Case Studies

Streamlining Creative Talent Agencies: A HubSpot Transformation

Written by Sacha Holmes | May 10, 2024 8:09:00 AM

A UK-based film production talent agent made the move to HubSpot to enhance their service delivery and bolster their foundation for growth. Struto offered a blend of technical configuration and strategic planning to assist in streamlining their tech stack into one customised system. 

Background

This dynamic agency specialises in representation for professionals in the film and television industry. The agency's diverse roster includes directors of photography, production designers, editors, costume designers, and hair and makeup artists. Operating in a highly competitive, global industry, the agency serves as a critical bridge between creative talents and high-profile projects, including Netflix productions and various film and TV endeavours.

Situation

The agency was faced with the challenge of using disparate systems to manage their business operations. This fragmentation led to inefficiencies which complicated project management and talent coordination across their diverse roster of creatives. They were also looking for a technical partner who could assist them in setting up deal and ticket pipelines as well as reporting and analytics.

The initiative for change aimed to address all these operational inefficiencies by streamlining its processes and centralising operations.

Solution

To address the client's challenge of disparate systems, Struto implemented a comprehensive solution using HubSpot's Sales Hub Enterprise and Service Hub Enterprise. This strategic move was designed to reduce the number of different tools and systems that they used - these included InEntertainment, Airtable, Trello, Slack, Excel, and G Suite. The goal being to replace the majority of these with a single, integrated platform - HubSpot.

Alongside this transition, Struto also delivered onboarding to ensure that their staff were able to use HubSpot effectively going forwards.

The action plan involved a detailed configuration of HubSpot to align with the organisation's unique business needs, enabling a seamless transition from multiple disjointed systems to a unified CRM environment.

 

Challenges

The transition to HubSpot presented a few challenges for the talent agency, primarily due to the steep learning curve associated with adopting not just a new system but also with implementing their new processes.  The team had limited prior experience with HubSpot and faced the initial hurdle of familiarising themselves with HubSpot's functionalities. This challenge was compounded by the need to customise the platform to fit their specific operational requirements, ensuring that the new system could seamlessly integrate the various tools they had previously relied on.

Outcome

The project culminated in the successful onboarding of their team onto HubSpot Sales Hub Enterprise and Service Hub Enterprise, achieving a significant transformation in their operational efficiency. This solution delivered a customised CRM system that streamlined their business processes and combined the majority of their systems into a single platform. The implementation has allowed the agency to manage their talent representation more effectively, with improved project oversight, feedback and communication.

The Struto team assisted the team with a swift adoption of HubSpot, including:

  • Intensive onboarding to bring them up to speed with the new system, enabling them to harness the power of HubSpot

  • Technical and customised configuration to meet the unique needs of their business operations

  • Strategic planning to achieve an effective and efficient digital transformation

The endeavour, which was a blend of technical configuration and strategic planning, positioned the agency for enhanced service delivery, setting a foundation for future scalability and growth in the competitive entertainment industry.

"Working with this client was a pleasure. We successfully implemented their custom object and pipelines, customised their contact and company record cards and delivered seamless onboarding for their Sales and Service Hubs.  The team now has streamlined and efficient processes to manage their artists' projects."

- Sacha Holmes, HubSpot Implementation and Onboarding Specialist

Results

The implementation of HubSpot has provided this talent agency with a unified system that enhances operational efficiency and project management capabilities. This strategic implementation facilitated a smoother workflow, enabling the agency to manage their talent and projects more effectively. The team are reaping the benefits of the consolidated business system with streamlined workflows, the elimination of data silos and saving valuable resources through the power of HubSpot.

The team are now also able to gather information on the outcomes from work assignments that they send their artists on, from both the artist and the manager on the project - this was previously not the case. The positive feedback loop underscores a successful transition that supports their growth and scalability in the entertainment industry.

Future Scope

The successful implementation of HubSpot for this customer may open the door to further optimisation and customisation opportunities as their business evolves. Future scope includes the potential for additional system enhancements, deeper integration of new HubSpot features, and further customisations to leverage the full capabilities of the CRM.