Zoho und die Art, Dinge zu tun

Zoho und die Art, Dinge zu tun

Zoho und die Art, Dinge zu tun


Ich habe Zoho seit über zehn Jahren in verschiedenen Projekten implementiert – einige groß, andere sehr groß – und habe sogar für einen der weltweit führenden Zoho-Partner gearbeitet. Jedes Mal, wenn ich ein Zoho-Implementierungsprojekt abgeschlossen habe, sage ich mir: „Das ist das letzte Mal, dass ich Zoho implementiere.“ Doch nach ein paar Jahren sehe ich, dass die Anwendungen aktualisiert wurden, denke mir, „diesmal wird alles anders“, und starte ein neues Projekt. Am Ende lande ich jedoch immer wieder frustriert bei derselben Erkenntnis:


Zoho ist das Unternehmen der großen Widersprüche. Ein Weltmeister darin, Software zu entwickeln, die auf dem Papier 200.000 verschiedene Dinge kann, aber in der Realität nahezu unmöglich zu implementieren ist.


Ein Unternehmen, das geradezu besessen davon ist, Funktionen hinzuzufügen, nur um auf der Website mit einer beeindruckenden Feature-Liste zu glänzen. Eine Plattform, bei der Menschen aus allen Teilen der Welt denken: „Wow, diese Software kann alles!“ Aber wehe dem, der tatsächlich versucht, sie zu nutzen.


Bereite dich darauf vor, unzählige Stunden, Tage, Wochen und Monate in den hunderten Control Panels der Zoho-Apps zu verbringen – nur um zu verstehen, wie diese vermeintlich tollen Funktionen aus dem Marketing-Broschüren in der Realität überhaupt umsetzbar sind.


Zoho ist ein Unternehmen, dessen Entwickler in einer Blase leben. In ihren Büros in Indien tippen sie unermüdlich Code, um noch mehr Funktionen in die Software zu integrieren. Nur damit ja niemand denkt, sie hätten nichts zu tun.


Ohne es zu merken, betritt man die absurde Welt von Zoho – eine Welt, in der das Unpraktische und das Sinnlose tief im Unternehmens-DNA verwurzelt sind. Diese Absurdität hat sich so normalisiert, dass sie niemand mehr hinterfragt.


Zoho als ERP: Viel können, nichts richtig machen


Zoho ist eine ERP-Plattform, die – wie fast alle ERPs – viele Dinge verspricht. Aber 99 % dieser Dinge sind entweder furchtbar kompliziert zu implementieren oder in der Standardversion so schlecht umgesetzt, dass man sie nicht verwenden kann.


Ich könnte buchstäblich Hunderte von Beispielen nennen, wie die Entwickler von Zoho die Implementierung ihrer Anwendungen für Kunden und Partner unnötig verkomplizieren.


Ich nenne es die „Zoho-Philosophie“ – eine Art zu denken, bei der Entwickler und Ingenieure völlig von der Realität abgekoppelt sind. Sie leben in einer eigenen Welt, entwickeln Features, die sie für wichtig halten, und implementieren diese so, wie sie es für richtig halten.


Ein Beispiel:


Zoho Inventory: 

Die Entwickler haben nie ein Lager von innen gesehen oder verwaltet.


Zoho Books: 

Die Entwickler haben niemals Buchhaltung betrieben – und schon gar nicht in Deutschland. Die Entwickler von Zoho haben nie selbst ein Unternehmen gegründet, nie ihre eigenen Anwendungen in realen Projekten genutzt, nie die Länder besucht, für die sie angeblich lokale Anpassungen entwickeln. Sie sprechen weder die Sprache noch kennen sie die Kultur oder die spezifischen Anforderungen der Nutzer.


Zoho Books und die deutsche Anpassung: Eine Farce


Zoho aktualisiert einige Anwendungen regelmäßig, während andere aus unerklärlichen Gründen ein Jahr oder länger keine Updates erhalten – bis sie plötzlich wieder aufgegriffen werden. Ihre Besessenheit liegt darin, mehr Funktionen hinzuzufügen, statt Programme einfacher zu machen, Dokumentationen aktuell zu halten oder eine logische Benutzerführung zu schaffen.


Das Resultat? Zoho Books, ein Beispiel, das fast schon komisch ist:

Nach Jahren des Ignorierens wacht Zoho eines Tages auf und entscheidet, Zoho Books an den deutschen Markt anzupassen. Aber zuvor hatte man wertvolle Ressourcen darauf verwendet, Zoho Books an Märkte wie Kenia, Oman oder Bahrain anzupassen. Deutschland, die größte Volkswirtschaft Europas? Das hatte keine Priorität.


Und wie macht Zoho das? Natürlich auf ZOHO-Art:


Das Team der deutschen Zoho-Books-Version sitzt in Indien.

Sie sprechen kein Deutsch, waren nie in Deutschland und kennen die Anforderungen der Nutzer nicht.

Sie wissen nichts über andere Buchhaltungsprogramme in Deutschland oder die spezifischen Standards.


Das Ergebnis?

Die Dokumentation ist veraltet und auf Englisch.

Es gibt keine Verbindung zu ELSTER, obwohl das seit Jahren von deutschen Nutzern gefordert wird.

Stattdessen fügen sie unzählige absurde Features hinzu, die niemand braucht, schlecht dokumentiert sind und im Alltag nicht anwendbar sind.


Eine Praxis ohne Logik


Selbst grundlegende Dinge wie SKR03 und SKR04, die deutschen Standardkontenrahmen, sind chaotisch umgesetzt:

Sie implementieren nur Teile des Kontenrahmens, lassen viele Konten aus und übersetzen diese ins Englische.

Konten wie 1360 sind gesperrt oder falsch zugeordnet.


Das Resultat?


Man muss den Standard-SKR03 selbst importieren, weil der „Zoho-Standard“ völlig nutzlos ist.


In der Praxis bedeutet das:


Was bei deutschen Programmen wie Buchhaltungsbutler oder Lexoffice weniger als eine Stunde dauert, zieht sich bei Zoho Books über Tage oder Wochen hin – wenn es überhaupt funktioniert.

Es gibt keine aktuelle Dokumentation, keine Videos, keine Tutorials und kein Verständnis für den Nutzer.


Fazit


In der Zoho-Welt gibt es nur zwei Möglichkeiten: Nimm es oder lass es.


Ich möchte ein Unternehmen mit Software führen, die einfach, praktikabel und logisch funktioniert – und nicht ständig gegen Programme kämpfen, die auf dem Papier alles können, in der Realität aber nichts wirklich gut machen.


Zoho, wenn ihr das lest: Weniger ist mehr. Macht Dinge einfach y macht sie richtig.

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