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Zoho Pricing Article

Unveiling the Cost of Zoho: Is It Worth the Investment?

Published on: January 20, 2021Category: Zoho CRM, Zoho CRM PlusLast Updated: March 3, 2023 Comments: 0

The pace of the business world isn’t slowing and you may be looking for new ways to get work done and achieve more in your organization. Part of this is likely all of the activities around becoming more efficient, and one place a lot of organizations start is with their CRM, or Customer Relationship Management software. If you’re reading this article, you’re curious about Zoho and asking, “How much does Zoho cost?”

Keep reading for more about how the cost of Zoho is figured. We’ll talk about what to keep in mind as you are considering Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, Zoho One, or any other application in the Zoho ecosystem.

How much does Zoho CRM cost?

“How much does Zoho CRM cost?” For sure, it’s a loaded question. And when you search for this information, you’ll find a lot of variation in pricing levels. They range from Ultimate and Enterprise options to Professional and Standard. These options have diminishing features – all the way down to the amazing cost of zero dollars for Zoho CRM Free version. Yes, you heard that, Zoho CRM does offer a free version. It’s not a gimmick, it’s not just a trial period, and you don’t have to use a credit card to get access now only to be billed later.

[caption id="attachment_4719" align="alignright" width="450"]Zoho CRM pricing questions answered Zoho CRM does offer a free version. However, be sure to ask the correct questions to find out if it will work for you.[/caption]

However, understand that this free version comes with many limitations. If you’re here, answer a couple quick questions to find out if you’ll need more than the free version of Zoho CRM.

  • Do you have more than three users?
  • Are you interested in features like:
    • sales forecasting,
    • multiple currencies,
    • scoring and assignment rules,
    • custom modules,
    • process automation,
    • or prediction and artificial intelligence tools?

If you answered YES to any of these questions…then it’s time to talk about your business needs and goals and find the best fit version of Zoho CRM for you.

Of course, we’ll be glad to help. Our Business Process Analysis is designed to ensure we capture all the information about your business AND your goals so we can provide accurate, realistic recommendations for your digital transformation.

But maybe you’re curious about Zoho Books, too? Pairing an accounting solution with your customer relationship manager is another step toward integrating your processes. Before we get too far ahead, let’s talk about the cost of Zoho Books.

How much does Zoho Books cost?

This online accounting software has tiered pricing, available add-ons, and even bundles available that can impact the pricing of Zoho Books. Each configuration varies slightly in price, so generally speaking, this solution is positioned well for small-to-mid-size businesses.

[caption id="attachment_4720" align="alignleft" width="450"]Costs for Zoho Books Zoho Books is well positioned for small-to-mid sized businesses, and we often recommend this solution or a Quickbooks integration for even more functionality.[/caption]

The top tier Professional plan maxes out at 5000 transactions allowing for over 500 contacts and 10 users, so this should give you a sense of its capabilities in terms of volume. In comparison, Basic version allows for up to 50 contacts and two users, while the mid or Standard plan offers up to 500 contacts and 3 users.

Books is both an affordable and powerful tool for businesses as we just explained. But more often than not, you’ll need additional functionality beyond accounting and finances in order to integrate various areas of your business. For this reason, a few add-ons (for example, additional users) and bundles are available to meet those needs. Popular bundles for Zoho Books include:

  • Zoho Inventory, an inventory management software that easily integrates with Zoho Books
  • Zoho Subscriptions, which helps you manage your subscription-model business in tandem with Books
  • And Zoho Expense, to assist with and integrate your expense tracking activities with Zoho Books

Would you like to know more about Zoho Books pricing and options available? Our Zoho Certified Consultants would be happy to assist! Get connected here.

Or perhaps you’re interested in moving all of your business processes, including CRM and Books onto Zoho? Let’s talk about the pricing for Zoho One.

How much does Zoho One cost?

To start, are you familiar with Zoho One?

[caption id="attachment_4721" align="alignright" width="450"]cost of zoho one Did you know that one subscription to Zoho One includes access to over 40 applications?[/caption]

“Zoho One is a truly revolutionary suite that can run your entire business – seriously. It has 40+ integrated applications that encompasses everything like CRM, email newsletters, documents, inventory, and more. You simply need a username and password, integrate your applications, and you’re set; one dashboard to rule all.”

Zoho One offers centralized administrative control, and all-in-one licensing model. It has over 40 integrated applications with enterprise-level features and mobile apps included. It’s a lot, but it was designed to be just that – a full spectrum set of unified business tools that’s affordable, accessible, and impactful. Monthly cost per license ranges from $37 per user, per month, when billed annually for the All Users Plan, to $90 per license, per month, when billed annually*. The second option is named the Flexible User Pricing. It’s for instances when not everyone in your organization will need the applications. *Pricing updated June 2021

We often recommend Zoho One option for its flexibility to grow with the needs of businesses. You know as well as anyone that organizations grow, processes change, and business needs evolve over time. This platform gives you the tools needed to get your sales, marketing, customer support, finance, human resources, and operations departments moving in the same direction, successfully.

When you’re ready for the next steps of your Zoho implementation – or if you have more questions about Zoho pricing and whether or not any of the solutions we discussed here are a good fit for you – we hope you’ll let us know.

 

Connect with a Consultant

 

zoho books overview

Zoho Books Review: Can It Transform Your Small Business?

Published on: December 24, 2020Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho Books, Zoho IntegrationLast Updated: June 13, 2023 Comments: 0

In this rundown of Zoho Books, we’ll define what this application is and what it does. Next, we’ll look at a couple of product reviews. Then, share some common comparisons between Zoho Books and other accounting solutions that are often used by small businesses. If you’re new to Zoho, new to Zoho Books, or just looking for some high-level info to get going, this article is a great place to start. 

What is Zoho Books?

Books is a Zoho accounting solution designed to help businesses with end-to-end accounting and tax compliance. This Zoho accounting software is one of 40+ applications on the integrated Zoho platform and is well-positioned for small and medium businesses.

[caption id="attachment_4653" align="alignright" width="450"]person at computer Even if Zoho Books isn’t the right solution for your accounting team, but you’re still interested in Zoho – remember that it integrates with many other solutions![/caption]

Here are the high points

You can streamline all of your back office duties with Zoho Books and organize all of your transactions in one place. Given this set of features you may want to take a closer look at Zoho Books, we think it’s a real contender. Zoho Books features allow you to:

  • Collect online payments securely and quickly.
  • Keep records of all your invoices, estimates, credit notes, and even recurring invoices in one place.
  • Convert estimates to invoices in just a few clicks.
  • Automatically remind overdue clients with payment reminders.
  • Never lose a minute of billable hours. Monitor and track how labor is spent in your company.
  • Manage inventory and even automate redundant tasks.
  •  Capture and view all financial information related to your asset, liability, revenue, or expense accounts and organize them how you want.
  • Simplify tax season. Generate tax reports in just a few clicks. so you are set when tax season arrives.
  • And this is in addition to standard features including: purchase orders, project accounting, bank reconciliations, and compatibility with government and non-profit accounting needs.
  • Also notable is the transaction limit of 5,000 per month with the most advanced offering of Zoho Books. It’s definitely something to consider as you continue your research. 

