Kaizen #114 - Geocoding Leads' Addresses in ZOHO CRM

Kaizen #114 - Geocoding Leads' Addresses in ZOHO CRM

Hola, code enthusiasts! buckle up for a new post on our Kaizen series. 

This week, let us bring the theory to practice and explore a real-world scenario of sales representatives. We will look at how to create a Related List Widget map in Zoho CRM's Lead detail page with features such as lead location display, directions from the current user's location, and showcasing other leads in the same street or city as the current lead.

Significance of Geocoding Leads Addresses in ZOHO CRM

In this ever-evolving landscape of Customer Relationship Management, the ability to harness location data is increasingly vital. Thus, integrating geocoding functionality has emerged as a key enhancement in the lead management. Geocoding transform raw address information into valuable data, providing insights that go beyond mere location. By incorporating this in our widget, ZOHO CRM empowers the sales teams in the following ways. 

1. Geo-Targeting for Marketing Campaigns

Understanding the concentration of leads in specific streets or cities can provide a competitive advantage by tailoring strategies to local market dynamics. This can enhance the relevance of marketing materials and increase the chances of engagement. 

2. Quick Access to Information

While ZOHO CRM offers a Locate Map feature to display the lead's location on a map, having the location-related information readily available within the Lead detail page reduces the need for users to switch between different applications. 

3. Data Driven Decision-Making

Displaying other leads in the same street or city as the current lead provides valuable context. It allow users to derive insights and help making informed decisions. It also aids in understanding the local business landscape and potential opportunities nearby. 

4. Efficient Route Planning

For sales representatives who need to visit leads in person, having a map view helps in optimizing routes. This can lead to more efficient travel, saving time and resources.

5. Increased Productivity Based on Proximity

Strategic planning based on proximity, like arranging visits to leads in close proximity, minimizes the time spent traveling between distant leads. Representatives can allocate more time to engaging with leads and less time in transit. Additionally, this approach helps reduce travel-related expenses, including fuel costs and transportation expenses.

Empowering Sales Representatives with Geocoded Insights

Imagine you are a Sales Manager overseeing a team of sales representatives who handle a diverse portfolio of leads in ZOHO CRM. Your organization's territory extends across various regions, and your sales team frequently finds themselves on the move, meeting with potential clients.

Now, to increase the productivity and efficient traveling, you aim to develop a custom Related List Widget to dynamically display the lead's location and provide the shortest route to their destinations on a map. 

Addedly, you want to show other leads in the same street or city as the current lead. This helps the sales team to plan their visits to multiple leads more efficiently by considering the proximity of leads in the same street or city. It reduces travel time and allows representatives to cover more leads in a given timeframe.

Let us walk you through the configuration process of this widget. 

Step 1: Check this post to carry out the initial set up for creating a widget in ZOHO CRM. 

Step 2: Once you have created a project for ZOHO CRM service via terminal, open the project locally and navigate to the app folder to find the widget.html file.



Step 3: In the widget.html file, integrate your third party map application and design your Related List Widget. 
To keep this demo simple, we have used the Google Maps JavaScript API in the provided sample code. You can access the sample code by downloading the attached zip file in this post. 

Step 4: Now in the terminal, validate and pack the application to create a zip file which can be uploaded to the ZOHO CRM. 



Step 5: Log in to your ZOHO CRM account and navigate to Setup > Developer Space > Widgets > Create New Widget. 



Step 6: Upload the zipped file and fill in the details as shown in the above image. 

Step 7: Now, go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields > Leads > Layouts > Standard > Detail View. 
You can install a custom widget in any of your layouts based on your requirements. In this sample, we will install it in the 'Standard' layout. 

Step 8: Click 'Add' on the left menu and select Widgets. 



This will list you the available widgets in your organization. Install the widget 'Maps', which was uploaded a few minutes ago. 



Ta-da, It is done! Let us go check this new Related List widget from the Leads module. 



We hope this post was both informative and beneficial!

If you have suggestions for future topics or questions, drop a comment or send us an email at support@zohocrm.com. We are here to listen and engage with you.

Cheers!

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