The Advantages of Using Zoho ERP with the ZBrains Job Costing Extension
Job costing is a phenomenal way for businesses owners to stay on top of their finances and ensure they are on budget across all projects. The ZBrains Zoho Job Costing App, built by our Zoho Creator experts, offers businesses of varying industries a pathway towards greater financial management and allocation of resources. When performed correctly, job costing ensures employees are being utilized smartly. Traditionally, job costing is associated with manufacturing and construction companies. However, service companies (law firms, accounting businesses, and private investment companies) also have a lot to gain from this application. Plus, medical services businesses, film studios, and retail companies likewise can utilize job costing to great effect.
Streamline Your Workflow: Quotes, Proposals, and Planning Made Easy
Companies often rely on multiple software platforms to track expenses and coordinate their budget planning. The beauty of our job costing app is having all your data conveniently housed in one place. Want to adjust a proposal to include more line items within a single deal? Done. Looking to monitor the work load for multiple employees? You got it. This application takes all expenses into account, including labor, materials, and employee wages, to give you an accurate picture of your business as a whole. Planning for the future is easier with Zoho Job Costing as a result, because you can see the true cost of every job. For a great job costing example, see this job costing example.
Organize your Team and their Individual Workflows
[caption id="attachment_3417" align="alignright" width="500"]Photo Credit: Stand With Main Street[/caption]
Any great manager can speak to the difficulty of monitoring multiple team members at once, and this app significantly eases that process. See where your efforts are pointed, and re-assign team members as needed. Perhaps you have a go-to worker for smaller, short window projects and another ace in the hole for complex, longer term projects — the job costing module lets you track their progress and add to their plates as you see fit. Another aspect to consider is the speed of a worker compared to another. This job costing app enables you to assign a junior employee to a lower priority project and a senior specialist to a project that needs to be completed as quickly as possible.
Optimize your Business Strategy
As with any great tool, the way you use it determines how much value you extract from it. So it is with the job costing module: when used to its full potential business owners can see how their resources are being utilized. For example, maybe there is an uptick in jobs requiring stone, or a decline in jobs requiring lumber. With the job costing module you can take stock of your resources and adjust as needed. This makes life easier for you and your employees and helps you avoid resource shortages and surpluses alike. Job costing is but one element, one spoke in the wheel that is Zoho ERP Software, which helps your business sync with inventory, order management, and financial data.
Zoho integration: The ultimate advantage
Above all else, the reason you’ll want to consider the Zoho Job Costing tool we’ve developed is its deep integration with Zoho CRM. By using our Zoho integration and allowing the two systems to communicate, you’ll be opening your employees’ eyes to a much easier method of calculating job costs. Integration allows for data to be synced between systems at the very least, eliminating double-entry. And, at most, you could even access the Zoho Creator Job Costing module from inside the CRM, for a truly unified user experience.
If you have questions about this Job Costing module, another Zoho Creator app in our arsenal, or anything related to CRM or Zoho customization, we’re happy to lend you an ear. Contact us today and a certified Zoho consultant will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Plan, track, and ensure positive collaboration among your employees. Projects allows for better time management and resource utilization.
Zoho Creator
Whether you need complex processes automation or just less tedious work on your plate, Zoho Creator lets you craft a custom app that fits your business.
Published on: September 24, 2018Category: Zoho CRM, Zoho DeskLast Updated: August 16, 2023 Comments: 0
What exactly is Zoho Desk Timer?
When working on tasks or tickets in Zoho Desk, a web-based help desk software, think of the Zoho Desk Timer as your personal stopwatch or timer.
1. Tracking Time Automatically:
Consider having a timekeeper who starts the timer when you open a ticket in Zoho Desk and stops it when you finish an activity, such as writing a reply or posting a comment. It keeps track of the time spent on each task without requiring you to start or stop the timer manually.
2. Manual Time Recording:
Consider having complete control over the timing, much like an actual stopwatch. Manual time tracking requires you to start and stop the timer while you work on tickets or tasks in Zoho Desk. It allows you to track time based on your preferences and pause/resume when necessary.
3. Efficiency and simplicity:
The Zoho Desk Timer tries to make time tracking easier. It has a simple interface that allows you to effortlessly start, pause, resume, or reset the timer. It makes it easier to track your productivity by correctly quantifying the time spent on each ticket or job.
