CRM Tools Explained: How Brands Can Win in 2026 and Why CRM Matters More than Ever
- Poorvi Kar
- Jan 6
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Poorvi Kar , Senior Marketing Executive
TL;DR
CRM tools help consumer brands keep customer data in one place, follow up faster, and run more relevant marketing. From sales-focused, marketing-led , enterprise , or workflow-first options.
What are CRM Tools?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. In real life, CRM means the systems, processes, and habits you use to track customer interactions, manage relationships, and grow revenue.
Most teams experience CRM through CRM tools: software that stores customer data, logs touchpoints, and helps teams follow up at the right moment, with the right message.
If your brand runs on repeat purchases, referrals, subscriptions, or community, you need CRM tools that keep everyone aligned, from marketing to customer support.
Why CRM tools are becoming non-negotiable for consumer brands
Consumer brands are operating in a tougher, noisier, more expensive landscape. The biggest shift is this: growth is moving from renting audiences to building owned relationships. Privacy regulation, platform changes, and rising customer expectations are all pushing brands toward first-party data and retention-led growth, which is exactly what modern CRM tools are built for.
Google’s direction on third-party cookies has been complex, but the key takeaway is stable. Advertisers cannot rely on third-party identifiers the way they used to, and user choice plus privacy controls continue to reduce passive tracking at scale. The UK CMA noted Google’s July 2024 change in approach, moving away from fully removing third-party cookies and toward user choice instead. Reuters later reported that Google would not roll out a new standalone cookie prompt and would instead keep cookie controls in Chrome settings. The result is a fragmented, privacy-led ecosystem where owned data matters more than ever.
For consumer brands, this shifts the value equation. The brands that win are the ones that can capture, unify, and activate customer data across ecommerce, email and SMS, loyalty, customer service, and retail partners, with CRM tools acting as the system of record.
Customers want personalisation, but trust is the price of entry
Customer expectations have not just risen, they have changed shape. People want brands to recognise them and deliver more relevant experiences, but they are also far more cautious about how their data is used.
Salesforce’s State of the AI Connected Customer report shows that 73 percent of customers say brands treat them as unique individuals, up from 39 percent in 2023. At the same time, only 49 percent feel brands use their information in a beneficial way, and 71 percent say they are increasingly protective of their personal information. The same research also highlights that 64 percent of customers believe companies are reckless with customer data.
This is where CRM tools become strategic rather than purely operational. When implemented well, they help consumer brands centralise consent and preferences, create consistency across channels from ads to site to purchase to support, and clearly demonstrate value in exchange for data through better service, smarter offers, and improved timing.
Why is it important in the UK market?
UK consumer brands must balance growth with trust. Customers expect brands to handle personal data responsibly, and regulators expect you to choose and document a lawful basis when you process personal data under UK GDPR.(1)
Marketing rules also matter. If you run email or SMS campaigns, PECR applies to unsolicited direct marketing by electronic mail, and the ICO guidance explains what you must do to comply.(2)
Loyalty is no longer set and forget. Consumers are juggling more subscriptions, more loyalty schemes, and more choice, which means brands need to create reasons to return that go beyond discounts.
Research from BCG shows that loyalty programme engagement has declined further compared to earlier measurements, particularly across core consumer categories. Deloitte’s consumer loyalty research reinforces this, showing that perceived value, not points alone, is now the dominant driver of loyalty across age groups. McKinsey has also highlighted that integrating loyalty with pricing and lifecycle strategy is essential for unlocking long-term value, especially in a pressured economic climate.
This is where CRM tools deliver outsized impact. They allow consumer brands to move from generic loyalty communications to behaviour-based journeys such as replenishment reminders based on purchase cycles, VIP early access for high lifetime value customers, win-back flows triggered by churn risk, and personalised bundles informed by browsing and basket behaviour.
What are these tools?
Think of CRM tools as a home for customer context. You typically get:
Sales-focused CRM tools: organise leads, pipelines, and follow-ups Examples: Pipedrive, Capsule
Marketing-led CRM tools: connect forms, email, ads, and lifecycle automation Examples: HubSpot
Enterprise CRM tools: handle complex teams, multi-channel data, deeper governance Examples: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365
Flexible “workflows-first” CRM tools: let ops teams build processes around boards and automations Examples: monday sales CRM
For many brands searching “CRM systems in the UK”, the best option depends less on the logo and more on who will use it daily.
How these tools can help you
Here’s what great CRM tools unlock for UK consumer brands, without the fluff, with each benefit linked to the right type of platform.
1) Better visibility across the customer journey
Good CRM tools give you one customer view: first touch → campaign source → purchases → support history → next best action.
Best-fit tools for this:
2) Faster follow-up, fewer dropped balls
Strong CRM tools reduce “who’s replying?” chaos with pipelines, task prompts, and clear ownership.
Best-fit tools for this:
3) More relevant marketing
With the right CRM tools, you segment based on behaviour and run journeys that feel useful (welcome, replenishment, win-back), not random.
Best-fit tools for this:
4) Stronger customer management UK consistency
Centralising customer records in CRM tools makes it easier to keep preferences and comms consistent across the team (especially when multiple people message the same customer).
Best-fit tools for this:
Enterprise CRM tools (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365): built for deeper governance, permissioning, and controlled workflows as teams grow.(9)
5) A cleaner path for startups
If you’re looking for CRM for startups, you want structure without admin bloat. The right CRM tools give you enough process to grow without slowing you down.
Best-fit tools for this:
Sales-focused CRM tools (Pipedrive, Capsule): quick to adopt, easy to run, and strong for early pipeline discipline.(10)
Workflows-first CRM tools (monday sales CRM): useful when a small team wants CRM plus simple operational workflows in one place
How an agency can help
CRM tools rarely fail because of the software. They fail because teams skip strategy, data hygiene, and adoption.
A good agency helps you make CRM tools work in the real world, not just in a demo.
What that agency support looks like (practically)
CRM selection: match CRM tools to your team, channels, and budget
Setup and migration: clean data, map lifecycle stages, build automation
Activation: connect campaigns to the CRM, build journeys, improve reporting
Adoption: train teams, create playbooks, reduce admin, keep it used
Ongoing optimisation: refine segmentation, improve conversion, strengthen retention
Contact us to learn how we can help shape your brand's strategy that drives growth, strengthens loyalty, and keeps your brand consistent across every channel.
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