ZOHO’s Role-based Security

Zoho CRM offers Role Based Security, an enterprise grade solution to set up and manage access rights and security for users of CRM data. Zoho CRM Role Based Security uses Profiles, Roles, Data Sharing Rules, Field-level security, and Groups to help determine the level of access for each user.

Key Features

• Profiles: Allows the administrator to assign access rights to CRM modules, data administration tools, CRM records, and fields within each module.
• Roles & Data Sharing Rules: Allows the administrator to set up multi-level access rights, based on a user’s role in the organization, or required level of access.
• Groups: Allows the administrator to assign access rights to teams working on projects or workers with similar access requirements.

• Profiles: Profiles allow for assigning rights to large groups, such as Sales, Marketing, Inventory, Support, or any division within an organization. Grouping units together allows for sectioning of access at a high level. As an example, Marketing may need access to CRM modules, but Inventory does not. Using Profiles, each group can have those permissions granted or denied without having to change each individual’s permissions.
• Roles: Using job roles allows administrators to further specify permissions. A manager in marketing would need greater access than an intern. A market researcher would need more access than an intern, but less than a manager. Using Roles, administrators can create more layers of permissions that define access for each position in the organization.
• Groups: Teams often include workers from several departments, and with differing job titles. Using Group level allows administrators to grant permissions to access necessary data without interfering with Role or Profile permissions. Assigning members to a team, and granting Group permissions allows for flexibility and improved communication and data-flow for the teams.

Zoho CRM Role Based Security gives organizations a powerful tool for data security and management. Using this powerful tool, an organization can revolutionize their data use while increasing their data security. From establishing access limits across departments to sharing data to enable high-performance teams, Zoho CRM Role Based Security brings a powerful set of tools to your organization and at a price any organization can afford.

Not only does ZOHO have security features but you are also able to Integrate Email with ZOHO!

Using ZOHO’s Sales Force Automation for Small Business CRM

For a business seeking the right CRM software, Zoho‘s online offering provides extraordinary ease of use and functionality. One of the software’s features, Zoho CRM’s powerful Sales Force Automation tool, focuses on seven key steps or modules. These individual modules integrate flawlessly to provide a streamlined process of lead generation, information acquisition, sale conversion, customer retention, and loyalty programs.

Lead Management, the first of the modules, gives any size business the ability to generate quality, targeted leads faster and more efficiently. Managing sales lead raw data is a critical process of successful enterprises. Zoho CRM’s Sales Force Automation accomplishes this by utilizing:

• Unqualified lead information generated through various means, both “in-house” business portals and outside sources.
• Data captured from multiple web-based lead generation methods including form filling, web forms, quick create, and developer API entered directly into Zoho’s Sales Force Management module.
• Prospect data from other sources such as marketing initiatives, trade shows, networking, referrals, branding, or cold calls, all easily and seamlessly entered into the Zoho online CRM tool.
• Lead allocation and distribution methods that drastically improve on time-consuming manual means. Zoho’s SFA Lead Management tool incorporates specific criteria selection such as geographic location or activity, facilitating lead distribution to the right sales specialist.
• Built-in data qualification that separates contact-ready leads from general inquiries, resulting in engaged and interested prospects primed for the next stage in the process.
• Data conversion that completes the process and transforms the lead into a contact, actual sales opportunity or customer account.

Using Zoho CRM’s online SFA Automated Lead Management software transforms what is often a disorganized and human-error-prone system, into a smoothly functional process that works in both B2B and B2C applications.

◊ ◊ ◊

Businesses researching Customer Relationship Management software options should look closely at Zoho CRM’s many outstanding features. The online CRM’s Sales Force Automation tool provides seven integrated modules that let any business, whatever its size, easily implement advanced strategies for monitoring, analyzing and improving every aspect of the sales life cycle.

