Custom CRM Development

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an approach most companies take that aims at making the interaction with current and potential clients, employees, and any type of collaborative organization possible, scalable, and far more efficient. A CRM system uses custom data analysis to help improve business relations with clients, focusing on retention to drive sales growth.

Your business could make use of an “off-the-shelf” CRM software package, but if you’re serious about growing and improving your clientele, B2B relationships, and relationship management, it’s important to consider custom CRM tools.

What does CRM do?

CRM is the heart and soul of customer interaction. With it, you can turn data into a resource that will empower nearly every aspect of your company.

Empowerment: Every line of business operations within your company depends on data. To that end, you have to equip your employees and organization with the best tools to make the most out of the data you have. With the ability to add automation and integration, powerful custom CRM solutions can make the management of your customer base incredibly easy.
Collaboration: Another area where custom CRM developers’ solutions can make a big difference in your company’s automation pipeline is that of collaboration. By having customer data easily accessible and visible, it makes it considerably easier for your workforce to collaborate.
Relevance: In order to future-proof your organization, custom CRM development tools are needed to keep up with the ongoing changes of today’s business world. The right data platform can help focus your staff on sales process, business objectives, and profitability.
Advancement: With a solid custom CRM solution in place, your business gets a wide-spread overview of your customers. Your staff will have access to dashboards that provide a full overview—including client history and details, status of orders, B2B relationships, and outstanding issues.

Why Businesses Need Custom CRM Systems

While there are numerous off-the-shelf CRM (customer relationship management software) systems available, they might not always fit the unique demands of every business. This is where the allure of a custom CRM system becomes apparent.

Let’s explore the advantages and challenges of custom CRM development services.

Benefits of Custom CRM Systems

Businesses have distinct operational requirements and customer segments. A one-size-fits-all CRM might not cater to the nuanced needs of every company. Custom CRM systems, however, allow businesses to tailor solutions to their specific needs, ensuring that every aspect of their customer CRM development partner is aligned with their goals and operational dynamics.

With a custom CRM, businesses aren’t restricted by the limitations of standardized software. As the business grows or changes direction, the CRM can be adjusted accordingly. This kind of scalability ensures that the system remains relevant and effective over time.

Improved Integration with Business Systems

One of the standout benefits of a custom CRM is its ability to seamlessly integrate with existing business systems. Whether it’s an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system, accounting software, or other operational tools, a custom CRM can be designed for interoperability. This integration eliminates the often cumbersome process of syncing different systems or dealing with data mismatches.

Custom Features and Functionalities

Generic CRM systems come with a set of standardized features, which might not align with what a business truly needs. On the other hand, a custom CRM can be equipped with unique features and functionalities tailored to the business’s exact requirements. This ensures that companies aren’t overpaying for features they don’t use or missing out on capabilities they need.

Better Security

Security is paramount, especially when handling sensitive customer data. Custom CRM systems can be developed with a company’s specific security protocols and standards in mind. Unlike generic solutions that might have known vulnerabilities, a bespoke system can be designed with robust security measures from the ground up.

Drawbacks and Challenges

While the advantages of custom CRM system development services are compelling, it’s essential to understand the potential challenges as well.

Cost Implication

Developing a custom CRM system is often more expensive upfront compared to purchasing an off-the-shelf solution. Businesses need to consider the initial development costs against the long-term benefits. While custom solutions might require a more significant initial investment, they can offer substantial returns in terms of efficiency, productivity, and adaptability in the long run.

Longer Implementation Time

Creating a tailored CRM system from scratch takes time. The process involves understanding business needs, designing the system, developing, testing, and finally deploying it. This timeframe might be longer than simply purchasing and setting up a ready-made solution. Businesses should weigh the benefits of a tailored solution against the wait time.

Need for Ongoing Maintenance

Custom CRM systems, given their tailored nature, often require regular updates and maintenance to ensure they remain aligned with the business’s evolving needs. This ongoing maintenance can sometimes be more intensive than that of standardized software. It’s crucial for businesses to have a clear plan for maintaining their custom CRM to ensure its longevity and relevance.

Should I buy a CRM solution or build a custom one?

