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Why Integrate QuickBooks with Zoho CRM?

Published on: October 1, 2015Category: Zoho CRM, Zoho IntegrationsLast Updated: April 24, 2020 Comments: 0

Why Integrate QuickBooks and Zoho CRM?

(A Theoretical Journey)

integrate quickbooks

There are many reasons to integrate QuickBooks and Zoho CRM, but, if you’re not so familiar with the capabilities of both programs, those reasons for integrating may not be so obvious.  And, if you’re someone who has done business one particular way for many years, you may not yet realize the importance of connecting business software programs.

In order to illustrate a point…let’s go on a short excursion.

Lousy communication looks like this

integrate quickbooks

It may be cliché, but, in the world of business, it’s nearly always better to work together with your colleagues than to work separately.  Being separated from your fellow workers comes with its share of disadvantages:

  1. Nobody knows what the other is doing
  2. Information has to be relayed between parties (and sometimes a third party) if it wants to get anywhere
  3. Transferring information takes a long time

integrate quickbooks

There’s a common thread connecting these, of course: it’s all about communication.  Not communicating can really slow things down in a business, at times even preventing things from happening entirely.  As a reader of this blog, you’re probably at least somewhat tech-minded, and you’re likely familiar with some effective communication methods as they apply to business.  For example, you probably:

  • Call up a coworker or leave a message in a chat room rather than do nothing when you’re checking in on someone, and you can’t be there in the same room.  This way, your colleagues know you’re trying to communicate.
  • Use a direct route of communicating for important matters–like a shout or a walk down the hallway–rather than tell someone else to pass along a message.  That way, nothing gets lost in translation.
  • Work expeditiously to get your messages across to colleagues, vendors, and everyone else important in your life.  That way, you get your required tasks finished quickly.

These are standard business practices, not to mention life practices.  And, you’re probably nodding your head anticipating something slightly less obvious…

Well, try this notion on for size: in spite of knowing well how to communicate verbal information efficiently in the office, many companies do not use these same principles when thinking about their software programs.

Back to reality: Why integrate QuickBooks and CRM at all?

integrate quickbooks

So, why would you want to integrate Zoho with QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online?  We can apply the same principles from effective human verbal communication to effective software communication.  Software programs essentially do the jobs people can’t quite do themselves.  For example, a CRM remembers countless lines of data; QuickBooks tracks all your company’s finances.

It follows, then, that not integrating software programs creates situations similar to those created when people aren’t integrated properly in the workplace:

  1. One program doesn’t know what the other is doing
  2. Information needs to go through a not-always-compatible third party to get anywhere, and that sometimes corrupts data
  3. The transfer of information is unnecessarily slow

Programs these days…

Just as technology has increased communication in humans dramatically over the past years, technology has done the same for software programs.  Many programs that previously had no connective capability are now built especially for integration.  Rather than have the three situations above, with integrated programs you have something much more effective:

  • Programs “knowing” what each other is doing
  • Information going through a specially-designed electronic corridor
  • Much quicker transfers of information, sometimes instantaneous

So, why integrate QuickBooks with Zoho CRM, specifically?

integrate quickbooks

Now that we know basically why it’s better for humans to work together than not, and why it’s better for software programs to integrate in order to do the same, we should be able to glean why it’s good to integrate QuickBooks and Zoho CRM:  Communicating efficiently is better than communicating slowly, or, not at all.

But, what are some specific things that QuickBooks and Zoho can communicate between each other?

  • Accounts and Contacts: If you have a record of someone in your CRM, chances are you’ll want to either pay them for services or goods, or charge them for your own, by having a record of that person in QuickBooks.  Or, you’ll want to transfer that record from QuickBooks to your CRM so you can add additional notes on that person.
  • Invoices, Quotes, Sales Orders, Purchase Orders:  The same ideas from above apply here.  Use your CRM to take detailed notes on purchases, and use QuickBooks to collect payment.
  • Vendors: Again, synchronicity allows for detailed tracking in CRM and actual payments in QuickBooks.

When you integrate QuickBooks with Zoho CRM, you eliminate countless hours of manual data entry; you also ensure communication between the two programs.  For example, you can turn Quotes in Zoho into Invoices in QuickBooks at the push of a button.  That means no more having to manually enter order details.

 

 

 

Zoho CRM vs. ACT CRM: Which is the Best Choice for Your Business?

Published on: September 30, 2015Category: Zoho Campaigns, Zoho CRMLast Updated: May 16, 2023 Comments: 0

ACT CRM vs Zoho CRM Review

sage act vs zoho crm review

Is picking ACT? such sage advice?

This isn’t a typical CRM comparison in that if you find yourself comparison ACT CRM vs Zoho CRM, you’re probably deciding whether to keep ACT or move to Zoho CRM.  If we were to make an analogy, this would be like pitting a heavyweight against a lightweight in the boxing arena – but, as you well know, it’s not always a throwaway match.  Heavyweights, while powerful and visible, can be a little slow in the ring; and, lightweights, while not quite as potent at times, can be extremely agile and nimble.

If the comparison isn’t immediately apparent, the older ACT is the bulkier heavyweight, while cloud-based Zoho CRM is the lighter fighter.  So, who wins this particular mismatched battle?  Read on for the skinny on Zoho, as well as a ACT CRM review…

Round One: The Price

sage act vs zoho crm review

This battle won’t actually be quite as mismatched as I’ve led you to believe.  Zoho CRM Professional Edition (PE) is very similar in price to ACT! Expert:

  • It costs $420 to board a single user on Zoho CRM PE for one year.
  • It costs $540 to board a single user on Act! CRM Expert for one year.

Not too much of a difference there at all, so this match is a tie!

The real differences are in the features of each product, though.

Round Two: Tracking the Sales

sage act vs zoho crm review

At the onset, both Zoho and ACT appear evenly matched, both providing a typical number of modules like Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Opportunities, Sales forecasts, and the ability to import data from old CRMs.  The real difference is in what Zoho provides in addition, though, that Sage does not:

  • Competitor tracking
  • Sales quotas
  • Feeds

The first two are self-explanatory, but, feeds is a feature that turns your CRM into a social network of sorts, allowing members to track or follow certain activities or records in the CRM, adding comments as they see fit.  This style of communication is advantageous because it’s in a format most modern tech-minded (or generally younger) workers are used to, and, comments can be traced back to specific events or records easily, making it a much easier communication solution than starting an email thread (or multiple threads).