The second of the seven SFA modules, Sales Opportunity Management, breaks down the complete sales cycle into stages, effectively tracking and applying probability analysis to each stage; Zoho CRM’s Sales Opportunity Management tool puts a business firmly in control of their sales and marketing with the ability to:

• Utilize dashboard and reporting assessment features targeted specifically to the sales funnel.
• Sort and weed out likely failures and recognize genuine sales opportunities.
• Track potential sales through their complete life cycle.
• Identify and target prospects with the greatest completion potential and revenue expectations, increasing closings and income.
• Import data from within Zoho CRM, or from other external sources with Zoho CRM API and the Import Wizard.
• Interconnect potential sales with associated data in other modules, effectively giving full circle visibility from various viewpoints.
• Monitor the competition for each potential sale, a key feature during tough market conditions.
• Monitor and analyze where each sale is in the process, and what the potential is for closing the deal, using the Zoho SFA’s customization drag and drop wizard.
• Analyze the entire process to address issues, eliminate flaws and improve the scenarios for future deals.
• Keep involved parties updated and on track on deals reaching fruition through Zoho’s “Big Deal Alert”.
• Streamline the sales automation process using workflow rules.
• Easily export data to spreadsheet programs for analysis and streamlining of the sales pipeline.
• Easily generate quotes, orders and invoices in print-ready format.

Zoho CRM’s powerful Sales Force Automation software provides insight and control of the entire process with the click of a mouse. Using the Sales Opportunity Management module in combination with other Zoho features lets a business focus on increasing sales, and not get bogged down in record keeping and analysis.

◊ ◊ ◊

Zoho Customer Relationship Management suite of applications gives a business an affordable, award-winning, solution. One of the indispensable tools included is Zoho’s online Sales Force Automation software. The seven component modules of this customizable SFA software provide integrated and targeted methods to enhance the entire sales process, from raw data to loyalty program implementation.

Customer Account Management is one of Zoho’s SFA modules. Keeping track of individual customer accounts is essential to provide the best service and realize the current and future potential of each account. This is easily accomplished in the B2C scenario. Zoho CRM’s Customer Account Management software is especially beneficial with a B2B sales focus; it helps eliminate confusion and wasted effort by:

• Organizing every account contact and their various details in-depth with one central database.
• Utilizing the “history” feature that can incorporate account specific details such as activities, products, and pertinent notations.
• Managing the hierarchy of contact relationships within the account, especially important when accounts represent large organizations with multiple contacts.
• Facilitating the exportation of account details for analysis in spreadsheet format to identify customer-buying patterns.
• Tracking customer history to realize potential up-selling or cross-selling opportunities.
• Identifying and tracking hidden potential for increased sales and revenue.

Using the Customer Account Management module of Zoho’s Sales Force Automation feature empowers every size of business. Zoho provides the tools needed to easily and effectively stay on top of where the business is at any given point, while examining its history, and looking forward to its future potential.

Next up for ZOHO is a segment on Role Based Security for your small business

Boosting Morale and Energizing Your Employees!

Boosting Morale: When dealing with a group of employees there are several things that can be done to keep morale up. Keeping morale up will ensure higher production, higher quality, and of course a great working environment.

The first and foremost part of morale would be to know your employees personally. When we take orders from someone it helps if the boss knows us personally and we are not just a number to them. Recognize personal accomplishments and birthdays. Congratulate those who reach milestones. Acknowledge those who are improving or going the extra mile.

The second part would be Employee Relations. Do employees know how to contact a supervisor if needed? Be sure there are clear instructions about open door policies or the chain of command. When employees know these things, they are more comfortable in the environment.

Have company picnics, or ceremonies: Involve the employees in all aspects from planning food, to where it happens. This makes it more of a family event.

Be sure that the focus for the company future involves each and every employee: When deciding to update or write a new mission statement or creed, involve the employees. This motivates them to be involved in the future.

Implement an employee bonus program based on quality, production and attitude: If there is no current employee of the month program, start one. Earning titles such as that one plays an important part of self accomplishment.

Be on their team: When things get rough, assure them that it is a team and not an individual atmosphere. People tend to rise to the occasion when there is a team atmosphere. Allow others and encourage others to work along side of those who may be having a rough day. Instead of meetings, have an occasional pep rally or motivational and recognition ceremony.

