{"id":99940,"date":"2024-10-16T14:54:07","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T21:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-act-main.pantheonsite.io\/?page_id=99940"},"modified":"2025-10-09T01:57:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T08:57:19","slug":"what-is-crm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.act.com\/en-gb\/what-is-crm\/","title":{"rendered":"What is CRM?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1754066687578{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column]<div class=\"actcrm-page-banner-container standard \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/actcrm-hero-banner.jpg);\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"page-banner-row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"page-banner-text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1>What is CRM?<\/h1>\n<p>A definition of CRM and why it's so important for your business.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" data-modal_id=\"what-is-crm-modal2\" class=\"open-actcrm-modal white-outline link-arrow\">Watch the Video<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n<div class=\"actcrm-whatis-layout-container\">\n    <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"inner\">\n            <aside class=\"whatis-sidebar-track\">\n                <section class=\"whatis-sidebar-tableofcontents\">\n\n                    <!-- Table of Contents -->\n                    <section class=\"whatis-tableofcontents-container\">\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"filter-bar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"icon\"> Table of Contents <i class=\"chevron-down-icon\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"expandable-menu\">\n                            <ul>\n                                                                        <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#what-crm\">\n                                                1. What is CRM?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#meaning-crm\">\n                                                2. What is the meaning of CRM?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#crm-system\">\n                                                3. What can a CRM system do?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#crm-important\">\n                                                4. Why is CRM important?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#crm-benefits\">\n                                                5. What are the benefits of CRM?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#business-needs\">\n                                                6. Which business functions need a CRM system?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#act-unique\">\n                                                7. What makes Act! unique?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                            <li>\n                                            <a href=\"#crm-inventor\">\n                                                8. Who invented CRM?                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/li>\n                                                                <\/ul>\n\n                            <!-- More Questions? -->\n                             <!-- TRIAL CTA -->\n<section class=\"whatis-sidebar-footer-cta\">\n<p><strong>More Questions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/en-gb\/learning-centre\/\" \n#\ntarget=\"_blank\">Visit our Learning Center<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/section>\n\n                    <!-- Square Free Trial CTA -->\n                    <section class=\"whatis-tableofcontents-trial-cta\">\n                        <h4>Start Creating More Meaningful Relationships With Act!<\/h4>\n                        <p>Start your 14 day free trial today. No download or credit card required.<\/p>\n                        \n                        <p><a class=\"orange-button\" href=\"\/en-gb\/trial\/act\/\" \n                        #\n                        target=\"_blank\">Start Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n                    <\/section>\n                <\/section>\n            <\/aside>\n            <article class=\"whatis-content-container\">\n                <section class=\"whatis-content-wrapper\">\n                    [vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;what-crm&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What is CRM?<\/h3>\n<p>CRM is an abbreviation and means Customer Relationship Management and refers to a software system used to build and manage customer relationships.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/en-gb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CRM Software<\/a> helps businesses manage all of their interactions with their existing and potential customers. With a CRM platform, customer details and preferences are recorded and customer activity is tracked. This means customers receive a fully personalised and consistent experience every time they engage with a business.<\/p>\n<p>CRM software also helps organisations streamline their processes and workflows so that every part of the business is on the same page. Sales and marketing teams, especially, rely on CRM to create collaboration and improve their productivity. Recent studies show that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fireberry.com\/blog\/crm-software-small-businesses-top-reasons-top-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">small businesses that implement CRM solutions report a 30% reduction in operational costs.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The overall aim of a CRM software is to provide more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-customer-experience-with-crm\/\">engaging customer experiences<\/a>, increase customer loyalty and retention and drive business growth and profitability.