Rethinking CRM: How generative AI Is breaking down silos and redefining the future of customer service

For decades, customer relationship management (CRM) systems have been viewed as the exclusive domain of the sales team - often complex, siloed tools that only a handful of specialists can navigate. But as businesses evolve in an era of 'always-on' customer expectations and real-time service demands, this limited conception of CRM no longer serves the reality of a modern company.

Today, delivering exceptional customer experience (CX) isn't just dependent on the sales team, but the entire organisation. Marketing, sales, onboarding, customer support, finance, legal - all support the customer journey in meaningful ways. And yet, in too many organisations, these teams still operate in disconnected tools, with fragmented data and clunky workflows.

Therefore, how are CRM systems evolving to combat this disconnection, and what role can generative AI play in breaking down silos and redefining the future of customer service?

The high price of disconnection

When data, processes, and teams are siloed, it can have high costs for organisations - reduced productivity, inflated costs, and ultimately damage to the customer experience. Research by McKinsey shows that organisations lose up to 10% in profitability on new product introductions due to inefficiencies caused by siloed systems. What's more, employees spend nearly 20% of their time simply searching for internal information, time that could otherwise be spent delivering value to customers. Today, when business' bottom lines and productivity are under greater pressure than ever, this is critical.

Beyond the financial cost, silos' significantly reduce organisational agility and communication across teams. When critical updates don't flow freely across departments, teams work at cross purposes - rather than in pursuit of a collective, business-wide 'north star'. Promises made in sales aren't reflected in onboarding. Contracts approved by legal aren't visible to finance. Support teams lack historical context. And ultimately, the customer experience suffers as they are faced with lack of creative solutions or timely products, and blocked lines of communication.

AI as the bridge, not the barrier

The next era of customer experience will be defined by accessibility - breaking down long-standing barriers and making it possible for every team to contribute meaningfully to the customer experience.

At the heart of this transformation are AI engines which are specifically designed to serve the everyday user, not just those who are technically inclined. An example of this is Zoho's 'CRM for Everyone' which aims to democratise CRM use by leveraging the AI platform Zia across organisational teams.

With simple, conversational prompts, anyone in an organisation can now generate reports, build workflows, or even design modules. This removes a major obstacle to CRM adoption by reducing technical complexity and minimising onboarding time, resulting in a boost of AI adoption across organisations. Therefore, CRM becomes not just a repository of information but a dynamic system - orchestrating workflows between various teams and acting on behalf of users.

Customer data no longer sits in isolation. When sales updates a record, onboarding sees it. When legal approves a contract, finance is notified. Every touchpoint flows through a unified platform, ensuring that the customer's journey feels seamless - regardless of how many internal teams are involved. This works to alleviate departmental silos, allowing information to flow across the organisation, creating a unified, contextual view that mirrors the reality of how customers engage.

And the benefit? The customer experience becomes seamless. No more missed opportunities to drive engagement. No more delayed responses or repeated questions. Just consistent, relevant interactions across the entire journey.

AI as an enabler of trust, speed, and customer loyalty

When customers interact with a business that is clearly aligned internally, they notice. Trust grows. Loyalty deepens. According to McKinsey, companies that improve cross-functional CX see a 30% increase in customer satisfaction - and that satisfaction directly correlates with higher retention and lifetime value.

But this shift isn't just about speed. It's about trust and empowerment - for customers and for teams. When AI reduces the complexity of tools, it lowers barriers to adoption and enables employees at all levels to act confidently as they are equipped with the right knowledge. In turn, this creates a more meaningful, personalised customer experience.

The future of CRM

Ultimately, great customer experience is not just about technology - it's about empowering people with the right tools. AI models aren't trained on how to interpret the customer data, and the user experience isn't overcomplicated with heavyweight AI that drives up cost or complexity.

CRM can no longer be just a sales tool. It must become a shared system of record and action - one that aligns every department around the customer, orchestrated by intelligent automation, and accessible to all.

With AI operating as an enabler, not a barrier, we can finally move toward a structure where every team plays a part in creating connected, cohesive, and meaningful customer experiences. That's not just a technology upgrade but a cultural shift in how many organisations operate.