CaterMatch

Before CaterMatch started working with HubSpot and konzepthaus, the system landscape was highly fragmented and limited further growth. Although a tool was already in use, it quickly reached its limits: processes were highly manual, deadlines and responses to offers were tracked via emails, calendars and Excel, and there was no way to efficiently automate recurring tasks. A particular challenge was the fact that CaterMatch - unlike classic CRM use cases - does not only map a one-sided customer relationship, but also has to manage the relationship with caterers in a technically clean way. This dual relationship logic could not be adequately mapped with the previous setup. It lacked a scalable infrastructure that would both relieve the burden on operational processes and enable holistic reporting.

The selection process for a new system at CaterMatch began with a thorough evaluation of various tools - from specialized niche solutions to larger enterprise platforms such as Salesforce and CRM providers such as Pipedrive. It quickly became clear that although many systems covered sub-areas, they were either not scalable or not able to adequately support the complex, bidirectional structure of the business processes. The decision in favor of HubSpot was made because, in addition to CRM functionality, the platform also offered robust automation and workflow functions, which were essential for the company's ambitious goals. Contact with konzepthaus was established via a personal contact at HubSpot, who emphasized konzepthaus' expertise in building complex HubSpot solutions.

Together with konzepthaus, CaterMatch first set up the basic outline of the necessary processes in an all-day workshop and then mapped them in HubSpot in a structured manner. The implementation was not carried out "from top to bottom", but rather iteratively: first, central processes such as the creation of deals, offer logics and workflows were defined, followed by several test phases to check whether the automations worked as desired. Setting up the product library in HubSpot was particularly time-consuming, as offers at CaterMatch are often multi-page, complex and variable.

Parallel to the workflow automation, the API integration to easybill was implemented so that invoices and credit notes can be generated automatically and transferred to the backend processes. In addition, a dedicated portal based on HubSpot CMS was developed for the caterers, which provides them with a complete overview of upcoming and past catering events using the self-service principle. The portal includes a calendar for displaying workload and blocking days, viewing and printing order details and all relevant information about their orders. In several intensive test phases, the automations were refined, handover cases checked and error scenarios simulated so that a robust system was available for the go-live that largely eliminated repetitive manual activities and at the same time provided a solid basis for reporting and monitoring.

The biggest challenge in this project was to transfer the often implicit working methods and individual process logic of the CaterMatch teams into a formalized system without losing flexibility or speed. In particular, the need to clearly map two parallel relationships (customer and caterer) per deal in HubSpot posed special challenges for the design. Many standard functions had to be extended or rethought in line with individual business rules.

The introduction of the new platform required a short familiarization phase: employees had to get used to the new dashboards, visualizations and evaluation options. Gradually, the advantages of the platform became clearly visible and the team was able to integrate the solution efficiently into their day-to-day work.

With the HubSpot platform as a central data and process basis, CaterMatch now works much more efficiently and transparently. The extensive automation of the quotation and tracking processes has led to a noticeable reduction in the workload of the operational teams. Where manual control loops were previously necessary, automated workflows now reliably control quotations, deadlines and feedback. Thanks to the central database, all relevant information about the customer or caterer can be viewed at a glance. This not only improves internal collaboration, but also provides sound insights for strategic decisions.

In addition to the tailor-made custom solutions, the HubSpot standards are of course also used, especially in marketing: retargeting campaigns, special promotions and segmented targeting according to customer groups use the proven functions of the Marketing Hub and supplement the individual developments to create a holistic platform. In day-to-day operations, it has become clear how much speed and reliability have increased: Teams can respond more quickly to customer inquiries, evaluations are available at any time and decisions can be made based on data. The 360-degree view of all customer journey data not only makes it easier to manage individual processes, but also creates a sustainable basis for further growth.