More than four in ten (41%) marketing leaders say their CRM platform does not fully meet organisational needs, yet it seems while many blame the technology, most of these issues are caused by gaps in strategy, data activation and team capability.
So says The 2026 CRM Maturity Index, commissioned by specialist independent CRM agency Flourish CRM and conducted by Censuswide.
The findings, based on a survey of 100 UK marketers in organisations with up to 2,500 employees, highlight a growing disconnect between the scale of investment in CRM and organisations’ ability to define and implement the right use cases.
Global CRM spend is expected to exceed $159bn by 2030, representing the growing importance of the discipline within marketing. However, the report findings show many organisations are failing to unlock its full value. While many point to platform limitations as the root cause, the data indicates the issue is more fundamental, stemming from how CRM is structured and executed.
In fact, 56% of marketing leaders say their CRM strategy is not clearly defined, highlighting a fundamental lack of clarity around what CRM is meant to achieve.
This confusion is reflected in how success is measured. While many CRM strategies claim to be customer-centric, 71% of marketers rely on revenue-based metrics to assess performance, compared to just 43% who use customer-focused indicators such as retention or churn.
Without a clear vision – whether focused on acquisition, retention, loyalty or customer experience – CRM risks becoming a tactical channel rather than a strategic driver of growth. This lack of direction makes it difficult to align teams, prioritise investment and measure success effectively, the report maintains.
Even where ambition exists, organisations often lack the structure and resources to deliver. Four in ten (40%) marketing leaders say their team or operating model contains gaps that restrict CRM performance, while a further 8% report significant gaps in skills or capacity.
This creates a disconnect between what businesses want CRM to achieve and what they can realistically execute, with teams often constrained by limited capacity, competing priorities or a lack of specialist expertise.
These challenges ultimately surface in day-to-day delivery. Almost four in ten (39%) organisations report difficulties activating customer data effectively, pointing to a gap between insight and action.
In practice, fragmented systems, siloed teams and unclear ownership make it difficult to translate customer insight into timely, relevant engagement. As a result, CRM activity can become reactive and channel-led, rather than centred around the customer.
Technology is often the scapegoat for CRM failure, but these findings indicate a deeper systemic reality. True performance hinges on the intersection of strategic intent, organisational capability, and disciplined execution.
Flourish CRM managing partner Rich James said: “Across the businesses we analysed, the pattern is clear – CRM isn’t underperforming because of the technology, but because of how it’s being defined and delivered. Without a clear vision for what CRM is meant to achieve, it quickly becomes fragmented and reactive.”
Related stories
Miracle-Gro owner wants CRM to blossom with Flourish
PwC: Act now so that data and tech spend gets results
Decision Marketing at 15: Why data now rules the world
Decision Marketing at 15: How data sparked a revolution
Samsung Gulf hires new UK CRM agency with Flourish
Be the first to comment on "Brands being blindsided by lack of clear vision for CRM"