Published on: February 26, 2023Category: Job Costing, Zoho CRM, Zoho OneLast Updated: December 6, 2023 Comments: 0
Zoho vs Hubspot CRM – which one is the better choice for your business needs? Field service companies face several unique challenges—from measuring and tracking job performance to scheduling and routing technicians to customer sites, numerous moving parts go into running a successful business.
With customer relationships at the core of any service-based business, field service companies need CRM software to manage leads, scheduling, invoicing, and other nuanced customer relations tasks.
Zoho and HubSpot are two popular CRM systems that make it easy for field service companies to streamline operations and grow their business while nurturing their most important asset—their customers. Here, we’ll take a look at the features, benefits, and costs of both Zoho CRM and HubSpot to help you decide which system is right for your business.
Zoho CRM vs. HubSpot: A Comparison of CRM Features
Zoho CRM and HubSpot are both comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) systems that help field service companies manage their accounts and contact information, automate sales processes like quoting and invoicing, and track customer interactions.
Each has an impressive reputation in the marketplace. But while Zoho offers a full range of apps and comparable features, Hubspot has doubled down on its marketing and email capabilities.
Zoho CRM is one of the many applications included in the Zoho ONE platform, an end-to-end platform that offers powerful features like marketing automation, sales tracking, customer service tools, a full finance suite, and more. It also integrates with popular programs like Xero, Dropbox, and QuickBooks.
HubSpot, on the other hand, is better known for its sales, marketing automation, and customer service tools. It also offers a marketplace of third-party apps that extend the system’s functionality.
How Zoho CRM and HubSpot Stack Up
Let’s take a look at how Zoho CRM and HubSpot compare when it comes to features, benefits, and costs.
Contact and Lead Management
HubSpot and Zoho CRM are not only easy to use for organizing contact and lead information, but also for managing sales data, such as call logs and sales signals. With the paid versions of both software programs, you can also score leads to determine which ones should receive priority outreach.
However, there are a few differences to be aware of. HubSpot’s duplicate management feature, for example, is only available on the company’s Professional and Enterprise plans, which can be costly. Zoho CRM de-duplicates data on its top three-tier plans for a lower price, potentially making it a better option for smaller field service businesses.
Lead Generation and Sales Quoting
Another significant benefit to Zoho CRM is its end-to-end software. While HubSpot has many integrators, keeping everything on the same platform reduces data silos and supports processes like marketing lead gen; ‘configure, price, quote’ (CPQ) task management; job scheduling and work order management; and billing, invoicing, and job costing.
Since field services companies often have complex pricing models, automated lead funnels and CPQ software that can quickly generate automated quotes is invaluable. Zoho CRM, with its CPQ capabilities, makes this task simple and efficient. While HubSpot can handle these tasks, most require the use of add-ons that must be purchased separately.
Field Service Processes
When it comes to managing field service processes, Zoho CRM simply offers more features than HubSpot. For example, Zoho’s capabilities can support job scheduling and dispatching, billing and invoicing, job costing, and an offline mode built-in for reps who travel to places with low cell reception.
With Zoho ONE, you can reduce data silos, the number of vendors you use, support and maintenance costs, implementation time, integration points, and risk of system failure—all while keeping your costs low.
HubSpot doesn’t have a dedicated, integrated field service app, but it does offer some features that can support field service companies, such as a robust task management application, customer support ticketing, and contact tracking.
Pricing
Generally speaking, Zoho is much cheaper than Hubspot—especially if you go with their all-inclusive Zoho ONE package, which includes access to several integrated applications (including CRM and field service) for one low monthly price.
HubSpot’s lowest-tier plan is significantly more expensive than Zoho ONE, but it does offer a more traditional email marketing platform compared to Zoho’s email marketing solution. The Professional and Enterprise tiers of HubSpot also offer features like lead scoring, contact segmentation, and more that aren’t available on the company’s Basic plan, but which are offered by Zoho’s ONE’s competitively priced plan.
Reporting
With HubSpot, you can have three free dashboards with 10 reports each. If you upgrade to a paid plan, you can store up to 50 dashboards, each of which can have 10-30 reports at a time. The Professional and Enterprise plans let you create 100 and 500 custom reports, respectively—a feature unavailable on any other plan.
All paid plans of Zoho CRM come with standard reports, as well as the ability to schedule these reports. Zoho’s Standard plan offers 100 custom reports, while the three higher-tier plans offer an unlimited number for any KPIs you want to track.
Zoho CRM vs. HubSpot: Which Should You Choose?
Ultimately, when evaluating the features of each program, Zoho CRM is the clear winner for service companies. With more features tailored to field services, a lower price tag, and more comprehensive reporting capabilities, Zoho is the logical choice for most field service businesses.
That said, HubSpot’s email marketing platform is one of the best out there. If you’re looking for a traditional email marketing platform—or if you’re only interested in sales and marketing tools and can get what you need from the company’s lowest-tier plan—HubSpot could be a good fit for you.
Consider your business needs carefully before making a decision. Or, if you need help comparing the two programs, reach out to ZBrains. Our expert team can support you in evaluating both options to determine which solution will best meet your needs going forward.
On the surface, the benefits of a CRM tool seem obvious—it’s designed to help businesses better manage customer relationships, resulting in more organized contacts, streamlined processes and workflows, and an improved customer experience.
But when it comes to migrating your legacy system to a new CRM, the process is often anything but obvious. In too many cases, companies find themselves confronting an intricate web of different technologies, and ensuring the data transfers correctly can be overwhelming.
This is especially true if you need customizable features and software integrations, which can turn the complexity of setting up a CRM system into a nightmare. That’s where CRM consultants come in.
On the surface, the idea of finding and working with a consultant might seem expensive and unnecessary. But if you’re busy running your business, don’t have the capacity to learn a new system or process, or are under a time crunch, working with a consultant can save you time, frustration, and money in the long run. They’ll also ensure your system is set up optimally so that it’ll actually be adopted by your users—plenty of projects fail because they aren’t rolled out correctly or built with end users in mind.
As experts in the technology, CRM consultants like ZBrains can help you to identify any issues that could arise during migration, ensure your data remains secure, and even create customizable features tailored to your specific needs. Here’s exactly how they can help:
11 Steps for a Successful CRM System Migration
Generally speaking, several steps go into a successful CRM system migration. Let’s take a look at what the process looks like.
Assess your reporting and KPIs: The first step involves understanding your current system and the KPIs that are essential to measure success.
Analyze your data inputs: Next, you’ll need to get a better understanding of your data inputs at each stage of your process, including what kinds of content you’ll be migrating and the origin of each element.
Assess operational efficiencies by department: Each department within your organization will have different needs and processes, so it’s essential to understand how they work together.
Spec out your inputs: Inputs are the data points that will be used to populate your new system. Spec out which fields need to be populated, as well as the type of content for each field.
Build your inputs: Now, you can start building out the fields in the new system and populating them with content.
Build initial reports: Your reports provide critical insight into how your business is performing, so you’ll want to make sure they’re set up properly before making the switch.
Spec out automation: Automation can make your life a lot easier, freeing up your time for higher-priority projects. Once you have your data inputs properly set up, you can start creating rules and workflows.