That said, the winner of this round is Zoho.

Round Three: Integrating the Social Aspect

sage act vs zoho crm review

Having an online presence – especially in social media – is one of the most important things a business can do nowadays.  Sage clearly recognizes this and equips ACT! Pro with all sorts of social media integration options: Facebook and LinkedIn, built-in tabs for both of those networks, and ways to monitor mentions of your company on those social media platforms.  Zoho CRM PE, which only sports integrations to Twitter and Facebook, seems a bit behind in this aspect.  For that reason, Sage wins the social media integration round.

Round Four: Automating your Marketing

sage act vs zoho crm review

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get your CRM to help you with your marketing?  Indeed, you can.  Many CRMs are equipped with marketing automation tools – but, as we’re finding out, not all of these tools are distributed equally.  Zoho CRM comes with a variety of standard marketing automation tools: Available email templates, mass emailing ability, an email campaign manager (Zoho Campaigns), and, the ability to transfer web leads directly into your Zoho CRM.  Sage, on the other hand, provides mass emailing and campaign tracking ability – and web-to-lead conversion, but at an increased price.  Overall, Zoho wins this round, as it simply provides the user more marketing options, and at an ostensibly reduced price.

ACT CRM vs Zoho CRM BONUS ROUND: Inventory Management

sage act vs zoho crm review

For a bonus round (even a self-described one), this one is certainly no contest.  In short, if you need a CRM with inventory management capability and you’ve narrowed your search down to ACT Expert and Zoho CRM PE, you should choose Zoho CRM PE.

Zoho CRM PE allows users to track and modify Sales Quotes, Sales Orders, Products, Price Books, Invoices, Vendors, and Purchase Orders – and, it comes with integrated order procurement and fulfillment capabilities.

ACT! Expert packs none of these features.

And, the winner of ACT CRM vs Zoho CRM is…

sage act vs zoho crm review

For the rounds we took into account, the clear winner seems to be Zoho CRM Professional Edition over ACT! Expert.  However, it’s worth noting that you may want to do additional homework before making a final decision on a CRM.  Paired with its lightweight quality, Zoho is unequivocally the cheaper option, but, that fact and this analysis don’t account for factors like customer support, Zoho consulting, or UI, which are quite subjective.  In any case, we hope this has provided you the information you need to ultimately choose the CRM that best fits your unique business.

One more thing about ACT vs Zoho

A final thing to consider when comparing ACT and Zoho is that aside from Zoho’s dedicated apps for managing inventory, projects, and your books (Zoho Books, to be exact), Zoho offers even more functionality at only a fraction of the price of a single app, in some cases.  This offering is called Zoho One, and it’s a collection of over 40 different Zoho applications, available for only $45/user/mo, or $37/user/mo when paid annually*.  The only requirement to use Zoho One is that all of your W-2 employees use the suite.  Obviously, this isn’t a good choice for all companies – but, it tends to help very many. *Pricing updated June 2021

Still not sure which direction to go in?  We’ve helped many companies in your situation before.  Contact us to get started, or keep reading for more helpful information.

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Zoho CRM vs Salesforce: The Ultimate Comparison by ZBrains

Published on: September 29, 2015Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho CRMLast Updated: November 13, 2023 Comments: 0

salesforce vs zoho crm reviewsalesforce vs zoho crm review

Who’s the bigger force to be reckoned with?

With so many different CRMs available today, all with different specs, you’re bound to be a little bogged down if you try to absorb too much at once.  With that in mind, we’re going to pit just two against each other today: Salesforce vs Zoho.

When comparing features of Salesforce vs Zoho, it’s important to keep in mind the different versions of the two products.  Tags like “Professional Edition” and “Enterprise Edition” can be misleading, as standards obviously vary between companies.  In this case, the closest thing to Salesforce’s Professional Edition isn’t Zoho’s own Professional Edition, but their Enterprise Edition.

Anyhow, without further ado, let’s dive right in and figure out who wins in Salesforce vs Zoho…

The Salesforce vs Zoho CRM Review

salesforce vs zoho crm review

Round One: The Cost

This is a chief concern for many business owners when picking out any software programs.  Let’s take a look by making the simplest calculation possible: price per user.

  • It costs $50 per month* to board a single user on Zoho CRM EE. *Pricing updated June 2021
  • It costs $100 per month to board a single user on Salesforce CRM PE*. 

For companies only boarding a few users, this sort of cost won’t be a big deal, understandably.  But, when considering boarding ten users – or twenty of them – the cost per user becomes a much more important factor.

  • Cost per year to board ten Zoho CRM EE users: $5000
  • Cost per year to board twenty Zoho CRM EE users: $10,000
  • Cost per year to board ten Salesforce CRM PE users: $10,000
  • Cost per year to board twenty Salesforce CRM PE users: $20,000

In this case, the trend is clear: it costs twice as much to board the equivalent number of Zoho CRM EE users on Salesforce CRM PE, making Zoho the winner of this round of Salesforce vs Zoho.

Logically, the next thing you’ll want to do after comparing prices is see exactly what features you’ll get for the prices.  That process is a little more involved than just looking at a couple of numbers, so we’ll divide it into a few rounds by category.

 salesforce vs zoho crm review

Round Two: The Sales Automation

One of the big reasons you’re looking into buying a CRM in general is so the program will keep track of certain things for you.  Like, for example, your different leads, contacts, opportunities, and the like.  Both Salesforce CRM PE and Zoho CRM EE pack a similar list of features, including competitor tracking, catalogs, and sales forecasts.

One notable feature Zoho packs that Salesforce does not, however, is feeds.

Feeds allows users to keep track of updates to certain leads, opportunities, or other activities; users can even leave comments on those activities, much like one would on a social network.  This aspect alone gives Zoho an edge, although the rest of the sales automation features in Zoho are quite similar to the ones in Salesforce.

