What a CRM system is and how it helps a company
In short: A CRM (customer relationship management) system keeps customers, contacts, deals and sales activities in one place. A CRM can be added to a WordPress website with a plugin (for example, Jetpack CRM, HubSpot or Groundhogg) or the site can be connected to an external CRM such as Pipedrive, so that form enquiries reach the CRM automatically.
In today’s business, a website or social media alone is no longer enough. To really understand and keep your customers, you need a good management tool – this is where CRM systems come in.
But what are they, how do they work and why does even a small company need one? Let us explain step by step.
What a CRM is and why it matters so much
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) means managing customer relationships.
It is a program or online system that helps you keep track of all your customers, contacts and sales activities in one place.
Put simply — a CRM system replaces the notepad, Excel spreadsheets and email chaos. It helps organise all customer information so that nothing is forgotten.
Why does a company need a CRM system?
Without a CRM, this is what often happens:
the customer’s name is written down in one place and their email in another;
a colleague calls a customer without knowing that a proposal has already been sent to them;
the manager does not know how many deals are actually in progress;
and someone often “forgets to call” or “forgets to send a proposal”.
A CRM helps prevent all of this. With it, you see the full picture:
how many new customers have come in,
what stage they are at,
which deal needs closing,
and how much revenue it could bring.
It is like a dashboard for the whole company – everything is clear, automatic and secure.
What a CRM system gives you in practice
Automatic customer entry: if someone fills in a form on the website, they appear in the CRM system straight away.
Reminders and tasks: the CRM reminds you when to call or write an email.
Email and call history: everything is stored in one place.
Analytics: you can see how many potential customers turn into real deals.
Team collaboration: everyone sees the same information.
The result – less stress, fewer errors and more sales.
CRM systems that can be used with WordPress
If your website is built with WordPress, the good news is that you can integrate a CRM system directly into it. This means customers who fill in a form on your site go straight into your CRM system.
The most popular WordPress CRM solutions:
Jetpack CRM
A free and simple plugin.
It lets you store customer contacts, add notes, track sales processes and even issue invoices.
Suitable for small companies, freelancers or service providers.
WP ERP CRM
This plugin combines customer management (CRM), HR management (HRM) and accounting.
It is an excellent tool for those who need more than a simple contact list.
HubSpot CRM for WordPress
HubSpot is one of the largest marketing and CRM platforms in the world.
The WordPress plugin automatically saves every contact who leaves their email on your site, and then lets you send automated emails.
Groundhogg CRM
A good solution for email marketing and maintaining customer relationships.
It lets you create email campaigns, automate replies and track user activity on the website.
Pipedrive – one of the most popular CRM systems
If you are looking for a CRM that is especially friendly for sales teams, Pipedrive is one of the most popular solutions in the world.
Pipedrive is a simple, visual and very easy-to-understand system in which all customers are shown as “cards” in the sales process. You see:
which customers are new,
which have been sent a proposal,
and which have already become paying customers.
Notes, calls, reminders and files can be added to each customer — all in one place.
Can Pipedrive be connected to WordPress?
Yes, there are several options. The Pipedrive WordPress plugin “LeadBooster by Pipedrive” adds a chatbot to the site. A Pipedrive Web Forms form (a LeadBooster add-on tool) can be embedded on the website, and completed forms reach Pipedrive as leads or deals. Existing WordPress forms can be connected to Pipedrive via the API or a suitable integration, such as a form plugin extension.
What an API is (and how it works)
API stands for Application Programming Interface – put simply, it is a bridge between two systems along which data can travel automatically.
Example:
Your WordPress website has a contact form.
A customer fills it in – name, email, message.
The API automatically sends this information to Pipedrive, where a new customer (“lead”) is created.
No data has to be entered manually – it all happens by itself.
How long it takes to connect to the Pipedrive API
The integration time depends on how “deeply” the systems are connected.
| Type of connection | What it does | Approximate time |
| One-way connection (from the website to Pipedrive) | Website enquiries reach the CRM automatically | 2–4 hours |
| Two-way connection (website ↔ Pipedrive) | Data is both sent and updated from the CRM to the website | 6–10 hours |
| Full synchronisation with status and data returned | Fully automatic exchange, for example an updated customer status on the site | 10–20 hours |
So – if you only need a simple enquiry sent to the CRM, it can be done in a few hours.
If you need full automation where both systems “talk” to each other, it takes longer, but the result is a completely automatic flow of customers.
Which CRM should you choose?
There is no single right answer, because every company’s needs are different.
If you have a small business or are just starting to collect customers – the Jetpack CRM or HubSpot CRM plugin will be enough.
If you already have an active sales team, it is better to choose Pipedrive or another professional CRM.
If you want a full connection with the website and automations, choose a system with a good API or ready-made integrations.
Most importantly – a CRM should help you save time, not create more work.
If it is set up correctly, a CRM system becomes a silent assistant that reminds, organises and informs.
How CREATING.LV can help
We help companies build:
websites with an integrated CRM system (Jetpack, HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.);
API connections that automatically transfer and synchronise data;
automations that send emails, create new “leads” and update statuses;
training on how to use a CRM properly, so that it becomes an everyday work tool rather than just another spreadsheet.
Remember
A CRM system helps organise customers, sales and communication in one place.
WordPress offers several CRM plugins that let you integrate the system directly into the website.
Pipedrive can be connected to a WordPress website with the LeadBooster chat plugin, an embedded Pipedrive Web Forms form or an API integration of existing forms.
A one-way API connection takes a few hours, a two-way one up to a day.
Each company has to choose its own solution, depending on its size, workload and goals.
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