How Salentis streamlined its sales and operation processes with Capsule CRM

Background

Salentis, a global consultancy specialising in bid and proposal management for the defence and other complex sectors, found itself in a critical situation, having outgrown its previous CRM and downloaded all customer data to spreadsheets. Salentis uses a flexible associate workforce and as the business expanded, they needed a CRM that could deliver control, transparency, structure and adaptability.

With the help of Capsule Solution Provider, Karen Espley, who was working with Salentis in a consultancy capacity as their retained Head of Operations, they adopted Capsule CRM across the business. The implementation was fast, fit-for-purpose, and helped the team transition from ad-hoc processes to a systemised approach to sales, project oversight, and resourcing.

The challenge: beyond the spreadsheet

After discontinuing their previous CRM due to high costs and limitations, Salentis was left without a central way to manage client interactions, sales opportunities, or the recruitment and availability of their network of specialist consultants. The leadership team, spread across the UK, US, and Australia, relied on spreadsheets, but this wasn’t sustainable. They needed to streamline their processes more effectively.

“We had no active CRM. Everything had been dumped into Excel spreadsheets, but we had no unified way to track our project pipeline, our clients, or our people. That became a major blocker,” says Gavin Jones, General Manager for Salentis UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Salentis’ business model, which relies heavily on a flexible associate workforce, is fairly complex. The team needed to recruit consultants and then track them by skills and availability to place them on projects, while also managing sensitive data and remaining agile.

The Capsule CRM partner: A consultant with firsthand product knowledge

Karen Espley, a Capsule Solution Provider and experienced business consultant, was already working with Salentis as their retained Head of Operations. With deep experience using Capsule in her own business and supporting other clients, she was ideally placed to guide the company through the CRM evaluation process and lead implementation.

“Karen was the driving force. She had been using Capsule in her work and immediately saw how well it could be applied to our setup, even with the complexities of our associate model,” said Gavin.

As a Capsule Solution provider, Karen not only recommended the solution, but also delivered hands-on support, implementation guidance, and training, ensuring Salentis adopted the CRM successfully.

The solution: tailored, unified, and scalable

Following a thorough review of CRMs, Karen presented her findings at an international leadership summit. The team evaluated a wide range of solutions, from large enterprise CRMs to lighter-weight solutions. Capsule stood out for its ease of use, flexibility, and strong fit with Salentis’ operational needs.

Karen led the implementation for the UK entity first, building out custom pipelines, tagging structures, and providing onboarding through tutorials and direct support. She later replicated this success by helping the US and Australian entities get set up with Capsule as well.

“We had Karen as our guide. She knew the product, knew our business, and made it simple for everyone to get on board,” Gavin noted.

The impact: accountability, visibility, streamlined processes and team empowerment

With Capsule, Salentis gained:

• Structured sales and project pipelines tailored to their processes

• Searchable, tag-based associate management simplifies resource allocation

• Email integration and mobile access make CRM updates easy and seamless

• A shared foundation across global teams, enables consistent reporting and collaboration.

  
  

“We use Capsule every week in our leadership meetings. It helps us track progress, chase leads, and keep everyone accountable. It’s now an essential part of how we run the business.”

Salentis also uses Capsule’s people and organisation features to maintain a detailed, searchable record of their associate network, complete with data tags for skills, qualifications, security clearance, and projects they are assigned to. It’s a solution that supports both sales and delivery, improving operational oversight across the board.

The results: simplicity and control that scales

• Deployed in weeks, not months.

• 100% adoption by the UK team with minimal training.

• Replicated success in the US and Australia with support from Karen.

• Real-time visibility into sales pipeline and associate availability.

• Significant operational clarity, replacing fragmented spreadsheets.

  
  

Testimonial

“Karen made it easy. She was our in-house Capsule expert and got everything working quickly. Everyone engaged with it because it just worked” Gavin Jones, GM UK/EMEA, Salentis