Unifying four media and event brands on one platform with Zoho One
- INDUSTRY Event Management
- Key AppsZoho One, Zoho CRM, Zoho Sign, Zoho Forms, Zoho Campaigns, Zoho Social, Zoho Notebook
Discover how Black Ox, a fast-growing media and events company based in Camberley, UK, has used multiple Zoho One applications to improve sales, marketing and event management, cutting subscription costs in the process.
Established in 2021 but with three successful acquisitions already under its belt, Black Ox owns four separate companies including The Business Magazine, Business and Innovation Magazine, biznews.co.uk and a video production company called Sightline. With a strong print and digital presence, Black Ox's channels have become the go-to news outlets for corporate decision-makers in the South-East and South-West regions of the UK. The company also hosts a popular series of industry award events that champion the very best in local business.
Its digital transformation journey started with Zoho CRM, as the firm were looking for a platform that could not only manage multiple brands, but be a sales-savvy tool for its busy team of salespeople whilst on the road. The adoption of Zoho CRM ultimately led to Black Ox deploying the Zoho One bundle, after the team discovered the vast number of useful apps in its ecosystem.
First, the team bolted on Zoho Sign for sending important contracts and sales quotes for digital signing. Then the firm looked to upgrade its marketing capabilities by adopting Zoho Social and Zoho Campaigns. Its move away from MailChimp and Hootsuite saved the business significant costs and meant that the team no longer had to import and export data from the CRM every time it wanted to send a mass mail. Finally, Black Ox added Zoho Forms and Zoho Notebook to its repertoire of apps, both of which are central to the businesses' day-to-day operations, from journalism to award management.
Of the implementation, CEO Richard Thompson said "It's clear to see the cost savings, but the benefits Zoho One brings go much further than that." He lauds Zoho One's limitless scope for customisation, intuitive user experiences, watertight security features and its fully integrated tech stack. And Black Ox are not done there, because Richard still has ambitious plans to adapt and innovate with Zoho as the company grows.
Key Highlights
- Consolidated 4 CRM platforms into 1 with Zoho CRM.
- Reduced 12 static award nomination forms down to 1 dynamic alternative with Zoho Forms.
- Saved thousands per year by switching to Zoho Forms.
- Saved £500 per month on a Hootsuite subscription by migrating to Zoho Social.
- Seamlessly transferred 10,000 notes from Evernote to Zoho Notebook.
- 7,000 Black Ox subscribers receive a daily local news fix via Zoho Campaigns.
"It's quite easy to see a cost saving as a business when we can rationalise from multiple vendors and suppliers to a single solution."
