Custom CRM: How to Build a Web-Based CRM App Without Coding [Ultimate Video Guide]

Do an online search for CRM solutions and you’ll find dozens if not hundreds of options.

In fact, the customer relationship management (CRM) software market is worth over $40 billion according to Gartner.

There are so many competing solutions that most people end up reading reviews upon reviews and booking demos after demos in search of their ideal CRM solution. What many companies are discovering is that the best CRM solution is the one they build themselves.

Here’s why you should build your own, too.

Get our free ultimate video guide and learn how to build your own custom CRM app today.

The Problem With Off-the-Shelf CRM Software

Many software vendors such as Salesforce, SAP and Oracle offer enterprise CRM systems. However, businesses with unique requirements aren’t always able to find what they’re looking for. Most CRM suites are designed to meet only the common needs of the masses. Not to mention, these complex systems are difficult to implement. Inflated costs don’t help either.

Imagine you’re tasked with purchasing a CRM system for your company’s lead generation and contact management activities.

After weeks of intensive research, you come back with clunky, bloated software that includes everything from corporate social media integration to complex marketing automation functionality. And then your IT department struggles to properly configure and deploy the whole software package, even though the features you desire constitute only a fraction of the system. Ultimately, it takes more time for people to learn how the system functions, and this distraction impacts productivity. All of a sudden it becomes more difficult to justify the hefty monthly subscription.

To think, all your company needed was a tool to manage leads so you can close deals.

Many businesses jump into cookie-cutter CRM solutions thinking that buying is the easiest way to get the perfect tool—until they realize that they acquired a huge system that contains many components they have no use for, and only a few features they really need.

The Importance of a Custom CRM App

No two businesses are alike. Period.

Every business has a unique way of approaching prospects, nurturing leads and building relationships with existing customers. So, don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all stopgap; build a CRM solution designed specifically for your business.

The key to maximizing the possibilities of a CRM application is the ability to build and customize it to the exact requirements of your business.

Here are four benefits of building your own custom CRM:

Start small but immediately.

Creating your own CRM system means you’ll be able to prioritize the features you need most. Build only what’s necessary and expand from there. You also won’t need to learn how to use a complex suite; having fewer distractions means more time for productive activities.

Create a tool people want to use.

By building your own CRM application, you’ll be able to create a tool that’s based on your current workflow. Training your team members takes less time because the CRM is designed around the workflow they’re already familiar with. The tool adopts to the user, not the other way around.

Building a custom CRM system means you can start small and focus on the features that matter most.

Reduce purchase or subscription costs.

CRM software suites are mostly expensive products that come with a lot of features you don’t need. Instead, why not subscribe to a platform that allows you to build custom apps parallel to your business needs, at a fraction of the cost? This strategy enables you to do more with less.

Empower other teams to collaborate.

Customer relationship management spans multiple areas of the organization, and by building your custom CRM application, you’ll empower other teams to create their own customer-centered applications. Examples include a ticketing system for the support department, a survey tool for customer service or an event management app for the marketing team—all of which can function seamlessly if built on a database platform.

How to Build a Custom CRM App Without Coding

Purchasing off-the-shelf CRM software forces you to spend valuable budget on a suite of tools and services that’s not tailored to your unique workflow. Traditional software development, meanwhile, is costly and takes months before the first version of the app is ready to use. So, what’s the fastest and most cost-effective way to get a custom CRM app?

Build one yourself using a low-code application platform.

Here are six characteristics to look for in a low-code application development platform if you want to build a CRM without having to write code:

A visual interface

The very foundation of a low-code platform is the ability to build applications without having to hand code. Caspio, for example, uses both point-and-click and drag-and-drop tools to help you build applications.

Simple deployment

After developing your application through a series of helpful wizards, you’ll need to deploy the web-based CRM on your website, intranet or portal. Look for simple deployment methods that are implemented in a few clicks or via website plugins.

Third-party integration

Integration with legacy systems and third-party tools is crucial for an effective CRM system. Ensure that your platform is able to “talk” to systems that allow you to send emails, make calls and do other tasks. Caspio’s integration with Zapier lets you connect your CRM to a large ecosystem of cloud services from Office 365, Facebook Lead Ads and Amazon S3 to services like MailChimp and Twilio for sending dynamic emails and SMS messages.

Cloud infrastructure

Choose a low-code application platform that’s based on the cloud, which means everything is available online and there’s no need to purchase any additional infrastructure. Once the app is built, it’s ready to go.

Built-in security controls and compliance

Protect your customer data and business workflows through platform- and account-level security controls. Look for two-factor authentication as well as single sign-on, which enables users to access multiple applications with common login credentials.

Scalable pricing plans

Most shrink-wrapped CRM software comes with per-user subscription plans. This penalizes wide-scale deployment and use, which is counterproductive for a CRM application. Caspio, on the other hand, allows unlimited application users, enabling businesses to scale without incurring additional costs per user.  

Build Your Custom CRM App Today!

Watch our Ultimate Video Guide: How to Build a Custom CRM Application Without Coding to start creating business applications for your customer relationship management initiatives.

Building and customizing your very own web-based CRM app may seem a little intimidating but it’s actually easier to do than you might think. Our video guide will help you get started. Learn everything you need to know through easy-to-follow steps, from setting up a data table to defining user access to deploying your application.

Your business needs are unique so why settle for generic CRM software? Caspio’s free database empowers you to start creating a custom CRM app that’s tailored to your requirements.