Aplikasi | Zoho Premium Partner - Blog , Article (English)

Taking Advantage of Holiday Marketing

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:44:36 +0800

Taking Advantage of Holiday Marketing

Why do you have to plan your holiday content a year ahead and how?

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, especially businesses. Customers are out shopping for gifts, holiday gatherings, and businesses planning for holiday merchandises. This is the perfect time to increase your brand awareness, reach new audiences, and engage customers.

Plus, holidays are usually on fixed dates; so you can plan your social media calendar way ahead!

Our social media calendar on Zoho Social

Our scheduled posts on Zoho Social

Four tips for holiday-inspired social media posting

1. Touch their emotions

The holidays bring out strong feelings in people. Take advantage of these emotions to make campaigns that connect with what your business is all about: your main services, products, and what your brand stands for.

2. Be friendly

Pay attention to people who mention your brand, or simply put, be friendly. Connect with them, monitor conversations, and so on. All of these actions can help you understand your brand’s position in the community. The holidays are a time when you can build deeper and more authentic relationships with your customers by appealing to the human side of your business.

3. Build relationships

Shift your focus! Selling should not be your top priority now, remember that building a strong brand reputation is crucial for long-term success. Take advantage of the holiday season to be active on social media that reflects your values, personality, and appreciation for your customers.

4. Impactful story-telling

Holidays are the best time for you to share natural stories to get more people seeing and watching your content. This is the time to boost your creativity! Those short/not-so-long videos, impactful copywriting could be your strategy. It’s a fantastic way to show-off your brand’s personality and make yourself different from other businesses.

In conclusion, planning your holiday content well in advance is essential for maximizing your marketing efforts and capitalizing on the opportunities that the holiday season brings. By utilizing social media planning platforms like Zoho Social and implementing strategies such as emotional connection, friendliness, relationship-building, and impactful storytelling, you can effectively engage with your audience, strengthen your brand reputation, and differentiate yourself from competitors.

Remember, the holidays present a prime opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality and values while fostering deeper connections with your customers. So, don’t wait any longer—start planning your holiday social media content now and set yourself up for success!

From a Solid Start to a Fully Streamlined CRM

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:35:36 +0800

From a Solid Start to a Fully Streamlined CRM

Zoho CRM Enhancement for a High-Performance Digital Marketing Team

Quick Read

Problem Statement

LOCUS-T had been actively using Zoho CRM on their own and had already built a solid foundation for managing their sales and marketing activities. As their operations scaled, their existing configuration needed a more structured and automated approach.

Proposed Solution

Aplikasi collaborated with LOCUS-T to enhance their current CRM setup. We refined workflows, improved lead routing, strengthened the quotation approval process, organised product data, and ensured the platform better aligned with the company’s operational requirements.

Implementation & Results

LOCUS-T’s sales process was streamlined by refining their full sales cycle, implementing structured lead acceptance and reassignment rules, automating follow-up reminders, and strengthening quotation approvals with a more organised product catalogue. We also integrated Zoho Campaigns and provided user training, enabling consistent outreach and improved overall lead management.

Full Case Study

Business Case at a Glance

LOCUS-T is no stranger to Zoho CRM, they had been using it independently and had already developed an internal workflow based on their sales processes. As their business expanded, they recognised the need to enhance what they had built to support more volume, clearer data structures, and smoother collaboration.

Aplikasi served as the expert partner to elevate their CRM foundation and fine-tune it to match their growing operational needs.

What apps have been deployed

Zoho CRMZoho Campaigns

Company Background

Established in the 90s, LOCUS-T stands as one of Malaysia’s leading digital marketing agencies, trusted by over 7,000 SMEs and MNCs across 50 industries. Offering a wide range of solutions—from SEO to web development—their success reflects both deep industry expertise and strong client demand.

As a Google Premier Partner and Meta Business Partner, LOCUS-T operates in a high-performance environment where internal systems must be agile, structured, and scalable. Optimising Zoho CRM was a strategic move to support continued growth.

The Challenge

LOCUS-T had long used Zoho CRM to manage leads and client relationships. Their teams were familiar with the system, but with increased sales volume and more complex workflows, they identified several areas where expert refinement would help:

Ensuring timely lead follow-ups

Creating clearer sales cycle visibility

Reducing manual coordination

Improving data accuracy

Establishing stronger approval structures

Enhancing the link between leads, contacts, and campaigns

They had already built the foundation—now they needed a stronger, more scalable structure.

