Acquiring and keeping customers is crucial in today’s competitive business environment. Customer relationship management (CRM) is one of the most important business tools available.

You can spend just a few seconds searching for the “best CRM system” or best free CRM system and Zoho CRM will be there. Why is Zoho CRM so popular? What can it do for your business?

This is what this Zoho CRM review will reveal. You’ll be able to see the big picture and decide if Zoho CRM is right for you.

We should get started right away, without further delay!

What is Zoho CRM?

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM program that is very popular. It was created with small businesses and start-ups in mind. Customers love its user-friendly features and affordability.

The powerful CRM platform empowers over 150,000 businesses across 180 countries. It helps them connect with customers, convert more leads and generate more revenue. Most of Zoho CRM customers are in the consulting, tech, media and other real estate industries that require CRM.

Zoho CRM’s mission to “sell smarter and better” is to assist businesses. It offers automation features and customer service, so customers can seamlessly connect with Zoho CRM, no matter where they are located. It aims to make business easier for all business owners.

The key features of Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM has many features that are simple to use and easy to deploy. Let’s look at what you actually get for your money.

Sales Force Automation

Sales teams often have to handle time-consuming tasks like scheduling appointments, following up emails, tracking contacts, etc. Zoho CRM automates the sales process and allows you to concentrate on nurturing leads and closing deals.

Automated Lead Generation

Zoho CRM makes it easy to automate lead generation using chats, social media and trade shows. Lead scoring allows you to distribute leads to the correct reps and ensure you don’t miss any high-quality leads.

• Find quality leads from multiple sources
• Convert potential leads with nurture
• Track and analyze critical information about leads

Deal Management

Sales management involves prioritizing, tracking, and monitoring the deals in your pipeline. Zoho CRM offers everything you need for managing sales and deals.

• Analyze the past deals and identify potential opportunities
• Increase cross-selling and up-selling
• Give detailed insight on your deals whenever and wherever you like

Contact Management

One of the most important capabilities of any CRM system is contact management. Zoho CRM offers many options for managing contacts, prospects and leads. You can import information manually, via web firms or through an integrated social CRM platform.

Zoho CRM lets you customize your information using a drag-and drop builder that is tailored to your business process. This can improve your workflow and help you ensure that your sales team has the right information.

SalesInbox has been integrated into the platform’s email management and marketing. This feature is available to Enterprise users and integrates with MailInbox. It intelligently organizes, prioritizes, and prioritizes email messages.

You can access past messages, notes and tasks as well as contact information in one place. This allows your sales team to quickly view the sales cycle for each prospect. Prospects can also be added to your CRM via an inbox. Leads can then be converted into contacts by using automatic triggers, or simply dragging from one column to the next.

Automate your Workflow

Automation is key to ensuring your sales team stays productive and effective. Zoho CRM has strong automation capabilities that allow you to automate routine sales tasks.

It is possible to create workflow rules that can be applied across multiple business areas such as leads and accounts, sales orders, products, leads, deals, accounts, customers, products, and more. When certain conditions are met, specific actions can be taken, such as adding a tag or updating a field. You can create workflow rules with up to 10 conditions. This allows you to automate tedious administrative tasks and reduces time.

Multichannel Sales CRM

Zoho CRM, a customer relationship management platform that helps you manage prospects and customers across multiple channels, is exactly what a CRM should do.

Its email marketing tools allow you to manage contacts, automate your emails and track engagement (views or responses). Filter your leads by engagement actions (sent/not sent, opened/not opened, etc.). You can also create your own follow up strategies. The drag-and-drop email creator allows you to create new designs and reports, as well as team collaboration tools.

Zoho CRM provides more than email. It includes tools to generate leads and manage social media accounts, live chat tools on websites, and systems to manage phone calls.

Zia AI-Powered Sales Advisor

Zoho’s AI-powered sales assistant Zia was introduced in February 2018. Zia is similar to Alex. You can ask Zia any questions you have about your customer base and it will pull data from your database in order to answer them. You can ask Zia for a list of leads generated by each channel in this month. 

Zia can also make sales predictions based on the closeness of each deal to conversion. Zia can detect sales anomalies and notify users if outdated or incorrect data is found. She will then suggest the best times and dates to reach out to customers.

Marketing Automation

This feature allows you to easily run campaigns and maximize your ROI. Let’s take a closer look at Zoho CRM marketing automation features:

• Customer segmentation. Zoho CRM allows you to segment customers according to their preferences, regions, requirements, lead sources, and preference. This feature allows you to send targeted campaigns that fit your audience.

• Lead nurturing. This allows you to manage all aspects of leads and convert them into deals. You’ll always be up-to-date with each lead you generate.

