Custom CRM in the Wix Platform with Velo

The standard Wix CRM (Ascend) is convenient for basic contact management and email campaigns, but its capabilities are often limited when it comes to advanced business processes. It lacks features like detailed reporting, lead scoring, and a customizable sales pipeline. When a business requires more than out-of-the-box functionality, this becomes a serious limitation. The solution is a custom-built CRM based on Wix using Velo – a powerful development environment. Velo allows developers to connect JavaScript code and work directly with databases, enabling dynamic pages and complex logic on the site. The Wix Data API also gives developers full control over CMS collections – allowing programmatic filtering, querying, and data manipulation.

What is Wix?

• Wix is a cloud-based website builder designed for ease of use, enabling users without advanced coding skills to create professional websites quickly.

• It provides an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that simplifies the design process, allowing rapid development of visually appealing sites.

• Users have access to hundreds of customizable templates tailored to various industries, from personal blogs to sophisticated e-commerce platforms.

• Wix includes essential built-in features such as web hosting, automatic security updates, SSL certificates, and integrated SEO tools, ensuring a comprehensive solution.

• Because of its affordability, flexibility, and extensive feature set, Wix is particularly favored by small businesses and startups seeking efficient and cost-effective web solutions.

Wix is a cloud-based website builder widely known for its user-friendly interface and accessibility to users without advanced coding skills. The platform allows individuals and businesses to quickly design professional, visually appealing websites using drag-and-drop functionality. With hundreds of customizable templates available, Wix provides robust flexibility suitable for various industries and use cases, ranging from personal blogs to complex e-commerce websites. Wix also offers built-in hosting, automatic security updates, SSL certification, and SEO tools, making it a complete solution for web publishing needs. Due to these comprehensive features, Wix has become particularly popular among small businesses and startups that seek cost-effective and efficient solutions.

Overview of Velo by Wix

• Velo by Wix is an advanced development platform embedded within Wix, enabling custom functionality through JavaScript.

• It combines powerful backend capabilities, such as serverless computing and database management, with front-end customization options for dynamic content.

• Velo supports integrations with third-party APIs, enabling extended functionality beyond Wix’s native features.

• Developers use Velo to build sophisticated web apps, complex databases, and automated workflows without external infrastructure management.

• Its integration within Wix's environment simplifies deployment and makes advanced website features accessible to developers of varying expertise levels.

Velo by Wix is an advanced development platform integrated directly into the Wix ecosystem, allowing developers to enhance websites using JavaScript. Wix Velo combines frontend customization capabilities with powerful backend scripting and API integrations. This platform supports the creation of dynamic content, complex web applications, and extensive database management directly within the Wix environment. Velo significantly expands Wix’s native capabilities, offering full-stack development tools that include built-in database collections, serverless functions, and third-party API integrations. By using Velo, businesses gain the ability to build custom solutions tailored precisely to their requirements without leaving the Wix infrastructure.

Why Use Wix for Custom CRM Development?

• Building a CRM within Wix using Velo allows for tight integration between CRM functionality and your existing Wix website.

• Wix offers built-in hosting, database management, and security, significantly reducing development and operational costs compared to standalone CRM solutions.

• Customizing a CRM in Wix gives businesses the flexibility to tailor features precisely to their unique operational needs and workflows.

• The intuitive Wix environment paired with Velo’s JavaScript capabilities enables rapid and cost-effective CRM development and implementation.

• Small businesses benefit particularly due to Wix’s affordability, streamlined maintenance, and easy scalability.

Developing a custom CRM within Wix using Velo presents several unique advantages, especially for businesses already using Wix for their online presence. This approach ensures a seamless and tight integration between the CRM system and existing websites, resulting in consistent data flow and user experience. Wix provides cost-effective, all-in-one hosting, which reduces the overhead typically associated with external CRM software and infrastructure. Additionally, the Wix platform’s simplicity paired with Velo’s powerful scripting capabilities allows businesses to build highly customized CRM solutions specific to their unique processes and requirements. As a result, businesses can avoid unnecessary features and complexity inherent in off-the-shelf CRM products, thereby improving operational efficiency and user satisfaction.

What is a CRM?

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is designed to manage and optimize interactions between businesses and their customers.