If this isn’t the solution for you, or you need a solution with a little more umph, Zoho also integrates well with applications such as Quickbooks. And we’ll take a closer look at some of those a little later in this article. 

But first, let’s look at what folks are saying about Zoho Books. 

Zoho Books Reviews

Across the board we think you’ll see that Zoho’s value approach to their solutions, coupled with the in depth integrations between those 40+ solutions, makes it a compelling choice for small and mid-sized businesses. Most notably for those who need visibility to their organization across each platform used. And for those who want to minimize the number of applications needed day to day. 

Additionally, while affordable, Zoho and Zoho Certified Consultants like ZBrains have your support and custom development needs covered. Now, let’s look at what others say about Books:

PC Mag’s SMB Accounting solutions review says:

“4.0 EXCELLENT

Zoho Books is an excellent choice for cloud-based small business accounting, offering an exceptional user experience, an attractive price, and a rich set of tools. Larger businesses may want to consider it, too…”

Business.com shares this  Zoho Books review:

“The Best Accounting and Invoice-Generating Software

The Verdict

Zoho Books is an intuitive accounting program with full accounts receivable and accounts payable functionality. It’s also very affordable, making it the best accounting software for really small businesses.”

What ZBrains Client Said

As with any purchase that has an impact on your business, especially when you’re considering the tools you and your teams will use each day, we encourage you to do more research and find others who have been through the same. Here’s what one of our clients, Lavoro Technologies,   had to say about it when they were going through the comparison process:

Before choosing Zoho they looked at multiple alternatives, including QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, Intacct, Sage, and BusinessObjects. The affordability of Zoho was a huge selling point for Lavoro, especially when coupled with its ease of use, as Jim describes, ‘It just makes sense the way that it operates, how you can go from customer to estimate, from customer to invoice, estimate to invoice. [In terms of NetSuite,] I just didn’t see the reason to pay $125 per month per user for aspects of a program that I didn’t see us using.’

Speaking of comparisons, let’s take a look now at how Zoho Books. Let’s see how it stacks up against a couple of common accounting solutions for small businesses.

Product Comparisons

Comparisons between Zoho Books and other solutions like Quickbooks Online are prevalent. If you’ve been considering which software is the right one for your small business, we’ve compared four common solutions with Zoho Books here. Of course, there are many others. We’re happy to answer your questions about them- just let us know!

Let’s dive in.

• Zoho Books vs Quickbooks Online

Quickbooks Online is positioned as a solution for small businesses. For instance, it shares many similarities in terms of capabilities to Zoho Books. The interfaces for each are relatively simple to understand and use. The shared features include accounts receivable, tax management, banking reconciliation, billing, and invoicing. Where Zoho Books offers a bit more functionality is in project accounting and the ability to do purchase orders. It also handles government and non-profits, where Quickbooks Online does not. 

If you’re already using Quickbooks Online, and are curious about integrating with the rest of Zoho ecosystem, take a look at the Zoho and Quickbooks Online Integration we provide at ZBrains.

• Zoho Books vs Quickbooks

Users of Quickbooks also rate it highly. For instance, they cite ease of use and robust features as the benefits of this platform, and we don’t disagree. For a lot of businesses, Quickbooks is a great solution. And just like other versions of this software, it integrates very well with Zoho. This allows for the best of both worlds. Learn a little more about AgilitySync, the platform we use to connect Zoho and QuickBooks in this video.

[caption id="attachment_4654" align="alignright" width="450"] Take your research for a new accounting solution to the full extent. Be sure to compare it against any other options you’re considering.[/caption]

• Zoho Books vs FreshBooks

Users will say that Freshbooks is easy to use and affordable. It does allow for the most basic features; however, it doesn’t quite stack up in terms of a well-rounded offering. With FreshBooks, you’ll leave behind key features and capabilities such as:  tax management, purchase orders, and project accounting. We’ve seen these three features are especially important to the majority of our service and project-based clients. 

• Zoho Books vs Sage

Sage products for business accounting have been around for decades. Now, there is little to support an argument for taking up this solution as a small business when other, better solutions are widely available. To learn a little more about why we don’t necessarily recommend this software, read our full Zoho Books and Sage100 comparison here, and our article on transitioning away from Sage100.

Above all, we hope this helps as you continue your research and efforts to find the best accounting solution match for your business. If you’re ready, keep reading for next steps.

Your Next Steps

A lot of consultants might suggest you dive right in with a free trial, but at ZBrains we start by having one of our Zoho experts to analyze your company and determine the strengths and weaknesses with a comprehensive business process analysis (BPA). Our process ensures a successful implementation that allows you use the software to your advantage. The result is that your organization enjoys all of the functionality and benefits of the Zoho system.

In summary, if you need help migrating or setting up your integration – for example, mapping custom fields, migrating legacy data, workflow rules, or extra training sessions, we offer our services to you. Give us a call, or use the button below to write to us about your needs!

Connect with a Consultant

difference between quotes and estimates in Zoho

What’s the difference between an estimate and a quote in Zoho?

Published on: November 18, 2020Category: Zoho Books, Zoho CRMLast Updated: May 29, 2023 Comments: 0

When it comes to your business – and it’s true for the clients we work with here at ZBrains – one of the primary things you want and need to do in your CRM or ERP system is to create quotes and/or estimates. It’s a concise way to share your offering with clients. And more than likely, you want to create them quickly and efficiently. And also in an organized way that is easy for your teams to manage. So, when it comes to this process – and quotes vs estimates – what are your best options in Zoho? Keep reading for a little more insight on the differences between estimates and quotes, and how to use them in Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, or with another custom integration like QuickBooks.

The Difference Between Estimate vs Quote

When is the last time you were able to give a straight price for a project or service to one of your customers without some customization? Because so many businesses rely on custom solutions in order to meet their needs, there’s a good chance that you’re probably using estimates or quotes to build personalized prices for each of your clients’ jobs. We’ve certainly found that no two jobs are exactly alike, so relying on a good way to build and communicate estimates or quotes is absolutely necessary. And giving your clients exactly the decision making information they need from the start of their relationship with you will set the tone for a successful partnership.

So, what is the difference between an estimate and quote?

A quote gives your client a fixed price to accept for a project or service. It acts as a contractual agreement. A vendor (you)  will combine fixed and variable costs, and present to the customer to accept or not. This will include a combination of hourly rates and cost of materials, equipment and/or services for a job. Generally speaking, a quote includes exactly what is needed for a job. Once it’s accepted by your customer, this is the price they pay at the end. The price in a quote is not subject to change, unless additional work, materials, or services are agreed upon by a vendor and their client. (Sometimes these become change orders.)

An estimate also includes fixed and variable costs for a job, but does not act as a contractual agreement. In this event, a vendor might share a range of costs to give a scope of what the project entails. This is a “ballpark” number. It’s subject to variation whether that comes in the form of fewer or greater hours, changes to services purchased, or materials used for a job.

