Service · Custom software · CRM
A custom CRM, when off-the-shelf tools don't fit the way you sell
A custom CRM is a tool for tracking clients and sales built around your own stages, your own words and your other software. Before building one, I check with you that an off-the-shelf CRM isn't enough. If custom makes sense, I build it in 2-week sprints, with a demo at the end of each one.
Free 30-minute call. Reply within one business day.
| Client | Stage | Next step | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery A. | Site visit done | Send quote | Today |
| Law firm B. | Quote sent | Follow up day 7 | Thursday |
| Auto shop C. | Quote signed | Deposit received | Won |
The signs
Is your current CRM holding you back?
- 01
The team gave up on the CRM for a spreadsheet.
Too many useless fields, stages that don't match your business. So the real information lives somewhere else.
- 02
The stage that sets you apart is missing.
Site survey, samples, sign-off by an engineer: the CRM can't track it, so it gets handled on the side.
- 03
The CRM doesn't talk to your other tools.
Quotes, invoices, scheduling, inventory: everything gets copied by hand, and the numbers never match.
Before you start
Off-the-shelf or custom CRM?
In many cases, a well-configured off-the-shelf CRM connected to your tools is enough. If that's your case, I'll tell you on the call.
Custom makes sense if
- your sales stages are specific, and that's where you win clients;
- the CRM must connect to a business tool with no connector (scheduling, inventory, production);
- you want one tool instead of a CRM plus three spreadsheets around it;
- you want control over your data and over what gets built next.
No need for custom if
- your sales cycle is standard: contact, meeting, quote, signature;
- you can adapt your habits to the tool without losing what sets you apart;
- connectors exist for your other software;
- only a few people use it and the subscription stays reasonable.
| Criteria | Off-the-shelf CRM | Off-the-shelf CRM + automations | Custom CRM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Immediate | Usually 1 to 2 weeks per automation | Several 2-week sprints |
| Your sales stages | The vendor's, more or less configurable | The vendor's, with repetitive tasks removed | Yours, in your words |
| Links to your tools | Existing connectors | Connectors plus n8n or Make workflows | Built for your tools |
| Cost | Subscription, often per user | Subscription, plus building the automations | Fixed-price build, then hosting |
| Ownership | Vendor's tool, data exportable | Vendor's tool, workflows are yours | Code and data are yours, once the invoice is paid |
The middle column is often the right answer: keep a well-known CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive or another) and remove the copy-pasting with automation.
Example screen
What does a custom client record look like?
Everything about one client on a single screen: where they are, what was done, what's left, and the related documents. The fields are yours, not a vendor's.
Fictional example: company, names and amounts are made up.
Auto shop C. Quote signed
- Request received from the website formOct 2
- Site visit, notes and photos addedOct 6
- Quote sent, generated from the recordOct 7
- Quote signed, deposit invoice createdOct 14
- Job to schedule with the teamnext
What I build
What goes into a custom CRM?
I start with the screen you'll open every morning. The rest comes sprint after sprint, based on what actually helps you.
- 01
Client and contact records
With your own fields, without fifty useless ones. Duplicates caught at entry.
- 02
Sales tracking by your stages
List or board view, with the real stages of your business and the next step for every deal.
- 03
Follow-ups and tasks
Automatic reminders when a quote gets no reply, tasks assigned to the right person.
- 04
Quotes, invoices and documents
Connected to your invoicing software instead of retyped. Each client's documents live in their record.
- 05
Role-based access
Sales reps see their deals, management sees everything, the workshop sees what it has to prepare.
- 06
Dashboard
Leads, open quotes, win rate, revenue signed this month: figures calculated from the records, always up to date.
How it works
How does custom CRM development work?
Several 2-week sprints. How many depends on the screens and connections, and it's set in the quote.
30 min · free
Call
You show me your current CRM or spreadsheets. Together, we check whether custom really makes sense.
free
Mockup
I mock up the home screen and the client record, based on your real stages.
2nd meeting
Demo
You walk through the mockup with your usual cases. We adjust stages, fields and who sees what.
fixed price
Quote
Screens, roles, connections, data import, sprint breakdown and a fixed price.
2-week sprints
Build
Each sprint ends with a demo on a live version that your team tests.
launch meeting
Launch
Your existing data imported, team onboarding, code, access and documentation handed over.
FAQ
Custom CRM: your questions
How much does a custom CRM cost?
It depends on the number of screens, user roles and connections to your tools. The fixed-price quote comes at the end of the demo of your free mockup, broken down sprint by sprint. After that, you pay for hosting, not a per-user subscription.
Can you import data from another CRM or from Excel?
Yes, as long as it can be exported, which most CRMs and every spreadsheet allow. The import is included in the quote: I clean up duplicates and show you the result before launch.
Why not just use HubSpot or Pipedrive?
That's often the right answer, and I'll tell you if it's yours. Custom makes sense when your sales stages are specific, when the CRM must talk to a business tool with no connector, or when you want one tool instead of several.
Who owns the CRM and the data?
You do, once the invoice is paid: the source code, access, files and documentation. The database and hosting are on your accounts, in the region you choose when the service allows it.
Will the CRM work on a phone?
Yes, in the phone's browser, with nothing to install. The screens are designed to be used between two meetings, not only at a desk.
Who handles fixes after launch?
Maintenance is a 6-month monthly plan, which can be extended, and the first month is free. During the plan, every defect found, one or several, gets fixed.
First step
Let's talk about what eats up your time
Thirty minutes on a video call. You walk me through how your business runs, and I tell you what could be simpler, roughly what it would cost, and what I would leave alone if I were you.
- Free, no commitment
- Reply within one business day
- A written summary after the call