4. Billing Time Tracking:
Zoho Desk Timer, like a professional service provider that charges by the hour, allows you to add billable time entries to tickets. You can establish predetermined fees to make it easier to calculate and bill clients based on time spent.
Understanding these sub-components allows you to grasp how the Zoho Desk Timer functions as a time management tool, whether it’s automatically tracking time as you execute actions or allowing you to manually control and record your work hours. It streamlines the process and keeps you organized, whether you’re tracking time for personal productivity or billing.
Track Time Automatically or Manually with the Zoho Desk Timer
A recent upgrade to Zoho Desk has made this web-based help desk software even more valuable. Zoho Desk Time Tracking is the newest feature, allowing you to track time spent on tickets and add billable time entries based on predefined costs. The ease and efficiency of this new component is instantly identifiable — it’s such a no-brainer that you may wonder how Zoho Desk ever existed without it! We’ve spelled out the details of this streamlined process below:
The timer is a stopwatch on the top of the page that tracks the amount of time spent working on a ticket or task. Press pause and start to pause and resume the timer as needed. When you click pause, the accumulated time is held for you. You can restart the timer to pick up where you left off, or you can apply the accumulated time to your timesheet. There is also a refresh button to reset the timer, allowing you to start the timer over.
Timer displays accumulated time in the HH:MM:SS format, starting at the one-second mark
Timers can be run on multiple tickets simultaneously
Zoho Desk Time Tracking for Tasks
Simplicity is the name of the game, which is why tracking time for tasks is very similar to tickets. The chief difference? An administrator could restrict you from running the timer on multiple tasks at once. When this happens, a pop-up on the upper right area of the screen prompts you to submit the time spent on the current task before beginning the timer on the new one.
Clicking “Yes” in the above box will submit the timer for the accumulated time for the current task and start the timer on the new task.
How to Track Active Timers
Although you could run the timer on multiple tickets and tasks, it’s useless if you don’t remember to stop and submit their time. When you have lots of work on your plate, paying extra attention to a timer is the last thing you want to do. That’s why Zoho Desk includes My Active Timers, a view that lists all of your active timers in the department. (Because let’s face it, multitasking is no longer just a mark of efficiency, it’s a way of life.)
To view your active timers:
1. Log into Zoho Desk 2. Check the Pending Activities icon
3. A new window slides open on the right hand side of the screen
4. Click the My Active Timers icon at the top of the window.
Your active timers along and their accumulated time are listed here. You can pause, stop or reset the timer corresponding to a ticket or a task from here.
Automatic Time Tracking for Tickets
In automatic tracking, the timer starts every time a ticket is opened in your browser and stops when an action is completed. The actions to be tracked are set up at the department level by your administrator. For example, sending a reply, drafting a response, leaving a comment, etc. If no action is completed the timer does not record an entry. Also, while you can pause, resume, and reset time on an automatic timer, you cannot stop or submit your time since it gets added once you complete an action on a ticket.
*The timer is visible only if your administrator has enabled your ability to view the timer under settings. Otherwise your time will be submitted in the background.*
Reviewing Time in Zoho Desk
If you started the timer one hour ago, but at some point you took a 15 minute break, you must discard this time before submitting it. That’s why Zoho Desk allows you to review and edit your time spent on a ticket. A pop-up window appears with the choice to submit or ignore the spent time. You have 10 seconds to review the time before it gets auto-submitted.
For example in the image above, you have 10 seconds from when the window appears to submit the accumulated time. Failure to do so will automatically submit the displayed time. However, if you need more than 10 seconds for review, click on the tracked time to remove the countdown and remain on the window.
*This review window is visible only if your administrator has enabled your ability to edit your time spent on tickets.*
**You cannot review or edit the time spent in manual Zoho Desk time tracking mode.**
The Significance of Time Tracking
Time management is fundamental to achieving business success in the modern world. Whether you’re a burgeoning startup or a well-established enterprise, understanding how time is allocated to tasks, projects, and customer interactions is imperative. Time tracking furnishes insightful data that informs decision-making, resource allocation, and process enhancement. With Zoho Desk Time Tracking, real-time visibility is at your fingertips, enabling the identification of bottlenecks and optimization of workflows.
Streamlined Task Management
Zoho Desk Time Tracking integrates seamlessly with your existing task management system, offering a holistic view of tasks, their statuses, and time allocation. This integration obviates the need for manual data entry, minimizing errors and saving valuable time. Whether tasks are assigned to your team, or you’re working on individual projects, Zoho Desk’s intuitive interface simplifies time logging against specific tasks. This ensures an accurate record of time distribution across diverse activities.