In order to effectively communicate with your clients, it’s a good practice to provide both quotes or estimates in writing. Additionally, both types of engagements generally have an expiration date.

Quotes vs Estimates: which is best for your process?

When it comes to your clients and your business, you must decide between quotes vs estimates and which is best for your process. A common practice is that your level of effort is equivalent to the amount of detail provided by the lead.

For example, you may wish to use a less time-intensive method to share what a job or project may cost when a lead or potential client has provided only high-level information about their needs. In this case, an estimate allows you to give a realistic look at the possible, estimated costs of a project. At that time, the lead may decide it’s not what they want and move on, and you haven’t spent a lot of time on exacting work that goes to waste. 

Alternately, your lead may see the quote and be interested in going forward with the work based solely on the estimate. That’s great!

Or in cases where further refinement is needed, you may engage in additional information gathering with the client. Then perhaps you’d spend a little more time putting together a more formal Quote for their final approval on this contract before beginning the work.

In the event that estimates won’t work for your business, you may spend additional time in your sales process qualifying a lead. Your goal is to determine if they are a fit before investing time in the lengthy process of building out an exacting quote for them. 

Consider your clients, your business needs, and your processes carefully – or engage with a consultant – if you’re in a position to integrate your estimating or quoting process into a CRM or ERP system.

Using Quotes in Zoho CRM and Using Estimates in Zoho Books

compare quotes vs estimates“Quote” and “Estimate” are essentially the same in Zoho; however, Quotes are generated in Zoho CRM and Estimates are generated in Zoho Books. We understand that it seems pretty awkward to say this given we just spent all that time sharing the practical difference between the two. Now we’re saying that Zoho says they’re the same? 

Well, Yes. And, No. But stay with us here!

Remember how we just mentioned that this all boils down to how you run your business, what your process is, and what the needs of your clients are? This is why there are so many options in Zoho! 

  • You can keep it streamlined by using Quotes in CRM. With a little set up, you can engage a Zoho CRM function allowing you to create Quotes from Deals.
  • If you’re using Zoho Books, you can use Estimates to create a proposal, and then convert it to a sales order or invoice upon acceptance.
  • Perhaps you might have a simple sync between Zoho CRM and QuickBooks that ties together Quotes and your accounting functions. While this isn’t a 360° solution it works great for some.
  • And if you’re searching for a true ERP solution, then a fully integrated, real-time solution is what you want. This could include Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and other applications – even third party integrations.

Finding the right solution for quoting or estimating

When it comes down to making a choice about how to set up your system, including how you’ll use quotes vs estimates in your sales process, we recommend taking the time to fully evaluate your existing systems. Furthermore, evaluate your process to ensure that what you select is serving your needs.

ZBrains helps businesses like yours by working together and analyzing expectations and performance gaps in your business process. We take the time needed to examine your business from the perspective of the world at large. Then, our experts determine what is working, and what is not.  We’ll consider which methods need to be introduced to change and strengthen the fabric of your company.

The basics of Business Process Analysis from ZBrains works like this:

  • First, we partner with your team to thoroughly review your sales, marketing, operations, and accounting processes. And work to understand requirements and current systems. 
  • Next, with your timeline, goals, and targets in mind, we give you a strategy that can be executed with precision to create a successful business plan.
  • We recommend solutions and develop customizations to support your goals. (Like determining how you want quotes vs estimates to flow in your system and sales process!)
  • Finally, we consolidate your business operations into a centralized platform with Zoho as the hub. And you begin operating in a system that supports every aspect of your operation that was identified at the start. 
  • With the systems in place, and useful data at hand in Zoho, you can more easily refine and optimize your business as time goes on. 

Does this sound like the digital transformation you’re considering? We’d love to help. Contact us today!

Connect with a Consultant

QuickBooks to Zoho Books Migration: Simplify Your Accounting

Published on: July 13, 2020Category: Zoho BooksLast Updated: November 13, 2023 Comments: 0

Migrating from QuickBooks to Zoho Books

What you need to know when you migrate quickbooks to zoho books

According to Zoho Corporation, a lot of companies moving from another accounting system onto Zoho Books move there from QuickBooks.  And, whether those companies previously use QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, the reasons for switching onto Zoho are easy to see.  Well, easy for us to see, anyway.  But they aren’t so obvious to everyone else, who may not think about these problems as often as we do.

In this post, we’ll explore some common reasons for switching. We’ll then dive into some considerations to make before switching.  And, although we’re talking about Zoho Books today, you can apply this knowledge to any software, Zoho or otherwise.

First, here are some common questions we encounter when letting our customers or prospects know that switching is an option: 

Why migrate to Zoho Books if you’re already in the cloud with QuickBooks Online?

migrate quickbooks to zoho books

Not all cloud systems are created equal!  Although QuickBooks Online is a relatively new platform, companies tend to switch from QBO to Zoho Books because:

  1. Zoho Books provides many of the same features as QuickBooks Online–and then some.
    • Books allows for Sales Orders, which QBO does not account for as of this writing.  
    • Moreover, Zoho Books natively integrates with Zoho Inventory, which adds features that make the combination of Books and Inventory more comparable to QuickBooks Desktop.
  2. Zoho Books integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM.
    • While there is an integration between QuickBooks Online and Zoho CRM, any consultant worth their salt will tell you a third-party integration is a system’s weakest point.  Zoho’s native integration eliminates that weak point, giving you a seamless data transfer; for companies that have already chosen Zoho CRM as their customer hub, moving finances onto Zoho Books seems like an even more intuitive decision.
  3. Zoho Books is more affordable than QuickBooks Online.
    • Zoho Corporation puts out a good comparison sheet to illustrate this point.  The more users you add to Zoho Books, the more money your company can save in this way.

compare Zoho Books and QuickBooks Desktop

How can Zoho Books possibly contend with QuickBooks Desktop?

While QuickBooks Desktop is a bit of a heavyweight in terms of functionality (not to mention ubiquity!), Zoho Books is more than able to rise to the occasion when pushed to the limit. 

Companies often move from QBD to Zoho Books for these reasons:

  1. Cloud-based software gives businesses more flexibility than on-premise software does.
    1. With data breaches on the rise, many companies would much rather offload security responsibilities onto a third party than take on any additional risk themselves.  Zoho takes this responsibility very seriously and uses the most up-to-date encryption possible in their apps–and has been recognized internationally for it.
    2. Cloud-based software means rather than scheduling and installing updates and patches to your accounting system–and paying out the nose for the privilege–updates happen on-the-fly as part of your monthly recurring SaaS (software-as-a-service) fee.  That means no more scheduled downtime for maintenance, and what usually amounts to more money in your pocket.
  2. Zoho Books provides a much more stable integration with Zoho CRM than QuickBooks Desktop could put together.
    1. Like with QuickBooks Online, there is an integration between QuickBooks Desktop and Zoho CRM.  But, introducing a hybrid-cloud integration like this is bound to put some strain on the system overall; incidentally, third-party integrations like this are the more failure-prone points of any system.  Conversely, Zoho Books’s integration with Zoho CRM is native, cloud-to-cloud, and nearly instant.
  3. Finally, combining Zoho Books plus Zoho Inventory gives a business nearly as many features as are in QuickBooks Desktop.
    1. It isn’t a perfect analog, of course, but using Zoho Inventory in tandem with Books gives the user an experience much closer to QuickBooks Desktop.  This includes inventory and shipment management, multiple warehouses, online store integration, workflow automation, and more.

