By Wade MacCallum
If you feel your organization is drowning in "platform hell" Hubspot can probably help and it is worth checking out.
Firstly, since 2017, I've been using then recommending, and ultimately designing, and implementing HubSpot systems. I have yet to find a better all-around solution for SME business operations. Trust me, I've been looking and nothing even comes close today.
What I've learned:
1. There's a good chance you're undervaluing what HubSpot can really do for your business, or you think it's too costly.
2. Forget the "CRM" label. It began in sales and marketing but has evolved so much further. Its potential is now virtually limitless, which honestly is both its biggest advantage and challenge for new adopters.
As proof here are a few unique ways I've designed and implemented HubSpot:
a. Applicant tracking and screening.
b. Critical document management.
c. Interactive onboarding.
d. Resource and project management.
e. Customer success and ticketing.
The real beauty of HubSpot lies not just in these individual applications but in how they all interconnect, creating "one platform to rule them all."
3. Having experienced guidance is crucial. HubSpot Platinum Partners are great—they can save a lot of legwork, but ultimately, someone within your organization needs to steer this ship.
Diving into HubSpot without a seasoned guide, including someone with a basic technical understanding of data management and APIs, will end poorly. You might eventually make progress, but you'll face delays, cost overruns, missed opportunities, a frustrated team, unnecessary setbacks, a narrow sighted design, and even lost revenue.
5. A final piece of uncommon and unpopular advice: if you're considering adopting HubSpot, do it in stages and in parallel with existing systems.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. Phasing it in and adjusting on the fly while maintaining other platforms and integrations will ensure clean systems, diagnose unforeseen issues with reduced risk, and perhaps most importantly allow the team to comfortably learn at a manageable pace.