Boosting Productivity
A productive workforce is the bedrock of any successful business. Zoho Desk Time Tracking empowers your team to remain focused and efficient through real-time tracking and insights. As team members log their time, supervisors can monitor progress, identify roadblocks, and provide timely assistance. Furthermore, Zoho Desk’s reporting and analytics capabilities offer actionable individual and team performance insights. This data-driven approach allows you to celebrate accomplishments, address challenges, and implement strategies for enhanced productivity.
Effortless Customer Support
Exemplary customer support necessitates swift responses and efficient issue resolution. Zoho Desk Time Tracking revolutionizes this aspect. With its integrated time tracking features, your customer support agents can log the time spent on each customer interaction – from responding to inquiries to resolving intricate problems. This data aids in measuring the efficiency of your support team and also assists in setting realistic customer expectations. Analyzing time spent on different types of tickets allows you to optimize support processes, ensuring every customer receives stellar assistance.
Precise Billing and Invoicing
Precise time tracking is non-negotiable for businesses billing clients based on worked hours. Zoho Desk Time Tracking simplifies the billing process by providing accurate records of billable hours. This reduces disputes and enhances transparency with clients. Integrating time-tracking data with your invoicing system expedites invoice generation with precision. This streamlined approach saves time and cultivates a professional and trustworthy image of your business in the eyes of clients.
Flexibility in Remote Work
The modern work landscape is evolving, with remote work becoming increasingly prevalent. Zoho Desk Time Tracking accommodates this shift by offering remote access to the platform. Whether your team works from the office, home, or anywhere worldwide, they can effortlessly log their time and remain connected. This flexibility supports a remote workforce and ensures accurate time tracking, irrespective of geographical location.
Informed Decision Making
Informed decisions serve as the cornerstone of successful business operations. Zoho Desk Time Tracking equips you with the data needed for strategic choices. The platform’s reporting features offer insights into time allocation trends, team performance, and project timelines. By analyzing this data, you can make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, project prioritization, and process refinement. With Zoho Desk’s analytics, you can continually enhance your strategies for superior outcomes.
Conclusion
Effective time management is a critical asset in achieving business excellence. Zoho Desk Time Tracking presents a comprehensive solution for effortlessly managing and tracking time, enabling you to optimize productivity, enhance customer support, and make informed decisions. As businesses strive to maintain competitiveness and provide exceptional services, Zoho Desk’s time-tracking features emerge as a dependable ally on this journey. Embrace the capabilities of Zoho Desk Time Tracking and propel your business toward enhanced efficiency and success.
Published on: July 24, 2018Category: Zoho CRMLast Updated: June 14, 2023 Comments: 0
Streamlining Your Business: The Process of Continual Improvement
The only way to succeed is to put in your time and take your blows.
Employees will only work if you crack the whip around them.
If you’re leaving less than a cup of coffee, make a new pot or risk certain demise.
What does this have to do with the process of improving your business? Most businesses have maxims they live by – maybe yours is one of those. We all have certain things we harp on each other about, maybe because we know our companies function better when things are done a certain way, maybe just because of personal preference (and, at the end of the day, we all like to be catered to a little bit).
But, when it comes to Zoho CRM, you might be in the dark – especially if you find yourself reading this blog! (There’s no shame in that.)
Here’s another adage for your repertoire: Stick to the process.
You might be nodding your head…or, you might not.
So, what does it mean to stick to the the process of improving your business?
Well, here’s what it DOESN’T mean:
1. Doing the fifteen-step of sales, ops, underwriting, development, accounting, and fulfillment… all in one fell swoop. 2. Going to great lengths to streamline one part of your business while ignoring another part simply because it’s not your area of expertise or you’re getting pushback. 3. Sifting through volumes of abstruse information looking for something that might, just perhaps, be the solution to an equally difficult business problem.
If you weren’t nodding your head before, maybe you are now.
And, if you are… there’s nothing wrong with that.
These are really common problems to have. Running a business isn’t a walk in the park.
However, if you’re using Zoho CRM or Zoho One, you have the tools to help you with problems like those, or at the very least point you in the right direction. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so here’s another maxim, no matter what: Knowledge is power. Without further ado…
Use Zoho to Separate Work Into Departments
If your head is swimming with the scores of complicated (or even mundane) tasks you need to do just to keep your head above water, it probably wasn’t always like that – but, now maybe you’re in a little too deep to come out, stop everything, and figure out how to get your Zoho suite to handle it all.
