From small business to a leading platform: Scaling with a simple CRM

Not every company has a dedicated sales team—and not all businesses can afford to have one. However, today, the business world is much more open to outsourcing and hiring contractors than 50 years ago.

With the growing number of debates about a 4-day work week, the business mindset is slowly transitioning towards a new paradigm where professionals get paid for the results, not their time spent in the office.

Sales Agents UK is one of the pioneers of this mindset. The company helps businesses find independent commission-based sales agents. While its main business is in the UK, the company is also growing in Scandinavia. What began as a one-person business has evolved over the years into a big team of managers, social media specialists, head-hunters, account managers, and copywriters.

Now one of the largest platforms for sales agents in the UK, they started their journey with OnePageCRM and have been using it for more than 7 years. Recently, we talked to its founder Lars Hellestrae about the company’s journey.

The biggest mistake when hiring sales agents

A sales agent is a professional who gets hired by a company to sell its products or services and who earns income through commissions on sales.

While it’s a win-win situation for both parties, to get the most out of this arrangement, companies need to support the sales agent. Yet, surprisingly, lack of preparation is one of the top mistakes businesses make when they search for a sales agent.

Being prepared is not just about knowing how much you are going to pay. It’s also about providing the salespeople with the right materials and tools.

Since agents earn commissions, they’re motivated to start selling right away. But if a company isn’t prepared, the process stalls. Without an email setup, a CRM, leads, or a sales deck, agents can’t do their job, and the partnership falls flat.

Looking for a simple CRM for a newly founded business

Sales Agents UK not only advises companies on the commission-based sales model but also connects them with independent sales agents.

When a client requests help finding an agent, Sales Agents UK doesn’t just post a passive ad on their website. Instead, they actively headhunt for their clients, reaching out to prospects and identifying the best candidates to meet the client’s needs.

That’s why a proper CRM system is so important for them. But finding one can be challenging.

“In the previous company I’ve worked for, we used a well-known CRM but I didn’t like it. The salespeople hated it. Nobody updated it. It was just far too complicated and expensive.” — Lars Hellestrae, Founder of Sales Agents UK

When Lars started building his own business and doing sales himself, at that time he needed a CRM suited to a one-man operation. Back then, Lars didn’t have a big team working for him, so finding a simple CRM became a necessity.

The CRM Lars had used at his previous company was out of the question—it was too complex and costly for a new business. So, he began testing various CRM solutions, and after four or five trials, he discovered OnePageCRM.

For one-person businesses, a simple CRM is invaluable. However, as the business grows, CRM needs to support expansion while still keeping things simple.

This is what OnePageCRM did for Sales Agents UK. As the company continued to grow, OnePageCRM accommodated its changing needs and supported its growth.

Scaling business with consistency

Sales Agents UK use OnePageCRM to nurture relationships with their inbound leads, close new opportunities, and keep track of their sales process.

A key growth factor for a company like Sales Agents UK is how effectively they utilize their database. With thousands of sales agent profiles stored in OnePageCRM, their headhunting team actively reaches out to find the best candidates for each client.

OnePageCRM helps small businesses keep everything in check and do what is needed to be done for their growth.

Simple CRM for a small business

Small businesses that prioritize steady, long-term growth over quick, short-term boosts will find the action-focused nature of OnePageCRM highly appealing.

As Sales Agents UK’s story shows, consistent daily effort can drive lasting business success.

Choosing a simple CRM doesn’t mean sacrificing important functionality. In many cases, a straightforward CRM provides exactly what you need without overwhelming you from the start. It allows you to uncover its full potential gradually as your business expands.