Universal CRM allows brands to collaborate

With agencies operating their own CRM systems across 110 countries, the group was drowning in data silos. Group management lacked visibility across brands, and agencies had no way to know whether they were already working with the same clients, leading to missed cross-selling opportunities at scale. The problem was starkly illustrated by one customer who had 24 separate relationships with different agencies, completely unaware they all belonged to the same group.

The business needed a central repository for its customer data that would break down these silos while allowing each agency to retain its autonomy. Off-the-shelf CRM platforms from major vendors were considered, but the cost was prohibitive. The sheer number of users and customisations required made it unworkable, particularly given they only needed a fraction of the functionality a standard CRM provides. Exploring alternatives, the company discovered it could build a purpose-fit CRM rapidly and cost-effectively using the OutSystems platform, tailored precisely to its needs, without paying for what it didn't need.

Working with PhoenixDX, the group built a universal CRM on the OutSystems platform that brings all customer, prospect, and deal data from every member agency together in one place. Delivered in just under six months at a fraction of the cost, time, and risk of traditional development approaches or an enterprise CRM implementation, the solution struck the right balance between group-wide visibility and individual agency autonomy.

The CRM gives group management a holistic, big-picture view across all brands, while each agency retains full control over its own leads, opportunities, and client relationships. Intuitive dashboards surface everything from accounts and contacts to open, won, and lost opportunities, alongside activities, brands, reporting, and administration tools.

Critically, the platform is designed to unlock commercial value across the group. By collaborating on RFPs and identifying cross-selling opportunities, agencies can find complementary services and work together to offer a more unified proposition to shared clients.