From Python to Zoho One: My First Year as a Systems Developer

Technical Expertise: Zoho One Ecosystem

Based on my first year of implementation and development at Taylor Movers, I have developed proficiency in the following areas:

The Beginning: A Shift in Perspective

Fresh out of Machakos University, my mind was locked onto one goal: mastering Python. Like many new grads, I had a "code-first" mindset. Concepts like Zoho One or Odoo weren't even on my radar.

In January 2025, I joined Taylor Movers. My mission? To help scale their digital infrastructure using the Zoho One suite. With no formal trainer, I dived headfirst into Zoho Documentation, YouTube, and AI (ChatGPT and Gemini) to bridge the gap between traditional programming and low-code engineering.

Lesson 1: Empathy-Driven Development (Zoho Creator)

My journey started with Zoho Creator, working on a Fleet Tracker app. My boss, Mr. Muganbi, gave me a piece of advice that changed my career: "Start with data entry."

By manually inputting data like a regular user, I felt their pain points firsthand. It taught me that a functional system isn't enough; it must be intuitive. This "user-first" approach now dictates how I build every feature.

The CRM Pivot: Engineering vs. Programming

By May, our focus shifted to Zoho CRM. This was the most challenging and rewarding phase of my year. It forced me to learn the difference between being a programmer and a systems engineer.

In Zoho, the best solution isn't always a complex script. I learned to evaluate:

• Cost & Time: Is a native automation better than a custom function?

• User Experience: Will this make the salesperson's life easier or harder?

One hurdle I faced was the ZET (Zoho Extension Toolkit). Testing custom widgets was exhausting—zipping files, uploading to setup, and refreshing records. While hosting externally is an option, the iterative process within Zoho’s ecosystem taught me patience and the importance of robust environment staging.

Powering Decisions with Zoho Analytics

Before fully migrating to the CRM, we relied heavily on Google Sheets. I used a combination of Google Apps Script, Python (Streamlit), and Zoho Analytics to make sense of our data.

This period was my "Data Analytics 101." I learned the art of data cleaning—stripping away the noise to focus on the metrics that actually drive business growth. Zoho Analytics made it incredibly simple to sync multiple data sources and create high-level dashboards that the management team could actually use.

Expanding the Ecosystem: SalesIQ, Campaigns, and Social

Toward the end of the year, we activated the marketing arm of Zoho One:

• Zoho SalesIQ: We implemented this for website visitor tracking. Seeing a visitor’s journey from a random click to a CRM contact is powerful, though we learned that a chatbot is only as good as its training data!

• Zoho Campaigns: Syncing CRM contacts for email marketing allowed our marketing team to take the lead, proving how well-integrated systems empower non-technical teams.

• Zoho Social: This was the easiest "win." Connecting social media interactions directly to CRM leads streamlined our sales funnel, though the nuances of API permissions (like the Instagram to Lead conversion) remain an interesting puzzle to solve.

Final Thoughts

One year later, I’ve realized that being a developer isn't just about the language you speak (though I still love my Python!). It's about solving problems. Zoho One has been a massive playground for that, and I’m excited to keep pushing the boundaries of what these tools can do.

One year in, and I'm still discovering new 'hidden' features in Zoho. If you're a Zoho pro, what’s the one tool or script that saved your life during a project?