Finding The Solution

Aplikasi assessed LOCUS-T’s existing CRM setup and focused on elevating what they had created. Instead of rebuilding from scratch, we strengthened their workflows, clarified their sales stages, and added key automations to reduce manual effort.

Our enhancements included:

Smart lead reassignment and acceptance flow
Automated reminders for better response discipline
Refined roles and permissions for clearer data access
Product catalogue structuring
Quotation approval logic
Integration of CRM with Zoho Campaigns
User training to ensure smooth adoption

Implementations & Results

1. Refining Lead Management & Follow-Ups

Having built their lead process internally, LOCUS-T wanted to improve speed and accountability. Aplikasi reinforced their setup by introducing:

A structured lead acceptance step
Automated reassignment when leads go untouched
Reminders to prompt timely follow-ups
Smoother capture of website enquiries directly into CRM

These improvements helped LOCUS-T maintain stronger lead hygiene and faster response times without increasing manual work.

2. Organising Product Information

Aplikasi also helped clean up and import LOCUS-T’s product catalogue into Zoho CRM, giving their sales team access to structured and accurate product data. This made the quotation process more consistent and minimised manual referencing or outdated documents.

3. Strengthening Quotation Approvals

Previously, approval coordination required manual communication. Aplikasi implemented a structured approval flow that ensures quotes with discounts or special conditions reach the right decision makers. Notifications now keep teams aligned, and once deals are confirmed, billing is alerted automatically.

4. Enhancing Zoho Campaigns Integration

To support LOCUS-T’s ongoing marketing initiatives, Aplikasi integrated Zoho Campaigns with CRM and provided training to ensure the team could create targeted, data-driven campaigns using accurate CRM insights.

By enhancing their existing self-built CRM setup, LOCUS-T gained:

Clearer processes

Improved cross-team alignment

Faster lead response cycles

More confidence in their quotation flow

Cleaner campaign segmentation

A CRM system that grows with their business

Conclusion

Aplikasi’s role was to help LOCUS-T elevate the strong foundation they had already created—empowering them with structure, automation, and scalability for their next stage of growth.

What our client says about our service?

Big shoutout to Nurul Asyiqin for always being so quick and reliable with Aplikasi Support! She consistently responds promptly to any questions or issues, ensuring that solutions are delivered without delay. Her reliability and consistent speed make a significant difference in our experience, and her helpful nature is always reassuring. We truly appreciate the effort and support!
— LOCUS-T Sdn Bhd

Ready to turn your business challenges into success stories? Let’s explore how Aplikasi can simplify and streamline your operations—just like we’ve done for businesses across various industries.

Get Started Now

What SME Owners Should Know About the Future of Business Payments

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:20:06 +0800

What SME Owners Should Know About the Future of Business Payments

Apple Tap to Pay in Malaysia

For many SMEs, payment collection is still treated as the final step of a sale.

In reality, it is one of the most important drivers of cash flow.

A deal may be closed, an invoice may be issued, and the customer may be ready to pay, but delays often happen because the payment process itself creates friction. A missing card terminal, a delayed bank transfer, an off-site sales appointment without payment tools, or disconnected payment records can all slow down revenue collection.

For growing businesses, these small operational gaps create larger financial consequences—delayed receivables, weaker cash flow visibility, slower reconciliation, and less confident business decisions.

This is why Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone launch in Malaysia matters.

It is not simply a payment feature. It represents a shift in how businesses can collect payments faster, reduce dependency on payment hardware, and improve financial visibility across the organisation.

For businesses using Zoho Books with Stripe integration, this shift becomes even more meaningful because payment collection can connect directly to finance operations, not just transactions.

Why Traditional Payment Terminals Are Becoming Less Attractive

For years, accepting card payments meant relying on separate payment terminals.

While effective, these systems often come with added costs and operational dependency—hardware rental, maintenance, onboarding, device management, and limited flexibility for businesses operating outside fixed counters.

This creates challenges for businesses such as:

Retailers managing pop-up stores or multiple outletsConsultants collecting deposits during client visitsEvent businesses handling registrations on-siteMobile sales teams closing deals outside the officeService providers collecting payments at customer locations

Every additional terminal creates another operational layer to manage.

Tap to Pay changes that model.

With Tap to Pay on iPhone, businesses can accept contactless payments directly from an iPhone without requiring additional card readers or payment terminals. Supported payment methods include physical debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and other digital wallets, making payment collection faster and more flexible.

