No matter what kind of business you have, you need the proper software to run it and the proper hardware to run it on. But with so many platforms available, it can be difficult to make a decision That’s where a great Zoho CRM Consultant can help.
The initial foray into software for many startups begins by using the software they have used or “heard about.” They’ll start with something like Office to track documents and spreadsheets. Then comes the financial software. Of course a website becomes important along with matching email addresses. Next comes the e-marketing platform. The final result is often a mish mash of unrelated software, a lot of setup and a big bill for hardware and installation.
If you’ve followed my blog you know that I love Zoho One which contains all the elements needed to run a business at one low price. Better yet, all of those elements are fully integrated which will ultimately save you time – and money! At a price of only $444/user/year it’s steal. Although Zoho One includes over 50 apps I’d start with these:
Zoho CRM:
- Interact with your customers via telephone, email, live chat or even social media
- Automate repetitive tasks and processes
- Analyze your efforts with comprehensive dashboards and reports,
Zoho Books:
- Keep a register of all your payments and deposits which in turn links to your bank account to make monthly reconciliations a snap.
- Invoice your customers – and receive their payments electronically.
- Setup your products and/or services so you can focus on your profit centers.
Zoho Writer & Zoho Sheets
In all honesty I use Microsoft Office. However, if your startup is on a shoestring budget you’ll find the two Zoho apps are comparable to the paid versions of Google Docs. There’s even Zoho Sheets, a PowerPoint clone.
Zoho Mail
Host your business email on a secure, encrypted, privacy-guaranteed, and ad-free email service.
Zoho Sites & Zoho Forms
Easily create a website using one of the templates that comes with Zoho Sites. Once you’ve set up your website you can create online forms using Zoho Forms; the responses will automatically flow directly from your website into Zoho CRM.
