Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term that refers to practices, strategies, and technologies that businesses use to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. The goal of CRM is to improve customer relationships and increase customer loyalty by organizing and automating business processes, such as sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.
CRM systems typically include a database that stores customer and prospect information, as well as tools for tracking and managing customer interactions, such as marketing campaigns, sales leads, and service tickets. CRM systems can be implemented using a variety of technologies, including cloud-based software, on-premises software, or a combination of both.
CRM is often used to support the following business functions:
- Sales: CRM can help sales teams manage customer interactions and track sales leads and opportunities.
- Marketing: CRM can help marketing teams plan and execute campaigns, track customer behavior, and analyze the results of marketing efforts.
- Customer service: CRM can help customer service teams track and resolve customer issues more efficiently.
- Technical support: CRM can help technical support teams track and resolve customer issues more efficiently.
CRM can be beneficial for businesses of all sizes, as it can help improve customer relationships, increase customer loyalty, and drive business growth.