How Cantata enabled an international research and advisory firm to replace an outdated database with a scalable, modern low-code CRM platform designed around their unique analytical processes.
Operating at the intersection of quantitative forecasting and high-level strategic advisory across global commodity ecosystems.
An established, independent research and consultancy business providing specialist market intelligence, data analysis and forecasting to international clients operating in a complex global commodities market. Its work combines proprietary research, expert interpretation and ongoing engagement with industry participants, helping clients make informed strategic, investment and operational decisions.
This specialist research and insight organisation needed a more scalable, efficient and integrated CRM solution to support its growing operations, expanding data requirements and distributed team of consultants.
The organisation was using an existing database application to manage company information, contacts and research notes. While the system supported core processes, it had become increasingly constrained by usability, performance and integration limitations. The business required a more comprehensive platform with role-based access, audit history, improved contact and company management, marketing platform synchronisation, research note functionality and mobile access for consultants working across different regions.
The legacy database struggled under expanding data demands, resulting in systemic friction, workflow delays and usability roadblocks.
A critical requirement to safeguard proprietary intelligence through granular permissions and verifiable operational audit trails.
Needed cleaner relationship structures to track complex corporate webs and multi-tier stakeholder entities accurately.
Overcoming siloed communication channels by connecting central client records directly to marketing automation systems.
Empowering analysts to record structured qualitative interview insights, forecasts and commentary alongside hard data.
Equipping distributed global consultants with seamless, secure mobile access while conducting on-site field research.
Cantata began with a focused consultancy engagement to review the existing solution, refine requirements and support the client in defining a long-term CRM strategy. This included assessing current processes, identifying key functional gaps and evaluating potential technology options against a structured decision matrix.
Our structured assessment verified trade-offs across cost, agility, maintenance burden and functional fit before any build commenced.
In-depth review of the incumbent database architecture, data flows and user workflows across regional teams.
Identifying operational friction points, reporting bottlenecks and unmet requirements for mobile and marketing channels.
Rigorous multi-criteria evaluation scoring off-the-shelf enterprise CRMs against low-code configurations to balance licence expenditure and customisation depth.
Establishing a coherent technical roadmap designed to scale alongside the consultancy’s expanding intelligence catalogue.
Following the assessment, Cantata recommended a low-code Microsoft Power App solution. This provided a flexible and cost-effective alternative to heavily customising an off-the-shelf CRM platform, while still meeting the client’s operational needs. The implemented solution centralised company and contact data, supported structured research note capture, enabled tagging and improved the overall accessibility and management of business-critical information.
Unified repository uniting company records and contact directories in a single accessible data layer.
Standardised note capture allowing qualitative market observations to be catalogued alongside empirical metrics.
Multi-dimensional taxonomy tagging for commodity types, geographies, client segments and research topics.
Role-governed controls and seamless access for distributed consultants operating remotely across global regions.
Cantata delivered the Power App implementation, including data migration from the existing system, user training, user acceptance testing and go-live support. The result was a modern, scalable CRM platform designed around the client’s processes, enabling the organisation to manage contacts, companies and research activity more effectively while supporting future growth.
Clean extraction, schema mapping and lossless migration from the legacy database structure into the new platform.
Structured UAT cycles validating real-world consultant workflows, permissions hierarchy and mobile responsiveness.
Hands-on, role-specific coaching empowering researchers, consultants and administrators to adopt features from day one.
Dedicated transition guidance and immediate hypercare ensuring smooth cutover with zero downtime for live client projects.
Enabling the organisation to manage contacts, companies and research activity more effectively while establishing an agile foundation for future growth.
Cantata helps organisations assess options, reduce risk and move forward with confidence.