I recently started using Conversations for service and support. It’s pretty feature lean compared to more mature apps like HelpScout, but the integration makes it useful.
I also just added HubSpot forms to my website for lead generation and directed them to forward the form response to the group email used in my Conversations Inbox.
These emails all come through FROM the generic @hubspot.com email address, meaning that Conversations Inbox does not automatically associate with the contact record that the form submission just created. So the contact is there but it is a manual step to disassociate and then associate the contact.
This is a major design problem because these are all internal systems talking to each other. The form submission should either have a way to automatically integrate as an Inbox source (like chat) or at LEAST allow me to set the “from” on a form notification so there is an auto-association with the contact. The former solution is more appropriate. Hard to believe this was not a part of the design as it makes the HubSpot Service hub somewhat half-baked.
Hi @commonevolution
Everything you’ve said about how HubSpot functions is correct. Those form repsonse emails are transactional notification emails intended to alert you to the submisssion of a form. It sounds like you may be trying to use them as the start of a conversation with a prospect - is this right? Is the form on your website more of a ‘contact us’ form than a ‘download something’ lead gen form?
Yes, you are correct. This is a contact form that customer and prospects use to reach out for a variety of reasons--sales, orders, product questions, troubleshooting, etc. Conversations is of course a great tool for this, especially for assigning to the proper team member. And using a form as the entry point is often easier for the person that using email.
Hi @commonevolution
Really interesting point. This isn’t supported currently so I recommend you post something over in the ideas forum where other users can vote in support of it.
Will do thanks for the insight.
While I’m positive about the Conversations feature, it is not well thought out. There is no way to flag or tag threads for later review and reporting. The integrations between features is appalling poor (tickets, forms, etc). HelpScout really nailed the group mailbox…HubSpot would be wise to follow them.
Same here. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving hubspot very much thus far! But some things are a bit clunky with conversations, and the fixes should be somewhat ‘easy’. I too don’t understand why form responses don’t just show up as a new conversation/lead… Makes no sense to me.