Rather than perpetuate the cycle of you doing everything yourself, you can take a small step towards improving your lot simply by exploring, turning on, and connecting the various apps in Zoho One to your Zoho CRM:
1. Zoho Projects, great for project-based businesses 2. Zoho Finance Suite, great for any business, even manufacturers and distributors 3. Zoho Desk, great for routing help desk-style inquiries
These apps connect with the CRM in different ways, but all can help you ultimately by conforming to your process if they’re used the right way.
Zoho: Not Just a CRM, and Not Just for Sales
Even after you’ve turned on various Zoho apps, connected them, and even configured them somewhat, there’s no guarantee you’re getting the buy-in you need from your staff, or maybe there’s an area of business you’re letting lag because it isn’t your forte.
If there’s a clear bottleneck in your process, there’s no better solution that using what you already have in Zoho One – a full suite of applications – to solve that problem. For example, if your sales staff has adopted Zoho fully, but operations still tracks their projects on spreadsheets, we recommend introducing Projects at the very least – and perhaps even using the built in custom function (from the Zoho CRM Custom Function Gallery) to create new projects in Zoho Projects when you close deals in Zoho CRM.
Googling: Great for looking up words, terrible for solving complex business process flow problems
When your business’s very success is on the line, the worst thing you can do is continue to spend time doing something that may not necessarily help, like scouring the internet for solutions to issues you have that may be quite complex. Or, worse yet, thinking you’ve found the solution to a problem you have, only to find it isn’t correct because of a simple misunderstanding.
Rather than put yourself through more misery, stick to doing what you do best – running your company – and let Zoho’s built-in AI tell you what you can improve on. Zoho’s AI bot, called Zia, is designed to analyze your daily activities and inform you about where you can possibly save time doing repetitive tasks, as many repetitive tasks can be automated using workflow automation or macros.
Taking Zia’s advice won’t solve the most complex problems, but it will save you valuable time, which could give you just the edge you need to extricate yourself for ten minutes, pick up the phone, and…
Let the Experts Do What They’re Best At
If you’ve already gone through the issues and you’re still stuck behind an insurmountable wall, just remember this. No, not another maxim.
You know your business better than anyone else. We know Zoho just as much. Your best possible version of the Zoho suite is waiting for you somewhere in the middle, and that version of Zoho will be molded, conformed to your processes. Sticking to the process of improving your business might be a good thing to talk about, and it might be something you wish Zoho would help you do. But, with the proper planning, it’s a real possibility. And with expert execution, it can be a reality.
Call ZBrains toll-free and mention QuoteSmarter for a free CRM consultation.
What is Zoho Field Service and how does it relate to ZBrains? Discover the importance of their offerings for field service companies and improved customer experience.
What is Zoho?
Zoho is a cloud-based business suite geared to optimize your business by automating processes. Zoho encompasses not just customer management, but finance, project management, and a host of other business needs. Using all these apps effectively can be a lot to handle – and to boot, last year Zoho introduced Zoho One, its entire suite of 35+ apps, in one platform. This has given users access to many more apps than before, many with overlapping functionality. Discovering the potential of different Zoho apps can be overwhelming amidst daily office or field work.
Who are ZBrains?
ZBrains is a Zoho Premium Partner that focuses on adding value to Zoho’s existing ecosystem, with a focus on field services companies. Our services include process consulting and training on various apps, providing integrations to different third-party apps, and even implementing custom add-ons to automate setting service appointments, optimize service or delivery routes, create mobile work orders, and even calculate commissions. Our in-house developers and consultants make sure you have an open line of communication to our home office.
Find out below how the union of Zoho & ZBrains is beneficial for your field service business:
Integration
Imagine this: a field technician arrives at an appointment to meet with a customer, only to discover he is unprepared: A communication error in your scheduling department has caused him to bring improper materials to the appointment. This situation likely not only upsets your customer, but can also have a negative impact on your bottom line. Thus, having all elements of your business integrated is essential: It helps to avoid miscommunications and eliminates human error caused by manually transferring information. According to Field Technologies online, “the most important concept in field service management is integration.” Here at ZBrains, we can help you do this with Zoho solutions tailor-made for your unique business needs.
Automation
By automating your general workflow with Zoho Field Service, you can let your software do the grunt work and keep the hard decisions for yourself. With Zoho One, you have access to apps that not only help your CRM run smoothly but can help you in all areas of your business.
