In March and April 2020, when the pandemic headwinds were strong, many predicted that companies would crumble, but we have seen many of these companies pivot, survive, thrive and accelerate growth with the help of a modern CRM. In this latest HBR Video Quick Take, we hear from Poorvi Shrivastav, VP & GM of Service Hub at HubSpot on turning customer relationship management into “magic” and other topics.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
Welcome to the HBR Video Quick Take. I’m Todd Pruzan, senior editor for research and special projects at Harvard Business Review. Today, I’m here with Poorvi Shrivastav, Vice President and General Manager of Service Hub at HubSpot, a leading customer relationship management platform that provides software and support to help companies grow better. Today, more than 135,000 customers across more than 120 countries use Hubspot’s powerful and easy to use tools and integrations to attract, engage, and delight customers. Poorvi, thank you so much for being with us today.
Poorvi Shrivastav, HubSpot
Thank you for having me, Todd.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
Poorvi, what is customer relationship magic?
Poorvi Shrivastav, HubSpot
Great question. I think about customer relationship magic as one step beyond delivering a good customer experience. It’s really putting the customer at the center of your business. It’s about creating such a delightful experience that customers become your biggest brand champions, making growing a business a true joy for everyone. HubSpot is fundamentally built with the customer experience in mind. Where other CRM platforms are cobbled together through acquisition, HubSpot is carefully crafted in house using a collection of tools, components, and systems that seamlessly work together as the building blocks of the HubSpot user experience, so that businesses can spend less time managing systems and software and more time engaging and growing with their customers. That is what I call customer relationship magic.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
The pandemic made providing remarkable customer experiences go from being a competitive advantage to being a critical necessity. So what do companies need to do to win in the age of the customer?
Poorvi Shrivastav, HubSpot
I believe companies can approach this change in three ways which are highly interdependent. Firstly, connecting teams and insights. Delightful experiences happen when companies know who their customers are and where exactly are they in their journeys. This is only possible if companies can connect systems across teams and derive those insights from that connected data. Secondly, adapting to changing customer demands. Pivots are inevitable, and the last 18 months have forced companies to build a foundation to be able to continuously adapt to survive and grow. And lastly, leading with empathy and providing an authentic experience. Now more than ever, it is important to lead with empathy in how we connect with each other and navigate the new norms of this changing world.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
So what other magic are you focused on creating at HubSpot this year?
Poorvi Shrivastav, HubSpot
An exciting area we have invested in is the new and improved Service Hub, our customer service software that enables companies to put their customers first with an easy and connected platform that delivers authentic service. As customer expectations and experiences continue to rise, we are seeing a consistent preference for self-service, for personalization, and for real time solutions. Key features include customer portals, mobile inbox, service level agreements, and native channels like inbound calling. I’m optimistic about how the customer service industry is evolving and thrilled to be a part of the magic that HubSpot is creating to support this evolution.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
Well, Poorvi, this has been a great discussion. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Poorvi Shrivastav, HubSpot
Thank you for having me, Todd.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
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