The Most Common Problems with HubSpot Implementations (And How to Avoid Them)

We’re huge fans of HubSpot here at Growth Spurt! We know it’s a powerful and flexible platform, but it needs to be set up right to unlock its full potential.

Implementing HubSpot on your own can be a complex endeavor full of challenges. If you’re not careful, they can impede your progress and even stall your project.

As a HubSpot implementation partner, we’ve seen it all when it comes to challenges with implementations. From our experience, most challenges can be boiled down into a few categories.

1. Poor team adoption
2. Lack of preparation
3. Technical hurdles 

In this post, we’ll outline each challenge, provide real-world examples, and offer practical solutions to overcome them. Join us as we unravel the complexities and pave the way for a smoother, more successful implementation experience. Let’s dive in!

Here's what's covered in this article - just click to jump to the section you're most interested in:

• Team Adoption Challenges
• Lack of Preparation
• Technical Challenges
• Tips for an Issue-Free Implementation

Team Adoption:

Challenge: 

• Transitioning the entire team to HubSpot can feel overwhelming, especially when team members are comfortable with their existing processes and set in their ways

Examples:

• Your sales reps may resist using HubSpot if they perceive it as adding extra work to their already busy schedules, distracting them from being on the phone selling. 
• Marketing teams might struggle to prioritize learning and using HubSpot amidst their ongoing campaigns and projects, instead of leaning on the tools they’re familiar with.

Solution: 

1. Get Buy-In from Executives: Getting executive buy-in for your HubSpot implementation is crucial. The most successful projects have support from the top level, which signals to the entire organization that this is a business priority. Finding executives who can champion the initiative across departments will help ensure alignment with organizational goals and adequate resources.
2. Involve Stakeholders Early: To involve stakeholders early in a HubSpot implementation, start by clearly defining the project’s objectives and benefits. Then, select a champion from each department involved in the project (see: the “Assign Ownership and Assemble Your HubSpot Team” section below for more tips on involving stakeholders).

   Communicate the value proposition from the perspective of each of your stakeholders, emphasizing how HubSpot aligns with their goals. Encourage open dialogue to gather insights, address concerns, and leverage collective expertise, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment from the outset.

3. Transform Onboarding into a Team Event: Schedule regular team meetings where everyone collaborates on organizing contacts in the CRM or setting up workflows. This not only reinforces the importance of using HubSpot but also facilitates knowledge sharing and fosters a sense of teamwork. 
4. Make Training Mandatory for Appropriate Teams: The HubSpot Academy is loaded with certification courses on how to use the software, including the HubSpot Marketing Software and HubSpot Sales Software certifications. 

   Each member of your team who will be given access to HubSpot should take the course that corresponds to the Hub they’ll most likely be using. When this training happens before or during the implementation process, team members will understand how the tools are meant to be used and participate more intentionally in the project.

5. Encourage (or even Require) Daily Use: Encourage your team to allocate time daily to engage with HubSpot. Even just 5 minutes a day can make a difference.  By incorporating it into their daily routine, they develop a habit of actively utilizing the platform

Lack of Proper Preparation:

Challenge: 

• Similar to painting a room without proper prep work, diving into HubSpot without a strategy can lead to suboptimal results. Lack of preparation can result in disjointed efforts, missed opportunities, and frustration among team members.

Examples:

• Your team dives in and starts using HubSpot before establishing naming conventions. It doesn’t seem to matter at first, but after a year of using the tool, it becomes impossible to find anything.
• Instead of building a series of approved templates as a team, everyone builds their own as the need arises, which leads to a lack of brand consistency across all of your assets in HubSpot.

Solution:

1. Train Your Implementation Team Before Getting Started: Take advantage of HubSpot’s educational resources, such as the HubSpot Academy, to learn everything you can about HubSpot before you start implementing it. Explore the vast library of courses, certifications, and tutorials tailored to various skill levels and areas of expertise. Empowering your team with the necessary knowledge and skills boosts their confidence and enables them to leverage HubSpot’s capabilities effectively. 
2. Create a Project Roadmap: Before you begin your project, spend time creating your roadmap for your HubSpot implementation. Clearly define your goals, identify your internal stakeholders, articulate your desired outcomes, and establish project milestones. Having a well-defined roadmap ensures important steps aren’t missed.
   
   
3. Involve Your Full Team: Engage all team members early in the process to identify everyone’s needs and the edge use cases that need to be considered in your implementation of HubSpot. Encourage open communication and collaboration across departments to gather insights, address concerns, and leverage collective expertise. By involving stakeholders from the start, you foster a sense of ownership and accountability throughout the implementation journey.

Technical Challenges:

Challenge: 

• When implementing HubSpot, technical challenges or hurdles often arise, ranging from integration complexities to data migration challenges. Without proper management and support, these technical issues can hinder a smooth HubSpot implementation.

Examples:

• Integration issues between HubSpot and your existing CRM system may result in data duplication or loss, impacting the accuracy of reporting and attribution.
• Inadequate training and support may lead to underutilization of HubSpot’s features, limiting your team’s ability to leverage its full potential.
  

Solution:

1. 1. Assign Ownership and Assemble Your HubSpot Team: Identify champions or potential power users and form a dedicated team from various departments (e.g., marketing, sales, IT, customer service, etc.). Clearly define roles and ensure team members have the necessary skills and training.
      
      Ensure there’s a designated owner for HubSpot adoption within your organization. This individual or team should be responsible for overseeing the implementation process, coordinating efforts across departments, and addressing technical challenges as they arise. Many times, companies will use an agency partner to assist in one or multiple of these roles to support the implementation. 
   2. Conduct a Systems and Data Audit: Conduct a thorough audit of your existing tech stack to identify gaps and redundancies in features. Identify the data living in each system and what to integrate with HubSpot. At the same time, you’ll want to assess the quality of your data and perform any necessary hygiene before importing it into HubSpot or integrating two systems. 
   3. Bring in An Expert: Many times, companies will use a HubSpot implementation partner to assist in one or multiple of these roles to support the implementation. An implementation partner will have technical expertise and experience navigating the challenges described in this article.
      

Remember, each organization’s experience may vary, but being aware of these common challenges will empower you to navigate your HubSpot implementation and onboarding more effectively.

Tips for an Issue-Free HubSpot Implementation 

No matter what, implementations can be challenging. However, there are always things you can do to reduce the friction.

In my experience, taking the time to do these three things before you move forward with your implementation will help you avoid the challenges we see most often.

1. Get Certified in Your Hub – HubSpot wants you to succeed with their software. That’s why they’ve built an entire certification course for every Hub on its platform. I always recommend taking the academy course and getting certified in the Hub(s) you’ll be implementing. This will give you the foundation you need before you start working with the software.
   
2. Use a Proven Guide: This 18-step checklist was developed by our certified implementation experts. We’ve put each onboarding/implementation task in the most logical order, along with recommendations, expert tips, and more. This is the same setup process we’ve perfected for paying clients – today, it’s our gift to you.

If All Else Fails, Ask For Help

HubSpot solutions partner agencies like Growth Spurt work with companies like yours on their onboarding and implementations every day. We’ve helped companies like yours overcome their biggest implementation challenges.