Streamlining a Custom Manufacturer's Quoting Process in HubSpot

The Challenge

Butler Technologies struggled with a disconnected quoting process spanning multiple systems. Their sales team received requests in HubSpot but then had to coordinate with engineering who worked in a separate ERP system, resulting in lengthy email exchanges, delayed quotes, and inconsistent information storage. 

This fragmented approach meant:

• No centralized storage of quote information in the CRM
• Lengthy back-and-forth communications between departments
• No standardization in collecting technical specifications
• Inability to easily reference past quotes or products for reorders
• Engineering staff working in systems separate from customer data
• Excessive time spent switching between platforms

The Solution

1. Process Mapping & Requirements Analysis — We identified what information needed to be shared between teams and determined the ideal location for this data within HubSpot.
2. ERP Integration Strategy — Instead of attempting to replace their ERP system, we created a clear delineation of responsibilities between systems, with customer-facing data in HubSpot and technical manufacturing data in the ERP.
3. Custom Views & Dashboards — We developed team-specific HubSpot views that allow engineering to work from their own queue directly in HubSpot rather than switching between systems.
4. Workflow Automation — We created workflows that compile relevant data into centralized fields, eliminating confusion and providing engineers with exactly the information they need.
5. Custom Deal Playbooks — We implemented a structured playbook for the sales team that used conditional logic to capture all technical specifications required by engineering, ensuring complete information every time.

"The key was creating a system that felt natural to both teams while ensuring that critical information flowed seamlessly. We didn't try to make HubSpot do everything, but rather built a process that complemented their existing ERP while bringing everyone onto a shared platform for customer-facing activities."

The Results

Butler Technologies realized multiple significant improvements across their sales and engineering operations:

• Quote turnaround time decreased by approximately 65%, transforming what had been a days-long process into a streamlined, same-day workflow.
• Engineering efficiency improved by an estimated 45% through elimination of system-switching and by ensuring complete specifications were provided upfront.
• The sales team reported substantial productivity gains from having all customer and quote data in one system rather than fragmented across platforms.
• Perhaps most tellingly, a new sales team member was able to quickly understand and adopt the process, demonstrating its intuitive design.

Both engineering and sales teams have embraced the system enthusiastically, with engineering staff now proactively requesting additional HubSpot functionality to further enhance their workflow. The connected systems created a foundation for future improvements, including easier tracking of product history for reorders, SLAs across teams for improved reporting over time, and clear status markers for customers about their orders.