CRM (customer relationship management) has evolved a lot over the years — from a basic contact management tool into sophisticated, data-driven platforms that empower businesses to forge meaningful relationships with their customers.
At every stage, CRM has taken advantage of new technologies, incorporating them into their toolsets and adapting them to facilitate better sales and marketing processes.
First came automation. CRM systems used automation technology to create features that assisted sales and marketing teams in managing leads, opportunities, and pipeline.
Next came the rise of mobility and the cloud. The rapid growth in the popularity of smartphones and mobile devices changed the way people did business, and CRM adapted accordingly.
Using cloud technology and steadily improving mobile functionality, CRM became accessible from anywhere.
Now we sit on the cusp of a new technology that looks to impact business in ways that are as significant and meaningful as all the technologies that have come before it — AI.
What does this powerful new tool mean for the future of CRM?
We will explore that questions and more in this article.
What is CRM?
CRM is a software toolset that assists businesses with the day-to-day management of their people (customers and employees), work processes, products, and projects.
Once thought of primarily as a sales tool, CRM has evolved to address the needs of many different business aspects, including marketing, customer service, and HR.
Through the use of advanced automations tools and data centralization, CRM software can help businesses improve communication (both internal and external), work more efficiently, and track performance.
A CRM system also keeps teams connected in real-time from anywhere, improving collaboration and increasing reach while allowing businesses to take advantage of top talent no matter where they are found.
The advent of AI CRM
When it comes to new business technologies, nothing can match the transformative power of AI (artificial intelligence). In only a few short years AI has infiltrated every facet of the working world with its unparalleled potential.
As AI technology continues to advance, the functionality of AI within CRM is poised to undergo significant enhancements.
- Automated customer interactions- AI-enabled chatbots and virtual assistants can integrate with CRM systems, lightening the load for sales and support teams.
This allows employees to focus on addressing more complex customer needs and gives them more time to perform activities that have the biggest impact on business success.
- AI-assisted messaging- AI-assisted writing tools can improve the speed, consistency, and quality of your customer-facing messaging through:
- Data-driven personalization suggestions
- Automated grammar corrections
- Brand voice customization
These tools not only improve your messaging efforts, but they can also help new employees get up and running faster and learn your brand’s tone through AI-generated recommendations and enhancements.
- Automated workflow and task management- AI can automate many routine tasks and workflows within a CRM platform. Some examples include:
- Data entry
- Lead scoring
- Task assignments
- Follow-up reminders
This frees up human resources to focus on more strategic and value-added activities.
The future of AI CRM
While AI is still the new kid on the block, the road ahead for AI-assisted CRM is already taking shape.
- Hyper-personalization- AI-assisted CRM platforms will analyze vast amounts of customer data to create hyper-personalized messages and interactions.
These tools will be able to:
- Recommend tailored products or services
- Identify customer preferences (engagement channels, contact times)
- Gage customer emotion and sentiment and adjust responses accordingly
- Predictive analytics- AI CRM will provide more accurate predictive insights about customer behavior and market trends.
AI-enhanced algorithms will identify buying patterns and correlations in customer data, allowing businesses to make informed decisions about sales, marketing, and customer support strategies.
FreeAgent is the future of CRM
FreeAgent CRM is designed for today’s world of work and our robust toolset is ideally suited to supporting the varied work processes of modern businesses. FreeAgent is:
- Easy to use: FreeAgent works like you expect modern apps to work, providing a user experience that feels fresh and familiar. Teams love working in FreeAgent, leading to high adoption and greater ROI.
- User-configurable: FreeAgent can be configured by you to work the way you do. This means you don’t need outside support to add a form field, adjust a CRM automated workflow, or try out a new process.
- Customizable: With FreeAgent, apps, forms, and configurations are all completely customizable, allowing you to capture and connect your data in any way you like.
To see FreeAgent in action, get a demo, and discover for yourself how FreeAgent can help you have workdays full of impact.
