As a proud partner of Zoho, Webuters had the privilege of attending Zoholics India 2024—Zoho’s premier annual event that brings together users, partners, and industry experts for a deep dive into the latest innovations, product updates, and business solutions from Zoho. Held at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield, the conference was packed with informative sessions and hands-on workshops, offering attendees an inside look at Zoho’s evolving ecosystem and vision for the future.
A Visionary Keynote by Sridhar Vembu
The conference began with an inspiring keynote from Sridhar Vembu, Zoho’s CEO and co-founder, who is well-known for his commitment to rural empowerment and independent growth. Vembu emphasized Zoho’s dedication to remaining privately owned, which allows the company to focus on customer and societal needs without outside interference. This independence fuels Zoho’s innovative approach and dedication to ethical practices, driving positive change in rural communities and prioritizing sustainable, customer-centered growth.
In his keynote, Vembu highlighted key pillars of Zoho’s mission:
- Rural Development: Zoho’s commitment to developing rural talent is central to its operations. By empowering rural communities through research and development, Zoho aims to build sustainable growth models that give back to society.
- Customer-Centric Approach: Vembu reiterated Zoho’s focus on building tools that address real-world business challenges, keeping customers’ needs at the forefront.
- Innovation Through Independence: Being privately held allows Zoho the freedom to innovate without pressure from investors, making Zoho one of the few tech giants that can wholly prioritize ethical and customer-focused advancements.
What’s New at Zoho: Product Announcements by Rajendran Dandapani
A major highlight of Zoholics 2024 was the “What’s New at Zoho?” session led by Rajendran Dandapani, who presented exciting updates and developments within the Zoho ecosystem. Dandapani announced significant enhancements across various Zoho applications, including Zoho Analytics, Zoho Bookings, and Zoho Campfire. Notably, the launch of Zoho Payments promises to simplify transactions within the Zoho suite, enabling businesses to streamline payment processing and improve operational efficiency.
Rajendran emphasized that these product innovations are driven by Zoho’s strong R&D capabilities, with continuous improvements tailored to the evolving needs of businesses. New features and enhancements across Zoho products are designed to improve functionality, security, and user experience, showcasing Zoho’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of business technology.
AI for Business: Fireside Chat on the Power of Artificial Intelligence
Another focal point of the event was the “AI for Business” fireside chat, featuring Sridhar Vembu, Praval Singh, and Ramprakash Ramamoorthy. The discussion centered around how AI is transforming business operations and enabling smarter decision-making. Zoho’s AI tools, such as Zia, the intelligent assistant, are built to enhance productivity, improve customer experiences, and streamline workflows.
The key themes discussed included:
- AI-Driven Insights: Zoho’s AI capabilities provide businesses with data-driven insights, empowering leaders to make informed decisions based on real-time analytics.
- Operational Efficiency: AI-driven automation helps businesses reduce manual tasks, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: AI tools within Zoho’s suite, including predictive analytics and natural language processing, personalize interactions, making customer engagement more meaningful and efficient.
Exciting New Features Across Zoho Applications
Zoholics India 2024 brought forth several exciting updates across Zoho’s product range. Here’s a snapshot of some of the standout features:
- Zoho CRM: Enhanced customization options and better AI integration streamline sales processes, providing deeper insights for sales teams.
- Zoho Desk: New tools have been introduced to improve customer support experiences, including advanced ticket routing and response templates.
- Zoho Books: Improved automation capabilities simplify invoicing, payments, and reconciliation, allowing finance teams to work more efficiently.
These updates are geared toward enhancing workflow efficiency, reducing manual intervention, and providing a smoother user experience across departments.
Engaging Sessions and Real-World Use Cases
Zoholics India 2024 offered a diverse lineup of sessions tailored to different areas of business. Here’s a snapshot of some standout sessions:
- Customer Experience and Success Stories: Vibhav Vankayala and Sharanya Ramachandran shared inspiring stories from Zoho users who leveraged the platform to transform customer engagement.
