DSL Telecom - Blog #AI

6 All-New Zoho CRM Features That You Should Know About

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 16:07:16 +0200

Zoho as a leading software provider, has always been well-renowned for their constant technological innovations to their new apps and improvements to their existing apps with frequent feature releases across their entire software suite. 2021 has been no exception.

Their latest releases come with multiple innovative ways to further examine your customer data, uncover even more interesting trends and more ways to evaluate team and individual performance, to name but a few.

Zoho CRM empowers a global network of over 150,000 businesses in over 180 countries. It helps businesses engage with customers, convert more leads, and grow their revenue by closing more deals

Here we showcase our favourite 6 just-launched Zoho CRM features:

Subscribe to CRM editions from the mobile ''in app purchases feature''

With the Zoho CRM mobile app, you can oversee your sales on the move.

Whether you're a sales rep making calls, a sales manager monitoring the sales pipeline, or a business owner nurturing your business, approach your workday efficiently with a state-of-the-art mobile CRM system.

Your mobile CRM app not only covers your CRM software requirements on the go but also helps boost mobile sales productivity with features like search, call, email, check-in, near-me, and notifications. With a highly fluid, interactive interface, offline access, and the ability to sync data across all your devices automatically, Zoho's mobile CRM is perfect for field sales.

You can now upgrade to the Standard, Professional and Enterprise editions from the app settings from your iOS mobile device. You can do so by following the steps demonstrated in the image below.

1. Go to your Zoho CRM app

2. Navigate to settings

3. Tap ''Upgrade''

Introducing Prediction Analytics from Zia

Zia can understand business metrics, analyse it and predict the possible outcome that can help in decision-making and preparing ones business for the future. To substantiate the prediction results, Zia shows the analytics that were taken into consideration to predict an outcome.

With Zoho's new prediction analytics feature from Zia, you can now understand the analytics that Zia took into consideration to predict an outcome and make informed decisions to change the Prediction configuration to achieve more accurate outcomes.

With Zia’s predictions, you never have to guess. Zia scores and sorts your records into different focus groups, so you know how to treat every record. Zia scores your records as a percentage, calculated using win-behavior, the related sales activities, the responsiveness of the lead or prospect, and the time invested. As these scores change, you also understand which sales activity has an impact on your prediction score.

Compare KPIs or targets in Zoho Motivator

Motivator for Zoho CRM inspires healthy, competitive sales by capturing the data from your CRM account to create a competitive environment for your sales team using sales activities. Motivate your team's sales performance via competition and gamification.

Evaluate team, individual, company or time-specific performance to know whether there is an increase or decrease in KPI performance or target parameters.

For example, the increase or decrease in trend can be viewed by comparing the previous month's or last day's data with that of the current month and present day respectively. Likewise, comparison can be drawn between the current and previous month's performance for a particular field.

Introducing Zone Analysis - a new Dashboard component

Zoho CRM has also introduced a new dashboard component called "Zone Analysis" to provide more detailed analytical insights of business data. Zone analysis distributes data into different zones which are created by taking the parameters in the X and Y axes into consideration. It makes understanding of data easier and make informed decisions.

Use Zone Analysis to understand the business data that requires more attention and those that are doing well with the help of comparative analysis between two parameters.

Zoho CRM offers many analytic tools that help users decode business data into simpler graphical forms that are easy to understand and can be shared with peers across the organisation. One of these tools is Zones, where data points are plotted on a graphical area to represent the most optimal to least optimal conditions in the form of zones.

In Zone Analysis, the darkest zone represents the best or the most optimal data point and the lightest zone indicates the least optimal data point.

Transform your CRM user experience using Canvas

Canvas is a no-code, drag-and-drop design studio built into Zoho CRM where you can create contextual, immersive experiences for your entire team.

Now you can redesign your CRM record detail page with this easy-to-use, drag-and-drop design studio that compliments your business, industry, culture and methods.

The Canvas detail page allows you customise the record detail page to your preference by letting you add background colour to each field, arrange them in a different order, use custom buttons instead of field names, use different font styles and a lot more. This view is available in all the modules, including the custom modules.

