Agencies manage multiple clients, ongoing requests, and invoicing. A CRM can keep clients, projects, support requests, and billing in one place so the team stays aligned and nothing is missed.
What agencies typically need
Agencies work with multiple clients at once. Each client has contacts, ongoing requests (support, changes, new work), and invoices. Without a central system, client details live in email or spreadsheets, requests are tracked in chat or email threads, and billing is done in a separate tool. That makes it hard to see what's open per client, who owns each request, and what's been invoiced.
A CRM built for agencies provides Organizations and Individuals for clients and contacts, a Pipeline for new business, Tickets for client requests, Tasks for deadlines, and Finance with Stripe for invoicing. Everything ties back to the client so the team has one view per account.
Typical challenges before a CRM
- Requests lost in email – Client asks for something; it's buried in a thread and never gets assigned or tracked.
- No single view per client – Contacts, open requests, and invoices are in different places so it's hard to give a client a quick status.
- Invoicing disconnected – Invoices are sent from another system, so the link between client work and billing is not visible in one place.
- Pipeline and delivery mixed – New business (leads, proposals) and ongoing client work are not clearly separated, so prioritisation is unclear.
How an agency might use the CRM
One organisation per client
Create one Organization per client and add Individuals (contacts) linked to that organisation. All requests, tasks, and invoices for that client are linked to the same account. See How to Add Your First Contact and Link to a Company.
Pipeline for new business, tickets for ongoing work
Use the Pipeline for new business: leads, proposals, and new client deals. Use Tickets for ongoing client work: support questions, change requests, and ad-hoc tasks. Assign each ticket so the team knows who owns it and track status so nothing is left open. How to Set Up Customer Support with Tickets covers setup.
Invoicing linked to the client
When work is done or at the end of the month, create invoices from Finance linked to the client organisation. With Stripe connected, send the invoice and track payment. How to Get Paid Faster has tips.
Key workflows
- New client – Add the organisation and key contacts, create an opportunity in the pipeline if it came from sales, then use tickets for their first requests.
- Client request – Create a ticket, assign it, set priority, and add notes. When it's done, close the ticket; the client's history shows everything that was done.
- Billing – Create an invoice from Finance linked to the client, add line items (or use Services if you have a catalog), send via Stripe, and track payment.
- New business – Add the lead as a contact and organisation, create an opportunity, move it through pipeline stages, and when won, start using tickets for their ongoing work.
Benefits of using a CRM for agency work
- Every client request is tracked – Tickets are assigned and visible so nothing is forgotten.
- One view per client – Contacts, open tickets, and invoices are in one place for quick status and handovers.
- Clear split between sales and delivery – Pipeline for new business, tickets for delivery keeps focus clear.
- Faster, traceable billing – Invoices are linked to the client and payment status is visible in the CRM.
Best practices
- One organisation per client – Keep one company record per client and link all contacts, tickets, and invoices to it.
- Use tickets for every client request – Log support and change requests as tickets so they're assigned, tracked, and visible in the client's history.
- Connect Mailbox – Link client email to contacts so conversations stay with the client record.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both pipeline and tickets?
Yes for most agencies: use the pipeline for new business (leads, proposals) and tickets for client support and requests once they're a client. That keeps sales and delivery visible in one place.
Can I track retainer or project hours?
Use opportunities for deals and tickets for client requests. For retainer or project tracking, check the application for time or project modules and link them to the same client organisation.
Where can I learn more?
See CRM for Agencies, How to Invoice Customers with Stripe, and contact support@piraja.io for help.
Conclusion
An agency can use a CRM to manage clients, requests, and billing in one place. By using one organisation per client, a pipeline for new business, tickets for client work, and Finance for invoicing, the team stays aligned and clients get a consistent experience. For more, see CRM for Agencies and the Tickets and Finance guides.