CRM comparison: which platform is leading in AI?

Dive into an in-depth comparison of the AI tools offered by the leading CRM platforms, get an overview of their capabilities for marketing, sales and customer service teams, and learn more about AI tools in the context of total cost of ownership.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how businesses operate. Despite all the hype, fear, and speculation, companies must leverage AI to stay ahead. AI integration in CRM systems is particularly crucial, as it enhances automation, personalisation, and data analysis, leading to improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.

How CRM systems are integrating AI

AI tools embedded in customer relationship management (CRM) systems are transforming marketing, sales and customer service processes.

This article looks at the AI capabilities of leading CRM platforms, focusing on HubSpot, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Adobe/Marketo and Zoho. If you want to have a more detailed overview and comparison of the big three CRMs, HubSpot, Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics, you should look into Huble's annual CRM comparison.

Each of these CRM platforms offers unique AI features designed to optimise business operations:

HubSpot AI: A comprehensive toolkit of AI-powered capabilities embedded across the HubSpot platform, helping businesses work smarter by automating tasks, generating content, and analysing data.
Salesforce Einstein: Powered by proprietary AI models, Einstein integrates AI tools across the Salesforce ecosystem, offering advanced analytics, predictive capabilities, and automation features.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot: Utilising OpenAI models, Copilot brings AI tools to Dynamics 365, enhancing productivity with intelligent automation, insights, and content generation.
Adobe Sensei and Firefly: Adobe Sensei offers AI capabilities across Adobe’s products, including predictive analytics and content personalisation, while Adobe Firefly provides AI tools for generating images and creative assets.
Zoho Zia: Zoho's intelligent agent, powered by internal models and OpenAI integration, enables a wide range of AI tools across the Zoho platform, from content generation to predictive analytics.

Comparing AI offerings for different teams

AI is not just a buzzword, but a critical asset that drives efficiency and innovation in all areas of business.

Marketing teams, for example, can use AI to generate content, personalise campaigns and analyse data. Sales teams, on the other hand, benefit from AI by automating tasks, gaining new insights and personalising interactions. Customer service teams can also scale personalised support and automate workflows to improve customer engagement.

Let's take a closer look at these opportunities.

AI tools for Marketing

Marketing teams are at the forefront of utilising AI to create and optimise content, run personalised campaigns, and gain insights from data.

Here is a comparison of AI capabilities across different CRM platforms. The symbol '($)' indicates that an additional fee is required for that particular AI feature.

Feature	HubSpot	Salesforce	Microsoft Dynamics	Adobe/ Marketo	Zoho
Generate video clips	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Generate websites & blogs	Yes	Yes	Requires Power Pages ($)	No	Yes
Generate marketing emails	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires Customer Journey Optimiser($)	Yes
Rewrite, summarise, & change tone	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires Customer Journey Optimiser($)	Yes
Generate images	Yes	Yes	Requires Typeface($)	Requires Firefly ($)	Yes
Write social copy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires OpenAI account ($)	Yes
Write Facebook, LinkedIn, & Google Ads copy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires OpenAI account ($)	Yes
Generate meta descriptions for pages & blogs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires OpenAI account ($)	Yes

These capabilities allow marketing teams to save time, create more engaging content, and execute more effective campaigns.

AI tools for Sales

Sales teams leverage AI to automate repetitive tasks, gain insights from data, and personalise interactions with prospects and customers.

Here is how different CRM platforms compare in terms of AI sales capabilities.

Feature	HubSpot	Salesforce	Microsoft Dynamics	Adobe/ Marketo	Zoho
Create introduction & follow-up emails	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Call/conversation intelligence	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires Service Cloud Voice($)	Yes
Conversation summary	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Summarise accounts/companies	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Summarise deals/opportunities	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Predictive sales forecasting	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires Adobe Analytics($)	Yes
Predictive lead scoring	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires Adobe Real-Time CDP ($)	Yes
Data enrichment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Requires Customer Insights ($)	Yes
Mobile AI-powered prospecting	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

These tools help sales teams prioritise leads, automate follow-ups, and gain valuable insights, leading to increased efficiency and higher conversion rates.

