Zoho CRM Adds LinkedIn, Zoho Creator Integration

• By Tim Sohn
• 12/15/11

Zoho has released a new version of its constituent relationship management (CRM) software, which includes a redesigned user interface.

According to the company, the goal of the redesign was to let end users spend more time doing their jobs, and less time using the CRM.

Zoho CRM allows users to monitor sales activities with reports and dashboards, provides profiles of constituents complete with photos in its business card view feature, and tracks e-mail conversations users have had with them. The CRM also includes a Microsoft Office plug-in that allows users to generate mail merge documents, envelopes, address labels, form letters, and more, with information from Zoho. The Zoho CRM Mobile Edition allows the user to access CRM information from anywhere with an iPhone, and provides access to activities, leads, accounts, potentials, contacts, cases, and activities modules, including when in offline mode. In addition, Zoho CRM integrates with Google Apps, allowing synchronization with Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Sites, and Google Contacts.

In addition to the new user interface, Zoho CRM now includes four new features:

• Pulse module lets users follow accounts, deals, or contacts, similar to Twitter, so they can stay up to date on a particular item they are interested in monitoring. Users can filter activity relative to who made changes and where the changes were implemented;
• The social CRM feature lets the user associate a LinkedIn profile with the constituent's information. This allows the admissions representative to stay current on potential students' social media status updates, business, and profile information. It also allows users to send messages through LinkedIn without leaving the CRM;
• Integration with Zoho Creator allows users to create and share custom database apps through a drag-and-drop interface that utilizes data from the Zoho CRM system. Creator supports 20 field types, including radio button, single line, multiline, text field, and checkboxes. It provides six ways to view the information collected through the app, including calendar view, spreadsheet view, summary view, chart view, list view, and HTML; and
• WebHooks sends automatic web notifications each time an event occurs in Zoho CRM through GET/POST requests. It instantly pushes information about the constituent to third-party applications, such as accounting or e-mail marketing software.

The new user interface and LinkedIn integration is available to all users, both free and paid, the pulse module is available to all paid users, and Zoho Creator integration and WebHooks are available to all Enterprise Edition users. Zoho CRM is available in enterprise, professional, and free (allows for three users) editions. Enterprise edition costs $25 per user each month, and professional edition is $12 per user each month.

For more information, visit zoho.com/crm.