logo-xpon-light

    A Transformation Journey:

    From Salesforce to HubSpot

    How a publicly listed digital transformation company worked with ScaleStation to unify fragmented systems, reconcile disjointed data, and enable improved revenue forecasting.

    Project Overview

    Xpon is a publicly listed digital transformation company renowned for its expertise in analytics, marketing technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).

    industry
    Industry
    Technology
    timeline
    Timeline
    3 months
    Key Metrics
    Key Metrics
    Successful CRM Migration and New CRM Usage Rate.
    Our Services
    Our Services
    HubSpot Marketing, Sales, Content and Operations Hub Onboarding
    Target Solution
    Solution
    Migration from Salesforce and Pardot to HubSpot, recreating assets, aligning lead management and re-creating their marketing and sales ecosystem

    The Situation

    A Publicly Listed Digital Transformation Company with Complex Internal Operations

    Xpon is a publicly listed digital transformation company renowned for its expertise in analytics, marketing technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). The company serves enterprise clients, offering a mix of consulting services, technology reselling (such as Google Marketing Platform), and a proprietary data platform called Wandrous.

    Despite their external success, Xpon's internal operations were intricate. Their sales cycle was lengthy and complex, requiring numerous touchpoints to secure deals with enterprise clients. Revenue came from consulting, technology reselling, and Wandrous, with a heavy focus on recurring revenue—a vital metric for their status as a publicly listed entity.

    However, their internal systems lagged behind their technological capabilities. The marketing automation platform, Pardot, functioned separately from sales processes, which relied on spreadsheets—a holdover from a once-effective Salesforce setup that had since been abandoned.

    Publicly Listed

    Publicly Listed

    Requiring accurate financial forecasting and reporting

    Enterprise Clients

    Enterprise Clients

    Complex, lengthy sales cycles with multiple touchpoints

    Multiple Revenue Streams

    Multiple Revenue Streams

    Consulting, technology reselling, and proprietary platform

    Technology Expertise

    Technology Expertise

    12-year Google partnership and AI capabilities

    The Problem

    Operational Hurdles Threatening Efficiency and Growth

    Xpon faced significant operational challenges that threatened their efficiency and growth potential. Their systems were fragmented, with marketing automation disconnected from sales activities, leading to disrupted lead tracking and opportunity management.

    As a publicly listed company, Xpon required accurate forecasting of monthly recurring revenue (MRR), but their spreadsheet-based method lacked the necessary accuracy and scalability for dependable reporting.

    These problems originated from a series of acquisitions that blended disparate systems into a Salesforce configuration that initially succeeded but later lost momentum. The sales team's frustration with Salesforce drove their reliance on spreadsheets, deepening the operational divide.

    Step 1

    The lack of visibility beyond lead creation was really infuriating. We couldn't track the customer journey or measure the true impact of our campaigns, especially for events—our main revenue source.

    Tim, Marketing Lead at Xpon

    Key Challenges

    Fragmented Systems

    Fragmented Systems

    Without a cohesive CRM system, the sales team resorted to spreadsheets, disconnecting marketing from sales activities.

    Recurring Revenue Uncertainty

    Revenue Uncertainty

    Their spreadsheet-based method lacked the accuracy and scalability needed for dependable MRR reporting.

    Data Disarray

    Data Disarray

    Reconciling outdated Salesforce records with spreadsheet data proved a constant struggle after years of acquisitions.

    CRM Neglect

    CRM Neglect

    The sales team had abandoned Salesforce for spreadsheets, obscuring the sales pipeline and diminishing process efficiency.

    Forecasting Shortfalls

    Forecasting Shortfalls

    The inability to forecast recurring revenue accurately weakened strategic planning and investor reporting.

    Urgency Factor

    Urgency Factor

    With Salesforce contract expiring on January 30th, Xpon faced a narrow window to address these challenges.

    The Impact

    Substantial Fallout from Operational Issues

    Revenue at Risk

    Revenue at Risk

    Poor CRM usage and spreadsheet dependency hid critical business intelligence, leading to missed opportunities and inefficiencies that could have cost Xpon millions.

    Productivity Loss

    Productivity Loss

    Manual spreadsheet work drained time from sales and marketing teams, limiting scalability and frustrating staff.

    Marketing Inefficiency

    Marketing Inefficiency

    Without integration, Xpon couldn't track customer journeys or gauge campaign success, especially for events—their main revenue source.

    Competitive Weakness

    Competitive Issues

    Failing to leverage their own customer data for insights and tailored marketing eroded their competitive advantage—a serious drawback for a data-driven innovator.

    Investor Confidence at Stake

    Investor Confidence at Stake

    Inaccurate financial reporting and forecasting threatened Xpon's credibility with investors and their capacity to plan growth.

    Tight Timeline

    Tight Timeline

    With their Salesforce contract set to expire on January 30th, Xpon had a narrow window to address these challenges and restore operational control.

    The Solution

    A Strategic Shift to HubSpot

    Xpon tackled these issues by transitioning to HubSpot, adopting a phased approach that prioritised marketing functionality by late January, with sales operations to follow. Tim led the effort, partnering with ScaleStation to unify their systems and unleash their potential.

    The timeline was tight but achievable. Marketing operations had to be operational by January 30th, coinciding with the Salesforce contract's end. ScaleStation started scoping in November, accessing Salesforce, Pardot, and spreadsheets to map data and workflows.

    A parallel run of both systems preceded a full switch by the deadline, ensuring a smooth transition without disrupting ongoing business operations.

    Solution Components

    Unified CRM Platform

    Unified CRM Platform

    Replaced spreadsheets with HubSpot to align marketing and sales, enabling smooth lead handoffs and pipeline visibility.

    Revenue Precision

    Revenue Precision

    Utilised Sales Hub Enterprise features for robust revenue reporting, meeting Xpon's public reporting demands.

    Marketing Optimization

    Marketing Optimization

    Deployed Marketing Hub Enterprise for multi-touch revenue attribution, customer journey analytics, and adaptive testing.

    The Outcome

    A Stronger Operation

    Increased Revenue

    Increased Revenue

    Unified processes maximized opportunities and helped capture more value from leads.

    Marketing Impact

    Marketing Impact

    Analytics refined campaign performance and improved ROI on marketing initiatives.

    Investor Trust

    Investor Trust

    Improved MRR tracking enhanced financial reporting and forecasting reliability.

    Productivity Lift

    Enhanced Productivity

    Automation freed teams from manual data entry for more strategic work.

    Key Takeaways

    Valuable Lessons from Xpon's Journey

    1. Integrate Marketing and Sales Systems

    A unified platform improves efficiency and visibility across the customer journey, preventing the silos that hampered Xpon's operations.

    2. Maintain a Single Source of Truth

    Consolidating data into one system ensures accurate reporting and decision-making, avoiding the confusion of scattered data.

    3. Ensure User Adoption and Training

    Successful system implementation depends on user buy-in and thorough training, a lesson from Xpon's Salesforce abandonment.

    4. Plan System Transitions Carefully

    Proactive planning and execution of system changes minimise disruptions, as Xpon's tight deadline demonstrated.

    Ready to Transform

    Start Your Own Success Story with ScaleStation

    Ready to unify your systems, streamline your operations, and drive growth? Contact ScaleStation to discuss your transformation journey.

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    Thank You for the Details!

    That was super helpful. We've received your requirements and we appreciate you reaching out to us.

    We also appreciate everyone’s time; so while we review your details(it will be quick), are you ready to take the next step?

    Schedule a meeting with our team to discuss your needs and explore how we can best assist you. Check below to book a meeting at your convenience.