How to build your own CRM: A step-by-step guide

Are you still juggling spreadsheets and sticky notes to manage your customer relationships? If so, you might be missing out on a game-changer that could transform your business.

Let’s get you introduced to…Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems! They’re a software tool that help businesses manage and analyse customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. They improve customer relationships, driving sales growth‌ and enhancing customer retention.

It’s estimated that by 2030, the global CRM market is expected to reach almost $157 billion. This is because businesses that use CRM software reported a 27% increase in customer retention and a 47% hike in customer satisfaction. These numbers are hard to ignore, especially when you look at the benefits of improved service delivery and personalised communication that CRMs offer.

In this blog, we'll dive into why you need a CRM, the features of a custom CRM‌ and, most importantly, how you can build your own CRM system step-by-step. So, whether you're a small business owner or part of a larger enterprise, this guide will help you understand the power of a CRM and how to harness it for your business.

So, are you ready to take your customer relationships to the next level? Let's get started!

Why your company needs CRM software?

CRM software skyrockets your business, and there are many reasons why your company needs it. Let’s look at them here. 👇

Centralised customer information

CRM software consolidates all customer data in one place, making it easily accessible to your teams. This includes contact details, interaction history, sales records‌ and more.

Improved customer service

With a CRM, your customer service team can quickly understand a customer's history and provide personalised support, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

Enhanced sales management

CRM software helps sales teams track leads, opportunities‌ and deals. It can also automate tasks like follow-up emails, allowing your team to focus on enhanced sales.

Better marketing campaigns

CRM can help segment customers based on various factors, enabling targeted marketing campaigns. It also allows you to track the success of these campaigns.

Increased collaboration

CRM platforms allow different departments to share customer data and work together more effectively. This can lead to better decision-making and improved customer experiences.

Data-driven decisions

CRM software provides valuable insights and analytics, helping you understand your customers better and make data-driven business decisions.

Scalability

As your business grows, so does the need to manage more customer data. A CRM system can scale with your business, keeping you organised and efficient.

Automation of manual tasks

CRM can automate tasks like data entry, follow-ups‌ and report generation, freeing up your team's time to focus on more important tasks.

Essential features for your custom CRM

Including these features will help you create a powerful and effective custom CRM that meets the needs of your business.

1 - Contact management

Centralise and organise all customer information, including contact details, interaction history‌ and notes. This ensures that your team has a comprehensive view of each customer's data, leading to better relationship management.

2 - Sales automation

Streamline sales processes with features like lead management and automated follow-ups. This reduces manual effort, increases sales productivity‌ and ensures no leads fall through the cracks.

3 - Marketing automation

Targeted marketing campaigns and campaign tracking helps in nurturing leads, improving conversion rates‌ and providing insights into marketing effectiveness.

4 - Analytics and reporting

Gain insights into sales performance, customer behaviour‌ and marketing effectiveness with customisable dashboards and reports. This helps in making data-driven decisions and identifying areas for improvement.

5 - Integration capabilities

Ensure seamless integration with other business tools like emails, accounting software‌ and marketing platforms. This creates a unified ecosystem, reducing data silos and improving overall efficiency.

6 - Customisation

Tailor the CRM to fit your specific business needs with custom fields, workflows‌ and user roles. This ensures that the CRM aligns perfectly with your business processes, making it more effective and user-friendly.

7 - Security and compliance

Protect customer data with robust security features and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. This builds trust with customers and safeguards your business from potential legal issues.

8 - User-friendly interface

Make it easy for your team to adopt the CRM with an intuitive and user-friendly design. This reduces the learning curve and increases user adoption, leading to better utilisation of the platform.

How to create a CRM

Get up to speed with these 7 essential steps for creating a CRM. 👇

1 - Pre-operational stage

This stage is crucial for laying the groundwork for your CRM project. Begin by clearly defining your goals and objectives by answering a few questions. Begin with, what do you hope to achieve with your CRM? Whether it's improving customer relationships, streamlining sales processes‌ or enhancing marketing efforts.

Next, identify all stakeholders who’ll be using the CRM software and gather their input to ensure the CRM meets their needs. Finally, make a detailed project plan that includes a timetable and goals to keep the project on track.

2 - Choosing a development partner

Choosing the right development partner is essential for the success of your CRM project. Start by researching potential partners with experience in CRM development. Look at their portfolios, client testimonials‌ and case studies to assess their capabilities.

Evaluate their technical expertise to ensure they have the skills needed to build a robust CRM. Finally, consider the cost and value they offer to get the best value for your investment.

3 - Choosing your CRM's features

Determining the features your CRM should have is a key step in the development process. Start with core features such as contact management, sales automation, marketing automation and customer service tools.

