Why HubSpot implementations fail.
Most teams are set up to fail before they even start using it.
The pattern is almost too predictable. A company signs a contract, thinking it’s the solution to all its sales and marketing problems. They assume it’s plug-and-play, or some magic switch that instantly improves operations and drives revenue.
A few months in, people stop using it, teams go back to their old tools, and frustration starts to set in. At this point, it’s just a matter of time before someone inevitably says, “This doesn’t do what our old CRM did.”
But here’s the thing — HubSpot can do almost anything you want it to. The problem isn’t the software. The problem is in how teams approach it.
Where It All Goes Wrong
Most of the problems with HubSpot don’t start post-implementation. They start at the evaluation stage.
Companies buy the platform without clearly defining how their teams will use it. Sales assumes it’s a CRM. Marketing sees it as a campaign engine. Nobody aligns on expectations. And worse, many companies rely on HubSpot’s sales reps to tell them precisely what they need, without realizing those reps don’t understand the nuances of their business.
Once implementation begins, the lack of planning becomes painfully apparent. Instead of mapping out workflows on paper first, teams rush into the CRM, only to realize they don’t know how everything fits together. Data gets messy. Processes break down. And before long, people start saying, “HubSpot just isn’t working for us.”
But it’s not the software that’s broken. It’s the setup.
The Missing Step That Changes Everything
Most companies fail before implementation even starts because they skip one critical step: user stories.
User stories force teams to think beyond the software itself and focus on who will use HubSpot, why they’re using it, and what they need from it. They’re not about features or dashboards. They’re about clarity and alignment.
A good user story follows a simple structure: "As a [type of user], I want [some goal] so that [some reason]."
For example:
"As a sales manager, I want to track my team’s performance in real-time so that I can identify coaching opportunities and hit our revenue targets."
When teams define user stories before buying HubSpot, they avoid:
Buying the wrong package (Do you really need Enterprise, or will Pro do?)
Setting up workflows and automations no one uses
Ending up with a system no one understands or wants to touch
Creating workflows that don’t align with the needs of your end-users
To create user stories that matter:
Identify your key user groups, such as sales, marketing, and customer success.
Conduct interviews or surveys to understand their needs and pain points.
Translate those insights into user stories using the template above.
Prioritize stories based on impact and feasibility.
Use these user stories to guide your HubSpot setup, ensuring it aligns with actual needs.
If you’re skipping this step, you’re just guessing. Guessing leads to overcomplicated setups, adoption issues, and wasted resources.
How to Set Yourself Up for Success
The best time to get HubSpot right isn’t after you buy it, it’s before you even sign the contract.
Before you do ANYTHING else:
Map out your user stories. Define what each department needs to accomplish and see where they might overlap.
Understand HubSpot’s data model. Learn how objects (contacts, companies, deals) relate to your business.
Document your processes first. Before loading a single contact, outline how your team will use HubSpot daily.
Set realistic expectations. HubSpot won’t transform your business overnight. A full implementation can take anywhere from 4 – 9 months.
The Red Flags That Signal You’re Off Track
If, within a few months, your team is still relying on spreadsheets or old tools, something has gone awry. When adoption is low or nonexistent, it’s a clear sign that expectations weren’t set correctly.
Another telltale sign is misalignment across teams. If sales, marketing, and customer success aren’t using HubSpot in sync, you’ve created a siloed system that defeats the purpose of having a unified CRM.
And then there’s the classic, “our old system did X, but HubSpot doesn’t." What you’re saying is, “I don’t know how to make HubSpot do what I want it to do.”
Setting HubSpot Up for Success Starts Before Day One
Too many teams jump into HubSpot without understanding who will use it and why. They skip the foundational work, set up overly complex automations, and then wonder why adoption is low.
User stories are the difference between a CRM that fuels growth and one that collects dust. They ensure you’re investing in the right package, building workflows people will use, and setting your team up for long-term success.
I’m not promising that HubSpot is a silver bullet, but I am saying that it will transform how your team operates when it’s implemented correctly.
Just don’t skip the prep work.