Spreadsheets. Let’s talk about spreadsheets because they are so, like, 2025.

Ok, let’s get serious. If you’re still using spreadsheets in 2026 and DON’T have a CRM (customer relationship management) system in place, here’s why you’re stifling the ability for your business to scale.

What is a CRM?

First things first, a CRM at its basic level, is a database where you hold customer records. Their name, address, telephone number, email etc. You might be thinking, why can’t a spreadsheet hold all that? And here’s why.

CRM systems are no longer just databases and they haven’t been for a while. They are sales and marketing revenue making machines. Really good ones like More Than A CRM come with powerful automation capabilities which can literally remove manual tasks from your business.

Think about how much time you spend chasing leads, trying to remember where you put the details of that person who showed interest that you have to get back to. Think about the onboarding, staff management, client relationships, payments, invoicing, document signing, and email marketing (which to be honest, you’re probably not doing).

All of that effort is taken care of inside your CRM and crucially, it can help you get leads. Building your mailing list is essential as a marketing strategy so that you can get to know your leads on a more personal level. The best way to do that is via lead magnets and sales funnels and unless you’re a tech quiz when it comes to spreadsheets, you’re leaving money on the table without a CRM to do the heavy lifting for you.

Then, there’s automation. If you think of all the tasks you have to do when onboarding a new client for example, sending them follow-up emails, the payment link, a thank you email, the contract, all of that takes time and if you’re spending your time doing that, you are not spending time on business growth. Did you really set out to be an admin assistant? I don’t think so.

A CRM automates all of these tasks leaving you free to bring in actual sales. But here’s the real real spreadsheets are dying a death…

AI.

Yep, I said it. AI. Let me give you an example. Like most businesses, I store (or did until more recent months), important information on spreadsheets. Like, how my ads are performing, demographics, new and lost client data. But then I discovered that I could quite easily turn these spreadsheets into one single control hub using AI to help me create the code, and deploy the builds.

I even created a centralised hub for the family finances, with future assets planning included. Why use multiple spreadsheets if you can have a dynamic portal that you can login into with all the information you need at your fingertips and an easy way to update it?

So, if you felt left behind using spreadsheets before AI, where do you think you are in the race now? These days, AI and CRM automation and systems work in tandem. The technology is getting stronger and easier for the most non tech savvy person to use.

If you feel like you need to get started with a good CRM but aren’t sure how, drop me an email: lisat@ltvaservices.com or head to ltbusinessmanagement.com