- Zoho Developer Tools: Led by Bharath Kumar, this session explored how developers can maximize the value of Zoho applications, with tools and insights to help businesses customize their Zoho environment.
- Finance & Collaboration Solutions: Presentations from Cynthia Rajan and Sherin Sam shed light on how Zoho’s finance and collaboration tools are helping businesses optimize operations and achieve greater agility.
The Expanding Zoho One Ecosystem
Zoho One, Zoho’s integrated suite of applications, continues to evolve with new capabilities aimed at creating a unified platform for business operations. Zoholics India 2024 highlighted how Zoho One’s automation and cross-app workflows empower businesses to achieve seamless collaboration across departments, from sales and finance to customer support and marketing.
Key enhancements in Zoho One include:
- Cross-Functional Automation: The new automation tools allow businesses to automate complex processes across different functions, reducing manual errors and improving overall efficiency.
- Collaborative Tools: Features such as shared dashboards, task assignments, and team notifications make it easier for teams to stay connected and aligned on objectives.
Hands-On Learning and Workshops
Zoholics India 2024 offered a series of hands-on workshops where attendees could dive deep into Zoho CRM, Zoho One, Zoho Books, and other flagship applications. Participants had the opportunity to explore the latest features, learn best practices, and discover ways to leverage Zoho’s AI tools to boost productivity and enhance their workflows.
Our team at Webuters fully engaged in these workshops, gaining new insights into Zoho’s tools to help our clients maximize their investment in the Zoho ecosystem. By mastering these features, Webuters aims to continue offering tailored solutions that drive value for businesses.
Building Connections and Fostering Community
Beyond the technical sessions, Zoholics India 2024 fostered a sense of community, enabling Zoho partners, customers, and experts to connect and exchange ideas. Engaging directly with Zoho’s leadership provided invaluable insights into their strategic vision, which we can incorporate into our solutions for clients.
At Webuters, our team benefited from one-on-one discussions with Zoho specialists, allowing us to address specific challenges and explore solutions that we can pass on to our clients. This collaboration with Zoho strengthens our capability to deliver optimized Zoho solutions that align with our clients’ unique business requirements.
Key Takeaways on Zoho’s Focus on AI and Security
Zoholics 2024 underscored Zoho’s commitment to incorporating AI across its suite and enhancing security measures. Notable developments include:
- Zia’s New Capabilities: Zia now includes voice commands, task management, smart summarization, and automatic tagging, streamlining operations and enhancing productivity.
- Advanced Security Features: Zoho unveiled new tools like Zoho Directory and OneAuth, reinforcing identity management and multi-factor authentication. Additionally, Zoho Vault received updates for secure credential management, reflecting Zoho’s commitment to robust cybersecurity.
New Product Announcements: Expanding Zoho’s Capabilities
Zoholics India 2024 also introduced several new products aimed at addressing emerging business needs:
- Zoho Payments: This new payment solution facilitates smoother transaction processes, supporting a range of payment methods to enhance convenience for users.
- Zoho IoT: A low-code platform designed to harness the power of connected devices, ideal for businesses entering the IoT space.
- Zoho Apptics: An analytics platform tailored for SaaS and mobile applications, offering insights into user behavior and application performance.
- Zoho RPA: Robotic Process Automation software that automates repetitive tasks, enabling businesses to increase efficiency and reduce operational costs.
These products reflect Zoho’s adaptability and drive to offer solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses in a tech-driven landscape.
Webuters: Your Trusted Zoho Implementation Partner
As a dedicated Zoho partner, Webuters is committed to helping businesses leverage the full power of Zoho’s suite of tools. Whether you’re looking to implement Zoho CRM, automate workflows, or integrate Zoho’s AI capabilities, our team has the expertise and experience to deliver customized solutions that align with your goals. With our deep understanding of Zoho’s ecosystem, Webuters is positioned to help clients achieve sustainable growth and maximize ROI.
Contact us today to learn how Webuters can help you make the most of Zoho’s powerful tools and transform your business operations.