Every day, companies invest in CRMs like HubSpot, hoping to streamline operations, close more deals, and drive growth. But there’s a massive gap between what these tools can do and how businesses actually use them.
And that gap? It’s costing time, efficiency, and a lot of money.
Will Smith shared a staggering fact, 43% of CRM customers use fewer than half of the features available to them.
Think about it. That’s like buying a high-performance sports car and never taking it past second gear. You might feel good about the investment, but you’re missing out on speed, efficiency, and some serious revenue.
And this isn’t just a one-off problem. We’ve seen it with hundreds of businesses. Leaders sign up for HubSpot (or another CRM), pay the subscription fee, and then… what? They use it for basic contact storage, maybe a few reports, but the real power? It sits untapped.
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.
Here’s the deal: CRMs like HubSpot aren’t cheap. If you’re on the enterprise plan, you’re making a serious investment, one that’s meant to help your business run smoother, sell smarter, and grow faster.
So why do so many companies pay for all of this power and then barely use it?
Will’s theory? People stick to what they know.
“People know what they like and like what they know.” Will shares. “So they get stuck in this little 43% box.”
It’s 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… 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.
And, that’s a problem.
A CRM isn’t just a database. It’s a growth tool. It’s meant to:
But if you’re only using the basics, you’re leaving revenue on the table, and in many cases, losing business without even realizing it.
Underutilizing your CRM isn’t just a missed opportunity. It actively hurts your business in ways you might not even notice:
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But here’s the good news: fixing it isn’t as hard as you might think.
In the next section, we’ll break down exactly how to get unstuck and start using your CRM the way it was meant to be used.
Right now, everyone is obsessed with AI. Teams across industries are buzzing about tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
But your CRM, the tool you’re already paying for, is likely sitting underutilized.
What if you could make your CRM feel just as powerful?
The good news? AI can make your CRM more valuable than ever if you prepare for it the right way.
Instead of treating your CRM like another contact storage system, think of it as the foundation for all your future AI capabilities.
But here’s the catch: AI is only as good as the data it has to work with.
“To get the most out of AI, you have to start by cleaning up your CRM.” Will shares, “If you put garbage in, you get garbage out.”
Your CRM and AI aren’t separate, they’re connected. If your CRM is full of incomplete records, outdated contacts, and inconsistent tracking, AI won’t magically fix those problems. Instead, it will amplify them.
If your team is excited about AI, use that momentum to get your CRM in order. You’ll need to:
So before you jump into AI-powered sales automation, chatbots, or predictive analytics, get your CRM in order first.
Will lays out a clear roadmap for businesses who want to break this cycle, maximize their CRM, and start driving serious growth.
These four steps will help you clean up your CRM, streamline your sales process, and ensure your team is using it the right way.
One of the biggest reasons CRMs fail to deliver results is that different departments use them inconsistently.
Sales track deals one way.
Marketing logs leads in another way.
Leadership barely touches the system.
When there’s 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’s working and what’s not.
Your CRM needs consistency across the board.
Every customer interaction should be logged, every deal should be tracked, and no leads should fall through the cracks.
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.
If your team is still manually updating deals, sending follow-ups, or tracking tasks, you’re wasting valuable time.
CRM automation is one of the easiest ways to boost efficiency and ensure nothing gets forgotten.
Top-performing sales teams save time and boost efficiency with HubSpot automation that:
If your CRM isn’t helping your team work faster, it’s not being used to its full potential.
Will put it simply, “If you’re still doing these things manually, you’re not just working harder, you’re working slower.”
And in sales, speed matters. The faster you respond, the more deals you close.
Too many sales teams rely on gut instinct to decide which leads are worth their time. But gut instinct isn’t reliable, and it definitely isn’t scalable.
With lead scoring, we can say, ‘If they hit a 16 or above, they’re a hot lead.’ And now we know exactly who to go after.
Lead scoring assigns actual numbers to potential buyers based on their behaviors and interactions. This helps your team:
If you’re still guessing which leads are worth pursuing, it’s time to let data guide your sales process.
Not everyone on your team will become a CRM expert overnight. And that’s okay.
Rather than expecting every salesperson or marketer to master HubSpot on their own, Will suggests designating a CRM champion, someone who can:
But here’s the key: This person shouldn’t become the internal help desk on all things HubSpot, or your CRM of choice. They should be a guide, not a crutch.
Empowering the team to problem-solve on their own. They can do this by:
This ensures the CRM champion doesn’t get bogged down with endless questions while making sure the team is truly learning how to use the system effectively.
Alright, let’s talk numbers because, at the end of the day, results matter.
That’s not just a slight improvement, it’s a transformational shift for businesses looking to scale.
So how does this increase happen?
And here’s where things get interesting: Once one person on your team starts seeing success, it spreads fast.
“Sales teams are competitive,” says Will. “ When one person starts winning with the CRM, others follow. It becomes contagious.”
Suddenly, the whole team wants in.
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, closing more deals with less effort.
And that’s how a 41% increase in revenue per salesperson becomes a real possibility, not just a statistic.
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.
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.
The businesses that fully embrace their CRM see real results, up to a 41% increase in revenue per salesperson.
Ready to unlock the full power of your CRM? If you’re tired of underutilizing your tools and leaving revenue on the table, let’s talk. Our team at IMPACT can help you optimize your HubSpot setup, streamline your processes, and drive real results—no guesswork required. Talk to an advisor today!
Will Smith is a certified HubSpot Trainer with a track record of 100+ companies successfully onboarded to the HubSpot platform.
Connect with Will on LinkedIn
What are the most common CRM mistakes companies make?
The biggest misstep is underutilization. Most teams only scratch the surface of what CRMs like HubSpot can do. This includes skipping automation, ignoring lead scoring, and never customizing dashboards to fit workflows. Add inconsistent data entry and poor alignment between sales, marketing, and service teams, and your CRM quickly becomes a mess of fragmented information instead of a centralized system.
How often should we audit our CRM?
Quarterly is the minimum. Regular audits help maintain clean, reliable data and surface opportunities for automation and optimization. During an audit, look for duplicate contacts, outdated records, inconsistent deal stages, and untagged leads. You’ll also want to review team usage, including who’s logging in, who’s tracking activities, and who needs coaching.
How do we get buy-in from reluctant reps?
Show, don’t tell. Highlight how the CRM helps them close more deals by doing the tedious stuff for them, like follow-up reminders, deal stage updates, and personalized content suggestions. Share success stories from teammates who are already using it effectively. Once reps see time saved and commissions earned, they’ll be all in.
Which automation should we start with?
Start small but impactful. Automate follow-up emails after form submissions or meetings, set up task reminders for overdue deals, and build lead rotation workflows to distribute new opportunities fairly. These quick wins improve speed to lead and reduce manual effort without overwhelming your team with complexity.
Is it worth hiring a dedicated CRM manager?
Yes, especially if you’re scaling. A CRM owner ensures consistency, handles training, enforces best practices, and champions optimization. They’re the go-to resource for maximizing ROI on your tech stack. Without a dedicated owner, adoption tends to be patchy, and performance suffers.
What does success look like with a fully adopted CRM?
Think shorter sales cycles, better pipeline visibility, more accurate forecasting, and reps spending more time selling instead of updating records. With strong adoption, your CRM becomes a strategic asset, not just a tool. You’ll see higher conversion rates, stronger customer relationships, and up to 41% more revenue per rep.