For SMEs focused on speed and operational efficiency, this reduces unnecessary friction at the point where revenue matters most.

Payment Collection Is a Cash Flow Strategy

Many business owners still see payment collection as an administrative task.

Strong finance leaders see it differently.

The speed of payment collection directly affects working capital. The longer invoices remain unpaid, the more pressure builds across supplier payments, payroll planning, operational spending, and growth decisions.

Faster collections improve more than cash flow, they improve control.

Imagine a consultant completing a project review and collecting payment immediately on-site. Or a retail staff member processing payment directly during checkout without redirecting customers to another counter. Or an events team closing walk-in registration payments instantly during roadshows.

The sale closes faster. The receivable disappears sooner. The business gains liquidity earlier.

That is not just convenience, it is financial discipline.

The Stronger Business Case: Tap to Pay + Zoho Books

Image Credit: zoho.com/blog/books

The real value of Tap to Pay is not simply accepting payments on an iPhone.

It is what happens after the payment is collected.

For businesses using Zoho Books with Stripe integration, Tap to Pay can be used directly inside the Zoho Books mobile app.

The workflow is simple and operationally powerful:

1Invoice opened

→

2Tap “Tap to Pay”

→

3Customer makes contactless payment

→

4Invoice status updates

→

5Payment is recorded

→

6Reconciliation becomes faster

This matters because many SMEs still operate with disconnected payment systems:

Sales collects payment separately

Finance manually checks payment status

Reconciliation happens later

Report visibility is delayed

Service providers collecting payments at customer locations

This creates familiar problems:

Unclear outstanding invoices

Delayed payment matching

Manual reconciliation errors

Slower month-end closing

Limited real-time cash flow visibility

By connecting payment collection directly to accounting workflows, businesses reduce manual dependency and improve financial confidence.

That is where operational efficiency becomes strategic advantage.

Why Finance Teams Should Care About Payment Visibility

Collecting payment faster is important.

Knowing exactly where that payment sits inside your financial records is even more important.

Finance teams need visibility, not assumptions.

When invoice payments update faster and reconciliation becomes cleaner, decision-makers gain stronger control over:

Accounts receivableOutstanding collectionsCash flow forecastingSupplier planningMonth-end financial reportingBusiness expansion decisions

Without this visibility, leadership decisions become reactive.

With it, finance becomes proactive.

This is why modern SMEs should think beyond payment acceptance and focus on payment intelligence.

Tap to Pay is valuable because it shortens the gap between customer payment and financial clarity.

Malaysian SMEs Should Prepare for This Shift Now

Customer expectations are changing quickly.

People expect faster, smoother, and more flexible payment experiences. Whether in-store, on-site, or during mobile sales interactions.

Businesses that continue relying only on traditional payment flows risk creating unnecessary delays that customers increasingly notice.

This does not mean every SME should immediately replace every payment terminal.

It means leaders should start asking better operational questions:

Where are collections being delayed?

Where are teams dependent on fixed payment hardware?

Where is reconciliation slowing finance operations?

Where are customers abandoning purchases because payment feels inconvenient?

These are business questions, not technology questions.

And solving them often delivers immediate ROI.

Apple’s Tap to Pay launch signals a broader shift toward embedded finance operations, where payment collection, accounting visibility, and financial decision-making work together.

That is where competitive advantage lives.

Final Thought: The Future of SME Finance Is Operational Simplicity

The best financial systems are rarely the most complex.

They are the ones that quietly remove friction.

They make payments easier, collections faster, reconciliation cleaner, and decisions stronger.

Tap to Pay on iPhone matters not because it removes a card machine, but because it improves how businesses get paid. For Malaysian SMEs focused on growth, the real opportunity is not simply accepting contactless payments.

It is building finance operations that support faster decisions and stronger control. And when payment collection connects directly to platforms like Zoho Books through Stripe, businesses move beyond convenience into something far more valuable:

Financial clarity.

That is where sustainable growth begins.

Zoho Books Tap to Pay

Education Industry Digital Transformation

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:45:08 +0800

Education Industry Digital Transformation

Transforming Preschool Operations with Zoho One

Quick Read

Problem Statement

Naluri Kreatif faced challenges managing appointment bookings across 17 branches using only Google Forms. Appointment slots could not be confirmed in real time, causing overlapping bookings and inefficient coordination between branches. Their customer journey from inquiry to registration and payment was also disconnected, with sales, operations, and finance teams working in separate systems, resulting in delays and data gaps.

