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Every day, companies invest in CRMs like HubSpot<\/a>, hoping to streamline operations, close more deals, and drive growth. But there\u2019s a massive gap between what these tools can do and how businesses actually use them.\u00a0<\/p>\n And that gap? It\u2019s costing time, efficiency, and a lot of money.<\/p>\n Will Smith shared a staggering fact, 43% of CRM customers use fewer than half of the features available to them<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Think about it. That\u2019s like buying a high-performance sports car and never taking it past second gear. You might feel good about the investment, but you\u2019re missing out on speed, efficiency, and some serious revenue.<\/p>\n And this isn\u2019t just a one-off problem. We\u2019ve seen it with hundreds of businesses. Leaders sign up for HubSpot<\/a> (or another CRM), pay the subscription fee, and then\u2026 what? They use it for basic contact storage, maybe a few reports, but the real power? It sits untapped.<\/p>\n In this episode of Endless Customers, I sat down with Will Smith, one of our HubSpot Trainers here at IMPACT, to uncover why so many companies underutilize their CRMs and, more importantly, how you can optimize yours to increase revenue by up to 41% per salesperson.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the deal: CRMs like HubSpot aren\u2019t cheap. If you\u2019re on the enterprise plan, you\u2019re making a serious investment, one that\u2019s meant to help your business run smoother, sell smarter, and grow faster. \u00a0<\/p>\n So why do so many companies pay for all of this power and then barely use it?<\/p>\n Will\u2019s theory? People stick to what they know.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople know what they like and like what they know.\u201d Will shares. \u201cSo they get stuck in this little 43% box.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a cycle we see all the time. A business signs up for HubSpot, does the initial setup, learns just enough to get by, and then\u2026 stops exploring. No one is pushing the system to do more, no one is questioning how to make processes more efficient. Instead, the CRM becomes nothing more than a fancy address book.<\/p>\n And, that\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n A CRM isn\u2019t just a database. It\u2019s a growth tool. It\u2019s meant to:<\/p>\n But if you\u2019re only using the basics, you\u2019re leaving revenue on the table, and in many cases, losing business without even realizing it.<\/p>\n Underutilizing your CRM isn\u2019t just a missed opportunity. It actively hurts your business in ways you might not even notice:<\/p>\n If this sounds familiar, you\u2019re not alone. But here\u2019s the good news: fixing it isn\u2019t as hard as you might think.<\/p>\n In the next section, we\u2019ll break down exactly how to get unstuck and start using your CRM the way it was meant to be used.<\/p>\n Right now, everyone is obsessed with AI. Teams across industries are buzzing about tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.\u00a0<\/p>\n But your CRM, the tool you\u2019re already paying for, is likely sitting underutilized.<\/p>\n What if you could make your CRM feel just as powerful?<\/p>\n The good news? AI can make your CRM more valuable<\/a> than ever if you prepare for it the right way.<\/p>\n Instead of treating your CRM like another contact storage system, think of it as the foundation for all your future AI capabilities.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the catch: AI is only as good as the data it has to work with.<\/p>\n \u201cTo get the most out of AI, you have to start by cleaning up your CRM.\u201d Will shares, \u201cIf you put garbage in, you get garbage out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Your CRM and AI aren\u2019t separate, they\u2019re connected. If your CRM is full of incomplete records, outdated contacts, and inconsistent tracking, AI won\u2019t magically fix those problems. Instead, it will amplify them.<\/p>\n If your team is excited about AI, use that momentum to get your CRM in order. You\u2019ll need to:<\/p>\n So before you jump into AI-powered sales automation, chatbots, or predictive analytics, get your CRM in order first.<\/p>\n Will lays out a clear roadmap for businesses who want to break this cycle, maximize their CRM, and start driving serious growth.<\/p>\n These four steps will help you clean up your CRM, streamline your sales process, and ensure your team is using it the right way.<\/p>\n One of the biggest reasons CRMs fail to deliver results is because different departments use them inconsistently.<\/p>\n Sales track deals one way.<\/p>\n Marketing logs leads another way.<\/p>\n Leadership barely touches the system.<\/p>\n When there\u2019s no alignment, your CRM turns into a mess of inconsistent data. That means missed follow-ups, duplicated work, and unreliable reporting, which makes it impossible to get a clear picture of what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not.<\/p>\n Your CRM needs consistency across the board.<\/p>\n Every customer interaction should be logged, every deal should be tracked, and no leads should fall through the cracks.<\/p>\n The first step is making sure everyone is following the same process. Standardized workflows, required fields, and internal guidelines can go a long way toward turning your CRM into a tool that actually helps your business grow<\/a>.<\/p>\n If your team is still manually updating deals, sending follow-ups, or tracking tasks, you\u2019re wasting valuable time.