From fragmented data to a +85% conversion rate: How an integrated HubSpot CRM makes a difference
How an integrated HubSpot CRM enables Primaned to bring their marketing, sales and service processes together on a single platform, make data-driven decisions and thus help them achieve their growth ambitions.
+ 300%
Increase in leads
via online channels
+ 10%
More website traffic
1.3% > 2.4%
Higher Conversion Rate
About Primaned
Primaned is a full-service provider specializing in project management, with more than 50 years of experience assisting clients with complex, large-scale physical projects. These projects span diverse industries, including construction, infrastructure (ground, water and road construction), oil & gas, and high-tech energy transition. What once began as a software vendor has grown into a leading full-service consulting firm offering in-depth expertise in planning, risk management, and project controls.
The organization provides customized solutions for both clients and contractors. The focus is on optimizing project and business processes by effectively deploying people, processes and tooling. This is done through an integrated project approach where continuity and the right expertise are key.
It also serves leading companies internationally in advising and optimizing business processes during every phase of the project lifecycle. With their own training center - Primaned Academy - professionals are further trained in the application of project controls.
The Challenge
Primaned aims to expand in (outside) Europe, with a focus on Germany and the Nordics region. The increasing complexity of their operations necessitated an integrated approach. Five years ago, their marketing was limited and driven by word-of-mouth, with fragmented data from different systems hindering data-driven decisions.
To realize their growth ambitions, Primaned sought a partner with strategic and technical expertise for a centralized platform that integrates marketing, sales and service processes. Webs proved to be the right choice because of their shared core values and expertise, which led to a close collaboration fitting Primaned's vision.
The solution
To achieve their ambitious growth goals, Primaned implemented an integrated HubSpot CRM, which centralized their marketing, sales and service processes on a single platform. This provides them with overview and insight into their commercial processes, which significantly improved data-driven decision making. This is also how they offer this to their customers, moving toward a "practice what you preach.
''Ultimately, my goal is for HubSpot to become the beating heart and conscience of the organization''
Paul Vogels - CEO Primaned 
Expansion in Europe brings new challenges
Primaned faces the challenge of realizing their ambitious expansion plans in Europe, with a specific focus on Germany and the Nordics region. Although their previous marketing and sales efforts were successful, the increasing complexity (in terms of language and culture, among other things) of their operations began to demand a more integrated approach, offering the right flexibility locally.
Five years ago, their marketing was limited to the website and trade show exhibits, and business was largely generated by word of mouth and from networking. They were also using different systems, resulting in fragmented data. Making decisions based on data was therefore virtually impossible.
The stumbling block on the road to growth
To achieve growth ambitions, it became clear that a central system was needed. After all, making data-driven decisions and streamlining processes was impossible without central Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Primaned therefore sought a partner who could provide both strategic guidance and technical expertise to professionalize the marketing and sales organization along with the company. The goal was to implement a future-proof platform that would integrate their marketing, sales and service processes.
Webs proved to be the best party to meet this need. In addition to its technical expertise and strategic guidance, Webs also fit well with Primaned's core values "TROTS"-which stands for Team, Results, Openness, Dedication and Specialization. This shared vision ensured a collaboration that fit seamlessly with Primaned's ambitions, both in the Netherlands and abroad.
Insight and overview: the power of an integrated CRM
To support their ambitious growth goals, Primaned needed more overview and insight into their commercial processes. The solution was found in the implementation of an integrated CRM that brought together all processes-from marketing to sales to service-within a single platform. HubSpot became a central part of their ecosystem, managing all data from one place. This enabled the organistion to gain clear insight into sales opportunities and make strategic decisions based on the data. For example, an overview of capacity needs is shared to the Consultancy and Professionals department so that they have insight on the need. From this they align their resource management, hiring policies in talent development.
A coordinated approach for PROCON Professionals
PROCON Professionals, Primaned's new brand, focuses on temporarily providing specialized Project Controls Professionals to help companies get a handle on complex project challenges. With positions such as project planners, risk analysts,
document controllers and data analysts, supports
PROCON with temporary (project-based) capacity or specific knowledge. Think for example of temporary pressure, replacement or specific knowledge
for visualization on a tender.
