• Most CRMs weren’t built for investment banking and can’t support the full deal lifecycle.
• Issues like low adoption, poor visibility, and over-reliance on Excel are costing your firm time and missed opportunities.
• A purpose-built CRM helps investment banks move faster, work smarter, and close more deals with less friction.

In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven deal environment, your CRM should be more than a digital Rolodex or pipeline tracker. It should empower your team to move faster, collaborate smarter, and uncover new opportunities. But if your current system is slowing you down, you’re not alone. Many investment banks are still stuck with generic CRMs or spreadsheet workarounds that don’t meet their needs.

Here are the top five signs it’s time to make a change—and how MadeMarket can help you turn those pain points into performance gains.

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1. You’re Still Managing Data in Excel

Why it matters: If you're still relying on spreadsheets to track deals, relationships, or outreach, you're not just wasting time—you're compromising the quality and trustworthiness of your data. Excel wasn’t built to manage dynamic deal flow, and it doesn’t enforce data consistency or enable collaboration. Over time, that leads to version control issues, incomplete records, and decisions based on unreliable information.

The MadeMarket advantage: MadeMarket centralizes your data on a platform built for investment banking. With automated capture from email and calendar, structured workflows, and deal-specific tracking tools, users can update logs 12X faster and build buyers lists 10X faster. More importantly, you get consistent, complete, and reliable data you can actually trust.

Also read: Why It’s Time to Ditch Excel for an Investment Banking CRM

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2. Your Team Isn’t Using the CRM You’re Paying For

Why it matters: Low adoption is one of the clearest signs your CRM isn’t working. Whether it’s too generic, too complicated, or too disconnected from your workflow, if your team avoids using it, it’s not delivering ROI. Worse, it creates siloed information, missed insights, and duplicative work.

The MadeMarket advantage: MadeMarket is purpose-built for investment bankers. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and ready-built around your workflows—which is why adoption happens faster and sticks longer. Teams can save 200+ hours per user per year and actually enjoy using the platform because it eliminates busywork and delivers real value.

Also read: How to Increase CRM Adoption at Your Investment Bank‍

3. You Don’t Have Real-Time Visibility into Your Deals and Pipeline

Why it matters: When it takes multiple emails or a manual report just to understand the status of a deal, your CRM isn’t doing its job. Lack of visibility slows down execution, hinders collaboration, and prevents leadership from making fast, informed decisions.

The MadeMarket advantage: MadeMarket gives you real-time visibility into every deal and relationship. With live dashboards, tracking tools, and features like Relationship IQ, teams can instantly identify the best path to a buyer, see where deals stand, and act with confidence. No more chasing down updates—just answers.

Also read:What's the difference between a CRM and CRDM for Investment Bankers?

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‍4. You’re Constantly Paying to Customize a Generic Platform

Why it matters: CRMs like Salesforce may seem flexible, but that flexibility comes at a cost. Customizing a generic CRM to meet your firm’s needs can be time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating—and you’re still left with a platform that doesn’t truly understand investment banking.

The MadeMarket advantage: MadeMarket is ready-built for bankers, so you get the features you need on day one—no consultants required. And when you do need something tailored, our team of capital markets experts can build smarter, faster, and better than generic providers. It’s the best of both worlds.

Also read: Debunking the Myths About Getting a New CRM for Your Investment Bank

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‍5. Your CRM Isn’t Helping You Win More Business

Why it matters: A CRM should be more than a place to store contacts—it should actively help you originate and close more deals. If it’s not improving outreach, surfacing insights, or driving conversions, it’s falling short of its potential.

The MadeMarket advantage: MadeMarket is designed to help firms grow. With advanced analytics, email campaign tools, and proprietary insights like Relationship IQ, users can identify better targets, personalize outreach, and move faster through the deal cycle. In fact, firms that switch to MadeMarket close one additional deal per year for every five MDs.

Also read: How to Close More Deals Faster with MadeMarket as an Investment Banker

If these signs sound familiar, it’s time to stop settling and start accelerating. MadeMarket turns your CRM from a liability into a competitive advantage.

To learn more and explore what MadeMarket can do for you, connect with a member of our team to get started with a demo!