• It provides centralized storage for customer data, such as contact information, interaction history, purchases, preferences, and communications.

• Essential CRM features include managing sales pipelines, tracking customer interactions, automating communications, and generating analytics.

• CRMs improve customer relationships by providing insights, streamlining workflows, and enhancing communication efficiency across multiple business units.

• Effective CRM systems lead to improved customer satisfaction, increased sales performance, and greater overall operational efficiency.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software serves as a centralized system for managing all customer interactions and relationships across an organization. It enables businesses to store detailed customer information, monitor interactions, and manage sales pipelines efficiently. The primary goal of a CRM is to enhance customer relationships, streamline internal workflows, and improve business profitability through better customer insights. CRM systems typically include functionalities such as contact management, lead tracking, interaction history, analytics, and automated communications. Ultimately, CRM software is designed to improve customer service, increase sales, and provide actionable insights that inform strategic business decisions.

Benefits of a CRM for Businesses

• Implementing a CRM significantly improves organization, productivity, and customer service quality within a business.

• CRMs provide detailed insights into customer behaviors and preferences, enabling personalized interactions and marketing strategies.

• Automation capabilities in CRM systems reduce manual administrative tasks, freeing up staff to focus on customer engagement and sales activities.

• Data-driven insights provided by CRMs help businesses make strategic decisions, optimize sales processes, and boost customer retention.

• Ultimately, businesses leveraging CRMs experience higher efficiency, better internal collaboration, and improved revenue growth.

Adopting a CRM provides substantial benefits, including improved organization, increased sales productivity, enhanced customer retention, and comprehensive insights into customer behaviors. A centralized data repository reduces manual tasks and duplication of efforts, freeing sales and marketing teams to focus on core activities. With comprehensive customer data easily accessible, businesses can deliver personalized communication, improving customer satisfaction and retention rates. CRM software also provides detailed analytics and reporting, enabling organizations to make informed strategic decisions based on real-time data. Ultimately, effective CRM systems foster increased efficiency, streamlined workflows, better collaboration, and significant revenue growth.

Custom CRM vs. Off-the-Shelf CRM

Why Build a Custom CRM in Wix with Velo?

Seamless Integration with Wix Website

• Developing a CRM within Wix ensures seamless data integration and real-time synchronization with your existing Wix website.

• Automatic data transfers between website interactions and the CRM eliminate manual data entry and reduce errors.

• A unified system provides a consistent user experience across customer-facing and internal interfaces.

• Integrating CRM within Wix simplifies technical maintenance, security management, and updates, reducing administrative complexity.

• Complete integration significantly enhances operational efficiency and improves customer interactions.

One of the strongest arguments for developing a custom CRM within Wix using Velo is the seamless integration with your existing Wix website. Data collected through forms, user interactions, or online purchases automatically integrates into your CRM, providing real-time updates without manual intervention. This tight integration significantly reduces data management efforts and minimizes errors associated with manual data transfers between separate systems. Additionally, unified infrastructure simplifies maintenance and updates, providing a cohesive user experience across both front-end and back-end systems. By building your CRM directly within Wix, you maintain complete control over your customer data, enhancing security and reliability.

Cost-Effective for Small Businesses

• Wix’s comprehensive infrastructure, including built-in hosting and security, dramatically lowers the overall cost of CRM ownership.

• Using Wix for CRM development eliminates the need for expensive external hosting, additional database services, or specialized infrastructure.

• Velo’s built-in scripting environment reduces reliance on costly third-party tools or extensive custom development frameworks.

• Reduced initial and ongoing costs make Wix-based CRM development particularly attractive for small businesses and startups with limited budgets.

• Affordability allows businesses to invest resources saved into other critical growth areas, such as marketing, customer service, or product development.

Wix offers significant financial advantages, making custom CRM development cost-effective, particularly for small businesses and startups. Unlike traditional CRM platforms, Wix includes hosting, security, database management, and backend infrastructure as part of its service package, thus avoiding additional expenses associated with external services. Velo, Wix’s built-in scripting environment, also eliminates the need for external development frameworks or costly third-party tools. By leveraging these built-in features, small businesses can significantly reduce upfront and ongoing operational costs. This affordability enables businesses to invest more effectively in customer acquisition, retention, and overall growth.