What to consider when switching from QuickBooks to Zoho Books

how to migrate from quickbooks to zoho books

Despite the apparent similarities between QuickBooks and Zoho Books, switching over isn’t such a plug-and-play operation.  It requires a good deal of knowledge: of QuickBooks, of Zoho Books, and of your team’s own ability to learn new software and procedures as needed.  

For those considering making the switch themselves, we recommend evaluating your own QuickBooks configuration, and then activating a trial of Books. Then, you should go through every possible setting and see how easily you can mentally recreate your organization’s QuickBooks configuration. Take note when you come to a setting you don’t understand or that would change how your organization does business; there will likely be some.

After this, will you know if Books is the right choice for you?  Probably not just yet.  You should still confer with your team and ensure you get buy-in, or at least reaffirm that your team of old dogs can still learn new tricks!  Then, it’s time to put your implementation plan together in earnest.  You’ll need a tight schedule, perhaps a Gantt chart, and definitely a project manager.  Also, a data flow model to visually account for any new systems.  This can keep your own plans in line, as well as let any other parties know exactly what you’re doing.

The truth about switching from QuickBooks to Zoho Books

If all this seems like a lot to bite off and chew, make no mistake.  It is.  We’ve heard no shortage of Zoho deployment horror stories over the years.  And, that’s no fault of Zoho’s!  The reality is most businesses cannot afford to drop what they’re doing and devote all their time to learning a new software system.  That goes for the features, the implications for future business, and the effect on company culture.  And, for this reason, projects like these tend to fail; there simply isn’t enough time that many can reasonably devote to a project like this and still maintain their business.  

Some even try to cut losses by hiring a Zoho specialist.  And, it’s at that point that many customers tend to find us!

Why use a Zoho consultant to ease your switch from QuickBooks to Zoho Books?

quickbooks to zoho books migration

The good thing about hiring a Zoho consultant in cases like these is, aside from being able to manage an implementation project of this magnitude, we’ve done projects like this many times before.

And, that doesn’t mean your implementation will be the same as anyone else’s!  Rather, it means we know all the ins and outs of planning and managing–and, we know the questions to ask you about your business so your implementation doesn’t turn out just like everyone else’s.  That is, so it works just for your business and your unique processes.

In this case, once we know the ins and outs of your processes within QuickBooks, we see how well those align with Zoho Books.  From there, we can see if you’ll need just Zoho Books, a combination of Books + Inventory–or perhaps something more customized on Zoho.  We may only be helping you deploy an accounting system, but that system can affect how the whole company does business.  So, we take a comprehensive approach when looking at something like this, culminating in an Executive Summary document, where we explain our project plan to you.

And then, once you agree with our deployment plan, it’s off to the races!  We get to work for you, and we meet with you throughout the project for consulting meetings and for various approvals of our work.  And, in the end, you receive a fully functioning Zoho finance system that functions as part of your company’s business software network.

Ready to see how making the switch would change your business?

Making the switch from QuickBooks to Books is an endeavor.  But, it doesn’t start that way–that’s just a chat.  Contact us today for an introductory consulting session!  We’ll explore at a high level how migrating from QuickBooks to Zoho Books can help make your Zoho system everything it can be.

Read more about Zoho Books! 

What is Zoho CRM

What is Zoho CRM?

Published on: December 2, 2019Category: Last Updated: November 13, 2023

What is Zoho CRM?

Manage sales activities, delight your customers, and set goals – all from onZoho Finance Suite Zoho Projects Zoho Desk Zoho SalesIQ Zoho Campaigns Zoho Survey …and many others. e central app

Person working in zoho crm

You have the business idea, and you have the drive.  Now, how do you handle your customers?

Maybe you started out writing notes manually, or using a spreadsheet.  But as your business has grown, you’ve realized that solution isn’t scalable… Salespeople’s notes fall through the cracks.  Customers wonder where you went.  And, even when everything happens on time, it all requires lots of different apps.  That means a lot of work, and a lot of cross-referencing data between programs.

You need something that works for you, instead of the other way around.

Enterprise players use a CRM to manage their customers.  Zoho provides this enterprise-level solution at a fraction of the cost. 

So why not you, too?

Why do you need CRM?

It seems like a pretty surface-level question.  Philosophically, you’d want to use a CRM to maintain your customers’ expectations of you and your business.  You may have basic standards like:

  • Replying to your customers’ emails or calling them back within one business day.
  • Making sure your clients, or even your prospects, know your business practices after meeting with you once.
  • Delivering proposals and other documents to your clients in an organized, timely way.

But, behind the scenes, the CRM does much more than this.  Your salespeople use CRM to track and organize their own sales activities.  By doing this, they can keep on task – so above the surface, your customer sees your business running like a well-oiled machine.

[caption id="attachment_4021" align="aligncenter" width="600"]zoho crm CRM is truly an invaluable tool: it can help you grow your business directly (through sales growth) and indirectly (through giving you insights about how to improve things).[/caption]

Specifically, your sales team can use CRM to:

  1. Prioritize their daily tasks
  2. Send emails and even proposals directly to prospects
  3. Make phone calls
  4. Track their sales targets
  5. Plan any next activity for a customer (or any record in the CRM)

When your salespeople can do this, it’s easier for them to hit sales targets. And, when they don’t hit their targets, the CRM itself can help you figure out exactly why not. This means the CRM is truly an invaluable tool: it can help you grow your business directly (through sales growth) and indirectly (through giving you insights about how to improve things).

What sets Zoho CRM apart from so many others?

zoho crm logo

Especially today, CRMs are practically a dime a dozen.  And, conversely, big names like Salesforce loom large.  But, in the software game, those smaller players can be too niche or too limiting, and the Salesforces of the world can be too overwrought – and too expensive – for many.

Zoho’s CRM sets itself apart from its competition by making itself both extremely customizable and affordable.  That way, you don’t need to limit yourself by using something so niche – and, you don’t have to break the bank just to use a household name.

But, this CRM is far from just a customizable blank slate.  It includes loads of standard features designed to give your business a leg up from the very first sign-in.

Zoho CRM Sales Management Features

Lead Management

Lead Management Sales Funnel

This CRM helps with your leads in these ways before you’ve even contacted them, then continues helping as you nurture them.

