Welcome to 2025, the Year Work Gets Smarter Than Ever

This week on Funnel Frontier: Think you know what’s coming in 2025? Here’s how work as we know it will change for good.

This week:

• Say hello to 2025 and get a sneak peek at the future of work

Stat of the Week

97% of businesses that use a CRM system met or exceeded their sales goals in the past year, and only 3% fell short. Moreover, businesses that use a CRM are 86% more likely to exceed their sales goals than those that don’t. (CRM.org)

Say hello to 2025 and get a sneak peek at the future of work

Before we dive into anything serious and work-related, we want to wish you a Happy New Year! Thank you for reading and sticking with us in 2024—we appreciate having you here as part of the Funnel Frontier community.

As we all take a moment to relax, unwind, and ponder why holiday leftovers always taste better, it feels like the whole world has hit pause.

So, while there’s nothing major happening in CRMLand this week, why don’t we peek ahead and predict the trends that will shape CRM and CX this year?

Spoiler alert: it’s going to be AI running the show, emotionally intelligent avatars stealing the spotlight, and personalization finally making its grand entrance.

1. Agentic AI Takes the Spotlight

Generative AI paved the way, but agentic AI is taking the lead.

Agentic AI is stepping up as businesses learn how to work alongside AI agents. Paul O’Sullivan, CTO at Salesforce UKI, says it’s all about balancing flexibility and speed. With the right tools, companies will unlock AI’s real potential, building dream teams of humans and AI for next-level customer experiences.

2. AI Revolutionizes Customer Success

Meet everboarding: onboarding’s cooler, smarter cousin.

Say goodbye to clunky onboarding processes. With AI at their side, customer success teams will focus on “everboarding,” that is, using AI to enable ongoing education and helping customers fully adopt products long after onboarding. Jon Dick of HubSpot predicts that AI will not only speed up time-to-value but also help teams deliver results customers didn’t even know they wanted.

3. Great yet Affordable CRM for SMBs Becomes a Reality

Helping small businesses punch above their weight.

CRM isn’t just for the big fish anymore. Laura Grant of Blue Sky Solutions says SMBs can now tap into powerful CRM tools, thanks to user-friendly, low-code solutions. And with players like HubSpot Ventures pushing agentic AI into the SMB space, small businesses are getting a seat at the tech table.

4. Fully Automated Customer Service

Contact centers: from cost centers to profit powerhouses.

Barry Cooper of NICE sees a future where AI-driven automation handles most customer interactions. Think proactive support, faster resolutions, and even upselling opportunities—all while slashing operational costs. Contact centers won’t just solve problems; they’ll make money doing it.

5. AI Agents Form Digital Labor Forces

AI does the grunt work, humans do the strategy.

As labor shortages linger, AI agents will step up to handle Tier 1 tasks, leaving the tough stuff for humans. AI Agents will handle repetitive tasks, like initial customer inquiries, allowing human teams to focus on complex problem-solving. Alan Ranger from Cognigy advises businesses to look past the AI hype and invest in scalable, proven solutions to truly future-proof their operations.

6. AI Personal Assistants Go Mainstream

Your to-do list just got outsourced to AI.

From planning vacations to curating shopping lists, AI personal assistants will reshape how consumers get things done. Gopi Polavarapu of Kore.ai says these agents will deliver real-time, personalized recommendations, making everyday decisions smoother and smarter.

7. IoT Integration and Social CRM Rise

When your coffee machine knows you better than your barista.

Elvis Sun of PressPulse.ai predicts CRM systems syncing with IoT devices for real-time customer insights. IoT-connected CRMs will provide real-time customer data, while social CRM turns tweets and posts into actionable insights—all in one platform.

8. Emotionally Intelligent Avatars Redefine CX

Alexa, but make her empathetic.

Radi Hindawi of InMoment sees the rise of avatars that not only solve problems but also make customers feel more valued. Avatars will recognize frustration or excitement, responding empathetically to create human-like digital experiences that boost loyalty.

9. Advanced Emotion Metrics Shape Loyalty

Because sometimes, it’s how you say it.

AI will analyze tone, pace, and energy to craft empathetic responses, identifying at-risk customers and keeping them engaged. Dave Singer of Verint highlights the importance of using this data to create empathetic responses, keeping customers engaged and loyal.

10. Hyper-Personalization Becomes Reality

It’s not magic—it’s CPaaS.

Peter Bell of Twilio predicts real-time personalization powered by CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) tools. By combining communication channels and customer data, brands will finally crack the code on delivering the “just-for-me” experiences customers have been waiting for.

And there you have it—our predictions for CX and CRM in 2025. Which trend are you most excited to see unfold? 

Whatever your plans, we’re wishing you a bright and successful year ahead. Let’s make it one to remember!

The Week @ CRM.org

Free CRM. Yes, it exists, with caveats. Like free samples at Costco, these apps are no-commitment, but may just ignite those taste buds.

Top 10 CRM. It’s lonesome in the crowded field, so step into our cozy ten-vendor conversation pit (updated for 2025).

Weekly Bloom

Better User Onboarding 101. Good user onboarding is like a GPS for your product. If your users get lost in the first few minutes, they’ll probably never reach the preferred destination (i.e. your checkout page).

Galactic Gourmet

CRM blips from around the web

HubSpot Acquires Frame.ai, Supercharges Breeze. Frame.ai brings next-level data mining to HubSpot, turning unstructured info—like emails and feedback—into actionable insights. Expect smarter automation, sharper customer profiles, and better AI-driven decisions.

LinkedIn Unveils Companies Hub for Smarter B2B Marketing. Target, track, and tailor like never before. Companies Hub lets marketers analyze engagement, build audience segments, and measure ad impact—all in one place. Simplify campaigns, boost results.

Astronomical Assets

Significant Moves in the past 7 days

If you'd like weekly CRM news delivered to your inbox, subscribe to Funnel Frontier!

e