Customization for Business-Specific Needs

• Developing a custom CRM in Wix with Velo allows businesses complete flexibility to design CRM functionalities around specific operational processes.

• Tailored CRM features can precisely reflect real-world workflows, ensuring efficiency and ease of use for team members.

• Custom CRMs adapt quickly to changing business requirements or evolving customer interaction methods without dependence on external vendors.

• Highly customized CRMs improve user adoption, minimize training requirements, and reduce frustration associated with overly complex or irrelevant functionality.

• Businesses gain strategic advantages by having software that fits exactly to their operational demands, thus maximizing productivity and user satisfaction.

Building a custom CRM with Wix and Velo allows precise customization tailored exactly to specific business processes and operational requirements. Businesses can define every aspect of their CRM, from data structure and workflows to user interfaces and automation sequences, providing optimal efficiency and ease of use. This level of customization ensures the system aligns seamlessly with existing business workflows, eliminating unnecessary complexities or features found in generic solutions. Additionally, businesses can quickly adapt their CRM to evolving market demands or operational changes without waiting for vendor updates or purchasing expensive add-ons. Ultimately, customization leads to greater user adoption, satisfaction, and significantly improved productivity across teams.

Planning Your Custom CRM

Define Business Objectives

• Clearly define your CRM goals by identifying specific business pain points and desired outcomes, such as improved lead management or enhanced customer communication.

• Prioritize these objectives to focus CRM development efforts and resources on the most impactful business improvements first.

• Define measurable outcomes to track progress and evaluate CRM effectiveness after implementation.

• Involve key stakeholders in objective definition to ensure alignment across departments and obtain comprehensive input on required CRM functionalities.

• A clear, strategic understanding of your business objectives ensures the CRM directly addresses actual business needs.

Clearly defining your business objectives is essential when planning your custom CRM development project. Identify specific pain points and inefficiencies within your existing customer management processes to pinpoint precisely which areas your CRM must address. Common objectives might include improving sales conversion rates, streamlining lead management, enhancing customer support, or creating more personalized customer communications. Consider also long-term goals, such as scalability and adaptability to ensure the CRM solution remains relevant as your business expands. Establishing detailed objectives provides clarity, informs strategic decisions, and guides the entire development process, ensuring your CRM effectively meets real-world business needs.

Identify Core Features

• Identify essential CRM features based on previously defined business objectives, such as contact management, sales pipeline tracking, or automated communications.

• Prioritize features according to their criticality to daily operations and immediate impact on business efficiency.

• Consider future scalability, ensuring chosen CRM features support your long-term business growth and evolving operational needs.

• Selecting clearly defined core features initially simplifies development, reduces complexity, and accelerates CRM adoption among users.

• Ongoing reviews and feature refinements ensure the CRM continually aligns with business processes and emerging requirements.

After defining clear objectives, the next step is identifying core CRM features essential to achieving those objectives. Typical CRM functionalities include contact management, lead tracking, pipeline visualization, task management, automated communication, and reporting tools. Prioritize these features according to their impact on your business operations and user workflows, ensuring you initially develop those functionalities that yield the most immediate and significant benefit. Additionally, consider future business growth when selecting features, ensuring the CRM's capabilities can evolve alongside your operational requirements. A careful selection of core features helps avoid unnecessary complexity, controls development costs, and ensures user-friendly interfaces tailored precisely to your operational needs.

Data Architecture and Collection Methods

• Clearly outline the data architecture, defining types of data collected, storage methods, relationships, and database structure within Wix.

• Design intuitive, secure, and effective data collection methods, such as web forms, automated system integrations, and direct manual entry.

• Organize databases to ensure optimal data retrieval performance, analytics capability, and ease of use.

• Carefully structured data architecture supports system scalability, allowing effortless growth and expansion of CRM functionalities over time.

• Effective data planning significantly impacts long-term CRM success, efficiency, and user satisfaction.

A robust and thoughtfully planned data architecture forms the backbone of an effective CRM solution. Define clearly what customer-related information your business needs to store, how it should be structured within Wix Data collections, and how each data field relates to others within your system. Choose optimal data collection methods, such as online forms, automated integrations, and manual data entry, ensuring smooth data acquisition and processing workflows. Carefully structuring data storage facilitates efficient data retrieval, analytics generation, and scalability as your customer data volumes grow. Effective data architecture and clear collection methods significantly enhance the CRM’s performance, reliability, and overall utility for your business.