By just a nudge, Zoho wins this round as well.

salesforce vs zoho crm review

Round Three: The Social Aspect

Being able to interact with customers on social media is very important, especially in today’s business environment.  Both Salesforce PE and Zoho EE come into this round prepared for social battle, sporting Twitter and Facebook integrations, and Salesforce adding a LinkedIn plugin.  Zoho makes up for its lack of LinkedIn with a social tab (to more easily monitor Facebook and Twitter entries) and a way to monitor social mentions, but, with LinkedIn as a big a player as it is in the business space, this round belongs to Salesforce.

Round 3A: Integrated chat options

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that both Salesforce and Zoho have integrated website chat options.  In both Live Agent (Salesforce’s platform) and SalesIQ (Zoho’s), users can wait for visitor questions to roll in, or engage visitors directly via chat box.  (This feature works particularly well for members of a Sales team or a Customer Support team.)  Since Live Agent and SalesIQ are very similar, however, their inclusion doesn’t factor into the final decision.

salesforce vs zoho crm review

Round Four: The Inventory Management

Another great quality of many CRMs is their ability to track inventory.  That said, not all inventory management systems are created equally… Inventory management is where Zoho CRM EE really shines against Salesforce CRM PE; while Salesforce can track Sales Quotes, Products, and Price Books, Zoho can track those three categories of items plus Sales Orders, Invoices, Vendors, and Purchase Orders.  In addition, Zoho has an integrated order procurement and fulfillment option.  In this case, the unquestionable winner is Zoho.

salesforce vs zoho crm review

Salesforce vs Zoho CRM BONUS ROUND: Integration

The ability to integrate is another absolutely vital part of modern businesses, as integrated systems can save time and money.  Even if an integrated program doesn’t end up lowering costs, the potential for time savings can make up for that.

This round is no contest, though.  Zoho was built with integration in mind; users of the program can also access MS Office, MS Outlook, Gmail, Google Apps, QuickBooks Desktop – and, they can access Zoho CRM and modify records entirely from mobile devices.  Salesforce packs a few of those options – notably, integrations for QuickBooks, Gmail, Google Apps, and MS Office; however, some of the integrations are only offered for a higher cost.

On the subject of integrations, it bears mentioning that, like Salesforce, Zoho comes with a whole suite of apps and add-ons that can integrate with the CRM.  Zoho’s offering, called Zoho One, is a suite of over 40 programs – and the number grows nearly every month.  The entire suite, which includes CRM, Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, and a project management app, is just $45/user/mo, a far cry from similar offerings from Salesforce.  With Zoho already coming up with a lower total cost without the extra charges for certain integrations, Zoho wins this round as well, far and away.

Zoho CRM vs. Salesforce: Similarities & Differences

Zoho CRM and Salesforce are two well-known customer relationship management (CRM) software packages that provide a variety of capabilities to assist organizations in managing their customer connections, sales processes, and marketing initiatives. They have certain similarities but also significant differences. To better understand the similarities and differences between Zoho CRM and Salesforce, let us compare and contrast them:
1.Editions and pricing:
  • Zoho CRM:  Zoho CRM offers a variety of editions, including a free edition for up to three users, as well as paid editions with additional features and functionality, such as Zoho CRM Plus. The pricing is generally more affordable, making it suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Salesforce is well-known for its extensive customizability. It offers a strong foundation for developing custom apps, processes, and integrations using Apex, its own programming language, and declarative tools such as Process Builder and Lightning App Builder. Salesforce is thus highly scalable and well-suited to organizations with complicated business processes.
2.Specifications and functionality:
  • Zoho CRM: Contact management, lead tracking, email integration, sales forecasting, social media integration, and analytics are just a few of the capabilities available with Zoho CRM. It also includes modules for email marketing and customer assistance, such as Zoho Campaigns.
  • Salesforce: Salesforce provides a variety of capabilities that span CRM, sales, marketing, and customer service. Through its care Cloud, it provides lead management, opportunity tracking, email automation, reporting and dashboards, workflow automation, marketing automation, and customer care functionality.
3.User Interface and Usability:
  • Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM offers an easy-to-use user interface. It provides a consolidated view of client data, allowing users to easily access contact information, activity history, and associated records.
  • Salesforce: Salesforce’s user interface is highly flexible and can be adjusted to meet unique user requirements. However, the interface, particularly for beginning users, can be confusing and daunting. The latest user interface, Salesforce Lightning, offers a more modern and streamlined experience.
4. Ecosystem and Integration:
  • Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM interfaces with a wide range of third-party apps and services, such as email marketing platforms, accounting software, and productivity tools. It also offers its own set of business applications, such as Zoho Books and Zoho Projects, that can be combined for complete business management.
  • Salesforce: Salesforce has a large ecosystem of third-party integrations as well as a dedicated AppExchange marketplace. It has a large developer community and may be integrated with a variety of popular programs such as marketing automation tools, collaboration platforms, and ERP systems.

Unparalleled Performance: Unveiling the Value of Zoho CRM

When evaluating the ideal CRM solution, Zoho CRM emerges as a strong contender, offering a suite of features that seamlessly align with your organizational goals. From robust lead management and streamlined workflow automation to comprehensive analytics that yield actionable insights, Zoho CRM is customized to enhance your business operations holistically.

Why Zoho CRM Prevails: A Closer Look

  • Tailored Solutions: Zoho CRM recognizes the diversity of business requirements, hence offering customizable interfaces and adaptable modules. This ensures that your CRM experience is a reflection of your unique needs.
  • Seamless User Interface: Navigating intricate functionalities becomes a breeze with Zoho CRM’s intuitive dashboard. The user-friendly design empowers teams, enhancing their efficiency and overall productivity.
  • Affordability, No Compromises: Zoho CRM stands out for its affordability without compromising on capabilities. Experience the full spectrum of CRM tools without stretching your budget, setting it apart in the market.
  • AI-Powered Insights: Gain a competitive edge with AI-driven analytics from Zoho CRM. Unearth patterns, predict trends, and make well-informed decisions propelling your business towards exponential growth.
  • Harmonious Ecosystem Integration: Zoho CRM seamlessly integrates with a suite of Zoho applications, establishing a unified ecosystem that streamlines operations across your organization. This synergy fosters collaboration and maximizes efficiency.

