What Is a CRM?
A CRM (customer relationship management) system is the central database where a business stores and manages its interactions with prospects and customers — contacts, companies, deals and activities. It gives Sales, Marketing and Service one shared, up-to-date view of every relationship.
Key takeaways
- A CRM centralizes all customer data and interactions in one system of record.
- It connects Marketing, Sales and Service around a single view of each relationship.
- Modern CRMs like HubSpot add automation, reporting and AI on top of the database.
What a CRM stores
- Contacts and companies — the people and organizations you deal with
- Deals — open and closed revenue opportunities
- Tickets — support and service interactions
- Activities — emails, calls, meetings and notes
Why it matters
Without a CRM, customer knowledge lives in inboxes, spreadsheets and people's heads. A CRM makes it shared and durable, so a handoff, a forecast or a renewal doesn't depend on one person remembering the details.
Frequently asked questions
What does CRM stand for?
Customer relationship management — both the practice of managing customer relationships and the software used to do it.
What is a CRM used for?
Storing customer data, tracking deals and activities, automating follow-up, and reporting on the funnel — giving every customer-facing team one shared view.
Is HubSpot a CRM?
Yes. HubSpot is a CRM platform with Marketing, Sales, Service, Content and Operations hubs built on one shared Smart CRM data layer.
Related service: Implement HubSpot CRM with Superwork