Key Features of a Custom CRM in Wix

• Customizable Data Fields and Layouts: Enables businesses to tailor CRM data entry forms to capture customer-specific information relevant to their unique sales and marketing processes, including customer demographics, preferences, and interactions.

• Integration with Wix Database: Seamlessly connects with Wix collections to store and retrieve data efficiently, facilitating organized and structured management of customer records and related transactions.

• Advanced User Permissions and Access Control: Allows defining granular access levels for different user roles, ensuring secure data management and compliance with privacy standards by restricting sensitive information to authorized personnel only.

• Automated Workflows and Notifications: Leverages Wix Velo to create automated workflows, such as follow-up reminders, appointment scheduling, or lead status updates, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing manual workload.

• Interactive Dashboards and Reporting Tools: Provides dynamic dashboards and custom reporting capabilities, offering insights into customer interactions, sales performance, and marketing effectiveness through interactive charts, tables, and analytics.

• Custom Email and Communication Tools: Integrates email marketing tools, enabling personalized messaging, automated responses, and targeted email campaigns directly within the CRM environment, thus fostering consistent customer engagement.

• Third-party API Integrations: Supports integration with external applications such as payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal), email marketing platforms (MailChimp, SendGrid), or calendar apps (Google Calendar), enhancing CRM functionality and versatility.

• Mobile Responsiveness and Accessibility: Ensures full compatibility and seamless user experience across mobile devices, enabling on-the-go access to CRM data for sales teams and remote users.

• Robust Search and Filtering Capabilities: Implements advanced search, sorting, and filtering options to quickly locate customer records or segment customers based on specific criteria, simplifying data handling.

• Secure Data Storage and GDPR Compliance: Employs Wix's built-in security measures and ensures adherence to data protection regulations (such as GDPR), safeguarding customer information through encryption, secure authentication, and user consent management.

Tools and APIs Available in Velo

Wix Data API

The Wix Data API provides comprehensive methods for managing database collections within the Wix environment, allowing developers to query, insert, update, or delete data directly through Velo code. This API simplifies complex data interactions, enabling efficient database operations that support core CRM functionalities such as dynamic data retrieval and manipulation. It also allows seamless integration with user interfaces built in Wix, facilitating rapid development of data-driven applications. Using Wix Data API ensures consistency, reliability, and efficiency in handling large volumes of CRM data. Ultimately, this tool significantly accelerates CRM development and enhances data integrity within Wix applications.

Wix CRM APIs

Wix CRM APIs offer direct integration with Wix Contacts and built-in CRM functionalities, enabling automatic synchronization of user-generated data with your custom CRM. These APIs streamline common CRM tasks like managing customer profiles, tracking form submissions, and automating email communications based on customer behavior. Integration with Wix CRM APIs ensures seamless data exchange between your CRM and Wix’s native contact management tools, improving operational efficiency and reducing manual intervention. Additionally, these APIs help maintain consistency in customer data across your entire Wix ecosystem. Utilizing Wix CRM APIs allows businesses to extend their CRM functionalities rapidly and effortlessly within the Wix environment.

Third-Party Integrations (e.g., SendGrid, Twilio)

Velo facilitates easy integration with numerous third-party APIs, expanding CRM capabilities beyond Wix’s native features. Popular services like SendGrid for automated email marketing and Twilio for SMS notifications can be quickly integrated into your CRM, enhancing customer communications and engagement strategies. These integrations enable advanced functionalities, including real-time customer alerts, automated transactional communications, and multi-channel marketing campaigns. Third-party integrations significantly increase the overall power and flexibility of your CRM, allowing tailored solutions that precisely meet unique business requirements. Leveraging third-party services via Velo ensures comprehensive, professional-grade CRM functionality within a cost-effective Wix platform.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Custom CRM with Velo

Step 1: Planning and Defining Requirements

Before starting, clearly define your requirements:

• User Roles: Identify who will use the CRM (admin, sales, support).

• Data Structure: Define what data you'll store (contacts, interactions, sales).

• Functionalities: Outline required functionalities (contact creation, activity logs, reporting).

Step 2: Set Up the Database

Wix Velo includes built-in database capabilities.

