Custom CRM for Architecture & Design Practice
Designed and built a purpose-built CRM for a high-end architecture studio, replacing generic tools with a system that maps to how architects actually work — across project phases, design reviews, contractor networks, and long-cycle client relationships.
Project Visual Placeholder
The Challenge
The studio had tried Salesforce, HubSpot, and several project management tools, none of which mapped well to how an architecture practice operates. A project is not a sales pipeline — it spans years, involves dozens of stakeholders, goes through regulatory approvals, design revisions, and construction phases, each with different communication and document requirements. Client contacts changed, contractor relationships needed to be tracked separately from projects, proposals required custom fee structures, and the principals needed a high-level view without wading through software designed for sales teams. The team was patching things together with shared spreadsheets and calendar reminders, leading to missed follow-ups, lost proposal history, and no reliable way to forecast studio capacity.
Our Approach
We began with a deep-dive into the studio's actual workflow — from initial inquiry through schematic design, design development, permitting, construction administration, and project closeout. We modeled the CRM around architectural practice: Prospects, Clients, Projects with phase tracking, Proposals with milestone-based fee schedules, a Consultant and Contractor directory with relationship tagging, and a communication log tied to each record. The system included a client-facing portal for document sharing and approval sign-offs, automated reminders for proposal follow-ups and permit deadlines, and a studio dashboard showing active projects by phase, outstanding proposals, and billable hours by project. We integrated with their existing email to auto-log correspondence and built PDF proposal generation from templates.
Technology Stack
Outcomes
- Proposal follow-up rate improved by 55% through automated reminders
- Administrative coordination time reduced by 6+ hours per week per principal
- Full project history, correspondence, and documents accessible in one place
- Client portal reduced back-and-forth email on document approvals by 70%
- Studio won 3 major projects attributed to faster, more professional proposal turnaround
- New staff onboarding time cut from 3 weeks to under 5 days
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