Multi-Million Dollar CRM Migration

Overview

A mid-market company with a multi-million dollar sales operation was struggling with a custom-built PHP CRM system that was becoming increasingly unreliable and difficult to maintain. The system, built years ago, was causing daily frustrations for the sales team and providing limited visibility for leadership into sales performance and pipeline health.

ByteBlaze was brought in to migrate the entire sales operation from the legacy custom PHP CRM to HubSpot, ensuring zero downtime, complete data integrity, and improved functionality for both sales staff and leadership.

The Challenge

The company needed a solution that would not only replace the existing system but also provide enhanced capabilities for sales operations and business intelligence.

Our Approach

1. Discovery and Planning

We began with a comprehensive analysis of the existing system:

• Mapped all CRM functionality and workflows
• Identified all data sources and dependencies
• Interviewed sales staff to understand pain points and requirements
• Analyzed leadership's reporting and analytics needs
• Created a detailed migration plan with minimal disruption

2. HubSpot Configuration

We configured HubSpot to match and improve upon existing workflows:

• Customized pipelines to match sales processes
• Set up automated workflows for lead routing and follow-ups
• Configured custom properties and fields
• Integrated with existing email and calendar systems
• Set up dashboards and reports for leadership

3. Data Migration

The most critical phase was migrating years of sales data:

• Extracted all data from the PHP CRM system
• Cleaned and normalized data to ensure accuracy
• Mapped data fields to HubSpot structure
• Performed test migrations to validate data integrity
• Executed final migration during a planned maintenance window

4. Training and Support

We ensured smooth adoption through comprehensive training:

• Conducted training sessions for all sales staff
• Created documentation and quick-reference guides
• Provided ongoing support during the transition period
• Set up leadership dashboards and trained executives on analytics

Results

Key Features Implemented

For Sales Staff

• Streamlined pipeline management—Easy drag-and-drop interface for managing deals
• Automated follow-ups—Workflows automatically send reminders and follow-up emails
• Email integration—All email communications automatically logged in CRM
• Mobile access—Full CRM functionality on smartphones and tablets
• Activity tracking—Automatic logging of calls, meetings, and emails

For Leadership

• Executive dashboards—Real-time views of sales performance, pipeline, and forecasts
• Advanced reporting—Custom reports on conversion rates, sales cycle length, and team performance
• Forecasting tools—Accurate revenue predictions based on pipeline data
• Team analytics—Individual and team performance metrics
• Goal tracking—Monitor progress toward sales targets

Technical Highlights

Lessons Learned

This migration taught us several important lessons:

1. Thorough Discovery is Critical

Taking time upfront to understand all system dependencies and user workflows prevented issues during migration and ensured nothing was missed.

2. User Training is Essential

Even the best system fails if users don't know how to use it. Comprehensive training and ongoing support ensured smooth adoption.

3. Data Quality Matters

Cleaning and normalizing data during migration improved data quality in the new system, leading to better analytics and reporting.

4. Phased Approach Reduces Risk

By testing migrations and executing in phases, we minimized risk and ensured data integrity throughout the process.

Conclusion

The migration from the custom PHP CRM to HubSpot was a complete success. The company now has a reliable, modern CRM system that improves efficiency for sales staff and provides leadership with the visibility and analytics they need to make informed decisions.