Zoho CRM Setup: Best Practices for B2B vs. B2C Business Models

Video Walkthrough (Play & Follow Along)

B2B CRM Configuration

This section mirrors the video’s step-by-step B2B CRM setup with field decisions and layout organization.

Step 1 — Access Modules & Fields

In Zoho CRM, click the gear icon in the bottom left to open Setup. Navigate to Customization → Modules & Fields. This lists all modules available for customization (Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Deals).

Step 2 — Clean Up Unused Modules

Remove modules not relevant to your core pipeline (e.g., Projects, Desk) to reduce UI clutter. Keep:

• Leads
• Contacts
• Accounts
• Deals
• Tasks, Meetings, Calls for activities

Step 3 — Lead Layout Field Strategy

The video highlights a best practice of separating fields by ownership — personal info vs. business info:

• Left side: Person name, email, phone
• Right side: Company, annual revenue, industry, # of employees
• Move system metadata like Created By, Modified By to a bottom section

Example rationale:

• Company required for B2B because this is who you sell to
• Requested Service should be required to qualify leads
• Remove outdated or irrelevant fields (Skype ID, Twitter)

Step 4 — Global Sets for Picklists

Create a Global Set if a picklist is reused in multiple modules (e.g., Requested Services or Lead Source). This improves consistency and easier management.

Apply the global set to the picklists in Leads, Accounts, and Deals.

Step 5 — Configure Lead Conversion Mapping

Lead Conversion Mapping determines where lead data goes after conversion:

• Company information → Account
• Person information → Contact
• Deal information (service requested, lead source) → Deal

Rationales that the video mentions:

• Addresses belong to Account, not Contact (multiple office locations possible)
• Description of the lead belongs to Account/Deal
• Lead Source and Requested Service ideally go to Deal and Account

Step 6 — Convert a Lead (Live Example)

Create a test lead with fields filled in (e.g., Soneta Consulting, trade show lead, service requested). Click Convert and choose:

• Create or link to an existing Account
• Create a new Contact
• Create a new Deal (always recommended for pipeline tracking)

Step 7 — Account Record as the Hub

Post-conversion, open the Account record to verify:

• Industry, Revenue, Lead Source, Requested Service
• All related Contacts
• All Deals linked

Step 8 — Adding Additional Contacts & Contact Roles

Often there are multiple people at a B2B buying organization. Add additional Contacts and assign roles (Decision Maker, Evaluator) via Deal → Contact Roles.

B2C CRM Configuration

The video explains how to reconfigure Zoho CRM for a B2C model (e.g., a law firm providing individual services).

Step 1 — Remove Accounts Module

In Setup → Modules & Fields, remove Accounts from your team space or deactivate the module if it’s unused.

Without Accounts, conversion will create only:
→ Contact
→ Deal

Step 2 — Edit Lead Layout for Individuals

Remove business fields like Company, Industry, Employees. Add consumer-relevant fields like:

• Annual Gross Income
• Service Requested (e.g., child custody, probate)

Step 3 — Lead Conversion Mapping (B2C)

Map fields from Lead → Contact and Lead → Deal. No data should go to Accounts (module deactivated). Keep:

• Contact fields: name, email, phone
• Deal fields: requested service, lead source

Custom Workflow: Auto-Naming Deals

The video demonstrates a workflow where new Deals are renamed based on service and contact name using a Deluge script.

// Pseudocode example
void automation.Rename_Deal_Record_to_Service_and_Name(int dealID)
{
    // Get Deal record
    dealRecord = zoho.crm.getRecordById("Deals", dealID);
    info dealRecord;

    // Get Requested Service
    requestedService = dealRecord.get("Requested_Service");
    info requestedService;

    // Get Contact record
    contactName = dealRecord.get("Contact_Name").get("name");
    info contactName;

    // Update Deal Name
    updateMap = Map();
    updateMap.put("Deal_Name", requestedService + " - " + contactName);
    updateDealRecord = zoho.crm.updateRecord("Deals", dealID, updateMap);
    info updateDealRecord;
}

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