Case Study | Software Company | Zoho One Implementation

Mari Clift
16/04/25 16:22 - Comment(s)

Company Overview

A rapidly growing software company, focused on optimising delivery and collaboration, set out to consolidate its toolset as part of a broader operational review. Following successful migrations from ORA to Zoho Connect and ClickUp to Zoho Projects, the Software Company partnered with Both& to complete a broader digital transformation by fully adopting Zoho One. The objective was to replace fragmented point solutions with a unified, scalable system that could support collaboration, sales, service, HR, and marketing.


Key systems like Pipedrive, Freshdesk, and Leapsome were replaced with Zoho CRM, Desk, and People, respectively. Zoho Analytics was used to validate all migrations, and the foundation laid during the first phase of implementation empowered the Software Company to self-implement additional tools like Zoho Backstage and Zoho Marketing Automation.

Problem Statement & Challenges

After consolidating project and collaboration systems, the Software Company still faced operational friction due to legacy tools managing:

  • Sales: Pipedrive

  • Customer support: Freshdesk

  • Performance reviews: Leapsome

  • Collaboration and HR: Spread across various tools


Each of these systems operated independently, making it difficult to maintain consistent client data, automate cross-functional workflows, and produce holistic business insights. Additionally, maintaining multiple standalone SaaS licenses created significant overhead and complexity.

The challenge was not just to migrate — but to create a system that would allow the Software Company to scale, automate, and eventually take ownership of their own Zoho ecosystem.


Evaluation of the Problem

The fragmented architecture resulted in:

  • Siloed data: Key client and employee information existed in separate platforms.

  • Manual workarounds: Automation was either duplicated or missing altogether.

  • High operational cost: Subscription fees for multiple SaaS platforms created financial strain.

  • Slow adoption of new processes: Each new tool required separate onboarding, support, and administration.

To build a more agile business infrastructure, the Software Company needed to simplify, consolidate, and empower their teams to own the tools they used every day.


Proposed Solution  

Both& proposed a continuation of the phased rollout strategy — building on the trust and process maturity established during earlier migrations — to complete the core Zoho One implementation.

The plan included:

  • Migrating Pipedrive to Zoho CRM using the native Zoho migration tool, followed by custom data cleaning and re-linking via bulk scripts.

  • Rebuilding all custom functions from Pipedrive within Zoho CRM.

  • Replacing Freshdesk with Zoho Desk using the Desk migration tool and manually reconstructing all workflows and automation rules.

  • Migrating team performance processes from Leapsome to Zoho People.

  • Connecting Zoho CRM to Xero using Zapier to replicate existing Python-based logic.

  • Using Zoho Analytics to validate CRM and Desk migrations by comparing imported data from both platforms with source data through custom dashboards.

Finally, with a strong internal Success Team in place, the Software Company was supported in self-implementing Zoho Backstage and Zoho Marketing Automation, further reducing reliance on external consultants.


Implementation  

The implementation ran over a focused three-month window:

  • A short planning phase kicked off with success ceremonies and updated PCA inputs.

  • Zoho CRM and Desk migrations were delivered alongside bulk clean-up scripts and dashboard validation.

  • Zoho Analytics was used extensively to compare and ensure data fidelity across Freshdesk, Pipedrive, and their Zoho equivalents.

  • Weekly Success Q&A sessions and bi-weekly demos ensured alignment and rapid issue resolution.

  • The internal Success Team at the Software Company drove adoption, supported by recorded training, documentation, and learning platform visibility.


Result  

The Software Company successfully consolidated its operational ecosystem into Zoho One, achieving:

  • Over 40% cost savings annually by replacing legacy tools with Zoho alternatives.

  • Unified systems across sales, service, HR, and projects—linked through Zoho Analytics and accessible in one ecosystem.

  • Greater autonomy: the Software Company now independently manages tools like Zoho Backstage and Marketing Automation.

  • Improved insight: Zoho Analytics dashboards allow real-time visibility across the business.

  • Trusted partnership: A phased, transparent rollout ensured smooth handovers and long-term sustainability.