The beginning of a new year is a time for many companies to take stock, set new goals, and make decisions that can significantly impact their future growth. Managers reflect on what worked, what needs to be improved, and where they have untapped potential. One area that has become increasingly prominent in recent years is working with data, business relationships, and effective process management - what we now call CRM.
CRM is no longer just a database of contacts. It is becoming the center of corporate events - a place where business, marketing, customer care and management are interconnected. A properly set up CRM system can save a company time, reduce chaos, increase overview and ultimately bring higher sales and more satisfied customers. However, just as important as the technology itself is the philosophy with which CRM is designed and used.
CRM Mango was created as a response to the real needs of a company that wanted to have its data under control, work more efficiently, and at the same time use a system that is understandable, practical, and adaptable to its everyday reality. Behind the creation of Mango is a clear vision and many years of practical experience - not theory, but real life in a company.
That's why we decided to talk at the beginning of the year with the director of CRM Mango, Tomáš Brokeš, to take a look not only at the system itself and its functions, but also at the perspective of the person behind its overall direction. We were interested in how he perceives the development of the CRM market, what challenges companies most often face today, where CRM Mango is moving, and what he considers to be key to the success of companies in the coming years.
In the following interview, you will learn more about the behind-the-scenes of CRM Mango, its philosophy, but also about practical experiences that can be an inspiration for anyone who wants to have order, overview, and clear direction in their company.
Why did you decide to create Mango? What was the idea behind it?
"The idea to create Mango did not arise during business planning, but directly in practice. In my previous job, I led a sales team and solved the same problem as many managers on a daily basis - how to keep track of my team's performance, deals, clients, tasks, and have everything together in one place. I was looking for solutions that would really help us in our daily work, not a system that is robust but complex, expensive, and disconnected from the reality of salespeople.
I found several CRM systems on the market that offered a wide range of capabilities, but often at a price that was prohibitive for the average sales team. Other solutions were more affordable, but lacked the features we really needed - or were so complicated that people on the team would refuse to use them.
Gradually, I realized that we were not looking for a perfect system on paper, but a practical tool that would be simple, clear and would accurately copy the reality of a salesperson's work. That's when the idea arose to create something of my own - first as a solution for myself and my team: a CRM that would not be unnecessarily expensive and would contain all the functionalities that a sales team actually uses.
The goal was not to create the most complex system possible, but one that would help people do their jobs better and with less chaos. Over time, it became clear that we were not the only ones solving this problem. Other companies had the same experience, looking for an affordable, functional and human-designed CRM solution. And so the original internal tool gradually became CRM Mango - a system built on real experiences, needs and feedback from practice.
Which aspects of Manga represent the greatest value for small and medium-sized businesses?
"The biggest added value of Mango for small and medium-sized businesses is its simplicity, accessibility and comprehensiveness in one solution. Mango is a web-based system, which means you can work with it anywhere and anytime - on a computer, tablet and mobile. For entrepreneurs and smaller teams who are often in the field or work flexibly, this mobility is key. They don't have to deal with installations, complex setup or being tied to one location.
At the same time, it is an affordable solution that was designed from the very beginning with the needs of small and medium-sized businesses in mind. Mango does not try to be an overly complicated system, but covers exactly the most basic and important things that entrepreneurs deal with on a daily basis - business opportunities, clients, tasks, customer overview and invoicing. The big advantage is that the company has the entire process under control in one system - from the first contact with the customer, through trade and implementation to issuing an invoice.
In practice, we often encounter the reality that a company uses one program for CRM, another for inventory, a third for invoicing, and a fourth for a task table. With Mango, there is no need to switch between multiple tools, tables, or applications. For small and medium-sized businesses, this combination - one system, accessible from anywhere and at a reasonable price - is the greatest added value of Mango.
How does Mango help companies improve productivity and work organization in practice?
"In practice, it often looks like companies operate on a multitude of Excel spreadsheets, in which data is recorded duplicately, sometimes even triplicately. Each process has its own file, each team has its own spreadsheets, and information is scattered in multiple places. The result is chaos, lack of clarity, and unnecessary waste of time - people are looking for where what is written, who has the most up-to-date data, and where else the information needs to be rewritten.
After implementing Manga, I saw companies transition from this fragmented way of working to one streamlined solution. All important data is stored in one place and each team member has access to the information they need for their work. This eliminates the need to repeatedly retype the same data into multiple spreadsheets or systems, which has an immediate impact on productivity growth.
At the same time, work organization is significantly improved. When a company does not have a million tables for each process, but one system where it is clear what is recorded where, who is responsible for what, and what the status of individual tasks and deals is, work naturally becomes faster and more efficient. People ask less, search less, and focus more on the work itself. Mango thus helps companies not only save time, but also set order and a clear structure in everyday processes.
To what extent are CRM automation and integrations with other systems important for companies today - and how does Mango stand on this?
"Automation is one of the main topics today and will remain so in the coming years. Every company naturally tries to minimize the routine and repetitive tasks that employees have to perform on a daily basis. The less time people spend rewriting data, checking information or manual processes, the more efficiently they can work and focus on activities that bring real value to the company.
In practice, this often results in a company doing the same amount of work with fewer people - or, more importantly, allowing part of the team to shift their capabilities to areas they previously couldn't focus on. Whether it's business development, improving customer service, or new projects, automation creates room for growth without unnecessary pressure to increase costs.
CRM integrations with other systems are equally important. No CRM system works in a vacuum, and its true value is determined by its connection to the tools a company uses. At Mango, we pride ourselves on our ability to integrate. The ambition is for the system to be able to communicate with every system that makes sense in practice - whether it's accounting, invoicing, email tools or other corporate solutions.
