Hard Now, Easy Later: A Smarter Approach to Sustainable CRM Success

Bookings were stalling. Sales teams were working off spreadsheets. And leadership had zero visibility across their 40+ subsidiaries.

When this fast-growing organization crossed the $500M revenue threshold, one thing became painfully clear: their internal systems weren’t keeping up.

As their Chief of Staff shared with us during a recent conversation:

“Our sales tracking? It ranged from whiteboards to spreadsheets, even to the back of a napkin sometimes. And that just doesn’t scale.”

With more than 40 subsidiaries operating independently across the U.S., each with different processes, they needed more than just a CRM. They needed a strategic foundation that could unify their business while respecting the uniqueness of each partner company.

And yet, like so many scaling organizations, the temptation was there: move fast. Stand up something, anything, that could bring structure. But rushing a solution would mean setting themselves up for rework, confusion, and frustration later on.

Case Study Highlights

• Client Industry: Engineering, Construction & Real Estate

• Problem: Disconnected systems, inconsistent processes across 40+ subsidiaries, lack of visibility, reporting, and scalability

• SETGO’s Solution: Conducted deep discovery, aligned on a long-term vision, and built a strategic Salesforce foundation tailored to complex operational needs including hands-on training and internal enablement

• Outcome: Record-breaking bookings ($105M+), real-time pipeline visibility, top-rated internal system, and a trusted internal Salesforce admin empowered to evolve the platform

  
  

The Problem: A Complex Organization on the Brink of Outgrowing Itself

This company had already tried a basic limited CRM implementation that did little more than track data in a shared list. There were no insights, no consistency, and no meaningful way to analyze pipeline performance across regions or teams.

“It honestly wasn’t any better than Smartsheet,” the leader admitted. “It lacked the reporting, the security, the depth we needed.”

And the stakes were rising. Without a system that could provide real-time visibility across subsidiaries, they risked losing the ability to lead strategically. Regional trends were going unnoticed. Opportunities were slipping through the cracks. Their leadership team knew they needed a solution, but they didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past.

So they looked for a partner who wouldn’t just build fast, but build right.

The Solution: Slowing Down to Speed Up

That’s when SETGO came into the picture — and immediately stood out.

“Other firms were like, ‘Just tell us what you want, we’ll bill you later.’ SETGO said, ‘Wait, let’s make sure Salesforce is even the right tool first.’”

That question alone set a different tone, although the company was already set on using Salesforce as their CRM. But instead of jumping into configuration, SETGO led with discovery by conducting deep-dive sessions across departments, learning how people really worked, and identifying where friction lived in the day-to-day.

And when the team shared their long-term vision, which was an ambitious roadmap involving automation, internal and external sales teams, and complex forecasting, SETGO met them with thoughtful pushback.

“We called it ‘The Pipe Dream,’” the leader laughed. “The team would let me dream big for five minutes, then bring me back to, ‘Here’s what we need to do now to make that vision possible later.’”

That balance between ambition and realism became a cornerstone of the partnership.

SETGO didn’t just implement a tool. They helped design the architecture, align the data model, and even trained a new internal hire (who had no Salesforce experience) into a power user and internal admin. That one-on-one coaching didn’t just get the system up and running — it empowered the company to own and evolve it.

“One of SETGO’s consultants literally followed up if our analyst missed a training. It wasn’t just office hours — it was accountability, coaching, and real partnership.”

What they built wasn’t just a system. It was a strategy that could adapt, scale, and empower their team to lead with data.

The Result: 2X Booking Volume and a More Strategic Business

Before go-live, monthly bookings hovered around $40–50M. A few months after go-live, the impact was undeniable.

The company recorded their highest bookings month in history: $105 million — more than double their monthly average. And the month after that? $83 million.

“We were finally able to analyze pipeline trends, talk strategy with our partners, and course-correct in real time. It gave us a level of clarity we never had before.”

In a company-wide tech satisfaction survey, Salesforce was the top rated system with the most usage across teams. But for this leader, the real success wasn’t in the numbers alone, it was in how SETGO showed up:

“They didn’t just build something and leave. They challenged us. They cared. And they pushed for long-term value, not short-term deliverables. That’s rare.”

What Can Other Leaders Learn From This?

If you’re a business leader looking to scale smart, there’s a clear takeaway here:

Don’t confuse fast with effective.

Don’t confuse a vendor with a partner.

Had this company gone with a quick-fix or DIY approach, they might still be chasing down spreadsheets and fighting with broken processes. Instead, they invested in clarity, alignment, and a structure that could scale.

Ready to Build It Right the First Time?

At SETGO Partners, we don’t just build Salesforce. We build the right version of it for your business the first time. We ask the tough questions. We slow things down so you can speed up later. And we partner with you every step of the way — not just until launch, but far beyond.

If you’re looking to implement smarter, scale sustainably, and stop wasting time on patchwork systems, let’s talk. Your next phase starts with the right foundation. Chat with our team.

Enjoyed this blog post? You might also like:

• How One Company Transformed Their Salesforce Chaos into Clarity

• Breaking the Cycle: How to Avoid the Common Pitfalls of Choosing the Wrong Salesforce Partner

• What to Do When Your CRM Isn’t Delivering Results

*Client quotes in this case study are drawn from a SETGO-led interview and have been anonymized with permission.