To support this strategic expansion, a new website was launched on HubSpot. This step was crucial for manageability and a coordinated approach for this new brand. With the challenges of the Primaned brand in mind, the organization chose to properly implement the integrated approach within HubSpot from the beginning. The positive experiences at Primaned were thus translated to PROCON's growth strategy.
Crucial integrations for central insight
In order to still bring together the fragmented data from different systems within a single platform, three key integrations were implemented. These integrations provide Primaned with an overall view, so that all data, regardless of source, is available within one central platform.
Zendesk integration:
Primaned is unique in the area of software by offering both a technical help desk
offer its software vendor with local language and knowledge as well as a functional
service desk where substantive support can be provided on the basis of Service Level Agreements (SLA). The integration with Zendesk (customer service/ticket system) provides Primaned with a 360-degree customer view, giving both the sales and service teams full insight into customer interactions. This ensures that sales strategies can be better tailored to the customer's current situation, leading to a more targeted and effective approach.
Octopus / Zapier integration:
Via Octopus, a LinkedIn automation campaign is set up that, via Zapier, enriches customer data in the CRM and searches for like-minded people. This allows Primaned to serve potential customers with knowledge sharing around project controls.
These examples illustrate how external data sources can contribute to enriching CRM data, with the goal of better reaching the target audience. In this approach, the commercial process was central, while data played a supporting role. Automation was used wherever possible, with the main goal of improving customer focus and service.
The transformation
The implementation of the integrated CRM has enabled Primaned to make significant progress on multiple fronts. From the growth in leads through online channels, which increased by 300%, to the 10% increase in website traffic in the first half of 2024. Collectively, these improvements led to an improved conversion rate from 1.3% to 2.4%
The importance of adoption
Implementing a powerful CRM is only the first step. Success depends heavily on how well employees understand and use the system. CRM training and adoption are therefore crucial components of a successful CRM strategy that are often underestimated. A system that fits well with the organization's processes and that employees can use effectively is crucial in achieving the intended results. At Primaned, for example, several departments are successfully onboarded on HubSpot and use the platform daily to be successful.
In addition to these results, other key improvements were achieved that contributed to the successful project with Primaned:
- Growth in quantity of leads through online channels: The number of leads through online channels increased by 300%.
- Growth in website traffic: Website traffic increased by 10% in the first half of 2024 compared to last year.
- Improved conversion ratio: The conversion ratio of traffic to lead increased from 1.3% to 2.4%.
- Data insight: Performance KPIs are now visible in the system, giving executives better insight into important data.
- Predictability and planning: Better insights into the capabilities of consultants and professionals through the sales funnel, which optimizes planning and new hires.
- Campaign and event effectiveness: Thanks to HubSpot's setup, Primaned can accurately measure which leads come from specific campaigns and events, which was not possible before. This in turn allows them to offer content that is tailored and relevant to the leads.
- Onboarding and adoption: Five relationship managers, the marketing department and several
other departments are successfully onboarded on HubSpot and use the platform daily to be successful. - Brand activation: Primaned's new brand, PROCON Professionals, was successfully launched, including a new website.
- Data optimization: Structured data enables Primaned to make more informed, data-driven decisions and further refine their sales processes.
Future plans and ambitions
Primaned looks confidently to the future, focused on further strengthening their growth. Particular focus is on expansion into Germany (DACH) and the Nordics region, where, among other things, the energy transition offers promising opportunities. The successful launch of PROCON Professionals, supported by the website built on HubSpot, marks an important milestone in this growth strategy.
But Primaned continues to evolve. Due to the positive experience with HubSpot for PROCON, with all data and processes in one place, it has been decided to migrate Primaned's current website in also to HubSpot. This will also be carried out together with Webs. This move is not only aimed at strengthening their digital presence, but also at further achieving their growth ambitions by centralizing all processes and data. In addition, Primaned wants to become increasingly
working more customer (or project) centric where a visitor from the energy transition
receives different, more relevant content than, say, a client from infrastructure.
With HubSpot as an integrated CRM platform, Primaned is prepared for future challenges and expansions. HubSpot provides insight and supports data-driven decision-making and streamlined processes. In collaboration with Webs, strategic goals and operational optimizations can be realized in both the short and long term.