Duct Tape Isn’t a CRM Strategy. Time to Grow Up
Introduction
I used to run a team that used Salesforce. Also HubSpot. Also… a spreadsheet. And Slack. And Monday. And a whole lot of duct tape.
Forecasts were off. Leads slipped through the cracks. No one really trusted the data.
“It kind of works… for now,” I told myself.
Spoiler: it didn’t.
How to Fix Your CRM Without Setting It on Fire
You know the setup:
Salesforce is your CRM.
HubSpot handles some automation.
There’s a shared Google Sheet named “DO NOT TOUCH” that everyone touches.
And somewhere, there’s a rogue Zapier integration wreaking quiet havoc.
Congrats — you’ve built a tech stack that runs on hope, caffeine, and duct tape.
But here’s the hard truth:
That’s not a strategy.
That’s a liability with a login screen.
It’s Not the Tool. It’s How You Use It.
Let’s get one thing straight — Salesforce and HubSpot are not the problem.
They’re robust, flexible, enterprise-grade platforms that power some of the best companies in the world.
So if your CRM makes you want to scream into a pillow, the issue probably isn’t the logo in the corner.
It’s the setup.
It’s the “we’ll fix it later” logic that never gets fixed.
It’s the Frankenstein process made of half-built automations and unassigned leads.
5 Signs You’ve Got a Duct-Taped CRM
- Pipeline stages include “Not Sure” and “Circle Back Later.”
- Your reps track deals in spreadsheets (and never update the CRM).
- You haven’t looked at your dashboards since last quarter’s fire drill.
- Forecasting is 70% vibes, 30% Slack threads.
- You’re paying for 5 tools to do what 1 could… badly.
Relatable? Cool. Let’s fix it.
How to Un-Frankenstein Your CRM Setup
🧠 1. Map the Real Process (Not the Ideal One)
Start by whiteboarding how your team actually works, not how your sales deck says they do.
Use tools like Miro or Whimsical to sketch the mess before you clean it.
🧹 2. Clean Your Data (Seriously)
Bad data is like glitter — once it’s in there, good luck getting it out.
De-dupe, standardize, and archive what’s old or irrelevant.
🔧 3. Redesign Your Pipeline
Ditch vague or duplicate stages. Define clear criteria for each stage — when a deal enters, and more importantly, when it leaves.
5 to 7 stages max. If you need more than that, you’re probably tracking therapy sessions, not deals.
📊 4. Build Dashboards That Actually Help
No more 19-tab reports with color-coded nightmares.
Start simple:
- Deal velocity
- Stage conversion
- Rep activity
- Open pipeline by owner
Both Salesforce and HubSpot have solid reporting templates. Start there and customize lightly.
📚 5. Train Like You Mean It
Even the most elegant CRM setup fails if your team avoids it like kale salad at a BBQ.
Use Loom to create short how-tos. Or Trainual for more structured onboarding. Reinforce early, reinforce often.
Thinking of Switching CRMs?
Let’s pause for a second.
If your current CRM feels broken, and your instinct is to jump ship, ask yourself:
- Have we actually tried fixing the current setup?
- Are we solving a tool problem or a process problem?
- Do we even know what “good” looks like?
Spoiler: most of the time, a rebuild is cheaper, faster, and way less painful than a full migration.
Final Thought: Duct Tape Is for Air Vents, Not Revenue Engines
CRMs aren’t magic. But when built right, they’re powerful.
They keep your team aligned.
Your data clean.
And your revenue predictable.
But when they’re hacked together with legacy workflows, manual workarounds, and mystery automations…
They become nothing more than an expensive address book.
If your CRM feels more like a chore than a tool, it’s time to fix the foundation.
👉 DM me or shoot me a message if you want a second opinion.
No pressure. No pitch. Just honest feedback from someone who’s seen (and cleaned up) the mess.
#CRM #Salesforce #HubSpot #TechStack #RevOps #SalesOps #RevenueOperations #ProcessImprovement #CRMFails #GrowthOps
