Glossary
Contact
A contact is a person or organization whose information is stored by a business.
Businesses use contacts to organize communication, manage relationships, and keep track of customers, leads, prospects, vendors, and other important people.
Quick Reference
Definition
A contact is an individual or organization whose information is stored within a business system. Contact records often include details such as a name, email address, phone number, company, mailing address, notes, tags, communication history, and other information that helps a business manage relationships over time.
Why This Term Matters
Contacts are one of the most valuable assets a business has. Every lead, customer, prospect, vendor, partner, or subscriber usually becomes a contact record. Keeping accurate contact information helps businesses communicate effectively, build stronger relationships, provide better customer service, and avoid losing important opportunities.
How It Works
Contact information can be collected through website forms, appointment scheduling, purchases, email subscriptions, referrals, networking events, phone calls, or manual entry. Once a contact is added to a CRM or contact management system, businesses can organize that information, track interactions, assign tags, automate follow-up, and view a complete history of the relationship.
Examples
- A visitor fills out a contact form requesting additional information about a service.
- A customer who purchases a product becomes a contact within the business's CRM.
- An email subscriber is added as a contact so the business can send newsletters and future updates.
Related Business Functions
Related Business Models
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a contact?
A contact is a person or organization whose information is stored by a business for communication, relationship management, sales, or customer support.
Is every contact a customer?
No. A contact may be a lead, prospect, customer, vendor, business partner, supplier, or anyone else the business communicates with.
What information is typically stored for a contact?
Businesses commonly store names, phone numbers, email addresses, company names, notes, communication history, tags, addresses, and other relevant information.
Why is contact management important?
Good contact management helps businesses stay organized, improve communication, provide better customer service, and build stronger long-term relationships.
Final Thoughts
Contacts form the foundation of customer relationship management. By organizing and maintaining accurate contact information, businesses can improve communication, strengthen customer relationships, and support marketing, sales, and customer service activities throughout the customer journey.