Export sales cycles are long: an enquiry, samples, a proforma invoice (PI), follow-ups, order confirmation, shipment and then payment — sometimes 60 or 90 days later. Without a CRM built for this flow, follow-ups are missed and repeat buyers forget to reorder.
This case study explains how Codearbro designed a focused Zoho CRM and Zoho Books implementation for an Indian export business, keeping scope lean so the client got the essentials live quickly.
Project Snapshot
| Industry | Manufacturing & export |
| Platform | Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, Zoho Analytics, WhatsApp API, Google Workspace |
| Scope | Configuration, customisation, integrations and dashboards |
| Approach | Streamlined phase 1, advanced modules deferred |
The Challenge
- Leads from the enquiry form, landing pages and IndiaMART handled manually
- No automated follow-up after samples or proforma invoices
- Shipment tasks for the logistics team created by hand after each confirmed order
- Key buyers not reminded to reorder
- Invoice and PI formats rebuilt manually for each order
Our Solution
Zoho CRM Configuration
- Lead capture from the enquiry form, landing pages and IndiaMART
- Region-based automatic lead assignment
- Auto email when a deal reaches Sample Dispatch
- Auto follow-up email 7 days after a PI is sent
- Order-to-Shipment Blueprint: on Order Confirmed, CRM creates the shipment record and tasks and notifies logistics
- Key account reorder alert 75 days after the last order
Custom Modules & Export Pipeline
We customised Leads, Contacts and Deals for export, added a Shipment module and built an export sales pipeline with ready-to-use email templates.
Zoho Books Templates & Automation
- Chart of accounts set up from client data
- Tax invoice and proforma invoice templates in the client’s format
- Automated payment reminders at 30, 60 and 90 days
- Quote-to-invoice approval workflow
Integrations & Dashboards
Gmail and Google Workspace sync, WhatsApp template messaging and the native Books–CRM sync. Dashboards cover the deal pipeline (including weighted value), country-wise sales, monthly sales vs target, and lost-deal analysis.
Smart Scoping
The original wish list included e-way bill automation, e-invoicing, bank feeds, inventory, an international payment gateway and over 20 export compliance reports. We moved these to later phases so the core sales and billing system could go live faster and on budget.
Business Impact
- IndiaMART and website leads land in CRM automatically
- No missed follow-ups after samples or proforma invoices
- Logistics gets shipment tasks the moment an order is confirmed
- Repeat orders prompted automatically for key accounts
- Clear country-wise and target-vs-actual reporting
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Zoho CRM capture IndiaMART leads automatically?
Yes. Using the IndiaMART lead API or a connector, enquiries are pushed into Zoho CRM as leads in near real time and can be auto-assigned.
Can Zoho Books create proforma invoices?
Yes. We can build a custom proforma invoice template from estimates or sales orders in Zoho Books, matching your existing format.
Is Zoho CRM suitable for exporters?
Yes. With custom modules for shipments, samples and buyers, plus Blueprint for the order-to-shipment process, Zoho CRM works well for export businesses.
Planning a Similar Project?
Codearbro is a certified Zoho implementation partner helping businesses in India, the USA, UK, Australia and the Middle East automate sales, operations and finance. Book a free 30-minute consultation and get a transparent, fixed-scope estimate within 24 hours.