Zoho Webforms

  1. Zoho CRM webforms sync customer-submitted data from your website straight to your CRM.  No more copy + paste!
  2. Zia scans the web and enriches your customers’ data, which gives you insights about how you may want to steer the conversation.
  3. Use built-in Zoho lead scoring rules to give certain leads priority over others.
  4. Distribute leads automatically with lead assignment rules.
  5. Nurture your leads by sending targeted email campaigns right from the CRM.
  6. Convert your leads into Deals, a kind of record that denotes closing probability.
  7. Integrate with Google Ads to see which Ads campaigns brought you the most leads.
  8. Use Zoho’s CRM Analytics to gauge how your sales efforts helped bring in business, and where they fell short.

Deal Management

zoho crm deal management

Once you have prospects who have entered into your sales process or pipeline, you’ll need to prioritize them.  Zoho makes this easier to do than ever with these deal management features.

  1. Use standard and custom deal views to see a snapshot of all your deals, and sort them by stage, probability, sales rep, and more.
  2. Zia can assign deal closing prediction scores to your deals, giving you an extra advantage.
  3. Zoho CRM’s deal stage tracker gives you an easy way to see just where each deal is in your sales process.
  4. Create and send quotes or estimates for your prospects right from the Deals module.

Account & Contact Management

zoho account and contact management

Once a prospect becomes one of your client, their journey with you doesn’t end!  You can use this CRM to keep them delighted even after they buy – which could lead to future sales or even referrals.

  1. Integrate with Zoho Desk to view any customer’s support ticket history with you.
  2. Use your CRM’s email analytics to determine the best day and time to send mass emails.
  3. Integrate with many different VOIP providers for a unified communication experience.
  4. Track all transactions related to any account inside CRM.
  5. Use the native Analytics to determine which industries you best serve, and which accounts are your most profitable.

Workflow Automation & Custom Functions

zoho crm workflow automations

A salesperson’s life is filled with doing a lot of the same things over and over again, from calling and emailing to setting meetings to sending proposals… While the subjects of the activities likely won’t be repetitive, the actions themselves can be, and this leads to activities falling through the cracks.  Zoho CRM workflow automation not only helps prevent this, but speeds up a salesperson’s rote daily activities.

  1. Workflow automation tells the CRM to perform a task or tasks automatically when certain conditions are met.
  2. Workflow analytics can help you gauge how well email templates perform when sent by a workflow rule you’ve set up.
  3. Webhooks can integrate third-party apps to the CRM modules of your choice.
  4. Custom functions can send information between Zoho apps or modules in a single Zoho app when certain conditions are met.  Zoho provides a gallery of custom functions that you can use to get started.

Keep your team on task with Zoho CRM Blueprint

Zoho Blueprint

By now, you know this CRM provides an array of great tools to help a sales team better organize themselves.  But, sometimes all that data in front of someone’s face can have the opposite effect.  What do you do when a salesperson has too much in front of them and doesn’t know what to do?

Zoho CRM blueprint allows administrators to simplify the life of a salesperson by boiling down their options and allowing them to select their next action for any given record.  This allows you to determine that every record has a next action, and it keeps the salesperson focused.

Blueprint is easy to work with: it uses a visual, drag-and-drop editor, and allows for programming workflow automation to go along with record actions right on the spot.

Zoho CRM Integrations

CRM is a fine tool on its own, but you can bolster its power considerably by connecting it to other business apps.  This includes not just other Zoho apps, but even third-party apps you may use, like QuickBooks Desktop, or many others.  For third-party integrations, you can sync (essentially, copy+paste) real records from one platform to another, eliminating the need for double-entry entirely in some cases.

CRM Integration options with Zoho

You can connect these apps to Zoho CRM to view related records in CRM related lists.

  1. Zoho Finance Suite
  2. Zoho Projects
  3. Zoho Desk
  4. Zoho SalesIQ
  5. Zoho Campaigns
  6. Zoho Survey

…and many others.  These CRM related lists allow for real-time record viewing in the CRM.  However, using related lists is not the same as syncing records directly to your CRM.

Integrating these apps with your CRM allows for a true 360-degree view of your customers, from invoices to be paid to campaigns interacted with to help desk tickets open to surveys completed.  Make assessments on-the-fly, or weigh each metric in custom reports for custom lead or account scoring.  The choice is yours.

Zoho CRM Pricing & Review: Which edition is best?

Selecting a CRM software

If Zoho’s CRM were available on its own, that would be fine.  But, part of what makes Zoho so great is its accompanying software suite.  This CRM only reaches its full potential when bundled with other Zoho apps that connect to it natively.  For example, you can connect your CRM to Desk, Zoho Books, Zoho Inventory, and even custom Zoho Creator ERP software.

To help customers who need more than just Zoho’s CRM, Zoho has preconfigured bundles of apps to choose from, including Zoho CRM Plus and Zoho One.  These packages serve different needs and come in at different prices.  While packaging Zoho this way ultimately helps the user, it can confuse those who don’t know the ins and outs of the different packages.

Zoho CRM (Enterprise edition): $50/user/mo * 10 users = $500/mo

Zoho CRM Plus (Enterprise edition by default): $69/user/mo * 10 users = $690/mo

  • Comes with CRM, Campaigns, Desk, SalesIQ, Social, Projects, Survey, and Analytics.
  • Equivalent to getting CRM Enterprise @ $500/mo and the other apps at Enterprise Level@ $834/mo combined

Zoho One (Enterprise edition by default): $45/user/mo * 10 users = $450/mo

  • Comes with 45+ different Zoho apps
  • Equivalent to getting Zoho CRM for less than retail cost

Why doesn’t everyone just pick Zoho One?

Zoho one logo

Zoho One seems to be the obvious choice.  It includes Zoho CRM as well as over 40 others.  The reason some users choose to absorb a higher cost instead of picking Zoho One is Zoho One’s caveat on their licensing agreement.  Zoho Corporation offers Zoho One at such reduced pricing because they mandate that all of a company’s W-2 employees must have a software license in order to be in accordance with this agreement.

For smaller companies, where all employees likely need a Zoho One license, this is a great deal.  It provides an extremely low cost of entry, and increases the likelihood that you will continue using the software as your company grows.

For larger companies, it’s the opposite.  Some companies just have too many employees who wouldn’t need the software, so Zoho One isn’t feasible for them.

And, for companies that use lots of contractors or other non-employees?  You’re in luck.  The agreement only specifies use by W-2 employees, so if you employ lots of contractors, you can purchase just enough licenses for your W-2s, or give licenses to your contractors.  The choice is yours.

The ultimate takeaway from Zoho CRM?

When using the app at its fullest potential, Zoho CRM allows for much more than just contact management.  It gives salespeople a place to plan their daily activities.  It allows for a 360-degree view of any customer, lead, or account.  Sales Managers will have the tools they need to keep tabs on their sales team members.  And, company administrators will have everything they need to ensure everyone follows the processes put in place.

zoho software

In short, Zoho CRM gives you everything you need to run the sales side of your business the way it was meant to be run.  The question is what is the best way?  The best way for you might be different than the best way for any other company.

Companies like us, as Zoho consultants, show their value by sitting down with our customers and getting to know them.  That way, we can come to a conclusion about the best way to implement Zoho CRM for your business.