In the compelling face-off between Salesforce and Zoho CRM, the latter emerges triumphant in addressing the multifaceted needs of modern businesses. With its tailored approach, intuitive interface, budget-friendliness, AI-infused insights, and ecosystem integration, Zoho CRM emerges as the definitive choice for enterprises poised to achieve unparalleled success.

 

salesforce vs zoho

Conclusion?

Of course, this report doesn’t extract every single detail from both Zoho CRM Enterprise Edition and Salesforce CRM Professional Edition.  However, the overview of the few features outlined gives prospective users an idea of what to expect.

What this report does not do is detail the exact look and feel of each UI, nor does it mention the methods of online or phone support plans or CRM consulting services offered, since those tend to be judged more subjectively.

The real object is to get you to make your own decision between Salesforce vs Zoho.  While Zoho may be a cheaper option with more features, you may be looking into something more, still.  You might prefer something lighter than Zoho CRM Enterprise Edition–or lighter than Salesforce Professional Edition.  In any event, hopefully this post helps in your search for the CRM that’s most appropriate for your own business.

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Zoho VOIP Integration: Boosting Your Inside Sales Efficiency

Published on: September 20, 2015Category: Zoho CRM, Zoho IntegrationsLast Updated: September 21, 2023 Comments: 0

integrated voip

When you’re running an outbound call-based inside sales business, time is everything.

In fact, the phrase “time is money” probably doesn’t ring more true in many types of businesses.  Your salespeople have a singular task of reaching as many potential customers as possible, so, every second they spend off the phones (mental health breaks notwithstanding, sure…) is a second they aren’t selling.  That’s a second your company isn’t earning!

Even with that in mind, a shocking number of these kinds of businesses don’t use an integrated calling system.  They dial numbers the old-fashioned way, manually – whether from an online list or even from a phonebook.

This wastes time needlessly.  But, many business owners simply aren’t aware of a better way of going about things: integrated VOIP.  Essentially, an integrated phone system bridges the gap between CRM and telephone, and, this saves a great deal of time with processes that were traditionally a little cumbersome, like, entering phone numbers manually and navigating through many different programs to record notes.

Integrated VOIP at a glance

integrated voip

Imagine these scenarios possible with integrated VOIP:

  • Your salespeople are able to make calls with just a push of a button on their keyboards.
  • When your salespeople make calls, special software cross-references dialed numbers with numbers inside your CRM and automatically pulls appropriate notes and call history.
  • When your team members receive incoming calls, the software pulls up the same notes and call history.
  • Your salespeople can record notes inside this special software while on the phone, and the software records those notes to your CRM.

All this is possible with existing technology: that is, an integrated VOIP program.

The chief objective of using any integrated systems, including an integrated VOIP program, is to save time.  That said, an integrated VOIP saves times in a number of ways:

  1. By pressing a single key instead of dialing an entire phone number, your sales team members can save a fraction of a minute on every single call.
  2. By having a program automatically recall notes and call history, your sales team members can save at least a minute searching for notes manually on each call.
  3. By having this same program automatically record notes into your CRM, each sales team member saves an additional minute they’d ordinarily spend navigating inside your CRM, perhaps through multiple screens.

Consider Zoho VOIP Integragtion for the time you get back every day

integrated voip

For a business that needs its sales team members to make hundreds of calls per day, this is absolutely invaluable.  In fact, if team members saved just one minute per call and only made 60 calls per day,those team members would gain an entire hour of time per day.  What could all of your sales team members do with an extra hour?

Already sold on the idea?  Try an integrated VOIP solution from Zoho

Zoho’s integrations with VOIP software pack all the features listed above, plus much more.  Let us show you a little more about it on this Zoho unified communications page.  By integrating VOIP with your Zoho CRM in particular, you get all the benefits of the integration combined with everything good about Zoho CRM.  And, there’s a lot that’s good!

For even more help with Zoho and its various other integrations, including one for Zoho CRM and QuickBooks, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (888) 207-4111.

For other Zoho concerns, including how to get CRM training, Zoho support, or Zoho consulting packages, see the links provided or contact us by clicking the button in the upper right corner of your screen.

In a Zoho Bind? Zoho Consultants Can Help

Published on: September 12, 2015Category: Last Updated: May 30, 2023

In a Zoho Bind?  Zoho Consultants Can Help

Zoho CRM is certainly renowned for its great customization options – but, with all that power comes a good bit of responsibility too, and, sometimes it’s enough to make you want to hang up your hat.  Almost makes you wish you knew a few Zoho consultants…

zoho consultants

We completely get it!  That’s one of the reasons we’re here.

We founded ZBrains because we know trying to get Zoho and all its apps to behave exactly how you want them to can sometimes be difficult – and, we love showing Zoho users ways to use the programs to do not only your bidding, but, eventually, to do things you wouldn’t have even thought possible before.

What can Zoho Consultants do to help?zo

Chatting with Zoho consulting experts isn’t just about following commands (unless you like being back in high school).  We’d rather sit down with you and talk about the nature of your business.  That way, we’ll know exactly what you can expect out of Zoho, and, you’ll know what’s possible for your unique business model.

As Zoho consultants, we can then train you in as many aspects of Zoho as you want, including Zoho CRM, uncovering all the little tips and tricks you might need to make your life easier, but none of the ones that won’t serve you.  Then, we can introduce you to special Zoho apps like SalesIQ, Campaigns, MarketingHub, and Social, designed to give your customers a more interactive experience with your brand.

Think you’ll need even more?  Let us know and we can even implement Zoho for you with one of our special plans.  We’ll go through your whole business process to ensure Zoho fits in.  And, we can even show you where Zoho can improve your processes themselves.  Rest assured we’ll do all the heavy lifting for you.

Do you need Zoho to do something a little more specialized?

We’re called ZBrains not only because of our Zoho product knowledge, but because we create plugins for Zoho that you won’t find anywhere else.  For example:

Are these Zoho Consultants the same as Zoho Support?

zoho consultants

They aren’t!  Zoho is a large company, and, while they would love to be able to serve everyone with lightning speed, it isn’t always possible. With ZBrains, you get local support from a leaner, meaner company.

That said, getting your whole team on the same page (and even in the same room) for a support or training session can be troublesome – so, we coordinate training sessions you and your whole team can see via shared screen, making sure not to leave any stones unturned.  As well, Zoho support plans are available for spur-of-the-moment requests, bugs, and other issues that sometimes arise.

