Since coming on board with OpenCRM in 2014, Gresham Books’ CRM journey has evolved to match their business.
– Nicholas Oulton, Gresham Books
Introduction to Gresham Books
As Gresham Books expanded its customer base and range of bespoke publishing projects, managing enquiries, relationships, and production details became increasingly complex. The business needed a more structured way to connect its sales, marketing, and project delivery processes without disrupting how it already worked.
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About the Client
Gresham Books is a UK-based publishing company specialising in bespoke printed materials, including hymn books, textbooks, and song sheets. With over 20 years of experience, they have built a reputation for producing high-quality, tailored publications for organisations across the UK.
The Challenge
As the business grew, Gresham Books was handling more enquiries, more customers, and increasingly detailed print projects.
They needed a system that could:
- Capture website enquiries and pass them to the sales team efficiently
- Manage a growing database of customers
- Support email marketing with meaningful performance tracking
- Oversee complex bespoke print jobs, including specifications, costs, and communication
Previously, these activities were spread across different tools or handled manually, making it harder to maintain visibility and consistency across the business.
The Solution
OpenCRM provided a single, connected platform that brought these processes together.
Incoming enquiries from the website were automatically captured and fed into the system, giving the sales team a clear starting point for follow-up. From there, opportunities could be progressed through a structured sales process until confirmed.
For order fulfilment, the Projects module allowed each bespoke job to be managed in one place. This included tracking communication, timelines, and costs, helping the team maintain control over detailed and often customised print work.
As marketing activity increased, the Campaigns module enabled Gresham Books to plan and send email campaigns while monitoring performance metrics such as engagement and delivery outcomes.
In addition, OpenCRM’s flexibility allowed for further customisation. Bespoke developments were introduced to better support the creation and management of hymn books, including functionality to handle variations and automate elements of copyright tracking and billing.
The Outcome
With OpenCRM in place, Gresham Books gained a clearer, more consistent way of managing its operations.
- Sales enquiries are captured and followed up more effectively
- Customer and marketing data is held in one place with improved visibility
- Complex print projects are easier to track and manage
- Marketing activity can be measured and refined over time
The system has continued to evolve alongside the business, supporting both growth and the increasing complexity of its bespoke services. [opencrm.co.uk]
Why It Worked
The solution aligned closely with how Gresham Books already operated. Instead of forcing change, OpenCRM provided a flexible framework that could be adapted through configuration and custom development, allowing the business to refine its processes without losing what made them effective.
Closing
Gresham Books now has a CRM system that supports both its commercial growth and its detailed, project-led work. By bringing together sales, marketing, and production management, the business has a more joined-up view of its operations while retaining the flexibility needed for bespoke publishing.