Are you ready to get started with Zoho CRM?  Contact us today and we’ll sit down with you, too.

WooCommerce Zoho Integration

Published on: October 17, 2019Category: Last Updated: November 13, 2023

In today’s dynamic online business landscape, companies are constantly seeking ways to enhance their operations. This quest for efficiency has led to the recognition of WooCommerce and Zoho as pivotal players in the arena.

Understanding WooCommerce and Zoho

WooCommerce as a Powerful E-commerce Platform

At the forefront of e-commerce solutions is WooCommerce—a platform renowned for its adaptability and ease of use. Boasting an impressive market share and widespread popularity, it has emerged as the preferred choice for businesses of all sizes. Its array of features, customizable shopping cart, and extensive plugin ecosystem make it an adaptable solution for online retailers.

Zoho is a Comprehensive Business Management Suite

Zoho enters the scene as a comprehensive suite covering various facets of business management. From Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to Inventory Management and Financials, Zoho presents a suite of applications that seamlessly interact to optimize operations. This suite is celebrated for its reputation for streamlining processes through automation.



Discover Peace of Mind: Effortless WooCommerce-Zoho Integration

woocommerce zoho integration

For almost anyone running their business online, double-entry is either a necessary evil – or it was once.  This happens because when your orders occur in your ordering software (WooCommerce), you then have to reconcile them against accounts in your customer management software (Zoho CRM, in this case).  And, of course, not all software “talks” to each other well just out of the box.  Finally, businesspeople need look no further for an integration between the two.

WooCommerce users deserve a robust Zoho CRM integration to go with their powerful online shopping cart – not something thrown together, or untested.  We’ve built one that runs on a custom platform and syncs all kinds of data between your two systems.  It gives you not only the integration your business needs to save time, but the confidence you need knowing you’re saving overhead and reducing workload.

–> Contact us for an integration assessment.

woocommerce zoho integration

Features of WooCommerce and Zoho Integration

  1. Connects Customers to Zoho Accounts
  2. Syncs Items to Zoho Products
  3. Connects Sales Orders, including Shipment statuses, to Zoho
  4. Syncs Invoices to Zoho

Note this is not just a connector for WooCommerce and Zoho CRM.  Using our integration, you can connect your WooCommerce system with Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and even custom Zoho Creator (ERP) apps.

Key Benefits of WooCommerce-Zoho Integration

1. Automated Order Management

  • Seamless Order Creation and Tracking: The integration effortlessly combines WooCommerce’s online shopping cart with Zoho’s order management functionality. This ensures a smooth transition from purchase to processing, eliminating disruptions.
  • Reduced Fulfillment Times and Errors: By automating processes, the integration minimizes the likelihood of manual errors and accelerates the order fulfillment process. The outcome is satisfied customers receiving their products promptly and accurately.

2. Efficient Inventory Management

  • Real-time Inventory Tracking: Maintain a real-time overview of inventory levels. Thanks to the integration, changes in stock are promptly reflected across both platforms, preventing overselling or stockouts.
  • Automatic Stock Updates and Alerts: Set up automated alerts for low stock levels, empowering proactive inventory management. Stay ahead by replenishing stock at precisely the right moment to ensure uninterrupted operations.

3. Streamlined Customer Relationship Management

  • Consolidated Customer Data: Through integration, customer data from both platforms is centralized, enabling a comprehensive understanding of customer interactions. This holistic view facilitates personalized engagement and superior customer experiences.
  • Personalized Marketing and Support: The integrated data can be harnessed to tailor marketing campaigns and deliver personalized support. Gain insights into customer preferences and behaviors, enabling targeted communication.

4. Simplified Financial Management

  • Automated Invoicing and Accounting: Bid farewell to manual invoicing. The integration automates invoicing and accounting processes, slashing administrative burdens and mitigating errors.
  • Accurate Sales and Financial Reports: Generate accurate sales and financial reports with ease. Leverage real-time data from both platforms to make well-informed decisions.

How the integration works

woocommerce zoho integration

The mechanics of the integration are very simple, on the surface.  (Beneath the surface, our software does the work.)  Your customer will place an order with you, and as their information becomes available in WooCommerce, so it will sync to your Zoho app of choice, too.  That goes for Customer data, Order data, shipment data, and Invoice data.  Your products, on the other hand, can sync back to WooCommerce as Products, or vice-versa, depending on which system is your inventory master.

Our integration software syncs your records from system to system, into designated modules, so you don’t have to enter them an additional time.

Do you need to connect other ERP software with WooCommerce and Zoho, too?

Sometimes, you won’t want to use a standard Zoho app as your ERP software.  That said, if you use another system to handle your inventory or finances, you can also sync information between Zoho, WooCommerce, and that program.  QuickBooks Desktop or Online are popular choices for this option, though some other companies use Sage or SAP software.  No matter what you use, we can help you connect it to this integration if needed.

Don’t know what ERP system to use yet? No problem.  We work with ERP software every day on Zoho Creator.  Everyone has a different use case, so please let us know yours and we will provide you a solution.

See how the Zoho WooCommerce integration could tie your business all together.

woocommerce zoho integration

Start with an assessment.

We designed our integration software to work with most any business.  But, it doesn’t work that way out of the box!  We need to mold it to your specifications so it solves not only your current problems, but anticipates future ones before they start.

You know your business better than anyone – and, we know our software just the same.  Sit down and chat with us, and we’ll explore how to marry the two together in the form of this integration – and maybe more.

WooCommerce-Zoho Integration for Business Growth

As businesses strive for operational excellence, the WooCommerce-Zoho integration presents itself as a potent tool. Seamlessly bridging these platforms, it enables refined operations, elevated customer experiences, and sets the stage for expansion. Embrace this visionary approach to business management—reach out to us today to uncover how the WooCommerce-Zoho integration can catalyze your business’s ascent.

Within a realm where efficiency and accuracy reign supreme, the WooCommerce-Zoho integration stands tall as a beacon of streamlined business management. As you contemplate the integration’s potential, envisage a future where your operational landscape is finely tuned, customers are delighted, and growth becomes an inherent outcome. Step boldly into these possibilities, and let us embark on this transformative journey together.

–> Contact us for an integration assessment.

 

Zoho for Technology, SaaS, and Subscription Businesses

Published on: September 28, 2019Category: Last Updated: July 20, 2023

Optimize Your Zoho System for Tech/SaaS Businesses

zoho technology saas business

Zoho does a great job of positioning itself as a great choice for subscription-based businesses, or anyone dealing with technology.  You’ve got the all-important Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, and Zoho Subscriptions – which plugs wonderfully into Zoho Books.  You also have Zoho Inventory for any physical items that dovetail with your tech offerings.  And, you have Zoho Desk for managing support requests that invariably come up.  You may even decide Zoho One, with its suite of 45+ apps, is the best choice.  (For many companies, it is.)

Zoho Technology offers powerful and flexible software for technology, SaaS, and subscription-based businesses. However, to make it work for your unique needs, it requires more than just documentation.

