How do I keep my CRM data clean and reliable?
David stared at his screen in frustration. "We had five different records for the same company, with different information in each one," he recalls. As Operations Manager, he knew their messy data was costing them opportunities and creating confusion.
The Clean Data Journey
Today, David's CRM is a trusted source of truth for his entire organization. "Clean data isn't a destination - it's a continuous process," he explains. By combining HubSpot's built-in tools with strategic processes, his team maintains data quality at scale.
Beyond Basic Deduplication
The transformation began when David realized that merging duplicates was just treating symptoms. "We needed to prevent duplicates from being created in the first place, and when they did occur, handle them intelligently."
Using Operations Hub Pro, his team implemented automated deduplication workflows. For more complex scenarios, they integrated with specialized tools like Koalify to automatically identify and merge both contacts and companies.
The Merger Mindset
"Merging records sounds simple," David notes, "but there are countless gotchas to consider." His team learned to ask crucial questions:
- Which record should be the primary?
- What happens to associated deals and tickets?
- How do we handle conflicting property values?
- What about related companies and contacts?
Creating Clean Data Processes
David's team developed a comprehensive approach to data quality:
- Prevention First They use HubSpot's duplicate detection features and form validation to prevent duplicate creation.
- Enrichment and Standardization Breeze Intelligence automatically enriches new records and standardizes key fields.
- Strategic Merging Whether using Operations Hub or specialized tools like Koalify, they follow careful merging protocols.
- Continuous Monitoring Regular data quality audits help catch issues before they become problems.
Success Through Automation
One of David's favorite examples involves a complex merger of international subsidiaries. "Using Koalify's advanced matching algorithms alongside HubSpot's native tools, we automatically identified and properly merged over 1,000 company records while preserving all the crucial relationships and historical data."
Your Path to Clean Data
Start by assessing your current data challenges. Where are duplicates coming from? What's causing data inconsistencies? Use these insights to build a comprehensive data quality strategy.
Remember: Clean data isn't about perfection - it's about having information you can trust to make decisions.
Need help building your data quality strategy? Your HubSpot representative can guide you through the available tools and best practices for your specific needs.