Build automations: Once you have your automation rules properly laid out, it’s time to build them into the system.
Migrate data: This is the moment of truth—all of the data from your legacy system must be moved over to your new CRM.
Go live and perform change management: Once your data is migrated, it’s time to start using the system. Depending on how complex your CRM setup is, you may want to put a change management plan in place to help new users adapt.
Add new features or reports using feedback from your team: As you start using your new system, you may realize that you need to make tweaks or add additional features. This is the time to do it.
As you can see, migrating data into multiple modules and systems can be a complex process, and it’s often essential that the data is migrated in a specific order for it to link correctly. That’s why, at ZBrains, we strive to make the CRM migration process as seamless as possible by performing both a test migration and a live migration.
Through this process, the test migration allows us to identify any potential data issues that could arise, as well as develop a plan to fix them before the live migration takes place. We also ensure that all data is migrated from your legacy system correctly and without any loss of information.
Finally, we take extra steps to secure your data during the migration process by using encryption technology and multi-layered authentication.
Pitfalls to Avoid During Migration (and How CRM Consultants Can Help)
When companies attempt a CRM system migration without the help of an expert, they often end up making costly mistakes. Here are four particular pitfalls to avoid:
1. Choosing the wrong way to solve a problem
Platforms often have many ways to solve a single problem, and it can be difficult to determine which is the best option without experience. This is especially true in the case of complex automations and features (e.g., multi-list segmentation and interactive dashboards).
2. Implementing too many features, too quickly
When companies invest in a robust CRM software, they can be tempted to build out more features than necessary. This often results in an overly complex platform that is difficult to use, with extra time and budget wasted on development.
Even if there are multiple custom features an organization can benefit from, keeping the system as lightweight as possible is key. Working with CRM consultants helps you to identify the features that are truly necessary, and leave out those that will slow down your system or add extra costs. Remember, focus on adoption first, then optimization.
3. Not properly preparing for a migration
Migrating a CRM system means downtime, potential data loss, and a steep learning curve for users. Working with a partner that has experience with successful migrations can help you understand the process and plan for any potential issues.
4. Poor change management
Migrating to a CRM system isn’t just about data migration. It requires a shift in how employees work and think, which can be difficult without proper guidance. Platform-specific CRM consultants can help you create a successful change management plan, as well as ensure that your system is set up to best support its users and maximize system adoption.
When it comes down to it, there are four reasons to outsource something:
Time: Unless you already have someone in place and ready to perform the migration, chances are it’s going to take more time and energy than you currently have available in-house.
Cost: Outsourcing may seem like a more expensive option—until you take into consideration the cost-savings a CRM consultant can provide by helping you avoid migration mistakes and optimize your new CRM for your needs.
Expertise: CRM consultants will already understand the nuances of your chosen system and will be able to get things set up quickly and efficiently. Even if you’ve migrated a system before, being unfamiliar with Zoho creates inherent risks in the migration process that can be costly or time-consuming to resolve.
Dynamics and Corporate Politics: In some organizations, having an external partner involved in the migration process can help with change management and ensure that all stakeholders’ needs are accounted for during the process.
At ZBrains, we understand exactly what it takes to get your system up and running—and we know how to save you time and money along the way. Contact our expert team today for more on how we can help streamline your next CRM migration project.
Companies turn to Zoho CRM for plenty of different reasons, whether they want to scale their operations or they’re aiming to improve efficiency or manage costs. And in most of these situations, Zoho CRM is a great choice—it’s incredibly robust, cost-effective, and offers plenty of automation features to help streamline your workflows.
But although Zoho claims that its CRM delivers one of the fastest implementation experiences in the enterprise CRM market, it’s not uncommon for new users to encounter challenges when working through their initial setup.
That’s where Zoho Partners like ZBrains can help. Read on if your Zoho CRM experience hasn’t been as straightforward as you’d hoped—or if you’re now stuck with a needlessly complicated CRM setup that’s interfering with your ability to operate efficiently.
ZBrains: Your Premier Zoho Partner for Implementation & Support
Zoho Partners are Zoho experts dedicated to implementing Zoho for client businesses and acting as front-line support between their clients and Zoho. This commonly includes system design, implementation, customization, integration with third-party systems, and general support as Zoho releases new features and applications.
Zoho’s Partner program is broken into multiple tiers. At ZBrains, we’re proud to be one of Zoho’s Premium Partners, a top distinction given to a select group of Zoho Partners who are responsible for a certain proportion of Zoho’s annual revenue.
When to Work with Zoho Partners
How do you know if working with Zoho Partners is right for you? There are a number of common use cases where working with an external partner on Zoho CRM implementations makes sense. For example, here at ZBrains, we regularly come across companies that:
Are brand new to the Zoho ecosystem and aren’t familiar with best practices for deploying a new business CRM.
Have begun exploring Zoho CRM’s free trial, but realize that they’ll need some additional support to realize their vision.
Are already up and running with Zoho CRM, but recognize that they’re only scratching the surface in terms of its potential for their business.
Have tried out Zoho CRM in the past, but either couldn’t get buy-in from other staff members or couldn’t find a way to make it work within their company’s requirements.
In these and other related cases, having a second set of eyes in the form of a Zoho Partner can help to evaluate your current setup and identify opportunities to simplify your CRM setup that you may miss on your own.
At ZBrains, for example, we typically begin Zoho CRM engagements with a Business Process Analysis. This helps us to understand the existing state of your Zoho CRM implementation and begin mapping a path forward to streamline your system.
How a Zoho Partner Simplifies Your CRM
If you’re migrating from another CRM, such as Salesforce or Hubspot, simply getting the right data into Zoho CRM, in the right format, can be challenging. To make matters more confusing, Zoho’s business productivity suite comprises 45+ different applications—some of which have overlapping functionality.
So how exactly can Zoho Partners actually help you to simplify your Zoho CRM setup? Depending on your specific needs and circumstances, we’ve found that any of the following actions may be appropriate:
Migrating your data from your former CRM in the cleanest way possible
Identifying the most efficient way for data to be processed through and integrated with third-party systems
Designing your systems in the most optimal way
Ensuring user permissions are set so your data is protected
Identifying and implementing impactful automation opportunities
Identifying how custom development could be used to solve difficult system issues
Zoho Partners Set You Up for Success
Finally, another important element to consider when evaluating Zoho Partners is their approach to change management. It’s one thing to build a streamlined Zoho CRM implementation—ensuring your team members are prepared to use it is another thing entirely.
At ZBrains, we offer a number of established and bespoke coaching packages, including sessions that can help you:
Learn how to navigate and work within Zoho CRM
Customize your Zoho CRM implementation to drive valuable business insights
Implement automation within Zoho CRM to streamline your workflows
Getting Started with Zoho Partners
Ultimately, although it can be tempting to try to DIY your Zoho CRM setup, most companies save time—and ultimately, money—by working with an experienced partner who can help them find their way around the system.
If your current approach to Zoho CRM is working, you may not need the support of a Zoho Partner. But if you find yourself in any of the scenarios described above—or if you simply want to benefit from incorporating an expert perspective to identify additional optimization opportunities long-term—reach out to ZBrains to learn more about our Zoho Implementation Plans and Zoho CRM training.
