Custom CRM: when is it worth it for your business?

What does a CRM system do?

A CRM is the place where everything about your customers comes together. Who are they, what did we discuss, which quote is open, when do we need to call back? Without a CRM, that information is scattered across inboxes, phones, spreadsheets and people's heads. When someone goes on holiday or leaves, the knowledge is gone.

A good CRM makes sure everyone in your business has the same overview, that no enquiry is left lying around and that you can see where your revenue comes from.

Many small businesses start with a spreadsheet as their customer list. That works fine as long as you're on your own and it stays manageable. But as soon as several people work in it, you get duplicate rows, outdated data and questions like: who last spoke to this customer? That's when it's time for a proper system. Read more in replacing Excel with software.

A few signs you're ready for a CRM: enquiries get left lying around, quotes aren't followed up, you don't know exactly how much work is in the pipeline and new colleagues take a long time to get up to speed.

Off-the-shelf CRM or custom CRM?

There are plenty of off-the-shelf CRM packages, from simple to very extensive. For many businesses, such a package works fine, especially at the start. A custom CRM becomes interesting when you run into these limits:

• Your sales process doesn't fit the package's fixed steps.
• You need fields and data the package doesn't know about, such as vehicles, installations, locations or lesson packages.
• You want to connect the CRM to your own website, scheduling or customer portal, and that doesn't work well.
• You pay per user per month and that adds up quickly as you grow.
• Your team only uses a small part of the package and finds it too complicated.
• You want to keep your customer data under your own control.

You can read a detailed comparison of building versus renting in custom software or an off-the-shelf package.

Which features does a custom CRM need?

The advantage of custom work is that you only build what you use. Many businesses start with this foundation:

• Customers and contacts with your own fields.
• A timeline per customer with calls, emails, notes and documents.
• An overview of enquiries and quotes by stage, so you can see what's open.
• Tasks and reminders for follow-up.
• Roles and permissions: who can see and change what?
• Search and filters, for example by town, service or status.
• A simple dashboard with the numbers you care about.

After that you can expand with, for example, creating quotes from the CRM, a link to your accounting software or automatic emails after a certain step.

Integrations: the real strength of your own CRM

A CRM only becomes truly valuable when data flows in and out of it automatically. Think of:

• Enquiries through the form on your website land straight in the CRM as a new lead.
• A signed quote automatically becomes a job in your schedule.
• Invoices go through to your accounting software, without retyping.
• Appointments from your booking system appear in the customer's timeline.
• A customer sees their own data and documents in a portal.

Those integrations run through an API, a fixed way for systems to exchange data. Read more about smart integrations in automating processes in small businesses.

How to approach getting a CRM built

• Write down your current process, from first contact to invoice. Where does it go wrong or take time now?
• Gather the spreadsheets, lists and forms you currently use.
• Decide who will use the CRM and what each role needs to be able to do.
• Choose the core for the first version: usually customers, enquiries and follow-up.
• Have it built in stages and test each stage with the people who use it every day.
• Plan the move of your existing data. Clean it up first, otherwise you carry old duplicates and errors across.
• Give a short training session and agree who manages the CRM's content.

A common mistake is that the CRM gets built, but nobody really uses it. So involve your team from the start. If the CRM makes their work easier, they'll use it naturally.

Mind privacy too. A CRM holds personal data, so GDPR (AVG in Dutch) applies. Make sure you have good security, clear retention periods and hosting that complies with the rules. For legal questions, it's best to consult a lawyer.

How much does a custom CRM cost?

The cost depends on the number of features, user roles and integrations. A simple CRM with customers, enquiries and follow-up is much smaller than a system with quotes, scheduling, a portal and an accounting integration.

At Violexa, a custom web application such as a CRM starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project. Larger projects get a fixed price on paper upfront. After that you can choose a maintenance plan: Silver €179 (€217 incl. VAT), Gold €299 (€362 incl. VAT) or Platinum €699 (€846 incl. VAT) per month excl. VAT.

Compare that with an off-the-shelf package over three to five years, including all users, extra modules and the time your team currently loses to workarounds. Prices of off-the-shelf packages change regularly, so work with the current price.

Getting a custom CRM built at Violexa

We build CRM systems and other custom web applications in stages, with a fixed price upfront. We start with your process, not the technology. And if an off-the-shelf package with a few integrations is a better fit, we'll tell you. Read more under web applications and software.

Want to know whether your own CRM would pay off? Book the free quickscan: a 30-minute conversation, online or on site. Afterwards you get brief written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions