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Fractional CTO Delivers Working CRM for Nicholas Associates

Turning a failed, six-figure CRM implementation project into a business success story—without breaking a sweat.

SHOW ME HOW

Key deets:

Who:

Nicholas Associates Group (NAG)

Where:

Sheffield HQ, UK-wide

What:

Fractional CTO (TPP) – CRM implementation rescue

When:

October 2024 – March 2025

How did we help?

When Nicholas Associates Group found themselves with a costly CRM that simply wouldn’t play ball, The Possibility Partnership stepped in with a fresh perspective—and a Fractional CTO at the helm.

In just six months, we took a stalled, waterfall project with 160 frustrated users and turned it into a CRM success story that the business could finally embrace.

"After months of struggle, The Possibility Partnership delivered our CRM exactly as we needed it—and brought the business along for the ride. The project was a complete turnaround, and our teams are genuinely happy."

Paul Smith, CEO, Nicholas Associates Group

The challenge:
CRM chaos and a business at breaking point

NAG had spent 18 months and a hefty six-figure sum with a well-known recruitment CRM System Integrator, only to end up with a non-functional system due to an extremely poor implementation from a third-party provider. Productivity took a nosedive, staff bemoaned the CRM in exit interviews, and the business faced a dilemma: revert to old systems or go legal.

The old CRMs had been decommissioned, so NAG was stuck with a half-baked solution, mounting frustration, and the very real risk of further departures.

AWS cloud architects

The solution:
A steady hand, agile mindset, and a clear plan

Enter The Possibility Partnership. Appointed as Fractional CTO, we grabbed the reins. We quickly rallied business champions, directors, and IT through regular governance calls, open communication, and weekly all-hands updates to keep everyone in the loop.

We ran a full product gap analysis and worked closely with the CRM’s Professional Services Department to define a new statement of work, tackling every requirement the business needed. Implementation switched to agile, with smaller working groups, closer business involvement, and zero tolerance for jargon. Alongside, we embedded an experienced business analyst to streamline processes and training, which dramatically improved both the time to deliver the project, through the streamlining of existing processes and end-user training.

The result:
A CRM that works — and a business that believes

60

Users positively impacted

0

Reversions to old systems

1

Business analyst embedded

“Sometimes the best results come from picking up the pieces and building something better. We’re proud to have helped NAG turn a failed project into a win for the whole business—while keeping things simple, human, and jargon-free. That’s what we do best.”

– The Possibility Partnership

Let's GET POSSIBLE

Fast-Tracked Turnaround

Delivery time cut in half, from 12 months of missed deadlines to just 6 months with agile working.

Engaged Users, Happier Teams

160 users on-boarded, with improved business sentiment and buy-in across the group.

Lasting Legacy:

Comprehensive documentation and future strategy, plus key hires secured for continued success.

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