CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

sharing, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data is associated with an opportunity; and

providing at least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes one or more contacts associated with the opportunity.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes at least one status associated with the opportunity.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the at least one status associated with the opportunity includes at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein providing at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes providing one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the one or more updates are provided dynamically.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication from the second computing device that the opportunity is added to the instant messaging application client, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided in response to receiving the indication.

8 . A computing system including a processor and a memory configured to perform operations comprising:

sharing, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data is associated with an opportunity; and

providing at least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client.

9 . The computing system of claim 8 wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes one or more contacts associated with the opportunity.

10 . The computing system of claim 8 wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes at least one status associated with the opportunity.

11 . The computing system of claim 10 wherein the at least one status associated with the opportunity includes at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity.

12 . The computing system of claim 8 wherein providing at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes providing one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data.

13 . The computing system of claim 12 wherein the one or more updates are provided dynamically.

14 . A computer program product residing on a computer readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

sharing, via a first computing device, customer relationship management opportunity data between a customer relationship management application and an instant messaging application, wherein the customer relationship management opportunity data is associated with an opportunity; and

providing at least a portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data to an instant messaging application client executed by a second computing device, the instant messaging application client associated with the instant messaging application, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided for user access at the second computing device via the instant messaging application client.

15 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes one or more contacts associated with the opportunity.

16 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes at least one status associated with the opportunity.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the at least one status associated with the opportunity includes at least one sale stage associated with the opportunity.

18 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein providing at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data includes providing one or more updates associated with the customer relationship management opportunity data.

19 . The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the one or more updates are provided dynamically.

20 . The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising receiving an indication from the second computing device that the opportunity is added to the instant messaging application client, wherein at least the portion of the customer relationship management opportunity data is provided in response to receiving the indication.