Dynamic Digital Solutions solves clients' complex challenges with Zoho Creator

The company

Introduction: Founder Kim Mclachlan

Kim Mclachlan, founder and director of Dynamic Digital Solutions, boasts over 20 years of professional experience in finance, audit, and professional services across four countries. She began as a chartered accountant at Deloitte South Africa, then worked as a certified internal auditor and senior manager in professional services before taking on a national role as a director in Deloitte's office in Brisbane, Australia.

During this career journey, Kim established a family day care center, which revealed a gap in the software market and led her to discover Zoho Creator. Kim ultimately redefined her career, becoming a Zoho Partner after experiencing the power of developing custom solutions on Zoho Creator, with no prior coding experience.

Dynamic Digital Solutions

Kim founded Dynamic Digital Solutions in 2018. Today, the company's headquarters in Maroochydore, Australia hosts a dedicated team of five professionals committed to delivering excellence in every project they undertake. Dynamic Digital Solutions has been a Zoho Partner for over five years.

The company's primary focus is on empowering family businesses to work smarter, not harder. They provide a range of services that cater to various aspects of business operations, including marketing, accounting, HR, and compliance. Some of their popular offerings include CRM systems, work schedules, asset registers, safe work method statements, client and supplier portals, directories, risk and compliance checklists, and HR systems.

Zoho CRM and Zoho Creator form the backbone of the company's solutions. Zoho CRM serves as the central source of truth, while Zoho Creator enables flexible, real-time solutions for more complex businesses. For businesses requiring on-site custom quotes or invoices, Zoho Creator is often indispensable, as conventional quoting and invoicing systems fall short in delivering these capabilities.

The challenges

In the early days of Dynamic Digital Solutions, the company's focus on complex solutions led to challenges that hindered scalability. They found themselves essentially becoming employees of larger organizations, which stifled their growth and innovation. Finding the right staff, with the right experience, was a significant challenge. Complex solutions demanded experienced team members, but these individuals often brought preconceived notions that stifled the company's capacity for innovation.

Younger talent, while more readily available, was hard to retain because young employees frequently left in pursuit of the next big opportunity. To address these issues, Kim and her team made a strategic shift towards investing in their clients.

Instead of focusing solely on staffing, they began offering training and support to clients, who were eager to learn how to leverage Zoho products. This shift proved transformative. Clients not only wanted to master Zoho but also sought continuous growth in their knowledge. This shift allowed Dynamic Digital Solutions to align their solutions with clients' needs and foster mutually beneficial relationships that support ongoing growth.

The solution

Kim's original journey to find the right software solution for her family day care center business was a year-long quest marked by frustration and confusion. There was no single solution suited to the business's needs, and limited resources added to the challenge.

When she stumbled upon Zoho Creator, she initially had no knowledge of Zoho One. Her introduction to Zoho Creator was a revelation, and it allowed her to redefine her role in the market, enabling her to build custom, client-centric solutions.

Dynamic Digital Solutions found that its real challenges lay in adapting to the evolving needs of clients, who were just beginning to understand the full potential of Zoho products. Clients often had their own preconceptions that did not always align with reality. Managing scope creep while staying within a client's budget were persistent challenges.

Many clients approached Dynamic Digital Solutions without a clear understanding of their own requirements. They were still defining the vision and strategy for their companies. When presented with a wide array of possibilities and solutions, the ambiguity exacerbated the challenge of finding the right path forward.

A significant portion of Dynamic Digital Solutions' efforts was devoted to reshaping the client's perceptions and expectations. The company typically started by providing clients with a prototype solution that they could customize, and allowing clients to participate in the design phase. Using Zoho Creator made it easy to involve the client in the development process, which enabled them to better understand the system's architecture and integrate new solutions with their existing technology and processes.

This methodology empowered clients to take charge of their systems. Some opted to receive ongoing support, but the majority preferred to manage their operations independently. This approach also aligned with Dynamic Digital Solutions' strategic objectives and distinguished the company in the market.

Benefits and ROI

• Streamlining complex business processes: Dynamic Digital Solutions has leveraged Zoho Creator to simplify complex business processes. One notable application is the ability to generate on-site customized quotes and invoices, which conventional systems could not accommodate. This has greatly streamlined processes, especially when work schedules or compliance documents need to be generated at the quoting stage. This enhanced efficiency and accuracy, translating into significant time and cost savings for clients.
• Enhanced support and education: By shifting their focus towards client education and support, Dynamic Digital Solutions empowered clients to master Zoho products and drive continuous growth. Clients are not just using the software; they are actively seeking to expand their knowledge and capabilities, which has created a mutually beneficial relationship based on shared growth.
• Scalability and innovation: The company's shift towards a more client-centric approach, including training and support, has resolved issues related to scalability and staff retention. They have moved away from being perceived as employees of larger organizations and are now seen as strategic partners who empower clients. This shift has fostered growth and innovation within the organization.

Looking towards the future

In 2024, Dynamic Digital Solutions has ambitious plans for growth. The company aims to partner with Zoho to offer community-centered training and assistance to businesses, starting on the Sunshine Coast. This initiative aims to build awareness, and provide training and support, not only for clients but also other users in the region.

This collaborative approach seeks to create a thriving community of businesses that can work smarter with the help of custom software solutions.