Zoho Consultants are ready to help!  Get started today

You shouldn’t have to sit on the bench while your team toils with a new system; you can empower them by investing time in the right training.  Simply contact us or call 888-207-4111, and we’ll be in touch with you shortly to have a discussion about your business and how Zoho can work for you to make it all run smoothly.

Hiring Zoho CRM Certified Consultants Helps Big Time

Published on: September 5, 2015Category: Last Updated: May 30, 2023

Thinking About Hiring Zoho CRM Certified Consultants?  You Should Be

zoho crm certified consultants

This will undoubtedly ring true for you.  Using Zoho CRM is a great way to keep in touch with all your contacts, leads, and other business partners – and, it can certainly help you achieve a variety of business-related goals when it’s put to use correctly.  You know this, and…you’ve decided to save a bit of cash by implementing the new system yourself.

But, before we get too ahead of ourselves, just imagine this:

You’ve just acquired the licenses for a new Zoho CRM system, and, in an effort to really cut costs significantly, you’ve decided to take that plunge and implement Zoho yourself.  Your staff will train themselves, you figure.  Everyone’s used contact management software before, and, someone told you this one was pretty easy and very customizable.  Perfect.

It’s taken you three straight weeks of after-hours tweaking, but, you think you’ve finally imported all your old data and set up all your users, tweaked permissions, set up workflow automation and blueprint… You don’t even have time to relish in your success before the go-live date.  You pop into work, only to realize…

Something is quite wrong.

zoho crm certified consultants

Of course you migrated all your old data over, but…for some reason, nobody can see it.  Your salespeople are fielding calls from past customers and they have no idea what to say to them.

Not all of your staff can even log in or manage the material they’re used to.  What gives?

To further exacerbate things, you’re running a special promo today, and phones are buzzing right off your employees’ desks.  They don’t have time to waste trying to fix a new CRM.  And, for certain, asking Zoho CRM certified consultants to help you with your implementation probably didn’t cross your mind for too long.  But, now, you’d love some help…

It’s 2019.  Do you really need Zoho CRM certified consultants to do your work for you?

zoho crm certified consultants

In a word: yes.

Although this is the age of YouTube tutorials and IKEA, trying to learn as much about something as you could from a field-certified professional, especially when you have a business to run, would take far too long to be that effective.  Going it alone may seem like a great way to save capital – and, it would be, if you had a perfect memory, and all the information you needed even existed online.

Unfortunately, at least one (and probably both) of those aren’t so.

Because Zoho CRM is quite customizable, not all of its features, especially the ones you may need to use, are apparent at first glance.  Or second, or third.  You may have a great idea of how you want your staff to use your new system, but, because there are simply so many ways to get the Zoho CRM to do the things you need it to do, you may be fooled into thinking the way you discovered is the best way.

And, to make matters worse, there’s a negative effect of putting too much time into something you haven’t been fully briefed on, like Zoho CRM.

Your business suffers.

What happens when Zoho CRM certified consultants deploy your system?

zoho crm certified consultants

Well, you save yourself a big headache, for one.

And, you get to rest assured of a few other very important things:

  • Your information’s all accessible in the right places to the right people.

Zoho CRM has settings to configure who sees what pieces of information in your system, especially valuable for shared projects and for keeping outside salespeople from cannibalizing each other.  Don’t leave something this important to chance: Zoho CRM certified consultants are there to make sure everyone sees what they’re supposed to, and no one steps on anyone else’s toes.

  • Your users can get in and out scot-free.

Login issues are always a hassle, but, when they relate to your business, they can slow your entire train to a grinding, embarrassing halt.  Configuring logins seems easy enough, sure – but, how many times have you had to reset a password you knew was correct, or didn’t have emails routed to the right place?  Let a team of Zoho CRM certified consultants help you manage your users and make sure everyone has appropriate CRM access.

  • You retain the knowledge you’re given for future endeavors.

Take a man fishing and he’ll fish for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll fish for a lifetime.  Our team of Zoho CRM certified consultants wouldn’t dream of simply taking you fishing.  They’ll show you exactly what they’re doing behind the scenes so, given enough time, even you might become a certified Zoho master yourself!  Fishing never seemed so productive, suddenly…

  • You gain knowledge of the CRM – and other Zoho apps.

One of the best things about Zoho is that there’s so much to it.  Actually, it’s both a blessing and a curse, because it can prove quite confusing if you go into customizing it without knowing the architecture of all the apps.  Fortunately, that’s exactly what we do, and it’s what we can help you with.  By working with ZBrains, we’ll introduce you not only to the CRM, but to many other apps in the Zoho family.  You may even be able to choose between suites like Zoho One or Zoho CRM Plus.   You’ll see how everything connects in order to work for you.

Take me to the river…

[caption id="attachment_681" align="alignleft" width="300"]zoho crm certified consultants These guys knew.  Do you?[/caption]

Now’s as good a time as any to head to the water and really learn about what your Zoho CRM can do.  With the help of Zoho CRM certified consultants, at the very least your business will be running smoothly, the way it should.

Leave the implementation to the professionals, and we’ll leave your business to you – and, together, we’ll make a pretty fine team.

Contact us using the button on the upper right-hand side of the screen to schedule an appointment with one of our Zoho CRM certified consultants.  You’ll never go hungry again!

Signs You Need a Certified Zoho Expert

Published on: September 4, 2015Category: Last Updated: May 17, 2023

Unlocking the Power of Zoho CRM with Expert Guidance

Zoho CRM is an effective customer relationship management software that may transform your business operations and improve client relationships. Maximizing the potential of Zoho CRM, on the other hand, necessitates experience and in-depth knowledge of the platform’s capabilities and functionalities. A qualified Zoho CRM consultant, also known as a Zoho CRM specialist, can be extremely helpful in this situation. In this post, we’ll look at the symptoms that you might require the help of a professional Zoho CRM consultant to optimize your CRM setup and promote business success.