New metrics and charts in Webform Analytics

Web forms simplify the process of capturing visitors or users information from your website into your CRM system. They are designed to automate the importing of data from websites into Zoho CRM. Non-technical users find it easy to design and publish their own web forms.

Web forms are supported for Leads, Contacts, Cases and any other Custom CRM Modules that you have in your account.

Most of the time, organisations host multiple webpages that help them focus on a wider audience and generate more leads. It is also important to analyse the performance of each web form to understand if they are serving the desired purpose.

Web form analytics help you analyse the performance of the web forms by identifying how well the visitors interact with your web forms and what causes them to drop off.

The new metrics include:

The individual form analytics will display abandon rate in submissions and average time spent.
In the field-based analysis, metrics like: Time spent on fields, field correction rate, field drop rate and field filled order will be available.
Submission based on the device source will also be available

And there there you have it. DSL Telecom's top 6 Zoho CRM enhancements for 2021 so far. If you want to learn more about Zoho CRM and what it can do for your business, get in touch with one of our Zoho Specialists today and book your free Zoho CRM Software Demo.

Book Your Free Zoho CRM Demo

What CRM System Should You Choose in South Africa?

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 16:26:52 +0200

5 Best CRM Softwares for South African Businesses

Now that your organisation is on the look out for a CRM system, you will need to start with gaining a deeper understanding of your software requirements and what features you can expect from CRM software vendors. Although you've probably come here to make your informed decision on which is the best CRM software to choose for South African business, you've probably realised that selecting the perfect CRM system is no simple process.

The challenge lies not only in the fact that there are so many potential CRM solutions and technologies to choose from, but you also have to consider CRM system deployment options, ability to customise, cost, scalability and business value, before you make your choice.

Here is our 2021 guide on how to choose the right CRM software for your business.

1. Factors to consider when comparing CRM Systems

When it comes to customer relationship management (CRM), it’s important to choose the right CRM system with the capabilities that suit your business before embarking on your selection process.

7 important factors to consider in CRM comparisons are:

User-friendly software
Local partner with support, consultation, training and implementation services
Growth and scalability capabilities
Flexible reporting
Affordability
Highly customisable
Integration capabilities

Here is a blog post that details the 7 vital criteria to consider when selecting a CRM system for South African businesses

2. Features South African Businesses need in their CRM Software

A CRM solution opens up amazing opportunities for small businesses and large enterprises alike to thrive. Now more than ever, South African businesses need to expertly manage prospects and existing customers with great care. Using a platform with the best CRM features is an essential part of that strategy, so we compiled a CRM features list to help you get started.

Lead management is the backbone of a successful sales operation. Without effective leads, there’s no need for a CRM or even a sales team in the first place. This concept covers the first step in the sales cycle to create qualified opportunities and ultimately, satisfied customers.

Lead management is the process of tracking and managing prospective customers and CRM Systems should enable you to manage the process of converting prospects into potential customers (leads) by identifying, scoring and moving leads through the sales pipeline.

Follow up with leads automatically with preset emails and tasks or contact them yourself directly from your CRM. CRM Software Systems can nurture prospects all the way through the sales pipeline, from lead generation to closing the sale. Additionally, many CRMs, like Zoho CRM, allow users to create and store sales quotes, track invoices and follow up on documents.

Contact management & Marketing is a vital CRM capability. It allows users to segment contacts into groups to organise and better cater to them. With this CRM capability, you’ll be able to gather crucial customer data and strengthen your marketing strategies. It also improves the personalisation of all contact with customers, making them feel important and catered to. This is a key factor in customer satisfaction!

Many CRM solutions, like Zoho CRM, have built-in marketing tools, including email templates, email marketing pipelines, SMS messaging and lightweight project management tools. Some even offer competition tracking and sales forecasting capabilities.

