CRM Setup Mistakes That Are Costing You Deals (And How to Fix Them)

You didn’t invest in a CRM just to do more manual work.


And yet—here you are. Staring at a pipeline that doesn’t make sense, dealing with duplicates, and wondering if anyone on your team actually uses the system the way they should.


We get it. Most CRMs aren’t broken… they’re just not set up for how your team actually sells.


🚨 The Most Common CRM Setup Mistakes


At Groove, we’ve implemented and audited 30+ CRMs (mostly HubSpot and Close), and the same mistakes come up again and again:


❌ Overcomplicated Pipelines

Multiple stages no one uses. Leads that get stuck. Too much, too soon.

❌ No Clear Ownership Rules

Who owns which leads? Who follows up? If it’s unclear, deals fall through the cracks.

❌ Custom Fields Overload

If your reps need to scroll for days to log a lead, they won’t do it.

No Automation (or Too Much of It)

Good automation saves time. Bad automation creates messes that no one wants to untangle.

❌ Zero Training or Documentation

Even a great system will fail if your team doesn’t know how to use it.

 

🛠️ What a Well-Built CRM Should Do

• Route leads to the right rep—instantly
• Track activities and follow-ups without micromanagement
• Give you accurate reporting at a glance
• Support your actual sales process, not some idealized version
• Save your team time (not create more admin)

 

🔍 HubSpot vs. Close CRM: Which Is Right?

HubSpot is great for companies that want marketing and sales under one roof, with lots of integration and visual reporting.
Close CRM is best for sales-heavy teams that live in the CRM—calls, texts, tasks, and follow-ups all in one place.
We help clients choose based on team size, motion, budget, and future needs.

 

📈 Real Result
One client came to us with a Frankenstein setup and three CRMs stitched together. After a rebuild in Close with clean lead routing, automation, and training:

• Their team saved 10+ hours/week
• Follow-up speed improved by 30%
• Sales rep ramp time dropped from 6 months to 2

 

Need a second set of eyes on your CRM?
Request a free audit!

 

 Let’s Eliminate the Busywork—Together

Book a free call to see how we can streamline your tech stack and get your team back to selling.

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