- Neutral advice: we take no vendor commissions, referral fees or reseller margins. Our only fee is the one you agree to in writing.
- Off-the-shelf, configured or custom-built: we recommend the least complex option that fits.
- Led by Grant Lee Bloemetje, who builds CRM systems and admin panels for businesses, with our CPA partner checking that the accounting side is right.
- Covers data migration, staff training and adaptation as the business changes, not only installation.
- ERP and CRM
- ERP (enterprise resource planning) software connects a business's core operations, typically accounting, inventory, purchasing, sales and job costing, in one system with one set of data. A CRM (customer relationship management) system tracks customers, leads, conversations and sales opportunities.
What ERP and CRM work means here
Most growing businesses run on a patchwork: accounting software, several spreadsheets, an inbox and a tool someone built years ago. It works until the same customer is entered three times, inventory counts disagree, and month-end means copying numbers between systems by hand. That is usually when the ERP or CRM conversation starts.
We help at every stage. We work out what you actually need, compare the options honestly, implement and configure the system, migrate your data, train your people and adapt the system as the business changes. Where nothing off the shelf fits, we build: Grant has built CRM systems and admin panels for businesses through his web studio practice.
Our advice is neutral. Many software implementers are paid in part by the vendors they recommend, through commissions or reseller margins. We take no vendor commissions, referral fees or kickbacks of any kind, so the recommendation is simply the one that fits your business. Sometimes that means keeping what you have.
Who it's for, and who it isn't
A good fit
- Businesses running operations across spreadsheets and disconnected apps, with the same data entered more than once.
- Companies choosing a first ERP or CRM that want an advisor who is not selling a product.
- Businesses with a system already in place that nobody uses properly, or that no longer fits how they work.
- Firms with workflows distinctive enough that off-the-shelf software forces awkward workarounds.
- Owners who want accounting, operations and customer data to agree with each other.
Probably not
- Organizations needing a large rollout across many countries or business units. That calls for a larger implementation partner.
- Buyers who have already chosen a platform and only want licences resold at a discount. We do not resell software.
- Businesses hoping software will fix a process nobody has agreed on. We will suggest a systems review first.
What's included
How we work
- ConsultationWe learn how the business runs and what is prompting the change.
- Needs analysisWe map current workflows, data and pain points, and write down requirements in your language, not a vendor's.
- Written proposalRecommendation, scope, plan and fee in writing, including what is out of scope.
- Build and configureWe set up or build the system in stages, testing each stage with the people who will use it.
- Migrate and trainData is moved and reconciled, staff are trained, and a cut-over date is agreed with you.
- AdaptAfter go-live we review how the system is used, remove friction and adjust it as the business changes.
Off-the-shelf, configured or custom?
| Off-the-shelf | Configured platform | Custom-built | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Standard software used largely as delivered | A platform adapted with settings, custom fields, workflows and integrations | Software built around your workflows |
| Best when | Your processes are close to standard | Most needs are standard, with a few important differences | Your workflow is distinctive or nothing on the market fits |
| Upfront effort | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
| Ongoing cost | Subscription, usually per user | Subscription plus occasional configuration work | Hosting and maintenance, no per-user licences |
| Main risk | Bending your process to fit the software | Over-customizing until upgrades break things | Depending on whoever maintains it |
| Ownership | You rent access to the vendor's software | Vendor owns the platform; you own the configuration | You own the code and the data |
Our default is the least complex option that fits. We recommend custom software only when it clearly earns its upkeep.
Signs you have outgrown spreadsheets
- The same customer, product or job is entered in more than one place.
- Month-end depends on one person copying numbers between files.
- Nobody is sure which version of a spreadsheet is current.
- Inventory or job-cost figures disagree with the accounting system.
- Basic questions, such as margin by customer, take a day of work to answer.
Three or more of these usually means the question is no longer whether to change, but how. Read When does a 20-person company outgrow spreadsheets? for the full decision.
How it's priced
ERP and CRM work is scoped and quoted in writing. Needs analysis and selection are usually quoted as a defined first phase, so you have a recommendation in hand before committing to implementation.
Fees are driven by the number of users and departments, the number of systems to integrate, the volume and condition of data to migrate, how much configuration or custom development is needed, and the amount of training. Software licences are paid directly to the vendor. We add no margin, receive no commission and accept no referral fees.
Questions owners ask
When does a business outgrow spreadsheets?
Usually when the same data is entered in several places, month-end depends on one person, and simple questions take hours to answer. Headcount alone is not the test; complexity is. See When does a 20-person company outgrow spreadsheets?
How long does a CRM implementation take?
It depends on the number of users, the data to migrate, the integrations and how much needs to be customized. A small, standard CRM set-up is a very different project from a multi-department ERP. We set out a staged plan in the written proposal once we understand the scope.
Should we buy off-the-shelf or build custom?
Buy when your processes are close to standard, which is true for most businesses. Configure when you are mostly standard with a few important differences. Build custom only when your workflow is genuinely distinctive or nothing available fits, and you are prepared to own the maintenance.
Do you get paid by software vendors?
No. We take no commissions, referral fees, reseller margins or other incentives from any software vendor. You pay us for advice and work; you pay the vendor for licences.
Which ERP or CRM do you recommend?
The one that fits your requirements, budget and team, which we only know after a needs analysis. We have no preferred vendor and no partner quotas, so the shortlist is based on fit.
What happens to our existing data?
We clean it before moving it, migrate it in tested batches and reconcile totals afterward (customer counts, open balances, inventory values) so you can see nothing was lost. History you do not need day to day can be archived instead of migrated.
If you build us a custom system, who owns it?
You do. The code, data and documentation belong to your business, and we document the system so another developer could maintain it if needed.