What is Zoho One? Understanding the all-in-one Business Operating System
Gone are the days when managing various tools, departments, and workflows was simple; this is quite overwhelming for small to medium-sized companies. Enter Zoho One — an all-encompassing suite of cloud-based applications functioning as an all-in-one business operating system. Packages that come with 45-plus-integrated apps give the business the option of streamlining operations, improving productivity, and engendering a willingness to collaborate, far more than they would by managing multiple software vendors.
So, what exactly is Zoho One, how does that work, and why are thousands of businesses across the globe increasingly going for it? We will cover everything in this blog.
What is Zoho One?
Zoho One is a unified suite of over 45 cloud-based applications designed to cover nearly every aspect of business operation–sales, marketing, finance, HR, operations, customer support, you name it. Getting back to the name, it’s very much an “operating system for business”, just as Windows or macOS works for computers, but Zoho One is doing that for your entire business.
Created by Zoho Corporation, global software company specializing in affordable and scalable SaaS products, Zoho One positions itself as a best opportunity for small- and medium-sized companies, and even large enterprises, in opposition to having to rely on scattered tools from different vendors.
Standout Features of Zoho One
Let us list down some of the outstanding features offered by Zoho One:
- All-in-One Access
An account subscription in Zoho One offers the convenience of access to over 45 apps and 100+ extensions, such as:
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
Books (Accounting and Finance)
Mail (Business Email)
Projects (Project Management)
People (HR Management)
Desk (Customer Support)
Creator (Custom Application Builder)
Thus, having all of the apps at one’s disposal reduces the need for multiple software purchases for separate business functions.
- Centralized Administration
Zoho One houses a powerful admin panel through which one can manage all users, apps, permissions, and security settings via a single, consolidated dashboard. The IT admins can select who is allowed to access what, making life simpler when it comes to user and data security management.
- Deep Integration
All the Zoho apps are designed around the idea of being integrated. For instance:
Sales reps can convert website leads captured by Zoho Forms automatically to CRM contacts.
Invoices in Zoho Books are initiated from deals closed in Zoho CRM.
Projects track employee hours via Zoho Projects, and that data is pushed into Zoho Payroll.
These native integrations reduce silos of data and manual work.
- Custom App Development
There is a raw-to-low code software with the name Zoho Creator in Zoho One, and it enables companies to build custom applications to suit their unique needs, albeit without much programming savvy.
- AI-Powered Insights
Analyze trends in data or forecasts in sales using Zia, the inbuilt AI assistant, along with task automation and getting intelligent recommendations within various apps.
Why Businesses Choose Zoho One
- Is Cost-Effective
Instead of paying for several software licenses from different vendors, businesses get it all in one subscription. This gives Zoho One a competitive advantage when it comes to price against most other enterprise software suites.
- For Scalability
Whatever the status of a company, be it a startup with five employees or an increasingly large company having hundreds of employees, Zoho One will be there to serve those needs. You can start with a few applications, and increase the number of accepted applications as your business grows.
- Security and Compliance
Of utmost concern to Zoho is the issue of data privacy and compliance. It is a GDPR-compliant platform, without selling user data — a rather satisfactory position in today’s techistic landscape.
- Mobility
Each Zoho application is mobile-optimized: native apps are available for both Android and iOS platforms. It provides users a superb advantage in terms of flexibility to work from anywhere on any device, benefiting remote teams big time.
- Global Support
Zoho assists millions of users in the world and provides support 24/7, documentation on a wide range of topics, and an active user community.
Few use cases mentioned for Zoho One are:
- Sales and CRM Automation
With Zoho CRM, sales teams track their leads, deals, and follow-ups, allowing them to integrate with Zoho Campaigns and Zoho Meeting to automate outreach and virtual demos.
- Accounting and Finance
Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice, and Zoho Expense are a complete solution for finance teams for billing, tax compliance, payment, and reporting.
- Marketing Automation
Marketers can use Zoho Campaigns, Zoho Social, and Zoho Survey to prepare campaigns, analyze them, and collect customer feedback.
- Project & Operations Management
From software like Zoho Projects to Zoho Sprints and Zoho WorkDrive aids teams in collaborating, tracking deadlines, and securely storing documents.
- Human Resource Management
The applications of Zoho One include everything from hiring to onboarding to payroll through Zoho Recruit, Zoho People, and Zoho Payroll.
How is Zoho One Priced?
Two are the options available for pricing in Zoho One:
- All-Employee Pricing: A flat, low rate is charged per employee when all employees in the company use Zoho One.
- Flexible User Pricing: For those teams that want to pay for some user licenses rather than for the entire team.
Both options give you the best value possible when considering paying separately for Salesforce, QuickBooks, Microsoft Teams, and others like that.
Zoho One Vs. The Competition
Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Salesforce can give you partial solutions; yet, Zoho One takes pride in:
Volume of apps
Integrated ecosystem
In-built AI and automation
Price
Customization through low-code tools
For those businesses looking for a single vendor with tightly integrated apps, Zoho One just takes the lead.
Is Zoho One Right For You?
Zoho One is favored by:
- Small businesses looking to join their operations under one roof
- Startups looking for enterprise-level tools on a shoestring budget
- Medium enterprises looking to increase departmental integration between departments
- Growing enterprises searching for operational efficiencies
However, it’s not the perfect fit for companies that have already invested heavily in particular platforms (such as Salesforce or Oracle) unless they want to move away.
Final Thoughts
Zoho One is more than just a bundle of applications — it is a complete business operating system. It optimizes, eliminates silos, and promotes collaboration by integrating every aspect of business management within a single platform-for sales to HR.
From solopreneurs to companies on the way to more significant growth, Zoho One provides a coherent framework with which enterprises can efficiently and smartly conduct their operation.
Willing to jump into Zoho One? Most aspects come with a free trial, with an easy onboarding experience at the outset. If you’re thinking about making a drastic change in how your business operates, Zoho One might be the system you were looking for.
