- A full-featured CRM packed with tools and an extensive ecosystem
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface
- Outstanding built-in gamification module
Our review of Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a cloud-based business management software that offers a 360° view of your business operations. It helps streamline processes, enhance customer experience, and accelerate deal closures.
Last updated on
6
mn
My opinion
Customer reviews
- High reliance on the Zoho ecosystem
- Support available only on weekdays
- Slight learning curve for configuring filters
Ideal for B2B SMBs with minimal tools, seeking an affordable, easy-to-use CRM solution
From $14 per user per month
Free plan and 14-day free trial
Sommaire
Zoho is undeniably one of the top players in CRM for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the United States.
Zoho offers an impressive suite of software solutions, including CRM, video conferencing, email management, a chat module, and even a lightweight CMS for effortlessly creating mini-sites.
The brand’s flagship product, Zoho CRM, has seen significant updates recently. These include a revamped pricing structure and a complete overhaul of its interface—a feature that had been a weak point in the past. Despite these updates, the platform continues to deliver a deep range of functionality at highly competitive prices.
Salesdorado’s Opinion
By signing up through our links, you’ll receive $100 in free Zoho credits. Plus, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
By signing up through our links, you’ll receive $100 in free Zoho credits. Plus, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Sommaire
My Zoho CRM Review at a Glance
| Category | Score | My Opinion |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.2 | Zoho CRM is a robust solution. Its seamless integration with the Zoho ecosystem makes it a strong choice for SMBs and very small enterprises (VSEs) looking to streamline their sales processes. |
| Ease of Use | 4.4 | The user experience has been significantly improved, addressing past criticisms of the interface. The updates make it much more intuitive, helping your team adopt the platform faster. |
| Ease of Installation | 4.4 | While Zoho offers powerful sales automation features, there’s a slight learning curve. However, recent ergonomic updates have made it more accessible for new users. |
| Customer Service | 4.1 | Zoho provides 7-day support in English as a paid option. However, their detailed documentation, particularly for configuring sales automation, is a huge asset. |
| Integrations | 4.1 | Zoho CRM integrates effortlessly with other Zoho apps. If you’re already in the Zoho ecosystem, this makes it a natural fit for your business needs. |
| Value for Money | 4.5 | Zoho CRM offers a free version with essential features for up to three users. The paid plans, starting at $20/user/month, unlock advanced functionality and represent excellent value for the price. |
Sales Automation on Zoho CRM
Lead Scoring
If you regularly read our content, you already know that a well-structured sales strategy relies heavily on lead scoring to focus on high-value prospects.
Zoho CRM provides the tools to implement these sales processes. Under the “Automation” settings, you’ll find the “Scoring Rules” option, allowing you to fine-tune your sales strategy based on customizable criteria.
For instance, in the example above, a rule adds 10 points to all prospects located in Paris with sales exceeding $50,000. These criteria are then applied across your entire database, helping you prioritize leads by sorting them by score in the contact management interface.
Lead Routing
Lead routing ensures that prospects are assigned to the right salesperson based on your team’s structure. In Zoho CRM, this is easy to configure: go to “Assignment Rules” in the automation menu and set your criteria.
In the example above, all leads with sales exceeding $30,000 are assigned to Hugo. While this example uses basic rules, you can create more sophisticated routing processes to distribute leads across your team automatically. Keep in mind these rules apply only to leads imported or captured via web forms.
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Automated Follow-Up Sequences
Manually following up with every lead can be time-consuming, especially in B2B sales where more complex interactions are involved. Zoho CRM simplifies this with its automated follow-up features.
Using the “Workflow Rules” option in the automation menu, you can create custom workflows with conditions, triggers, and actions. For instance, set a rule where, if a lead doesn’t reply within a specific timeframe, a reminder email is sent automatically.
While the example above isn’t specific to follow-ups, it illustrates how you can define rules for tasks like reminders. You can add up to 10 conditions per workflow, making it highly customizable for your sales process.
Salesdorado’s Opinion
If you’re confident using Zoho CRM, take it a step further by incorporating lead scoring into your follow-up workflows. This way, your prospects receive tailored content that matches their position in the sales funnel.
If you’re confident using Zoho CRM, take it a step further by incorporating lead scoring into your follow-up workflows. This way, your prospects receive tailored content that matches their position in the sales funnel.