At the same time, we also try to help entrepreneurs from the technical side. We design, create and process most integrations directly, without the need to look for an external programmer. For companies, this means saving time and money and ensuring that the connections will work exactly as they need. That's why I see automation and integrations as a natural part of a high-quality and modern CRM system, which should make life easier for companies and create space for further development.
If you had to advise a company that doesn't yet have a CRM system, what would you consider the most important thing when choosing one?
"First of all, I would recommend every company to test the system. There are a large number of CRM solutions on the market today - both foreign and domestic - and each of them is built on a slightly different philosophy. At the same time, it is true that every company has its own processes, way of working and specifics, to which not every CRM can adapt. We at Mango also realize that Mango is not an ideal solution for absolutely all companies. And that is why I consider testing to be the most important step when choosing a CRM.
A company should test the system in real conditions on its data and processes to see if it suits them not only functionally but also in terms of usability. It is equally important to check the possibilities of future modifications. The needs of a company change over time and it is good to know whether the CRM system is able to grow with it - whether in the form of configuration, modifications or programming of new functionalities. Not every CRM offers this flexibility, and it is often discovered too late.
With Mango, we try to be as helpful as possible in this regard. When someone is looking for a solution, we are happy to discuss their needs with them, explain the system's capabilities, and give them Mango to test. During testing, we set up the system to work as best as possible, train them thoroughly, and provide full support. This way, the client can be sure that they are not alone and that they can ask questions and try things out. If they are satisfied with the system after the test, we continue working together; if not, we part ways on good terms. For us, it is still valuable experience and feedback.
It is important that a company chooses a CRM that will really help it - and not one that it will have to adapt to.
What would you say to entrepreneurs who are worried that implementing CRM will bring big changes or complications? Is Mango difficult to implement for a company without a strong IT background?
"For entrepreneurs who are concerned that implementing CRM will bring major changes or complications, I would first say that these concerns are completely natural. We often encounter companies that are afraid of a difficult implementation, the need for extensive IT knowledge, or that the entire team will have to learn something complex and new at once.
That's why at Mango we try to make the whole process as simple and natural as possible. As part of the free testing, we set up the system for the client so that it works well for them. We perceive the test not just as a demonstration of the functions, but as a real start to working with the system. We explain the use directly in practice, using specific examples and processes of the company.
If a company is worried about changes, we always recommend giving CRM a try. Let us set it up, take the first steps towards implementation and find out that it is actually not that complicated or difficult. Mango does not require a team of IT specialists, complicated technical interventions or long months of preparation. We can help with everything, properly train future users and gradually transfer them to the system.
Our great asset is that we provide all this during the free trial. It is not a buy-it-and-see-it approach. Before making any decision, the client has a clear idea of how Mango will work in his company. Thanks to this, the entrepreneur does not take any risks. He tries Mango in real conditions, with support and guidance from us, and only then decides whether it is the right path for him. This is exactly how modern CRM should work in my opinion!
How do you see the future of CRM - what trends do you expect and what should companies do to be prepared for these changes?
"I see the future of CRM as a natural shift towards even greater simplification of work for users. The big topic of recent times is clearly artificial intelligence and there is no point in defending it. On the contrary, companies should see it as a tool that helps them eliminate manual and time-consuming tasks.
At Mango, we take a very pragmatic approach to artificial intelligence. We are not just interested in a trend, but in real benefits in everyday work. We are gradually integrating it into individual parts of the system so that it simplifies specific processes for users - whether it is extracting data from orders, invoices or other documents. The goal is still the same: less manual work, fewer errors and more time for important decisions.
In the future, I believe CRM will increasingly function as an intelligent assistant that not only records data, but also actively works with it. It will help the user to find their way around faster, alert them to important things, and simplify routine tasks. This is where I see the greatest potential for artificial intelligence in CRM systems.
I recommend that companies be open to new technologies and at the same time focus on having their data in order and in one place. Without high-quality and clear data, even the best AI cannot function effectively. If a company has well-established processes and uses CRM as a natural part of everyday work, it will be much better prepared for future trends - and without unnecessary stress.
Do you have a personal motto or idea that you want to bring to the company's management in 2026 that also describes working with Mango?
"If I had to sum it up in one thought, I believe that when a person enjoys what they do, it is always visible - in the results, in the approach to work, but also in how customers and people around them approach them. And it is precisely this philosophy that I try to manage the company with."
I think it doesn't matter whether someone is an entrepreneur or an employee - if they do their job with gusto and see meaning in it, they naturally look for ways to improve, simplify, and move things forward. That's how solutions are created that work in practice, not just on paper.
At Mango, we try to transfer this energy to the product itself - to help people, relieve them and give them more space to do what they really enjoy about their work. By 2026, I want to go with the attitude that we will do things honestly, with reason and with joy. Because when work gives meaning to people in the company, it also gives it to customers. And in my opinion, that is the most sustainable way to develop a company in the long term.
This interview shows that CRM today is not just about technology, but above all about approach to work, people and processes in the company. Practical experience, openness to change and emphasis on simplicity are the values that CRM Mango has stood for since its inception.It is thanks to them that a solution is created that helps companies maintain order in data, simplify everyday tasks, and create space for what is essential.
For many companies, starting to work with CRM can be a big step, but as we heard in the interview, it doesn't have to be a difficult or risky journey. It's important to choose a solution that adapts to the company - not the other way around - and which grows with its needs. CRM Mango is built on this very principle: practicality, accessibility and support that starts during testing.
If there's anything special about this interview, it's that it shows CRM not as an obligation but as a tool that is supposed to make life easier for companies. And perhaps the beginning of a new year is the ideal moment to look at how processes work in a company, where unnecessary chaos arises, and where there is room for improvement.
