We're Excited to Annouce that Zero BS CRM is Joining Automattic
We’ve got some incredibly exciting news to share in this update. Zero BS CRM has joined Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. With Automattic in our corner, we will go from a team of two, to being part of a team of 900+ incredible individuals.
This means Zero BS CRM will be getting better through deeper integrations with WordPress and help and support across the board, from product development to usability and design.
THE BIRTH OF ZBS CRM
We have built ZBS CRM to scratch our own itch. For years, we’ve chosen WordPress as the centre of our entrepreneurial business operations. We also use it personally for travel blogs and other projects. We Love WordPress.
When a family member approached us for advice on a CRM solution that would suit his local construction business, we couldn’t find any that would meet his needs and integrate well with his WordPress website. We kept hitting the same issues: too complex. Too expensive. Or just plain bad.
So we built ZBS. We designed it to be simple to use, but powerful. We still use it ourselves every day. Since our initial launch we’ve delivered consistent updates (over 150 in less than three years), and our CRM product has improved week in, week out.
We’ve built extensions to work with WooCommerce and help users connect their eCommerce store to a CRM, all in one place. We’ve developed additional modules to help our users market products and services to their customers based on advanced segments and email targeting.
ALONG CAME AUTOMATTIC
We’ve always admired Automattic as a business, and have modelled our own business practices on remote work, efficacy, and a focus on tools that make an impact. We care about creating a better web.
One day, we received a support ticket asking about Mail Campaigns and how best to set up sequences for customers.
What we didn’t realise was this user was linked to Automattic, and was becoming a strong advocate for our product within the company. What followed was a series of conversations with leaders from different parts of Automattic. The more people we talked to, the more we realised our visions were in alignment. When the opportunity arose to continue to work on our product as part of Automattic, we decided to go for it.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS?
Firstly, if you are a paying customer of ZBS CRM, nothing will change. We’ll still be providing the same service. We still plan to release v3.0 as we’d initially planned (we expect it to come out in late September).
We also won’t be increasing the prices of our bundles once we release v3.0, which we had initially intended to do. With Automattic’s backing, we’ll be able to provide faster support (you may have already noticed some new faces replying to your tickets), and release new features more quickly than before.
CUTTING THE CR*P
We’ve known for a while that our name is like marmite. You either love it, or you hate it.
We’re also aware of the difficulties in having profanity in a product name. So we’ll be using this opportunity to cut the cr*p and profanity from the name and will be looking to rename ZBS CRM in the future (while preserving everything else, from product features to the quality of customer service).
For those of you who love our product, but have found the name tricky to swallow, you can expect a positive change soon.
THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll be aware that we’ve been working flat out to deliver as a team of two founders. With the backing and support of Automattic, we’ll be able to bring improvements to the CRM faster than ever.
The main goal of ZBS CRM has been to streamline complex processes and build products that are easy to use. We want our customers to focus on what matters most to them. We stand by the spirit of our manifesto (which maps very well to Automattic’s creed), and will continue to build and refine high-quality software for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
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