Telecommunications Provider | Zoho CRM and Projects implementation

This case study outlines the implementation of new Zoho CRM and Zoho Projects instances for a telecommunications services provider already working within the Zoho ecosystem. Following a structured discovery and design phase, the project was delivered in phases to establish a clean, greenfield CRM and Projects environment. The goal was to create a stable and scalable platform that supported the full client lifecycle, while enabling the internal team to take long-term ownership of the solution.

The engagement was deliberately shaped around a native-first approach. Standard Zoho functionality was prioritised throughout, with low-code extensions introduced only where native configuration could not reasonably meet business requirements.

Zoho CRM was implemented as the system of record, managing leads, accounts, contacts, deals, needs analysis, and quoting. Once a deal reached defined closure criteria, onboarding projects were automatically created in Zoho Projects. CRM data drove project structure, task activation, and ownership, ensuring alignment between sales and delivery teams.

Zoho Analytics sat across CRM and Projects, providing department-specific dashboards without duplicating operational logic. Reporting was designed to improve visibility rather than control, giving sales, administration, and operations teams access to clear, role-appropriate insights.

Low-code extensions were used selectively. Deluge functions supported quoting workflows, project creation, agreement handling, and system handovers, all within the boundaries of the agreed native-first approach.

Design Principles

A small number of guiding principles informed design and delivery decisions throughout the project.

• A native-first mindset was applied consistently. Configuration was explored before automation, and automation before custom code, to ensure alignment with the platform and reduce long-term support risk.
• Zoho CRM was treated as the single source of truth. Data flowed one-way into Zoho Projects to avoid duplication and conflicting ownership.
• Process automation was governed through clearly defined blueprints. Each customer-facing stage was mapped, reviewed, and agreed upon before automation to minimise ambiguity and rework.

Overall, design decisions prioritised stability and maintainability over short-term optimisation.

Implementation Summary

1. Zoho CRM

The CRM implementation supported multiple client types through separate blueprints for direct and reseller leads, each aligned to defined service levels. Account and contact data were migrated from the legacy CRM following data clean-up by the client team.

Deals progressed through structured pipelines, triggering needs analysis, quoting, and ultimately project creation. Custom functions supported quote synchronisation with Zoho Books, master service agreement handling, and automated handovers into delivery.

Departmental dashboards were delivered through Zoho Analytics, providing focused reporting without overwhelming users with unnecessary detail.

2. Zoho Projects

Client onboarding was managed through template-based projects generated dynamically from CRM data. Conditional task logic activated or removed task lists based on deal and needs analysis inputs, allowing a single template to support multiple onboarding scenarios.

Given Zoho Projects’ structural constraints, parent and sub-task patterns were used extensively to improve usability and reduce navigation complexity. Integration between CRM and Projects remained one-way to preserve data integrity.

Portions of the Projects configuration were completed by the client team under Both&’s guidance, supporting the broader objective of internal enablement.

Limitations and Challenges

Several challenges emerged during delivery. Platform constraints within Zoho Projects required adjustments to the original design, particularly around layout flexibility and conditional behaviour. Rather than introducing heavy customisation, processes were adapted to work effectively within these limits.

The native-first approach, while valuable, also required ongoing alignment. Differences in interpretation occasionally slowed decision-making and required explicit clarification to maintain consistency across the solution.

Results

From a business perspective, the project delivered a unified platform for managing the full client lifecycle. Manual effort and duplicated data entry were reduced, onboarding turnaround times improved through automation, and teams gained clearer visibility through consistent reporting.

From a technical perspective, the solution remained aligned with Zoho’s supported capabilities, complemented by controlled low-code extensions. Data migration and integrations were completed successfully, and all custom functions were documented to support long-term maintainability.