CRM Software
Customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Management | Store customer/prospect details, interaction history | Data enrichment |
| Lead Management | Capture, score, route, nurture leads | Predictive scoring |
| Pipeline Management | Visual deal stages, forecasting, velocity | Win probability |
| Activity Tracking | Calls, emails, meetings, tasks | Auto-logging |
| Email Integration | Sync inbox, templates, sequences | Smart compose |
| Reporting | Dashboards, sales metrics, team performance | Natural language queries |
| Workflow Automation | Triggers, actions, notifications | Intelligent routing |
| Territory Management | Account assignment, capacity planning | Optimization |
| Quote/Proposal | Generate quotes, track approvals | Auto-generation |
| Mobile CRM | Field access, offline sync, geo-location | Voice capture |
Data Footprint
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | name, email, phone, company, role, source | High | Medium |
| Companies | name, industry, size, address, website | Medium | Low |
| Deals/Opportunities | value, stage, probability, close date, owner | High | Medium |
| Activities | type, date, notes, associated records | Very High | Low |
| Emails | sender, recipient, subject, body, attachments | Very High | Medium |
| Tasks | description, due date, priority, status | High | Low |
| Notes | content, author, timestamp, linked records | High | Medium |
| Products | name, price, description, SKU | Low | Low |
| Quotes | line items, pricing, terms, status | Medium | Medium |
| Custom Fields | user-defined attributes | Variable | Variable |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Messages, calendar events | Bi-directional | |
| Marketing Automation | Leads, campaigns, engagement | Bi-directional |
| Accounting | Invoices, payment status | Bi-directional |
| Support/Helpdesk | Tickets, satisfaction scores | Inbound |
| Ecommerce | Orders, customer data | Inbound |
| LinkedIn/Social | Profile enrichment, signals | Inbound |
| Phone Systems | Call logs, recordings | Inbound |
| Contract Management | Signed agreements, renewals | Bi-directional |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Contact records | Indefinite | Business value |
| Activity history | 3-7 years | Audit trail |
| Email correspondence | Varies | Legal hold policies |
| Deal records | Indefinite | Revenue recognition |
| Call recordings | 1-3 years | Compliance/training |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of adoption | High | Sales team will reject complexity |
| Email integration | High | Gmail/Outlook sync quality |
| Mobile experience | High | Field sales critical |
| Customization | Medium | Adapt to your process |
| API access | High | Integration capability |
| Reporting | Medium | Forecast accuracy |
| Price per seat | Medium | Scales with team |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | Ecosystem, enterprise | Large orgs, complex sales |
| HubSpot CRM | Free tier, marketing integration | SMB, inbound-focused |
| Pipedrive | Pipeline UX, simplicity | SMB, visual sellers |
| Zoho CRM | Price, suite integration | Cost-conscious |
| Close | Calling, email sequences | Inside sales |
| Monday Sales CRM | Flexibility, work management | Project-heavy sales |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Data entry | Manual + auto-capture | Zero manual entry |
| Lead scoring | Rules + ML | Predictive + intent |
| Email drafting | Templates | Personalized generation |
| Forecasting | Rep input + history | Multi-signal prediction |
| Next best action | Basic suggestions | Autonomous guidance |
| Meeting prep | Manual research | Auto-generated briefs |
Build vs Buy: Buy for most. The network effects (integrations, data enrichment) and mobile apps justify SaaS. Build only if CRM is your core competitive advantage or you have unusual data requirements.