BEFORE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO ZOHO CRM: BEWARE OF ZOHO CORP'S UNETHICAL UPGRADE PRACTICES

BEFORE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO ZOHO CRM: BEWARE OF ZOHO CORP'S UNETHICAL UPGRADE PRACTICES

I am the Principal Advisor for a Business Consulting firm that specializes in helping start-up and small businesses achieve better returns through business process automation.  During these past 7 years, my associates and I have always recommended Zoho CRM to HUNDREDS of business and have worked on customizing at least 15 Zoho CRM packages for our clients.  We also have been using Zoho CRM ourselves since 2007, so we are expertly proficient with Zoho CRM and are VERY familiar with the life cycle development of the software as it's been changed over the years.

When Zoho first launched in 2005, it touted itself as the "free" full featured CRM and included most of the core CRM functionality available at the time in it's free offering.  Zoho touted it's CRM package as the free alternative to Salesforce.com, and literally boasted about how inexpensive (FREE) and complete the Zoho CRM was.

However over the past 5 years (particularly when Zoho changed it's name to Zoho CORP in 2009), we've watched Zoho parse out core system functionalities into differing "Levels" of subscriptions in their attempt to create a compelling upgrade path that would lead to revenue.  Since all of the major changes to their pricing and subscription model had been announced and documented appropriately in the past, we were never HAPPY about being pigeon-holed into subscription "upgrades" (who would be?), but every business needs to work towards profitability and with changes being communicated appropriately, we've always said "Fair Enough"... Until Today.

We had a recent start-up company join us as a client, and like many others, they had a need for a CRM.  After checking the latest ZOHO CRM release notes, sales documents, and basic help pages online, we didn't notice anything that would change our standard recommendation.  The client accepted our proposal and commissioned us to launch and customize the ZOHO CRM package for them, like we have done for tens of other companies in the past.

We exercised the Zoho CRM 15 day Trial period for the client (which now is set to the "Professional" level apparently and began importing data for the client.  We also began setting up custom fields for the client as needed.  Today, as the trial period had expired, we advised this same client to pick up 2 user licenses at the "Standard" level prepaid for $288/year.  The client notified us that the licenses were purchased and we were clear to wrap up their customization.  We fired up the ZOHO CRM interface this morning to finish the final custom field setup, and to our horror, we encountered an unexpected system alert when trying to create a custom field saying "Sorry, you cannot create more custom fields in your edition".  


Now, usually when this happens, it's because ZOHO Corp had once again systematically reconfigured their subscription level offerings to compel people to convert to a higher paid subscription levels, and after a little digging, we would find the supporting documentation affirming their nickle-and dime tactics.  However this time, there was NO documentation of any limitations on the number of Custom Fields you can have at ANY level.  In fact, quite the contrary. 

As you can see in the following screenshot taken from the PDF download located at Here: Compare Zoho CRM Editions page, you will see that there is simply a check box next to the STANDARD, PROFESSIONAL, ENTERPRISE, and CRM PLUS subscriptions (Not FREE edition - although Custom Fields used to be free).


We, like any other reasonable consumer expected that, If Custom Fields are included in a subscription, there would be no limits on them.  After contacting a Zoho Customer Support Chat Agent named Pranesh Gopalakrishnan, we learned that, not only is there a limit of Custom Fields, but there are differing quantities of Custom Fields that Zoho Corp will allow you to have in the current CRM offering PER EDITION and PER MODULE?!?  

Yes, apparently now, you only get 10 custom fields/module in the STANDARD edition, 150 custom fields/module in the PROFESSIONAL edition, and 300 custom fields/module in the ENTERPRISE edition.  So now, after spending 25+ hours importing our Client data into Zoho CRM, customizing the package for them, and having them pay the quoted price of $288, we cannot deliver the customized CRM package that we promised.  

While chatting, explained the situation to Mr. Gopalakrishnan our Client's situation.  Pranesh explained that the only way to expand custom fields was for our Client to purchase another 2 user licenses at the PROFESSIONAL edition level for $480 MORE?!?

At this point, we had two choices; 1. Explain the oversight to our client and ask for, or cover the additional $480 for the two user licenses or 2. Revoke our long standing ZOHO CRM recommendation we have provided our clients for the past 5 years, researching another CRM package to replace ZOHO CRM, and then spend countless hours learning the new system, customizing it for our client's needs and exporting, and entering all of the data again that we had in this Client's Standard ZOHO CRM edition. 

.....OR maybe a 3rd option. Hope that Zoho CORP was willing to exercise some responsibility and good faith to cover their oversight and enable additional custom fields for this client at their current STANDARD subscription level.  

