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Best Practices for Customizing Freshworks CRM

The Rainy Day Revelation​

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? That one gloomy Tuesday when the rain was coming down in sheets, churning the streets into a sloshy mess. I found myself ensconced in a café corner, laptop open, fingers tapping away on the keyboard. Phil, my coworker, was wrestling a stubborn umbrella into submission, muttering about custom fields and lead scoring. “Why can’t Freshworks CRM just read my mind?” he grumbled. And right there, amidst the aroma of coffee beans and rain-soaked coats, it hit me: customization. It wasn’t about Freshworks reading our minds; it was about making Freshworks our own.

Understanding the Real Need​

So first things first, let’s pause and reflect. Why customize at all? Those default settings feel comfortable, like a well-worn shoe. But for every business, one size rarely fits all. Remember that time we tried to fit Phil’s sandwich preferences onto a single order form? Croutons and no tomatoes, extra cheese but only dairy-free, and the list goes on. Customizing Freshworks CRM is much like that—satisfying the unique palate of your business needs.

Getting Started​

We begin, my friends, with the easiest step. Open Freshworks CRM. Yeah, that’s right, start where you are. If you’re like Alice, the overachiever in our team, you’ll already have it open in three tabs.

  1. Navigate to the Admin Settings: Like that time we wandered into the old library room—endless possibilities. Click on the profile icon in the top right corner, then 'Admin Settings.'

  2. Select ‘Modules and Fields': Imagine this as setting up an art studio instead of a storage room. Choose 'Modules and Fields' under the 'CRM Customization' section.

  3. Click on 'Contacts' (or any other module): Want to paint something abstract? Here's your canvas. Click on ‘Contacts’ to start customizing the fields.

Now, Phil and Alice, listen up. This is where it gets interesting.

Customizing Fields​

Fields are like those tiny ingredients you sprinkle into a recipe—essential but often overlooked. Remember that time I added turmeric to our morning smoothie? Just a pinch changed the whole flavor.

  1. Add Custom Fields: Click on 'New Field'—simple, like turning on a light switch. Choose the type of field —text, number, dropdown.

  2. Set Field Properties: Make your fields mandatory or optional. Like when Phil insists that everyone must RSVP to his yearly potluck, or else there's dish chaos.

  3. Reorder Fields: Drag and drop to rearrange. Like when we decided the bookshelf order: mystery novels first, non-fiction last.

Streamlining Workflows​

Automation can be as empowering as teaching a robot to fetch coffee. Not just any coffee, mind you, but Phil’s complex brew with almond milk and a dash of cinnamon.

  1. Access Workflow Automations: Head back to the 'Admin Settings' and seek out 'Workflow Automations.'

  2. Create a New Workflow: Click 'New Workflow,' much like how one would hit the 'new document' button and stare at the blank page—it’s the thrill of possibilities.

  3. Define Triggers and Actions: Choose when you want something to happen (like sending an email when a lead is added) and decide the action itself. This is Phil telling Alice to send that thank-you email reminder—just automate the conversation.

Personalizing Dashboards​

Dashboards are the window to your world—glimpses of work in vivid detail. Picture it like the time we kept rearranging the living room till it felt just right.

  1. Create Custom Dashboards: Click 'Dashboards' in the main menu, then hit that '+' icon.

  2. Add Widgets: Choose what insights you want. Sales numbers? Win rates? Add them like you’d add toppings to your ice cream.

  3. Organize: Again, drag and drop until your analytics feel natural. It’s your space, after all.

Continuous Optimization​

Consider customization as an ongoing trial and error. We remember our fledgling attempts at salsa dancing—awkward steps that eventually turned into smooth moves. Testing configurations, tweaking settings, adapting to feedback—it’s all part of the process.

Final Thoughts​

So, here we are, sipping our lattes, our CRM glowing with personalized glory. Just like that rainy Tuesday, customization in Freshworks CRM is about creating an intimate, functional space that feels uniquely ours. And in the process, making our MRU (Most Relevant User) journey less of a mystery and more of a masterpiece.

And isn’t that what we’re all after? A little more clarity, a bit more efficiency, and just a touch of personal magic in our daily grind. Cheers to that, and to many more rain-soaked revelations.