[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-image-video-popup-wrapper wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1753394473640 \n        alignment-center\">\n        <div data-modal_id=\"what-is-crm-modal2\" \n                class=\"actcrm-image-video-content open-actcrm-modal without-bg\">\n                <div class=\"video-background-container\">\n                                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Group-1553-1.webp\" alt=\"Act! CRM Video Thumbnail\" class=\"actcrm-image-video-thumbnail\" \/>\n                                                            <div class=\"actcrm-play-icon-wrapper\">\n                        <div class=\"actcrm-play-icon\">\n                            <i class=\"fa fa-play\"><\/i>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"actcrm-video-text\"><p>Check out this brief video to learn more.<\/p><\/div>\n                            <\/div>   \n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"actcrm-modal-container\" id=\"what-is-crm-modal2\">\n        <div class=\"actcrm-modal-underlay actcrm-image-video-overlay\">\n        <div class=\"close-actcrm-modal\"><i class=\"fa fa-times\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\n            <div class=\"modal-content\">\n                <div class=\"wpb_video_widget\">\n                    <div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n                        <div class=\"wpb_video_wrapper\">\n                            <iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/651303732\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\"><\/iframe>                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>[vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;meaning-crm&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What is the meaning of CRM?<\/h3>\n<p>When you hear people talk about CRM, they might refer to the overall strategy of customer relationship management, which typically includes goals to increase sales and profitability, create long-lasting relationships with customers and increase <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/what-is-customer-retention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">customer retention<\/a>. The CRM strategy focuses on putting customer needs first and delivering a superior, more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/what-is-customer-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">personalised customer experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, people will often use \u2018CRM\u2019 when referring to the technology or platform, which helps to optimise sales and business processes by storing and organising all of the lead and customer information in one place as well as tracking all customer communications and interactions.[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-trial-footer-cta wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1736348027058\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner-cta\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Start Creating More Meaningful Relationships With Act!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your 14 day free trial today. No download or credit card required.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/en-gb\/trial\/act\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"orange-button\">Start Free Trial<\/a><\/button>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash1.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash2\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash2.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"custom\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/people-talking-2.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;crm-system&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What can a CRM system do?<\/h3>\n<p>CRM software maintains and manages data obtained from multiple sources and touchpoints, including email, a company website, sales rep data entry, live chat, telephone and social media, etc.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/what-is-a-crm-database\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">database<\/a> that stores customer-specific details like buying history, specific wants and needs, purchasing preferences and financial demographics, thereby creating a holistic view of the customer and promoting more engaging and consistent interactions.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Some other features include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Reporting and dashboards:<\/strong> A CRM provides its users with the ability to visualise important trends and business metrics.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sales management:<\/strong> With a CRM software, a business can track its sales process from the initial lead, or prospect stage, to becoming an opportunity, all the way through to the final order conversion stage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Marketing campaign management:<\/strong> A CRM software allows you to manage campaigns from start to end by using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/what-is-marketing-automation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">automated workflows<\/a> wherever necessary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Service management:<\/strong> CRM software manages service delivery from pre-purchase to contract delivery and renewal, whether your service is preventative or reactive, and delivered on site or remotely.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Insights generation:<\/strong> A CRM tool can also analyse and let you better understand large amounts of data to facilitate forecasting, personalise touchpoints and generate actionable insights.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Increase revenues by increasing sales opportunities:<\/strong> A sales CRM software provides an organisation with information andinsights it can use to identity more sales opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition to enabling a business to optimise its customer relationship management, a CRM also helps:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Segment customers with ease:<\/strong> A CRM allows you to profile your customers based on purchase indicators like history, demographics, engagement and level of interest etc. for customisation of touchpoints and communications.