Cutting Through the Feature Lists
Every software vendor shows you a long list of features designed to impress. But for a window company with 10 reps and 3 branches, half those features are irrelevant — and some will actively complicate your day-to-day operations.
Here's an honest breakdown of what actually matters.
Must-Have Features
Lead Capture & Assignment
If your software can't capture leads from multiple sources and automatically assign them to the right person, it's not fit for purpose. This is the foundation everything else builds on.
Appointment Diary
A shared diary that your office team and field reps can all access. Mobile-friendly is non-negotiable — your reps aren't at desks.
Status Tracking
Every lead should have a clear status showing where it is in your pipeline. From "new enquiry" through "appointment booked", "pitched", "quoted", "sold", "installed". Custom statuses that match your workflow.
Basic Reporting
At minimum: lead volume by source, conversion rates by rep, and sales totals by period. If you can't answer "how did we do this month?" in 30 seconds, your reporting isn't good enough.
User Permissions
Branch managers see their branch. Reps see their leads. Directors see everything. This sounds basic but many systems get it wrong.
Nice-to-Have Features
Automated Reminders
SMS or email reminders to customers before appointments. Reduces no-shows by 20-30%.
Commission Calculation
If you have complex commission structures, automation saves hours. But simple bonus structures can be handled in a spreadsheet.
Document Storage
Attaching photos, surveys, and contracts to lead records. Useful but not essential from day one.
Email Integration
Logging emails against lead records automatically. Helpful for companies with significant email-based sales processes.
Features You Probably Don't Need
AI-Powered Lead Scoring
Sounds impressive, but with the volume of leads most glazing companies handle, your team's judgement is more reliable than an algorithm.
Social Media Integration
Your glazing leads aren't coming through Instagram DMs. Focus your CRM on the channels that actually generate business.
Complex Workflow Automation
Multi-step automated workflows with conditional branching look great in demos but rarely survive contact with reality. Keep it simple.
Project Management Tools
You're selling and installing windows, not managing software development. A good diary and status tracking system covers what you need.
The Right System for Your Size
1-2 reps: You need the basics — lead tracking, diary, simple reporting. Don't overcomplicate it.
3-10 reps: Add branch management, commission tracking, and automated reminders. This is where a dedicated glazing CRM starts paying for itself.
10+ reps: Full reporting suite, multi-branch permissions, API integrations with your accounting software, and dedicated support.