• Event management. This feature allows you to easily manage and convert your events into sales. Zoho CRM allows you to contact attendees and send follow-ups. You can also organize meetings. You can save all your interactions automatically to ensure a clear timeline for your communications.

• Email campaigns. Zoho CRM allows you to keep leads engaged starting with your first email. You can create fully customizable templates for prospects to invite. It allows you to schedule reminder emails prior to the event and then take follow-ups based upon that. You can also track email clicks and open rates.

Analytics & Reports

Many CRM platforms lack data management capabilities, so you will need to integrate third-party solutions. Zoho CRM focuses on analytics and reports which are great for businesses in order to make informed decisions.

Zoho CRM is currently updating its UI. It has removed unnecessary clutter and created a minimalist layout. To view key metrics digitally, users can create a custom dashboard. Users can also choose from a variety of chart types (pie, funnel, donut etc.). If possible, the axis information.

You can customize each dashboard to include up to 10 reports. This allows you to see all the important information in one place. To keep everyone updated, the dashboard can be shared with your team members.

Zoho CRM offers a powerful reporting feature that gives users valuable insights into their business data. Reports can be built from modules such as Accounts, Leads and Contacts, Deals and Tasks, among others. There are more than 40 standard reports available at the moment. If you are unable to locate a suitable report in the existing reports, you can create your own.

Reports can be organized into folders to make them easy to find. You can also drag and drop the order of your reports to suit your needs. You can quickly convert any report to Excel, CSV or PDF for sharing with colleagues. You can also set up reports to automatically generate and email them to you on a regular basis.

Integrations

Integrations are essential for any CRM system. It is likely that your business uses a variety of software programs from different departments. It is crucial to ensure they all work together. Zoho offers a wide range of products, including Zoho Mail (and Zoho Campaigns), which can expand the functionality of your CRM. Third-party integrations, such as MailChimp and Quickbooks, can help you increase productivity and team collaboration.

Mobile App

Zoho has invested substantial money in its mobile offerings, including an Android and iOS CRM app. Users can access their newsfeeds and calendars through the app.

The geolocation feature allows sales reps to find prospects near them and schedule meetings based on their geographic location. The app can also save your data and sync it if you go offline.

Zoho CRM’s simplicity of use

Zoho CRM is extremely easy to use. The interface is simple and intuitive with drop-down menus that are easy to understand. This allows you to quickly implement tasks without the need for IT support.

The dashboard can be set up with various charts, widgets and pivot tables. These components can be embedded on different online platforms and accessed by multiple members. If necessary, you can restrict or control access to dashboards.

The platform also takes care of most of the tedious work involved in entering contact information. Zoho CRM can import data from a spreadsheet. It also automatically creates contact records based on your email, online submissions and tickets. You can create accounts for large clients and assign multiple contacts to each account.

Pricing plans for Zoho CRM

A feature-packed, free version of Zoho CRM is available that can be used by beginners. You will find the essential features such as marketing automation and sales, along with customer support if you need it.

It does have some limitations, however, as you might expect. You will pay more if you need more than three CRM employees or a customized experience.

Zoho CRM generally offers five pricing plans: Standard, Professional Enterprise, Enterprise and Ultimate. For more information about each plan, please see the following table.

Plan	Price/user/month (billed annually)	The Key Features
No cost	$0	– Leads, contacts, accounts, deals – Tasks and events, call log, notes, and calls CRM Views Advanced filters Page customization – 5 custom view views/module     – Workflow rules 50 emails per user license, 150 emails per day (whichever is less) Standard reports – 10 email templates 1GB of file storage Basic Support
Standard	$12	Everything included in the free plan plus: – Scoring rules – Workflows – Multiple pipelines – Mass email – Custom dashboards
For professionals	$20	All the benefits of the Standard plan plus: – SalesSignals – Blueprint – Web-to–case forms – Validation rules – Inventory Management
Enterprise	$35	All the benefits of the Professional plan plus: – Zia AI CommandCenter – Canvas – Multi-user portals Advanced customization – Mobile SDK & MDM
Ultimate	$45	Everything you need to know about the Enterprise Plan plus: Advanced BI – Bundled with Zoho Analytics – Limitations on Enhanced Features Trial for 30 days

Zoho CRM doesn’t require you to sign any contracts or commitments. You can change your plan at any time with the platform’s pay-as you-go (monthly, yearly). The platform offers a free 15-day trial that allows you to test out some of its bonus features before purchasing the paid version. Many small-business owners and freelancers start with the free version, then upgrade as Zoho CRM allows them to grow.

Zoho CRM accepts payments via PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and American Express. For annual subscriptions, the company accepts payments via bank transfer and check transfer.

Customer support at Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers a 24-hour helpline for customers who pay, as well as email support. You can also find helpful documents and a blog on the platform to make the most of your services.