AI tools for customer service

Customer service teams can utilise AI to provide timely and personalised support, automate routine tasks, and gain insights from customer interactions.

Below is a comparison of AI capabilities in customer service.

Feature	HubSpot	Salesforce	Microsoft Dynamics	Adobe/ Marketo	Zoho
Draft knowledge base articles	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Draft emails & chat replies	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Call/conversation intelligence	Yes	Requires Service Cloud Voice($)	Requires Customer Service Voice Channel($)	Yes	Yes
Summarise cases/conversations	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Deflect issues with AI chatbots	Yes	Requires Copilot Studio ($)	Yes	Requires SalesIQ ($)	Yes

These capabilities empower service teams to provide high-quality support while reducing the workload on human agents.

Why AI capabilities matter in TCO evaluation

While evaluating the TCO of a CRM, organisations should compare the AI functions of the various platforms and the associated costs. The presence and quality of AI capabilities in a CRM platform significantly influence its overall value proposition.

Here's why:

Automation and efficiency: AI tools can automate repetitive tasks, which reduces the time and labour costs associated with manual processes. For instance, AI can handle data entry, schedule meetings, and manage follow-ups, allowing employees to focus on higher-value activities.
Enhanced customer insights: AI-powered analytics can provide deeper insights into customer behaviour and preferences, enabling more effective marketing campaigns, personalised customer interactions, and improved sales strategies. This leads to better customer retention and higher conversion rates, which ultimately impacts the bottom line.
Scalability: As businesses grow, the ability to scale operations without proportional increases in costs is vital. AI tools can help scale customer service operations, manage larger volumes of data, and streamline processes across departments, making the CRM more cost-effective over time.
Reduction in errors: AI can significantly reduce human errors in data management and customer interactions, leading to improved accuracy and reliability of information. This reduction in errors can save costs associated with fixing mistakes and improve overall operational efficiency.

AI capabilities across CRM platforms and their impact on TCO

To understand the impact of AI capabilities on TCO, let's examine the AI features offered by leading CRM platforms and their cost implications:

CRM	TCO consideration
HubSpot	Many AI features are included in HubSpot’s core plans, providing a cost-effective solution without the need for additional investments.
Salesforce	While powerful, Salesforce Einstein often requires higher-tier plans and additional investments, which can increase the overall TCO.
Microsoft Dynamics	Similar to Salesforce, some advanced AI features may necessitate higher-tier subscriptions or additional modules, impacting the TCO.
Adobe/Marketo	Certain features, like Adobe Firefly, may require additional investments, which can add to the TCO depending on the specific needs of the business.
Zoho	Zoho offers many AI capabilities within its standard plans, but certain advanced features might incur additional costs, affecting the overall TCO.

AI capabilities in CRM platforms are essential for increasing business efficiency, improving customer interaction and gaining competitive insights. However, these benefits come with varying costs that need to be carefully evaluated. By understanding AI capabilities and the associated TCO, organisations can make informed decisions that align with their budget and strategic goals.

HubSpot, for example, with its extensive AI tools in its core packages, is an attractive choice for organisations looking to leverage AI without incurring significant additional costs.

Conversely, platforms such as Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics, while also offering advanced AI features, may require higher-tier plans or additional investment, impacting the total cost of ownership.

Make the most of AI in your CRM

AI is changing the way companies work, offering unprecedented opportunities for automation, personalisation and insight generation. By comparing the AI capabilities and TCO of different CRM platforms, organisations can make informed decisions about the best tools to use.

HubSpot stands out for its extensive AI capabilities built into its core packages, making it an excellent choice for organisations looking to harness the power of AI without the added cost or hassle.

Speak to our team to make the most of AI in HubSpot.