Additionally, identify any unique features specific to your business needs, such as industry-specific functionalities or advanced analytics. Prioritise these features based on their importance and impact on your business goals.

4 - Calculating costs

Calculating the costs of developing and maintaining your CRM is essential for budgeting and financial planning. Start by estimating the development costs, which include design, development, testing‌ and deployment.

Consider ongoing costs such as maintenance, updates‌ and support. Don't forget to account for potential hidden costs like training, data migration‌ and integration with other systems.

5 - Designing UI/UX

Designing an intuitive and user-friendly interface is crucial for the success of your CRM. Begin with user research to understand the needs and preferences of your users. Create wireframes and prototypes to visualise the layout and flow of the CRM.

Conduct usability testing with a small group of users to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments. A well-designed interface will enhance user adoption and satisfaction.

6 - Testing and Quality Assurance

Ensuring the CRM is functional, reliable, and meets all requirements is the goal of the testing and Quality Assurance phase. Conduct functional testing to verify that all features work as intended.

Evaluate the CRM’s performance and conduct security testing to identify and fix vulnerabilities. Finally, perform User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with end-users to ensure the CRM meets their needs and expectations. This comprehensive testing approach will help ensure a high-quality product.

7 - Launch and support

The final stage involves successfully launching the CRM and providing ongoing support. Begin by deploying the CRM to your team, ensuring a smooth transition from the old system.

Lastly, provide comprehensive training to all users to ensure they can effectively use the CRM and offer ongoing support to address any issues or questions that arise.

Challenges in developing a CRM platform

So you've decided to develop your own CRM software, but heads up – the path might not always run smooth. Let’s face down some challenges that might arise.

Difficult to implement

Customising the CRM to meet the unique needs of the business can be time-consuming and may need multiple iterations to get it right.

Furthermore, resistance to change from employees who are accustomed to existing systems can pose a significant barrier to successful implementation.

Partial adoption

Despite your best efforts to train and onboard users, some employees may resist using the new system, preferring to stick with familiar tools and processes. This can lead to inconsistent data entry and usage, undermining the effectiveness of the CRM.

Also, partial adoption can also result if users don't see the value in the CRM or find it difficult to use.

Manual Data Entry

Despite advancements in automation, many CRM systems still rely heavily on manual input for updating customer information, tracking interactions‌ and logging sales activities. This can be time-consuming and prone to errors, leading to inaccurate or incomplete data.

Manual data entry also detracts from the time employees could spend on more productive tasks, such as customer engagement and strategic planning.

How does Builder.ai bypass the challenges of CRM development?

Builder.ai offers innovative solutions to mitigate developmental challenges, making the development process smoother and more efficient.

🔮Easy-to-implement - we simplify the implementation process by providing a user-friendly platform that doesn't need extensive technical expertise. So, your businesses can quickly set up and customise their CRM software without the need for complex coding.

🔧Customisation and scalability - your businesses can tailor your CRM software to meet your needs, whether it's adding custom fields, workflows or integrating with other business tools. This ensures that ‌CRM software grows with the business, adapting to changing requirements.

🕰️Fast turnaround time - our library of 650+ features means that most of the development work is done before we even start, so we can offer highly competitive timelines. You choose the features that best fit your CRM software, and we can work on tailoring them to your needs.

💸Transparent pricing - unlike some traditional software developers who price as they go, we make things simple by giving each of our features a set price, and providing you a guaranteed price upfront.

🧑‍💻Ongoing maintenance with Studio One - we’ll never leave your app high and dry. Studio One is our subscription service that provides 24/7 maintenance for your app and the ability to scale your project with additional features and functionality at any time.

💰Cost-effective solutions - we get it - developing CRM software from scratch can be expensive. That’s why we offer ‌cost-effective solutions by providing pre-built components and templates that can be easily customised, lowering the overall cost of implementation and maintenance.

How much does it cost to build a CRM system?

The cost of building software can vary widely depending on several factors. Here's a breakdown of the potential costs:

1. In-house development team costs

If you have an in-house development team, you'll need to consider their salaries. A team might include developers, designers, project managers‌ and QA testers. You may need to invest in development tools, software licences and other resources as well.

2. Hiring a development agency

Development agencies typically charge based on the scope of the project. Costs can range from $50,000 to over $500,000. Additionally, ongoing maintenance and updates can add to the cost, often requiring additional project fees.

3. Features and complexity

Features and complexity often add to the overall cost of software development. For instance, a simple CRM with basic features like contact management, task tracking‌ and reporting might cost between $20,000 and $50,000. A more advanced CRM with features like workflow automation, integration with other systems‌ and advanced analytics can cost between $100,000 and $500,000 or more.

4. Additional costs

If you're building a cloud-based CRM, you'll need to consider the costs of hosting and infrastructure. Similarly, implementing security measures to protect sensitive customer data can add to the cost.

