What is CRM Software? A Comprehensive Guide and Historical Overview of CRM [Infographic]

The platforms and technology you use in your business are primarily used for two reasons. First, you need to keep everyone in your company organized and on the same page. And second, it’s up to you to stay on top of the conversations happening about your industry and brand.

One platform that can tie together all your efforts is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform. This powerful technology started as a pad of paper and a pen, and its purpose has always been the same – to keep customer service at the forefront of your business’s efforts.

Customer relationship management evolved from handwritten notes to databases stored on computers. The 1990s saw growth and improvement, and CRM platforms were transformed by ‘software as a service’, or SaaS. With cloud computing, everyone who interacted with customers could see the entire customer experience at a glance, and this helped create the customer-centric, personalized experience people expect to have with companies.

From its humble history to its exciting future – in which CRM platforms are aided by artificial intelligence – this technology can help improve your customer experience. The infographic below explains more, and offers tips for using a CRM platform to its fullest potential.