Professional Overview
David Clarke is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Deca Consulting Ltd, operating under the brand CRAFT CRM, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He specializes in CRM implementation, customization, integration, and consulting services tailored for the craft alcoholic beverage industry, specifically focusing on craft breweries, craft distillers, craft cideries, and small wineries in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
CRAFT CRM provides a Zoho CRM and Zoho Expense-focused SaaS solution designed to meet the unique operational and sales requirements of craft beverage producers. The service emphasizes territory-specific customization, data migration, workflow automation, training, tier I & II support, and ongoing adjustments to reflect market and product changes.
Role and Expertise
- Founder / Consultant at Deca Consulting Ltd / CRAFT CRM
- Expert in the configuration, data migration, customization, implementation, and integration of Zoho CRM and Zoho Expense platforms specifically for the craft beverage sector.
- Offers business development and sales consulting services that support the end-to-end CRM adoption lifecycle.
- Builds tailored CRM solutions aligned with the unique workflow of craft beverage sales teams, including on-premise and off-premise sales channels.
Industry Focus and Clientele
- The primary customer base consists of craft breweries, craft distillers, craft cideries, and small wineries operating in Canada, the US, and Australia.
- Clients benefit from features such as real-time sales metrics, actionable customer insights, account tracking, product placement monitoring (tap and shelf positioning), sales activity documentation, geo-located and date-stamped sales visit check-ins, and integrated communication tools (phone, email, text) within the CRM system.
- The CRM mobile application supports full offline functionality with automatic data synchronization when connectivity is restored, ensuring sales teams remain operational in network-poor environments.
Notable Achievements and Endorsements
- Successfully helped build and scale the Appleton Jamaica Rum brand in Canada from 1995 to 2000 before transitioning to the technology sector.
- Experience in Silicon Valley with marketing and business development roles at MGI Software, contributing to consumer and enterprise imaging solutions.
- Participated in early-stage technology startups related to video search and social platforms with affiliations to products that have influenced industry standards (YouTube, Meebo, Twitter).
- Praised by clients for exceptional customer service, responsiveness, and ability to foster interdepartmental collaboration:
- Jim Dodds, VP of Operations at Red Truck Beer Company, highlighted David’s capability to break down internal silos and implement best practices that work across teams.
- Yuri Akeroyd, The Strait & Narrow Pacific Coast Cocktails, noted David’s consistent availability and strategic advice on CRM utilization to fuel business growth.
- Tauna Arnold, VP, Barrio Brewing Company, acknowledged that David’s service set the company up for success.
Solution Features and Benefits
- Customization: CRM tailored with specific fields, filters, and views adapted for regional and business-specific sales processes.
- Reporting: Owners and managers can access customizable reports covering account activity, sales, product placements, and market territories segmented by various dynamic criteria (date, product, sales rep, region).
- Sales Rep Enablement: Mobile CRM allows sales reps to manage appointments, accounts, prospects, and call notes, with time-stamped, geo-located records that remove the need for traditional weekly status reports. Reports can be generated and shared automatically.
- Support & Training: Provides ongoing staff training, product updates, and tier I/II technical support to ensure smooth adoption and operational continuity.
- Data Security: Utilizes Zoho’s robust infrastructure with multi-level firewall protection, continuous virus scanning, and secure data centers to safeguard client data.
Market Position and Company Status
- Deca Consulting Ltd is an established Zoho Alliance Partner, which indicates a verified and trusted partnership status with Zoho Corporation.
- CRAFT CRM is positioned as a niche, industry-specific CRM provider, bridging technology with the particular needs of the craft beverage market, which differentiates it from generic CRM solutions.
- The company currently enjoys a multi-national client base across North America and Australia, reflecting scalability and adaptability in diverse regulatory and market environments.
LinkedIn Profile
Available at: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaclarke/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaclarke/)
David’s LinkedIn underscores his combined expertise in CRM technology and the alcoholic beverage sector, emphasizing his consultancy work and real-world case studies with clients in related industries.
This comprehensive profile identifies David Clarke as a domain-focused CRM expert with deep operational knowledge and experience in empowering craft beverage producers through customized CRM strategies built on Zoho technology. His background combines beverage brand development with subsequent technology and SaaS solutions expertise, delivering a hybrid skill set aligned with the needs of small to medium-sized craft beverage organizations requiring efficient customer relationship management and sales force automation.