Customers love Zoho CRM’s customer service – they can reach out quickly to someone when they need them. You might be dealing with an Indian call center, as with many CRM providers.

Despite this, Zoho CRM is well-known for its customer service. With the addition of Zia, the AI assistant, it’s easier than ever to get what you want. The service will be great for all customers, and paying customers won’t have to worry.

Who is Zoho CRM useful for?

Zoho CRM is the perfect solution for small business owners who are budget-conscious and ambitious. If you are new to CRM, have less than 10 employees and want to get up and running quickly with CRM, the free version is ideal. If you want to accelerate your business growth, however, a paid plan is better – there are many affordable options.

Businesses of all sizes can trust Zoho CRM, but it was designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Zoho CRM can be used by anyone, even if they aren’t sure where to start. It also scales well as you grow.

The pros and cons of Zoho CRM

Pros:

• It has a simple, intuitive interface and requires very little learning.
• Simple setup and easy maintenance
• Flexible pricing options
• There are tons of integrations and customization options available
• Automation capabilities that are strong
• Zia is an AI-powered sales assistant that can help you.
• Solid email marketing features
• Supportive and responsive customer service

Cons:

• It can be overwhelming to choose from so many customization options that it may complicate the initial setup.

• Users have complained about Zoho CRM’s slow connections.

Alternatives to Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers many functionalities, but not all businesses will be able to take advantage of them. We recommend you to take a look at these top Zoho CRM alternatives in order to find the right one for your business.

Zoho CRM vs. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is an easy-to-use platform that can be used by businesses of any size and type. It’s easy to use, starting with implementing it at work and adapting existing workflows to manage prospects and close deals.

HubSpot CRM helps businesses close deals quicker and more efficiently. It also reduces the time it takes to organize information about prospects and customers. Automation capabilities allow you to track sales activity across multiple channels automatically.

Why choose HubSpot CRM over Zoho CRM?

• It is easy to use. HubSpot CRM imports client information automatically with minimal or no manual entry.

• Interface intuitive. It was created with simplicity and ease in mind. It also comes with a user-friendly dashboard that gives you an overview of your sales funnel and leads analytics.

• Absolutely free. HubSpot CRM offers a hassle-free, freemium option that is available to all businesses regardless of their budgets or sizes. It supports up to one million contacts and is available to an unlimited number of users.

Why choose Zoho CRM over HubSpot CRM?

• Multi-channel marketing. Zoho CRM allows you to collect customer information and engage clients across multiple platforms.

• Integrations with Zoho To supercharge your operation, you can use Zoho’s vast library of apps.

Zoho CRM vs. Salesforce Essentials

Salesforce Essentials is a powerful CRM platform that unites all operations such as lead management and marketing.

Salesforce Essentials is a cloud-based software that allows your team to easily access relevant data. It also provides you with comprehensive information about each contact. You can access your activities and chat history in detail.

Why choose Sales Essentials over Zoho CRM?

• It is highly customizable. Sales Essentials can be tailored to your specific sales processes.

• Comprehensive CRM functionalities. This platform offers a wide range of CRM-focused tools that will help you increase your ROI and improve customer relations.

Why choose Zoho CRM over Sales Essentials?

• Optional free. Zoho CRM offers a free plan that allows you to add up to three users.

• Robust automation capabilities. This platform boasts powerful automation features that automate mundane tasks and speed up sales processes.

• Solid integrations. Zoho CRM provides real-time updates to third-party integrations so that you are always up-to-date and informed.

Zoho CRM vs. Freshsales

Freshsales helps businesses identify and score the highest quality leads through behavior-based scoring and tracking, improve control of pipelines, and engage with context in conversations. Freshsales gives users a 360-degree view into their sales funnel, including basic customer information and all lost and won deals.

Why choose Freshsales over Zoho CRM?

• Website scoring. Website tracking can be used to score prospects based upon their website behavior.

• Clutter-free management. Freshsales gives you a single view of all your customer profiles and touchpoints. You can also use the drag-and-drop navigation to organize your sales pipeline.

• A built-in phone system. You can transfer calls directly from the box using the platform, which includes an auto-dialler, route of calls and custom welcome messages.

Why choose Zoho CRM over Freshsales?

• Solid social CRM. The CRM allows you to stay in touch with prospects and customers, interact using your social profile, as well as interact from within it.

• Analytics and reports. Zoho CRM provides useful analytics and reporting tools that will give you in-depth insight into your business.

The final verdict

Zoho CRM is a simple, yet powerful CRM system that’s great for freelancers, small businesses and start-ups. You can customize the system to make it as easy as you like, even if you are new to CRM. You won’t get bored of all the features that can be used to increase your business’s growth, even if you are a seasoned CRM professional.

We hope our Zoho CRM review will help you to choose the right software for your company. We’d love to hear from you if we missed something. We appreciate your time!