The challenge: disconnected tools, disconnected data
Like many small but growing businesses, this employee benefits consultancy had built its sales process around a patchwork of tools—SharpSpring, Excel spreadsheets, and several post-sale industry-specific CRMs. While each tool had its purpose, the lack of integration made it nearly impossible to see the big picture.
The team faced three major challenges:
- Disorganized and disconnected sales process: Sales activities were scattered across different platforms, creating silos and inefficiencies.
- Technical integration and data migration hurdles: Migrating years of contact data into a new system while integrating tools like Apollo.io for lead intelligence and Microsoft Teams for notifications created bottlenecks.
- Low visibility and inaccurate reporting: Without reliable dashboards, the team couldn’t track KPIs or forecast renewals—key to driving growth in their long, consultative sales cycles.
They needed more than just a new CRM—they needed a partner who could guide them through the transition and build a sustainable, scalable system.
The solution: a phased approach with hands-on guidance
Instead of rushing into a one-size-fits-all implementation, our team took a phased, consultative approach that balanced quick wins with long-term scalability.
- Phased CRM and pipeline setup: We helped the team design a custom sales pipeline that mirrored their actual process—“Initial Meeting,” “Data Exchange,” “Finalist,” and beyond. Early-stage leads were kept separate to avoid clutter, while dropdown fields for “Closed Lost” standardized data for future reporting.
- Hands-on training and automation: Rather than building everything for them, we empowered their team to own the system. Sales users learned to create personal meeting links and prospect with HubSpot’s calling tool. Automated workflows were built to streamline handoffs between sales and account management.
- Governance and reporting foundation: A clean database is the foundation of reliable reporting. We coached the team on best practices for importing data, excluding opted-out contacts, and standardizing records. Together, we built dashboards to track buying intent and renewal dates—unlocking visibility they’d never had before.
The results: visibility, efficiency, and empowerment
The transition to HubSpot was more than a software switch—it reshaped how the team worked together.
- Functional and integrated Sales Hub: The team moved off SharpSpring and into HubSpot with confidence. Key integrations—including Microsoft Teams for real-time notifications and Apollo.io for prospect data—created a unified workflow that reduced friction and improved speed.
- Improved data management and visibility: For the first time, leadership had accurate dashboards to monitor pipeline health and track KPIs. This clarity gave them confidence to make data-driven decisions, instead of relying on gut feel.
- Empowered team and a clear roadmap: By the end of the engagement, the technical lead was building custom reports, and the sales team had a repeatable process for managing deals. The company now has both the technology and the internal expertise to scale efficiently.
Why it matters
For companies with long, consultative sales cycles, disconnected systems can quietly erode growth. Every manual spreadsheet, every reporting blind spot, and every missed renewal adds up. By taking the time to build a system that fit their business—and training their team to own it—this organization didn’t just solve today’s problems. They built a foundation for tomorrow’s growth.