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cross-departmental alignment:<\/strong> A CRM system helps in aligning your marketing, customer service, and sales teams, which creates collaboration and harmony within the workforce and increases productivity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-trial-footer-cta wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1732146244164\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner-cta\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>How do I choose a CRM system?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSelecting a CRM solution that fits your needs (and your wallet) can be tough. Before you invest in a particular system, it\u2019s important to be clear about your priorities, IT competence, and budget right from the start. Our free CRM guide will help you find the right CRM product for your business.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/en-gb\/guides\/best-crm-software\/\" class=\"orange-button\">Download the Guide<\/a><\/button>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash1.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash2\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash2.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"custom\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"316\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cta-crm-icon-2.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cta-crm-icon-2.webp 316w, https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cta-crm-icon-2-300x250.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 316px) 100vw, 316px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1732146930447{margin-bottom: 60px !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;crm-important&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Why is CRM important?<\/h3>\n<p>The customer base of a business is one of its biggest assets, if not THE biggest. Therefore, this asset deserves tight management and oversight, and may require a CRM as tracking and managing existing and potential customer interactions become more challenging when businesses grow. For example, at some point during your business growth, you might ask yourself: Who are my customers? What do they need? When was the last time we interacted with them? Is our sales pipeline healthy? Are customers engaging with our content?<\/p>\n<p>You may find that your customers and prospects may start to wander off and that they aren\u2019t satisfied with merely a high-quality service or product. They need to feel engaged, and they want a business to give them the respect and personalised experience that makes them feel like they belong.<\/p>\n<p>With CRM software, you are able to ensure that you establish long-term customer relationships by knowing every detail about your customers, including their needs, preferences and behaviors, at all times. Satisfied and engaged customers are more likely to return to your company for additional purchases and to recommend your products or services to their friends and families.<\/p>\n<p>Not sure if your business needs a CRM system? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/blog\/why-you-need-a-crm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Check out these ten signs you might need a CRM.<\/a>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-content-excerpt-container wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1728409674098\">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <p>A survey conducted on Act! customers revealed that\u00a075% of users\u00a0believe that their CRM software helped them grow their business<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;crm-benefits&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What are the benefits of CRM?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Collaborate through integration:<\/strong> Integrating data across business functions boosts collaboration. For example, contact details from website lead forms can be automatically pushed into your CRM\u2019s hot lead list. This streamlines communication between marketing and sales, ensuring faster follow-up and better conversion.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Manage pipeline effectively:<\/strong> A CRM helps you visualize your sales pipeline clearly. You can quickly identify which deals need attention and which have gone cold. Regular monitoring helps eliminate bottlenecks and keeps your sales pipeline flowing with qualified leads. It also strengthens alignment between sales and marketing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Automate for maximum productivity: <\/strong> Many daily tasks are repetitive and time-consuming. A CRM automates key processes like follow-ups, email campaigns, and contact assignments. This saves time, ensures consistency, and keeps your team focused on selling rather than manual work.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Engage to build lasting customer relationships:<\/strong> Customers expect more than just good products\u2014they want personalized experiences. A CRM tracks every interaction, helping you understand preferences and deliver tailored service. This builds trust and long-term loyalty.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improve customer experience with shared information:<\/strong> When issues arise, multiple teams can collaborate using shared CRM data. Support can resolve problems while customer service keeps clients informed. Meanwhile, marketing can adjust messaging to reflect current customer needs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Increase revenues:<\/strong> A CRM improves customer satisfaction and retention, which directly boosts revenue. Automation and collaboration reduce costs and increase efficiency. Targeted campaigns help you reach the right people at the right time, driving more sales.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;95953&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;business-need&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Which business functions need a CRM system?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Marketing:<\/strong> Marketing efforts are not just about creating the perfect campaign; they are also a lot about reaching out to the right people. A CRM system paired with email marketing lets marketers divide a customer base into segments and send customised messages to every segment. Marketing teams benefit from improved lead management. Lead capture forms on your website can be integrated into your customer relationship management software and passed onto sales for follow up. Since all of the customers\u2019 activity is tracked in the software, marketing can gain valuable and real-time insights into their behavior.