs and improving your performance.
- A simple, scalable tool, with no need to master IT development.
💶 Youday prices:
Youday's rates are available on request. Contact one of their advisers for a quote.
Youday CRM
Zendesk
Well-known on the CRM market, Zendesk stands out for its strong 'customer experience' focus. Its promise can be summed up in a few words: centralise support, sales activity and customer engagement within a single omnichannel platform.
More concretely, Zendesk is made up of a multitude of tools covering all interaction and communication needs, no matter where your contacts are: support, guide, chat, talk, message and explore.
This software therefore has everything you need under the bonnet to support training organisations in maintaining their relationship with their prospects and learners. All with a solution that's simple to use, easy to implement and scalable.
👍 Key benefits and features of Zendesk :
- Unification of all your contact data, from all your channels.
- Customisable pipeline views to track the progress of your interactions, whether with trainers, learners, potential customers, etc.
- Maintain communication via all media: email, chat, telephone, messaging applications such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, etc.
- Automate online registration for your training courses.
- The ability to create a personalised knowledge base so that the various stakeholders can access the information they need independently, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- A powerful solution, equipped with artificial intelligence technology capable of providing more relevant answers to your contacts.
💶 Zendesk pricing:
Zendesk Sell, aimed at sales teams, consists of 3 packages:
- Sell Team, at €19 excl. tax/month/agent,
- Sell Growth, at €55 excl. tax/month/agent,
- Sell Professional, at €115 excl. tax/month/agent.
Zendesk Suite, for customer services, comprises 4 packages:
- Suite Team, at €55 excluding VAT/month/agent,
- Suite Growth, at €89 ex VAT/month/agent,
- Suite Professional, at €115 excl. tax/month/agent
- Suite Enterprise, prices on request.
Zendesk
Have you chosen the CRM for your training centre?
😀 That's it, you now know the 10 best CRMs for training centres. Now all you have to do is find your own, taking care to formalise your requirements beforehand, why not with the help of a specification document.
Article translated from French