Business intelligence tools, BI, reporting and dashboards have become some of the top CRM features. Users can view statistics in a highly visual, engaging perspective using customised reports and dashboards. They offer real-time data updates and a platform that can be accessed from various portals, improving ease of access for a variety of personnel. Management can use these reports to make data-driven decisions - an investment in CRM BI is an investment in the future of your business.

Most CRM software includes some reporting functionality, but the best CRM Systems, like Zoho Software, support live, dynamic and customisable dashboards. Make sure any exporting or importing needs you have (for instance, transferring information to and from Excel or QuickBooks) are compatible with the system you choose.

CRM automation refers to a CRM system’s ability to automate repetitive, manual tasks to streamline work and improve productivity. Automation of a CRM can encompass a range of functions across marketing, sales and service activities.

CRM tools are all about making it easier to manage every external interaction and relationship that’s essential for business success. Automation can free up time to focus on more meaningful and strategic work.

3. Top 5 CRM Softwares for South African Businesses

1: Zoho CRM Software

Zoho CRM is one of the larger organisations in the CRM market and is part of the Zoho suite of business management tools. Zoho CRM is an omnichannel cloud-based customer relationship management platform that helps local & global businesses to take control of their business processes to build lasting customer relationships. The web-based platform can be customised to suit industries of all types and sizes. Zoho CRM offers integration with over 50 Zoho products and extends its capacity with more than 300 third-party app extensions, including G Suite, Office 365, Salesforce and many other popular apps.

Businesses can use the Zoho CRM omnichannel CRM to nurture customer relationships anytime, anywhere. From desktop, to phone, to live chat, to email, to social media, businesses can communicate and connect with their clients to enhance the customer experience. Notifications can automatically alert users of each new customer interaction or new contact.

When it comes to a CRM solution, one size doesn't fit all businesses. That's why Zoho CRM lets businesses easily customize the interface to meet the particular requirements of their organisation. Zoho has over 13 million users, a good portion of them being South Africans, due to this Zoho now offers all 45 plus business software applications at a fixed South African rand price. Zoho seeks to make this adoption both simple and affordable by providing its world-class software solutions at a fair price, protected from exchange rate fluctuations.

2. MS Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a multi-language, multi-currency enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. The solution is designed for midsize and larger companies, and is fully customisable and extensible through its development platform and tools. Dynamics 365 offers a range of tools for sales, customer service, field service management, talent acquisition, finance and operations, retail, project service automation, marketing, artificial intelligence and more.

With Microsoft Dynamics 365 businesses can unify their operations, projects, workflows and tasks in one centralised platform in order to aid decision making, build relationships with customers and operate efficiently. The individual applications within Microsoft Dynamics 365 can be used as standalone products, combine with one another or integrated with a wide range of external business systems in order to provide a completely customised solution. The platform integrates with third party applications such as Ameyo, Salesforce, DocuSign, PandaDoc, ADP, Gainsight, Tacton CPQ and more.

3. Salesforce CRM

Salesforce is a CRM cloud-based solution which caters towards companies of all sizes – it is a single platform intended to manage all aspects of sales, service, marketing and analytics, through area specific “clouds” in order to meet specific business needs.

With separate “clouds” for each arm of their CRM, Salesforce provides solutions suited for companies who wish to engage in different aspects of the modern consumer space while maintaining the ability to segregate operations between teams, avoiding over-complication while still allowing for cross-communication. Salesforce offers different services through separate price plans, so businesses only looking for partial CRM functionality can adjust their service level and costs to fit their needs.

4. Pipedrive CRM

Pipedrive is a deal-driven customer relationship management solution that also works as an account-management tool with the ability to assist with marketing and the entire sales process. Pipedrive's proactive nature automatically tracks and organises calls and emails and synchronises schedules across devices. One capability that might be especially attractive to most small to midsized businesses (SMBs) is Pipedrive's ability to visualise the sales process from start to finish.

Pipedrive's straightforward user interface is simple to pick up quickly. Smaller SMBs and entrepreneurs charged with CRM tasks will welcome its ease of use.

5. Hubspot CRM

HubSpot CRM takes care of all the little details - logging emails, recording calls and managing data - in a very intuitive manner therefore freeing up valuable selling time in the process. HubSpot CRM is used to organise, manage, track contacts and build better relationships with customers.

