As a 20+ year ACT! Certified Consultant and the author of 7 books on the ACT! CRM software, ACT! users represent a large portion of my business. And as a ZOHO Partner I’m often asked: “Which product is better? ACT! or ZOHO?” This question is a challenging one to answer. Both ACT! and ZOHO are great products; it totally depends on what you’re looking for. But here are my thoughts on Act vs ZOHO.
ACT! Pro Single Users: Act vs ZOHO
ACT! Pro users are a very loyal bunch. It is not unusual for users to tell me that they’ve been using ACT! for 20 or more years. Most of the Pro users have fairly shallow pockets and are fairly set in their ways. Unfortunately, Pro users are furious that the Act Pro product is being discontinued which means they will no longer be able to purchase their software once every several years. Moving to ZOHO means they will have to purchase a new product, pay to get their database converted or risk losing some of their data, and learn a new CRM product. I say bite the bullet and just stick with Act. You may have to move to a subscription but there are generally great deals out there for the Act Pro Users. The advantage goes to: Act!
ACT! Existing Enterprise Users: Act vs ZOHO
With large installations things get a bit trickier as there are more users – and processes – involved. in most case I simply ask, “Are you happy with Act or are there things you wish you could change?” If the answer is that the company is fairly happy but just peeved at a few “shortcomings” they are probably better off staying where they’re at. Converting to another product means additional conversion expenses, down time and training. But when a company feels they have outgrown Act and want to have integrated solution then it’s time to move on and moving to ZOHO makes sense.The advantage goes to: Both!
New CRM Users: Act vs ZOHO
When prospective CRM users reach out to me looking for a new CRM solution, they should vet each possible solution by asking themselves these questions:
- How long has the CRM solution been in business?
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of CRM solutions on the market these days. And they will all give you a great sales pitch. The bottom line – will they still be around tomorrow when you need them? I support both the ACT! Premium and ZOHO solutions. ACT! has been around for over 30 years; ZOHO has been around for over 15. They’re not going anywhere!
- How many companies are currently using the software? How many individual users?
There’s strength – and safety – in numbers. ACT! has approximately 2.8 million users while ZOHO tips the scales at just over 50 million. Compare this to something like Hubspot whose numbers are under 100,000 or Freshdesk that’s around 150,000. This doesn’t mean those products aren’t good; it simply means that these products are still in their infancy and may be struggling both with growing pains and their basic core functionality.
- What is the price of the software? What happens if I want to add or remove users?
If price is no object, all CRM users would most probably be using SalesForce. But let’s face it, most small to medium sized businesses need to count their pennies. ACT! software pricing varies from $240 to $600/user/year depending on if you are a previous ACT! software user and whether or not you want to add an E-Marketing account. ZOHO starts at $144/user/year and includes E-marketing. ZOHO pricing tops off at $360.user/year which will get you a plethora of additional features and apps; it can also be billed monthly.
- Where do I get support? Is it only from the manufacturer or is there a partner channel?
“Support” actually consists of three components:
- Technical support: is it working?
- Customizations: how do I get it to confirm to MY way of doing things?
- Training: how do I use it?
Both ACT! and ZOHO include technical support to help you get started. Neither product includes training although both products have extensive video libraries that will help you with the basics. As far as customizations are concerned, you can try to do this as a DIY product, or you can enlist the aid of a ACT! or ZOHO certified consultant. Both ACT! and ZOHO have large partner channels; reach out to a few and find one that you are comfortable with. And, find out their pricing in advance. No one works for free!
- Does the CRM solution fulfill all the needs on my Wishlist?
If you are shopping for a CRM solution you need to have a Wishlist. Are your needs simple and you just want to be able to keep track of contact information, add a few notes, have a calendar and perhaps add a Pipeline? ACT! will most probably be fine for your needs. However, if you are looking at creating more complex, interrelated functionality such as integrating your website with your CRM, having telephone access or fully integrating with your scheduling, project management and accounting systems then ZOHO is a better solution for you. Don’t “assume” anything! The advantage goes to: ZOHO.
Still confused? Reach out to the CRM Guru and I will help you decide which product – Act vs ZOHO – is best suited to your needs?
