Insights & Industry Expertise | Karman Digital

PodSpot #34 - HubSpot Customisation: The Do's and the Don'ts

Written by Jamie C. Beech | Mar 11, 2022 3:23:26 PM

 

In episode 34 of PodSpot, the UK's only HubSpot themed podcast, Karman Digital's Head of Growth, Ian Townshend, takes the seat to host MD Jon Pittham for the first time.

The conversation takes a focus on HubSpot customisation, the advantages and it's potential perils.

(Learn more: Podspot #33 - Low-code, no-code and HubSpot

The episode gets going when Ian asks Jon about customisation and how far companies can actually take it... for Jon, it's a complex question and it's answer is dependent on a number of variables.

Ultimately, there is no one-size fits-all customisation blueprint. Customisation and it's potential is dependent on the organisation; it's size and existing business processes, for example. 

Jon also takes time here to define customisation. HubSpot customisation revolves around user experience, how can the platform be customised to meet the demands of the individuals who work within HubSpot, whether they are in Sales, Customer Service or Marketing. Customisation is also about wider business processes and how it can be improved or maximised. 

Where do the problems with customisation stem from? Jon see's lacklustre planning as the root cause for bad customisation and this can often occur after a poor on-boarding phase. Organisations not taking sufficient time to look introspectively at processes and what they truly need to succeed often leads to muddled customisations that do more harm than good!

Companies customising too quickly and biting off more than they can chew is also a real issue for many. Customisation should occur incrementally. Slow and steady wins the race. 

(Learn more: Podspot #32 - Dodging the Pitfalls of data migration

Making a pivot towards sales, Ian makes a point about the information that is sometimes lost between pre and post sale, and how customisation in the form of integrations can remedy this for businesses.

Jon has seen this work first hand, citing project management tools that have being integrated into HubSpot.

These tools can be used to manage the flow of pre and post sale information into HubSpot, as and when they occur, preventing important sale details slipping through the cracks. 

Using HubSpot often brings with it more access to data. But not all of this data is useful, how can companies streamline their data and ensure that they have access to the correct kind?

Nuanced dashboards for a range of reporting will help organise large datasets, in Jon's opinion. These can range from reporting dashboards for the direct sales channel, through to dashboards for external third parties. When done properly the advantages are endless! 

(Learn more: Podspot #27 - Aligning your Strategy to Hubspot Capability

That's just scratching the surface of the conversation... and the pair wrap up when Ian asks Jon to give the listeners the key do's and don'ts when it comes to customisation... 

Listen to episode 34 of PodSpot to find out his answer... 

If you’d like to learn more about HubSpot or digital transformation, get in touch. We’re ready to help you unleash the potential of digital in your organisation.

       Intro - 0:00

  • 01.25 - What is customisation and how far can we take it? 
  • 02.50 - Adoption of HubSpot and customisation
  • 03.48 - Customisation and data 
  • 04.18 - Customisation and on-boarding
  • 06:00 - Planning before on-boarding HubSpot 
  • 08:00 - Data mapping 
  • 09:15 - Incrementally introducing customisation
  • 10:00 - HubSpot, customisation, and the individual
  • 11:20 - Integrations and customisation
  • 14:47 - The one source of truth 
  • 15:20 - Sector specific customisation 
  • 17:00 - Reporting customisation 
  • 20:00 - Streamlining your data 
  • 21:40 - Maintaining data governance 
  • 25:00 - Agencies rushing through on-boarding 
  • 26:00 - size of businesses and their customisation. 
  • 31:45 - The do's and don'ts of customisation. 

     Outro - 32:50