Jane Cattermole is the Founder and Director of Bay Tree VA. After working as a personal assistant for 20 years, in 2008, Jane had a vision to create a company that provided outsourced operational support to business owners, management teams, and membership associations.
Since its launch, Bay Tree VA has evolved into a fully remote team of 17 associates based across the UK, serving clients both locally and internationally.
Preparing for scale in a remote-first world
As Bay Tree VA began to grow, Jane recognized that their existing setup wasn’t sustainable. The team worked using a mix of spreadsheets and Outlook email threads that required manual updates.
Their remote setup meant that they couldn’t rely on informal, in-person updates. The team needed a central system that managed their communications, processes, and client relationships all in one space.
Jane Cattermole said: “Once I started branching out and the company began to grow into a larger team, I needed to capture who was speaking to whom and what stage had been reached.”
Adding to this challenge was the structure of the Bay Tree VA team: most team members are self-employed associates, not salaried employees. Many CRMs were unsuitable due to their inflexible terminology and features, which were designed around traditional employment models.
“A lot of the programs we looked at referred to staff, employees, and salaries, which was confusing.
Jane adds, “I liked how we could tailor what we needed in Capsule easily.”
Capsule CRM: the solution that fits every need
Jane heard about Capsule from a colleague and was immediately impressed by how intuitive it is. She was able to set it up without needing a technical expert and found it simple to tailor to the business’s language and needs.
“It was straightforward to use, not overly techy, but still powerful with the information and reporting you can get from it.”
According to Jane, Capsule’s mobile app is its key advantage. It allows Jane to update records directly after client meetings, keeping the team informed and enabling real-time coordination.
“I could be out at a meeting, get in the car, and then do my notes so the team didn’t have to wait for me. They could find out immediately how the meeting had gone.”
Building consistent processes for clear results
To support their operations, Bay Tree VA uses Capsule’s Tracks feature to manage multi-step processes such as onboarding, client management, and internal handovers. Although the setup process did take time to get right, Jane’s team members have a repeatable structure that ensures consistency and clarity across the team.
She adds: “It’s amazing when you break it down, quite how many stages there are, but it makes it much easier for someone to pick up the baton. They can see every correspondence and what’s next in line for the track, so they can follow it through.”
Custom fields and intuitive onboarding
Customization is another major selling point. Capsule’s Custom Fields helps Bay Tree VA add client-specific information like lead owners, hourly rates, and start dates, giving the team the context they need to work effectively.
The team also appreciated how easy Capsule was to adopt. New members receive a walkthrough as part of their induction, and Jane even created a “lunch and learn” video to familiarize the wider team with the platform.
“We created a short video as a quick intro to Capsule, mainly for those starting to use it or just to build awareness, so they’d understand the basics even if their clients weren’t using it.”
Consistent support and future ambitions
Support from Capsule is always responsive, helping Jane and her team troubleshoot quickly and effectively.
“Whenever we send emails, they always come back swiftly, and it sorts things out. I always felt that Capsule is quite keen to hear if you’ve got problems.”
Looking forward, Bay Tree VA is exploring how Capsule can integrate with Microsoft Teams, aligning external communications through Capsule with internal collaboration happening in Teams.
Conclusion
Bay Tree VA is a dynamic business that continues to grow by delivering high-quality outsourced operational support with team members who are calm, capable, and have a ‘can-do’ attitude. To support their expanding team and evolving client needs, Bay Tree invests in smart systems that help them stay organized, responsive, and collaborative.
Capsule gives them the structure they need to manage client relationships, coordinate tasks, and maintain seamless communication, no matter where their team is located. As Bay Tree scales, having a flexible and intuitive platform ensures they can focus on what they do best: supporting their clients.
Looking to add structure to your communications? Try Capsule CRM free for 14 days and build scalable systems that empower your team and simplify your day-to-day operations.
