Quick answer: as we build in public, here is October 2026: a run of changes to Unavoidable CRM aimed at three jobs: catching every lead, chasing money without the owner doing it, and making it easier to switch from another tool. That meant missed-call text-back, a call flow for the AI receptionist, automatic invoice reminders, better imports and a calmer, regrouped app.
- October’s work on Unavoidable CRM centred on leads, getting paid and switching.
- Every change below comes from the public changelog, with its date.
- We include the fixes as well as the features, because building in public means showing both.
This is our first monthly build in public update. Unavoidable Studio builds and runs several products, and each month we will write up what actually shipped. This month’s update sticks to Unavoidable CRM, whose public product changelog lists every change by date. Everything here was checked against that changelog on 7 November 2026. There are no revenue or customer numbers in this post; when we share numbers, they will be ones we have chosen to publish, product by product.
What did we ship in October 2026?
We shipped improvements to Unavoidable CRM in five areas: leads and calls, getting paid, switching, everyday use and trust. The highlights, in the changelog’s own words where possible:
Catching every lead
- Owner alerts (7 October). Owners and admins get an email when a customer contacts the business.
- Missed-call text-back and lead alerts (11 October). If a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a text, and the owner hears about the lead.
- Quotes from calls and voice notes (11 October). The receptionist can draft a quote from a call, and voice notes can be added.
- A call flow for the AI receptionist (17 October). Customisable call flow steps that qualify enquiries and send hot leads to the owner’s mobile.
Getting paid
- Automatic invoice reminders (10 October). The CRM now chases unpaid invoices for you.
- Pay yearly and save 20% (10 October). Annual card billing for the CRM’s own plans.
- One-tap invoicing (12 October). Mark a job done and send the invoice in one step.
- “Chasing for you” on Quotes (14 October). A card that shows which quotes are being followed up.
Switching from another tool
- A free demo with a guided tour (7 October), so people can try the CRM before they sign up.
- Easier imports and a quick-start guide (11 October), plus better imports from Jobber and Tradify.
Everyday use
- A cleaner, calmer CRM (9 October). A regrouped menu, one Inbox, a calendar week view and a clearer Today page.
- Archive instead of delete, and private client photos (12 October), along with pop-ups that fit every screen.
- Fuel cost per job (12 October) on Routes, for businesses that drive between jobs.
Trust and reliability
- Connection health checks and a daily self-test (1 October).
- A data view in Settings and a data protection agreement to sign (9 October).
What went wrong, and why build in public about it?
Because showing the fixes is part of the point. The booking pages needed fixing. On 20 October the changelog records that booking settings, services and Google Calendar connections “work again”. Other entries on 11, 14 and 19 October tidied pages and fixed buttons. We list fixes in the same place as features, because a changelog that only shows good news is not much use to the people relying on the product. We explain the wider thinking in why we build in public.
Why did October focus on leads and getting paid?
Because those are the jobs Unavoidable CRM exists to do for small service businesses: win the work, run the jobs and get paid. Looking at the month as a whole, most entries either stop an enquiry slipping through or stop the owner having to chase money by hand. The story of why the product exists is in why we built Unavoidable CRM.
How do we ship this many changes with a small team?
By shipping small changes often rather than saving them for big releases, and by writing each one up in the changelog on the day it goes live. The detail is in how we ship small changes every week. Shared tooling across the studio helps too, so work on one product does not start from scratch.
FAQs
Where can I see every change, not just the highlights?
The full list is on the public Unavoidable CRM changelog at unavoidablecrm.com/changelog. It lists each change by date with a short description, including the fixes.
Is Unavoidable CRM a separate company?
No. Unavoidable CRM is a product of Unavoidable Studio Ltd, company number 17367981. It has its own website and legal pages, and the company is named on them.
Can I try the changes myself?
Yes. Unavoidable CRM has a free demo with a guided tour, and its pricing page offers a 14-day free trial with every feature and no card needed.
Why are there no numbers in this update?
We only publish figures we have chosen to share, product by product. This update is about what shipped, so it sticks to what the changelog says.
See all our products on the portfolio, read more about the CRM on the Unavoidable CRM portfolio page, or browse the blog. If you run a small service business, you can follow the CRM changelog to see what ships next.
Founder of Unavoidable Studio, a UK venture studio in Leeds building seven software companies at once. Answers his own inbox.