Why Perth Law Firms Choose Light CRM Over Salesforce (And Save $50k)
Enterprise CRM systems are overkill for most law practices. Here's why custom light CRM delivers better ROI for Perth legal firms.
Perth law firm Mitchell & Associates was paying $4,200/month for Salesforce. After switching to a custom light CRM, they now spend $300/month and their client management has never been better. Here's why enterprise CRM is often the wrong choice for legal practices.
The Enterprise CRM Trap
Most Perth law firms make the same mistake: they assume bigger software means better results. Salesforce, HubSpot, and other enterprise CRMs promise everything, but deliver complexity that kills productivity.
What Perth Law Firms Actually Need
After working with 8 Perth law firms, we've identified the core CRM functions that matter:
- Contact details and communication history
- Matter tracking and deadlines
- Document storage and sharing
- Task automation and reminders
- Progress tracking and reporting
- Client communication templates
- Time tracking and billing
- Invoice generation and tracking
- Trust account management
- Court deadline tracking
- Client confidentiality controls
- Audit trail and reporting
Case Study: Mitchell & Associates
Sarah Mitchell's 5-person family law practice was struggling with Salesforce. "We spent more time fighting the system than serving clients," she recalls. "The interface was overwhelming, and we only used about 10% of its features."
The Problems with Salesforce
- Overcomplicated interface: Staff needed 2 weeks training
- Irrelevant features: Marketing automation, lead scoring, sales pipelines
- Legal-specific gaps: No matter management, court date tracking, trust accounting
- High ongoing costs: $50,000+ annually including customizations
The Light CRM Solution
We designed a custom light CRM specifically for family law practices, focusing only on what matters:
Client Dashboard
Simple overview of all active matters, upcoming deadlines, and communication history
Matter Management
Track case progress, court dates, document uploads, and billing details
Automated Reminders
Email and SMS notifications for court dates, client meetings, and document deadlines
Billing Integration
Direct connection to LEAP and BillTracker for seamless time tracking and invoicing
The Results After 12 Months
"The light CRM does exactly what we need, nothing more, nothing less. Our staff actually enjoy using it, and we've saved enough money to hire a junior solicitor."
Light CRM vs Enterprise: The Real Comparison
| Feature | Light CRM | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (5 users) | $300 | $4,200 |
| Setup time | 2 weeks | 3-6 months |
| Training required | 2 hours | 2 weeks |
| Legal-specific features | ✓ | ✗ |
| Integration with legal software | ✓ | Limited |
Is Light CRM Right for Your Law Firm?
Light CRM is ideal if your firm:
- Has 2-20 staff members
- Focuses on client service over lead generation
- Wants to reduce admin overhead
- Values simplicity and user adoption
- Needs legal-specific workflow automation