CRM
読み方：C-R-M
Customer Relationship Management. A system for managing all interactions and relationships with customers and prospects. Centralizes contact data, communication history, deal pipeline, and customer behavior. Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive are popular CRM platforms.
What is CRM
A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is the single source of truth for everything you know about your customers. It tracks who they are, how they found you, every interaction your team has had with them, and where they are in the buying process.
What CRMs Track
- • Company and contact information
- • Communication history (emails, calls, meetings)
- • Deal stage and pipeline value
- • Purchase and contract history
- • Behavioral data (website visits, email opens)
- • Notes and tasks from sales and support interactions
CRM vs. Marketing Automation
- • CRM: Manages existing relationships and sales pipeline
- • MA: Automates marketing communication to nurture prospects
Most modern platforms blur this line—HubSpot and Salesforce both offer CRM, sales, and marketing automation in integrated suites.
Why CRM Matters
Without a CRM, customer knowledge lives in individual email inboxes. When a salesperson leaves, that knowledge leaves with them. When a customer calls support, the rep has no context. CRM makes institutional knowledge portable and persistent.
Choosing a CRM
Consider: team size, integration needs (MA, ERP, support desk), budget, and how much customization you'll realistically maintain.