Zoho Apps Integrates Cloud CRM With Projects

Zoho Apps, the enterprise cloud suite, has been giving a lot of lip service to the concept of inter-application integration. To continue that trend, they’ve announced that Zoho CRM now integrates with Zoho Projects to transition a prospective client from sales lead to customer. To paraphrase Zoho’s marketing, it’s a way for cloud resellers to take the process from closed deal all the way to happy customer with a finished project.

The way it works is simple, according to Zoho’s blog entry. When a customer signs the deal and a new Zoho Projects file is opened, merely add the desired CRM contacts as users and assign them accounts. You can, of course, specify if these Zoho CRM contacts are internal or customer. And if you already have a project open for the customer, Zoho CRM contacts can now be added – no need to start a new one.

The goal of this integration, according to Zoho, is to provide a true unified view of the customer. Sales teams can see the progress of a customer project, adjusting their pitch accordingly. And in a long-term project, Zoho CRM and Projects can be used in conjunction to coordinate sales, marketing, and engineering.

The Zoho CRM/Projects integration is also available for the versions purchased from the Google Apps Marketplace – meaning it’s a small part of their slow-but-steady strategy of working with Google even as they work against them.

Meanwhile, we’ve been taking notice of Zoho out in the physical world. During a recent trip to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, it was impossible to overlook Zoho billboards attacking Salesforce.com…

Additional insights by Joe Panettieri. Follow Talkin’ Cloud via RSS, Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for Talkin’ Cloud’s Weekly Newsletter, Webcasts and Resource Center. Read our editorial disclosures here.