Mobile-Readiness
Increased real-time information is the unity of the cloud and mobile devices. If you’re out in the field, it’s important that you stay apprised of any scheduling changes or updated client information. Zoho has developed their apps to work with you wherever you may be accessing them through your phone, tablet, or other device! To match this, we’ve made our Zoho SmartScheduler to work on all mobile devices as well! It will schedule your appointments for you, taking into account parameters you set, including territories and areas of expertise. With drive time calculation and Google Maps integration for drive time calculation, it’s the only scheduling optimization tool you need!
Better customer experience
Integrating and automating systems boosts data accuracy and productivity across departments for faster response times.. Accurate on-the-go info keeps customers engaged. Integration, automation, and mobility allow for relationship building. When they’re happy, you get more referrals and repeat business, leading to a healthy bottom line.
ZBrains is able to ascertain just how Zoho can be best used for your business by engaging you in an exploratory consulting session called a Business Process Analysis. In this session, a ZBrains consultant takes full stock of your business and can recommend a Zoho solution that is customized for your business – and then, construct the resulting system according to that vision.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to a member of our team today! We are Zoho Certified Consultants here to help! Give us a call at (888) 207-4111 or click the button below and we’ll reach out to you. You can also register for our upcoming Stump the Chump webinar tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 26th at 9 am PST. Ask your Zoho questions, and if you stump us, we’ll buy you coffee!
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Generate more leads with Zoho’s WordPress plugin, which integrates your website with Zoho CRM to track visitor behavior and capture leads directly into your CRM system.
Your business’ website provides clients, or potential clients, with the best information for them to make informed decisions. There are many ways for them to land on your page, but do you have a sense for why they are landing there? For example, are they researching their options, or are they already motivated buyers? Considering 79% of leads never convert into sales, and underdeveloped lead nurturing tactics are often to blame, it’s important for you to know your lead conversion rate.
Understanding and capturing the visitors to your website is crucial to maximizing your website as a functional sales tool. Making it easy for your potential clients to get in touch with you is crucial, and no one understands this better than both Zoho and WordPress. The two have teamed up to introduce a new Lead Magnet update! Now, you never have to miss the window of opportunity to capture and qualify a lead to close a sale!
Here’s how you’ll improve your lead conversion rate with Zoho WordPress PluginNew Lead Magnet
Quality Information, Faster Response
The conversion rate yardstick is not static, as it depends on your business’ definition of a qualified lead. For some, it may just be an email address, but for others, you may want to know the size or location of the business, the needs, or the authority of the person in contact with you, among other factors. With the Zoho CRM forms plugin for WordPress, you can easily create forms using Zoho CRM webforms or the Contact form 7 plugin. The lead information that’s entered is automatically pushed into your CRM. You’ll never miss an incoming lead, and even better, you’ll be equipped to respond to them faster!
Customize Forms
Every business is unique, and so it follows that the information you collect from your prospects is unique as well. This plugin takes that into account and allows for mapping custom fields from the Leads module of your CRM. However, the plugin does not limit you to only capturing lead information. With this new lead magnet plugin, you can send information to custom modules created in the CRM, so everything a prospect or contact can tell you is recorded properly.
Simple Installation, Configuration & Use
You can install the Zoho CRM forms plugin from the WordPress plugin marketplace with just a few easy clicks. After that, creating a form from the plugin interface incredibly simple. It’s light on code, so you’ll only need to do a few drag & drops and copy-pastes, then your form short-code will be ready for use anywhere on your WP site. If you’re already on Zoho CRM and host your website from WordPress, the new lead magnet plugin is free to use!
Interested in learning more? Reach out to a member of our team today! We are Zoho Certified Consultants here to help! Give us a call at (888) 207-4111 or click the button below and we’ll reach out to you. You can also register for our upcoming Stump the Chump webinar on Friday, Jan. 26th at 9 am PST. Ask your Zoho questions, and if you stump us, we’ll buy you coffee!
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Zoho’s Rapid Growth in 2017: New Features and Updates
2017 is suddenly behind us – and, for some, the year probably seems like it’s
flown by. Interestingly, it’s said that the more new life experiences you accumulate, the slower time seems to go by – and, if that’s true at all, Zoho Corporation must have had the slowest-feeling year of all, as they revamped a significant portion of their offerings. But, this is about the only area Zoho did anything slowly. With 50 new features, 100 marketplace extensions, and 4 product updates every week, Zoho is definitely growing! Here is a recap of some of Zoho’s new features and updates from 2017!
