CRM setup service: what's included and how much it costs
If you're considering paying for a CRM setup service rather than doing it yourself, the question of what's included for the money matters. CRM setup services range from "we'll configure the system for you" to "we'll redesign your sales process, build the system around it, and train your team". The two aren't the same and the price difference reflects this.
This piece is the honest breakdown of what a CRM setup service should include, what it typically costs in the UK in 2026, and how to evaluate quotes you're considering.
There's a broader piece on working with a CRM consultant for the wider context.
What "CRM setup" can mean
The phrase covers a wide range of work. Three rough levels.
Basic configuration. Someone clicks through the setup wizard, imports your contacts, configures a basic pipeline, and shows you the result. Takes a day or two. Often quoted at £500 to £1,500 in the UK.
Standard setup. Discovery conversation, process mapping, full configuration including custom fields and Tracks, data migration with cleanup, basic integrations, training session. Takes two to four weeks of part-time consultant work. Typically £2,000 to £4,000 in the UK.
Comprehensive setup. All of the above plus deep integration work, multiple pipelines for complex businesses, extensive Tracks templates, detailed training across the team, post-launch support for the first month. Takes four to eight weeks. Typically £4,000 to £8,000.
Most small UK businesses need the standard setup. Basic configuration usually leaves too many gaps. Comprehensive setup is overkill at this scale.
What should be included in a standard setup
The phases worth asking about specifically.
Discovery. Conversations with you and (ideally) your team to understand the business, the sales process, the delivery work, and the data you need to track. Usually four to eight hours of consultant time. Output is a written summary of what the CRM needs to do.
Process design. Mapping your sales pipeline stages, your delivery workflow, your custom fields, and your tagging structure. This is where the strategic thinking happens. Usually four to eight hours.
System configuration. The build itself. Pipelines, custom fields, Tracks templates, user roles, dashboards. Usually eight to sixteen hours depending on complexity.
Data migration. Cleaning up existing contacts, mapping to the new structure, importing without duplicates, preserving history. Usually four to eight hours.
Integration setup. Connecting Capsule to email (Gmail or Outlook), accounting (Xero or QuickBooks), marketing (Mailchimp), and other relevant tools. Usually four to eight hours.
Training and handover. Showing your team how to use the system, writing documentation, holding live training sessions. Usually four to eight hours.
Post-launch support. Available for questions and minor adjustments in the first month. Usually four to eight hours.
Total: typically thirty to sixty hours of consultant time across the project. At £75 to £150 per hour, that's £2,250 to £9,000 worth of work. Most setup quotes for typical UK small businesses fall in the £2,500 to £5,000 range.
What's not usually included
Three things worth checking explicitly.
Ongoing support beyond the first month. Most setup packages include post-launch support for a defined period, then move to hourly billing. Confirm what happens after the initial window.
Ongoing CRM administration. Adding users, updating pipelines, building new Tracks templates after the initial setup. These are usually charged separately at hourly rates.
Training new hires later. If someone new joins the team six months in, training them isn't usually included in the original setup. Worth knowing.
What good quotes look like
A well-structured CRM setup quote breaks down the work into the phases above with hours and costs against each. Something like:
Discovery: 6 hours at £150/hour = £900.
Process design: 6 hours = £900.
Configuration: 12 hours = £1,800.
Data migration: 6 hours = £900.
Integration: 6 hours = £900.
Training: 4 hours = £600.
Post-launch support: 4 hours = £600.
Total: 44 hours, £6,600.
This kind of breakdown is what you should ask for. "CRM setup, £5,000 all in" without detail tells you nothing about what you're buying.
How to evaluate a setup quote
Five questions worth asking.
What's included in the post-launch support window? How long? What kind of help?
What happens if the project goes long? Fixed price or hourly? At what point does scope change become billable?
Will the work be done by the person I'm talking to, or someone else? Some consultants subcontract.
Can I see a sample setup of a similar business? Concrete examples beat marketing pitches.
What does the timeline look like? How long from contract to go-live?
What to do next
If you're considering a CRM setup service and you'd like a structured second opinion on what to look for or what to expect, a discovery call is the no-pressure first conversation.
The piece on working with a CRM consultant covers the broader role of a consultant. The piece on CRM implementation consultants covers the specific implementation skill set.
CRM setup is one of those services where price and value can vary widely. The £1,500 quote and the £5,000 quote can both look reasonable on paper but produce very different outcomes. Spend the time evaluating what's included, who's doing the work, and what happens after launch. Cheap setups that leave gaps are more expensive in the long run than thorough setups that earn their place.