Custom CRM with email, calls and invoices per client

A CRM that tracks relationships, not pipelines.

Source of truth per client

7→1

Separate tools merged

Live

Mail, invoices & planning linked

Before

—Sales, support, delivery, finance in separate tools
—Client knowledge stuck in people's heads
—Client context reconstructed from email threads
—No way to connect a phone call to a deal or a ticket

After

One searchable note history per client
Email, call notes and invoices linked automatically
Tickets, deals, deliveries inherit the same context
Nothing falls through the cracks when someone leaves

The problem with conventional CRM

An IT networking and support company serves the same clients across sales, support, delivery, and finance. It needed a CRM that could keep up. Standard CRM systems organize client data around pipelines and deal stages. That works for tracking sales opportunities, but it doesn't capture the full picture of a client relationship. Support interactions, delivery milestones, strategic notes, invoice statuses, and phone conversations end up in separate systems or in people's heads. When someone leaves, what they knew about the client leaves with them.

The architecture

We designed a note-based CRM where the base unit is a timestamped note: a record of something that happened with a client. Notes are flexible. On its own, a note is company knowledge. Link it to a ticket and it becomes part of a support workflow. Link it to a deal, a delivery, or an invoice, and it inherits that context.

The whole client relationship sits in one searchable interface. The support inbox feeds straight into the CRM. Every incoming email lands as a note on the right client and can automatically open a support ticket. Phone calls go in as timestamped notes on the same client timeline. Invoice data flows in and connects to the financial side. The planning system integrates directly, so CRM notes can link to specific tasks and their outcomes.

The result

Instead of a contact database with some activity logs, the company has a complete, living history of every client relationship. Sales, support, delivery, and finance are connected parts of the same story instead of separate views. Nothing falls through the cracks, and nothing depends on one person's memory.

Questions about a CRM for construction.

Which CRM systems suit the construction industry?

For construction, a CRM works when it is a register of requests and quotes tied to the job. A sales pipeline with fixed stages fits a contractor less well. The CRM has to hold the request, the site visit, every version of the quote and the follow-up until the client signs. Then that file moves on to the job. Already running a construction package for estimates and work orders? The CRM can sit next to it, connected.

A CRM next to your construction package

What is a good, cheap CRM system?

A good, cheap CRM system is one that still costs little after five years and keeps your client history yours. A subscription per user starts low. Every new colleague, price rise and connection adds to it, and leaving costs extra. A CRM you own costs most at the build, then the infrastructure and the extensions. Whichever you choose, check that you can export all of your data.

How much does a CRM system cost?

What a CRM system costs depends on how you pay: per user per month, or for a system you own. When you rent, multiply the price per user by your number of users and add the yearly price rises. When you own, you pay for the build, the infrastructure and further development. The SaaS cost calculator works out what your current tools cost over three, five and ten years.

Open the SaaS cost calculator

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Industry pages for this projectA CRM for sales teams

Talk to Gabriël

Gabriël Broos, founder

Send me your name, email and a few lines. You'll have a reply within one business day. If you'd rather talk, you can book a call once your message is in.

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“Could you do this for us?”

Can you build something similar for my company?

Probably, though “similar” rarely means “identical.” Every company has its own processes, data and team structure. The architecture principles stay the same, and the specifics are yours. We start with a conversation to see if we’re a fit.

What if we already use Odoo / Exact / Salesforce?

We integrate with all of them. For some companies the answer is “keep what works and build around it.” For others it’s “migrate to something you own.” We tell you which one fits your situation, not which one earns us more work.

Can we sign an NDA before we get into specifics?

If you want an NDA before we discuss the details of your situation, mention it when you get in touch and we’ll work it out. Most exploratory calls don’t need one, but we can sort it out when it matters.