CRM setup and integration that puts every enquiry, conversation and invoice on one customer record

Most businesses should start with an off-the-shelf CRM such as HubSpot, Zoho CRM or Pipedrive, configured properly and connected to their channels. Packaged platforms already include mobile apps, email sync and reporting, so you pay licences rather than development. A custom CRM makes sense when your process is unusual, when per-user licences become expensive across a large team, when data must stay in your own cloud account, or when the CRM is part of a wider platform. We compare both against your requirements and explain the reasoning in writing.

We work with established platforms such as HubSpot, Zoho CRM and Pipedrive, and with any CRM that offers a documented API and webhooks. Before recommending one, we check what each plan tier actually includes, because some vendors reserve API access, custom objects or workflow automation for higher tiers, which changes the real cost. Where built-in automation is limited, we add n8n workflows or a small integration service alongside the CRM. If you already have one, we normally audit and reconfigure it before suggesting a move.

Not always. If one person handles every enquiry and follows up reliably, the WhatsApp Business app and a well-kept spreadsheet can be enough for now. A CRM becomes worth it when several people share leads, when you cannot tell who replied to whom, when a staff member leaving would take customer history with them, or when managers need pipeline figures without asking. The WhatsApp Business app is built for a small number of linked devices, so growing teams usually move to the WhatsApp Business Platform connected to a CRM.

Yes, by connecting a business number through the official WhatsApp Business Platform to a shared inbox inside or alongside your CRM. Several staff reply from the same number, each chat is assigned to an owner, every message is logged on the contact record and conversations are reassigned when someone is away or leaves. Chats already on personal phones do not move across automatically, so we agree a cutover date and point customers to the business number. Messages sent outside the customer service window need templates approved by Meta.

Define each pipeline stage by something that has verifiably happened, not by how hopeful the salesperson feels. For example, a deal reaches Qualified only when budget, timing and the decision-maker are recorded, and Proposal Sent only when a quote is attached. We keep the number of stages small, add required fields only where managers act on them, and set a time limit after which a stalled deal raises a task. Separate pipelines are worth having only when sales motions genuinely differ, such as new business and renewals.

We migrate in stages, starting with a field-by-field map from each source to the new CRM. The data is then cleaned: phone numbers converted to one international format, emails validated, duplicates merged by matching rules and owners assigned. A trial import goes into a test account or sandbox so your team can check real records. Once approved, we run the final import at an agreed cutover, retire the old sources and keep an archive copy in case questions come up later.

Yes, and fixing an existing CRM is often quicker and cheaper than switching. We start with an audit covering fields nobody fills in, automations that fail silently, duplicate records, missing integrations and permissions that are too broad or too narrow. You receive a written list of fixes ranked by effort and impact, then we clean the data, simplify the pipeline and reconnect the channels that matter. We recommend a new platform only when the current one cannot support your process at a sensible licence cost.

Yes. We connect the CRM to your billing or accounting system so invoice and payment status appear on the customer and deal record. Won deals can create a draft invoice, and payment events from Stripe or your accounting software update the CRM shortly after they happen. Each field has a single owner: finance data is edited in the finance system and only displayed in the CRM, which avoids two versions of the truth. Overdue invoices can also create tasks for the account owner.

You get a team to use a CRM by making it easier than the old way, so we design for less typing from the start. Leads arrive automatically, WhatsApp and email conversations log themselves, and required fields are limited to what managers genuinely act on. Each role gets a short training session and a written guide, and we stay close during the first weeks to remove friction quickly. Once managers run pipeline meetings from CRM dashboards instead of spreadsheets, the rest of the team tends to follow.

Only the people whose role needs them, through role-based permissions we design with you. Salespeople can be limited to their own accounts or territory, sensitive fields such as national ID numbers can be hidden from most roles, and bulk exports can be restricted to named managers with each export logged. We record consent and marketing preferences on each contact, set up a process for access and deletion requests and agree retention rules, all built with UK GDPR in mind and adaptable to your own compliance requirements.

Yes, AI helps most in a CRM when it saves reading and typing while people keep making the decisions. Typical uses are summarising long WhatsApp or email threads into a short note, classifying new enquiries by product and urgency, extracting details such as budget or location, and drafting follow-up messages for a salesperson to approve. We send a model only the fields a task needs, choose API terms under which your data is not used for training, and log every AI-generated change.

Timelines typically depend on the number of channels, the state of your existing data and how many teams are involved. As an indicative range for a small, well-defined first release, a single sales pipeline with website and email capture and a clean import of existing contacts can be live three to six weeks after discovery. Custom objects, billing integration, WhatsApp verification and template approval add time, so larger rollouts are phased. Your proposal sets out each phase and what it depends on.

Costs depend on scope, and we give a fixed quote for setup and integration after discovery. Setup cost is driven by the number of channels to connect, how much data needs cleaning and migrating, any custom development and training. Running costs are separate: per-user licences for a packaged CRM, which can rise sharply if the features you need sit on a higher tier, or hosting and maintenance for a custom build, plus Meta's per-message charges if WhatsApp is connected. We estimate those monthly figures so the options can be compared fairly.

Yes. The CRM account, WhatsApp Business account, automation workflows and any custom code are created in your organisation's name, with admin access held by your own staff. We document every integration, field and automation rule so your team or another provider can maintain them. If you later change CRM, your data can be exported in standard formats, and integrations built with n8n or our own services can usually be pointed at the new platform rather than rebuilt.