Published on: December 17, 2022Category: Zoho BooksLast Updated: August 16, 2023 Comments: 0
Zoho Books, a cloud-based accounting software, allows businesses to easily manage their finances and automate their workflows through a rich set of features and an intuitive user interface.
Understanding the Zoho Books API: A Quick Overview
The Zoho Books API serves as an interface that enables developers to interact programmatically with Zoho Books. Essentially, this empowers you to extend Zoho Books’ functionality, integrate it with other applications, and automate tasks, ultimately slashing time wastage and diminishing manual errors. Whether you’re a small business owner, an accountant, or a developer, the Zoho Books API unfurls a realm of possibilities for elevating your financial management processes.
Key Features of Zoho Books API:
Automate and Simplify Your Finances
With the Zoho Books API, you can automate repetitive tasks and reduce the risk of human error in financial management. Seamlessly connect Zoho Books with Zoho Campaigns to automate invoice notifications and payment reminders, ensuring timely payments from your customers. Integrate Zoho Mail to streamline communication with clients and vendors, making sending invoices, receipts, and other financial documents directly from your Zoho Books account easy.
Efficient Inventory Management
Integrating Zoho Books with Zoho Inventory through the API can be a game-changer for businesses that deal with inventory. Automatically sync your inventory levels across both platforms, ensuring you always sell and are well-stocked. Efficiently manage purchase orders, track shipments, and update product information in real time, all from within your Zoho Books interface.
Seamless Customer Relationship Management
By integrating Zoho Books with your Zoho CRM using the API, you can gain deeper insights into your customers’ financial activities. View a customer’s payment history, outstanding invoices, and credit notes directly from your CRM dashboard. This integration enables your sales and finance teams to work together efficiently, providing a seamless customer experience.
Real-Time Reporting and Analytics
The Zoho Books API allows you to extract financial data and create real-time custom reports. Connect Zoho Books with your preferred business intelligence tools, and gain valuable insights into your financial performance, cash flow, and profitability. Accessing up-to-date financial information at your fingertips empowers better decision-making and strategic planning.
Enhanced Security and Data Privacy
Zoho takes security and data privacy seriously. The Zoho Books API uses OAuth 2.0 protocols, ensuring secure access to your data while protecting sensitive financial information. You have complete control over the permissions granted to third-party applications, enhancing data security and compliance.
But how exactly does it work? Let’s take a closer look.
How does the Zoho Books API enhance integration and functionality?
Essentially, the Zoho Books API is the function that allows you to perform all of your Zoho Books operations within the web client.
It is built on REST (Representational State Transfer) principles, making it relatively straightforward to use and allowing for a wide range of activities and integrations. Further, because the API follows HTTP rules, every resource is exposed as a URL, and every URL can be obtained through the API Root Endpoint.
In practical terms, integrations set up using the Zoho Books API enable businesses to utilize add-ons to get more from their Zoho Apps. The API not only integrates with several other third-party software, but also allows Zoho Books to integrate with other Zoho products, such as Zoho Campaigns, Zoho Mail, and Zoho Inventory.
This is especially helpful for businesses working across multiple Zoho apps or that already have established third-party solutions in place that they don’t want to replace.
How Does the Zoho Books API Work?
Use the following instructions to start using the Zoho Books API:
Step #1: Register a New Client
Because Zoho’s REST APIs use OAuth 2.0 protocols, your first step will be to register your application within Zoho’s Developer Console to generate a Client ID and Client Secret.
Upon this request, Zoho will present a user consent page. Clicking ‘Accept’ will cause Zoho to redirect to the given redirect_uri with the ‘code’ and ‘state’ parameters (which you’ll need to get the access token in the next step). Note that this code is only valid for 60 seconds.
If you click ‘Deny’, Zoho will return a server error.
Step #3: Generate Access and Refresh Token
Once you have your access token, make a POST request using this URL (https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?) and the following parameters to generate your access token:
This will generate both an access token (which will expire after a set period) and a refresh token. Be aware that Zoho limits refresh tokens to 20 per user. Earlier refresh tokens will be deleted by default if this limit is exceeded, whether or not they’re in use.
Step #4: Generate an Access Code from a Refresh Token
If your access token expires, use the refresh token to request a new one by redirecting to the following POST URL using the parameters below: https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?
Finally, call the Zoho Books API in header using the following values:
Header name: Authorization
Header value: Zoho-oauthtoken
Specific scopes available for the Zoho Books API include contacts, settings, estimates, invoices, customerpayments, creditnotes, projects, expenses, salesorder, purchaseorder, bills, debitnotes, vendorpayments, banking, and accountants.
Embarking on Your Zoho Books API Journey
API Documentation: Begin by acquainting yourself with Zoho Books API’s official documentation. This comprehensive resource elucidates endpoints, request parameters, authentication methods, and response formats.
Access Credentials: Your foray into the API requires authentication credentials, including the client ID and client secret. Obtain these by creating a client in the Zoho Books Developer Console.
Authentication: OAuth 2.0 safeguards API access, ensuring secure entry to your Zoho Books account and authorizing only designated actions.
Selecting a Programming Language: The API caters to various programming languages. Select the one aligning with your proficiency and project requisites.
API Requests: Engaging with the API involves crafting HTTP requests for specific endpoints. These requests facilitate data retrieval, record creation, information updates, and other tasks.
Top Tips for Using the Zoho Books API
Once you’ve set up, keep the following suggestions in mind as you begin using it:
Pay Attention to Your Limits
Generally speaking, Zoho Books API calls are limited in order to provide a better quality of service and greater availability to all users. As a result, the following limits on total requests per day for each plan are currently in place:
Free Plan: 1,000 API requests/day
Standard Plan: 2,000 requests/day
Professional Plan: 5,000 requests/day
Premium Plan: 10,000 requests/day
Elite Plan: 10,000 requests/day
Ultimate Plan: 10.000 requests/day
Carry Out Load Testing
One of the things we’ve noticed among ZBrains clients is that almost everyone hits their limits more quickly than expected. And because that can lead to unexpected shutdowns, we recommend carrying out significant load testing in advance to see how your requirements stack up against Zoho’s daily limits.
Increase Your API Limits
Fortunately, if you do find that your business requirements exceed your API call limit, increasing your limit is relatively easy and inexpensive. The best way to do so is to email support@zohocrm.com with your requirements, and Zoho will get back to you with specific pricing details and instructions on increasing your API call limits.
Sample Use Cases
E-commerce Integration: Integrate your online store with Zoho Books, triggering automatic invoice creation for each transaction. This eradicates manual data entry and ensures real-time financial record updates.
Expense Automation: Develop an app that captures employee expenses. Utilize the API to transmit expense data directly to Zoho Books, eliminating paper-based reporting.
Real-Time Reporting: Construct a custom dashboard drawing data from Zoho Books via the API. This dashboard could offer real-time insights into your business’s financial standing, enabling informed decisions on the fly.
