Improving sales and service visibility without disrupting the ERP

Case study snapshot 

• Challenge: Sales, installation, and service activity were managed across disconnected tools, limiting visibility across the customer and machine lifecycle.

• Objective: Introduce a structured front-office system to improve quoting, coordination, and lifecycle tracking while retaining MYOB Exo as the financial system of record.

• Solution: HubSpot was implemented as the front-office system of engagement across sales and service, aligned to MYOB Exo and supported by custom machine tracking and workflow automation. 

Impact:

• Centralised visibility across sales, installations, and service
• Consistent quoting and pipeline management
• Structured tracking of machines and service history
• Improved coordination between sales and service teams
• Scalable operational foundation for growth

Company Profile

• Industry: Global Machine Tools is an industrial equipment manufacturer and distributor operating across Australia and New Zealand.

• Operating model: The business combines capital equipment sales with installations, preventative maintenance, servicing, and spare parts, operating a hybrid revenue model.

• ERP: MYOB Exo (on-premise) serves as the ERP system of record for stock, orders, and financial management. As is common in ERP-led environments, front-office sales and service execution required greater structure and visibility than the ERP alone could provide.

What the customer wanted to achieve

Global Machine Tools sought to:

• Introduce a consistent sales process with structured quoting and deal management

• Improve visibility across installations and ongoing servicing

• Track machines sold, installed, and serviced over time

• Strengthen coordination between sales, service technicians, and administration

The intent was not to replace MYOB Exo, but to complement it with a system that improved operational clarity and scalability.

The solution (how HubSpot was used)

HubSpot was implemented as the front-office system of engagement alongside MYOB Exo.

Rather than replacing the ERP, the project focused on strengthening sales execution, installation coordination, and machine lifecycle visibility.

The solution was structured across three operational pillars:

• Sales execution and quoting discipline: Sales teams now manage opportunities through defined pipelines that reflect the business’s revenue streams, introducing structure and consistency to deal progression. Quoting is completed within HubSpot using aligned product data, and once a deal is marked closed, the corresponding order is created in MYOB Exo, eliminating duplication while maintaining financial control.

• Installation process and handover: When a sale is confirmed, the installation workflow is automatically triggered within HubSpot, providing visibility of scheduling and completion status. Installers capture required details digitally through structured forms, replacing manual paperwork and centralising installation documentation for improved accountability.

• Service lifecycle and machine tracking: A custom object was introduced to represent serviceable machines, linking each unit to its associated company, sales history, and service records. Service tickets are managed within HubSpot to improve coordination between technicians and administration, with more complex service functionality intentionally phased to manage adoption and operational risk.

• Systems alignment: HubSpot manages customer engagement, sales progression, installation tracking, and service coordination, while MYOB Exo continues to manage stock, order processing, invoicing, and financial reporting. This clear separation ensures each system operates within its strength while delivering end-to-end visibility.

"Before HubSpot, our service and sales team were operating on completely different systems, marketing had virtually no visibility into what either was doing, and there was zero transparency across the organisation. We needed one platform that could bring sales, service, and marketing together and give us a clear view of everything. HubSpot has delivered exactly that – we now have complete visibility across all customer interactions, consistent follow-up processes, and the confidence that nothing slips through the cracks. It works seamlessly alongside MYOB Exo, and I'd absolutely recommend this approach to other businesses facing the same challenges we were facing"
Christian Hillary, Managing Director, Global Machine Tools

How the solution was implemented

The project followed a structured, phased methodology designed to manage complexity while maintaining operational stability.

Phase 1 focused on introducing commercial discipline and visibility across sales, installations, and machine tracking. Pipelines, quoting workflows, reporting, and core service processes were configured first to establish behavioural consistency before layering in more advanced functionality. Workflows and objects were mapped directly to Global Machine Tools’ real operational processes rather than applying a generic CRM structure. This ensured adoption was practical rather than theoretical.

Role-based training supported both sales and service teams, enabling them to use HubSpot as part of their daily workflow rather than as an additional administrative tool. More complex service functionality was intentionally deferred to a later phase to protect adoption, reduce risk, and allow the organisation to scale capability progressively.

This phased, operationally aligned approach allowed HubSpot to complement MYOB Exo without disrupting financial control or increasing system friction.

The impact

Following implementation, Global Machine Tools achieved improved operational control across the customer lifecycle.

• Clear visibility across sales, installations, and service events

• Consistent quoting and deal progression

• Structured tracking of machines and service history

• Improved coordination between teams

• Foundation for proactive customer management

The result is greater commercial discipline without increasing operational complexity.