Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
CRMpracticeAlso known as: Customer Relationship Management; CRM System; Customer Management System
Customer relationship management (CRM) is the strategy, processes and technology used to manage interactions and data across prospect and customer relationships.
Technical explanation
CRM systems commonly store account and contact records, activities, opportunities, service cases and consent-related attributes while supporting workflow, reporting and integrations. CRM is broader than the software: data governance, process design, ownership and user adoption determine whether the operating model works.
Business relevance
CRM provides a shared operational view of relationships, helping sales, marketing and service teams coordinate work, forecast activity and maintain accountable follow-up.
Implementation example
A consultancy records each organisation, contact, opportunity, meeting and support request in a CRM, assigns ownership and synchronises qualified lifecycle events with marketing automation.
Limitations and common misconceptions
A CRM is not automatically a complete customer view or source of truth. Duplicate records, weak permissions, inconsistent processes, low adoption and poorly governed integrations can make reporting and automation unreliable.
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