Automated Reminders: Create an application issuing automated payment reminders to clients with outstanding invoices. This practice enhances cash flow by minimizing payment delays.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Zoho Books API:
Q: What is the Zoho Books API?
A: The Zoho Books API is an interface that allows developers and businesses to integrate Zoho Books with other Zoho apps and third-party software. It enables automation, data exchange, and enhanced functionality by allowing you to perform Zoho Books operations programmatically.
Q: How can I get started with the Zoho Books API?
A: The Zoho Books API may help businesses of all sizes optimize their financial processes, automate procedures, and increase data interchange between applications. Whether your company is small or large, the API can help you greatly improve efficiency and productivity.
Q: What are the key benefits of using the Zoho Books API?
A: The Zoho Books API improves integration and functionality, enabling businesses to automate activities, streamline workflows, and effortlessly sync data between Zoho Books and other apps. It offers real-time reporting, improves customer relationship management, and streamlines inventory management.
Q: What permissions do I need to grant to third-party applications?
A: The API employs OAuth 2.0 protocols to ensure safe data access. When integrating with third-party programs, you have control over the breadth of rights provided. You can control how much access each application gets to your Zoho Books data.
Q: Are there any limitations on API usage?
A: Yes, the amount of API queries per day is limited by your Zoho Books membership plan. The Free Plan, for example, enables 1,000 API queries each day, whereas the Ultimate Plan allows 10,000. It is critical to be aware of these limitations and plan your API usage accordingly.
Q: Can I increase my API call limits if needed?
A: You can increase your API call limits if your business requirements exceed the allocated limits. Contact Zoho’s support team at support@zohocrm.com with your needs, and they will provide you with specific pricing details and instructions on increasing your API call limits.
Q: How can I ensure data security using the Zoho Books API?
A: Zoho takes data security seriously. The OAuth 2.0 protocols used by the API ensure secure access to your Zoho Books account. Furthermore, you have complete control over the permissions granted to third-party programs, allowing you to efficiently manage data privacy.
Q: Can I test the Zoho Books API before implementing it?
A: Zoho allows you to download and test the Zoho Books API beforehand. This way, you can experiment with the integration and ensure it meets your business requirements before fully implementing it.
Q: What kind of support can I get for using the Zoho Books API?
A: If you have any queries or require support using the Zoho Books API, the expert team at ZBrains is available to assist you. They can give you specialized advice on how to get started, integrate the API with your Zoho CRM, and make the most of this powerful tool.
Q: Is the Zoho Books API suitable for my business?
A: The suitability of the Zoho Books API for your business depends on your specific needs and requirements. The Zoho Books API could be quite useful if you want to optimize your financial processes, automate procedures, and improve data interchange between applications. It allows you to interact with other Zoho apps and third-party software to streamline your workflows and increase efficiency.
Reach out to our team for personalized guidance on your top Zoho Books API questions, including how to get started and how to integrate the API with your Zoho CRM.
Published on: December 15, 2022Category: Zoho Projects, Zoho SprintsLast Updated: November 13, 2023 Comments: 0
Any project management solution comes with pros and cons. But if your company has committed to agile project management workflows, Zoho Sprints is worth serious consideration.
Not sure what agile project management is or how it works? In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at Zoho agile project management practices, including a breakdown of the difference between Zoho Projects and Zoho Sprints for agile shops.
How does Agile project management improve product development?
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), agile practices “aim for early, measurable ROI through defined, iterative delivery of product increments. They feature continuous involvement of the customer throughout the product development cycle. Although agile has its roots in software and IT, agile adoption is growing and expanding in a wide range of industries.”
Agile project management involves breaking projects into individual tasks that are delivered on a periodic basis. This approach also allows for a more iterative, responsive way of working that enables stakeholders to incorporate relevant feedback as the project develops.
“Scrum” is one particular agile project management technique that divides complicated projects into smaller, simpler units. At the end of each iteration (known as a “sprint”), the team reports on its progress and gathers feedback. Once this data is received and analyzed, another sprint begins, based on the customer feedback.
How Zoho Sprints Agile Project Management Works
Zoho Sprints is Zoho’s first-ever agile project management software. Developed using scrum methodology, Sprints enables businesses to plan, execute, and deliver complicated projects by segmenting them across various modules.
With Sprints, you can set up backlogs for your projects, divide these backlogs into scheduled sprints, and work on them in an iterative, collaborative way.
Implementing Zoho Sprints is relatively simple. First, create your project, and use Zoho’s prompts to add users and manage your project’s settings.
Once your project is set up, you’ll be able to create individual work items and sprints.
From here, you can drag and drop work items from your backlog into your sprints, assign tasks to relevant users, and kick off your individual sprints.
Once your sprints start, you’ll be able to access fully customizable scrum boards, which let you visualize your tasks and move them through different stages or statuses. You can also create “Epics” which group items that share the same objective.
You’ll also want to check out the Charts and Reports feature, where you can monitor and compare sprints, as well as track your team members’ performance. The Timetrack module tracks your billable vs non-billable hours, while the Meetings module lets you set up sprint reviews and meetings.
Zoho Sprints vs Zoho Projects: Choosing the Right Option
Having said that, one of the questions we hear a lot at ZBrains is: what is the difference between Zoho Projects and Sprints, and how do I know which one to use?
Both Zoho Projects and Zoho Sprints are solid project management solutions, each offering efficient and coherent approaches to delivering projects. That said, any software solution has its own strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right one largely comes down to the nature of your projects.
Macro vs. Micro Project Management
Zoho Projects makes it easy to visualize projects as a whole, including their steps, processes, and target outcomes. In other words, Projects is a good option for projects that begin with a robust plan (such as those following the waterfall methodology) or for projects you intend to replicate in the future.
Zoho Sprints, on the other hand, is especially useful for projects that are being planned and implemented in stages. Because projects in Sprints are broken down into smaller cycles with periodic outcomes, the tool makes it easy for stakeholders to check in, evaluate progress, and adjust the project at regular intervals.
In summary, Sprints is good for projects that need to be able to adapt and change, whereas Projects is ideal for simpler projects with more robust plans that aren’t expected to change.
Value for Money
As of December 1, 2022, both Zoho Projects and Zoho Sprints offer a free trial period to let you try out the software at no cost. That said, while Projects has a free tier, all of Sprints’ tiers are paid.
The free version of Projects includes up to 3 users and up to 2 projects. From there, pricing begins at $18 per month (based on a minimum of 6 users at $3 per user per month) and includes a maximum of 10 projects. The next pricing tier begins at $4 per user, per month, with a minimum of 15 users and unlimited projects.
Sprints begins at $12 per month for up to 12 users. Customers requiring 13-100 users are billed $5 per user, per month (which can be paid either monthly or annually).
Integrations
Both Projects and Sprints integrate with other Zoho apps, as well as MS Teams, MS Office, Bitbucket, and GitHub. Using Zapier, both Sprints and Projects can connect to over 2,000 Google apps.
In addition, Zoho Sprints integrates with GitLab and Jenkins, while Projects integrate with many others, including Slack, iCal, Zen Desk, Google, and Crashlytics.