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sales:<\/strong> With CRM technology, sales can streamline the whole <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/7-step-sales-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sales process<\/a> and shorten the sales cycle. By visualizing the sales pipeline, your sales reps can identify new leads and the deals that require immediate attention and focus on the most valuable opportunities. They can schedule calls, follow-ups and meetings and take notes and send invoices. Additionally, you can run sales reports and sales leads forecasts to track all sales activities and review performance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Customer Service:<\/strong> Using a CRM software helps you store customer preferences and track all activities associated with them. If a customer tells you that they don\u2019t want to receive weekly email updates, you can simply check a box in the CRM, and the emails will stop. You can manage and monitor any post-sale interactions in the CRM software and share important updates with sales or marketing, enabling the functions to collaborate and address potential issues and provide solutions faster.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-trial-footer-cta wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1736348053424\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner-cta\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Want to see a CRM system in action?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTry Act! free for 14 days. Sign up for a free trial and experience the power of CRM and Marketing Automation in one.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/en-gb\/trial\/act\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"orange-button\">Start Free Trial<\/a><\/button>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash1.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash2\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash2.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"custom\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"260\" height=\"194\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/crm-icon-2.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;act-unique&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What makes Act! unique?<\/h3>\n<p>Act! delivers modern and innovative software and services, purpose-built for the unique needs of today\u2019s small businesses and is a recognised leader in the small business segment for solutions that drive customer acquisition and retention.<\/p>\n<p>Act! software is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/en-gb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">all-in-one customer relationship management<\/a> and e-marketing tool that allows small businesses to capture and manage contacts, activities and calendars from one place and includes built-in, intuitive marketing features like plug-n-play email templates and campaigns.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>With Act! you can:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Organise prospect and customer engagements<\/li>\n<li>Simplify and automate your day-to-day tasks<\/li>\n<li>Create targeted promotions and personalised follow-up communications<\/li>\n<li>Work on-the-go<\/li>\n<li>Select the tier of features and functionality that best fit your business<\/li>\n<li>Expand functionality as your business grows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-trial-footer-cta wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1732146443741\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner-cta\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Moving to a Cloud solution?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn more about Cloud computing solutions and download our free guide \u2018Moving to a Cloud solution: 35 questions for you and your vendor\u2019.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"footer-cta-buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/en-gb\/guides\/moving-to-a-cloud-solution\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"orange-button\">Download the Guide<\/a><\/button>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash1.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"splash2\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/themes\/act-crm\/assets\/images\/splash2.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM Trial Image\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"custom\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"262\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Group-760-2.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Icon thumbnail for the download\/upload Act! CRM logo\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;crm-inventor&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Who invented CRM?<\/h3>\n<p>Pat Sullivan and Mike Muhney released the first-ever CRM in 1987 by the name of ACT!. It was essentially a digital Rolodex that enabled its users to organise and store customer lifecycle information effectively.<\/p>\n<p>In the 80\u2019s, a lot of the features that CRM software systems have today didn\u2019t exist yet. Act! made the development community realise the possible benefits of a software with scalability that harnesses the power of customer information to help a business manage its relationships better.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, the term \u201cCRM\u201d did not exist. It was only in the 90\u2019s that people started to use it, after features like sales automation, enterprise resource planning, and marketing capabilities complemented the contact management features of the software.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Wrapping up<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s a quick summary of what you should know about CRM<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Definition of CRM:<\/strong> CRM is an abbreviation for Customer Relationship Management and refers to software used to build and manage customer relationships.