Rethinking Your Tech Stack

[maggiebutler]

Considering all the turmoil and changes of the past year, it’s no wonder we’re all still figuring out how to manage the “new normal.” I was interested to read the perspective of HubSpot Vice President of Platform Ecosystem Scott Brinker in his March 24, 2021 interview with the marketing website The Drum.

Tech Stack = Asset

@sbrinker encourages companies to view their technology stacks as assets because they’re fused with the customer experience they provide. He says, “I'm a big believer in companies strategically owning their own tech stack.”

But is it too complex? Does your tech stack support today’s renewed focus on the digital customer experience?

Centering the Tech Stack on Your CRM

Due to new channels and technology offerings as well as changes in buyer expectations and competitive dynamics, most companies are rethinking their technology stacks, according to Scott. Firms need to move from stacks with siloed products that aren’t connected to centering their stacks on a customer relationship management (CRM) platform like HubSpot that integrates with all tech stack components.

Unlike run-of-the-mill CRM platforms out there, HubSpot focuses on the customer experience with a robust, customizable, and easy-to-use CRM along with a wide range of integrations. HubSpot helps companies grow by “helping front office teams deepen relationships with customers and provide a best-in-class experience,” according to Scott.

Getting the Right People

Using in-house tech talent to deal with the evolving tech stack is a good policy, but companies are at different stages of maturity. Scott recommends that, as they scale, companies should turn to consultants and external service providers to assist them.

At HubSpot, we know that our agency and service provider partners can be critical to businesses’ scaling success, and we provide them with the opportunity to build expertise and expand offerings.

Tech Investment ROI

As our world becomes more digital, it shapes businesses accordingly, increasing the pressure to invest in improving technology and processes. People who used to connect through several channels, for instance, have now switched to using a digital-first channel.

However, in order to convince the C-suite to make the necessary investments, tech leaders need to be able to present outcome metrics and business results. “The impact of the scale and what customers are doing and saying becomes a triangulation,” according to Scott. It’s also a key indicator for investing in refining processes.

Single Source of Truth

More demanding than ever before, today’s consumers “won’t wait for your systems to catch up or for your team to discover the points of friction that are causing frustration,” says Scott. Companies need to put systems in place to understand their customers’ needs and wants.

To scale better, companies need to run better first. They do so by internally transforming their operations in order to create delightful external experiences.

Adopting a CRM platform as the “single source of truth to align all front office teams” is key for companies whether they’re startups or scale-ups. This enables businesses to provide a wonderful end-to-end customer experience continuously.

I agree with this approach, and I’ll keep it in mind as I delve deeper into RevOps.