5. Tech stacks

The choice of tech stack significantly influences the cost of building a CRM system. For instance, the JavaScript stack (MEAN/MERN) is popular for its full-stack capabilities and large community support. But its complexity can drive up costs, typically ranging from $50,000 to $150,000.

Meanwhile, the Python stack (Django/Flask) offers robust security and scalability at a potentially lower cost, ranging from $30,000 to $120,000, but may need additional configuration for very large applications.

The .NET stack is known for its strong enterprise support and security features. But it tends to be more expensive, with costs ranging from $60,000 to $200,000 due to licensing and the need for specialised expertise.

6. Low-code, no-code and composable software development solutions

Each approach's unique benefits and limitations will impact not only the initial development cost but also the long-term maintenance and adaptability of the CRM system.

Low-code platforms offer faster development times and lower initial costs, typically ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Their pre-built components and reduced need for coding expertise. .

No-code software development further simplifies the development process, making it accessible to non-technical users and reducing costs to as low as $5,000 to $30,000. But they come with even more limited customisation options and scalability concerns.

Composable software, on the other hand, provides a balance of customisation and integration, with costs ranging from $30,000 to $150,000. While composable software like Builder.ai offers high flexibility and scalability and involves higher costs due to the need for specialised expertise.

Build your CRM software with Builder.ai

Building software for your business is a complex job that requires meticulous planning, expert development‌ and continuous maintenance.

It also involves understanding intricate business processes, integrating various technologies‌ and ensuring seamless user experiences.

All of these requirements would need a team of software engineers and a lot of time, which might not be cost-effective for your venture.

But, worry not!

The Builder.ai platform caters ‌to your unique business needs without writing a single line of code.

How does this happen?

Around 80% of all software is made up of around 650+ features. We package each basic feature as a reusable Lego-like block. Explain your idea to our AI companion, Natasha, and she uses these blocks to rapidly create an outline of your software.

The work is completed faster and cheaper because Natasha handles all the repetitive coding. Then it’s off to our software design team and software developers. They personalise it and create any bespoke elements you need.

To build your software, simply head over to Builder Studio. The Builder Studio platform has been built with user convenience in mind and intuitively guides you through the software creation process.

Here’s how you can build your custom software in no time 👇

Create robust custom software today

100s of businesses trust us to help them scale.

Book a demo

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1 - Discuss your ideas with Natasha

On Builder Studio 4.0, you’re welcomed by Natasha. You can express your software ideas to Natasha via voice, text or uploading a PDF or doc file.

Before you chat with her, have a checklist of software features and be as descriptive as possible about your software idea. The more detailed information you give ‌ Natasha, the better her suggestions will be.

For instance, if you’re building ‌‌a CRM software, your prompt could look like this:

“I want to develop robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software that ensures the efficient management and enhancement of customer interactions within an organisation. The software should provide comprehensive contact management, sales pipeline tracking and task automation features to streamline customer engagement processes.

“Additionally, it should support automated reporting and analytics to provide insights into sales performance and customer behaviour, meeting industry best practices and business goals. The platform should also offer seamless integration with existing enterprise systems, such as email, calendar‌ and accounting software, to enhance overall operational efficiency. The software should feature a user-friendly interface and robust security measures for data privacy and protection.”

Based on your prompt, Natasha will ask you some supporting questions and you simply need to answer them based on your requirements.

2 - Choose a base

Once Natasha has your requirements, she’ll create a custom framework for your software based on everything you tell her. She'll also suggest some pre-built bases she thinks are best suited for your software.

Continuing from the above CRM software example, once you tell her to create a CRM software she’ll suggest a custom base and share any matching core bases as well.

You can choose up to 3 you feel are related to your software idea by simply clicking the ‘+’ icon. These selections make it easier for us to understand the features your software needs. When you’re ready, click 'Next'.

3 - Make it mine

The 'Make it mine' step aligns your software with the identity of your brand. In this step, you provide your software’s name, choose the colour scheme using the colour wheel and upload the logo of your brand.

Once you’ve personalised your software’s name, colour and logo, you can click ‘Next’.

4 - Refine your software idea

Now comes the fun bit.

In the 'Refine idea' stage, you can review and customise your software journeys and features and also create an instant prototype of your software.

Journeys

In only a matter of seconds, Natasha creates software user journeys with corresponding features.

Go through these journeys carefully and see if your software needs additional journeys.

To add journeys, click on 'See more suggestions'. Doing so will open the list of pre-built journeys. You can browse the list and select the journeys you’re missing. You can also add custom journeys by clicking on 'Add custom journey'.

Features

By clicking on individual journeys, you can see the feature list each journey contains. Doing so will open the features list each journey contains. You can scroll through the features list and check if a journey contains non-essential features or if you want to add extra features.

