Varjo's need to merge disparate customer platforms into one centralized system had been brewing under the surface for a while. The company was using three different software applications to work with their customers, and the systems hardly communicated with one another.
"Before the change, we had completely separate systems in use. Sales had its own CRM, marketing had a marketing automation system, and customer support was using a third platform. There was no overall visibility on how customer relationships were progressing or what was happening with the leads,” Varjo's Chief Marketing Officer Mikko Luhtava describes the situation before the CRM upgrade.
The company's rapid growth, both in terms of employees and customers, required a system where sales, marketing, and customer support had visibility in all directions. Varjo considered it essential for growth that more structured processes would be created across different teams. The challenge was that the use of previous systems wasn't seen as easy, systematic documentation was lacking, and separate teams lacked common practices.
When searching for a new CRM system, it was important for Varjo to find a platform that was as user-friendly as possible. Individuals at the customer interface should have a 360-degree view of what is happening within the customer organization and contact. Varjo assessed different options and ultimately chose HubSpot due to its comprehensive features and sufficient customization capabilities. Kaksio was selected as a partner for the new CRM implementation, particularly based on HubSpot's recommendation.
"When starting the CRM project, HubSpot suggested that, especially in technically demanding projects like this, Kaksio could be the right partner for the project in Finland," Luhtava comments on the decision to choose Kaksio Labs as a partner.
Data migration from three different sources into one and Varjo's desire for a detailed, automated setup were suitable challenges to tackle together with Kaksio. On Kaksio's part, Varjo's in-depth familiarity with the subject in advance helped accelerate the progress of the project.
"Varjo truly understood what they were purchasing. Working with the team was fantastic, as they really comprehended all aspects and were already well-versed in HubSpot. Of course, we were demanding as well, as the processes were quite complex compared to many other implementation projects. Varjo also demanded much more from the system than the average user usually does," Tiina Kilpelänaho, the project manager at Kaksio, recalls.
Both Varjo and Kaksio were satisfied with the smooth progress of the project and its successful outcome. During the project, valuable work was also done in clarifying processes and operational practices through documentation. Kaksio received special recognition for its ability to quickly grasp Varjo's unique wishes and business goals.
"We provided a relatively complex wish list for the setup. We had quite a few different stages, and a lot of automation already built, and on the other hand, there were wishes for this new system as well. With this in mind, Tiina and Mads understood our business, what we wanted to achieve, and could navigate exceptional situations very well," Luhtava reflects.
With the introduction of the new CRM system, Varjo has eliminated bottlenecks, and instead of three different systems, there is now a unified platform that truly serves the different user groups. The company is satisfied with the richer data brought by the new CRM.
"We have gained even better transparency and understanding of what affects our results. We now have much more comprehensive visibility into the entire customer journey, and our customer experiences are better because of it," Luhtava describes.
However, the greatest change at Varjo is perceived to be the general shift in CRM culture within the company. It is now possible for everybody in the business organization to examine which actions truly impact the results, leading to more data-driven decision-making across the different teams.
"If you're deliberating whether to make these investments, my strong recommendation would be to do so. HubSpot has been a really good platform, and we have been satisfied with the decision to implement this project with an extremely skilled partner like Kaksio," Luhtava summarizes the project results.