Zero-CRM: Is There a Future Without CRMs?

The Evolution of CRM and Its Challenges

CRMs have long been the backbone of revenue operations, promising a centralized database, streamlined workflows, and improved customer relationships. However, as go-to-market strategies have evolved, many RevOps professionals question whether traditional CRMs are still a fit.

In this discussion, Matthew Volm, CEO of RevOps Co-op, is joined by Mallory Lee, VP of RevOps at PhoneBurner, and Vlad Voskresensky, CEO & Co-founder of Revenue Grid, to debate the idea of a "Zero-CRM" future.

The Failed Promises of CRMs

What CRMs Were Meant to Do

When CRMs were first introduced in the early ’90s, the vision was clear: sales teams needed a way to retain customer data instead of losing it when reps moved on. The promise was simple:

• A single source of truth for customer data
• A tool to foster better customer relationships
• A way to increase sales efficiency through automation

At its core, the CRM was designed as a database for managers, ensuring they had visibility into pipeline health and deal progression.

‍Where CRMs Fell Short

‍Despite these promises, CRMs have failed in key areas:

• A burden on sales teams – Reps spend more time updating CRM records than actually selling.
• Static, outdated data – Many companies still rely on manual data entry, making information unreliable.
• Disjointed tech stacks – Companies struggle to integrate product usage data and other key insights into their CRM.
• Lack of actionability – CRMs primarily serve as a reporting tool rather than a proactive assistant.

“CRMs were meant to be a self-sufficient, dynamic tool. Instead, they’ve become glorified databases.” – Vlad Voskresensky

For a deeper dive into common pitfalls, check out our blog post on tech stack fails and how to fix them.

‍How the Role of CRM Is Changing

A Shift From Sales Management to Sales Enablement

‍Companies need their technology stack to enable sellers rather than manage them as they scale—traditional CRMs force sales teams to follow rigid processes, creating inefficiencies.

“The reality is that CRMs function more like an accounting system than a sales tool.” – Vlad Voskresensky

Real-World CRM Challenges

• Outdated pipeline management – Sales forecasting relies on manual data entry, making it unreliable.
• Disjointed customer insights – Product usage, intent signals, and engagement data often live outside the CRM.
• Rigid workflows – CRMs don’t dynamically adjust based on deal risk, engagement, or real-time activity.

Mallory Lee shared her recent experience at PhoneBurner, where she led a full-fledged CRM evaluation. The goal? To find a system that could integrate real-time product usage data into the sales workflow—a gap legacy CRMs struggle to fill.

Check out our article on improving forecasts for insights on optimizing sales processes.

‍The Case for a Zero-CRM Framework

What “Zero-CRM” Really Means

‍"Zero-CRM" isn't about eliminating CRMs—it's about reimagining them as part of a broader ecosystem. A modern sales enablement system should:

• Automate data entry instead of relying on reps to log every touchpoint manually.
• Proactively surface insights based on customer engagement, rather than serving as a static database.
• Act as an assistant, guiding sales reps on what actions to take next.

“We need to move from a rearview mirror to a forward-facing windshield.” – Vlad Voskresensky

Explore our article: The CRM is not a sales tool for strategies to enhance sales efficiency.

‍AI’s Role in the Future of CRM

‍AI-powered sales tools are already beginning to take over manual CRM tasks, such as:

• Auto-populating deal records based on email and call activity
• Analyzing deal health and providing next-step recommendations
• Automatically tracking engagement and surfacing risk signals

By embedding AI-driven insights directly into the sales workflow, the next generation of CRM won’t just report what happened—it will actively guide revenue teams on what to do next.

For a comprehensive look at AI's impact on RevOps, download our a comprehensive look at AI's impact on RevOps, download The Rise of AI in RevOps: 5 Key Trends.

‍What Comes Next?

‍While CRMs aren’t disappearing overnight, the shift is clear: modern RevOps teams need more than just a database. Instead of forcing sales teams to work around outdated CRM models, businesses should:

• Invest in AI-driven sales assistants that automate data entry and deal management.
• Consolidate fragmented data sources into a seamless revenue intelligence platform.
• Focus on actionability—a CRM should enable sellers rather than just track them.

Check out our article on how to build out your CRM to survive a “Zero CRM” future for more insights on modernizing your revenue operations.

Looking for more insights on the future of RevOps? Join the RevOps Co-op to stay ahead of the curve.