Zoho Users Discuss The Future As Company Reaches 1 Million Customers

Zoho became ubiquitous in 2026.

Zoho’s trademark business software also includes management solution ManageEngine, enterprise automation and integration software Qntrl and online course launching software TrainerCentral.

Today these brands together serve over 1 million customers and more than 150 million users around the globe.

And those customers have plenty to say about the service Zoho provides.

“‘Partnership’ is a word that gets frequently used in business,” says David Fauser, VP of Sales, Marketing and Strategy for CIMCO Refrigeration.

The company specializes in engineering, manufacturing and construction of sustainable thermal solutions and runs their US operations out of South Carolina.

“With Zoho, I can say that they have always genuinely felt like a true partner,” Fauser adds.

Zoho does more than just deliver software, he explains. The company acts like a collaborator. Zoho helps Fauser’s team think through challenges, adapt to change and improve operations.

“That level of customer focus and long-term perspective is what has made our relationship endure over eight years,” Fauser adds.

What Other Customers Say

To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Zoho asked customers some forward thinking questions about the year ahead.

Where do they see their businesses, business technology in general and AI specifically heading in 2026?

And what advice might they offer other entrepreneurs seeking to get their businesses up and running?

You may find some answers surprising.

What Do You Most Look Forward To?

Zoho begins with an ice breaker. And the responses prove telling.

What are you looking forward to the most in 2026 when it comes to your business?

LaVerne Cox, CEO, Evergreen Investments

LaVerne Cox, CEO of Evergreen Investments, gives a fairly straightforward answer.

The Duluth, Ga.-based real estate service provider offers a plethora of services for owner occupants and real estate investors.

The company provides brokerage services to help clients obtain income producing properties.

It also handles investment sales of residential real estate.

Finally, it offers property management services to help clients optimize their real estate investment and refinance services when needed.

“In 2026, we are rolling out a web and mobile customer application that will connect our customers to our service operations within our Zoho One applications, which we use to manage our brands,” Cox explains.

Zoho offers full automation through Zoho Creator and a payment portal through Zoho Payments.

These and other services allow you to run much of your business directly through Zoho.

“We hope to also roll out a new brand offering in Summer 2026,” Cox adds.

Jessica Miller, Director of Compliance and Systems, Island Practice Management

How Can Zoho’s Technology Transform Your Business?

Many current Zoho clients use a substantial amount of the Zoho platform to run and automate their businesses.

Take Island Practice Management, a company supporting mental health and wellness practitioners and based in Port Jefferson Station, NY.

The company offers a huge variety of services to full and part-time mental health and wellness businesses.

These services include everything from logo development and website creation to appointment and call management. They also include a full array of billing services, office rental and supply services.

On the technical side, Island Practice Management uses Zoho tools to provide its growing set of offerings.

“We have already seen how impactful the right technology can be,” says Jessica Miller, Director of Compliance and Systems at Island Practice Management.

“We use a large portion of the Zoho platform, and the way the tools integrate with one another has made a huge difference for us.” she adds.

This year, the company plans to expand its consulting services using AI to help clinicians create documentation faster.

They used a Creator app they made and documentation became a breeze.

“As someone who has worked as a therapist for most of my adult life, I have always loved the clinical work and honestly disliked the documentation,” Miller explains.

“AI has helped reduce that burden so clinicians can spend more time focused on clients while keeping human judgment at the center of care,” she adds.

And what about the results?

“With that said, the documentation generated by AI isn’t perfect, but it is a great starting point,” Miller says.

And Speaking of AI…

Zoho also asked clients more broadly how they see AI and other technology evolving to better serve small businesses in 2026.

Clients clearly feel the most useful evolutions involve AI in a supportive role in small businesses rather than replacing human creativity and judgment.

Surge Web Design based in Boise, Idaho provides its clients with responsive web design, copywriting services for websites and even SEO and logo design.

Natalie Hansen, Co-Founder and President, Surge Web Design

Natalie Hansen, Co-Founder and President of Surge Web Design, sees AI as becoming more useful and less intimidating.

“I hope that small businesses can learn to use AI as a tool, not to replace people, but to help us do our job better and give better service,” Hansen explains.

Hansen observes that for a small team or even a solopreneur, AI can help organize data, create task lists, and even brainstorm ideas.

