Ever tried to manage projects in a software company with a dozen tools that don’t talk to each other? Too many tools. Too much admin. Too much… noise.
That’s when we hit pause and thought: instead of patching things with yet another third-party solution, why not build our own CRM tailored to how we work? So we did. And honestly, it changed everything.
What Was Going Wrong?
Before our internal CRM came to life, we were juggling:
- Repetitive admin work (hello, copying the same client info into 4 different tools)
- Scattered knowledge across Slack, Notion, emails, and someone’s head
- Delayed updates that slowed our response time
- Invoice errors caused by tiny typos
- Gaps in project history making us say, “Wait, what did we agree on last time?”
- Poor visibility into how time was actually being spent
If that sounds familiar, it’s because these are the kinds of problems that creep into almost any fast-moving team. But instead of letting them keep piling up, we fixed it.
A Dashboard That Actually Works
Our new dashboard is the command center. Clean, simple, and (finally) everything in one place. Want to know what was said during the last call with a client? Or how far along a project is? It’s all there.
Turning Clients into Knowledge Hubs
Each client profile in our system is more than just contact info:
- Full history of conversations, meetings, and decisions
- Overview of ongoing and completed work
- Invoicing and payment records
- Key operational notes and contacts
Everything’s one click away, so we never have to go digging again.
Invoicing That Doesn’t Waste Time
We integrated invoicing with our external billing system. That means:
- Turn a pro-forma into a final invoice in two clicks
- Auto-send to the client
- Save and archive it
- Create bilingual invoices if needed
- Get pinged in Slack for issued invoices and overdue payments
And best of all? Auto-filled fields mean no more embarrassing invoice mistakes.
Plugged Into What We Already Use
Our goal wasn’t to reinvent every wheel, just to get them spinning together. So we integrated tools like:
- Toggl for time tracking
- Slack for team and payment alerts
- and custom scripts that send email reminders to clients automatically
We kept what worked. Automated what didn’t. Now the pieces talk to each other, and we spend less time doing the same thing twice.
The Real Results
After rolling this out, here’s what changed:
- 35 hours/month saved on admin tasks – that’s 420 hours a year
- Near-zero invoice mistakes thanks to automation
- 40% faster client response times
- Tighter team collaboration with transparent, real-time updates
- Better estimates thanks to accurate time tracking
Oh, and it’s a lot less stressful. Everyone knows what’s going on.
Why This Could Matter to You
If your day is a patchwork of spreadsheets, reminders, and “where did I save that again?”, it’s probably costing you more time and energy than you think. The good news? You don’t have to build a full-blown internal system from scratch to see results.
Even simple automations using tools like Make or Zapier can unlock immediate wins.
And if your needs are more complex? Then a tailored internal tool – built with modern tech like Vue, Nuxt and Firebase – can become your team’s secret weapon.
What’s Coming Next (Spoiler alert: Yes, it’s AI)
We’re not stopping here. The system we’ve built gives us a strong foundation – but now we’re making it smarter. With Google Firebase AI features, we’re teaching our CRM to understand context, not just store data.
Soon, it’ll start recognizing patterns in how our projects unfold, summarizing key points from client interactions, and highlighting important details that might otherwise get missed. We’re building it directly into our existing platform using Firebase’s native tools, so everything stays fast, secure, and intuitive.
Why does it matter to us? Because it gives us better visibility, quicker insights, and more headspace to focus on solving the problems that truly matter.
Final Thoughts
We didn’t build this system because it sounded cool. We built it because we were tired of busywork stealing time from real work.
Now, we spend less time juggling tools and more time doing what we’re great at: building solid, meaningful software for our clients.
And if you’re wondering whether something like this could work for your company – it absolutely can. We’re more than happy to chat and explore how creating tailored tools that streamline your workflows, automate routine tasks, and enhance overall efficiency could support your company’s growth and daily operations
