CRM implementation for B2C segment: experience of pet food distributor “Kormax Trade”

Scaling up a business inevitably introduces new challenges. Expanding the team, handling greater workloads, and managing cross-department interactions necessitate precise coordination. Hence, automation is key to preserving competitiveness and business stability. Selecting the right CRM solution and useful integrations is vital, but the flawless implementation and configuration of these tools are equally important.

Ihor Pluzhenko, CEO & Co-Founder of “Kormax Trade”, the exclusive distributor of well-known cat and dog food brands such as Nature’s Protection, Araton, HiQ, and others in Ukraine, shares his experience selecting the optimal CRM solution for the B2C segment.

Spoiler alert: this journey was full of challenges, but today the company has much to be proud of, including significant results achieved in part through optimizing business processes.

Ihor Pluzhenko, CEO & Co-Founder Kormax Trade

• What was the driving force behind the creation of the company? What challenges and achievements have been encountered over 10 years of continuous growth?

The idea took root around 2014-2015 when my parents asked for my help in getting a dog. This led to them bringing home a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Naturally, before making the purchase, I decided to research what to do with the dog beyond just loving and cuddling it. Eventually, I met the owner of Akvatera, a pet food manufacturing plant, and decided to start my own business in Ukraine in partnership with him. The owner has a strong passion for dog breeding, which inspired him to start his business. Just like I did, he diligently researched the question: “How can we ensure quality nutrition for pets?” This became the pivotal reason for choosing this company for further collaboration.

Initially, as always, our plans were ambitious. While we didn’t aim to conquer the world, our top priority became promoting high-quality natural pet food in Ukraine, which was unavailable at reasonable prices back then.

We started as a wholesale company, collaborating with a niche segment of people involved in breeding cats and dogs. However, we didn’t stop there; today, we work with most of the major retailers in Ukraine that specialize in pet products and e-commerce. Additionally, we have our online store, “BestPet“, and last year we opened our first offline store, “BestPet,” in Kyiv.

Interestingly, up until that point, neither my partners nor I had any experience in the pet industry and were quite distant from this field, as we were focused on IT.

• What factors indicated that implementing a CRM system was necessary for the company’s further development?

This was closely related to the development of our online store. After its launch, demand for our products began to rise rapidly. We noticed that communication with customers became challenging, and certain stages of order processing were being lost because our standard ERP system couldn’t fully meet these needs. While it could capture data, it did not provide adequate tracking. Ultimately, we realized that we needed the right software to address these issues, and a CRM system was essential for smooth operations.

• What challenges did you face during the implementation of the CRM system, and how did you overcome them?

Initially, we started implementing a different CRM system, but once the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, we decided to switch away from it due to its origins, which we prefer not to mention for obvious reasons.

Next, we used one of the Ukrainian solutions, but we weren’t completely satisfied. We were looking for not just a system, but a suite of integrated programs that could address many more requests than merely processing and tracking order status at various stages. Therefore, our next step was to reach out to a well-known company in Ukraine, where we began implementing a new CRM. However, by the end of the process, we discovered that the system did not support Kanban, which was critically important, especially when dealing with a large volume of requests, as it was essential to track the status of an order and identify where it had “stalled.”

Consequently, we began searching for a new CRM system again while also collaborating with our Lithuanian team, who are our suppliers. Together, we decided to implement Zoho CRM, and later, we came across you (CRMiUM).

Implementation of Zoho CRM and additional integrations

CRMiUM’s Business Analyst explains the stages of implementation and configuration:

Seeking a simple and intuitive CRM for their B2C segment, the company turned to CRMiUM for expert assistance. The main priorities were integrating the CRM with 1C for financial process automation, setting up comprehensive analytics, and optimizing the order status distribution process.