We live in a digital world, but not everything is so intuitive.  You deserve a resource to help you with the software side of managing your business.

zoho technology saas business

Zoho gives you all the power you could possibly want to put together a system that works for you – but, without understanding your business, Zoho can’t advise you one way or the other on best practices.  That goes for:

  • Setting up the system properly to solve your current problems
  • Setting it up to anticipate future issues with growth
  • Making it so your employees (or contractors) will actually want to use the system

Technology, SaaS, or subscription-based businesses often face particular issues when deploying Zoho.  When deploying your own system, you may want to consider these listed below.  To supplement this, we also offer business assessments for deploying a Zoho system.  This is specific to tech/SaaS companies, and any deployment projects include Zoho consulting and training on any apps.

3 Challenges for Tech/SaaS Businesses with Zoho

zoho technology saas business

…And how to help alleviate them

#1. Recognition of Revenue

This obvious problem arises in any subscription-based business; it affects many technology companies who use that business model, particularly.  This comes up because subscription-based businesses have a choice: Recognize revenue for, say, an annual contract, in chunks once per year, or recognize it on a monthly basis.  There are a few different ways to accommodate this need.

  • For recurring services, you could create one deal per year with an amount equivalent to the year of service, or create recurring deals each month.
  • You could also create multiple deals ahead of time and future-date their closing dates.
  • Lastly, you could use the deals module only for current monthly deals, use the sales orders module for future monthly deals, and the invoices module for closed-won deals (in this case, paid invoices).

In tandem with or instead of using deals, you could also use Zoho Subscriptions to track monthly subscription revenue (as well as any one-time startup or deployment fees) and integrate this directly with the accounts module of Zoho CRM, as well as Zoho Books.

Bear in mind there is no simple way to determine which of these ways is best, however.  Figuring this out almost always warrants a larger discussion about how your business works generally.

#2. Complex Quoting and Job Costing

zoho technology saas business

If you only sell software, you can get by using a combination of Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and Zoho Subscriptions as your customer hub and financial hubs.  However, if you offer physical products in tandem with software, things become a little trickier.  And, if your services involve installation or delivery of said hardware too, it can be even more confusing to figure out exactly how to get everything working correctly.  Standard Zoho apps simply aren’t enough to accommodate complex quoting needs.

  • Rather than bang your head against a wall, you could use a custom Zoho CPQ tool, built on Zoho Creator.  This tool can use your own factors, triggers, and calculations to assemble quotes that include not just software, but hardware and even services.  The app includes a quote configurator, as well as kitting or bundling.  If you need quotes assembled from in the field, you could use a mobile Zoho CPQ app, which includes these very same features plus mobile capability.

Like complex quote assembly, Zoho similarly doesn’t provide a standard solution for calculating costs of individual jobs.  Of course, it’s possible to simply integrate QuickBooks with Zoho, but those who don’t already use the program probably won’t jump at the opportunity to use it solely for job costing.

  • To that end, you might consider a custom Zoho job costing module, also built on Zoho Creator.  This tool allows for combining the values of running software, the cost of hardware, and even the cost to deploy that hardware and software on-site, so you can accurately gauge your profitability.  It’s work you could probably do yourself, given enough time.  But, for many, the opportunity cost is simply too great and it isn’t worth it to reinvent the wheel.

#3. Multiple Subscriptions for the Same Product

zoho technology saas business

If you run a business that sells more than one of a certain kind of product to any respective business where expiration dates can vary, it may not make sense to use Zoho Subscriptions.  Rather, you could utilize something simpler, the deals module of Zoho CRM.  Using the deals module for this scenario would allow for creating as many deals as necessary, associating any product with those deals, and modifying each deal closing date according to the subscription renewal dates.

This sort of fix could apply to any B2B SaaS, technology, or other subscription-based company selling to end-users within a company, where those users are expected to renew their own licenses and receive reimbursement for the costs.  As always, it’s best to talk with a certified Zoho consultant before adopting a system like this for your own business.

Get started today

Even with a modest number of apps that cater to businesses like yours, Zoho seems to expand its offerings almost monthly.  And, that’s a double-edged sword for the end-user.  It’s great that so many great apps are available.  But, it’s also not-so-great because can never be quite sure if you’re doing things the right way.

Instead of leaving it to chance, contact us for an assessment that’s geared specifically to your business, whether you deal in SaaS, other technology, or you use subscriptions in any form.

Integration & Development

Published on: July 17, 2019Category: Last Updated: July 20, 2023

Is Zoho Holding Back Your Business Growth?

Having many pieces of software running your business is usually necessary.  But, at times getting all those apps to communicate with each other can be a hassle.  Why spend valuable hours trying to cobble together an integration by hand?

Software as powerful as Zoho should have great development resources to go along with it.

We provide you this resource, an enterprise-grade solution to this integration issue, a custom ETL platform called AgilitySync. Using a combination of webhooks and the APIs of many different programs, AgilitySync makes it simple for you to connect a variety of apps to Zoho.  These apps include QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online,  Sage Intacct, and many others.  You can connect these to Zoho CRM for easy all-around access, especially for your sales team.  Or, you could even connect these apps to Zoho Books or Zoho Creator for a more unique or accountant-centered experience.

Additionally, we develop Zoho Marketplace extensions, and even provide development services specific to Zoho for custom functions, as well as entirely custom apps on Zoho Creator. See our library of integration and development services below:

Zoho Data Migration

Published on: July 12, 2019Category: Last Updated: March 30, 2023

Migrate your Data to Zoho with our help

zoho data migration

If you’re planning to upgrade from a legacy system to an instance of Zoho, there’s always one nasty roadblock that can prevent you from having the smoothest project: that’s your data!  Whether it’s too complicated to export and import yourself, you aren’t sure how it will translate to Zoho, or you just don’t have time to sit through a data migration yourself, your historical data is the one thing that completes your Zoho system after it’s been properly implemented and optimized.  So, what are you to do when you find yourself in a bind?

At ZBrains, we’ve encountered this problem many a time.  And, we understand just what you need to successfully migrate your data from many, many systems to Zoho.  That goes not just for Zoho CRM, but Zoho apps like Books and Inventory, too, as needed. Even migrating from Salesforce to Zoho doesn’t have to be such a chore for you.

Zoho Data Migration: The ZBrains Difference

You probably already know data migration isn’t always just a point-and-click maneuver!  It’s not always hard to do, but it’s a lot to sit through. And, if you aren’t sure how to best export it or how it will map to Zoho CRM in the best way possible, that can absolutely quash any chance you have of going through it alone.  And, it’s possible that other consultancies will jump at the chance to help you, and offer you a quick solution to help you. Well, not so fast…

zoho data migration

We have enough experience at ZBrains to know that the best solution isn’t always the quickest one.  In fact, we have a rigorous process to make sure we migrate your data effectively.  And that involves three important steps:

  1. Planning
  2. Data migration test round
  3. Data migration approval
  4. Live migration

The purpose of the test round and approval:

Migrating your data in one fell swoop without ensuring it looks correct could be disastrous to your organization, especially if you have a lot of team members interacting with it.  Your team could be unprepared for such an influx of new (old) data, and if we don’t get the migration right the first time, it could put undue stress on everyone involved.