Proposed Solution

To improve efficiency, Aplikasi implemented Zoho One as a centralized business operating system. By integrating Zoho Bookings, Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, Zoho Cliq, and WhatsApp automation, Naluri Kreatif was able to connect appointment scheduling, lead management, customer communication, and accounting into one seamless workflow.

Implementation & Results

With Zoho One, appointment slots could be managed in real time, preventing double bookings and improving parent experience. Customer data flowed automatically between departments, reducing manual work and improving collaboration across branches. Automated notifications, email reminders, quotations, and invoices also helped speed up operations, giving Naluri Kreatif a smoother customer journey from first inquiry to final registration.

Full Case Study

Business Case at a Glance

Naluri Kreatif is an institution consisting of a chain of preschools that leads project-based learning in Malaysia. After 30 years of establishment in Malaysia, they realized the need to further improve their business operations in line with today’s modern technological world.

Company Background

Naluri Kreatif is a preschool and playhouse that places strong emphasis on children’s growth and life experiences, focusing on Natural & Project-Based Learning as early preparation before children enter preschool or formal schooling.

Naluri Kreatif combines a learning concept that celebrates and brings joy to children through real-life experiences. They offer early childhood education programs for children aged 1 to 6 years old. They have been operating since 1993, with over 30 years of experience, and currently have 17 branches across Malaysia, with their headquarters located in Bangi.

Their mission is to provide children with opportunities to excel in a natural environment through the Natural Learning concept. Their vision is to connect children with general knowledge and positive values.

They are pioneers of project-based learning in Malaysia. They also successfully operated NALURI Online School (NOSH) during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2020. In addition, they regularly organize school holiday programs during every semester break across all branches.

Puan Noor Hayati Binti Abdul Hamid is the founder of Naluri Kreatif, with more than 35 years of experience in early childhood education and family development. She also gained seven years of direct education and experience in the United Kingdom in the field of early childhood education. Her specialty lies in establishing, testing, and implementing the “Natural Learning Concept” across all Naluri Early Excellence Centers, supported by complete Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documentation for the concept.

The Challenge

Naluri Kreatif faced the challenge of not having an efficient booking system. They were only using Google Forms to coordinate all 17 branches across Malaysia. Parents used the form to book dates and times to visit their preferred branch before registering their child.

The issue occurred when appointment slots could not be confirmed in real time for each branch. This increased the risk of overlapping sessions, where more than one appointment could be booked for the same time slot at the same branch.

Not only that, the steps involved in each process were disconnected from one another, creating gaps between workflows. This made operations less efficient, consumed more time, and increased the risk of losing potential customers.

Additionally, problems also arose because their database information was not fully integrated across all business functions. For example, information collected by the marketing or sales team was not directly shared with the finance and accounting department, and vice versa. As a result, important information and data could not be accessed in real time.

Finding the Solution

One of the solutions to their manual appointment booking problem was to implement an Appointment Booking system that would simplify and organize the booking process more efficiently.

They also needed a system with a user-friendly interface. The system had to be capable of capturing data and transferring it to other systems for use in the next stages of the process. The system also needed to allow each kindergarten to set their preferred dates and times while giving Naluri Kreatif the flexibility to reject bookings for already occupied time slots.

In addition, they needed a system that could integrate every process such as registration, payment, and student management. The system should also be capable of sending automatic notifications through multiple channels such as email and WhatsApp. It also needed to be able to store large amounts of data while ensuring easy accessibility.

We also recommended that they use an accounting system capable of generating quotations and invoices, with integration into CRM so that it could be linked directly to parent and student records.

Implementation and Results

One of the key issues addressed was the lack of an efficient booking system. Aplikasi recommended the use of Zoho Bookings integrated with Zoho CRM to ensure users could easily access and manage appointments.

Zoho Bookings also allows each kindergarten to set their preferred dates and times easily. This enables both the kindergarten management team and parents to schedule appointments according to their convenience and needs.

The system can also reject bookings for already occupied time slots, ensuring more efficient appointment management and preventing overlapping sessions.

Zoho Bookings is also capable of capturing appointment data and sharing it directly with Zoho CRM. This allows different departments within the kindergarten to share information seamlessly while improving operational efficiency and collaboration. In addition to Zoho Bookings, Aplikasi also integrated Zoho CRM with Zoho Cliq and WhatsApp, allowing all systems to work together to send automatic notifications to users.

