CRM & SMS Chatbot Platform Selection

I run a health-insurance agency and want to settle on a CRM that can power true marketing automation while weaving in a full-featured SMS campaign engine and an AI or rule-based chatbot. The entire system must remain simple enough for a virtual assistant who is located outside the United States to run day-to-day.

Right now I’m looking hardest at HubSpot, but I’m open to any platform that proves to be a better fit once cost, scalability, integrations, learning curve, and future expansion are weighed side by side. What I need from you is a concise, unbiased comparison of the leading choices—including HubSpot—and a clear recommendation backed by data and real-world experience in the insurance or highly regulated services space.

Please deliver:
• A side-by-side evaluation of at least three CRM options that natively—or through dependable add-ons—support bulk SMS, drip sequences, chatbot automation, and multi-user roles.
• Details on how each option can be administered remotely (permissions, IP restrictions, language settings, training resources) so my offshore VA can manage campaigns without hiccups.
• Up-front and ongoing cost estimates, noting any hidden fees for SMS volume, chatbot seats, or API usage.
• A realistic implementation roadmap (setup steps, migration checkpoints, integration tasks) that lets me move from decision to first live campaign as smoothly as possible.
• Recommended third-party tools or native modules for SMS delivery and chatbot functions that play nicely with your chosen CRM.

If you have hands-on experience configuring these systems for an agency or insurance environment, even better—let me know in your proposal.