Two years ago, Rich Cornell decided it was time for him to venture into an independent business offering insurance and benefit solutions to employers. Having previous experience in this field Cornell knew that tracking leads and customers would be of utmost importance from the very beginning. As such, finding a CRM solution was one of his first orders of business.
As an experienced CRM software user, Cornell had experienced various problems with the previous tools he had used and, now starting a new business, he really wanted to find a solution that was simple, flexible, and cloud based. However he still had reservations about switching from the CRM tools that he was already familiar with, despite their shortcomings, to try something new.
The Business
Cornell Benefit Solutions is a voluntary benefit program that gives an employer a platform to offer additional benefits to team members. Cornell Benefit Solutions works with company owners and their leadership teams to offer voluntary benefit plans and services and primarily serves the Kansas & Missouri areas within the United States.
Cornell Benefit Solutions negotiates with insurance carriers in the marketplace to secure favorable underwriting and premiums for various insurance plans. Additionally, they work to educate employees about the issues voluntary options can resolve.
The Challenge: Finding a New, Easy-to-Learn CRM
Cornell initially had some resistance to finding a new CRM because he already had experience with Salesforce and ACT. However, these solutions did not match the CRM selection criteria that Cornell decided were essential for his new business.
Selection Criteria and Competitive Analysis of CRM Solutions
Cornell had two primary selection criteria for a CRM solution when he began his search:
Flexibility – Cornell had many custom fields that he wanted to use with his contacts, so having the flexibility to add custom fields and tags was important.
Cloud based – Cornell wanted to incorporate multiple computers and mobile devices with his CRM solution which meant a cloud based solution was a must.
Cornell had previously used Salesforce and ACT, each with very limited success.
“There was an extreme lack of flexibility and I couldn’t customize enough. I had a lot of compatibility issues with the programs not really integrating correctly with my smart phone or other applications that I use.”
But the software wasn’t the only problem…
“I had a LOT of frustration with support and getting help when things went wrong!”
Discovering and Implementing Zoho CRM
As Cornell began his CRM search, he consulted a colleague that deals with a huge number of contacts on a daily basis.
“I spoke with an office-administrator who works with several companies and she gave me a very high recommendation for Zoho. I then spoke with another colleague who spoke just as highly at which point I decided I had to check it out.”
Life After Implementation
Soon after trying Zoho, Cornell began to see a lot of good things.
“The first thing I noticed was how much better Zoho worked with all of my technology compared to anything I had tried before. It was also the best when it came to allowing me to customize information. Adding in the fact that it is entirely cloud-based, Zoho CRM basically satisfied all of my selection criteria.”
The “icing on the cake” however was soon to follow.
“I bought a new mobile phone and was having trouble getting it set up with Zoho CRM. As soon as I contacted Zoho CRM, they went out of their way to help me. In fact, they actually BOUGHT the same phone I had just to figure my problem out which is above and beyond any other support I’ve experienced!”
As Cornell has continued to use Zoho CRM, he has certainly become a believer.
“One of my favorite things is that Zoho CRM continues to grow and become more robust. They add features as time goes on that just make sense. I now use Zoho Docs and Zoho Mail as well.”
What Would You Like to Say to Other Customers about CRM Solutions?
“I have and will recommend Zoho! You don’t have to worry about having any hardware or software already. It’s extremely easy to customize and if you ever have any questions or need for support, then Zoho will deliver the best support you’ve ever received.”
To learn more about Cornell Benefit Solutions, CLICK HERE
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