For that reason, we always perform a test migration after we plan your data mapping.  This test consists of just a few records of any one type. Once we’ve tested and made sure it looks right to us, we come back to you and make sure the data looks right to you.  You’ll be able to tell us if your data looks like it should in your Zoho environment.  

Once we’re in agreement about your data, we’ll perform the rest of the migration for that module.  This multi-pronged process also gives you time to alert your team of the migration schedule and tell them when they can inspect the new data to arrive.

Pricing for Zoho Data Migration

Data Migrations are required for all Integration projects and pricing varies on complexity of the integration itself. Typically, data migrations are priced based on the number of modules (ex.  Sales Orders, Invoices, Customers are examples of modules) along with the number of records. Schedule an integration assessment today with a ZBrains consultant to get a project quote. 

Systems we work with

Our clients come to Zoho from a variety of systems.  We can help you migrate to Zoho from programs like:

Need more than just a one-time Zoho data migration?

zoho data migration

Sometimes we get requests for Zoho CRM or Zoho Books migrations from companies who would like to continue to use their legacy systems.  They want to continuously migrate data to that old system from Zoho, or vice-versa. We call that kind of data migration a software integration, and we do a good deal of that at ZBrains, too.  We use our own ETL platform to set up continuous syncs between many different software systems and Zoho apps, including the ones you see above.

Ready to migrate?  Get started today!

Even the largest of Zoho data migrations, and Zoho jobs in general, begin with a single click.  No matter if you’re just getting started on Zoho and want help migrating a few modules of records, or you’re well through your Zoho consulting period and want to move over all your data from several old systems.  We can help!  Contact us to let us know exactly where your needs lie, and we’ll be sure to offer you the best kind of help for the job.

 

Connect with Us

 

reasons to process credit cards in zoho

Maximizing Your Business Revenue with Zoho Credit Card Processing

Published on: April 2, 2019Category: Zoho CRMLast Updated: June 14, 2023 Comments: 0

Today’s blog post is a guest post brought to you by our partner, Century Business Solutions.  Century is a technology-based merchant services provider that specializes in software integrations – kind of like we do.  Aside from being a partner of ZBrains for years, they provide zoho credit card processing integrations to programs like QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics – and even Zoho CRM.  Because of the similarities in how we think, this post is in line with lots of other material you’ve probably read on this blog – and expands upon the topic of processing credit cards in Zoho much further.  So, without further ado…

——————————————————————————

3 Reasons to Choose Zoho for Credit Card Processing

Running a business is hard. But, you probably already knew that.

Despite the challenges and the late hours, you keep striving to bring success to your company. The reason you get out of bed every morning might be as basic as needing to keep food on the table or as visionary as wanting to change the world.

Whatever your reason, you want your business to do well.

Processing credit cards in Zoho is a simple adjustment that will save you time and money and make your work life more efficient.

ZBrains, a Zoho Premium Partner and Zoho consulting company, can set you up with a payment processor that works seamlessly with your Zoho CRM software.    

But before we discuss that further, let’s dive into the three main reasons to process credit cards in Zoho.

Lower Processing Costs

Money is always a big concern for businesses. Companies should take opportunities to cut costs whenever possible. And if you’re currently using Zoho CRM but are processing payments outside of your CRM account, you’re probably paying a lot more than you need to.

Why is that?

It has to do with the level at which a card is processed.

process credit cards in zoho

All card transactions fall into one of three processing categories: Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3. The higher the level, the lower the processing fees.

Integrated payment software solutions are designed to pull all relevant customer data, merchant information, product specifications, tax amount, and more from your CRM software when processing a credit card. When you send more line-item details with a transaction, the card is qualified at a higher level, and you pay less in credit card processing fees.

When your payment processing is separate from your CRM system, your cards are qualified at lower levels (Levels 1 and 2) because key information is not automatically sent with transactions.

All of this is to say that when you sign up with a reputable payment processor that integrates with Zoho, you’ll cut down on monthly processing costs. Not to mention you’ll also save a ton of time through automation, so you won’t have to manually re-enter transactions into your CRM account.

Which leads us to our next point…

No More Double Data Entry

process credit cards in zoho

The dreaded double data entry dilemma.   

An unfortunate struggle known to all who process credit cards outside of their Zoho CRM system.

If that’s you, then don’t lose hope. There’s a light at the end of this tunnel: an integrated payment solution.

An integrated payment solution enters into your CRM system and allows the two systems to work as one. Which means—drumroll—no more double data entry!

It’s a fine thing when you can run a card and your CRM automatically reflects the transaction.

Go ahead…imagine what that would mean for you.

At the end of a long work day, instead of expending time and energy manually re-entering transactions into Zoho, you and your team could work on growing the business.  

Not only will integrated payment processing save your business a considerable amount of time (especially for businesses with a high transaction volume), it will also prevent human mistakes from occurring by automatically updating information directly in your CRM software.

Convenience is Key  

process credit cards in zoho easy button

Time moves fast. And when you end up wasting a lot of it, you can feel pretty defeated.

That’s why products are geared towards providing convenience and saving you time. Microwaves make heating up food a cinch, phones make it easy to contact someone, and your car gets you around town within minutes—granted the traffic is light.

Time saving products and services aren’t just beneficial for your personal life. Your business can be hugely impacted by simple changes, like utilizing a payment processor that works in Zoho.

Think of it like this. An integrated system will keep all your payment processing in one place, so you don’t have to switch between systems when taking a payment. It will make it easy for you and your team to stay organized and reduce the chance of human error. And it will allow you to set up recurring payments for customers who have repeat orders.

process credit cards in zoho tokenization

Integrated systems also use tokenization to make processing payments more convenient. Tokenization is a method of creating a unique string of numbers and letters to replace a credit card’s information. The token is used when a customer pays an invoice or when the merchant charges their card. The actual card number and CVV code are stored securely in the payment processor’s vault.

Tokenization reduces the amount of time and energy you and your team spend re-entering card information. Once a customer pays an invoice or the merchant enters the card information into their integrated payment solution, their card data will be stored as a token for future purchases.

Sounds pretty good, right?

If you’ve been processing payments without an integrated payment provider, then you’ve been doing things the hard way. But thankfully, making the switch to an integrated solution is easy.  

Start Your Journey Today with Zoho Credit Card Processing

If you’ve been nodding your head while reading and are ready to learn more about how to process credit cards in Zoho, then:

  1. Contact our partner, ZBrains.  They’re experienced Zoho consultants, and as such, they’re equipped to customize your payment needs and add efficiency to your business.
  2. Allow them to set up the payment integration for Zoho CRM.
  3. Sit back, relax, and watch as your payment processing gets a whole lot easier.

Zoho Integrations

Published on: December 26, 2014Category: Last Updated: April 11, 2023