1. Create Database Collections:

   • Navigate to Content Manager → Create New Collection.

   • Create collections such as:

     • Contacts (Name, Email, Phone, Status).

     • Activities (Date, Description, AssignedTo, RelatedContact).

     • Opportunities (Contact, Value, Stage, CloseDate).

2. Set Permissions:

   • Define who can read, write, and manage each collection (e.g., admin-only write, team-view).

Step 3: Design CRM Interface

Create pages to manage your CRM.

1. Dashboard Page:

   • Overview of CRM activities and quick links.

2. Contacts Page:

   • List all contacts, with filtering and search capabilities.

3. Contact Details Page:

   • Detailed view, interaction logs, and related opportunities.

4. Opportunities Page:

   • Manage sales pipeline stages.

Step 4: Develop User Authentication & Roles

Manage user access based on roles.

1. Enable Wix Members Area:

   • Navigate to Settings → Members and activate the Members Area.

   • Set up registration and login forms.

2. Custom Roles:

   • Define roles (Admin, Sales, Support).

   • Use backend scripts in backend files to check user roles and limit access accordingly.

Example Velo code:

// backend/roles.jsw

import { currentMember } from 'wix-members-backend';

export async function getUserRoles() {

  const member = await currentMember.getMember();

  return member.roles;

}

Step 5: Build CRM Pages with Velo Code

1. Contacts List Page

2. Use a repeater connected to the Contacts collection.

3. Implement filtering and search functionality.

Example search implementation:

$w.onReady(() => {

  $w("#searchInput").onInput(event => {

    const searchTerm = event.target.value;

    $w("#contactsDataset").setFilter(wixData.filter()

      .contain("name", searchTerm)

      .and(wixData.filter().contain("email", searchTerm))

    );

  });

});

2. Contact Details Page

3. Display detailed information.

4. Load related activities from the Activities collection.

Example to load related activities:

$w.onReady(async () => {

  const contactId = wixLocation.query.contactId;

  $w("#activitiesDataset").setFilter(wixData.filter().le("relatedContact", contactId));

});

Step 6: Implement Forms for Adding & Updating Data

• Create forms for new contacts and activities.

• Use Wix forms or custom inputs with Velo code to submit data.

Step 7: Add Activity Tracking & Logs

• Activities help track interactions with contacts.

• Create forms to log activities.

• Activities will be displayed under each contact’s detail page.

Step 8: Build Reporting & Analytics

• Utilize Velo to query the database for reports.

• Create custom dashboards with charts using third-party integrations or Wix built-in charts.

Step 9: Integrate with External Tools (optional)

• Use Wix Fetch API to integrate with external tools such as Zapier, MailChimp, or Google Sheets.

Step 10: Testing and Debugging

• Test extensively across roles and scenarios.

• Ensure proper security and data handling.

Step 11: Deploy and Train Users

• Publish your site.

• Provide users with documentation and training on usage and best practices.

Step 12: Maintenance and Updates

• Regularly update and optimize CRM features based on user feedback.

• Use analytics to continually improve the system.

Best Practices for a Successful CRM Build

Keep the UI Intuitive

Prioritize user-friendly and intuitive interface designs to encourage CRM adoption and efficient use. Ensure interfaces are visually appealing, easy to navigate, and designed specifically around user workflows. Clearly label functionalities, minimize unnecessary steps, and streamline common processes to improve usability. Regularly seek user feedback and iterate the UI design based on practical usage patterns and user suggestions. An intuitive UI ultimately boosts productivity, enhances user satisfaction, and ensures successful CRM implementation.

Prioritize Data Security

Implement robust security measures throughout your CRM to protect sensitive customer data and business-critical information. Utilize strict user permissions, encrypted communications, and secure authentication methods within the Velo environment. Regularly review data access logs and user activities to quickly identify potential security breaches or unauthorized access attempts. Integrate secure coding practices and routinely update system dependencies to address potential vulnerabilities proactively. Prioritizing data security maintains customer trust, ensures regulatory compliance, and protects your business reputation.

