8 pages on this topic

CRM Definitions: essential industry terms and their meanings

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management: both the discipline and the software used to manage customer interactions via a single source of truth. Terms like CRM system, CRM software, or CRM platform describe the same category from different perspectives.

CRM vocabulary is often used inconsistently: the same term might mean a process to a Sales Director and an application to an IT Manager. The following pages define each term individually, providing clear distinctions between CRM, ERP, and marketing tools.

All pages on this topic

The other topics in the CRM guide

  • Types of CRM

    Operational, analytical, collaborative, cloud or on-premise, free or paid - a comparison of the key differences.

  • Features and Modules

    What a CRM actually does: pipeline, leads, quotes, activities, reporting, and automation.

  • Cost and acquisition

    Pricing models, implementation budgets, migration, selection criteria and ROI calculation.

  • Concept Comparisons

    CRM vs. ERP, Excel, marketing automation, or help desk - where they overlap and where they diverge.

  • Adoption and Operations

    How to drive CRM adoption, why projects fail, user training, GDPR compliance, and maintaining data hygiene.

See how it works in CRMconnect

Native modules for sales, quoting and reporting, integrated with the ERP you already run.