1300 71 61 41National Storage
Integrating a data storage solution with National Storage
Services Used
Project Manager
Project Location
Brisbane, Australia
Services Used
Solution
API Integration
Project Manager
Project Location
Brisbane, Australia
Project Goals
National Storage, Australasia’s largest self-storage provider, has over 230 storage centres across Australia and New Zealand.
Struggling with consistently accurate data storage, National Storage were requiring a reliable API integration between their Storage Management Software that didn't let customer records fall between the cracks. They needed a solution that ensured they had the right data to communicate with their customers and meet continually changing industry regulations.
Tools Used
Their wants
01
02
Integration they could trust between their Storage Management Software and HubSpot
03
Emails sent to the right customers with the right information at the right time
Their needs
01
02
Identifying the problem
National Storage's Storage Management Software was failing to accurately record new customer data. This stark reality hit when their software was updating a mere 4-5 records instead of the hundreds that should have been syncing daily.
With new government regulations in place, storage vendors were now required to wait 6 days before offering insurance to customers who purchased storage. Without accurate information, reaching out to customers at the right time was practically impossible.
Neighbourhood knew that an entirely new API integration needed to be built to map the data from the CSVs, exported daily from their Storage Management Software, into HubSpot. We identified that different customer ID numbers were being given, which led to duplicate records and negatively impacted communication.
Only once we knew that the data was accurate, up-to-date and duplicate-free could we tackle an email marketing strategy.
The Plan
- Initial Scoping and Data Discovery
- API Development & Implementation
- Testing & Optimisation
- Automated Email Setup
Initial Scoping and Data Discovery
- Neighbourhood examined the data being pushed into spreadsheets from National Storage's Storage Management Software to assess the existing data structures.
- We discovered the structure of the data in the CSVs didn't align with what we saw in HubSpot. Though, changes to the existing data frameworks could cause operational disruptions. It was vital to develop a new API integration that could perform accurate data mapping between the two systems without altering their existing information architecture.
- Here, we imported daily spreadsheets into HubSpot manually. Doing so would help us determine what was needed within the API.
- Now, Neighbourhood came out of the scoping phase with a deep understanding of how to map the data. However, we discovered that duplicate records were being made for customers with storage units at multiple sites. As each location was using a different identification number, we would need to determine a new primary identifier.
API Development & Implementation
- From the scoping phase, we could now develop the API to run daily and transfer the information from the spreadsheets and map it into HubSpot.
- To combat the issue they were having with duplicates, we landed on using emails as the primary identifier for each customer.
Testing & Optimisation
- Ensuring the API integration was up to scratch, we set it up to push the information into a Sandbox environment instead of National Storage's live HubSpot Portal.
- HubSpot's Sandbox allowed us to vigorously test necessary improvements before connecting it to their active instance.
Automated Email Setup
- With the data now correct, National Storage could finally start to reap the benefits and communicate with their customers effectively.
- Neighbourhood established automated emails primarily to offer insurance to new customers. Workflows were built to send an email 6 days after storage purchase, meaning it was offered as early as possible while still being within government regulations.
The Strategy
- Work with Existing Platform Setup
- Ensure Data Accuracy
- Confidence in the Solution
Work with Existing Platform Setup
- One of the key considerations for the project was the existing platform setup of National Storage. National Storage didn't want to change the structure of data in either the storage management software or the HubSpot portal.
- As a result, any solution would need to exist between the two, hence why the project primarily involved API integration.
- The strategy was to leverage the existing technology stack to develop a solution that integrated seamlessly with the current setup, ensuring minimal disruption to their operations.
Ensure Data Accuracy
- Ensuring customer data was accurate, we needed to provide the tools to add new records and update existing ones on a daily basis.
- The strategy was to develop a solution that would validate data, reducing the potential for errors and inconsistencies. We developed a set of checks and balances that would ensure that the data transferred between the storage management software and HubSpot portal was accurate and up-to-date.
Confidence in the Solution
- National Storage's lacked visibility over the integration to determine if they were on the right track. It was essential to provide them with a clear view of the process to ensure they were confident it was working and they could easily jump in and troubleshoot when required.
- To ensure success, we provided full transparency over every stage and the opportunity to provide feedback on the integration across the implementation.
The Results
500k+
314,284
Automated Emails Sent
42.52%
Email Click-Through-Rate
Before the solution was implemented, National Storage was only able to sync 0.3% of new data daily. With the new integration solution put in place, 99.99% of their data now syncs instantly.
Another benefit of the integration was the ability to send emails out that meet both industry best practices and government regulations. By creating automated email sequences better targeted at new customers, their email performance has skyrocketed with an open rate of 53.5% and a CTR of 42.52%.
The biggest win for National Storage was having a reliable and accurate system in place that they felt confident in. The solution gave them peace of mind and allowed them to focus on their core business activities rather than worrying about the reliability of their data.
Conclusion
From where they started, National Storage is now confident in high-quality data that is automatically synced daily. Accurate data allows them to send out targeted communications at the right time, meeting both industry best practices and government regulations.
With accurate data in their HubSpot portal, National Storage has the opportunity to create targeted marketing campaigns, as well as use analytics and reporting to gain insights into their customer base. The project has equipped them with all the tools they need to future-proof their business.
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