Let’s take a closer look at the results of this case:

• Selected and implemented Zoho CRM, which fully meets all the company’s needs
• Added a simple Kanban in the “Deals” module for sales management, allowing for the display of order distribution by status
• Configured analytical reports in Zoho CRM for thorough monitoring of company performance metrics and effective strategic planning

• Assisted in implementing invoice creation in Zoho Creator: managers create invoices, send them for approval to the management, and once approved, they proceed to payment (with status tracking at each stage)
• Applied Zoho Desk for centralized management of customer interactions across various social media platforms, ensuring convenience and speed in handling messages
• Implemented the integration of Zoho CRM with ERP, enabling automated data exchange between the two systems
• Integrated Zoho CRM with the E-chat service for efficient and high-quality interaction with customers via Viber

• Configured Zoho Forms to manage discount cards, which includes collecting and processing customer information

• Implemented Zoho SalesIQ to track visitor activity on the website: the number of visitors, referral sources, and other important metrics

It’s worth highlighting that Ihor, having significant experience in IT, is a very proficient user. His thorough understanding of processes allows him to independently set up certain necessary functionalities or do so with minimal support. Zoho CRM is ideally suited for this company because of its user-friendly interface and its ability to cover nearly all business needs. For instance, if an invoicing application is required, the system offers a convenient builder for configuration. We are happy to see that the system integrated quickly and easily into the workflows, boosting the productivity of the company.

“Kormax Trade” on the team’s reaction to the CRM and its impact on the company

• ​​How the implementation of Zoho CRM has impacted the company: what changes have occurred in operations and customer interactions?

Everyone wants to adopt a CRM, but very few truly understand how to use it effectively and what benefits it can bring to the company in addressing specific challenges. I often hear from business colleagues: “We tried a CRM, but it didn’t work for us, we don’t need it…”

This happened because managers heard the catchy term “CRM” and decided that it should be implemented everywhere. However, they lacked a clear understanding of what to do with it and how it would interact with daily business processes.

When you implement a CRM system, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of how you plan to use it

If you simply assign a task to a manager, such as “you need to fill out the client card,” it won’t work at all. It’s important to understand how the CRM integrates into business processes and what specific tasks it solves for each employee. Until a manager realizes why they are filling out this card and how it will benefit them, the effort will be of little value.
That’s why we implement CRM gradually. If we understand how CRM will assist online store operators in their work, then we proceed with that implementation. If we don’t see how a manager should use the CRM to genuinely benefit from it, we don’t force them to do so.

For instance, using Google Sheets and similar tools for conducting surveys takes a considerable amount of time to process. Instead, we can utilize Zoho Survey or Zoho Forms to simplify this process.

So, when I receive a form, what am I supposed to do with it? I should get an email from the person in charge. But how do I identify who that is? This requires me to manually assign the appropriate category and link it to a manager. On the other hand, the CRM system does all of this automatically.

Zoho offers a product that allows you to create the necessary applications. For instance, we needed an app for registering incoming invoices, and we implemented it.
Now, when there’s an invoice to be paid, all you need to do is upload it to the system. As the person requesting payment, you no longer have to run to the CFO or anyone else for approval. You upload the invoice, and from there, the process happens automatically: the responsible person sees that the invoice has been uploaded, reviews it, and approves it. The accounting department receives an automatic notification of the approval and understands that the invoice needs to be paid. After the payment is made, they mark it in the system, and the requester immediately sees that their invoice has been paid.

Instead of having to run around to two or three different “offices,” you can handle everything quickly and calmly while sitting in one place—all thanks to Zoho CRM.

• What was the team’s response to the system update, since they had something to compare it to? Did they manage to adapt quickly?

I can’t say it was difficult. Some applications don’t take users’ language needs into account, as not everyone speaks English, which can sometimes create challenges. 

When we implement something for people, we always collaborate with those who will be using it.  We continuously communicate with users to understand if it’s convenient and clear for them.

• Are there any other integrations with external applications or services that you intend to implement?

We have implemented many integrations: with ERP systems, Chat GPT, Viber, and Telegram. We use Zoho Analytics to analyze our advertising campaigns, along with integrations with Google Ads, Meta Ads, and Google Analytics—all of which are already set up. Whenever the need arises, we will gradually explore new opportunities, as Zoho allows us to implement any integrations we desire.

To sum up:

Implementing a CRM system always justifies the time, resources, and effort invested. As a business scales and grows, routine processes can often be overlooked, negatively impacting the overall efficiency of the company.

If the implementation doesn’t succeed on the first attempt — perhaps due to a self-guided search for a solution and its setup — there’s no need to lose hope or stash the CRM away in a distant “drawer.” The example of Kormax Trade shows that by choosing the right solution, automation can streamline and accelerate workflows, enhancing sales effectiveness.

By carefully analyzing your business needs, identifying processes to automate, and clarifying which functionalities are essential, you can ensure positive changes will occur. Check out other CRMiUM cases to gain further insights into optimization processes and start your journey toward automating your business.