With these systems in place, information can be accessed and shared easily across departments, ensuring reliability and smooth business operations. Zoho CRM also supports efficient email automation, such as sending booking confirmations or reminders regarding customer changes and notices. Sent and received email records are also stored systematically for future reference.

Lastly, Aplikasi implemented Zoho Books as the accounting system, enabling easy quotation and invoice generation. This is managed accurately through integration with Zoho CRM, ensuring customer information remains precise while helping management align sales activities with the purchase history and interactions involving parents and students.

What our client says about our service?

Aplikasi has greatly assisted us in streamlining our customer journey flow, from lead management to deal closure, helping to improve operational efficiency and enhance the overall customer experience.
— Naluri Kreatif (NLI Education Sdn. Bhd)

What apps have been deployed

Zoho CRM

Zoho Bookings

Zoho Cliq

Zoho Books

Visit the support centre

Ready to turn your business challenges into success stories? Let’s explore how Aplikasi can simplify and streamline your operations—just like we’ve done for businesses across various industries.

Get Started Now

Rethinking the CRM Homepage

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:51:04 +0800

Rethinking the CRM Homepage

Introducing Canvas Home View in Zoho CRM

For most organisations, the CRM homepage is treated as a default starting point.

It shows activity. It shows numbers. It shows updates. But very few teams ever question whether it is actually helping people work better.

Over time, this becomes a blind spot. Teams adapt to the system instead of improving it. They click through multiple modules, rely on fragmented views, and spend unnecessary time navigating instead of acting.

At Aplikasi, we see this pattern consistently across SMEs and growing enterprises. The issue is not a lack of capability within the CRM. It is the absence of intentional design. Zoho CRM’s Canvas Home View addresses this directly.

Image Credit: Zoho CRM Official Page

From Static Dashboard to Operational Workspace

Canvas Home View introduces the ability to design your CRM homepage using a drag and drop interface, transforming it from a fixed dashboard into a configurable workspace.

This distinction matters.

A dashboard is passive. It displays information.

A workspace is active. It supports decision-making.

With Canvas, your homepage becomes a layer where data, actions, and priorities are structured in a way that aligns with how each role operates.

This is not about aesthetics. It is about operational efficiency.

Aligning CRM Experience with Role-Based Workflows

One of the most common inefficiencies in CRM usage comes from a one-size-fits-all interface. Sales, marketing, and support teams are often exposed to the same layout despite having fundamentally different priorities.

Canvas Home View enables organisations to design role-specific homepages that reflect how each function works.

Sales teams can prioritise pipeline visibility, deal progress, and follow-ups
Support teams can focus on ticket queues, response times, and workload distribution
Marketing teams can track campaign performance and engagement metrics

By structuring the homepage around role-specific needs, organisations reduce cognitive load and improve decision speed.

Users spend less time searching and more time executing.

Reducing Navigation Friction

In many CRM environments, valuable time is lost not in analysis, but in navigation. Users move between modules, open multiple tabs, and reconstruct context manually before taking action.

Canvas Home View reduces this friction by allowing key components such as dashboards, custom views, reports, and widgets to be assembled into a single, unified interface. Existing canvas list views can also be embedded directly into the homepage in different formats including card, tile, or table views.

This creates a consolidated working environment where information is already contextualised. The result is a shorter path from insight to action.

Enabling Business-Led Customisation

A common barrier to meaningful CRM customisation is technical dependency. Changes often require IT involvement, creating delays and limiting experimentation.

Canvas shifts this dynamic. With its drag and drop builder, business users can design and refine their own homepage layouts without coding.

This has two important implications:

Faster iteration
Teams can adjust their workspace as priorities evolve without waiting for technical resources
Closer alignment to actual workflows
The people using the system are the ones shaping it

This reduces the gap between system design and real-world usage.

Supporting Controlled Deployment

Flexibility without governance often leads to inconsistency. Canvas Home View balances both.

Organisations can design and test homepage configurations in a sandbox environment before deploying them to production.

Once validated, these configurations can be shared across users, roles, groups, and territories to ensure alignment at scale.

Additionally, the ability to associate queries directly with homepage components ensures that displayed data remains relevant and actionable. This approach supports both experimentation and standardisation.

Practical Impact on Daily Operations

To understand the impact, consider a typical sales workflow. Without optimisation, a sales manager may need to:

Navigate to the deals module to review pipeline
Open reports to track monthly performance
Check activities for follow-ups
Compile information mentally before prioritising actions

With Canvas Home View, these elements can be structured into a single interface.