Team Management
While both Projects and Sprints offer communications tools, Sprints includes additional features for tracking your teams, gathering data after each sprint, and holding meetings to enable collaboration. Sprint also offers reports and insights into your team’s performance.
In comparison, Projects allows users to assign and monitor tasks, specify tasks’ priority, and send reminders to team members. You can also monitor time sheets and track issues that might arise in the project.
Getting Started with Zoho Sprints
Ready to learn more about Zoho Sprints, including whether or not it’s the right choice for your agile project management approach? Connect with the ZBrains team directly for customized suggestions, based on your unique project specifications.
Published on: December 6, 2022Category: Zoho ContractsLast Updated: May 23, 2023 Comments: 0
Zoho Contracts is a comprehensive platform that allows businesses to streamline the contract process, facilitating everything from contract signings to contract workflows and transition management during contract changes.
But how exactly does Zoho Contracts work in practice, and how does it benefit your business? Here’s how Zoho Contracts makes the contract management process easy and pain-free.
Simplify Contract Management with Zoho Contracts
Contracts are a big part of any business, but it’s how you manage them that’s important.
Generally speaking, businesses need a tight contract process to ensure nothing is overlooked and your business is protected—and picking the right contract management software is foundational to building a tight contract management process.
Zoho Contracts is purpose-built to save time and reduce errors by integrating cleanly with your CRM, facilitating close collaboration with sales, making redlining simple, and keeping your contract management tasks and terms centralized and up-to-date in a single location.
Not only does CRM integration help you avoid silos and improve transparency, but it may also improve sales cycle times by reducing delays between contract approval stages. When you integrate your contracting process into your CRM, you’re able to bring teams together—notably, your legal and sales teams—so that they can work collaboratively to the same end.
Contract Creation
Once your CRM is integrated with Zoho Contracts, there are a number of features you can take advantage of when creating your contracts.
Contract Templates That Save You Time
Zoho Contracts provides industry-standard contract templates that can be used out of the box or adapted at the advice of legal counsel—regardless of your business or industry size.
Because these templates have been legally reviewed, your contract teams can work more quickly to move contract workflows along (though it’s important to note that legal review by your company’s designated counsel is still appropriate to ensure they’re legally enforceable).
In addition, Zoho Contracts offers a standard clause library with template text you can simply copy and paste into your contracts—again, saving you time over manually writing your own language.
Contract Authoring to Limit Legal Liability and Improve Enforceability
Manually authoring contracts can be time-consuming and cost-intensive, as legal teams have to look out for language consistency issues that might otherwise leave them open to human error and unanticipated risks.
Zoho Contracts limits this liability through features that ensure language remains consistent across your documents. In addition, with Zoho Contracts, your contract authoring workflows benefit from the program’s simple user interface for building, editing, sharing, and reviewing contracts across internal teams and external users.
Contract Processing
Once contracts are created, additional features within Zoho Contracts help to streamline their processing.
Easy Approval Workflows that Reduce Errors
First, contract approval features in Zoho Contracts ensure all stakeholders get the chance to review a contract’s terms and conditions, as well as keep abreast of involved risks and opportunities.
Zoho Contracts also makes it possible for contract admins to create multiple approval workflows, associate them with different contract types, and assign approval processes to be completed before submitting contracts to prospects or clients.
Whether you set up a sequential or a parallel approval workflow, the approval process can be fully automated, reducing errors and saving time in getting contracts signed off.
Make Negotiations and Review Less Complicated
In the contract lifecycle, the negotiation stage is crucial. Whatever your negotiation strategy or process, it’s this phase that will set the tone of your relationship moving forward.
That being said, negotiations can be challenging to manage from a contracts point of view. With Zoho Contracts, you can negotiate entirely online, seamlessly manage redlining, view contract version histories, and even gain analytical insights into your negotiations. This both improves the quality of your negotiations and saves you time and resources in the process.
Transparent Obligation Management
Once your contracts have been signed and executed, it can be easy to overlook the issue of contractual fulfillment. Even with the most explicit contract terms—with all parties in agreement—if this process isn’t tracked and reviewed, contract breaches can occur.
With Zoho Contracts, obligation management becomes transparent. You can add obligations, check them off as they’re fulfilled, and review outstanding obligations as often as needed. You can also prioritize obligations, assign obligations to specific team members, and receive alerts and reminders to ensure obligations are being fulfilled.
A Less Frustrating Change Management Process
When any new contract comes into effect, managing its effects across the organization can be tricky. That’s why Zoho Contracts’ change management feature includes smart letter and activity-tracking capabilities, enabling parties to be notified of changes when they happen so that they can feel in full control of the process.
Reliable & Industry-Leading Data Protection
Finally, with government regulations such as GDPR and CCPA impacting the way organizations manage data, it’s imperative that they correctly manage any personally identifiable information (PII) captured during the contract process.
Zoho Contracts secures your stakeholders’ data, ensuring not only that data remains safe—a legal necessity—but that your relationship and trust remain intact as well. Its data protection feature helps your business avoid data breaches while also fulfilling your confidentiality obligations.
In Summary
Managing contracts is a critical fact of life for businesses, but it isn’t always an easy one from an operational perspective. With Zoho Contracts in place, you can rest assured that not only will you avoid the pitfalls of miscommunication, human error, and wasted time, but you’ll benefit from the program’s cost savings and the streamlining of your operations as well.
The decision to transition between customer relationship management (CRM) programs shouldn’t be made lightly. In fact, data migration—the aspect we’ll focus on in this article—is only one step in the process. Successfully migrating from one CRM to another involves both strategic planning and execution work to ensure a seamless transition.
That said, when it comes to the data layer of CRM migrations, one of the best aspects of Zoho CRM is that you don’t necessarily have to start from scratch. In fact, Zoho makes it easy to migrate from many other CRMs—Hubspot included.
To see the process in action, take a look at the step-by-step process we’ve put together below on how to migrate your data from HubSpot to Zoho CRM.
Understanding HubSpot to Zoho CRM Migration
Migrating from HubSpot to Zoho CRM can be a transformative step, requiring meticulous planning, execution, and data management. The process involves transferring various data elements, including customer contacts, leads, deals, notes, tasks, etc. To navigate this successfully, follow these key steps:
1. Assess and Plan
Initiate the migration process by thoroughly assessing your current HubSpot CRM setup. Identify the data you intend to transfer, evaluate data quality, and determine which aspects of your business processes require preservation throughout the migration. This comprehensive planning phase will serve as the foundation for the entire process.
2. Map Your Data
Data mapping is integral to this process, as it involves defining how the data in your HubSpot CRM corresponds to the fields and structure in Zoho CRM. Accurate data mapping is essential to ensure data aligns correctly and prevent inconsistencies and data loss during migration. Detailed data mapping minimizes errors and guarantees a seamless transition.
3. Extract Data
Extract data from your HubSpot CRM by exporting the identified datasets into a format compatible with Zoho CRM. This step may involve exporting CSV files or using migration tools that facilitate data extraction.
4. Cleanse and Transform Data
Before importing data into Zoho CRM, ensure that the data is clean and transformed. Standardize data formats, eliminate duplicate records, and maintain data integrity throughout migration.