The Newest Additions
Zoho One– The biggest and most exciting development from is Zoho One. This revolutionary all-in-one business suite packs a punch with 35+ applications, including Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, Zoho Campaigns, Creator, and more! Account administrators have one secure account for applications and overall control, giving them the ability to access all programs from just one account.
Zia – Zoho’s AI-powered sales assistant that helps you make the most of your CRM account. She learns the ins and outs of your business by studying the strings of activities performed every day by you and your team. Zia then interprets performance and anticipates the needs of your business, providing solutions to you on-the-fly, detecting anomalies in your activities, and making suggestions to automate workflow!
Zoho Sprints – This agile project management solution encourages and enables teams to focus their energy on building the best products possible. Your team can take a look at the big picture with an easy-to-read dashboard. Track your team with the scrum board, and log time with the Timesheet function. Advanced reporting will give you actionable insights into your team’s progress and predict any roadblocks or bottlenecks in your process. In short, Zoho Sprints enables your team to get ahead and be prepared for the next development sprint.
Zoho Cliq – Easily communicate and collaborate with your colleagues with Zoho Cliq. Zoho’s new chat app eliminates the standby time of waiting on email responses from your team and allows you to exchange ideas more fluidly. Multi-panel chat, unlimited file sharing, and audio and video functionality keep your conversations at the forefront of your mind and easily accessible. Not to mention, it integrates, it’s secure, and it’s mobile!
Updates to Your Favorite Applications
New Zoho Campaigns UI – Zoho Campaigns got a facelift this year with a sleek new interface design. Along with the new look, you can get even more from Zoho Campaigns now with a customizable dashboard, image editing capabilities, additional automation, and more advanced reporting. Take your email campaigns to the next level!
Zoho Social now Adapted for Digital Agencies – Zoho Social also got a great update that makes it much easier for digital agencies to manage their clients’ social media platforms. With this new version of Social, agencies can manage all their client accounts from one platform. It also allows for agency branding and logos, with increased collaboration abilities to keep your team and your clients in the loop.
Zoho Notebook Improvements – Notebook began as a simple note-taking app on mobile but has now adapted to become even smarter, and now works as a desktop application as well. Added Mac and iOS 11 Support expands the devices from which you can use Notebook. With new intelligent formatting, Smart Cards, and document scanning, you can simplify and ease your note-taking process even further.
CRM Improvements
Marketplace Extensions – In 2017, Zoho expanded its marketplace to allow Zoho CRM to integrate with some of the biggest technology partners out there! With more than 80 new extensions available, you can optimize the potential of your CRM further than ever before. These new extensions will not only help you make the most of your CRM but can also help your business run more efficiently and avoid juggling multiple systems.
New Integrations and Platforms – Zoho CRM has further increased its capabilities with new integrations and platforms! The Finance Plus integration allows your sales reps to easily track the details of their deal expenses in the CRM. The Telephony Platform integration allows you to bring all of your phone conversations, including call recording, into the CRM. The SalesSignals platform helps consolidate all of your notifications, such social media, email, and third-party apps, into an organized timeline. These are just 3 of the new integrations that were released this year!
CRM Improvements – Amidst all the improvements to the other Zoho apps, Zoho has also polished up the CRM itself. Updated workflow rules make automation easier and advanced filters which update in real-time help you keep track of your leads. Speaking of leads, you can now add leads directly from social media, and use new lead scoring rules to ensure you focus on the right leads in your funnel. And, don’t forget the new Sticky Notes to help you stay on top of it all!
We know that was a lot to take in, and Zoho is improving faster each day, seemingly. Now, you can catch up with the big boys, improve your business, and slow things down a bit yourself – only figuratively, though. Check out Zoho’s 2017 recap for more updates and improvements!
Interested in learning more about Zoho, or have a question? Reach out to our team today! We are Zoho Certified Consultants here to help with all your Zoho needs. Give our team a call at (888) 207-4111, or click the button below and we will reach out to you!
