The term "customer relationship management" (CRM) is a relatively new concept, that appeared in the early 1990s. Since then, many have attempted to pin down the boundaries of relationship management. Due to CRM's infancy as a commercial or organizational activity, there is no agreed-upon definition.
The three-letter acronym CRM is a source of contention over its intended meaning. For instance, although "CRM" is often understood to refer to customer relationship management, "CRM" has also been used to refer to "customer relationship marketing". Companies in the IT industry often use the word customer relationship management (CRM) to refer to their automated marketing, sales, and customer care processes.