5. Import Data into Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM provides tools and features for importing data from various sources. Utilize Zoho’s import functionalities while following the earlier data mapping, ensuring accurate and efficient data transfer.
6. Validate Data
After data import, perform thorough data validation to verify accuracy and completeness. This step helps identify potential issues and guarantees that the migrated data aligns with your business requirements.
7. Customize and Configure
Leverage Zoho CRM’s customization options to tailor the platform to your business needs. Configure fields, layouts, workflows, and automation rules to replicate your HubSpot CRM functionalities within the Zoho ecosystem.
8. Test and Train Users
Conduct comprehensive testing before fully implementing Zoho CRM to ensure all functionalities are operating as expected. Furthermore, provide adequate training to your team members to familiarize them with Zoho CRM’s interface and features.
9. Go Live and Provide Post-Migration Support
With comprehensive testing and team training completed, it’s time to go live with Zoho CRM. Monitor the transition closely and offer post-migration support to address any issues or questions during the initial stages.
Why should you consider transitioning from Hubspot to Zoho CRM?
Before we jump in, let’s cover a few of the top benefits of transitioning from Hubspot to Zoho CRM in the first place. After all, your CRM supports critical functions within your business. It’s important to ensure that the system you’ve chosen is the right one to support your business goals.
There are many reasons you might want to choose Zoho CRM over HubSpot, but here are just a few:
Zoho CRM is more user-friendly. Zoho CRM allows for team collaboration on all tiers, whereas HubSpot only offers collaboration on top-tier plans.
Zoho CRM is easier on your wallet. Not only does Zoho offer a longer free trial, there are many different pricing tiers for Zoho CRM, starting with a free version and going up to $40 per user for the enterprise version (when billed annually). By comparison, Hubspot’s entry-level paid plan comes in at $45 per month for two users.
Zoho’s platform offers greater extensibility. Zoho CRM easily integrates with the company’s broader suite of apps. While Hubspot offers sales, marketing, and operations modules, it does not offer comparable solutions for inventory management, HR, legal, and security needs.
Zoho is endorsed by publications like Forbes as a top choice for SMBs. Thanks to its budget-friendly, flexible nature, Forbes has recognized Zoho CRM as the better choice for small and medium-sized businesses in nearly every industry.
The Necessity of CRM Migration
As businesses evolve and expand, their CRM requirements also evolve. In some cases, enterprises seek more robust alternatives due to the limitations of their existing CRM platform. With its extensive array of features and customization options, Zoho CRM often emerges as a compelling choice for businesses looking to enhance their customer engagement strategy.
Not sure if Zoho CRM is right for you? ZBrain’s expert team can help. Reach out to schedule a personalized assessment of your business’s needs.
The Hubspot to Zoho CRM Data Migration Process
At a broader level, data migration involves moving all your information from one platform to another—in this case, from Hubspot’s CRM to Zoho CRM.
In Zoho CRM, you’ll use the Data Migration wizard to transfer your data from Hubspot, accurately and efficiently. Where common modules are available, the wizard will automatically map your import files to Zoho CRM modules, aligning file columns with Zoho CRM fields.
Where modules aren’t already available, Zoho CRM will create them and map the relevant files to them. It will also let you know how many files have been mapped, how many remain unmapped, and which—if any—aren’t supported.
If your migration needs are more complex or if multiple applications are involved, you can turn to Zoho’s vast partner network—including ZBrains, a leading, US-based Zoho Consulting Partner—for help.
How to Migrate from HubSpot to Zoho CRM: A Step-By-Step Process
On a technical level, Zoho CRM’s Data Migration wizard uses APIs and Instance URLs to migrate your data from HubSpot to Zoho. For this reason, you’ll initiate the migration by generating and entering the API key, and then the entire migration will take place in the back end.
You’ll be notified by email when your migration is complete, and you’ll have the option to undo or rerun the migration up to three times.
Step #1: Generate the API Token
To find or generate your API token:
Log into your HubSpot account
Click Account Name on the top right corner and select Integrations
Click API Key
Click Generate API Key (if you’ve never generated an API key before)
Click Copy
If you’ve already generated an API key in the past, click Show key and then Copy. You’ll also want to capture your Instance URL using this process.
Step #2: Initiate the Migration
Once you have your API key and Instance URL:
Log in to Zoho CRM (make sure you have Administrator privileges)
Navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Import
On the Data Migration page, choose HubSpot as the CRM you’re importing data from
Enter the Instance URL and the API Token you generated in Hubspot
Click Migrate Now
Once the migration is complete, you’ll be notified via a pop-up and an email.
Step #3: Check Your Data Migration
Zoho’s Data Migration wizard makes importing your Hubspot data simple, but it’s still a good idea to check your data for accuracy once the migration is complete.
To do so, navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Import > Import History, and check that all fields have been imported properly. It’s also a good idea to spot-check individual records. Navigate to a few people and accounts to see if their data matches up with their corresponding Hubspot records (or to what you know to be true for them).
Remember, Zoho CRM allows you to undo or rerun the migration, but only for a limited number of times. If you are not satisfied with the import or field mapping results, you can delete the imported records and re-run the migration. Just don’t wait to detect errors until you’re too far down the road to redo your migration!
Keep the following notes in mind while planning and executing your migration as well:
Tags can be migrated from Hubspot into Zoho CRM, but only the first 10 tags will be migrated. Additionally, each tag can only have up to 25 characters.
Your data migration will be paused if more than 5,000 records in a module are skipped during the migration. At this point, you’ll have the option to discard the migration or continue—Zoho CRM will inform you of every module where this occurs.
If you need to undo the data migration, visit your Import History.
The ZBrains Advantage: Your Partner in Seamless Migration
At ZBrains, we understand that CRM migration can be a daunting endeavor. With years of experience in CRM solutions and business process optimization, we’ve fine-tuned our migration approach to ensure minimal disruption to your operations. Our team of experts takes a personalized approach, meticulously mapping your existing data and processes to HubSpot CRM’s structure. The result? A smooth transition that preserves data integrity while unlocking the full potential of HubSpot CRM.
If you’re ready to make the change from Hubspot to Zoho CRM, built-in migration tools make the process as simple as possible, while also alerting you to any issues that need to be resolved manually.
But if you have any questions about migrating from HubSpot to Zoho CRM—or if you’d like expert support while you navigate the process—get in touch with ZBrain’s team of Zoho experts for personal assistance.
In today’s digital age, harnessing the power of social media platforms is crucial for businesses to expand their reach and engage with potential customers. Facebook, being one of the most popular social media platforms, offers an effective advertising solution called Facebook Lead Ads. These ads allow businesses to capture valuable lead information directly from their Facebook ads. However, to effectively manage and utilize these leads, integrating Facebook Lead Ads with a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system like Zoho CRM is essential. This integration guide aims to provide a comprehensive walkthrough, empowering businesses to seamlessly connect their Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM and optimize their lead generation and customer management processes.
Lead generation is a critical aspect of any business strategy. The Facebook Lead Ads program—which involves capturing prospective customers’ information via social media—can be a user-friendly option for identifying and capturing new leads.
