Fall 2023: The world witnessed the latest edition of Zoho’s global “Zoholics” conferences, a shining example of the principle of “Transnational Localism.” With 31 events in an impressive 27 countries, Zoho demonstrated not only its global presence but also its deep local connection.
And the best part? The Karneval-Saal in Cologne hosted one of these remarkable conferences on September 26th and 27th—and we at CEYOND were right in the middle of it!
Zoholics: More Than Just an Event
At Zoholics, Zoho users, partners, and enthusiasts from around the world come together. It offers participants the opportunity to engage with keynote speakers, join open panels and training sessions, and optimize their Zoho experience through one-on-one discussions. Not only users but also partners and Zoho employees benefit from the collaborative atmosphere and learning environment.
100 Million Users Without External Funding
At Zoholics 2023 in Cologne, Sridhar Iyengar, Managing Director of Zoho Europe, highlighted a significant achievement of the company and thanked customers for their ongoing support.
“With 100 million users worldwide as a bootstrapped company without external funding, we have not only reached a milestone but also laid a foundation for future investments,” Iyengar stated.
As the first SaaS company to reach this user milestone without external funding, Zoho now serves over 100 million people with a portfolio of more than 55 business applications. Just one year after reaching $1 billion in revenue, Zoho has continued its rapid growth. From 1 million users in 2008, the number has soared to 100 million. Today, 700,000 customers from over 150 countries rely on Zoho.
After a 27-year journey of success, Zoho has become a titan in the tech world.
News from the World of Zoho
Zoho has once again impressed with its innovative strength, unveiling numerous product launches and improvements. This includes “Marketing Automation 2.0,” which serves as a central hub for all marketing activities. The Field Service Management, known as “Zoho FSM,” has also received an update. “Zoho Billing,” the upgraded version of the former “Zoho Subscriptions,” comes with enhanced features.
For web users, “ULAA,” Zoho’s new web browser, was introduced. With “Trident,” Zoho aims to offer more non-browser versions of its products. Specifically for the German market, the “Zoho Books Germany Edition” was launched. There is also a special focus on future AI tools that will concentrate on text, image, video, audio generation, and tone recognition.
The Rise of Zoho - What's the Secret?
At the Zoholics event, it became clear: Zoho is not just a company, it’s a vision! With a deliberate decision against external funding and a presence in over 150 countries, Zoho demonstrates that customer proximity and innovation go hand in hand. Imagine a platform at the forefront of AI and data privacy, introducing a privacy-focused browser. In countries like Germany and Austria, Zoho grows through strong local partnerships and a commitment to education. The result: Zoho represents not just technology, but quality, trust, and a bright future.
Das Jahr 2018 markierte den Beginn der Partnerschaft zwischen Zoho und CEYOND, einem Zeitpunkt, der uns im Rückblick als perfekt gewähltes Timing erscheint. Damals zählte die Userbase 30 Millionen. Heute, nur fünf Jahre später, hat sie sich mehr als verdreifacht. Unsere Mitwirkung an diesem dynamischen Erfolgslauf erfüllt uns bei CEYOND mit immensem Stolz.
The Development of Zoho in Austria
CEYOND is proud to be the only Zoho Premium Partner in Austria. This exclusive position once again provided us with a great opportunity to work closely with the top management of Zoho Europe and discuss future developments in the Alpine region.
Our managing directors, Christoph and Tim, engaged in constructive discussions with key figures from Zoho: Sridhar, Head of Zoho Europe; Suvish, Head of Marketing; Peter, Head of Sales; and Christian, our dedicated Partner Manager. Together, they developed crucial steps to serve the Austrian market even more effectively.
Stay tuned on ceyond.group for more updates on these exciting developments!
Zoho Intensifies Its Business Activities in Germany
This is highlighted by the launch of the German version of its financial platform and the increase in staff at the Essen location. These employees are dedicated to sales, customer support, and marketing, driving Zoho’s strategy for the German market. The company follows the principle of “Transnational Localism,” which promotes the establishment of offices worldwide, including in rural areas, to be closer to its users.
The German financial platform offers solutions for accounting, invoicing, subscription management, expense management, and inventory management, all tailored to comply with German regulations.
Zoho is also partnering with local educational initiatives in Germany and collaborating with organizations such as AIESEC and the BVMW. Additionally, many German companies have chosen Zoho’s solutions over the past year. Sridhar Iyengar, Managing Director of Zoho Europe, emphasizes the growing acceptance of Zoho in Germany and the company’s goal to support businesses in their digital transformation.
Zoholics: Voices from the CEYOND Team
A week after the impressive Zoholics event, we sat down to gather and reflect on our team’s thoughts and opinions. What particularly moved our colleagues?
“The Zoholics 2023 event impressed me in many ways. It was not only a great opportunity to familiarize myself with Zoho’s product range but also to take away valuable knowledge and useful tips for everyday work. I’ve already been able to implement three things from the presentations into my work.”
“The presentations were mostly excellent and provided insightful information. I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in the future.”
“The innovations and future approaches presented by Zoho were not only impressive but also crucial for our future work and strategy.”
“The event offered not only professional depth and insights but also culinary highlights and personal training opportunities with Zoho experts. The chance to make new connections added extra value.” – Anna
“This meeting provided a wonderful opportunity to get to know our team members on a deeper, personal level. As a collective experience, it was unbeatable and strengthened our collaboration.”
“It was impressive to see the professionalism with which Zoho presents itself. Networking and gaining exclusive information that few others have access to offered incredible added value for us as both customers and partners.”
“After this fantastic experience, I’m already looking forward to what the next event has in store for us!”
In summary: The Zoholics 2023 event was an inspiring blend of knowledge, networking, and team bonding. The presentations provided valuable insights, while personal interactions deepened collaboration. Many are already excited for the next gathering!
A Glimpse into the Future of Zoho
So, what’s next for Zoho? A hundred million users is an impressive achievement—one that only a few companies have reached. For comparison, Microsoft claims over 1 billion users of its software, but it has been in business much longer. Workday has 65 million users under contract, while SAP boasts over 280 million users.
Although Zoho still trails behind SAP and especially Microsoft, there is little doubt that the gap is closing. Few companies seem able to keep pace with its growing popularity. The goal has been clearly stated: within the next 10 years, 1 billion users will be using Zoho’s services.
Zoho appears to have the right strategy: an intense focus on providing affordable products that meet the needs of businesses worldwide, a corporate culture with strong values, and genuine support for the local communities in which it operates. Importantly, Zoho has achieved this growth while remaining profitable. The company has managed this with smaller marketing budgets than most other SaaS companies, winning over increasingly larger enterprises through word-of-mouth.
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