Imagine this: one day you arrive at work only to find that your CRM system (let’s call him Clyde) has become conscious and is now walking around the office. Clyde has learned how to speak your language. He’s frustrated and becoming vocal, claiming that he has a bone to pick with all those people who have been refusing to enter information into the system.

Although amusing, thinking about your CRM software in this manner can provide valuable insight into the ways we think about ourselves and the work we do. It allows us to think about a conventional topic from an original perspective, so let’s consider it further.

A Thinker, a Doer, or a Worker?

CRM systems are commonly understood to be a mixture of software and business strategies. For the sake of this thought experiment, I ask that you forget that in order to consider what kind of person a CRM system would be if it were a human being.

If a CRM system were human, would you treat it differently? I imagine most people would.

A “worker” is a term generally used to define a person who:

“….performs a specified type of work in order to produce a specified thing or achieve a specified goal”

With this in mind, if the CRM system was a person, it would definitely be a worker. If people thought about CRM as a co-worker, do you think they would be more likely to appreciate the support it offers?

CRM systems are commonly understood to be a mixture of software and business strategies. For the sake of this thought experiment, I ask that you forget that in order to consider what kind of person a CRM system would be if it were a human being.

If a CRM system were human, would you treat it differently? I imagine most people would, but feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

A “worker” is a term generally used to define a person who:

“….performs a specified type of work in order to produce a specified thing or achieve a specified goal”

With this in mind, if the CRM system was a person, it would definitely be a worker. If people thought about CRM as a co-worker, do you think they would be more likely to appreciate the support it offers?

A Virtual Personal Assistant

One of the most helpful benefits of CRM software is its ability to function on a practical level as a personal assistant, helping to keep people on top of their notes, tasks and opportunities. It also provides a centralized space in which all staff members can communicate and collaborate to manage and review important interactions (past and present).

If a CRM system was a person, it would be reliable and have an impeccable memory. It would never take a day off and would always be there for you when you need it most. In virtually every area of business having an employee or coworker who exhibited these traits would be invaluable. So why do people tend to overlook the practical benefits of a CRM system? Perhaps it is due to the misconception of it being an obstruction (or “more work”) instead of as a coworker and dedicated member of a team.

Having a specialized CRM system in a business environment can and should remove obstacles, replacing them with advantages. Being lazy is no excuse for not utilizing the limitless potential of CRM software and processes. This business tool can give back more than you put into it, but you absolutely must put something into it in order to get anything back!

Effective Customer Relationship Management systems are like meaningful human relationships in that they don’t develop overnight. Rather they exist at the nexus of practical engagement, direct communication and a shared commitment to realizing a desired result.

Thankfully for us CRM software won’t become conscious in the near future so we won’t have to worry about Clyde and his fellow systems raising their collective voices to berate us for not making use of the potential they provide. Despite this reality, considering CRM systems as if they were human beings can open us up to new ways of understanding, enhancing our will and increasing our ability to make beneficial use of the features and functions they have been designed to support us with.