Each business has unique needs and demands, so before deciding whether to purchase or build a custom CRM platform it’s important to understand yours and have a clearly defined CRM strategy. A CRM platform can increase company revenue, boost sales, and improve customer experience, among many other benefits. Although, for this to happen it must be well implemented.

What is custom CRM?

A custom CRM tool is a tailor-made system built to meet a company’s exact needs regarding customer management. Considering that every company is unique, an advanced CRM system serves the specific requirements of an organization when it comes to customer data. Thanks to its features, a custom CRM can strengthen business relationships and increase customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.

In many cases, t an external software development company creates the platform to deliver a customized solution based on the specifications of the hiring company.

The intention is for the final product to increase operational efficiency, remove workload from the in-house team, automate business processes, and improve customer relationships.

Where To Turn?

BairesDev, is a leading nearshore software development company capable to suit your custom CRM needs. Ensuring not only a scalable business process that meets your requirements but also reduce costs and increase overall efficiency.

A CRM system can give you a clear overview of your customers through a customizable dashboard. A straightforward and sophisticated platform to boost your business with a customized and high quality CRM solution.

BairesDev delivers CRM application development

Our specialized applications are designed and developed by some of the top developers on the market. A uniquely assembled dedicated team is assigned to meet and exceed your demands for CRM integration.

Our seasoned engineers are able to develop and design a custom CRM software development solutions capable of including e-commerce integration, cloud integration, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) integration. This also includes:

Mobile apps
Web development
CRM integration
UI/UX design
Software testing Q&A
Integration services

Steps in Custom CRM Development

At BairesDev, we understand the intricate nature of custom CRM development. We strictly follow robust processes, guidelines, and a proven development methodology, ensuring that the solutions we deliver are not just efficient but also uniquely tailored to meet the specific needs of businesses.

Requirement Analysis: At the heart of any successful CRM development is a deep understanding of the business’s needs. Before diving into development, businesses must identify their specific requirements and set clear objectives. This ensures that the resultant CRM system is aligned with the organization’s goals and caters to its unique challenges.
Choosing the Right Technology Stack: The digital landscape offers a plethora of technology stacks. The right combination depends on the project’s scale, budget, and long-term objectives. A robust CRM solution often requires integrating various backend and frontend technologies, database choices, and third-party integrations.
Backend Technologies: Languages such as PHP, Java, and .NET dominate the backend. Each has its own strengths and limitations. For instance, PHP is open-source and flexible, Java offers portability and robust performance, while .NET boasts of its integration capacities and security features. The choice often hinges on the organization’s current infrastructure and the specific demands of the CRM project.
Frontend Technologies: On the frontend, choices like React, Angular, and Vue.js are popular. React offers a component-based architecture, Angular boasts of its two-way binding, and Vue.js is known for its simplicity and integration capabilities. The decision usually rests on factors like scalability, user experience, and developer expertise.
Database Choices: CRMs handle massive amounts of data. Options like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB each cater to different data handling needs. While MySQL and PostgreSQL are relational databases ideal for structured data, MongoDB is a NoSQL database suitable for flexible data models.
Design and User Experience (UX): A CRM system’s efficacy isn’t just about functionality; an intuitive design and smooth user experience are equally vital. Users should navigate the system effortlessly, with each feature easily accessible and understandable.
Responsive Design: In today’s multi-device world, a CRM system must work seamlessly across desktops, tablets, and mobiles. A responsive design ensures that users get a consistent experience, irrespective of the device they’re on.
Development and Testing: The development phase is iterative. Regular testing at every stage ensures that any bugs or inconsistencies are detected and rectified early, leading to a more stable and efficient system.
QA and Bug Fixing: Quality assurance goes hand-in-hand with development. Rigorous QA processes guarantee that the CRM system is bug-free, efficient, and meets the set standards.
Deployment and Training: Once developed, the CRM system is rolled out for users. But its implementation doesn’t end here.
Training the Team: For a CRM system to truly be effective, the team must be familiar with its functionalities. Proper training sessions ensure a smoother transition to the new system, reducing downtime and increasing productivity.
Continuous Feedback Loop: After deployment, collecting feedback becomes crucial. This feedback loop facilitates system improvements and caters to evolving business needs.
Integration with Other Systems: A custom CRM isn’t isolated. It often needs to integrate with other business systems, be it finance, marketing, or sales. Such integration ensures a unified business process flow.
API Development: APIs play a pivotal role in integration. They ensure that the CRM system can seamlessly communicate with other systems, enabling data flow and triggering actions based on real-time data.
Third-Party Integrations: Apart from in-house systems, the CRM can also integrate with third-party tools and plugins. This enhances its capabilities and offers additional functionalities that are outside the CRM’s primary scope.
Post-Deployment: Maintenance and Updates: The digital realm is ever-evolving. Regular maintenance ensures the CRM system remains compatible with the latest technological changes.
Patching Security Vulnerabilities: Security is paramount. With growing cyber threats, it’s vital to continuously monitor and patch any security vulnerabilities to protect customer data and vital business information.
Upgrading with New Features: Business needs evolve, and so should the CRM system. Periodic feature upgrades ensure the CRM remains relevant and continues to cater to the changing demands of the organization.
Regular Backup Data: Regular backups guarantee that in the event of any unforeseen circumstances, the organization’s data remains safe, and business continuity isn’t hampered.

