A fully custom, self-hosted CRM and project pipeline tool for our policy consultancy - replacing multiple paid SaaS subscriptions and giving us complete control over our client data, our pricing model and our growth.
The problem
Most SME CRMs are either too generic - you spend weeks bending them to your workflow and still end up missing fields you actually need - or too expensive, with per-seat pricing that quietly punishes growth and locks your client data inside someone else's platform. We wanted a tool that mirrored exactly how we run our policy consultancy: pipeline, enquiries, secure client records and finance reporting in one place, owned by us.
Our approach
We designed and shipped the system end-to-end using AI-assisted development, working from a clear set of requirements rather than retro-fitting an off-the-shelf product. The result is a tightly-scoped CRM that does exactly what the business needs and nothing it doesn't. Hosted on our own infrastructure, version-controlled in GitHub, with full database backup and restore baked in from day one - and the codebase is ours to evolve as the business changes.
What it does
Trello-style Kanban pipeline
Drag-and-drop stages for enquiries and live projects - Replied, Awaiting Quote, Quoted, Call Arranged, then through pre-start and delivery.
Integrated enquiry forms
Web forms feed directly into the pipeline - no copy-pasting, no dropped leads.
Date-based income comparison
Period-on-period revenue analysis in the style of Google Analytics - not just totals, but trends.
Quick-add and inline status changes
Dynamics-style productivity touches - a single click to advance a client through the pipeline.
Secure client record management
Role-based access control, automatic parsing of uploaded client documents, and full audit trail.
Version control and restoration
GitHub-backed source, full database backup and restore - built-in, not bolted on.
Tech stack
Outcomes
- →Replaced multiple paid SaaS subscriptions with a single owned platform
- →Full data ownership and zero per-seat costs as the team grows
- →A workflow built around the business, not the other way around
- →Reporting and pipeline visibility that finally answer the questions the leadership team actually asks
Who this is for
Owner-operators, small consultancies and any UK SME tired of bending its workflow to fit someone else's CRM, or of seeing its monthly SaaS bill climb every time the team grows.