I asked Pranesh to chat with a Supervisor.  After waiting a few minutes, a lady named "Robin" took over the chat and once again explained the situation over text.  I let Robin know that, prior to signing this client up, we reviewed the sales / help documents here:   https://www.zoho.com/crm/comparison.html, and here:   https://www.zoho.com/crm/help/customization/field-level-customization.html, with NO MENTION of limits on custom fields.  After some awkward silence, Robin produces ONE link to an obscure help file buried in their help system that would elude even the most diligent seekers in a sales cycle:  https://www.zoho.com/crm/help/erutaef321.html 

I explained to Supervisor Robin that we feel trapped into upgrading our Client to a higher, significantly more expensive subscription level that they otherwise would not need if they had access to custom fields AS ADVERTISED.  I also explained that IMHO, most people would find it VERY misleading to have ANY limits on Custom Fields without advertising the change in advance on ZOHO CRM's online sales literature.  I concluded that, after all of the business that we had sent to ZOHO CRM over the years, we would expect them to at least comp an upgrade for our client from STANDARD to PROFESSIONAL, and correct their misleading sales documentation in order to prevent trapping more people into upgrades with unethical advertising and questionable free trial practices. 

In essence, I explained that in this case, we're not willing to pay any more for what we should already have (according to the online Zoho CRM Edition comparison), and have had in the past.  Supervisor Robin, said that she would arrange for a quick callback from the respective Account Manager.  I waited HOURS and NO CALL.  

Hours later, I finally receive and email from Ricky Thakrar, Regional Sales Manager | North and South America.  I'm thinking, "Now we're getting somewhere".  In his email to me, Mr. Thakrar says "You are correct it does not say on the main pricing page the specific number of custom fields per edition as it is a feature comparison page. It only says this information in the detailed technical comparison page on our user guide which shows features and limits."  Mr. Thakrar then goes on to say (without apology or missing a beat), "In order to get 150 custom fields, you will need to upgrade to the Professional edition".  WHAT!!??  Our Client really only needs 5 more!

Upset at wasting the whole day trying to resolve this, and pursing the situation now just on a matter of principal, I tracked down the phone number to  Mr. Thakrar's office   (877-834-4428, Option #1) and asked to speak to Mr. Thakrar regarding an email I just received from him.  After being on hold for approx.4 minutes, the gentleman who initially answered comes back on the phone, and nervously (lying??) explains that it appears Mr. Thakrar is on another scheduled call with another client and is unable to take my call.  The gent goes on to ask if I would be willing to talk to a Regional Account Manager.  I asked if that person had the authority to override / upgrade a subscription level to accommodate my Client's custom fields issue, and the gentleman says "Yes".   I agree to be forwarded to Cliffton Kent, Regional Account Manager.

I once again explain the situation to Mr. Kent, who tells me that he recognizes that their central comparison chart is misleading to the consumers, and that should be corrected.  He also understands what an inconvenience it would be to find out about the Custom Field limitations after the fact of entering data for 2 weeks in a Free Trial set to the PROFESSIONAL Edition, and later paying for a lesser subscription without knowledge of the limitation.  Mr. Kent said that he does not, nor does ANYBODY else at Zoho Corp have the ability to comp a free upgrade to our Client so that they can have access to the advertised functionality.  Mr. Kent does say that he will take the matter up with "management" and "go to bat" for my client.  Mr. Kent then emails me a bit later saying "We did discuss your concern with our management. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to upgrade the Zoho CRM account from Standard to Professional (for free). Sorry to disappoint you."

As a now former team of Zoho CRM Evangelists for the past 7 years, words cannot express our disappointment in this decision   If we accomplish nothing else, we hope that you will help spread the word as far and as wide about this latent limitation, or as we see it, Zoho CRM upgrade trap that has been crafted and honed by the ZOHO CORP.  As it stands, we are going to work overtime into the night and through tomorrow to try to find an ethically sold and supported product.  Unless ZOHO reverses their present course, WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ZOHO CORP'S FALSE ADVERTISING AN UNETHICAL PRACTICES IN PIGEON-HOLING NEW CUSTOMERS INTO OVERPRICED ZOHO CRM PACKAGES. We would rather suffer through this situation, than be further subjected to ZOHO's legal extortion tactics.  

So, now you know ;-)  Hopefully, Zoho will understand that space is cheap, and that unlimited Custom Fields IS a core CRM function (as it was in past ZOHO CRM versions).  Maybe someone at  will see the error of their ways and will work to include unlimited Custom Fields as part of a STANDARD subscription license.  Until then,  I will try to follow-up with a post detailing the new CRM we will be recommending in the future.

Rick B.

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