Building an automated PS engine: How CLV Consultants turned Rocketlane into their end-to-end services hub

Turning lean teams into powerhouses: CLV Consultants’ automation blueprint

For growing professional services teams, maximizing efficiency is the game. In a packed, hands-on Propel25 workshop, Jenn Brantmier and Aya McKeen, co-founders and principal consultants at CLV Consultants, demonstrated how lean and lethal your operations can get with automation inside Rocketlane.

Jenn and Aya revealed their playbook for transforming Rocketlane into a multifunctional engine powering their entire customer lifecycle from CRM and sales to project delivery and post-go-live care without needing additional software tools or operations headcount.

Their approach isn’t just clever; it’s scalable, strategic, and simple to implement. They transform Rocketlane into a cohesive system that adapts to every aspect of the business lifecycle while being easy to operate.

Jenn Brantmier and Aya McKeen, former leaders in the hospitality software implementations, now run CLV Consultants, helping organizations streamline onboarding and service delivery. Their experience spans hundreds of projects, dozens of templates, and deep hands-on work with Rocketlane at scale and startup levels. Their backgrounds give them a unique depth in understanding what influences PS delivery.

From the project platform to the PS operating system

Aya framed Rocketlane not just as a project tool, but as their firm’s central nervous system. With no CRM, no separate invoicing system, and limited resources, they customized Rocketlane to handle:

• Lead tracking and pre-sales workflows
• Automated document creation and client communications
• Self-progressing project phases tied to task completion
• Intelligent handoffs and status updates
• Integrations with Salesforce and Jira

They showcased their automation logic using a fictional project example abstracted from any industry, built live. This allowed attendees to see how such a workflow could map onto their domain-specific use cases.

"Aya McKeen said, 'We don't want to spend time on admin. We want to build connections, train customers, and drive adoption. Everything else should be automated."

Simplicity that grows

Jenn explained how they use Rocketlane's Accounts feature to manage prospects without a dedicated CRM. Each account includes custom fields for:

• Deal stage (Prospect, Negotiation, Active)
• Revenue value
• Visit notes and follow-ups.
• Tags for filtering and segmentation

They’ve mapped their pre-sales journey to Rocketlane so seamlessly that account creation, qualification, and advancement feel native to the platform. Custom project templates kick off based on account status, setting the foundation for automated workflows from pre-sales onward.

"Jenn Brantmier said, 'The customization is powerful. You can shape Rocketlane around how you work, not the other way around."

Modular templates: Small pieces, big gains

Instead of a single template, CLV uses a modular template approach:

• Micro-templates for each phase or action
• Automations to trigger template imports at important moments
• Automation updates dynamic project names and statuses

This lets them flex workflows by customer type, project stage, or action taken, a structure that works for managing 5 or 500 projects. It also means they can adjust quickly to new engagement types, evolving needs, or onboarding processes.

"Aya McKeen said, 'You don't need one monster template. You need smart building blocks that assemble themselves."

Rockeltane automation in action: The lifecycle flow

Jenn and Aya walked through a complete lifecycle automation chain:

1. Prospect call completed → Trigger task + send follow-up email + invite to Rocketlane
2. Requirements form filled → Import implementation template
3. Deal won → Update account status, change project name/status, and switch portal
4. Proposal created → Auto-generate document using smart fills
5. Project phase changed → Notify client/internal team
6. Delivery completed → Proceed to the account management template

They demonstrated live how marking a task as completed or a project as "In Progress" triggered cascading automations. The effectiveness was in how each stage built momentum toward the next with minimal manual intervention.

Smart docs, smarter handoffs

The document generation feature in Rocketlane emerged as a game-changer for CLV. It creates proposals, SOWs, and updates with smart fill fields, minimizing errors and reducing review cycles. Aya noted:

"We rarely review docs now because the templates are so accurate. Each project improves the next."

These documents reside in project spaces, are linked in tasks, and serve as handoff artifacts with zero manual formatting. They are audit-friendly, client-ready, and standardized across engagements, ensuring consistency at scale.

Reinventing project status updates

Project status updates aren’t just for clients anymore. CLV uses them:

• As internal Slack announcements
• For weekly automated updates based on a custom field
• To replace typical status calls
• To set meeting agendas using scheduled reminders

Aya said, "PMs just update one field. The system handles the rest. It's visibility without hassle."

The kicker? These updates serve as a reliable source of truth, offering real-time clarity for customers and cross-functional teams.

When systems talk: Salesforce and Jira integrations

CLV used Rocketlane’s integrations to eliminate silos and double-entry:

Salesforce

• Trigger projects when opportunities conclude.
• Map custom fields from Opp to the project.
• Dynamically assign templates/resources by sales owner or account type.

With Salesforce in the loop, their sales-to-delivery process is fully automated and audit-proof.

Jira

• Track dev teams’ time without requiring them to log into Rocketlane.
• Use API-based sync between Jira issues and Rocketlane time logs.
• Push summaries and issue details into Rocketlane tasks.

Aya noted this was essential for PMs needing full visibility on utilization, especially with siloed developer time. The integration ensured no duplicate effort or chasing updates across systems.

Post-delivery automation

When projects close, Rocketlane workflows automatically:

• Update the account status.
• Rename and reclassify the project.
• Trigger aftercare templates
• Notify the sales and customer teams.

CLV ensures the customer journey never drops, whether it means upsell readiness or transitioning to ongoing support. Clients stay informed, and internal teams stay coordinated.

"Aya McKeen said, 'Every time we automate a piece, the team gains autonomy. And I gain peace of mind."

Key insights for PS and Onboarding leaders

1. Start with small, modular templates: This enhances reuse and automation potential.
2. Automate your handoffs: Docs, status changes, and notifications should flow automatically.
3. Replace redundant tools: Rocketlane can serve as your CRM, document engine, and project management tool.
4. Build for visibility: Use project fields and status updates to keep everyone informed, even outside Rocketlane.
5. Integrate early and frequently: Tie in Salesforce and Jira for a seamless data flow.
6. Keep iterating: Every project is a chance to refine your automations. Build with enhancement in mind.

Rocketlane's flexibility means a two-person team can run like a global PS org with clarity, consistency, and confidence.

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