My company is exploring having HubSpot be our CPQ. We currently use it for everything pre-quote and then have another system for the actual creation/management. I am hoping there are others out there also in Telecom who have stood up deal creation in HubSpot. Being new to the industry, I have come to learn it is very unique (to say the least) and I am looking for references/samples of how it has been established for other companies.
We did some work with Bell and can talk you though options on how you can setup CPQ either within the software or using an application. The had to divide their consumer and business customers into different instances to make it work.
@Yeti_Chris I would welcome any demo and guidance! We are B2B so no concerns with navigating consumer customers.
Hey @MDiaz705,
This is a great question for this community! HubSpot’s CPQ capabilities have evolved quite a bit, and Telecom use cases can definitely have some nuances worth unpacking.
@Yeti_Chris has shared a helpful starting point above. I’d also like to tag some of our contributors can weigh in with additional context or firsthand experience!
Hey @Anton, @JWingate2, @danmoyle -- do you have any suggestion for @MDiaz705 on this?
Thanks!
Sam, Community Manager
Thank you @SamTassey !
Hi @MDiaz705 ,
I have without a doubt this is something that can be achieved in HubSpot utilizing the Sales Hub and Content Hub inside of HubSpot.
I would suggest you working with a partner in HubSpot. There is a HubSpot Partner Directory that can help you find the best fit for your business.
This should be something a simple onboarding could stand up for you, but also give you the knowledge to own your instance.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Hi! You’re not alone. “Telecom is unique” is something we hear on every project. We work with several ISPs and MSPs on exactly this, so here’s what we’ve seen work:
1. Pick the source of truth for products before anything else. Most telecom teams already have a catalog in their billing, OSS or PSA system (ConnectWise, for example). We usually keep that system as the primary catalog and sync it into the HubSpot product library. People rarely regret this step. They do regret skipping it: three slightly different catalogs across systems is the most common problem we clean up.
2. Model recurring and one-time charges separately. Set up line items for monthly service (MRR), install or setup fees (NRC) and equipment, with term length and billing frequency on each. That way your deal amount, MRR reporting and quotes all agree.
3. Capture location early. For ISPs, what you can sell depends on the address. Store the service address and serviceability on the deal. For multi-site commercial deals, a Sites or Locations object linked to the deal works well.
4. Use separate pipelines for residential and commercial/enterprise. They have different stages, approvals and quote complexity.
5. Look at HubSpot’s Revenue Hub before assuming you need a separate CPQ. HubSpot’s quoting has caught up a lot this year. Revenue Hub (formerly Commerce Hub) adds:
- Price books, which work well for pricing that varies by market or customer segment
- Approval rules
- Contracts that carry an accepted quote into billing, including upgrades, downgrades and renewals
For telecom, that covers a lot of what used to require a separate CPQ. Recurring service, install fees, term-based pricing and mid-contract changes can now all live in one place. Some features, like contract amendments, are still in beta. The best test is your messiest real deal, such as a multi-site commercial order with a mid-term upgrade. Telecom-specific inputs like serviceability or carrier pricing usually still come from another system through an integration.
6. Plan the hand-off at closed-won. The deal and its line items should move into provisioning and billing automatically, not by retyping.
My suggestion is to start with one product line, prove it out, then expand.
We also just launched a Telecoms HubSpot User Group where we talk about these things. You’d be very welcome to join and bring this question along: Telecom | HubSpot Academy & Community Programs