On the H2H Sales Automation Podcast, host Bart Kowalczyk (CEO, AutomateNow) sits down with Ethan Copit, Group Product Manager for HubSpot CPQ (Configure–Price–Quote). Fresh off a promotion, Ethan lifts the curtain on how HubSpot is reimagining CPQ to help teams move from complex, slow quoting to a faster, buyer-friendly experience—without losing guardrails.
Ethan joined HubSpot via acquisition after building an early AI startup focused on field sales recommendations. After stints in ABM and Sales Hub, he returned to lead CPQ inside Commerce Hub—now five teams strong and shipping on a two-week cadence. The mandate: modernise quoting, make it flexible, and make it fast.
“We’re trying to provide the same guardrails—but ask, how can this tool actually accelerate the business?” — Ethan Coppit
Classic CPQ grew up in manufacturing and telecom, where quoting is constrained by configurations, inventory, and rules. Today, many SaaS and services companies also have “complex enough” quoting—tiers, price regions, approvals, and attachments. HubSpot’s approach aims to simplify complexity so reps (and buyers) can progress without waiting on back-and-forth.
“The time to quote and time to respond are critical. Buyers now expect instant answers.” — Bart Kowalczyk
HubSpot’s CPQ team uses AI to solve specific last-mile problems, not to add hype:
Closing Agent (customer-facing on the quote): Answers common buyer questions like switching from monthly to annual, sharing docs (e.g., SOC 2), or clarifying terms—escalating to the AE when needed. The goal is to remove trivial delays that stall signatures.
Copilot Editing for Quotes: Create and edit quotes conversationally. This shines on mobile where fiddling with line items is painful—chatting “make it annual, add onboarding, 10% discount” is fast and natural.
AI features are delivered thoughtfully: useful first, then expanded based on real feedback.
Ethan Kopit from HubSpot talks to Bart CEO of AutomatNow about the CPQ tool in HubSpot.
Ethan’s team is focusing on features that directly speed up closing:
Price Books: Region-, segment-, or partner-specific pricing so reps don’t hunt spreadsheets—accuracy and speed by default.
Advanced Approvals & Rules: Smarter guardrails without slowing reps.
Buyer Self-Serve on Quotes: Let recipients update fields (e.g., signatory), make simple adjustments, or add info that syncs to CRM—without recall–republish loops.
Deeper CRM “First-Class” Treatment: Make line items, products, and quotes behave like full-power CRM objects across properties, lists, workflows, and reporting.
Quicker, Customizable Templates: More control over quote structure and branding.
Initial focus: teams of ~20–200 employees, especially software and services businesses. Larger or more specialized setups can still benefit, but HubSpot is prioritizing a great experience for this core segment before expanding the envelope.
Key Takeaways
Speed is revenue. Remove micro-delays (trivial questions, doc requests) and deals move.
AI belongs in the last mile. Use it where it resolves buyer friction instantly.
Guardrails ≠ friction. Approvals and rules can be smart—and fast.
Make CRM the source of truth. Quotes, products, and line items should behave like first-class CRM citizens.
Design for buyers. Let recipients self-serve small changes and keep momentum.
Ready to shorten your time to quote and time to close?
■ Book a call with Bart Kowalczyk to map your HubSpot CPQ/automation roadmap: Connect on LinkedIn.
■ Listen more on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
■ Prefer video? Watch the series on YouTube
HubSpot’s CPQ is evolving into a deal-acceleration layer: guardrails when you need them, speed everywhere else. With AI for the repetitive bits and CRM-native objects for control, sales teams can quote faster, answer faster, and close faster.
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