Stop Paying Enterprise Prices for Mid-Market Needs

The CRM market is evolving rapidly, with innovations like predictive analytics, hyper-personalization, and generative AI arriving at an unprecedented pace.

This development has driven exponential growth in the CRM market. By 2031, the industry is projected to be worth $262 billion.

Yet, these advancements aren’t necessarily benefiting customers – in fact, they’re often coming at their expense. Increasingly complex CRM systems are driving up costs, slowing adoption, and making it difficult for businesses to see a return on their investment.

Let us explain why.

Most CRM software is full of unnecessary features

Big CRM providers often promote extensive customization options and advanced integrations. While these may sound appealing, they frequently lead to unnecessary complexity and frustration.

Take AI and predictive analytics - tempting in theory, but often overkill for a midsized business. If you lack the time, data, or expertise to leverage these features, they’ll only drain your budget.

Similarly, if social media isn’t central to your strategy, why pay for built-in social tools? Your social team likely has their own preferred platforms anyway, which could actually be more cost-effective than purchasing additional CRM user slots.

Be wary of “enterprise tax”

Dominant CRM providers often offer flashy integrations, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best fit for your business. Their solutions cater primarily to enterprise-level clients, yet mid-market companies often default to them simply because they’re the most visible options.

This results in what we call the "enterprise tax" – paying enterprise-level prices for features and complexity that smaller businesses don’t need. Rather than tailoring solutions to your needs, these providers focus on upselling the most expensive packages possible.

On top of this, there’s a healthy dose of CRM bullsh*t to contend with:

• Capped functionality: Some providers apply limits to their features, forcing you to pay significantly more for full functionality beyond your initial investment. This can make scaling your CRM unexpectedly costly.
• Upselling tactics: Instead of focusing on what your business needs, sales reps will push hard to sell you additional, extravagant features.
• Unclear pricing: The complexity of CRM plans, tiers and pricing options make decision-making far more difficult than it ought to be. This is something some vendors do deliberately to get you to talk to a salesperson.
• Hidden fees: There’s a lack of transparency around the operational, post-purchase costs associated with CRM, like maintenance, training and support.

How to identify the CRM features you actually need

The CRM market may be expanding, but it’s also complex, challenging and full of plenty of BS.

If you’re a mid-market business in need of a new tool, it’s crucial to be vigilant to the shady tactics and aggressive upselling out there in the market.

When browsing different providers and comparing options, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are our specific goals and objectives for implementing a new CRM?

Having clarity on what you and your organization want from a CRM can stop you from being swayed by pushy sales tactics.

Before speaking to any vendor or even browsing the market, sit down with all relevant stakeholders – from marketing to sales, customer service and finance – and get their input on the most valuable features and requirements.

Make sure you’ve ranked these features in terms of priority, too, in case you have to find a compromise. Otherwise, you could end up with an overcomplicated, costly system that’s more trouble than it’s worth.

2. What do we want to pay for a CRM (and how clear are the pricing options)?

You also need to be crystal clear on what your organization is willing to spend.

It can be pretty difficult to figure out how much vendors actually want to charge you for their tools. Having a realistic budget and a calculation of potential ROI can help you set a hard limit. This will get you clear answers from sales reps, save you time and stop you from signing up for a tool you simply can’t justify.

If you’re struggling to understand what a CRM solution is going to cost from a provider, consider it a red flag. Take it from us – you shouldn’t have to speak to a sales rep just to get an initial sense of whether or not a tool is affordable for you.

3. How much experience does the vendor have supporting businesses like mine?

Don’t just take the sales rep’s word for it – what experience do they have supporting businesses in your industry, vertical or company size, and what testimonials do they have to prove it?

Better still, are they a specialist in your area?

The more a provider can prove they’re well-suited to businesses like yours, the less you’ll have to worry about them trying to overcharge you or add on unnecessary features and functionality.

4. Does the vendor have the features I need (and are they capped)?

Taking the time to sit down with stakeholders and figure out exactly what you want (and what you’re willing to spend) will help you immediately narrow down your search for a CRM solution.

Don’t be taken in by their promises of advanced functionality – focus on the tools you know your organization needs, and whether these are available and unlimited without any sort of capping. Otherwise, you’ll be in subject to hidden and frustrating expenses further down the line.

Don’t fall for the bullsh*t

Selecting a CRM should be an exciting step, but today’s market makes it a daunting task.

That’s not the case with Workbooks.

Voted the best CRM for midsize businesses in 2025 by TechRadar and ranked 2nd best CRM overall, we take pride in our no-BS approach. Instead of upselling unnecessary features, we focus on providing the right solution for your business.

Want to explore CRM benefits without the pressure of buying? Our Shared Success Workshops are a great starting point.

We’ve heard from enough frustrated business leaders to know that capped functionality and enterprise tax are deal-breakers. That’s why our features are unlimited, and our pricing is flexible – so you get exactly what you need, nothing more.