Bespoke CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

What is a bespoke CRM (customer relationship management) system?

A bespoke Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a custom built software solution designed specifically around the way your organisation manages customers, prospects, pipelines and leads. Unlike off-the-shelf CRM platforms, a bespoke CRM is tailored to your exact business requirements, processes and workflows. Rather than forcing your staff to conform to a set way of working, it provides only the features your organisation actually needs to help to improve efficiency, streamline operations and support better customer relationships.

What does a bespoke CRM system actually do?

In simple terms, a bespoke CRM system can do exactly what your business needs it to do, in the way that you need it to do it. Whilst most custom CRM solutions include a combination of core features such as contact and lead management, sales pipeline tracking, customer communication records, task management and reporting, the real advantage lies in their flexibility - you are not confined to any of this functionality and can add whatever you deem fit however nuanced or 'non-standard' that might be.

Benefits of a bespoke CRM system

They are fully customisable - Starting with the most obvious, one of the main benefits of a bespoke CRM is the level of customisation that can be applied. It is built to fit your unique processes, workflows and ambitions. Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, a custom CRM is built from the ground up to meet your exact needs.

They can be built to integrate - A bespoke CRM can be built to integrate with your existing software. Whether it’s ERP systems, ecommerce platforms, WFM systems or data solutions, your CRM can be designed in a way that allows it to communicate effortlessly with these systems. This creates cohesive workflows, bumps up operational efficiency and keeps your data consistent across the board. It can also protect your prior bespoke software investments by blending them into a multi-platform solution and thus, extending their lifecycle.

They can save you money - Bespoke CRM development may require a bigger upfront investment, but it can save you serious money in the long run. Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, your CRM will only have the features you need, removing costs for unnecessary functions and ongoing licensing fees. You will also have full control of your system so there are no restrictive contracts dictating usage, maintenance or price increases. You can also set up support arrangements separately for maximum flexibility.

They can scale with ease - As your business grows, shrinks or changes direction, a bespoke CRM can adapt with you. It can accommodate increasing data volumes, changing user numbers and new functionality without forcing you to pay a fortune for upgrades or full replacements. 

They offer better user experiences - Because a bespoke CRM is customised to your internal (and/or possibly your external users), it creates a better experience for everyone involved. This boosts user satisfaction, accelerates onboarding, improves adoption rates and raises productivity. 

They offer advantageous market positioning - A bespoke CRM can offer you a competitive edge through unique features not found in off-the-shelf solutions. For example, a bespoke customer health score tracker could analyse your users' combination of purchase history, interactions, support requests and engagement to identify when a customer may need attention before they even ask for it - not something easily replicated by off-the-shelf solutions. This can lead to stronger customer service, better satisfaction and increased loyalty.

They offer tailored reporting and analytics - You can choose customised reporting and analytics for your CRM, which will deliver the insights and metrics that matter to your business only.

They can incorporate security and compliance - Your bespoke CRM can be built with the security measures and compliance features necessary to meet any relevant industry standards and regulations. This is particularly useful if you are in a regulated industry or have certifications you need to keep on top of that involve data compliance and/or security.

Bespoke vs off-the-shelf CRM: A comparison

Whilst we have a separate page that explores the key differences between off-the-shelf and bespoke CRMs in detail, below is a high level overview of what they both offer.

Common myths about bespoke CRMs

When businesses consider a custom CRM, there a number of misconceptions floating around, some of which may have already put you off exploring bespoke solutions -

• “It’s too expensive for SMEs.”
  In reality, bespoke CRMs can be designed to fit almost any budget. SMEs often benefit most since even small efficiency gains can have a huge impact. It is also worth remembering that a custom system can be designed in phases, allowing you to spread the cost.

• “It takes forever to build.”
  Whilst large enterprise systems can take months or even years, bespoke CRMs can be developed in phases. You can start with core features and add more over time at a pace that suits your specific business meaning you could have the core components of your custom CRM within weeks with the 'nice to haves' coming a bit later.

• “It’s harder to use than off-the-shelf CRMs.”
  Actually, it’s the opposite. A bespoke CRM is built around your existing processes, which makes it automatically familiar for your team and therefore, much easier to pick up.

• “It will be difficult to change in the future.”This simply isn't true. Bespoke software - CRMs included - are built on the assumption that there is always going to be future development. That means adding additional functionality, integrations and workflows have already been accounted for in the underlying infrastructure of the CRM, making it much easier than trying to get an off-the-shelf vendor to make changes.

Use cases for bespoke CRM software

There are a wide variety of reasons as to why you might choose a bespoke CRM over an off-the-shelf alternative. Here, we will take a look at some real world scenarios where a custom CRM is the only logical option:

Your sales process is anything but standard

Your leads, opportunities or customers move through specific stages that fall outside the ‘typical’ CRM logic offered by generic, off-the-shelf solutions. Perhaps your process includes additional stages such as technical assessments, internal approvals or complex, multi-step workflows that simply don’t fit into a standard CRM pipeline.

You need your CRM to connect to multiple existing systems

Whilst many off-the-shelf CRMs offer integration capabilities with other well known off-the-shelf software, if you need deeper integrations outside of the parameters already established or to connect with existing bespoke solutions, off-the-shelf options probably won't cut the mustard.

Different departments need completely different workflows

If you plan to have multiple different departments using the CRM to interact with the same customers - sales, customer service, account management and support, for example - but they all need different functionality, permissions and views, bespoke is probably going to be the better (or only) option.

Your CRM needs to trigger operational processes

If you need your CRM to trigger other operational processes - winning a deal might automatically create a project, schedule work, generate documents, allocate resources or kick-start another internal workflow, for example - this is probably going to be a job for bespoke.

The customer experience is a competitive differentiator

If you're aiming to provide your customers with an experience like no other, off-the-shelf solutions aren't going to be much help. For example, you might want your CRM to automatically recognise a returning customer, identify everything they've previously purchased and prompt your team with personalised recommendations or actions before they even pick up the phone. A bespoke CRM allows you to create these kinds of highly specific experiences around exactly how your business serves its customers.

How can we help?

At Cool Code Company, we are proud to be the trusted development partner for many small and medium enterprises. Our experienced software developers have created a variety of CRM platforms, including custom built solutions for long term clients, including Westermans International, as well as integrated systems combining existing pieces of software. We are committed to delivering exceptional customer satisfaction, every time. Whatever your CRM needs, we are here to help.

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