Kings Secure Technologies (KST), based in Bradford, has been a leader in security, fire safety, and risk management since 1971. The company’s rapid expansion through strategic acquisitions has propelled it to new heights, with operations spanning over 20 countries and a workforce of 800. Serving industries ranging from retail and warehousing to defence and finance, KST needed a system to match its growing complexity.
The Challenge
Despite its impressive growth, KST faced significant operational challenges. Each division managed its sales data separately, creating silos that hindered visibility across the group. Weekly sales meetings were long and tedious, with salespeople manually preparing PowerPoint presentations to report their pipeline.
Furthermore, integrating the data from newly acquired companies only amplified the challenge. With multiple software systems in play—including a field service management (FSM) platform and an in-house quoting tool—KST needed a centralised solution to unify its processes and provide actionable insights.
The Solution
After evaluating several platforms, KST chose Zoho CRM for its user-friendly design, cost-effectiveness, and ability to integrate with other tools. With guidance from Zoho partner 1 Cloud Consultants, KST implemented a custom CRM tailored to its needs.
One CRM to Tame the Fire
With Zoho CRM, KST created a unified platform that consolidated all sales data across its divisions and acquisitions. To accommodate the diverse needs of each division, custom layouts and deal pipelines were developed. For example, the Security Systems division focused its pipeline stages on installation readiness, client approvals, and site security checks.
Additionally, KST integrated Zoho CRM with key systems like Field Service Management (FSM) and the DYMENSiON quoting platform. The CRM triggers FSM to schedule jobs when opportunities reach "quote in progress," and completed jobs sync back with final sales figures. Detailed quotes from DYMENSiON also sync seamlessly, ensuring all data remains aligned.
From Static PowerPoints to Dynamic Discussions
With Zoho CRM, KST's sales meeting went from 'yawn' to 'yay'. The opportunities module transformed these meetings by providing a live pipeline view through Kanban layouts. Opportunities are now instantly accessible, sorted by stage, product, value, or salesperson, ensuring consistent and focused discussions.
Real-time insights allow the team to address bottlenecks and celebrate wins on the spot, while the streamlined process has significantly reduced prep time. Meetings are now shorter, more engaging, and let salespeople focus on selling.
Jo Goulden, Head of Marketing, describes the change:
"Our sales meetings used to be a slog—hours spent on presentations and long, repetitive discussions. Now, we dive straight into live data. It's faster, more interactive, and actually enjoyable."
Turning Data into Actionable Insights
While Zoho CRM provided a strong foundation for basic reporting, KST needed deeper insights to keep up with its growth. This is where Zoho Analytics took its reporting to the next level.
With Analytics, KST automated key reports, such as weekly updates for "quoted 100%" opportunities, sent directly to relevant teams. This eliminated the need for manual updates and ensures the operations team is always prepared for upcoming installations. Leadership now rely on dynamic dashboards with interactive visuals like speed dials, graphs, and charts to track real-time sales performance against targets.
For CEO Bob Forsyth, Zoho Analytics has been transformative, saving hours each month by generating detailed board reports with clear breakdowns of sales figures, margins, and division performance, all presented in an engaging, easy-to-read format.
Why Zoho?
Jo reflects on the decision to implement Zoho CRM with satisfaction:
"Zoho CRM was a game-changer for us. It’s flexible, easy to use, and incredibly cost-effective—exactly what we needed as a growing business. The ability to customise the system to fit the unique needs of each division, combined with seamless integrations, has made us more connected, efficient, and aligned than ever before. Zoho has truly transformed how we manage our sales data and operations, providing a clear, unified view across the company."
By embracing Zoho CRM and Zoho Analytics, Kings Secure Technologies has successfully streamlined its operations, enhanced its sales processes, and gained powerful insights into performance. The integration of these platforms has opened new avenues for growth, enabling KST to stay ahead of the competition and better serve its clients.
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