<\/p>\n CRM automation is one of the easiest ways to boost efficiency and ensure nothing gets forgotten.<\/p>\n Top-performing sales teams save time and boost efficiency with HubSpot automation that:<\/p>\n If your CRM isn\u2019t helping your team work faster, it\u2019s not being used to its full potential.<\/p>\n Will put it simply, \u201cIf you\u2019re still doing these things manually, you\u2019re not just working harder, you\u2019re working slower.\u201d<\/p>\n And in sales, speed matters. The faster you respond, the more deals you close.<\/p>\n Too many sales teams rely on gut instinct to decide which leads are worth their time. But gut instinct isn\u2019t reliable, and it definitely isn\u2019t scalable.<\/p>\n With lead scoring<\/a>, we can say, \u2018If they hit a 16 or above, they\u2019re a hot lead.\u2019 And now we know exactly who to go after.<\/p>\n Lead scoring assigns actual numbers to potential buyers based on their behaviors and interactions. This helps your team:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still guessing which leads are worth pursuing, it\u2019s time to let data guide your sales process.<\/p>\n Not everyone on your team will become a CRM expert overnight. And that\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n Rather than expecting every salesperson or marketer to master HubSpot on their own, Will suggests designating a CRM champion, someone who can:<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the key: This person shouldn\u2019t become the internal help desk on all things HubSpot, or your CRM of choice. They should be a guide, not a crutch.<\/p>\n Empowering the team to problem-solve on their own. They can do this by:<\/p>\n This ensures the CRM champion doesn\u2019t get bogged down with endless questions while making sure the team is truly learning how to use the system effectively.<\/p>\n Alright, let\u2019s talk numbers because, at the end of the day, results matter.<\/p>\n Companies that fully optimize their CRM usage see, on average, a 41% increase in revenue per salesperson<\/a>.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not just a slight improvement, it\u2019s a transformational shift for businesses looking to scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n So how does this increase happen?<\/p>\n And here\u2019s where things get interesting: Once one person on your team starts seeing success, it spreads fast.<\/p>\n \u201cSales teams are competitive,\u201d says Will. \u201c When one person starts winning with the CRM, others follow. It becomes contagious.\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly, the whole team wants in.<\/p>\n They start using automation, tracking leads more effectively, and following the best practices that drive results. Before you know it, your entire sales team is operating at a higher level<\/a>, closing more deals with less effort.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s how a 41% increase in revenue per salesperson becomes a real possibility, not just a statistic.<\/p>\n A CRM should never feel like just another piece of software your team is forced to use. It should be the engine that drives your sales and marketing efforts, helping you close more deals, improve efficiency, and ultimately grow your business.<\/p>\n By following these four steps (getting everyone aligned, automating where you can, prioritizing leads effectively, and designating a CRM champion) you can turn your CRM from a data graveyard into a revenue-generating powerhouse.<\/p>\n The businesses that fully embrace their CRM see real results, up to a 41% increase in revenue per salesperson.<\/p>\n So the real question is: Are you ready to stop wasting potential and start seeing results?<\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about growth, it\u2019s time to stop treating your CRM like an afterthought and start making it the most valuable tool in your business.<\/p>\n Will Smith is a certified HubSpot Trainer with a track record of 100+ companies successfully onboarded to the HubSpot platform.<\/p>\n Connect with Will on LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n Endless Customers<\/a> is a podcast produced and distributed by IMPACT<\/a>, a sales and marketing training organization.<\/p>\n We coach businesses to implement our They Ask, You Answer framework to build trust and fill their pipeline.\u00a0<\/p>\n For inquiries about sponsorship opportunities or to be considered as a guest, email awinter@impactplus.com.<\/p>\n Want to tell us about a challenge you\u2019re facing? Schedule a free coaching session<\/a> with one of our experts.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\nHow CRM underutilization is costing your business<\/h2>\n
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How to get your team excited about your CRM (like they are about AI)<\/h2>\n
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Four steps to stop wasting your investment and start driving growth with your CRM<\/h2>\n
1. Get everyone to use it, the right way<\/h3>\n
2. Automate what you can<\/h3>\n
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3. Use lead scoring to prioritize the best opportunities<\/h3>\n
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4. Assign a CRM champion<\/h3>\n
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The revenue potential: 41% per salesperson<\/h2>\n
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Remember, your CRM should work for you, not against you<\/h2>\n
Connect with Will Smith<\/h2>\n
Keep Learning<\/h2>\n