If you are looking at a way to better manage and organise your systems, processes and customer data then a new CRM system could be for you. To know whether you need one, it’s important to know what it is! A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system helps you manage your customer’s data.
You may be looking for a new tool to help better sell to your prospective customers and track the sales process, or you may need to replace a spreadsheet/email system to streamline your communications. Whatever your goals, if you are looking to find a better way to communicate with customers (both current and prospective) then a CRM system may well be able to help.
So what are some of the key features of a CRM system built specifically for you? Well one of the key benefits of building a custom CRM are the wide range of features that you can choose to include. Because you are not tied to any pre-existing features you are free to have a system built to absolutely fit your specific needs, requirements and processes. If this is your first time thinking about how a system like this could help power your business, then read our article about how to build a web system. Here are a few examples of features we have utilised in bespoke CRM systems:
A key benefit to using a bespoke CRM system is that you have the ability to tailor the layout and functionality of the calendar to exactly the way you want it work. An off the shelf CRM on the other hand will usually have generic features and formatting, potentially leaving you with a workaround that does not fit your process and work as efficiently for you as it should.
When entering client/customer information into your CRM system, a custom system allows you to have only the relevant fields of data and information. Conversely with a CRM which is off the shelf, you are often tied to the fields you are provided with. Not only does that mean you don’t always have the ability to specify what fields you want, but you can be left with lots of empty fields that may or may not be required. This can be a problem as your business grows and you have new administrators using the system who don’t understand the intricacies and workarounds of a platform that has not been tailored to your exact requirements in the same way.
If a key feature of your business is having scheduled tasks (such as sending automated emails), then a bespoke CRM will give much more flexibility and control over when and how these are run. Because these features are built from the ground up you have total control over how they look and function.
Often a key goal with any CRM system is to have a range of reports at your fingertips that can be generated quickly and efficiently. Whether this helps to track team performance, the schedule of an individual or simply how much revenue you make from each customer, one of the advantages of a custom CRM system is that you can have custom report formats developed to work however you need providing the data is collected in the first place. This is not always possible with off the shelf “report builder” functions.
On the face of it, an off the shelf system would often be seen as cheaper than a bespoke CRM and although this is still usually the case, it’s not as clear cut as you may think and spread over a longer period, depending on how the system charges you may find yourself paying more for a ready made platform as your team grows.
Although the initial cost of an off the shelf system is likely to be less than a platform built specifically for you, once the custom CRM is built, unless you look at upgrading features, you will then likely pay the same amount to host and support the system regardless of how many users you have. With an off the shelf system you are often paying by the user so you could end with an ever growing monthly bill to cover all of your team members.
There are also R&D tax credits which we will discuss later in the document which often means a saving on a bespoke CRM. Having said all of that, a ready made CRM is still on balance likely to be cheaper and certainly with a lower set-up cost.
Advantage: Off the shelf, but not by as much as you would think!
This is where an off the shelf platform is a clear winner. If you need a new CRM system deployed quickly then a piece of software which already exists and can be adapted to work for your business is always going to be much faster to roll out than a system developed from scratch where individual features need to be built and tested. Generally speaking however, if you plan well then this shouldn’t factor in as although important, your business should never be in a position where you need a new CRM so urgently that you can’t wait for at least the core features of a custom platform to be built.
Advantage: Off the shelf
Again there is a clear winner here. When having a bespoke CRM built for you the primary benefit is the level of flexibility you have to build new features, tailored to your exact requirements so not only can you build a wide range of functionality but you will also benefit from the ability to add whatever features you need as your business scales and evolves.
Conversely if you are using a system that has ready made features and is not built for you, then you are limited to the functionality you are provided with and although sometimes new features and releases will be made, you have nowhere near the same level of control you would have going down the tailored route.
Advantage: Bespoke
Most off the shelf platforms will give you the opportunity for a free trial before you purchase. This can be an advantage as you can get to see the system in action before committing to using it. This can sometimes leave you more confused however as you usually have to find your way round the system and don’t get the same onboarding you would if you purchased the system. This can lead to not really getting a true representation of the software.
Advantage: Off the shelf (although you don’t always get a true representation of the technology)
There is almost no question, based on our experience that there is a potential to get a much greater benefit out of a bespoke CRM. If you have the time to invest in a custom CRM you will almost certainly get the maximum benefit from the system as it will be tailored to exactly as you need in exactly the way you need it to. No matter how well engineered an off the shelf system is, you just won’t get the same level of control.
