Lime CRM is a comprehensive platform that manages the entire customer journey. Founded in Sweden around 30 years ago, Lime has evolved from a traditional CRM provider into a full-service technology partner, offering everything from classic CRM functionality and customer support systems to advanced marketing platforms. The company is publicly listed and has expanded its presence across several European markets, including Norway, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Lime strategically focuses on specific industry verticals where it can offer specialised expertise. These include real estate, utilities, and, notably, sports. This focus allows Lime to develop deep knowledge and tailored solutions that address the unique challenges of each sector.
“We are working in verticals,” explains Mads Skraastad, Key Account Manager at Lime CRM. “We are welcoming all customers of course, but we are working strategically towards the utility business, sports business, and real estate market. We are specialised in those verticals, which means that we can call ourselves specialists in sports, utility, and real estate.”
In the sports sector, Lime has a strong presence, particularly within Swedish hockey and football. This experience in their primary market has been instrumental in their success in other countries. “We build and develop systems and knowledge in Sweden and we bring them out of Sweden and into the other countries. So we learn from them,” adds Skraastad. This model has proven effective in their work with Norwegian football, providing a solid foundation of expertise and proven solutions.
The collaboration between TicketCo and Lime CRM is built on a shared foundation as league-wide partners for the NTF. This structure ensures that all 32 clubs in Norway's top two men's leagues have access to the same powerful tools for ticketing and customer relationship management. The goal is to create a unified system that levels the playing field, giving clubs of all sizes the opportunity to succeed based on how they leverage the available technology.
This partnership is characterised by close cooperation and a problem-solving mindset. When a new club joins the league, the process is designed to be as smooth as possible, demonstrating the value of a pre-existing, integrated framework.
“Our collaboration with Lime CRM means clubs always have access to the latest data and tools they need,” says Kristianna Moberg, Head of Customer Success at TicketCo. “We work closely together to adapt the integration as requirements evolve, ensuring clubs can get the most value from both platforms.”
This plug-and-play capability is a direct result of the strong working relationship between the two companies. For Lime, the partnership with TicketCo is a key component of the value they deliver to the league. “We are working with the top league,” says Mads Skraastad. “We are developing the system together with the clubs.” This joint effort ensures that the technology continues to evolve based on the clubs' needs.
→ Read how TicketCo and Skidata create a seamless matchday flow
The technical integration between TicketCo and Lime CRM is the backbone of the partnership, enabling a seamless flow of data that empowers clubs. Historically, the connection was built on a direct database integration. While functional, this approach had limitations in terms of flexibility and efficiency.
To modernise the system, the teams undertook a significant project to transition the integration to a REST API model. Eirik G. Lindhaugen, Lead Application Consultant at Lime CRM, was involved in this crucial evolution.
“At a certain point, we did a conversion of the existing integration, which was formerly built on SSIS, which is a database direct integration, into using our REST API,” explains Lindhaugen. “This meant that we had to make it more efficient and up-to-date with the new standards. Integrating directly to the database allowed a lot of leeway, but doing it via an API endpoint needed some cleaning up and efficiency.”
The benefits of this shift have been substantial. “The main thing would be flexibility,” Lindhaugen states. “It’s a lot easier to update and deploy, at least on our side. It’s been really fast to add or remove data points in the payloads that we receive as well. It absolutely brings a big flexibility to the whole integration.”
This API-first approach not only streamlines development and deployment but also makes the entire ecosystem more agile. For example, when the need arose to differentiate ticket sales by season for better analytics, the integration was easily expanded. “That’s something we had to actually expand the integration with at some point,” says Lindhaugen. “Adding that as a data point in the payload, the arrangement season, and then being able to do seasonal card counting on our side was something we needed to add later.”
The successful implementation of this modern integration highlights TicketCo’s capability to work with various CRM systems. The structure is designed to be highly reusable, which is a significant advantage for leagues or clubs considering similar solutions.
“As far as I can see, what TicketCo has built for us in this integration should be highly reusable in other places as well,” Lindhaugen confirms. This flexibility ensures that while the solution for the NTF is highly tailored, the underlying principles and technology can be adapted for new partners, making TicketCo an ideal hub in a multi-vendor digital ecosystem.
The integration provides clubs with near real-time data, from ticket purchases to stadium entry scans. “Having every ticket in the CRM allows you to do a lot of fun things with that data,” says Lindhaugen. “Also, being able to really quickly after a match drive marketing and follow-ups is useful.” This flow of information empowers clubs to execute timely and targeted campaigns, turning data into action and driving commercial results.
→ Learn why unified platforms help clubs unlock stronger fan insights
The partnership between TicketCo and Lime CRM demonstrates the immense value of a deeply integrated, league-wide digital solution. By combining best-in-class ticketing and CRM platforms, they have provided Norwegian football clubs with the tools to understand their fans, personalise communication, and drive revenue more effectively.
The evolution from a direct database connection to a flexible REST API integration showcases a commitment to technical excellence and future-proofing the platform. This model, which enables plug-and-play functionality for new clubs and offers reusable architecture for other systems, serves as a powerful blueprint for other sports leagues across Europe. The success in Norway proves that a collaborative, unified approach is not just a vision for the future, it’s a working reality that elevates the sport for clubs, fans, and partners alike.
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