  • Complex Implementation Issues: If you encounter complex implementation issues while setting up or modifying your Zoho CRM, it is a clear indication that you require the services of a trained Zoho CRM consultant. These specialists have the knowledge and experience to assist you manage the platform’s complexities and develop a customized CRM solution that meets your specific company needs.
  • CRM Workflow Inefficiency: Do you believe your existing Zoho CRM workflow is inefficient or not producing the intended results? A qualified Zoho CRM expert may audit your current processes and workflows to uncover bottlenecks, improve operations, and boost overall efficiency. They can provide insightful advice and best practices for optimizing your CRM workflow and ensuring smooth interaction with your business activities.
  • Inadequate Data Management and Reporting: Making informed business decisions requires accurate and insightful reporting. If you’re having trouble with data administration, data analysis, or generating useful reports from your Zoho CRM, it’s a good sign you need the help of a qualified Zoho CRM consultant. They can assist you in developing and implementing a solid data management strategy, creating custom reports and dashboards, and providing actionable insights to support data-driven decision-making.
  • Integration Issues: To help you streamline your operations, Zoho CRM offers a variety of connectors with various business tools and platforms. However, without the necessary skills, integrating Zoho CRM with third-party systems can be hard and time-consuming. A qualified Zoho CRM consultant can help you with the integration process, ensuring data integrity across platforms and enabling seamless communication between your CRM and other critical tools.
  • Customization Needs: Each organization has unique processes and requirements that may not be adequately covered by off-the-shelf CRM solutions. A trained Zoho CRM expert can assist you if you require tweaks or specialist functionalities in your Zoho CRM. These professionals are well-versed in Zoho CRM’s customization capabilities and can customize the platform to your exact business requirements, increasing productivity and efficiency.

You Might Need a Zoho CRM Certified Consultant if…

zoho crm certified consultant

We’ve all been there, sure.  Zoho CRM is an inexpensive but highly customizable way to manage all of your contacts and achieve a multitude of different business goals – and, you’ve decided to implement the cloud-based system alone, without the help of a Zoho CRM certified consultant.efficiency

Well, picture this scenario:

You’ve just bought a DIY version of Zoho CRM and, in an effort to really hit the ground running, you’ve decided to play learn-as-you-go and forgo team training.  You’ve used a CRM before, and, you’ve managed to import all of your old data.

It’s taken a good couple of weeks of solid work.  After hours.  On the eve of the go-live date, you finally put your feet up for a paltry half hour before dozing off…and then going into work the next day.

But, at the start of business, it’s immediately apparent something’s wrong.

zoho crm certified consultant

You remember importing all your data, but…you can’t see all of it, and, some of your sales force can’t see any of it.  Why not?

Some of your modules have names your employees don’t recognize, either.

Some folks are having trouble even logging in.

And, to boot, today is the first day of a promotion you’ve been running.  The phones are already ringing off the hook.

The thought of calling a Zoho CRM certified consultant probably doesn’t even enter your mind; that would just compound your list of catch-up to do.  You bravely forge ahead, much to your own and your salespeople’s chagrin, as they can hardly operate the new CRM, and you’ve wasted a good deal of effort – and cash.

In today’s world, do you really need a Zoho CRM certified consultant?

Short answer: an unequivocal yes.

It’s really true… We’ve all been there.  This is the age of DIY, and, with the wealth of information available about so many subjects online, implementing a new system yourself is theoretically a great way to save some capital.

Or, is it?

As Zoho CRM is so plastic and changeable, all of its various customization options aren’t always readily apparent.  You may have an idea of how you want your teams to interact with your contacts, leads, and active companies, but – because there are so many ways to do those them – not the best idea of how to really put those theories into practice.

And, furthermore, there’s something really HUGE that you’re neglecting by setting aside time to activate and implement such a system as Zoho CRM.

It’s your business.

zoho crm certified consultant

Leave implementation to a Zoho CRM certified consultant

What happens when you lean on a Zoho CRM certified consultant to help implement and train for your Zoho CRM?  Well, a few things.

  • You get to see all your data.

There are multiple ways to segment data for specific individuals, including undiscovered methods for data import. Ensure precision with a certified Zoho consultant, ensuring timely access to appropriate information in your system. And that goes for actually migrating data into the system to begin with, too.

  • Everyone can access their work on time.

Not being able to log in to your new system for any reason is a pain.  A Zoho CRM certified consultant can go behind the scenes and create proper credentials for all your users, making it so everyone can ease into the new system – like they should.

  • You get to use training wheels – and then graduate to a two-wheeler.

Not everyone knows how to ride a bike – but, if their business depended on it, they might see the benefit of doing so.  When you use a Zoho consultant to help implement your Zoho CRM, you’ll be able to participate in screen-sharing sessions where the Zoho CRM certified consultant walks you through the ins and outs of your new system – that is, all the options you’ll need to use, and none of the ones that will confuse things.  Eventually, you and your staff will be able to change and implement parts of your CRM yourselves – because you’ll have received training from a Zoho CRM certified consultant.  This will include facets of the CRM like workflow automation and blueprint.

  • You get to explore more than just the CRM

Ever think your way was best, only to realize your friend could do it much better than you?  It’s a humbling experience, and for someone new to Zoho, it could happen in that arena more often than you’d imagine.  Zoho famously gives a multitude of ways to carry out certain tasks–so, what’s the best way?  By sifting through your business process with a Zoho certified CRM consultant, we can figure out if CRM is even the best app for certain aspects of it.  For example, whereas it’s usually obvious that financial activities should be done in Zoho Books, did you know that Zoho Desk can keep track of all your support requests better than plain old email?  You might even have ERP needs that you thought the CRM could handle–but, it isn’t always the best tool for the job.

Finally, hiring a trained Zoho CRM Expert might be a game changer for your company. Whether you’re having trouble with Zoho CRM deployment, inefficient workflows, data management concerns, integration complications, or customization needs, these specialists can provide the direction and knowledge you need. You can optimize your CRM setup, improve customer interactions, and drive long-term business success by working with a certified Zoho CRM consultant.

Got a minute?

zoho crm certified consultant

Chances are if you have time to read this, you haven’t begun to implement your Zoho CRM yet.

Well, good.  Keep it that way!

Fill out this form to speak with a live Zoho CRM certified consultant who will be able to walk you through starting your new system, or, even starting from scratch.  As long as you don’t have to sacrifice running your business to take on an unfamiliar task, the sky’s the limit.

