How Hygge updated their workflow to increase their bottom line

Many businesses operate with a jumble of technology that’s been weaved into business operations over several years—it doesn’t work together correctly, but still functions. This is because businesses find solutions to problems as they arise, without taking a step back and considering a comprehensive workflow.

If this sounds like your organization, you’ve fallen victim to the dreaded "Frankenstack".

When pieces of tech are sewn together, you create a business flow that’s semi-functional, but not really alive. And, that’s an issue because it affects your productivity and ability to manage customers well.

Hygge, a coworking space based in Charlotte, NC, had to overcome their Frankenstack to save (and build) customer relationships.

The technology monster mash

Hygge’s entire business model relies on its ability to quickly and effectively communicate with clients, so customers can have a workspace when they need it most.

In its infancy, the company relied on a blend of Front and Asana to act as a makeshift CRM for client communication. Though their process was somewhat automated, it still required manual effort to coordinate communication.

Initially, the team at Hygge spent a ton of time:

• Leaving comments
• Adding notes
• Changing customer statuses

With a small client list, this process felt doable. But, Hygge’s owner, Garrett Tichy, feared they were leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table because of their operational shortcomings.

Giving workflows life

Hygge needed a better way to communicate when office spaces and rooms were available to their customer list. And, if someone was interested in a space, but the rooms were full, they needed a better way to change lead statuses from "Interested", then "Waitlist", and finally "Conversion".

With that workflow in mind, Tichy began researching CRMs that provided:

• Suggestions for workflows and processes
• Ability to compile information in a structured way
• Tools to improve external communication
• Note-taking capabilities to discuss lead status internally
• Task management capabilities

When Tichy discovered Close, he saw features in it that other CRMs didn’t have...

Lead management:

Tichy needed a way to gain a clear view of the number of lead dollars coming in and coming out, so they knew how to close more opportunities.

Call and text messaging:

Hygge wanted SMS to create a unique one-on-one touchpoint with prospects. Tichy says, “Sometimes we don’t get an email response, but then these same folks respond via text.”

Vast integration options:

Hygge is a heavy Zapier user, so Tichy needed a CRM that integrated with this tech. Close + Zapier makes it easy for Hygge to track processes like customer turnover, and find room for improvement.

Email campaigns:

The team at Hygge experienced a lack of consistency in the voice and tone of their digital communications. They needed a CRM with custom templates to help improve their external communication.

Automated tasks:

Decreasing manual work was important to Hygge. Tichy liked how Close automated lead statuses so they could streamline their sales process.

Customer onboarding:

Hygge needed a system that automatically designated a representative for new customers without manual input. Close was the perfect solution.

All I want my team to know is that they have things to do. We get enough information from different sources, but we needed a way to automate those next steps for each person on the team.

Garrett Tichy
Hygge Founder & Owner

The end result

With Close, Hygge is retaining members more than ever. Tichy says their improved metrics are from “constant communication with clients, keeping more people engaged over time.”

We use Close to do a lot of follow up with our leads and often this translates into new business. We get responses like ‘Thanks for the follow-up, please send me a link to sign up.'

As a coworking space, their product is a luxury. In other words, no one absolutely needs it. Having a way to coordinate communication effectively lets Hygge remind their client list that their service provides a lot of value, and they are available for business.

According to Tichy, this subtle reminder helps Hygge close more deals and retain customers.

Retaining customers and bringing new clients onboard has helped Hygge continue to grow and compete in the coworking space. Without Close, they would still be battling the dreaded Frankenstack.

Are you ready to engage your customers? See how Close’s CRM can help your business improve customer retention and your bottom line.