Extensions for HubSpot - Gregor Hafner talks about his daily business at konzepthaus

After consultant Marcel Salomon and project manager Katharina Messmer, Gregor Hafner is my third conversation partner at konzepthaus Web Solutions in the series "What does the .... team actually do?". Gregor is an IT specialist for application development and works in the Extension department.

How can I imagine working in the "Extensions" team?

Gregor: "We stand for system extensions. This means that we connect HubSpot to systems that are already established in a company. To do this, we develop additional modules or integrations.

What do I particularly enjoy doing? I really enjoy the initial conception of projects. You have to understand the system to be integrated and the customer's requirements as well as possible in order to be able to offer a functional solution. I also really enjoy developing custom code actions. With custom code actions, there is a requirement that cannot be implemented with the native tools. So I build code-based logics into the workflows at HubSpot. A defined area that guarantees a quick sense of achievement. With ticket duplications, for example, custom code actions can eliminate the need for manual checks: Tickets are tasks that are assigned to different team members in the company. If a user clicks and, as a result, two identical tickets are issued within 24 hours, it is extremely helpful for the service if the following process is automated: The two tickets are compared and marked as duplicates if they match one hundred percent. Duplicate processing or time-consuming consultations are then a thing of the past."

So you're mainly involved in software development and data modeling?

Gregor: "Exactly, I do a lot of the development myself. But I'm also involved a lot in initial workshops with customers to understand their needs and the system to be connected. These findings must then be used to design a solution that covers the technical and functional requirements." After that, my job sometimes involves project management. How can the upcoming tasks be implemented and how do I coordinate them within the team? There is also the daily meetingevery day: This is where we talk about new HubSpot features or problems that arise within projects. Brainstorming together always results in very constructive input. The collaboration of many minds results in numerous creative ideas. And not to forget: I am also Barrista. (laughs) We have an ingenious coffee machine in the kitchen. My challenge right now is the perfect heart in the cappuccino."

What skills are required in your day-to-day work?

Gregor: "Definitely being on your toes! It's important to have a good grasp of things, to think logically and, above all, out of the box. Coordination and communication skills are required in project management. You also need these in particular if an integration doesn't go perfectly. You need to look after customers accordingly, use a cool head to quickly check what's wrong and decide what support to get."

How would you describe your role in the team?

Gregor: "Know-how carrier around interfaces in HubSpot - I know what works here. Value ambassador Cohesion, respect, honesty, openness, drive - that's what defines us at konzepthaus. Mission statement for growth - Growth is a matter of course for me: the company itself, each individual in professional or personal terms, all of us together. And let's not forget Barrista and "mood makers" - having fun at work is important (smiles)."

You were one of the first trainees at konzepthaus - why are you still here after nine years?
still with us?

Gregor: "I'm practically part of the inventory (laughs). Seriously, I appreciate Monika and Thorsten as bosses and can fully identify with their values and guidelines (Monika Wisser and Thorsten Heissel are the managing partners at konzepthaus). The shared journey since the company was founded has brought me and the others closer together. And working together in the company is simply wonderful. Because we have grown organically, the family atmosphere hasn't changed much, even among the 30-40 employees. I'm also very impressed with HubSpot. We've found a cool system that's really fun! The success of the last few years in particular shows that we are doing the right things. I'm proud to be a part of it.

How did you originally come to konzepthaus?

Gregor: "By chance. Thorsten and I had private dealings, and Thorsten recommended a very fascinating novel about an AI to me . When asked how difficult it was to learn programming, Thorsten said: "Try it out!" So I became one of the first trainees. Admittedly, I was overwhelmed at first because I didn't have an IT background. It takes a lot of effort at first to develop a deep understanding of the subject, but as soon as you get the hang of it, it works.

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