The CRM will also let your entire company operate off of one source of truth about the contacts in your database instead of sharing spreadsheets or finding emails. Every interaction is stored in a timeline, including notes about the contact and the content they’ve consumed. Organisations that are new to the business or mid-market companies accept the HubSpot CRM tool because it provides secured services and quick functions that are easily understood.

4. Why we highly recommend Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM - with its broad coverage, deep features and intuitive UI - can go head to head against any other big brand name when it comes to technology and functionality. Where other CRMs use predatory business practices and aggressive, multi-year contracts to strong arm users into sticking around, Zoho is so confident in the strength of their CRM System that they offer flexible, month-to-month subscriptions that can grow with your business.

Zoho CRM is a widely adopted customer relationship management (CRM) platform, which has a strong emphasis on increasing leads, accelerating sales and measuring performance. It makes great use of artificial intelligence (AI), and its business intelligence features can empower remote workforces to achieve more together. Advanced options such as Zia, the AI-powered assistant, provide exceptional lead and deal predictions to identify the potential customers who are most likely to convert, helping sales teams focus their efforts in the most efficient way possible. The user-friendly platform integrates with hundreds of popular apps and software, making it easy to build a custom CRM for any business.

Zoho offers transparent pricing based on monthly and annual terms. There are four bundled service options. Free trials are available for each subscription level. The Standard bundle includes everything in the free version plus added features. (Each successive tier includes everything available in the bundles that precede it.)

We recommend Zoho CRM for:

Small businesses looking to implement their first unified CRM software solution.
Any size of business with a sales-focused model that wants to gamify the selling process to build camaraderie and competitiveness as well as increase communication and collaboration across remote teams.
Medium-sized businesses that want to streamline their sales processes with helpful organisation and insights from an AI-powered assistant.
Businesses that need best-in-class analytics for reliable decision-making.
Teams that require a CRM that integrates with existing business applications.
Organisations that want a solution without a steep learning curve and a system that quickly and easily fits right into their business systems.

Since partnering with Software Development Giant, Zoho Corporation in 2012, we at DSL Telecom have stepped up the Zoho Partner Status tiers and this year, we're exhilarated to have been officially recognised as a Zoho Premium Partner - the first and currently the only Zoho Premium Partner in South Africa.

If adopting Zoho's products is a dream for your company, but limited people-power and a tight budget have been holding you back, your best bet is to hire a Zoho Premium Partner like DSL Telecom. From start to finish, we take care of your needs and ensure a seamless, cost-effective solution that promises fast results.

Learn the prime benefits are when dealing with a Zoho partner in South Africa here.

Get in touch with a Zoho Specialist

Discuss your business requirements, get a free demo &
determine if Zoho would be a good fit for your business

Book Your Free Demo

Make your Customer Service team extraordinary with AI in Zoho Desk

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 15:40:55 +0200

A typical day in the life of a customer support agent revolves around responding to questions, looking at bug reports, passing on customer feedback, helping sales teams with enquiries, and firefighting when things go south. Amidst all of this, it’s easy for the agent's productivity to slow down. And that’s an area of concern for most large and mid-sized organizations.

How can you improve every agent’s productivity?

The starting point for a lot of companies is to build a self-service culture; set up a knowledge base of frequently asked questions and help customers find answers without raising support tickets. This minimises the load on the service team who can now focus on resolving complex issues more efficiently. Training the service team to use filters and views to organise their tickets is the next step in increasing productivity. It helps the team prioritise their work and see only the tickets that matter to them. This is a point where teams start using smaller utilities like keyboard shortcuts and response templates to save even more time. But there’s a whole lot of things that AI can do to help agents focus on the most important tasks. Zia in Zoho Desk is built to do just that.

Zia is an AI-driven support assistant who makes your customer support team more effective through data mining and machine learning. She provides support agents with analyses, customer forecasting, alerts and suggestions through a pre-configured system of performance analysis and metrics.

