Before diving deeper into Salesforce, it's important to grasp the broader concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and explore other options available in the market.

Here's what a CRM can do:

• Contact management: store and organize customer information;
• Sales management: track leads, opportunities, and interactions;
• Customer service: manage support tickets and inquiries;
• Marketing automation: automate email campaigns and monitor their performance;
• Analytics and reporting: gain insights into sales performance and customer behavior.

Exploring other CRMs

While Salesforce is a leading platform, it's not the only option. Depending on a company's needs, other CRMs might be a better fit. Some alternatives include:

CRM as a strategy

A CRM isn't just software—it's a strategic approach to managing customer relationships. This involves:

• Holistic customer view: understanding customers across all touchpoints;
• Personalized interactions: tailoring communications and offers to individual needs;
• Proactivity: anticipating customer needs and addressing them before issues arise;
• Continuous improvement: using data to refine strategies and workflows.

By understanding what a CRM is and how businesses use one, you gain a deeper insight into the entirety of a business's strategy and workflow.