When organisations begin planning a new CRM, and have multiple data sources to content with, the first question they typically ask is which platform to choose. But that’s not the question that determines long-term success. The real starting point is much simpler, and far more important:
How will we get all of our data organised, unified, and accessible in one place?
A CRM is only as strong as the data that feeds it. Clean, consistent and centralised data drives everything from accurate reporting, to meaningful personalisation, to automations that actually work. Before choosing a platform, planning the migration, or designing any workflows, you need a clear strategy for how data will move from each data source, where it will live, and how it will be governed.
When handling multiple data sources, you need to consider the different types of data - for example a travel company may have multiple booking systems to integrate, but they may also have an ERP system to consider as well. Thinking about the relationship between these sources and what will be the source of truth is essential.
That strategy usually includes two key components:
Each plays a specific role, and choosing between them (or choosing both) defines how scalable your CRM will be in the future.
A CDP is purpose-built to unify customer data across all touchpoints—marketing, sales, product, and support—into a single, usable profile. For teams focused on customer experience, it becomes the engine for real-time segmentation and personalisation.
Key capabilities:
Real-time customer profiles across channels
Identity resolution and consent management
Behavioural tracking
Activation for marketing and CX without relying on IT
A CDP acts as the operational layer that keeps customer data actionable, accurate, and compliant.
You should use a CDP when:
✅ You need a real-time, unified customer view across channels
✅ Marketing or CX teams want to build and activate audiences independently
✅ Identity resolution, consent, or behavioural data are key parts of your strategy
✅ Your CRM can’t currently handle the depth or speed of customer data you require
A data warehouse centralises structured data from across the business. It’s the analytical backbone that enables deep reporting, modelling, and strategic decision-making.
Key capabilities:
Serves as the organisation's source of truth
Stores historical and cross-departmental data
Powers analytics, forecasting, and executive reporting
Designed for analysts, data teams and complex modelling
While a DWH may not be directly used day-to-day by marketers, it underpins their ability to measure performance accurately.
You should use a Data Warehouse when:
✅ You rely heavily on historical or financial data for reporting
✅ Your data originates from multiple departments and systems
✅ You need a single, governed source of truth for analytics
✅ You want future scalability, particularly with advanced modelling or AI
Many companies benefit from a hybrid model: a CDP for activation and a DWH for analytics.
A CRM should never be the first system you design—it should be the system that benefits from the thinking you do up front. Before selecting, configuring, or migrating into a CRM, consider the following.
What does the CRM need to do for your teams? Examples include:
Centralising customer communications
Improving sales forecasting
Supporting multi-brand or multi-region segmentation
Automating service processes
Your use cases determine whether you need a CDP, a DWH, or both.
CRM: system of engagement (where teams work)
CDP/DWH: systems of record (where the truth lives)
Knowing the distinction prevents duplication, data inconsistency, and “CRM clutter”.
Even if you start with a lean architecture, build foundations that can grow with additional systems, data sources or teams over time.
Define who owns data quality, who approves changes, and how data is cleaned and maintained. Good governance keeps every downstream system more efficient.
A CRM doesn’t succeed because it has the most features or the cleanest interface. It succeeds because the organisation planned its data infrastructure before implementation. When your data is unified, governed, and aligned to clear use cases, the CRM becomes a powerful engagement layer — not a dumping ground for inconsistent information.
Whether you invest in a CDP, a data warehouse, or both, the goal remains the same: create a reliable, scalable data foundation that unlocks personalisation, automation, and strategic insight.
If you need help mapping your data ecosystem or designing an architecture that scales with your organisation, we can walk you through the process. Contact us through the form below to see how we can help you with data, integrations and HubSpot CRM.