Zia also constantly learns and improves.

The more data she has to go on, the smarter she gets. Some of her capabilities are predicting anomalies and trends, analyzing customer sentiments, offering solutions and more.

Zia is a context-aware candidate we've hired for your team. Powered by AI, she can perform crucial tasks like sentiment analysis and anomaly detection. She also doubles as a conversation assistant to help customers find solutions through ASAP, Zoho Desk's in-app customer support tool.

Claim Your Free Trial

6 Things that Zia can do for your Customer Service team:

1. Zia can talk.

Customers can speak or chat with Zia from your website or mobile apps. Zia processes customers questions and automatically answers them based on content in your knowledge base. Using a skill builder, Zia can also be trained to perform actions for customers like placing or editing an order.

2. Zia reads between the lines.

When you receive countless tickets on a day, it's not enough to reply “I understand how frustrating this can be.” Understanding whether a customer is happy or not is key to a good response that takes the conversation forward. What if you could figure out the temperament of the customer and accordingly plan your responses. Zia will help you do this.

3. ZIA plays tag.

Zia scans the content of every incoming customer response and categorises them into a positive, negative, or neutral tone and shows the keyword aspects that convey this tone. Zia processes incoming tickets and assigns them appropriate tags. She scans every incoming response and identifies the key phrases from the response. These key phrases are added to the incoming ticket threads. Tags help your agents identify tickets that match their skill sets, and draw on past tickets for reference. When Zia is unsure of what tags to assign a ticket, she asks you. And that's how she learns, so she can help you better the next time.

4. She is one step ahead.

Zia acts as a smart reply assistant for tickets that makes the task of replying to them seem like a walk in the park. Zia intercepts the incoming ticket to identify the key terms from each conversation and suggests the most appropriate solution from your knowledge base. You can add these suggestions to a response with a single click and send the same to the customer. Zia is smart enough that even when an article is long and has many headings, she suggests specific paragraphs and sentences to use in a tailored response. Before an agent can start drafting their response, Zia has one typed out and ready for them. All it takes is a single click to send this out.

5. Nothing escapes ZIA.

A sudden spike or a dip from what is normal to your help desk is called an anomaly. Anomaly prediction is an effective means of identifying unusual or unexpected events that happen within Zoho Desk. Zia - your data intelligence assistant, relies on a broad spectrum of measures and methodologies to detect significant events that affect customer service experience and therefore require your attention. Zia analyses and identifies anomalies in your team's performance 24*7. When there's a sudden surge in incoming tickets, Zia warns you so you can get more hands on deck. Multiple irritated responses on a ticket? You'll hear from Zia. She even identifies issues that get the most tickets, and helps you improve the strength of your Knowledge Base.

6. Teach ZIA the skills you need.

Through a Skill Builder interface, you can teach Zia to perform actions that are relevant to your customers. This could be placing or editing an order, checking order status, or just about anything else she needs to be familiar with.

Zia brings together predictions across anomalies, sentiment, trending ticket tags, and more into a common dashboard for decision-makers to consume. They can drill down further into the details from the same dashboard to investigate further.

Supercharge your customer service with contextual AI

Get comprehensive Zoho Desk implementation consulting, data migration, customisation, development and third party application integration services

Talk to a Zoho Expert

DSL Telecom - Blog #AI

6 All-New Zoho CRM Features That You Should Know About

What CRM System Should You Choose in South Africa?

5 Best CRM Softwares for South African Businesses

5 Best CRM Softwares for South African Businesses

Get in touch with a Zoho Specialist

Discuss your business requirements, get a free demo & ​determine if Zoho would be a good fit for your business

Make your Customer Service team extraordinary with AI in Zoho Desk

6 Things that Zia can do for your Customer Service team:

1. Zia can talk.

2. Zia reads between the lines.

3. ZIA plays tag.

4. She is one step ahead.

5. Nothing escapes ZIA.

6. Teach ZIA the skills you need.

Supercharge your customer service with contextual AI

Discuss your business requirements, get a free demo &
determine if Zoho would be a good fit for your business