For many growing businesses in the City of London, success brings a silent killer: administrative bloat. Vanguard Financial Advisors, a boutique wealth management firm based in Canary Wharf, found themselves drowning in their own growth. Their sales team was managing high-value leads across fragmented spreadsheets, while their onboarding process relied on manual email chains and physical paperwork. Important follow-ups were slipping through the cracks, and their "speed to lead" was lagging behind competitors.
They approached Custom Coded Websites not for a brochure site, but for a bespoke digital nervous system. They needed a custom CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool that could automate their unique sales logic and secure sensitive client data. Here is how we used Python and Django to automate their future.
The Challenge: The Spreadsheet Ceiling
Vanguard was operating at the limit of manual management. Their primary pain points were common among London’s professional service firms:
- Data Fragmentation: Client information was scattered across Excel, Outlook, and local drives, making a "single source of truth" impossible.
- Manual Onboarding: It took an average of five days to move a client from "Interested" to "Onboarded" due to manual document requests and verification steps.
- Security Risks: Storing sensitive financial data in unencrypted spreadsheets was a significant compliance risk for their FCA-regulated environment.
The CCW Solution: A Bespoke Django CRM Engine
Our co-founders, Charlie Shortman and Louie Long, designed a custom internal application using Django. Unlike off-the-shelf CRM software like Salesforce or HubSpot, which often come with expensive features you don't need, a custom build allowed Vanguard to pay only for the exact logic their business required.
1. Automated Lead Distribution Logic
Charlie Shortman engineered a custom "Lead Routing" engine. When a high-net-worth inquiry arrives via the website, the Django backend automatically scores the lead based on investment volume and assigns it to the most relevant advisor in the London or Westminster office. This reduced their initial response time from 4 hours to under 10 minutes.
2. Streamlined Client Onboarding Portal
Louie Long designed a secure "Client Portal." Instead of emailing sensitive documents, clients now log into a branded, encrypted area to upload their ID and financial statements. We built an Automated Progress Tracker that sends nudges to clients if they haven't completed a step, virtually eliminating the need for staff to "chase" paperwork manually.
3. Real-Time Analytics Dashboard
Using Django’s powerful ORM and PostgreSQL, we created a real-time reporting dashboard. The leadership team at Vanguard can now see their sales pipeline, conversion rates, and advisor performance at a glance. This data-driven approach allowed them to identify that their Shoreditch marketing campaign was yielding a 20% higher ROI than their traditional print ads.
The Results: 50% Less Admin, 30% More Sales
The implementation of the custom CRM transformed Vanguard Financial’s operational capacity within the first six months:
- Administrative Efficiency: The time spent on manual data entry and client onboarding dropped by 50%.
- Sales Velocity: By automating follow-ups and lead routing, the firm saw a 30% increase in successfully closed deals.
- Security & Compliance: The firm passed their annual compliance audit with ease, thanks to the centralized, encrypted database and granular user access controls we implemented.
- Scalability: The firm successfully onboarded 200 new clients in one quarter without hiring additional administrative staff.
Why Your Business Needs a Custom CRM in 2026
Vanguard Financial’s success proves that generic software is often a bottleneck for specialized businesses. A custom Django-powered CRM from Custom Coded Websites offers the exact functionality you need with none of the monthly "per-user" fees that eat into your margins.
Based in London, we specialize in helping businesses turn chaotic processes into streamlined, automated engines. We don't just build websites; we build the tools that let you focus on what you do best—serving your clients.