Skale Founder and CEO David Nussbaum on Features to Consider When Choosing a CRM

Skale is a CRM, client self-management and affiliate platform for financial services companies and call centers. The company offers a secure, customizable and well-supported CRM platform that gives its customers the freedom to grow their business at speed, with total confidence that their customer data and assets are protected.

David Nussbaum is the Founder and CEO of Skale. Fazzaco recently had an opportunity to interview David, where he shared some experience for start-ups in choosing a capable CRM software. 

​Fazzaco: Hi, thank you for accepting Fazzaco's interview. Could you please introduce yourself and Skale's products and services?

David: Hi my name is David Nussbaum and I am the founder and CEO at Skale.

The Skale CRM (Customer Revenue Management) platform and Skale Marketplace provide technology to help financial services businesses with large client bases to maximise their revenue from multiple marketing, sales, affiliation and IB channels.  

Skale offers a well-supported platform that gives the control to our customers to customize our platform so they don't fall behind the needs of the fast paced financial markets.

The Skale Marketplace provides a simple click and play directory to connect to over 150 3rd party trading platforms, forex systems, payment gateways and other marketing and tech solutions.  

The Skale Saas platform consists of a CRM, client self-management portal, IB management system and affiliate management portal.

Fazzaco: What's the latest hit with Skale?

David: In one word, "Marketplace". Our Skale Marketplace is all about creating a synergistic ecosystem of best of industry partners and providers that integrate seamlessly with our CRM. These interconnecting high tech products and services serve different areas of the Brokers business, from Payment Gateways and Merchants, Trading Platforms, Trading Tools, VOIP, Education plugins and other 3rd parties. These well-orchestrated integrations interface with  a Click and Play dashboard or API connectors for Brokers who want to avoid tedious integration processes.

The "Click and Play" Skale Marketplace has more than 150 plugins to 3rd party systems that empower our clients to extend the power of the Skale Platform. The Skale Marketplace is constantly growing.  It's an ever evolving commitment we've made to our providers and customers to make their lives easier, by putting them in full control over technology whilst future proofing their brokerage.

Fazzaco: Your company specializes in CRM. Can you share some experience for start-ups in choosing a capable CRM software?

David: ​This is a great question as the needs of brokers for sure changes as their business grows. As you may see in our name our platform "scales" with our clients as they grow from a startup with only a few agents, through to a large operating broker with multiple offices and many hundreds of agents and even up to platform providers and brokers that would like to offer many white labels and brands. So I suppose first it is important to know how long you can use the CRM solution that you are looking for and will it grow with your business.

Secondly each forex business works slightly differently and the functionality you are looking for may vary but one thing is for certain is that in order to grow your offering you will need to connect to third party systems.  Especially solutions to give your traders the best commercial experience when they interact with you the most; on registration and during depositing and of course keeping your brand sticky with the richest set of analytics, news and educational content.

Many brokers tell us that with their access to the Skale Marketplace they not only find what they are looking for to give their clients the best experience but with the click and play integration they can be ready and working in minutes. I can't state enough about the Skale Marketplace solution but integrations, integrations and more integrations will help you fulfill that wish list at the tip of your fingers.

Fazzaco: What changes have you witnessed in the market and in your clients after the outbreak of COVID-19?

David: As everyone around the world, we were shocked with what was going on and, like everyone else, had to move fast to a remote working situation. We are a bunch of industry experts, marketers, developers and sales teams, so we can pretty much work from anywhere.

We were lucky that we were not directly affected by the virus and I would like to take the opportunity to wish all those that have suffered or are still suffering our best wishes.

COVID-19 accelerated the obvious trends in online trading, remote work, online commerce, and automation, so for us it was good.

Fazzaco: In what aspects will you keep upgrading your state-of-the-art CRM? Will you apply AI or machine learning?

David: We are constantly adding new features to our systems with different functionality and algorithms, strategically we are focusing:

• Tools to help our brokers maximise revenue

• Increasing the control that we give to our customers

• Growing the Skale Marketplace offering

Fazzaco: What technologies have you adopted to reduce the burden for your clients when using CRM?

David: From our marketing research, brokers are frustrated with the time it takes to integrate 3rd party solutions, and we are here to showcase our CRM and marketplace that will make their life a whole lot easier. Payment providers and lead management is that burden being addressed.

We've introduced technologies, such as marketing tools to assist in measuring & tracking your sales and business to speed into growth, like never before. The forex industry has come under intense scrutiny in recent years so we've adapted the ability to do business with the right market data and toolset.

Fazzaco: Developing a sophisticated CRM like Skale's requires time, talents, and strength. In your opinion, what is your edge that sets Skale apart from competitors?

David: Our edge is that we are now automating data that relates to client interactions to lower brokers acquisition costs. While acquiring new business can be costly, it is essential for the long term health of any brokerage to keep track of what's working and what's not. Sales need constant contact with the marketers to report back on brand feedback. Most of this takes time. Skale does this best. Saving time so key stakeholders can focus on maximising revenue creating a better customer relationship all around.