But for lead generation to be effective, it must be followed up with plenty of nurturing and analysis so that you can reach the best prospects who are most likely to convert into customers or clients. Integrating your Facebook Lead campaigns into your Zoho CRM allows you to keep all of your lead generation efforts in one place, while also facilitating lead nurture in real-time.
To take advantage of these benefits, however, you’ll need to connect your Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM. Here’s how to do it:
How can Facebook Lead Ads help in generating new leads effectively?
Facebook Lead Ads can be an easy way to generate new leads, as it allows you to run your marketing message within a venue you know your prospective customers frequent. Reaching people where they already are—in this case, Facebook—minimizes friction and increases the likelihood of your ads being seen.
Within Facebook, when prospects tap on one of your ads, a form pops up that’s already prepopulated with their Facebook contact information. All it takes is a few taps for them to get the information they need, while you generate a new lead for your business.
Why Zoho CRM Partners Well with Facebook Lead Ads
By syncing your Zoho CRM account with your Facebook Ad Leads account, new leads can be automatically integrated into your CRM. As a result, you won’t have to manually export leads from your Facebook lead campaigns for import into your CRM. Instead, every time you get a new lead, it can be automatically saved to your Zoho CRM database, along with extra information such as the source of the lead.
Additional Benefits of Zoho CRM Integration
Turning Conversations into Opportunities
Not only does Zoho CRM let you follow up on your Facebook leads, but it also lets you add leads from your listening streams, even if you’re not running an ad campaign.
You can add these leads from the Social Tab manually, or set up triggers to automatically add leads from interactions that happen on your Facebook page. You can then assign these leads to your sales reps with specific rules, tasks, and reminders.
Bringing Facebook and CRM Conversations Together
When a contact has been added to your Zoho CRM, you can go to your Social Tab and access their information, history, and activities. In addition, you can see their recent social interactions with your business so that you can respond appropriately to their social posts and comments.
Engaging with Your Audience Live
Using the Social Tab in your Zoho CRM, you can easily create new social media posts or reply to comments and messages in real-time. Rather than switching between Facebook and Zoho CRM, you can keep your audience engaged from within a single platform.
Tracking Conversations About Your Brand
By setting up listening streams that monitor when a prospect or competitor messages you or mentions you, you can manage your Facebook conversations in real-time. SalesSignals gives you real-time Facebook notifications via Zoho CRM.
How to Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM
To connect your Facebook Lead Ads with your Zoho CRM account, you’ll need to use one of the Facebook Ad management extensions found within Zoho CRM’s marketplace.
Step #1: Install Facebook Advert Manager
To begin, you can either navigate to the Zoho Marketplace and install the Facebook Advert Manager extension, or you can log in to your Zoho CRM account and install it from there. Once the extension has been added to your CRM, take the following steps:
Go to Setup > Marketplace > All
Search for Facebook Adverts Manager
Click Install Now
In the following screen, agree to the terms of service and click Install Now.
Select the users for whom you want to install the extension, and then click Confirm. Then, click Authorize on the following screen:
Finally, in the pop-up that appears, specify the username and password of your Facebook account, and click Continue.
Step #2: Import Your Facebook Ads
Once you’ve installed and authorized the Facebook Advert Manager Extension, you can start importing your ad data into Zoho CRM. When you first set up the extension, you’ll need to perform a complete import of your data.
Within Zoho CRM, select the Facebook Advert Manager tab
On the Facebook Advert Manager page, click Import
This will import all the ads and ad sets that are associated with your Facebook account into Zoho CRM
Once this step is complete, you’ll be able to view and manage all of your ad campaigns from this tab itself. This will take some time, however, depending on the amount of ad data you have to import.
Additionally, if you’ve made changes in Facebook and want them to be reflected in Zoho, you may need to manually update your ads on the Facebook Advert Manager page. To update the details of a particular ad, select the required Advert ID and click Import Advert. The current status of the selected ad will be updated.
To import new ads from Facebook, click the Import button at the top right-hand corner of the window. This will not only import new ads from Facebook, but will update all of your existing ads as well.
Once you’ve successfully connected your Facebook Lead Ads account to Zoho CRM, you can take advantage of Zoho marketing campaign tools to easily nurture and convert the new leads you generate—as well as analyze your new data to create stronger campaigns.
FAQs: Integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM
What is the benefit of integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM?
Integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM offers several advantages. It automatically transfers lead data from Facebook to your CRM, streamlining your lead-generation efforts. Additionally, you can follow up on leads, engage with your audience in real time, and track conversations about your brand, all from within the Zoho CRM platform.
Do I need technical expertise to connect Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM?
You can use extensive technical knowledge. Zoho CRM’s user-friendly interface and the Facebook Advert Manager extension make the integration process straightforward. Just follow the step-by-step guide in the article to connect your accounts seamlessly.
Can I import existing Facebook ads into Zoho CRM after integration?
You can import your existing Facebook ads and ad sets into Zoho CRM using the Facebook Advert Manager extension. Once connected, you can completely import your ad data into the CRM.
How long does it take to import my Facebook ad data into Zoho CRM?
The time it takes to import your Facebook ad data into Zoho CRM may vary depending on the amount of data you have. For larger datasets, the import process might take longer. However, once the initial import is complete, you can easily manage and update your ads in real time.
Can Zoho CRM help me nurture leads beyond Facebook campaigns?
Absolutely! Zoho CRM’s comprehensive lead management features allow you to nurture leads from various sources, including interactions on your Facebook page and other listening streams. You can set up triggers to automatically add leads and assign them to sales reps, facilitating lead nurturing and follow-up.
How does Zoho CRM’s Social Tab help with engagement on Facebook?
The Social Tab in Zoho CRM enables you to interact with your audience on Facebook without leaving the CRM platform. You can create and schedule new social media posts, respond to comments and messages, and monitor real-time conversations. This keeps your engagement efficient and centralized.
Can Zoho CRM provide real-time notifications for Facebook interactions?
Yes, Zoho CRM’s SalesSignals feature provides real-time notifications for Facebook interactions. This means you can stay informed about prospect messages or mentions as they happen, allowing you to respond promptly and take advantage of opportunities.
Is Zoho CRM suitable for businesses of all sizes?
Yes, Zoho CRM is suitable for organizations of all sizes, from small startups to major corporations. Its scalable features and customizable options make it a versatile CRM solution for businesses looking to optimize lead generation, customer management, and sales processes.
Can I analyze the performance of my Facebook Lead Ads within Zoho CRM?
Yes, Zoho CRM offers robust reporting and analytics tools that allow you to track the performance of your Facebook Lead Ads campaigns. You can gain valuable insights into lead generation, conversion rates, and campaign effectiveness to make data-driven decisions and improve your marketing strategies.
Are there additional costs for integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM?
The Facebook Advert Manager extension is available in the Zoho Marketplace, and its installation is generally accessible.
However, depending on your usage and specific requirements, additional costs may be associated with Zoho CRM’s premium features or higher-tier plans. Remember, by integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM, you can enhance your lead generation efforts, improve lead nurture, and manage your customer relationships more efficiently, leading to better business growth and success.
Have further questions about connecting Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM? Need help maximizing the value of the data you generate from these campaigns? Get in touch with our team of Zoho specialists for customized assistance.