Advantage: Bespoke
Lots of businesses won’t think about this but when using an off the shelf platform, you are completely tied to that business. Do you rely heavily on your CRM system? Would you be really stuck without it? If your CRM provider suddenly stop trading then you could be really stuck – either with a completely unsupported platform or with no platform at all, depending on the set-up of the provider. If you are a business that relies heavily on your CRM this is potentially a risky position to be in.
Conversely, the way we work with a CRM developed specifically for you is that you, the client has ultimate ownership of the system and as we build using the highly flexibly PHP programming language, a client will always be able to access and move the platform to another provider should they need. As long as they find a competent PHP development team, they would still be able to have their CRM extended and evolved as required.
Advantage: Bespoke
So which is better? A bespoke CRM or an off the shelf alternative? It does come down to a number of different factors, but the most important is time. If you have the time to be able to implement a custom CRM then you are much better doing this as the administrative time and efficiencies within your business that come from having a system custom built from you would be the most significant benefit you can get for your CRM.
It also does depend on your needs and if you don’t have a hugely complex process then already built software can sometimes be easily and quickly implemented and give you everything you need out of a CRM system.
When it comes to deciding what you want to get out of your CRM system, it is often best to initially think in terms of business requirements and objectives, and functionality can filter down there. If, for example a key business objective is to have greater depth of analysis on the conversion rate value of all your clients, then you know tracking conversion rate and subsequent reporting that allows you to instantly get this figure easily every month will be important functionality to include.
Trying to think of all the features you need within your CRM and listing these down from the word go can be an almost impossible exercise and as a system like this should be constantly evolving, we tend to recommend a constant iterative approach to CRM development. With this approach, you would think about all key features that are needed to offer a good core of functionality, and this would be your first phase of development. Once completed and live, if working with us on the project, we would then continue to evolve the system with new features then being added as required.
So when scoping out development for your CRM system, keep it simple to start with, build a solid core and then continue to evolve the platform from there.
Although not the sole reason to develop a custom CRM system, an added bonus is that your project is likely to enable you to claim R&D tax credits. Although not an area we specialise in, we have a partner we work closely with on this and are very used to helping provide the technical knowledge and information that back-up a claim.
We have worked with many clients who have had successful R&D claims and it has been described as the ‘cherry on top’ of the cake of the benefits enjoyed as a result of a fully bespoke CRM system.
If you are considering a new CRM for your business or just thinking that perhaps there is a more efficient way to store your data and manage your operations, then we can help. We will always discuss your current set-up and what the longer term plans for your business are so we can be sure we’re recommending the most appropriate solution for you.
It may be that the best option for your business is not actually the custom route as there is already a good off the shelf platform that will adequately serve your needs or is so specific to your industry that it does everything you need it to do. This is often an early discussion we can have with you to establish the best route forward.
If a bespoke system is needed, we can then offer consultancy and insights in the early stages to make sure you are building the best possible system and also ensure all features are technically possible.
Studio44 have been developing bespoke CRM systems for many years and have worked on many successful projects in that time. If you are looking at a new bespoke CRM system and don’t quite know where to start then get in touch, we would love to talk through options with you and see if we can help!
Insights & resources
The hardest part of commissioning a new CRM is rarely the budget. It is the unknown. Between saying yes and logging in for the first time, what actually happens? Who needs to be involved? How much time will it take from your team? Most businesses have never done this before, and a vague process is often what puts them off.
Studio44 InsightsSome businesses do not just need a system. They need a document. A Legionella risk assessment, for example, can produce a finished report running to around eighty pages, covering every outlet, reading, photograph and recommendation, formatted precisely enough to stand up to scrutiny from a client, an auditor or a regulator. Producing that by hand, assembling photos, readings and narrative into a polished PDF, is slow, repetitive and exactly the kind of work software should do instead of a person.
Studio44 InsightsEstate planning is a business built on trust, paperwork and timing. Each client has a story, a set of documents and a series of deadlines. A single case can involve first calls, fact finding meetings, drafted documents, signing appointments, safe storage and later reviews. When all of that is spread across inboxes, spreadsheets, phone notes and shared drives, things get missed, and in a sector where accuracy matters, that is a real risk.
Studio44 InsightsAsk most insurance businesses how a quote becomes a live policy and you will hear a familiar story. A quote is drafted in one tool and emailed across for approval. Once accepted, the policy documents are built somewhere else entirely. Renewal dates sit in a spreadsheet, checked manually, if someone remembers to check. Nothing is technically broken, but nothing is connected either, and that gap is where mistakes, missed renewals and slow turnaround times creep in.
Studio44 Insights