Macros & Integrations
Repetitive tasks can drain productivity, but Zoho CRM’s macros are here to help. Macros allow you to automate actions like sending emails or updating contact details in just a few clicks.
What’s more, Zoho CRM’s AI can detect time-consuming tasks and suggest macros, making it even easier to streamline your workflow.
For more complex processes, like notifying your logistics team after a deal is closed, Zoho CRM also supports webhooks. This feature lets you connect third-party applications to your CRM for seamless integration.
Salesdorado’s Opinion
Zoho CRM offers a remarkably comprehensive suite of sales automation tools for SMBs. It’s powerful yet flexible enough to fit your needs and drive significant productivity improvements for your team.
Zoho CRM offers a remarkably comprehensive suite of sales automation tools for SMBs. It’s powerful yet flexible enough to fit your needs and drive significant productivity improvements for your team.
Ergonomics & User Experience on Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM had long faced criticism for its outdated interface, which hindered team adoption rates. Fortunately, Zoho has listened to its users and delivered a complete UX overhaul—an effort that has paid off!
The new design focuses on simplicity, making it easier to access features like lead tracking, task management, and the workflow editor mentioned earlier. These updates ensure your team can quickly get up to speed and start using the platform effectively.
Zoho CRM also features automated reminders for scheduled activities, ensuring you never miss an important task. Additionally, small but impactful AI-driven enhancements, like suggested macros, further streamline your sales processes.
Salesdorado’s Opinion
Zoho CRM’s revamped interface is a game-changer. It’s intuitive, pleasant to use, and will undoubtedly increase your team’s adoption rate!
Zoho CRM’s revamped interface is a game-changer. It’s intuitive, pleasant to use, and will undoubtedly increase your team’s adoption rate!
Integrations
Zoho CRM offers extensive third-party integrations through the Zoho Marketplace. Popular apps like G-Suite, MailChimp, Constant Contact, Evernote, ClickDesk, Microsoft Office 365, QuickBooks, Zendesk Support, and GoToMeeting are all supported.
With over 600 integrations available—including 100 VOIP telephony providers—you’ll find the tools you need to enhance your CRM experience.
Zoho CRM is also part of the larger Zoho suite, which features over 40 applications, including:
- Zoho Webinar: For hosting virtual events
- Zoho Social: Advanced social media management
- Zoho Books: Comprehensive accounting software
- Zoho Surveys: Tools to create and distribute surveys to your prospects and contacts
This ecosystem is a huge advantage, enabling seamless deployment of other Zoho tools without depending on third-party providers.
Salesdorado’s Opinion
Even if you don’t plan to use other Zoho suite applications, Zoho CRM provides all the essential integrations for a robust CRM experience.
Even if you don’t plan to use other Zoho suite applications, Zoho CRM provides all the essential integrations for a robust CRM experience.
Customer Reviews
Zoho CRM has earned solid user ratings, with a 3.9/5 score on G2 and 4.2/5 on Capterra. Here’s a breakdown of the key feedback from its users:
Advantages & Disadvantages
- Optimized lead tracking: Zoho CRM offers robu
Zoho CRM Pricing
Free Version
Zoho offers a free version of its CRM designed for up to three users. This plan includes essential features like lead, account, and deal management, making it an excellent way to evaluate the tool before committing to a paid plan.
Zoho Bigin
If you’re looking for a lightweight CRM, Zoho Bigin might be the perfect solution. This pipeline-focused CRM is tailored for small businesses.
Priced at just $7 per user per month (billed annually), Zoho Bigin includes features like up to five web forms, email integration, and custom dashboards. It’s an ideal choice for small teams starting with CRM tools, offering real functionality at an unbeatable price.
Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM offers four paid plans to suit a variety of needs:
- Standard – $20 per user per month. This plan includes lead scoring, automation workflows, multiple sales pipelines, and custom dashboards.
- Professional – $35 per user per month. This level adds the SalesSignal tool for tracking prospect activity, form integrations, and built-in inventory management.
- Enterprise – $50 per user per month. This plan features Zoho’s AI assistant “Zia”, multi-user portals, and mobile SDKs.
- Ultimate – $65 per user per month (billed annually). This top-tier plan includes advanced business intelligence integrated with Zoho Analytics.
Are you already using Zoho CRM? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below! 🙂
Try Zoho CRM for free
Zoho provides both a free plan and a 15-day free trial of its premium features, allowing you to explore the full potential of the tool at no cost.
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