Rethinking CRM as a New System of Action

“Reports of CRM’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.” OK, that’s not the exact quote, but the meaning is clear: Even as AI takes hold in the world of B2B software, leveraging a packaged CRM platform is still a core necessity for maintaining a modern, functioning, and optimized go-to-market (GTM) tech stack today and in the foreseeable future. And while the defining elements of a CRM system may be in flux, one thing is certain: A strong foundation of quality data and seamless workflow is still required to effectively optimize key GTM motions. The age of agentic AI has done more to prove this point than to refute it.

Essentially, what we are seeing is a shift in how CRM systems can generate value and improve business outcomes. As humans and AI agents start to work together across CRM use cases,[RB1] CRM systems must evolve from their legacy as static repositories of data (and mostly only data inputted by users) into systems where jobs actually get done. Rather than CRM being an ex post facto tool to capture what has happened, it needs to be the place where work is happening.

In short, we are seeing CRM act as the focus point for a new system of action.