How to Build a Follow-the-Sun Support Model Like Hubspot
A follow-the-sun support strategy, as used by Hubspot, allows service teams to deliver fast customer help around the clock using global handoffs instead of late-night shifts. By distributing your team across regions and time zones, you can offer responsive support while protecting work-life balance.
This guide explains how to design, launch, and improve a follow-the-sun framework inspired by the approach described on the official Hubspot blog article on follow-the-sun support.
What Is a Follow-the-Sun Model in Hubspot Style?
A follow-the-sun model is a global support structure where teams in different regions take turns covering customer requests as the workday moves around the world. Instead of one team working late, ownership of tickets “follows” business hours in each location.
In a Hubspot style setup, this can apply to:
- Technical support and troubleshooting
- Customer success and onboarding
- Billing and account questions
- Product escalation workflows
The benefits include faster responses, better coverage, and fewer night shifts while keeping accountability for every request.
Core Principles Behind the Hubspot Support Approach
From the original model, several key principles emerge that you can adapt to your own operations.
1. Global Coverage Without Burning Out Teams
Teams are placed in multiple regions so customers can get help during local business hours. Rather than asking one location to work late nights, you transfer work to another region starting its day.
2. Clear Ticket Ownership and Handoffs
Each ticket always has a clearly assigned owner. When a handoff is needed, ownership is actively transferred with context, expectations, and next steps documented in the system.
3. Consistent Experience Across Regions
Customers should not feel a quality gap between regions. The Hubspot style strategy emphasizes standardized processes, shared playbooks, and common tools for all regional teams.
Planning Your Own Hubspot Inspired Support Model
Before launching a follow-the-sun structure, you need a solid plan that covers people, process, and tools.
Step 1: Map Your Global Demand
Start with data:
- Identify where your customers are located by region and time zone.
- Analyze ticket volume by hour and day of the week.
- Spot peak times, slow periods, and seasonal trends.
This helps you understand where additional regional coverage could have the biggest impact.
Step 2: Choose Regional Hub Locations
Inspired by Hubspot, consider a small number of strategic hubs instead of many tiny teams:
- Americas hub (e.g., North or South America)
- EMEA hub (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
- APAC hub (Asia-Pacific)
Select locations based on talent availability, language coverage, infrastructure, and time zone spread.
Step 3: Define Roles and Specializations
Each region should include a balance of:
- Frontline support reps or specialists
- Technical experts for complex issues
- Team leads or managers to handle escalations
Document what each role owns so workloads are predictable and handoffs are clear.
Designing Handoffs in a Hubspot Style Workflow
The follow-the-sun model lives or dies on handoff quality. Poor handoffs create confusion and slow responses, while strong handoffs keep tickets moving smoothly.
Step 4: Standardize Ticket Handoff Checklists
Create a simple checklist for every regional handoff. Include:
- Ticket summary and customer goal
- Current status and steps already taken
- Pending tasks and deadlines
- Any known risks or blockers
This can be implemented in your help desk system using required fields or templates.
Step 5: Set Handoff Windows and Rules
Define when and how tickets should move between regions.
Examples:
- Tickets created near the end of a shift are proactively transferred.
- High-priority cases are handed off directly to a named owner in the next region.
- Low-priority tickets can wait for the original team if no time-sensitive action is needed.
These rules mirror the disciplined process highlighted by the Hubspot example.
Step 6: Maintain Single-Owner Accountability
Even though the ticket moves between teams, one person should be considered the primary owner at any point in time. Your system should clearly show:
- Current owner
- Previous owners and actions
- Next scheduled review time
This prevents “orphaned” tickets and shared-responsibility problems.
Tools and Documentation for a Hubspot-Like Setup
Technology and documentation are critical for keeping global teams aligned.
Step 7: Use a Centralized Support Platform
Adopt a centralized help desk or CRM that:
- Tracks all tickets, SLAs, and ownership in one place
- Supports time-zone aware routing and views
- Logs internal notes and handoff details clearly
Ensure every region uses the same tool and data standards.
Step 8: Build Shared Playbooks and Macros
Documented processes keep the customer experience consistent across regions, similar to the method described in the Hubspot article.
Create:
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Macros and templates for common replies
- Checklists for outages, escalations, and VIP customers
Store everything in a central knowledge base that all teams can access.
Measuring and Improving Your Global Support Model
Once you launch, you need to measure performance and iterate based on data.
Step 9: Track the Right Metrics
Key metrics for a follow-the-sun structure include:
- First response time by region and time zone
- Resolution time across handoffs
- Customer satisfaction (CSAT) by region
- Number of handoffs per ticket
- Escalation rates and backlog volume
Compare these across regions to identify training or staffing needs.
Step 10: Run Regular Global Reviews
Hold recurring meetings with representatives from each region to review:
- Recent incidents and escalations
- Handoff problems or delays
- Process changes and best practices
This global alignment was a core success factor in the Hubspot style example, ensuring continuous improvement.
Best Practices for a Hubspot-Inspired Follow-the-Sun Strategy
To make your support system resilient and customer-centric, apply these additional practices.
Invest in Onboarding and Cross-Training
New team members need structured onboarding so they understand:
- Your product and support philosophy
- Global workflows and escalation paths
- How handoffs and documentation work
Cross-train team members to reduce single points of failure in any region.
Balance Automation With Human Judgment
Use automation to route tickets, apply tags, and enforce SLAs, but keep humans in charge of complex decisions. Automation should help agents follow the playbooks, not replace their judgment.
Protect Work-Life Balance Across Regions
One of the advantages emphasized in the Hubspot approach is healthier schedules. Ensure:
- Local teams follow normal business hours whenever possible
- Overtime and weekend work are limited and fairly distributed
- Wellness and burnout indicators are tracked by region
Next Steps to Implement a Hubspot Style Model
If you are ready to move toward a global follow-the-sun support strategy:
- Audit current ticket volume and time-zone distribution.
- Select or refine your regional hubs.
- Define ownership and handoff rules in your support platform.
- Create shared documentation and training materials.
- Launch a pilot with two regions before expanding further.
For additional strategic guidance on global operations and tooling, you can explore consulting resources such as Consultevo, which focuses on scalable, data-driven customer experience transformations.
By adapting the practices showcased in the Hubspot follow-the-sun framework and tailoring them to your organization, you can deliver reliable 24/7 support, keep teams healthy, and delight customers across the globe.
Need Help With Hubspot?
If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.
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