Pipeline status, revenue progress, open deals, and pending follow-ups are visible immediately upon login.

This reduces context switching and enables faster, more informed decision-making at the start of the day.

Aplikasi’s Perspective

Technology alone does not create efficiency, structure does.

Canvas Home View is a powerful feature within Zoho CRM, but its effectiveness depends on how it is designed and aligned with your business processes.

At Aplikasi, our role is not just to implement systems, but to ensure they are structured in a way that supports how your teams actually work. This involves:

Defining what each role needs to see and act on
Designing layouts that reduce friction
Ensuring consistency across teams while allowing necessary flexibility

When done correctly, the CRM becomes more than a system of record. It becomes a system of action.

For teams looking to improve efficiency, reduce friction, and increase adoption, this is not just a feature update.

It is an opportunity to rethink how work gets done inside the CRM.

More info

Sending e-invoices to the LHDNM

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:46:02 +0800

Sending E-Invoices to the LHDNM

How Businesses Can Submit E-Invoices to LHDNM

As you may already know, E-Invoice will soon be mandatory for all businesses. E-Invoices will replace the use of paper or electronic documents such as in PDF, JPEG, DOC formats, and others.

Therefore, the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri Malaysia (LHDNM) has provided selectable options for taxpayers to use when sending e-invoices to the LHDNM; based on business requirements and specific circumstances of taxpayers.

Among the two (2) options for sending e-invoices that taxpayers can choose from are:

MyInvois Portal

A portal hosted by the LHDNM
Accessible to all taxpayers at no cost
Also accessible to taxpayers who need to issue e-Invoices when the Application Programming Interface (API) connection is not available

Application Programming Interface (API)

API is a set of programming code that allows direct data transmission between taxpayer systems and the MyInvois System
Requires initial investment in technology and adjustments to existing systems
Suitable for large taxpayers or businesses with a large number of transactions
Also suitable for businesses with their own accounting system and do not want to migrate over to MyInvois Portal

Below shows how e-Invoices work, starting from when a sale happens and a supplier sends an e-Invoice through MyInvois Portal or API. It ends when validated e-Invoices are stored on LHDNM's database for taxpayers to see their past e-Invoices.

To sum it up, it's evident that businesses are at a crucial juncture of transitioning to a more streamlined and efficient invoicing system. The options provided by LHDNM offer flexibility and adaptability to suit diverse business needs. Whether you opt for the simplicity of direct integration or the convenience of service providers, the end goal remains consistent: achieving compliance without compromising efficiency.

If you are looking for E-Invoice courses, seminars, or training in Malaysia, do check them out here. We have created a number of lists for you to choose from!

Low code is now replacing developers

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:29:07 +0800

Why Zoho Books Was the Best Fit

Low-Code vs. Developers

What is Low-Code?

Low-code is a simpler, faster, and easier way to develop applications. It uses a drag-and-drop interface with minimal coding, speeding up development and delivery. Unlike traditional methods that require skilled teams and deep technical knowledge, low-code allows developers and business users to create apps quickly and efficiently.

This reduces IT professionals' backlog and workload, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks. Additionally, low-code lets business users participate in developing applications, so they can include feedback from different stakeholders, giving them more control over the final product's specifications.

By empowering IT and business users with the right tools, low-code boosts productivity, efficiency, and overall morale within an organization.

When to use Low-Code?

For Agile Business Transformations:

Departments like HR, Marketing, and Operations often need to implement changes quickly to improve their functions. Traditional development is not always suitable due to its inflexibility and longer timelines.

Low-code, however, enables rapid application development and easy modifications, fostering agile transformations within businesses. For instance, the marketing department can use low-code to automate workflows without depending heavily on IT.

For Quick Application Development:

Business users often drive innovation but lack the coding skills required for traditional development, making them reliant on IT departments.

Low Code platforms change this dynamic by allowing business users to design and deploy apps with minimal coding skills, reducing IT dependencies and speeding up the development process.

For Customizable Solutions:

Unique business problems often require tailored solutions, which can be expensive and time-consuming with traditional development.

Low-code allows for easy and cost-effective customization and scaling of applications, making it a practical alternative when off-the-shelf solutions fall short and traditional development is not justified.