<\/li>\n<li><strong>CRM software:<\/strong> CRM software is a technology, which stores and organises businesses\u2019 information about all of their customers, leads and prospects in one place.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Importance of CRM:<\/strong> With a CRM software, a business ensures that it establishes long-term relationships with its customers and streamlines processes to improve customer service, and drive business growth and profitability.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Benefits of CRM:<\/strong> Building lasting customer relationships, streamlining and automating processes, creating better collaboration and communication, better pipeline management, and increased revenues are many of the benefits of a CRM.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Who needs a CRM?:<\/strong> Sales, marketing, and customer service teams, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/best-crm-for-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">small business owners<\/a> benefit from leveraging the power of a CRM.<\/li>\n<li><strong>On-premise vs. Cloud CRM:<\/strong> A Cloud CRM is a CRM software that uses Cloud computing technology to host the CRM application. A traditional CRM software hosts customer data on a server.<\/li>\n<li><strong>History of CRM:<\/strong> Pat Sullivan and Mike Muhney released the first-ever CRM in 1987 by the name of ACT!.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"small-text\"><sup>1<\/sup> Customer survey conducted among Act! customers.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"actcrm-accordian-row-container wpb_content_element \">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-title\">\n            What is a CRM and why do I need one?        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-paragraph\">\n            <p>A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system helps you organise contacts, track interactions, and streamline sales and marketing efforts\u2014all in one place.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"actcrm-accordian-row-container wpb_content_element \">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-title\">\n            How does a CRM improve collaboration between teams?        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-paragraph\">\n            <p>By integrating data from marketing, sales, and support, a CRM ensures everyone has access to the same customer insights, enabling better teamwork and faster decision-making.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"actcrm-accordian-row-container wpb_content_element \">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-title\">\n            Can a CRM help me automate repetitive tasks?        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-paragraph\">\n            <p>Yes! CRMs can automate follow-ups, email campaigns, lead assignments, and more\u2014saving time and ensuring consistency across your team.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"actcrm-accordian-row-container wpb_content_element \">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-title\">\n            How does a CRM help manage my sales pipeline?        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-paragraph\">\n            <p>A CRM provides a visual overview of your pipeline, helping you prioritise deals, identify bottlenecks, and keep your sales process moving smoothly.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"actcrm-accordian-row-container wpb_content_element \">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-title\">\n            Will a CRM help me grow my business?        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"accordian-row-paragraph\">\n            <p>Absolutely. By improving customer relationships, increasing team productivity, and enabling targeted outreach, a CRM can boost customer retention and drive revenue growth.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>                <\/section>\n                \n                <!-- TRIAL CTA -->\n<section class=\"whatis-sidebar-footer-cta\">\n<p><strong>More Questions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/en-gb\/learning-centre\/\" \n#\ntarget=\"_blank\">Visit our Learning Center<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n            <\/article>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"whatis-backtotop\"><\/div>\n<script>\ndocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() {\n  \/\/ Adjust the scroll position for anchor links\n  document.querySelectorAll('a[href^=\"#\"]').forEach(anchor => {\n    anchor.addEventListener('click', function(e) {\n      e.preventDefault(); \/\/ Prevent default anchor link behavior\n\n      \/\/ Get the target element by ID\n      const targetID = this.getAttribute('href').substring(1);\n      const targetElement = document.getElementById(targetID);\n\n      if (targetElement) {\n        \/\/ Calculate the position and add an offset (e.g., 40px)\n        const offset = -160; \/\/ Adjust this value as needed\n        const elementPosition = targetElement.getBoundingClientRect().top;\n        const offsetPosition = elementPosition + window.pageYOffset + offset;\n\n        \/\/ Smoothly scroll to the adjusted position\n        window.scrollTo({\n          top: offsetPosition,\n          behavior: 'smooth'\n        });\n      }\n    });\n  });\n});\n<\/script>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"actcrm-modal-container\" id=\"what-is-crm-video\">\n    <div class=\"actcrm-modal-underlay\">\n        \n        <div class=\"close-actcrm-modal\"><i class=\"fa fa-times\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\n        <div class=\"modal-content\">\n            <div class=\"modal-inner\">\n                [vc_video link=&#8221;https:\/\/actcrm.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/act-main-site\/placeholder-video.mp4&#8243; css=&#8221;&#8221;]            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1754066687578{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99940","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is CRM? | A Definition of CRM and Its Meaning<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is CRM? 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