Pearson Independent Advisors came through a corporate contractor referral when their on-premise CRM provider collapsed. Their data was locked in a proprietary format with no exit strategy, and years of CRM use without workflow maintenance meant they had lost sight of how they actually worked. AppSphere executed a 3-month transformation: extracted data from local SQL backups via sandpit environment, transformed it to be CRM-agnostic, started from scratch with pen and whiteboard to map actual workflows, then chose the right CRM based on those workflows. Over 12 years, we have supported their growth through complete trust, understanding not just the business, but the users, their preferences, and challenges. Every digital system now has a purpose and is intentional.
When their on-premise CRM provider went out of business, Pearson faced two crises: their data was locked in a proprietary format they could not access, and years of using the CRM without maintaining workflows meant they had lost clarity on how they actually operated. The data was stuck in local SQL backups in the wrong format. They could not just "migrate"; they needed to extract, transform, and fundamentally rethink their digital operations. They came through a corporate contractor referral needing emergency help.
This was not a simple migration; it was data rescue, workflow rediscovery, and strategic rebuilding. The proprietary data format meant we could not just move it. We had to extract from SQL backups, transform it to be CRM-agnostic, and ensure they would never be locked in again. Years of CRM use without workflow maintenance meant they were operating on autopilot with no clarity on actual processes. We needed to start from scratch to understand how they really worked (not how the old CRM forced them to work), map those workflows, then choose a CRM that fit their needs. This required deep understanding of not just the business, but the users (their preferences, challenges, and day-to-day realities).
AppSphere executed a 3-month transformation. First, we created a sandpit environment to extract data from local SQL backups and transform it into a CRM-agnostic format, ensuring portability and preventing future lock-in. Then, we started from scratch with pen and whiteboard, mapping their actual workflows with the team. We used this workflow analysis to choose the right CRM partner (not the other way around). We migrated email to Office 365, upgraded connectivity for remote access, and modernised security practices. But this was not just a CRM migration; it was a complete digital transformation where every system now has a purpose and is intentional. Over 12 years, we have continued supporting their growth, built on complete trust that tasks get done right with proper due diligence, and deep understanding of users and their challenges.
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