Custom CRM Development Costs

The costs associated with custom CRM development vary depending on the specific type of project, its complexity, and the required resources. Although there are “ready-made” alternatives, businesses tend to have very specific requirements and individual needs, which is why many turn to custom CRM solutions.

When compared to off-the-shelf CRM, custom CRM tools may seem more expensive at first glance. However, it’s key to consider the long term benefits of adopting such a tailor-made solution, as you will obtain a platform that better adapts to your workflow and drives business forward more quickly.

The best way to start is to have an experienced partner assess your project to better understand your precise needs and determine the kind of solution required for your project. BairesDev provides access to the Top 1% of Tech Talent, ensuring a high-quality delivery regardless of the industry, and allows your business to obtain operational excellence.

BairesDev Development Models

Our development models can all be applied to custom CRM development, as well as standard software development, the customization of business processes, integration into other projects, automation, enhanced productivity, and other software solutions.

These are the three types of software development models:

Staff Augmentation Services

Expert CRM software development engineers work together with your in-house team to develop, improve, and re-deploy your projects, services, mobile apps, customer information, business processes, and standard software development.

Dedicated Team Services

Our custom CRM development service includes talent that directly oversees the entire CRM applications consulting project, from design implementation to customization, to integration services. With this option, your business will receive a management structure that offers hands-on supervision of the workflow and tasks.

Project-based model Services

Our engineers oversee the entire development process and help establish the customization specs for the project. Allocating workflow, quality testing and define all customizations of the CRM development.

FAQ

How can you know if a custom CRM tool will help?

Start by breaking down the different costs involved and compare the advantages and drawbacks of purchasing against building a customized tool. For example, the costs involved in building a custom CRM go beyond development and setup fees. It’s key to consider factors such as costs of hardware, dedicated bandwidth, energy, and maintenance, as well as additional staff for support.

One of the main reasons behind having a custom CRM system is the fact of having a tool that fits your specific business needs. That is why a custom-built CRM system may seem more appealing. However, not everyone knows that it can be easier to modify an existing CRM system rather than build an entirely new one. If you already have the staff, and know-how, and clearly understand your needs, then the main obstacles of customized CRM are out of the way.

Hiring CRM Consulting Services is a good starting point regardless of your company’s size or industry. This way, you receive expert analysis of your needs, demands, and costs involved and, most importantly, avoid the pitfalls that can come attached to working with a CRM system further down the road.

How long does it take to build a CRM solution?

The custom CRM development model is determined in the following way:

Define the size of your project, its level of complexity, the timescale, and your budget.
Outline the project specification, which is a detailed brief to help you better understand your project.
We provide the required planning to overcome obstacles on implementation of the CRM workflow.
Our engineers will work with your in-house team depending on which internal skills are lacking.
Your team begins working on your custom CRM project and we track progress to ensure the projects are executed efficiently.
QA testing is deployed to test your software product throughout the development process. This is a crucial step, as the responsibility of QA testing will entail both parties to mitigate the risk of error.