IT contractors with a knowledge of CRM could find new work in the nearby future, as this sector is set to grow in importance during 2010.

Joshua Weinberger, managing editor of CRM magazine, claimed that this sector has performed well due to companies' awareness of the importance of retaining their customer base.

He stated that CRM involved a large number of different components including people and technology, which could require an IT contractor to supervise.

Key problems that consultants are presented with when they are brought in to examine these systems is that they involve every aspect of the company, he asserted.

Mr Weinberger added: "The more encompassing the strategy, the more able the CRM system is to knock down those dreaded departmental silos everyone claims they're ready to do away with."

Recent research by Gartner has predicted that CRM will exhibit growth of 0.7 per cent this year, with growth areas that IT contractors should keep an eye on including software-as-a-service, ecommerce and analytics.