HubSpot is a fantastic CRM to log communications and centralize your data, and keeping historical data can be a gold mine for many teams for their sales processes, customer service and AI enablement. However, not every company can or should be keeping historical engagement data indefinitely. Companies should be reviewing their regulatory compliance regularly and reviewing how to best manage their CRM data to streamline compliance and minimize legal risks.
Data retention policies are an important part of operational process for businesses across all industries to manage the lifecycle of their data effectively. These policies ensure that companies retain - or delete - necessary information for a specified period to comply with regulatory requirements while also establishing guidelines for securely disposing of outdated data.
Implementing robust data retention policies helps companies avoid legal complications, reduces storage costs, and minimizes the risk of data breaches. By adhering to these policies, businesses can maintain a streamlined, compliant, and efficient data management system.
But what do you do when you have a CRM that's holding onto data that you need to get rid of?
Retaining old communications in your CRM can expose your company to several risks. Historical data, if not managed properly, can become a liability, especially during legal proceedings where eDiscovery demands can result in substantial costs and extensive resource allocation.
Outdated communications can clutter your CRM, leading to inefficiencies. If you ever have a data breach, you want to break as little data as possible. By holding onto unnecessary information, companies may inadvertently violate data privacy regulations, subjecting themselves to penalties and reputational damage.
First you need to know your data requirements. Start by defining a clear data retention policy that aligns with regulatory requirements and your company's operational needs. Identify the types of data that need to be retained or deleted and establish timelines for regular reviews and purges.
HubSpot does not have a built-in feature to delete engagements from your CRM. You can automate the deletion of your contacts or companies, but not the specific activities on them based on time stamp. For this you'll need to use Operations Hub or a custom HubSpot integration to identify which data to scrub and when (we like to use Pipedream for this).
By leveraging automation, companies can reduce the risk of human error, ensure timely data purges, and maintain a streamlined CRM.
Don't let your CRM become a blind spot or liability for your organization. Including your full tech stack in your data retention policies are crucial to ensure a successful data retention policy. Educate your employees about the importance of data management and ensure that they are letting you know about tools that could be holding data that can increase liability exposure.