Avoid cutbacks and layoffs if possible: Try not to make public bad instances and terminations. When a person is being terminated, try to do so in private and in such a manner that gossip will not spread throughout the workplace.

Be sure the working environment is as comfortable as possible: Keep the place clean, organized, and safe. The temperature should be at a point that it is comfortable. There should be clean, in good order equipment and up to date furnishings. Vending, coffee and a water fountain are always good things.

Be sure to have policies that allow employees to have room for advancement: When someone has a level that they can work to it helps motivate them. Promotions are more important than money according to surveys.

When doing a community project, involve employees: People tend to take pride in volunteering and it boosts self confidence when they feel an accomplishment. Be sure to recognize them when they do.

Show loyalty: When employees see that loyalty is practiced, they tend to be more loyal, and motivated to do anything they can for their employer.

And with everything an employer does, nothing beats a personal recognition: Avoid typed letters with stamped names. Hand write thank you notes, and award letters.

Boosting Morale Among Your Employee’s Benefits You, Your Business and Your Employees!

boosting morale boosting morale boosting morale boosting morale boosting morale

Employee Loyalty and How it can Benefit Your Business!

Building Teamwork & Employee Loyalty

Employee loyalty is very important in today’s market. Employers are competing against each other to find the best employees, and employees are wanting to work for the best employers. How do you go about creating and maintaining employee loyalty with your business? How will your business benefit from employee loyalty?

First, let’s examine how your business will benefit from employee loyalty. Loy employees benefit your business because that is less money you have to spend on searching for and training new employees. Also, loyal employees are more likely to stick up for your business if someone says something negative about it or recommend your business to their friends, family, and others they know.

For example, say you own a roofing company. If a friend of your employee’s mentions that his roof is beginning to leak, a loyal employee will automatically recommend their workplace. However, an employee who is not loyal to the company may say something such as “Whatever you do, don’t use my company. My boss is mean, you shouldn’t support him”. Such negative comments from employees can do a lot to damage your company’s reputation.

So, how do you go about earning employee loyalty? The first step is to make sure your employees are happy. Happy employees are loyal and productive employees. Think to yourself what might make your employees happy, or take the time to conduct a short survey of your employees about what would make them happy. Then, try to fulfill the wishes of your employees as best as possible.

For example, say your employees would like health benefits. If you can afford to offer your employees health benefits, you should give them health benefits. However, say your employees feel they are making too little money and want a raise, yet you can’t afford to give them a raise. In a situation like this, you may want to brainstorm a little and come up with another solution that could make the employees happy. For example, instead of giving everybody in the company fifteen cent an hour raises, you may want to give everyone a one time, fifty dollar bonus for being loyal employees. Then tell your employees that you enjoy giving them rewards when they are loyal.

Some companies are coming up with more creative ways to keep employees loyal. For example, Google is reported to have given their employees the benefit of washing machines. Other companies have given away things like free basketball game tickets. You may want to think of a unique and memorable way of your own to increase employee loyalty.

However, note that employee loyalty needs to be maintained. You cannot just give an employee a gift once and expect them to be thankful forever. Making your employees happy is something that should constantly occupy a place in your mind. Even if raises and bonuses aren’t always feasible, is morale running low again, perhaps it could be time for an office pizza party.

One more way to create and maintain employee loyalty is to get to know your employees on a more personal level. Of course, a professional attitude must always be maintained when dealing with employees, however, knowing everyone’s first name and a bit about their lives makes employees feel more like valued people instead of just nameless workers. When employees feel values, they are happy, and when employees are happy, they are loyal.

Some links you might enjoy on this topic are:

Fortune magazines “100 Best Companies to Work for 2009”

25 Ways to Reward Employees (Without Spending a Dime)

Metlife’s “8th Annual Study of Employee Benefits Trends”

Another technique to increase employee loyalty is on how to “Energize Your Employees and Raise Their Morale!”