Ready to experience the transformative power of low-code for your business? Take the leap and revolutionize your development process today! Start your journey towards agility, efficiency, and innovation by exploring low-code solutions now.

From Local to Global - How Did Zoho Do It?

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:44:25 +0800

From Local to Global - How Did Zoho Do It?

A Glimpse into Zoho Today

Hailing from the suburbs of Chennai, Southern India, Zoho Corporation is a business software company founded by Sridhar Vembu along with several of his brothers and friend, Tony Thomas. As of 2024, Zoho offers its 100 million worldwide users a range of over 55 applications that optimize business operations from marketing and sales to CRM (customer relationship management) and finances.

Employing over 12,000 people around the globe, Zoho has established its identity as a leader in the software industry. However, unlike other productivity suites like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, Zoho sets itself apart through its affordable pricing, easy integration (with the various Zoho apps as well as many other third party apps) and its high priority for data security and privacy.

Early Years

Sridhar Vembu, 2024 (https://t.ly/WhrNc)

The cultivation of Zoho began in 1996 as a network management company formerly known as “AdventNet”. By the 2000s, Sridhar and his co-founders began launching cloud-based software services for businesses, releasing their first suite of business productivity tools in 2005 with the application, Zoho CRM. In 2010, the company officially rebranded to Zoho Corporation with an emphasis on such software.

From the jump, Zoho demonstrated its unique and innovative personality — famously declining a venture capital offer of USD10 million, a decision Sridhar firmly stands by till this day. He expressed how it has allowed him to “experiment with technology, and invest 50% of my money in R&D without having someone telling me where I should put my money”, choosing to nurture the company through their own profits rather than venture capital to ensure they have control over the direction the company heads to.

“Made in India. Made for the world”

Expanding Horizons

Zoho was birthed in a remote village in India, yet miraculously, its products are used today by businesses in every corner of the globe. Zoho embarked on the journey of international expansion in 2001, opening its first foreign office in Japan. Eventually, one office became over 25 in countries ranging from USA, Brazil, and the Netherlands to UAE, Malaysia, and even Kenya. Its geographic expansions help to cater Zoho to diversed markets around the globe through the localization of their products in terms of language, regulations and cultural preferences, allowing each country's market to resonate more closely with the product.

After just 26 years of operations, the company's tagline of “Made in India. Made for the world” stands true having over 2,000 consulting partners, like Aplikasi, and a global presence in over 150 countries. These global partnerships combined with the localization of their diverse product range and cloud-based software (eliminating the need for regional physical infrastructure) are key elements for Zoho's “global presence” leading to its “success and profitability” as noted in a Medium.com article.

Opening of Zoho office in Kenya, 2023 (https://techcabal.com/2023/05/23/zoho-opens-local-office-in-kenya/)

But Zoho's expansion goes beyond geographic growth; the company has also ventured into other sectors, such as education — launching the Zoho Schools of Learning in 2005, where they offer a “meaningful alternative to conventional college education”. Further exhibiting Zoho's unique personality, Zoho Schools aim to provide more practical education and skills that will strongly benefit those headed into software careers. Notably, Zoho offers this program at free of charge and instead pays its students a stipend. After graduation, the student is immediately inducted as a Zoho Corporation employee, with Zoho graduates making up 15% of Zoho's total employee count.

“Who Said You Need to Be in Silicon Valley to Build World-Class Products?”

Zoho Philosophy and Local Impact

By now, it should be undoubtedly clear that Zoho's vision is unconventional at the very least. The key that has propelled them to success is their deeply rooted belief in “Transnational Localism” — the concept of expanding a business globally while empowering and enabling the lives of local communities to ensure sustainability. Sridhar has repeatedly spoken about his commitment to this philosophy, often expressing that developing world-class products should not be exclusive to urban hubs and cities only and further stating that “migrating from villages to cities is not a good idea”. Here, he notes the negative nature of cities becoming increasingly polluted and densely populated while contributing to the brain drain of local communities.

Zoho School of Technology, 2024 (https://youtu.be/ylwkMhtSFUs?si=2SPACVNSluRTPN2P)

This idea is reflected through Zoho's own initiatives, such as Zoho Schools and their Rural-Revival Mission. Zoho Schools' ability to offer free education directly mirrors Zoho's Rural-Revival Mission of revitalizing rural areas by providing “hard-working and hungry talents” with quality education, expertise, and work opportunities that they may lack the means or access to otherwise. Zoho's focus on nurturing talents in rural areas has manifested into the opening of two hub offices in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh with plans of establishing future offices in other districts of non-urban India as well.

