Is your relationship with constituent relationship management (CRM) system is getting stale? Chances are, it might be, and those new features you were so excited about a few years ago might seem fairly lackluster today. Perhaps your eye is beginning to wonder and you are starting to think about the future. You might even be asking yourself “is this subscription really providing me everything I need?” To fully answer that question, you need a peak into the future.

AMT Lab has spent considerable amount of time talking about CRMs since they began transitioning into the cloud by delving into the features of popular options and discussing particular cases of their effective use within organizations:

·         What Is The Cloud And Why Should My Arts Organization Use It?

·         Podcast Episode #73 - Overview of PatronManager CRM with Gene Carr

·         Artful.Ly Unchained: Have Nano-Nonprofits Found The CRM Of Their Dreams?

·         #TBT: Database Systems in the Arts

Today, your organization might be happily taking advantage of these products and using the features they currently offer. However, your organization may need what I will discuss about the additional emerging CRM features sooner than you think.

Bots

Imagine a day when a potential ticket buyer who has abandoned an order gets a chat message from a theater sales rep. After the conversing online, the customer is able to complete the purchase entirely through the chat. This conversation would be powered through an artificially intelligent chat bot.

Click here for more information on chat bots. 

Statistical Models

Consider the power to predict with relative accuracy about which of your buyers will most likely buy a ticket to your next production and what their price points are. Marketing departments will be strongly empowered by using advanced statistical tools before the start of each production that provides a rank of which constituents are the most likely to attend a particular production. These educated guesses, or statistical models, would get better as web site links are click and tickets are bought. Nonprofits are already using these tools in fundraising and with better technology, they can be used in other areas of an organization.

But How?

Both of these emerging possibilities are powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. Chat bots are becoming increasingly deployed by different types of companies and further integrated into popular services like Facebook messenger. Models are being used in political campaigns and large companies to predict not only behavior but also beliefs.

As I continue my research, I will explain these two facets more deeply and the factors driving their development. Additionally, I will explore how developments in artificial intelligence will prioritize better website integration as a feature of future CRMs and how they are currently being integrated into the features of a content management system.