About United Parts of Chicago

A big, fat “Yes.” As a proud Zoho Partner, United Parts of Chicago exclusively runs on Zoho. We follow the principle of “walking the talk.” While we’re not required to rely solely on Zoho, nor are we bound by any agreements to avoid other software, we choose this path for a reason.

By fully leveraging Zoho, we engage in the same experience as our customers, which allows us to effectively communicate our needs, report any bugs, and share customer feedback directly with the Zoho development teams. If you’re walking your customers’ shoes daily, you automatically provide better service for your clientele.

There are a few specific areas where Zoho doesn’t provide solutions; in such cases, we turn to other excellent software options.

In 2014, we didn’t place much importance on branding. Our brand name was the result of a casual brainstorming session, aiming to convey unity and collaboration (“United”), local identity (Deerfield being a northern suburb of Chicago, making us “somewhere in Chicago” for those outside the Greater Chicago area), and a nod to the various parts of Chicagoland, not mechanical parts. We’ve stuck with it ever since and like it the way it is.

Successful Zoho implementation involves several key factors:

• engaging in a thorough discovery phase to align expectations
• understanding the complexity of business processes
• working with certified Zoho consultants
• signing appropriate contracts
• clearly defining your goals and objectives
• considering the Agile methodology to remain adaptable throughout the process.
• Viewing IT work as a critical investment rather than a low-cost option

“It depends.” If you are an employer and want to hire an in-house employee to oversee your Zoho platform, combining the administration duties, support, and light or even heavy customization, aim somewhere between $60,000-$120,000/year (we’re talking about the U.S. job market as it is in 2025). We do not recommend using these numbers as a baseline in the client-provider relationship model because using the hourly rate in software implementation projects isn’t the best practice (here’s why).

At United Parts of Chicago, we currently (December 2024) use the fixed-budget approach for the implementation projects and a $150/hour rate for the ad hoc consulting and training sessions. Our Zoho support plans are another story and are priced separately.