The challenge
Like many fast-growing companies, this organization had hit a wall with manual processes. Their wholesale sales team was running entirely out of spreadsheets and an ERP system—an approach that worked at a small scale but created major bottlenecks as they expanded.
Without a CRM, the sales pipeline was fragmented and hard to manage. Customer interactions were scattered across emails and Excel files, making it nearly impossible to gain a clear picture of performance or spot revenue gaps.
The team also faced a tough data challenge: their ERP system had no direct integration with HubSpot. Migrating years of customer and sales data meant untangling complex relationships between parent and child accounts, ensuring transactions were tracked properly, and creating a repeatable process that wouldn’t overwhelm the sales team.
On top of that, the sales model was unique. With a limited set of licensed buyers, frequent reorders, and a focus on nurturing long-term relationships, the process looked nothing like a traditional “net new” sales cycle. A CRM rollout here wasn’t about simply tracking leads—it needed to fit the reality of their business.
The solution
To meet those challenges, the onboarding was designed as both strategic and hands-on:
- Data migration with governance: Instead of a quick import, the project began with careful mapping of ERP data into HubSpot. Every property, relationship, and deal stage was designed with future reporting in mind. This deliberate approach created a sustainable foundation instead of a one-time fix.
- A sales process built for them: Rather than forcing the team into a generic pipeline, HubSpot was configured to reflect their unique wholesale model. Deal records were used to track individual transactions, which unlocked better forecasting and cleaner company records. Post-sale processes like reorders and customer communications were also considered from the start, ensuring the system felt natural to the way the team already worked.
- Training that stuck: A CRM is only as good as the team behind it. Training was delivered in a crawl-walk-run format, starting with essentials like importing contacts and logging calls, then layering in more advanced features like meeting links, templates, and even AI-assisted reporting. This approach built confidence and showed the team how the system could make their lives easier, not harder.
The results
- A structured sales process: Instead of siloed spreadsheets, they now had a pipeline with clear stages that aligned to their unique cycle. Deals were easier to track, and forecasting became a reliable exercise rather than guesswork.
- Data clarity: With a consistent process for uploading and mapping ERP data, the team could finally see customer relationships and transactions in one place. This visibility made it possible to generate meaningful reports and understand performance trends with confidence.
- A confident team with a roadmap: Perhaps the most important outcome: the sales managers didn’t just have a new system—they had ownership. With training under their belt and a clear plan for scaling features like automation, they were empowered to keep improving their process.
Why it matters
This case highlights how a thoughtful CRM onboarding goes far beyond turning on a tool. By addressing data governance, tailoring the platform to a company’s specific sales model, and delivering training that built adoption, the team now has a scalable system designed to grow with them.
The transformation wasn’t just operational—it was cultural. What once felt like a messy, manual process now runs on a system that supports growth, empowers people, and sets the stage for long-term success.