Case Study | Breaking Free from Spreadsheets: The Power of a First CRM

Introduction & Key Challenges

Porous Pave has been a leader in the permeable paving industry for over 40 years. Despite their longevity and success, they relied entirely on spreadsheets to run their business. Their process required highly complex calculations to determine how much of each product was needed for a given job. To manage this, they maintained 10 different spreadsheets—each with intricate formulas that only one person, the owner's son, Connor, fully understood.

When we first spoke, they were skeptical about the need for a CRM. They didn’t see the value, and their initial response was, "We’ve always done it this way." But everything changed when I asked two simple, yet critical questions:

What happens to the business if something happens to you or your dad? Or what if your laptop is lost, taking all your customer and quote data with it?

That moment was pivotal. They realized that a CRM wasn’t just a convenience—it was a necessity for the longevity and sustainability of their business. With that, they decided to move forward with HubSpot.

The Key Challenges

• Opaque & Isolated Calculations – Connor was the only one who understood how to determine material needs. The process was deeply manual, buried in spreadsheets, and nearly impossible to transfer to anyone else.

• Disconnected & Hard-to-Find Data – All customer data, quotes, and project information were stored in folders within folders on laptops. Finding anything required sifting through layers of files, making reporting and organization nearly impossible.

• Cumbersome Quoting Process – Quoting required multiple steps: calculations in one spreadsheet, transferring numbers to another, and then cloning and sending in a third. This process was slow, error-prone, and inconsistent. 

• Lack of Sales & Customer Visibility – They had no clear understanding of their end users, installers, or architect/referral network. They also couldn’t track trade show leads, making follow-up an afterthought. 

• Untracked ROI – Product samples were distributed during seasonal downtimes, but they had no way to measure which samples converted into deals, or which products had the most requested samples, leading to inefficiencies in production planning.

Zestey's Solution

Once we established the importance of a CRM, we took on the challenge of eliminating Excel dependency and building a structured, automated system within HubSpot.

With HubSpot Sales Enterprise, we leveraged three key features to drive this transformation:

1. Custom Objects
2. Custom Quote Templates
3. Calculated Fields

1. Implemented Custom Objects for Better Data Management

Since their data structure and operations didn't fit neatly into the core Contacts/Companies/Deals/Tickets framework that HubSpot comes with out of the box, we started by creating custom objects for:

• Jobs – To streamline project planning, fulfillment, and material needs.
• Purchase Orders (POs) – To track supply, shipping, and fulfillment against each job.
• Samples – To track which samples were sent, to whom, and their conversion rates.
• Architects – To maintain a centralized database of referral partners.
• Installers – To track who was completing the work and their project and certification history.
• Customers – To understand all end users and report on penetration across industries.

2. Simplified Quoting & Order Tracking

With the Custom Quote templates, we built a streamlined process that:

• Enables sales reps to generate accurate quotes in under a minute by pulling in pre-calculated deal tokens, without needing to clone Excel templates, run every input through a calculator, and manually enter in data referenced from multiple sources. 

• Stores all quotes in HubSpot for easy access, tracking, and historical reference (especially when contractors may request a quote months or years before a project begins)

3. Automated Complex Calculations & Fulfilment Planning

It was no easy feat, but we transformed their complex spreadsheet-based calculations into dynamic HubSpot calculated fields, applying all the conditional if/then logic that previously lived in Connor’s head. The new system automatically adjusts material estimates based on square footage and required components, incorporating all five product types, thickness variations, color options, and binder types into the calculations. This ensured that every quote was accurate and accounted for all variables effortlessly.

We didn’t just streamline quoting—we built a dynamic, scalable fulfillment planning system that seamlessly connects deals, jobs, and POs, ensuring every project runs smoothly from sale to completion.

• When a deal is won, a job is automatically created with all material requirements calculated. 

• Each Purchase Order links back to the larger Job, subtracting shipped materials on each PO from the job’s total required materials in real-time.

• Teams gain real-time visibility into stock levels and fulfillment progress, reducing delays and making it easier to plan ahead.

What they see on the Deal record:

What's happening behind the scenes of just one of these calculated properties:

The Outcome: A Business Ready for the Future

What was once a 40-year-old business reliant on spreadsheets and a single laptop is now a fully digital, scalable operation. Key outcomes include:

• Business Continuity & Scalability – Knowledge is no longer trapped in spreadsheets. The business can operate smoothly, even if key personnel are unavailable.
• Increased Efficiency – What previously required 10 spreadsheets and lots of manual work is now handled in minutes with a unified source of truth. 
• Stronger Data-Driven Decisions – With HubSpot reports and dashboards, they can now see customer trends, ROI on samples, top clients, and revenue forecasts.
• Improved Customer Experience – Quotes are faster, orders are clearer, and communication is seamless across the organization.
• Connor Can Finally Take a Vacation! – His knowledge is preserved within HubSpot, meaning the business can function without relying on a single person’s expertise.

Conclusion

Porous Pave’s journey wasn’t just about adopting new software—it was about reimagining the way they operate. What started as hesitation around investing in technology turned into a complete transformation of how they run their business. By replacing disconnected spreadsheets with an automated, scalable system, they now have an operational engine that protects their data, accelerates revenue, and optimizes fulfillment and supply planning.

This wasn’t just about moving to HubSpot; it was about designing a solution that fits their unique needs. Now, instead of worrying about lost data or manual errors, they can focus on growth, efficiency, and confidently scaling their business for the future.

Their business is no longer tied to one person or one laptop—it’s built for longevity, and ready for whatever comes next.

At Zestey Growth Partners, we don’t just implement CRM systems—we future-proof businesses with smart, scalable solutions that drive efficiency, growth, and long-term success. If your company is struggling with outdated processes, let’s talk about how we can help you not just adopt technology, but truly optimize your business for the future.