Published on: August 5, 2022Category: Zoho Desk, Zoho DeskLast Updated: May 23, 2023 Comments: 0
Running a help desk system provides tremendous business value by keeping customer requests from falling through the cracks, helping to improve the customer experience and lower churn. Working with a platform like Zoho Desk also benefits managers and executives, who can use support desk performance data to improve customer outcomes and overall productivity.
Generally speaking, Zoho Desk works like any other help desk or customer service desk–think Zendesk or Freshdesk. It issues tickets, assigns them to individuals, and then tracks their progress as each ticket gets resolved.
That said, there is still a lot of confusion that exists about the platform. One question in particular that we often get at ZBrains when our users are setting up Zoho Desk is the difference between Zoho Desk Teams and Zoho Desk Departments–as well as how you use them appropriately.
Because there is a major difference between the two, let us take a closer look at each of them, including the various scenarios in which you would use each.
Zoho Desk Teams and Ticket Management
In Zoho Desk, a Team is a group of “agents” all sitting in the same department. When you upload a new profile to Zoho Desk, they appear as individual “agents.” You can then create “Teams” into which you can add multiple agents. A Team might represent a subdepartment, a project, or any kind of subdivision within a department.
When a customer submits a new ticket, you can assign it to an agent, a Team, or an agent within a Team. That agent or Team will then get to work on the ticket by following the ticket blueprints, which you will have already set up.
Zoho Desk will then track that ticket via various metrics, such as response times, customer satisfaction ratings, and product-specific issues. These metrics can be agent-specific or department-wide.
What are Departments in Zoho Desk?
“Departments” are how you fully segment Zoho Desk to represent the departments or segments within your company. You can, for example, use it to differentiate between different brands, knowledge bases, locations, and other entities within your organization.
When Should You Use Zoho Desk Departments?
In short, we would advise you to only set up a new Zoho Desk Department if you need to. For example, if your organization deals with separate brands or knowledge bases, it stands to reason that you would want to keep these brands apart.
In fact, you may already have separate domains–and, therefore, email addresses–linked to those separate brands. In this case, you would benefit from setting up entirely separate Zoho Desk interfaces to keep them distinguishable from one another.
Another scenario where using different Zoho Desk Departments is appropriate is when you want to keep two departments within your organization separate.
Take, for example, your HR and Customer Service departments. It is highly unlikely that you would want to reassign tasks between these two departments–and you are likely to have different sets of users working in those areas, anyways. In this case, it makes sense to keep them separate and to set up entirely distinct departments.
When Should You Not Use Zoho Desk Departments?
While there are advantages to using separate Zoho Desk Departments, there are cases where the extra effort is not appropriate. Since setting up separate Departments is a big task, it is worth avoiding it, if possible.
Further, remember that there is a hard cut between Departments. As a result, you cannot assign tickets to another department within your organization. If you have multiple teams that collaborate closely, working within a single Department allows them to retain this functionality.
Effectively, as long as your teams operate within the same knowledge base, brand, and department, using “Teams” as your ticketing differentiator should make the most sense.
Of course, we also recognize that every company’s structure and needs are different. If you have any other questions about Zoho Desk Teams and Zoho Desk Departments, reach out to the team at ZBrains. Our team of Zoho experts can help you clarify the specific solution that is best for your requirements.
Of all the advantages of using Zoho, one of the most compelling is the platform’s simple, yet in-depth reporting applications.
Depending on what you need to report on, you may find that the basic reporting options built into Zoho CRM suffice. Alternatively (or, additionally), you can tap into the power of the more advanced Zoho Analytics when you need to get a deeper understanding of how your business functions.
With that in mind, let us explore each in turn, looking more closely at the advantages and disadvantages of Zoho CRM or Zoho Analytics.
Zoho CRM
As a CRM, Zoho’s offering is well-rounded and user-friendly, offering most businesses everything they need to keep track of customer relationships.
From a reporting perspective, Zoho CRM comes with its own reporting engine that is customizable and operates in real-time. As a result, the program enables you to run reports on key relationship and sales metrics, as well as email them out on a scheduled basis. Zoho CRM also comes pre-built with a myriad of reports useful for sales, account management, and front office leadership.
Building Your Dashboards
In the Zoho CRM reporting window, you will see a list of records that you can build into tables, including pivot tables and pivot charts:
You can choose a range of components to group into your dashboards, as well as place components on your home screen.
An example of a group of components
An example of a dashboard
That said, while Zoho CRM allows you to choose the time or table that best represents your data, it does not allow you to change how your query is built. When you choose the type of table you want to use, Zoho writes the query for you.
Scheduling Your Reports
With Zoho CRM, you can schedule reports to be automatically sent out by email, which can streamline internal progress reporting and status updates.
Simply go to the left-hand menu, pick Scheduled Reports, and enter the report you want to have emailed out on a regular basis.
The major advantage Zoho CRM reporting is real-time but limited to CRM data with no drill-down configuration. If you need additional reporting capabilities beyond what Zoho CRM can provide, you may want to look into Zoho Analytics.
Zoho Analytics
Zoho Analytics is Zoho’s business intelligence and analytics platform. Zoho Analytics allows you to review and report on data from a variety of data sources, as well as customize how that data is presented and shared.
Data Sources
Incorporating data from multiple sources means that Zoho Analytics facilitates a much deeper dive into your data. In addition to Zoho data points, you can also use Analytics to pull in data from external applications, such as Google Analytics, YouTube, Google Ads, or Facebook.
Within Analytics, simply select your chosen data sources, and pull them into the same workspace. From there, you will be able to query those different tables together to build reports that span across each application.
Customizing Your Data Drill-Downs
Like Zoho CRM, Analytics allows you to choose from a variety of charts to present your data. However, with Zoho Analytics, you also have the option to customize charts and tables for tailored insights with Zoho Analytics.
Once you have built your table or chart, you can drag and drop them onto your dashboard for enhanced visibility.
You can also utilize global filters–such as user, team, and date–to drill down into your data. For example, if you wanted to check on an individual team’s performance, you could filter your reports by team. All of the charts and tables that include a team filter would then be updated and displayed accordingly.
Trend Reporting
One final feature that may make Zoho Analytics a better fit for your organization is its predictive capabilities. Analytics displays trends and projections, enabling informed predictions for future business decisions and investments.
As a note, this is not an ‘either/or’ situation. You can Embed Zoho Analytics reports into Zoho CRM via the Analytics widget, by inputting the dashboard URL. Overall, Zoho Analytics is valuable for teams needing trend reporting, global filtering, and multiple data sources.
It is worth keeping in mind, however, that Analytics is not a real-time dashboard. The tradeoff for this enhanced functionality is that you will have a three-hour sync to contend with, though this is not likely to be a deal-breaker for most teams.
Zoho CRM vs. Zoho Analytics Reporting
As you explore your different Zoho reporting options, weigh your options within CRM and Analytics carefully. Taking these and other key points into consideration will help you arrive at the right solution for your team.
Any other questions about Zoho CRM and Zoho Analytics? Reach out to the team at ZBrains if you have any queries or need clarification.