Zoho Certified Consultants Make CRM Deployment a Breeze

Published on: September 4, 2015Category: Last Updated: May 30, 2023

Zoho Certified Consultants Make CRM Deployment a Breeze

zoho certified consultants

Picture this:

Your business is on the rise.  You’ve gotten to the point where using an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your clients isn’t working anymore.  There’s just a little too much going on, and you’d save a little time now by automating some of your procedures and adopting a CRM.  And, you’d probably save a lot of time later when your business expands even further, which you certainly intend to have happen…

You’ve heard of CRMs and their capabilities, and you’ve settled on Zoho.  Totally cloud-based, very customizable, and seemingly very easy to implement.

But, pause for a moment.  Here’s the kicker.

zoho certified consultants

Do you know how you’re going to use your Zoho CRM to your benefit?  To your customers’ benefit?  What about the rest of your team?

Zoho CRM is a fantastic product because it’s so malleable.  But, that plasticity also means you can take it in any of hundreds of different directions.  Do you know exactly how to make Zoho CRM work for your business?

Zoho Certified Consultants can help you with that

zoho certified consultants

Configuring any CRM to fit your exact business model can be a daunting task.  The ultimate purpose of having Zoho certified consultants around is to answer those aforementioned questions for you.  Consultants well-versed in Zoho and all its moving parts – like all of the Zoho One bundle of apps, for one thing – are familiar with many different business models and will know how to configure your Zoho CRM to work just how you want it to – and, make your business processes much easier in doing so.

The process of getting it right

ZBrains Zoho certified consultants do this by sitting with you and analyzing your various processes, “from lead to cash.”  We take note of the various software you already have in place and determine where the performance gaps are.  Then, we assess individual personalities on the team, and keep in mind your plan for scaling your business.  And, from all this, we put together a working plan for you to move forward with Zoho.

This isn’t something we take lightly!  A business process analysis is a good deal of work, and it’s meant to give you confidence in Zoho and our own solution for you before you pay top dollar for a totally custom software system.

Let Zoho Certified Consultants help you get your business working how it should

The power to expand your business dramatically and streamline procedures lies in your hands, and, using a Zoho CRM is the way for you to do it.  Let our group of knowledgeable consultants gets you moving in the right direction.

Contact us using this form, and we can schedule a call at your convenience.  We’re standing by, and we’re here to help you take your business to the next level, combining your own business acumen with the power of Zoho software.

Think Like a Zoho Certified Consultant Does

Published on: September 4, 2015Category: Last Updated: April 13, 2020

Think like a Zoho Certified Consultant Does

zoho certified consultant

Dealing with a new Zoho CRM can be tough, especially if you’ve just implemented it and you aren’t really sure what to do next.  You’ve got users to accommodate, orders to update, data to import… What do you do?  And, more importantly, how do you do it?  And, once it’s done, how do you get your team to actually use it?

At this point, it’s a good idea to enlist the help of a Zoho certified consultant.  A Zoho certified consultant is well-versed in all things Zoho, from CRM to Analytics, and everything in between.

What makes a consultant specifically trained in the intricacies of Zoho unique is his ability to answer certain business-related questions and apply their answers to your selection of Zoho tools.  That way, the consultant can determine what you actually need your CRM (and plugins) to do for you, then train your team accordingly.

Some food for thought zoho certified consultant

Answering some of these business-related questions isn’t a magic bullet, but, it will get you in the right frame of mind to think like a Zoho certified consultant.  These are the questions you may be asked by a Zoho certified consultant; as such, you’ll want to know what their answers are!

1.  Who are your customers?

The answer to this question will dictate things like which modules inside Zoho CRM will be useful for you.  You might be dealing with other businesses, in which case you’ll rely on an Accounts module to look up company details.  Or, you might only be dealing with end-users, which means you won’t need an Accounts module, which comes with Zoho CRM by default, at all.

2.  How long is a typical sales cycle for your business?

This answer is important because it lets the consultant know how you may want to use your calendar for planned or triggered events, as well as open a discussion about drip email campaigns, and your marketing funnel in general.  A longer cycle means a more drawn-out drip campaign, whereas a short cycle may mean you’ll want to focus on a different style of marketing material to reel in your customers.

zoho certified consultant

3.  Do you employ outside salespeople?

This question is important because it lets your consultant know if you’ll want to invoke certain data sharing settings.  Surely if you work in a small office, it might be perfectly acceptable for everyone to share each other’s information for the sake of communication.  But, if you employ an outside sales team – or, even an inside sales team – you may not want every team member to see leads and opportunities assigned to others for a variety of reasons.

4. Is your sales cycle simple or complex?

A consultant might ask you this because a complex process may require some more automation.  Zoho calls this workflow automation, and it’s designed to carry out processes automatically.  That means less time performing repetitive actions or copying data between modules–and less human error.  Besides workflow automation, Zoho CRM (and Zoho Desk) have Blueprint, which is a process organizer that keeps your team in line with whatever process they are currently a part of.

A Zoho Certified Consultant can ease your mind and adapt your Zoho products to fit your business

Planning to implement a Zoho product can be a stressful endeavor – and, those were only three potential questions whose answers would shape which products and services would help you the most.

Getting a lay of the land before we dig in

Just as it would be silly to start constructing a skyscraper without thoroughly surveying a building site beforehand, it’s equally crazy to recommend a solution using Zoho software without fully understanding your business.  Any Zoho certified consultant on our team can attest that knowing a client’s business is paramount when it comes to the final solution.  And, we take the time to understand everything by conducting in-depth interviews and understanding how each of your systems work.  And, what everyone thinks of them, and where the performance gaps are!  This allows us to put together a road map for you, something that will take care of your immediate needs, as well as future concerns as your business continues to grow.

Solutions can be pretty in-depth themselves

If you thought a potential Zoho solution might include just the CRM, that’s certainly possible.  But, it’s not always the norm!  Many times, businesses need the help of other apps, like Zoho Books or Zoho Projects.  Fortunately, Zoho offers something special called Zoho One, which is all of their different apps combined in one package.

You may also want to keep some legacy systems and connect them to Zoho.  We’ve done that before, too!  Use us for our Zoho QuickBooks Desktop integration or custom Zoho ERP platform, too.

