Avelease Case Study
The Challenge
Avelease – Modern CRM for Asset Finance and FCA Compliance
Avelease, the UK’s leading specialist asset finance broker, had been running its business on a bespoke Microsoft CRM. Over time the system became slow, difficult to maintain and impossible to integrate with modern tools. It did not work well on mobile devices, security was hard to keep up to current standards, and many everyday tasks spilled over into spreadsheets and manual workarounds.
The team needed a modern, secure and auditable CRM platform that preserved the strengths of the old system but added automation, reliable reporting and tighter control of FCA regulated processes such as money laundering checks and documentation. Transferring and cleaning decades of data for accurate reporting was critical, as was designing a clear user interface that brought together functions previously scattered across multiple screens.
Avelease asked RD Research to design and build a new bespoke CRM that would support asset finance workflows end to end, integrate with current technologies and stand up to regular compliance audits.
The Development Process
We assembled a joint project team of three RD Research consultants and six Avelease staff, led by project manager Nick. Working mainly remotely with planned on site sessions, we used a structured Waterfall approach, starting with a detailed functional specification before development.
The first phase focused on understanding how the existing CRM was used in practice. We documented every key process: new proposals, credit checks, documentation, money laundering checks, payouts, renewals and commission calculations. From this we created screen mock ups and workflow diagrams so Avelease could see and refine the future system before any code was written.
Data analysis followed. We profiled and documented the legacy Access data, identifying what needed to be migrated, cleaned or restructured to support accurate, fast reporting. Compliance requirements were embedded into the design so that critical steps such as KYC and AML checks were recorded, tracked and never missed.
Development proceeded against the agreed specification, with weekly progress and feedback meetings. Complex screens were prototyped and iterated with users to ensure they were fast and intuitive. Automation was added for reporting, form generation and common correspondence, reducing manual typing and duplication. Throughout, security and FCA expectations guided decisions on access control, audit trails and data handling.
Key features
- Bespoke CRM platform tailored to asset finance workflows and FCA regulatory requirements
- Clean, modern user interface that consolidates key functions previously spread across multiple Access screens and spreadsheets
- Built in automation for generating standard forms, documents and management reports from live data
- Embedded compliance tracking, including money laundering checks, KYC steps and document expiry monitoring
- Comprehensive data migration and cleansing from the 25 year legacy Access system for fast, accurate reporting
- Flexible dashboards and search tools to give brokers, operations staff and management the information they need in real time
- Secure architecture designed for modern devices and subject to regular internal and external audit
Outcome
The new Avelease CRM system replaced the ageing Access database and became the core platform for running the business. Automation, improved usability and accurate reporting have had a measurable impact on efficiency and growth.
"RD Research have delivered an outstanding system that will really help drive out business forward. I completely recommend them."
- Nick Watts, Director, Avelease