Zoho Updates CRM with Enterprise-friendly Features
Zoho and its CRM and productivity software have long been associated with small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). But Zoho's latest CRM update, which it rolled out today, is outfitted with more advanced features designed to appeal to the enterprise market.
Noting that more than 55,000 businesses use Zoho CRM, Raju Vegesna, Zoho evangelist, said, “Now, we are going deeper with CRM, adding advanced functionality often needed by larger businesses. This major update packs many features requested by large businesses, such as territory management, custom modules, custom functions and social network integrations, along with many other advanced features.”
The updates include:
- Territory management, which allows users to organize customers by grouping them together based on criteria such as geographic location, industry type, expected revenue, product lines and divisions. Users can now do forecasting based on territories, identify regions that are making a profit and better plan allocation of resources.
- Custom modules let users tailor their Zoho CRM implementations, supplementing the standard sales, marketing, and customer support modules with industry-specific modules that can be built without developer tools. User-built custom modules behave like standard CRM modules, allowing users to customize, import and export data, configure workflow rules, link with standard CRM modules and generate reports.
- Custom functions (for workflow automation) let users automatically update data in related CRM modules or third-party apps. When a record matches the workflow criteria, the workflow engine triggers the custom function which could update a CRM record or a third-party application. Users can also pick from a pre-built list of functions in the custom function gallery.
- Web forms can be created without coding. Instead, users work with the WYSIWYG editor of the built-in form builder to create Web forms with required fields as well as custom layouts, fonts, background colors, field alignment and more. Web forms created using the new editor can be integrated with Zoho Sites, WordPress, Facebook, Google Sites and Joomla with pre-generated code.
The software also offers new integrations that allow users to get more work done within Zoho CRM. An enhanced Zoho Campaigns integration lets users view campaign performance details sent through Zoho Campaigns, within CRM. Users can also view the contents of the campaign email, along with the recipient list, within CRM. Zoho Calendar integration allows users to view all their CRM events inside Zoho Calendar.
And with a nod to the growing importance of social CRM, social integrations allow users to listen to and engage in customer conversations without leaving the Zoho CRM account. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles are contextually integrated inside Zoho CRM so users can connect with their prospects and customers. Social interactions with customers are now contextually presented in CRM, and a new social tab allows users to monitor social mentions and trends and search the entire social stream for possible leads.
The new features are available immediately for paid Zoho CRM Enterprise users. Pricing for Zoho CRM Enterprise edition is $35 per user, per month.
Pedro Hernandez contributes to Enterprise Apps Today, and 11Press, the technology network. He was previously the managing editor of Internet.com, an IT-related website network. He has expertise in Smart Tech, CRM, and Mobile Tech, Helping Banks and Fintechs, Telcos and Automotive OEMs, and Healthcare and Identity Service Providers to Protect Mobile Apps.
