How to Effectively Manage Multiple Types of Phone Numbers in HubSpot?

[azjr]

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I'm a novice in the HubSpot ecosystem (as a 'starter'), learning it to make a switch (applause 😉) and I'm looking for your insights and possible suggestions:

You'll agree that we all strive to streamline our workflows and limit the number of apps and platforms we use. The ideal scenario is to have a centralized 'hub' for all CRM activities, including placing and responding to calls. HubSpot has the potential to be that central hub, but there is a significant limitation when it comes to managing multiple types of phone numbers for contacts.

While it is possible to create custom properties to categorize 'Home' or 'Work' numbers, the system falls short when you have unique or additional numbers like a second home or second mobile number. This limitation becomes a hassle when you're trying to quickly place a call but don't have immediate insight into what type of number you're actually dialing.

In real-world scenarios, contacts often have multiple phone numbers that don't neatly fit into just 'Mobile' or 'Primary.' Other CRM systems and contact management platforms offer the ability to add custom labels to phone numbers, allowing for greater flexibility and specificity.

The potential workarounds, such as using custom properties with open text fields or dropdown options, have limitations: for instance, numbers entered in a text field are not 'dialable,' which hampers efficiency.

Has anyone else encountered this issue? Are there any effective solutions or best practices for managing multiple types of phone numbers in HubSpot? I believe this is a significant gap that needs to be addressed to make the platform more versatile for contact management.

Thank you for your insights and suggestions!!

[AnirudhDamani]

I'm also encountering a similar issue with managing multiple phone number types in HubSpot. This is causing significant problems with contact integration across iCloud, Google, and Outlook. Additionally, custom field mapping doesn't sync properly with similar fields on these platforms. For example, fields like Phones (home) or Phones (work) on iCloud or Google Contacts cannot be synced with custom properties on HubSpot created with the same name and type. Does anyone have a better solution to this?

[GrorapidLabs · Accepted solution]

Here are some hints for correctly managing a couple of cellphone numbers for contacts in HubSpot:

1. Use the built-in Home, Work, and Mobile smartphone wide variety fields for number one numbers. Then create extra custom homes for secondary numbers, like "Second Home", "Spouse Mobile", and many others. You could make these dropdown fields to standardize labels.

2. Add the Country code prefix to all telephone numbers to perceive the location. For instance, +1 555-555-1234 for a US quantity. This helps differentiate numbers at a look.

3. Enable the " callable" characteristic on all custom phone range houses. This makes the numbers clickable at once dial out.

4. Add telephone quantity labels or extensions in the contact notes subject for extra context.
Use call logging in HubSpot to song which numbers you reach contacts on most regularly. Add this information to touch notes.

5. Install a third birthday party dialer app or extension for faster calling without delay within HubSpot. Some provide click-to-name from touch information.

6. Use touch businesses or segments to arrange and filter via primary vs secondary numbers.

7. Make sure to update all telephone numbers in one vicinity if a contact informs you of an alternate.

The key is finding a balance between having all information in HubSpot at the same time as additionally preserving the touch record tidy. With a few strategic custom homes and integrations, you can allow green calling without overstuffing contact profiles. 

Hope this will help!

Madhur Gusain Marketing Operations Specialist Grorapid Labs   +918287977394 hello@grorapid.com https://labs.grorapid.com/

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[azjr]

Thank you for your detailed response. While your suggestions are helpful, they seem to focus on workarounds rather than addressing the core issue: the lack of a built-in, intuitive way to manage multiple types of phone numbers in HubSpot.

1. Custom Properties: Creating custom properties like 'Second Home' or 'Spouse Mobile' is a good idea, but does it not clutter the contact profile? How do you manage these without overwhelming the interface?

2. 'Callable' Feature: You mentioned enabling the 'callable' feature for custom properties. Could you elaborate on how to do this?

3. Contact Groups or Segments: How effective is segmenting contacts based on primary vs secondary numbers? Does it not complicate the process further?

4. Call Logging: While call logging is useful, it doesn't solve the immediate issue of knowing which number to dial. Any suggestions on this?

5. Syncing Issues: When using the sync option with other platforms like Apple iCloud for contacts, the lack of meaningful labels in HubSpot becomes a significant issue. For example, if you sync phone numbers with HubSpot's 'Phone Number' property, described as 'Primary Phone Number,' it's unclear what that 'primary' number actually represents (Mobile? Spouse? Work? 3rd Business?). This creates complications in potential two-way syncing and makes HubSpot less intuitive as a centralized CRM solution.

I appreciate your insights and look forward to your further suggestions.