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CRM Review: Zoho vs GoldMine – A Comprehensive Comparison
In the days ofcryptomining, is all that glitters really gold?Cryptocurrency may just be a buzzword to some, but it shows just how inclusive the internet is when looking for solutions to different problems! Zoho’s millions of users rely on them to maintain their software, so you can trust them to handle website bugs. In fact, before we bring you onto our team as partners, we want you to explore various solutions; we’re so confident in Zoho, we know that they’ll offer the best solution to you every single time. We are setting our biases aside to compare Zoho VS GoldMine CRM and give you an honest comparison between the two regarding safety & security, integrations, performance, and of course costs.
Zoho vs GoldMine CRM: Which Cloud Solution Soars?
Safety & Security
When comparing Zoho VS GoldMine CRM, or any CRM for that matter, security is key. Zoho is stacked with nearly 30 million users worldwide, from small to large organizations, so security is paramount. If you run one of the oldest versions of GoldMine CRM, you’re aware of administrator “master rights” and how admin rights protect your precious information on your server. GoldMine’s newer, cloud-based iteration doesn’t provide many details on its security – but, it is clear that you are not actually reliant on GoldMine CRM for that data security, but on another provider. Zoho holds ISP/IEC 27001 global level security standards (tested independently) as well as SOC compliance. Not to mention, they outline their security measures to assure you that your information is well protected.
The Winner: Zoho
Integrations and Compatability
Zoho partners are positively flooded with requests to integrate outside applications with Zoho, or even create new apps within the Zoho environment, and there’s no end to that in sight. Zoho’s comprehensive package of apps called Zoho One offers 40+ integrations to start! That includes nearly anything you can imagine for a business, from accounting and inventory to sales and human resources. Conversely, for GoldMine CRM, integrations are somewhat limited: QuickBooks and Windows (presumably the environment on which you’d install GoldMine) are your top options. However, as a cloud solution, Zoho is able to run on many common browsers, including Safari 4 and above, Chrome 17 and above, Mozilla Firefox 17 and above, and Internet Explorer 9 and above. All of Zoho is also mobile- and tablet-ready, whereas GoldMine CRM has to rely on middleware, called Dejacloud, to add this capability.
The Winner: Zoho
Performance
GoldMine CRM may have been top-of-the-line at one point, but today its outdated interface requires more server-related maintenance just to upkeep – which is typical of on-premise systems – and this is work that most businesses find they just don’t have time to do any longer. On the other hand, Zoho and its suite of apps are completely cloud-based, which means all server maintenance is handled by Zoho themselves (hence the monthly fees you pay to use the software). Accessing Zoho CRM via the web means you need only have a working internet connection to have all the capability you need – no costly dedicated servers, or dedicated IT professionals (at least in this regard). Of course, every website has bugs from time to time, and hardly any are up 100% of the time – but, putting liability in the hands of someone else – and knowing that the company liable for maintaining your software also does it for millions of other users at the same time – should instill a fair bit of confidence in Zoho.
The Winner: Zoho
Price
Small business or large enterprise? Find out which CRM is right for you: Zoho or GoldMine. However, to put it succinctly:
Choose your CRM model: GoldMine’s “Own It” or cloud-based option starting at $60/mo per user.
Zoho One’s all-inclusive subscription begins at $45/mo per user, and a very basic Standard CRM package beginning at $20/mo per user.
The Winner: Zoho
We understand this isn’t enough to answer all your CRM questions. If you’ve been using GoldMine CRM for some time, switching it up entirely may seem especially daunting. But, learning about other options as a first step before diving in headlong doesn’t have to be.
Contact us to learn more about Zoho or discuss Zoho vs GoldMine: (888) 207-4111 or click below. We are proud to be a Zoho Premium Partner and are ready to help you make the move to this CRM that will be an ideal fit for your business.
It’s often said the current generation is one of instant gratification. Credit card purchases and same-day deliveries are a testament to this – but, the same can even be said of field services and installations. Elements of the job that used to require picking up a phone, paper calendars, and a physical survey of your team now happen in an instant with email, cloud-based calendars, and automated everything else due to the advent of the internet in general. For an industry that is expected to grow to $4.45 billion by 2022 (at a 16.5% compound annual growth rate), it means that quick service and an enhanced customer experience are key – and, thankfully, it’s never been easier to do it and benefit from it. Optimizing your scheduling process and making your business more efficient will put you ahead of the game.
Here are 5 ways you can increase efficiency with scheduling.
1. Find a scheduling tool that integrates.
A scheduling tool that can integrate with your employees’ calendars is important because it helps to ensure that none of your technicians will miss their appointments. If it integrates with your CRM, then it is even better! Your employees will be able to access customer information necessary for their appointments with the click of a button.