Test Before Scaling

Comprehensive testing is critical before scaling your custom CRM solution to full operational capacity. Conduct rigorous functionality testing, user experience evaluation, and performance stress tests under realistic conditions. Engage real users in pilot tests to gather valuable feedback on system usability and effectiveness, ensuring your CRM aligns precisely with actual user requirements. Resolve identified issues and continually refine system components to guarantee stability and performance at scale. Proper testing ensures a smooth transition to full implementation, avoiding costly disruptions or downtime.

Limitations and Workarounds in Velo

Data Storage Limits

While Wix and Velo provide robust tools for CRM development, there are inherent limitations to data storage capacity. Wix databases have predefined limits based on your hosting plan, which may become restrictive as your CRM grows and accumulates significant amounts of data. To navigate this constraint, consider regularly archiving historical data externally or implementing strategies such as data compression or efficient indexing to optimize storage usage. Leveraging external databases through APIs or integrations with cloud services like Google Cloud or Firebase can also extend data storage beyond Wix’s inherent limits. Careful planning and proactive management of data storage ensure your CRM remains efficient, responsive, and scalable even as data volumes grow.

Workflows and Automation Constraints

Wix Velo offers powerful automation capabilities but includes certain constraints regarding the complexity and frequency of automated workflows. For example, there are limitations around recurring scheduled tasks, extensive batch processing, and real-time event handling that could affect the implementation of complex CRM workflows. To mitigate these issues, clearly define your automation requirements upfront, identifying potential workflow bottlenecks or limitations early in the development process. Utilizing external automation platforms like Zapier or integrating serverless functions through third-party APIs can offer effective workarounds to overcome these constraints. By carefully structuring automation processes and employing external integrations when necessary, you can maximize CRM automation efficiency and capability within Velo’s framework.

Scalability Tips

Scalability can present challenges when developing CRMs using Wix and Velo due to platform resource limitations or performance considerations. Begin by designing your CRM with scalability in mind, structuring databases, backend logic, and interfaces to support modular expansion and increased usage without significant reengineering. Use efficient coding practices such as asynchronous data operations, optimized queries, and strategic caching to enhance system performance at scale. Regularly monitor performance metrics to identify and address scalability bottlenecks proactively. Additionally, integrate scalable third-party services or cloud-based resources to support increased traffic and data demands effectively without compromising CRM performance.

Maintaining and Upgrading Your CRM

Regular Data Backups

Maintaining regular and systematic data backups is essential for protecting your CRM’s integrity and reliability. Implement automated backup routines within Wix or through external backup services to securely archive critical customer and business data. Frequent backups minimize potential data loss resulting from technical failures, human errors, or malicious attacks. Clearly documented recovery procedures and secure storage of backup copies further safeguard your business continuity. Regular data backups ensure rapid recovery capabilities, maintain customer trust, and mitigate operational risks associated with data corruption or loss.

Version Control Strategies

Proper version control ensures organized, collaborative development and simplifies maintenance and troubleshooting tasks in your CRM project. Utilize Wix Velo’s built-in version history to track changes, manage code revisions, and enable smooth rollbacks when needed. Consider external version control solutions like Git for more sophisticated code management, particularly in collaborative development environments involving multiple developers. Document clearly all major changes, updates, and feature additions within a structured changelog to streamline tracking and accountability. Effective version control improves development efficiency, simplifies debugging, and ensures stable system operation as your CRM evolves over time.

Continuous Improvement Cycle

Adopting a continuous improvement approach ensures your CRM consistently aligns with changing business needs and user feedback. Regularly solicit input from CRM users, closely monitoring system performance metrics and user interaction patterns to identify areas for improvement. Schedule periodic system reviews to assess functionality, usability, and effectiveness, implementing necessary updates or enhancements based on practical insights. Continuously adapting and optimizing your CRM through iterative improvements ensures sustained relevance, increased user satisfaction, and enhanced operational efficiency. Embracing continuous improvement ultimately maximizes your CRM’s long-term value and significantly enhances overall business performance.

Why Choose Velo for Your CRM

Flexibility and scalability are the main reasons to choose Velo. The platform lets you implement any business logic, far beyond the capabilities of standard site builders. With code, you can add new fields, create advanced validations, define custom user roles, and integrate with third-party systems. Velo gives you full control over the interface and data flow – letting you define who sees what, how data is processed, and how the system grows with your business. A custom CRM built on Velo adapts to your specific needs while remaining fast, stable, and reliable.