Enlist the help of a Zoho certified consultant

You have the talent to run your business better than we would, so it’s no shame at all to come to us asking for help with a totally unfamiliar Zoho software suite.  Leave the workflow streamlining to the Zoho experts!  You’ll be able to focus on the thing you do best, and you’ll be much happier for it.

Speak with a Zoho certified consultant by filling out the linked form.  We’ll reserve an appointment for you.  We’re standing by, and we’re here to help.

Zoho SalesIQ: 3 Reasons to Upgrade Your Sales and Marketing Strategies

Published on: August 28, 2015Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho CRM, Zoho SalesIQLast Updated: September 21, 2023 Comments: 0

Just How Far Does a Little Chat Go?

zoho salesiq

Zoho SalesIQ is a fantastic way to get your customers talking and drive your sales up.  It might not be obvious why that is right away, though.  Here’s what’s going on:

Every day, thousands of people crawl the web searching for businesses just like yours.  Maybe they even find them.  …Maybe they even find you.  But, then, what do you do?

Maybe some of those customers convert without you lifting a finger.  Your website could look gorgeous, attract all the right traffic, and even have a logical path that potential customers can follow, one that can (and sometimes does) lead to a conversion without any intervention on your part.

But, the tacit approach isn’t going to win everyone over.  Some people need a little push in the right direction.  A little conversation.  You’re going to need to chat them up to make them yours.

Enter Zoho SalesIQ.

Why Zoho SalesIQ?

Zoho SalesIQ is Zoho’s prospect communication module.  It allows people in your company to chat directly with people viewing your website, which, when done at the correct times, can mean the difference between a few curious (but ultimately indecisive) lookie-lous and a few purchases.

But, why use Zoho SalesIQ specifically?  There are tons of other chat modules available.  Why choose this one?

zoho salesiq prioritized leads

1.  Zoho SalesIQ allows for prioritizing (scoring) your leads

For businesses that attract a good deal of traffic, this is huge.  For want of a better example, imagine for a moment that it’s 1998 and you’re the owner of a Furby distributorship.  You’ve just opened the doors to your very first retail outlet, and, it’s causing a huge commotion in your strip mall.  With all the fanfare, not only are serious buyers heading in in droves, but everyone off the street is also stopping by to witness the chaos.  You’re selling quite a few Furbys, obviously, but, you’re running into a bunch of people in your store who aren’t really sure what Furbys are, don’t have the money to buy them, or, are planning to take your Furby quote to the next-nearest retailer and demand a price match.

You think to yourself, Life is pretty good today, but, it would be even better if I only ran into serious buyers and other people carrying more than $50 on them, and, none of these other people!

In effect, by using lead scoring from Zoho SalesIQ, this is exactly the type of situation you’re helping to create.

Lead scoring is a way of separating the wheat from the chaff, as it were.  With Zoho SalesIQ, everyone gets to see your website, of course – but, lead scoring lets you prioritize your potential customers in a way that’s completely up to you by giving them points for each criteria of yours they meet.  The more points they have, the closer they’re allowed to come to you, and, if you’re getting bombarded, you’ll know to engage the good visitors first and get to the others later, if you want.

Here’s how scoring might work:

Did you just start an email campaign?  You can give people who accessed your page from one of those messages a higher score to denote their interest in your products.  Want to go after people who’ve spent more than two minutes looking at your website?  More than five minutes?  You can also give those visitors a higher score.  The more criteria your customers meet, the higher their score, and, the closer they get to you, figuratively; you can spend more time engaging those people on Zoho SalesIQ instead of engaging people who have less potential to buy from you at all.

zoho salesiq integration

2. Zoho SalesIQ plugs directly into Zoho CRM

Any time you can integrate one customer-oriented part of your business with your main customer hub, your CRM, you’re going to reap benefits.  SalesIQ’s CRM integration ability lets you do a couple of things that aren’t possible with a standalone chat module:

  • Start sending emails and alerts right away
    • With an integration to Zoho CRM, Zoho SalesIQ can transfer customer data directly to your CRM, making it easy to add them to email campaigns, and otherwise keep track of their progress through your pipeline in a more universal sense than would be possible with a standalone chat system.
  • Save a great deal of time
    • Zoho CRM integration means you spend more time interacting with customers and less time – well, no time at all, precisely – manually entering lead information into your CRM, because Zoho SalesIQ transfers information to your Zoho CRM with the click of a button.  For businesses with many qualified customers finding them every day, this feature is absolutely invaluable.
  • Recall and analyze the past with ease
    • Memory a little fuzzy on that last conversation you had with the 20th prospect of the day?  Zoho SalesIQ’s chat logging feature combined with access to past data from Zoho CRM allows you to make decisions you couldn’t have made before, such as placing your customer into an “interested” email campaign list from a “lukewarm” list.  Perfect for anyone who has more than a couple of conversations each day.

3.  Zoho SalesIQ’s mobile compatibility means you’ll never miss a potential connection

Obviously, almost anything can be made better when you’re doing it from the comfort of your living room as opposed to the unyielding chair of your office.  Engaging your customers is certainly no exception to this rule.

With Zoho SalesIQ’s mobile compatibility, you can have conversations with your customers outside of work, too – during a walk outside, a TV commercial, or even a lousy date.  (Priorities!)  Combine this mobile capability with aforementioned lead scoring and CRM integration, and it really is like bringing your customer base – the core of your entire business – with you, right in the palm of your hand.

zoho salesiq einstein

Zoho SalesIQ is clearly a wise choice

Hopefully this sheds a little light on a common problem some businesses have: Even in the best of times, they might be wasting lots of valuable resources talking to the wrong people, manually entering data, or missing lots of good connections – or not talking to potential customers at all!

Zoho SalesIQ takes the mystery out of your process.  Whether or not to engage your customers smartly (by prioritizing), efficiently (by integrating), or easily (by using mobile capability) shouldn’t be decisions you have to make – they shouldn’t even enter the equation.  Leave those details to Zoho SalesIQ and you’ll find you’ll focus less on the things slowing you down and more on what you do best: communicating with customers who really want to buy from you.

Want to see what SalesIQ’s all about?  Contact us at (888) 207-4111 for dedicated support and we’ll show you how it works and give you a personalized training session as well.

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