What is the difference between a CRM and a CDP?

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a software system that helps businesses manage and analyse customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle, with the goal of improving customer relationships and business growth. CRM systems typically include a suite of tools for managing and analysing customer data, such as contact management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and customer service.

On the other hand, a CDP (Customer Data Platform) is a software system that helps businesses to collect, store, manage, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints, to create a single customer view. CDPs are designed to provide a unified, accurate and actionable view of the customer, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and personalize their interactions with customers.

The main difference between CRM and CDP is their focus and main purpose. A CRM system is focused on managing customer interactions and relationships, while a CDP system is focused on collecting, storing, managing and activating customer data. CRM systems are mainly used for sales and customer service, while CDPs are mainly used for personalization, analytics and marketing. CRM systems often have a more limited scope, and are mainly used to manage customer interactions within a specific department, such as sales or customer service, while CDPs are designed to provide a comprehensive, enterprise-wide view of the customer and their data.

There are many CRM and CDP solutions available, some of the most widely used are listed below.

Popular CRM systems:

    • Salesforce CRM: Salesforce is a widely used CRM system that offers a wide range of features for sales, customer service, and marketing. It includes tools for contact management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and analytics.

    • Microsoft Dynamics CRM: Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a CRM system that offers a range of features for sales, customer service, and marketing. It includes tools for contact management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and analytics.

    • SugarCRM: SugarCRM is a CRM system that is designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers features for sales, customer service, and marketing, as well as tools for contact management and analytics.

    • Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM system that offers a wide range of features for sales, customer service, and marketing. It includes tools for contact management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and analytics.

    • Pipedrive CRM: Pipedrive CRM is a sales-focused CRM system that offers a range of features for lead management, sales forecasting, and analytics. It is designed to be easy to use and to help sales teams to close more deals.

    • Freshsales CRM: Freshsales CRM is a CRM system that is designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers features for sales, customer service, and marketing, as well as tools for contact management, lead management, and analytics.

    • Insightly CRM: Insightly CRM is a CRM system that offers a range of features for sales, customer service, and marketing. It includes tools for contact management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and analytics.

    • Nutshell CRM: Nutshell CRM is a CRM system that is designed for small businesses. It offers features for sales, customer service, and marketing, as well as tools for contact management, lead management, and analytics.
    • Agile CRM: Agile CRM is a CRM system that offers a range of features for sales, customer service, and marketing, including contact management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and analytics, as well as a social media integration and a helpdesk. 

    • Hubspot CRM: Hubspot CRM is a free, easy to use CRM system that provides a centralized view of customer interactions, allowing businesses to manage and track sales, customer service, and marketing efforts. It includes tools for contact management, lead management, sales force automation, and analytics. In addition to the CRM, Hubspot also offers a range of other features and tools, such as email marketing, social media marketing, content management, and website optimization. Hubspot’s CRM is integrated with its marketing, sales and service tools, making it an all-in-one platform that streamlines the customer journey and provides a single source of truth for all customer interactions.
 

Popular CDP systems:

    • Tealium AudienceStream: Tealium AudienceStream is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, manage and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints, to create a single customer view.

    • Segment: Segment is a CDP that allows businesses to collect and manage customer data from different sources, including mobile, web and cloud-based apps. It offers a wide range of integrations and allows businesses to analyze customer data and behavior across different channels and touchpoints.

    • Treasure Data: Treasure Data is a CDP that enables businesses to collect, store, and analyze customer data from various sources, including web, mobile, and IoT devices. It allows businesses to create a single customer view and provides a range of analytics and personalization features.

    • BlueConic: BlueConic is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints. It also offers a range of personalization and analytics features.

    • Redpoint Global: Redpoint Global is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints. It also offers a range of personalization and analytics features.

    • Optimizely: Optimizely is a CDP that offers a range of features for personalization, testing, and optimization. It helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints.

    • Lytics: Lytics is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints. It also offers a range of personalization and analytics features.

    • Acquia CDP: Acquia CDP is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints. It also offers a range of personalization and analytics features.

    • SegmentStream: SegmentStream is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints. It also offers a range of personalization and analytics features.

    • Intercom: Intercom  is a CDP that helps businesses to collect, store, and activate customer data from various sources, across different channels and touchpoints. It allows businesses to create a single view of their customers and provides a range of analytics and personalization features. It also has messaging capabilities that can help businesses to communicate with their customers through different channels such as email, in-app and web. Intercom is also able to track customer behaviour and can be integrated with a range of other tools, such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and Shopify, which helps to create a more holistic view of customer interactions. Intercom is widely used by companies of all sizes and across different industries, and is known for its ease of use, flexibility and scalability.

 

 

It is not necessary for a company to have both a CRM and a CDP, but each system can offer unique benefits and can complement each other. Having both a CRM and a CDP can help a company to more effectively manage customer interactions and relationships, as well as gain a deeper understanding of customer behaviour and preferences. 

There are several CRM/CDP systems that are integrated, meaning that they offer both CRM and CDP capabilities within the same platform. These systems are designed to provide a more holistic view of customer interactions and data, and can help businesses to more effectively manage customer relationships and gain insights into customer behaviour and preferences.

Some examples of integrated CRM/CDP systems are:

Hubspot: As I mentioned earlier, Hubspot offers both a CRM and a CDP. It is known for its all-in-one platform that streamlines the customer journey and provides a single source of truth for all customer interactions. It allows businesses to manage customer interactions, track sales, and marketing efforts while also collecting, storing, and activating customer data across different channels and touchpoints.

Salesforce: Salesforce has a CRM system that is also integrated with its CDP, Salesforce CDP (Customer 360 Audiences) which allows businesses to have a comprehensive view of the customer interactions and data across different channels and touchpoints, and use this information to make data-driven decisions and personalize their interactions with customers.

Adobe: Adobe has a CRM system called Adobe Experience Cloud which includes Adobe Campaign, Adobe Experience Manager, and Adobe Analytics, which also has a CDP component called Adobe Audience Manager that allows businesses to create a single view of the customer, activate the data and use it to personalize interactions across channels.

These are just a few examples of systems available on the market. There are many different systems available, each with its own set of features and capabilities, and the best choice will depend on the specific needs of the organization. It is important to evaluate different systems and choose one that best aligns with the company’s goals and budget.