Double Funnel, Double Trouble: Solving for Candidates and Clients in One CRM

Managing both candidates and clients in one CRM can feel impossible, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, host Alexandra Whitmore (VP of Sales at SmartBug) sits down with Sandy Moore (Senior Director of Account Strategy at SmartBug) to unpack why staffing firms struggle with “double funnel” operations and how HubSpot helps solve the chaos.

📚 What You’ll Learn

• What the “double funnel” is and why it causes friction
• Common CRM mistakes staffing firms make with candidates vs. clients
• How legacy CRMs fall short in supporting both sides of the staffing equation
• Ways to structure HubSpot pipelines, objects, and dashboards for clarity
• Quick wins staffing leaders can implement this week
• Long-term shifts to prevent double funnel burnout

🔑 Key Highlights & Timestamps

[02:10] What the “double funnel” is and why it creates friction for staffing firms
[03:35] Common CRM mistakes when managing candidates and clients together
[05:16] Why legacy CRMs often fail to support both funnels
[07:26] How to design HubSpot pipelines for client acquisition and candidate placement
[08:12] Best practices for keeping both funnels clean, connected, and collaborative
[10:50] How recruiters, sales, and marketers can work in the same CRM without overlap
[12:43] ATS vs. HubSpot: when to integrate and when to replace
[14:20] Quick win: auditing your CRM to boost adoption and performance
[15:26] Long-term fix: stopping duplicated efforts across teams
[16:20] How SmartBug helps staffing firms optimize HubSpot for double funnels

🔗 Want to Connect?

👉 Alexandra: awhitmore@smartbugmedia.com
👉 Sandy: smoore@smartbugmedia.com
👉 Connect with our team here: https://www.smartbugmedia.com/contact-us 

Relevant Resources

• [Vidcast] Double Funnel, Double Trouble: Solving for Candidates and Clients in One CRM