What's Next For Zoho?

From a network management company in a remote Indian village to a global leader in the cloud-based software industry, growth has certainly been a constant for Zoho. So, what else will there be in store for the future of the company? According to Aplikasi's very own Zoho MVP, Nik Khairul, he sees that “Zoho will open new frontiers of non-customers”. Nik anticipates that thanks to Zoho's flexible technology and pricing, even individuals outside of their target market will discover solutions in Zoho to issues they were not even aware they had.

For one instance, Zoho Creator (a low-code application) allows users to fully create and customize applications in Zoho to fit their needs. It also holds the ability to integrate with other Zoho applications, all without requiring advanced coding skills. Furthermore, the competitive costs of Zoho applications and bundles allow users a customizable experience that other software companies lack. Users can choose to subscribe only to applications they need at the fraction of the average cost.

With this potential of an entire “new frontier of non-customers” and the need for businesses to digitalize as to keep up with competition, Zoho's flexible technology and pricing, sustainable philosophy, and evident community support make its future seem nothing but bright.

Talk to Us About Going Global with Zoho

Sources:

Malaysia's First Young Creators Program with Aplikasi!

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:05:39 +0800

From Local to Global - How Did Zoho Do It?

Inspiring Young Creators Across Malaysia with Aplikasi

Calling out to all primary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities!

The conventional process of creating an application requires traditional coding, which takes time and experience to learn and master. But that shouldn't curb your potential of building entire applications suited to any of your possible needs.

That's where the Aplikasi X Zoho's Young Creators Program comes to the rescue!

What is the Young Creators Program?

The Young Creators Program (YCP) is a 3-day program introducing students or educators to low-code application development through Zoho Creator. Partnering with Zoho as the first YCP partner in Malaysia, Aplikasi will aid in running the program to help equip learners with training and skills to create their own applications.

As a faster form of application development compared to traditional programming, Zoho Creator's low-code utilizes drag and drop features and the comprehensive Zoho coding language, Deluge, to help learners gain full creative control over the applications they create. Learners can customize and design their own application suited perfectly to their own needs, bringing life to ideas without the need of any prior coding experience.

Learn more about the Young Creators Program here!

Features of Zoho Creator

Conventionally, creating an application is a cumbersome process. From designing the interface to collecting data or even representing that data, the usual process would require acquiring different parties or coding languages just to make parts of an application work together.

However, with Zoho Creator, features like the drag and drop tool, workflow builder, and Deluge language immensely simplify the process. With Zoho Creator, you have everything you need to make an application equipped with elements like forms, reports, and even dashboards in just one platform, reducing the time it would take to do such tasks manually.

Young Creators Program at a Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember University in Surabaya, Indonesia, 2023

Why Choose the Young Creators Program?

As such, the Young Creators Program is a unique opportunity for both students, new to coding, andeducators who wish to develop a skill to pass down to their students. The practical skills embedded in the program do not only enhance knowledge regarding application development or coding, but also encourage creative design and problem-solving skills. With a convenient platform, able to work on all devices, the YCP also allows access to mentorships by professionals in the industry and acts as a stepping stone to be introduced to the world of app development, technology and coding.

After acquiring a certificate at the end of the program, participants are empowered with a distinctive skill that certainly sets them apart from their peers and competitors. For those who are competitive, the program also closes with the Creator Appathon (an appbuilding contest) where prizes are up for grabs!

All in all, The Young Creators Program is an eye-opening opportunity for participants to step into the world of low-code and application development through gaining practical skills. The experience also encourages innovation and creativity, bestowing participants with the chance to develop solutions through applications that may have a real-world impact. Thus, leaving learners with a deeply rewarding experience both professionally and personally.

"Other events can be kind of lackluster. But today, with the specialists that have come in, they're the best in their field and you can learn so much from them." – Nabeel, Nottingham Trent University Student, Nottingham, UK

FAQ: Zoho's Data Security

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:02:14 +0800

FAQ: Zoho's Data Security

Zoho's Data Security

Wondering how safe your data is under Zoho's care? We understand how important data protection is for Zoho users, and we're here to give you peace of mind. Let us guide you through the details: from where your data is stored, who gets access to it, our certifications and everything in between.

Find below, answers to your most Frequently Asked Question on Zoho's Data Security.

Where is my data stored? Can I choose where my account and data will be located?