2. Google Maps and Drive Time Calculation.
Having to plan out routes for your employees while scheduling can be time-consuming. Let SmartScheduler be your dispatcher and calculate it for you, providing drive time calculation and optimal routes! Also, save your accounting department the hassle of working through mileage payouts by automatically tracking actual miles traveled through drive time calculation and google maps integration.
3.Your customers can schedule themselves.
Streamline your efficiency and your bottom line. Giving your customer the opportunity to book appointments on their own time is a huge benefit: they don’t have wait to call in during office hours, speak with an agent, and go back and forth looking for a time that works. Instead, they can just search for times that work for them! This also leaves your staff open to do other tasks, and takes the stress away from waiting by the phone.
4. The scheduling process is automated.
The best way to increase efficiency when it comes to scheduling is to automate it! We know that dropping numerous tasks at hand to set appointments for your employees or yourself can be a hassle, especially when you have to take multiple factors into consideration, like expertise or territory. In fact, California-based company Energy Datametrics found that their productivity increased by 15% after they started using scheduling software.
5. Find an App that can do it all!
Our SmartScheduler can! The SmartScheduler help you, well…schedule smarter! It integrates with Zoho CRM and we’ve just added new features to allow your customers to schedule online. We are always keeping our SmartScheduler app up-to-date and we can scale it to your particular needs. Optimize your potential and become more efficient with our SmartScheduler! Check out our recent webinar for a more in-depth look at how the SmartScheduler works.
Interested in learning more about Zoho or our SmartScheduler? Or reach out to a member of our team! Our Zoho Certified Consultants are here help! Give us a call at (888) 207-4111, or click the button below and we will call you!
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Zoho Notebook Review: New Feature Alert – Get More Organized than Ever!
Zoho seems to be the king of expanding already complex applications into tools you can use to run entire departments of businesses – but, as it turns out, they’re also pretty adept at taking smaller, simpler tools and making those better, too. Take Zoho Notebook, for example: Zoho’s answer to apps like Evernote takes the simple act of taking notes on the fly – something most of us really benefit from doing – and combines it with some great features you may not even know you needed – or, wonder how you ever went without them before.
What is Zoho Notebook?
Zoho Notebook is a (free!) note taking application available across several devices. It allows users to easily take notes which are synced to the cloud so they are always up to date. You can create text notes and checklists, flesh out ideas with a dedicated notecard, and even record audio to go with your notes. You can organize your cards into different notebooks with customized titles and covers to keep yourself organized. Share your notes with others over SMS, email, iMessage, and AirDrop, or keep them private with passcodes. This free note taking app simplifies the note taking process and has been made even better with its recent updates!
What are the New Features?
Intelligent Formatting
Worried that your notes will become distorted or lost when switching between devices? Well, worry no more! With Zoho’s new Smart Cards, the content of your notes is formatted intelligently into simple and clean notecards. Saving a link to an article or webpage? Zoho Notebook will put the headline and main image at the forefront, instead of just a long link. It also makes saving video links to your notes easy: when you save a link from Youtube or Vimeo, Notebook will show a video preview on the card and play it in a distraction-free area when opened. You can now even scan documents to Notebook! With text, audio, sketch, and recipe cards, Notebook’s smart cards take note-taking to the next level!
Notebook for Web
Zoho Notebook originally began as a mobile app but has now expanded into a true online repository! Notebook for web syncs seamlessly from your mobile devices to your desktop. Want to take notes while browsing the web? You can now use extensions which are available for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox to simply drag and drop content and cards across apps. You can save articles (without ads) using Clean view, and clip text and images to save to cards. Protect some of your notes, or extend protection to all of them, using passcodes to ensure your privacy. The simplicity of Notebook will help you stay organized with ease.
Notebook for Mac and iOS 11 Support
You can now do more with Notebook for Mac! Zoho has optimized the experience for Mac users by expanding the drag-and-drop features. Need to save a checklist to your iOS reminders? Well, you can! Zoho has also added support for the drag and drop feature to the iPad Pro, allowing you to multitask and easily manage your notes from even more devices. Other improvements include the ability to unlock your notes using FaceID or Touch ID (depending on the device), making security even better.
Interested in learning more about Zoho Notebook or Zoho in general? Contact a member of our team today! At ZBrains, we provide tailor-made Zoho solutions for your business. Give us a call at (888) 207-4111. R click the link below and we will call you!
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