Bespoke CRM
A system that follows your process, instead of the other way round.
The problem: You pay every month, per user, for software you use a fraction of, and the one piece you really need is not in it.
I have seen companies running Salesforce and using less than ten per cent of it. They pay for a package built for organisations with a forty-person sales department, while there are five of them. And the one screen they genuinely need every day does not exist in it. So there is a spreadsheet sitting next to it.
A bespoke CRM turns that around. You do not start from the features that happen to be in the box, but from how your work actually runs. Which fields you need. Which steps a client goes through. What you want to see on a Monday morning. The rest does not get built, so you do not pay for it either.
What the difference is
| Off-the-shelf package | Bespoke | |
|---|---|---|
| Set-up cost | Often nothing | From €1,250, in phases |
| Per month | Per user, every month again | €45 in total, however many people |
| A new colleague | A bigger bill | No difference |
| Features you never use | You pay for them | They do not exist |
| Your exception | A workaround or a spreadsheet alongside | Simply built in |
| Your data | On their servers, in their format | Your database, exportable |
| Cancelling | You lose everything | The code is yours |
Work it out yourself
Fill in what you pay today. No sales pitch, just the two figures side by side over the period you choose.
€ 1.250 is het startbedrag voor fase 1. Wat jouw project kost hangt af van wat erin moet, en dat spreken we af voor er iets gebouwd wordt.
What you get
- Process analysis: first map out how it runs today, and where it snags
- A data model that fits your clients, quotes, projects or cases
- User roles, so not everyone sees or can do everything
- An admin screen where you adjust lists, fields and statuses yourself
- Reporting on the numbers you want to see, not on a stock dashboard
- Connections to what you already use
- Documentation and a handover, so you are not stuck with me
- A roadmap: what comes in phase two and three
Connecting to what you already have
A CRM that stands apart from everything else becomes a second place to type the same thing. A connection costs €190 each.
- Accounting, so a signed quote turns straight into an invoice
- Your calendar, so appointments hang off the right case
- Email, so you do not have to hunt for what was agreed
- Payments through Stripe or Mollie
- Your website, so a form creates a lead directly
How it runs
In phases, so after each one you have something that works and can decide for yourself whether the next is needed.
-
1
Mapping out 1 week
Your process on paper, and the call on what belongs in phase 1 and what can wait. -
2
Phase 1 3 to 6 weeks
The core system: clients, cases, statuses and the screens you use daily. -
3
Phase 2 per part
Connections, reporting and the things deliberately left out of phase 1. -
4
After that €45 per month
Hosting, updates, monitoring and small changes.
When not to do this
Bespoke is not always the answer. These are the cases where I will point you at an off-the-shelf package.
- There are two of you and you want to start next week. Take Teamleader or HubSpot.
- Your process is not settled yet. Then you are casting in stone what has to change next month.
- You need a feature only the big packages have, such as telephony integration or full marketing automation.
- You have more than fifty users. Then administration and support weigh heavier than the licence fees.
Frequently asked questions
What does a bespoke CRM cost?
From €1,250 for phase 1, delivered in phases. After that €45 a month for hosting and maintenance, however many people use it. A connection to your accounting or calendar costs €190 each. What your project costs depends on how much has to be in phase 1, and we agree that before anything gets built.
Is bespoke not more expensive than a subscription?
At first yes, after that no. A subscription at €75 per user per month costs €4,500 a year for five people, every year again. Bespoke is a one-off investment plus €45 a month. The tipping point usually falls in the second year. The calculator above does it with your own figures.
How long does it take?
A week to map it out, then three to six weeks for phase 1. So within two months you have something you actually work with, not a project that runs six months before you see the first screen.
What if I want something different later?
Then we build it in. That is exactly the difference with a package: you do not have to hope a vendor puts your wish on their roadmap. Small changes fall under maintenance, bigger ones we agree separately.
Does that not tie me to you?
No. The code, the database and the hosting are in your name, and you get documentation at handover. It is written in PHP and MySQL, so any web developer can take it over. That is deliberate: I want you to stay because it works, not because you cannot leave.
Can I bring my existing data across?
Usually, yes. Nearly every package can export to CSV or has an API. That import is part of phase 1, so you do not start with an empty system.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It is built for a small screen first, because a CRM often gets used on the road or at a client, not just at your desk.
Who owns the data?
You do. The database runs on your hosting, you can take a full export at any time, and nothing goes to a third party unless you choose that yourself with a connection.
Platforms I built
Two platforms I built and run myself. Not client work, but the same underlying job: database, login, roles, admin screen and reporting.
Stipt
A web app for shop inspections: walk your round on your phone, and anything out of order automatically becomes an action point with a name and a deadline. Built from scratch, from the first screen to the invoicing.
Likeboost24.nl
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