Are you paying for features you already have? If you’re running a business and using a CRM, you may be unknowingly paying for things that are already available to you for free.
We see it all the time. Business owners get quoted thousands for CRM customizations when, in reality, 95% of what they want is already included out of the box.
Take a look at our latest video to save time, frustration, and potentially thousands of dollars. We’ll show you exactly what you can build in your CRM without a developer, what’s worth paying for, and how to make smarter decisions about your CRM setup.
Let’s start with what you can use right now without paying a dime, just a few clicks.
Zoho CRM comes with built-in dashboards for sales managers, salespeople, and more. You can add gauges like Leads This Month, Revenue This Month, or Conversion Rates, assign dashboards to user roles (e.g., Salesperson, Manager), and rearrange and personalize the homepage view.
All of this is out of the box. No code. No developer.
Want to show Today’s Follow-Ups or Missed Calls? Your CRM lets you create custom views from your data modules. These can be added directly to the homepage (no developer needed). For example: “My Follow-Ups Today”, “Team Tasks This Week”, “Hot Leads from Last 7 Days”.
These help your team stay focused, and you don’t have to pay anyone to build them.
Inside the Analytics section, you’ll find: Lead Analytics, Opportunity Insights, Revenue Reports, and Activity Metrics. You can even use “Pick from Gallery” to add pre-built gauges that compare revenue this year vs. last year, track lead source performance, and more.
Now, let’s talk about the reports that do require custom development. These aren’t included by default and need logic, data stamping, and configuration. But when done right, they’re powerful and worth the investment.
How long does it take your team to call a new lead? You can only answer that if your CRM tracks timestamp when the lead arrives, and timestamp when the first call is made. This requires scripting and backend setup. But it can show you if slow follow-up (not poor marketing) is hurting your conversions.
Want to automatically spot angry or unhappy clients based on emails, WhatsApp, or SMS? You’ll need sentiment detection logic, integration with your communication tools, and alerts and tagging systems. Again, this takes work. But the insight it gives is invaluable for improving service and saving accounts.
These reports track tasks that were assigned but never completed, leads that haven’t been contacted in a specific timeframe, and gaps in pipeline movement. These aren’t drag-and-drop. But if you’re scaling a team, they give you visibility that drives better performance.
If you don’t know what’s free and what’s not, you can:
Worse: you might assume your CRM can’t do something, when it can. So what should you do? Here’s a smarter approach:
List the dashboards and reports you want. Then check if your CRM offers them in Analytics or the “Pick from Gallery” section. If yes, build them yourself.
If a report needs new data or logic (like time stamping or sentiment detection), that’s when it makes sense to hire a CRM consultant, not just a developer. You want someone who understands your business, not just the code.
Watch training videos. Read the Zoho CRM docs. Or better yet, talk to someone neutral who can tell you what’s built-in and what requires building.
Your CRM is packed with tools that most business owners never use, not because they’re hidden, but because no one points them out. Before you pay someone to “customize” your CRM, ask: Is this already in my system? It could save you thousands.