To remove a non-essential feature, you can hover over the feature and click ‘Remove’. This way you can manage project costs. If you’re not sure what features to remove, you can click on an individual feature and check the label at the top. We highly recommend keeping the ‘Essential Features’.

In case you want to add more features, you can simply click the ‘+’ button. Here you can go through different categories or use the search bar to look for missing functionality. In case you don’t find the feature you’re looking for, you can also add a custom feature by clicking on 'Add custom feature'.

Instant prototype and user flow

Once you’re happy with the journeys and features of your software, you can create a prototype by clicking on 'Preview your app' in the top-right corner.

Sign up and Natasha will create a working prototype of your software. You can click on the screen at different areas to progress through the journey.

You can also see the user flow by clicking on the 'Flow mode' at the top of the screen to see how users will interact and navigate within your software.

If you need extra help, Natasha is on hand to help and you can interact with her at any time by clicking on 'Speak to Natasha'.

She’ll provide you with suggestions and help you find features or journeys from the library. Or you can click on 'Book a demo' to talk to our product managers who’ll guide you through your software development journey.

Click on 'Save & Continue' to go to the next step and also to save your progress or it might get lost.

5 - Plan delivery

It’s time to choose the platforms you want your software to be available on. Want a desktop app? Click Windows or macOS. Fancy a mobile app? Hit Android or iOS. Not sure about the platform? Choose multiple platforms and see how they change the price and timelines.

Next, you can choose to add Natasha to your platform to supercharge the customer experience of your software. Natasha uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to engage your customers in fluid, human-like conversations.

In the development speed section, you can change the speed of each development phase according to your needs. The faster the development speed, the higher the costs and vice versa.

Next up is Design. If you have your software designs ready, you can save on your costs by clicking 'You have design' and we’ll reduce your costs accordingly. You can share your design files (preferably in Figma) and our designers will upload them, so you can kick them off straight away.

If not, you can choose the 'We do your designs'‌ option. Here, you simply need to add your brand assets and we'll do everything from storyboarding to fully designed screens.

Now it’s time to plan the phases of your project. Here you get 3 options:

• Clickable prototype: you’ll get a visual representation of your software to test with users
• Basic build: you’ll get an MVP (Minimum viable product) – a hard-coded but simplified version of your idea; this allows you to collect feedback and iterate before you do a full build
• Full Build: you’ll get market-ready software, including a kick-off with our product team and review sessions.

After that, you need to select your support plans. With 'Full Build' you get one year of Studio One support included free of charge.

Once you’ve planned your delivery, click on 'View Buildcard'.

6 - Review Buildcard

Buildcard provides you with a bird's eye view of all the selections you made in the previous steps. Here, you can review all the features, cost per feature and delivery details.

You can also download the PDF of Buildcard or invite others to show your team members what you’re building.

If you want to make any changes, simply click on 'Edit Buildcard' under the 3 dots in the top-right corner.

If you’re happy with everything, click on 'Add billing details' to go to the next section. Alternatively, if you want to review it with experts, click on 'Review with an expert'.

7 - Select your payment plan

We offer weekly or monthly payment instalments, with visible payment dates and amounts for each option. You can also choose to pay upfront to reduce the cost of your build.

Simply select your preferred billing cycle, then click 'Continue' to proceed.

You’ll be asked to input your payment details and agree to the terms and conditions. Once that’s done, click 'Continue to Payment'.

Once your payment is done, you can set up a meeting with our product managers to begin your software development.

8 - Monitor your software build in real-time

With Builder Home, your real-time project dashboard, you can monitor development progress and make sure your software is exactly the way you want it.

This includes ‌access to a suite of collaboration tools to help improve your software design. You can chat with your team of experts in Builder Meet, brainstorm in Builder Whiteboard and visualise your ideas with free tailor-made prototypes from Builder Now.

Conclusion

Is your business struggling to organise customer data? Are you still manually tracking leads and have marketing campaigns become more time-consuming for you? Then, you need to build CRM software to do it all for you.

However, to do this, you need to work with the best in the industry to increase your chances of successfully building high-quality CRM.

Builder.ai’s custom software platform helps you build your software efficiently. We:

✅ - Assign you a dedicated project manager, who keeps all stakeholders on your software project aligned and on track‌ —‌ and you never need to speak to a software developer or write a single line of code

✅ - Speed up development time by giving you access to a comprehensive library of reusable features, fitted together by AI

✅ - Give you upfront costs and competitive timelines so your project stays under control

If that’s something you’d like to explore, click the banner below to start your CRM project today 👇

Create robust custom software today

100s of businesses trust us to help them scale.

Book a demo

By proceeding you agree to Builder.ai’s privacy policy
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