Act!

About Act!

The Story Behind Act! CRM

Act! has one of the longest and most influential histories in the CRM market. From its 1988 origins to modern cloud-based releases, the platform has evolved continuously across technologies, ownership, and business models.

What is
Act! Advantage

Act! Advantage is the ultimate front-office solution for businesses that want more than just a CRM. It’s a fully integrated platform that brings marketing, sales, and customer management together in one smart, seamless system.

With Act! Advantage, you can:

  • Manage relationships with precision using a robust CRM that centralizes contacts, histories, and insights.
  • Drive engagement with powerful marketing automation, including high-volume email campaigns, dynamic nurture sequences, and real-time response tracking.
  • Capture and convert leads effortlessly through interactive web forms, surveys, and event management tools that feed directly into your pipeline.
  • Accelerate sales with built-in quoting tools, online appointment scheduling, and automated follow-ups that keep deals moving.
  • Stay compliant and confident with integrated email verification and regulatory safeguards.
  • Work smarter, not harder with a trusted cloud-based system that unifies all your marketing and sales efforts—accessible anywhere, anytime.

Act! Advantage doesn’t just help you communicate—it helps you capitalize. Every feature is designed to turn interest into action and action into revenue, giving you the clarity, control, and confidence to grow without limits.

The History of Act! CRM

The Birth of CRM (1986–1987)

In 1986, Pat Sullivan and Mike Muhney founded Conductor Software in Dallas, Texas. Their vision? A digital Rolodex to streamline customer interactions. By April 1987, their first product—Activity Control Technology, later renamed Automated Contact Tracking (ACT!)—launched, pioneering what would evolve into modern CRM. 


Growth Through Innovation and Expansion (1990s–2001)

Throughout the early ’90s, ACT! grew in popularity for its ease of use. In 1993, the company—by then known as Contact Software International—was acquired by Symantec. By 1999, ACT! changed hands again, this time to SalesLogix (later Interact Commerce), setting the stage for its next phase.

In 2001, The Sage Group purchased Interact Commerce, bringing ACT! into the Sage family and modernizing the product with a refreshed Windows UI and robust database migration under the branding ACT! by Sage. 

Modernization and Corporate Transitions (2006–2013)

By 2006, Sage had officially rechristened the product ACT! by Sage, later shortening it to Sage ACT! in 2010. A major technical overhaul accompanied Sage’s stewardship: the migration from FoxPro/DBF to a powerful SQL-based architecture, significantly enhancing scalability. 

In 2013, ACT! transitioned once more when Swiftpage—a former Sage partner—acquired it, dropping the “Sage” prefix and rebranding simply as Act!.


Embracing the Cloud and Subscription Era (2015–2018)

In 2015, Act! embraced the subscription model, joining the mainstream CRM ecosystem by offering cloud access and more flexible licensing. In 2018, SFW Advisors acquired Swiftpage (Act!), adding Kuvana, a marketing automation solution, to enrich features under the Act! Marketing Automation banner. 


Expansion and Innovation (2019–Present)

Since 2019, Act! has ramped up its innovation:

  • Introduced Marketing Automation tools and Insights Reporting, along with Zapier integration. 
  • Released Act! Premium Cloud in 2021—a robust, multi-tenant SaaS platform with streamlined account management. 
  • Enhanced mobile access, added SMS integrations in 2023, and launched AI-powered content tools by 2024. 
  • In 2025, the Act! Advantage front-office suite debuted, unifying marketing, sales, and service capabilities into a seamless platform. 


Leadership & Recognition

Act! is now co-headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, and Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, and continues to grow under CEO Bruce Reading, appointed in March 2023. Having maintained its legacy for nearly four decades, Act! supports thousands of small and mid-sized businesses with a comprehensive CRM ecosystem, blending sales, marketing, and customer service functionalities into one platform. 

From its humble beginnings as a simple contact manager in a 10 × 10 office to today’s intelligent, all-in-one CRM powerhouse, Act! CRM continues to evolve—serving its mission to help businesses build meaningful, lasting customer relationships.