My Honest Experience with Odoo ERP and CRM in Kenya
Tambaa
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Let me start by saying that my journey with Odoo ERP and CRM has been a rollercoaster.
As someone who was initially excited about the platform, I’ve had my fair share of highs and lows.
After months of using it for my business in Kenya, I feel compelled to share my experience—both the good and the bad—to help others make an informed decision.
The Promises vs. The Reality
When I first heard about Odoo, it was through ads plastered all over social media, endorsed by some of Kenya’s biggest influencers.
The promises were enticing: a free domain, a free website for life, easy-to-use apps, and seamless integration. It sounded like the perfect solution for my growing business. Unfortunately, the reality was far from what was advertised.
- Free Domain? Not Exactly.
Odoo offers a free subdomain (e.g., yourbusiness.odoo.com), which, let’s be honest, makes your business look unprofessional. In a market like Kenya, where trust and credibility are everything, this was a major letdown. I ended up purchasing my own domain, which was an extra cost I hadn’t budgeted for. - Free Website for Life? More Like a Free Headache.
The “free website” claim is misleading. Yes, you get a basic online shop, but integrating essential payment systems like M-Pesa—a must for any Kenyan business—is a nightmare. I spent weeks trying to set it up, only to realize that the process was overly complicated and not user-friendly. Without seamless payment integration, the website was practically useless for my e-commerce needs. - Easy to Use? Only If You’re an IT Expert.
Odoo is marketed as user-friendly, but my experience was anything but. The system is complex, and if you’re not tech-savvy, you’ll struggle to navigate it. I consider myself fairly proficient with technology, but I still found myself spending hours trying to figure out how to set up and interconnect the apps. For the average Kenyan business owner without an IT background, Odoo is far from accessible. - Apps Galore, But No Seamless Integration.
Odoo boasts a wide range of apps, which is great on paper. However, getting them to work together seamlessly is a tall order. I wanted my CRM, inventory, and accounting modules to sync effortlessly, but the process was frustrating and time-consuming. This lack of integration defeats the purpose of an all-in-one ERP and CRM solution.
The Support Nightmare
One of the most frustrating aspects of my Odoo experience was the poor customer support:
- Slow Response Times: On average, it took two months to get a response to my support tickets. For a business operating in a fast-paced environment like Kenya, this is unacceptable. I needed quick solutions, not months of waiting.
- Third-Party Support: When I finally got a response, it was from a third-party agent who clearly didn’t understand Odoo well. Their generic solutions were unhelpful and often irrelevant to my issues.
- Hidden Costs for Technical Support: The real shocker came when I needed technical support. To access Odoo’s technical team, I had to pay an additional, hefty fee. This felt like a slap in the face, especially after already paying for the subscription.
Renewal Pressure vs. Lack of Value
What really irked me was how quickly Odoo reached out when my subscription renewal was due. It felt like they were more interested in keeping me subscribed than ensuring I was getting value from their platform.
After months of struggling with the system and receiving little to no support, I decided not to renew. It was one of the most expensive and frustrating experiences I’ve had trying to run an online shop.
The Influencer Disconnect
I can’t help but wonder if any of the influencers promoting Odoo in Kenya actually use it for their own businesses. If they did, I’m sure they’d have the same frustrations I did.
The disconnect between their glowing endorsements and the reality of using Odoo is concerning. It makes me question the authenticity of their recommendations.
The Silver Lining
Despite all the challenges, I will admit that Odoo has some strengths. Its modular design allows you to start small and scale as your business grows, which is great for SMEs.
The localization features, such as compliance with Kenyan tax regulations, are also a plus. However, these benefits are overshadowed by the platform’s complexity, poor support, and hidden costs.
Final Thoughts
Would I recommend Odoo to other Kenyan businesses? It depends.
If you’re a tech-savvy user or have a dedicated IT team, you might be able to make it work.
But for the average Kenyan business owner, Odoo is not the user-friendly, affordable solution it’s marketed to be. The misleading ads, technical complexity, poor support, and hidden costs make it a challenging choice.
For Odoo to truly succeed in the Kenyan market, it needs to address these issues. Improve the support system, simplify the user experience, and deliver on the promises made in your marketing campaigns. Until then, I’ll be exploring other solutions that better align with my needs and the realities of running a business in Kenya.
To anyone considering Odoo, I urge you to do your research and weigh the pros and cons carefully. My subscription expires this month, and I won’t be renewing. It’s been an expensive lesson, but one I hope others can learn from.