This can prove helpful when you lack other team members with whom to collaborate.

Other clients suggest AI’s limits will define how it evolves and how small businesses and entrepreneurs use it.

LaVerne Cox of Evergreen Investments, for example, believes AI still needs human intervention.

“AI automations and agents have proven their inability to work without the necessity of seasoned professionals who can handle more complex protocols and rationalizations,” says Cox.

On the other hand, she believes these limitations will lead to AI development that ultimately becomes much more useful to small businesses.

“I think this deepening of understanding will allow the tools to engage more remotely without as many human interactions, but I also believe it will never replace the complexities provided by human beings within the strategy or creation process,” Cox explains.

Elea Lopez, Project Lead, Parametrics Medical

What’s In It For Me?

Still other Zoho customers believe the main factor developers need to keep in mind remains whether new tools actually make life easier for customers.

Parametrics Medical provides biologic implants, allograft tissue and regenerative medicine for the medical industry and is located in Leander, Texas.

The company uses Zoho Analytics dashboards and automation services across departments.

Elea Lopez, Project Lead for the company, says she’s impressed with new AI developments but hopes developers stay focused on the right issues.

“For an AI company to say they have the most advanced AI is cool, but what does that do for me and my business?” Lopez asks.

“Does the most advanced AI make my day-to-day tasks easier or is it just good at making conversation?” she adds. “Does it actually reduce the amount of work I have to carry out or does it add extra work because I have to go back and check what it did, then correct it?”

Zoho began introducing AI across much of its business software in 2025. Zoho Analytics and Zoho Creator, the company’s main automation tool, now both include AI features.

But Zoho has also always put customers first when developing those tools.

“Vendors don’t need our help, businesses do, which is why delivering customer value has, for 30 years, been Zoho Corporation’s North Star,” explains Sridhar Vembu, Co-founder and Chief Scientist at Zoho Corporation.

“Before any innovation, strategy, or guiding principle becomes a product, pivot, or policy, it must first affirm the question, ‘Will this help businesses?’” Vembu adds.

Zoho believes this philosophy more than any other factor has led to the company’s success and continued growth.

What Development in Small Business Software Would You Most Like To See?

In keeping with the company’s customer centric approach, Zoho also asked small businesses another important question.

What evolution would they most want to see in small business software?

Miller insists her greatest wish involves small businesses being put first for a change.

“I would like to see more software built with small businesses in mind from the start,” Miller explains. “Too often, technology is designed for large organizations that have dedicated teams for IT, operations, and compliance, and small businesses are expected to adapt themselves to systems that were never built for their reality.”

She then spells out what such software would look like.

“For small businesses, software needs to be intuitive, flexible, and integrated without requiring constant customization or outside support,” Miller says. “The ability to start with something usable out of the box, and then grow into more advanced features over time, makes a huge difference when teams are small and time is limited.”

“I’d love to see software become simpler and more intuitive,” Hansen agrees.

“Many small business tools promise to save time, but end up creating more complexity with overlapping features,” she adds. “I’d like to see platforms that communicate better with each other, require less setup, and are designed around how small businesses actually operate, not how large corporations do – but still be able to scale with you.”

What Worries You The Most About AI and Technology Development In The Future?

Zoho also asked customers what they are most cautious about in 2026 when it comes to technology and AI.

Not surprisingly, security ranked high up on the list of concerns.

“While the promise of making our days more efficient through AI is great in theory, we have to consider what could go wrong,” Lopez says.

“What if there is a data leak? What if the data we feed into AI programs is twisted and convoluted? What if it is used against us by an opposing company?” she asks.

“When new technology comes around, it is easy to think it will change the way we do everything,” Lopez concludes. “But I think most businesses aren’t looking to change everything, just to make what they have more efficient in key areas without sacrificing security.”

Zoho remains committed to security as it has throughout its entire history.

Product security, data security and operational security at Zoho are ensured through the company’s globally recognized compliance certifications and its emphasis on privacy.

What Advice Could Zoho Customers Offer Solopreneurs and Small Business Owners?

Zoho also asked customers for advice they might offer other entrepreneurs seeking to get their businesses up and running in 2026.

“My biggest piece of advice is to start, even if you do not have everything figured out,” says Miller.

“When we launched Island Practice Management, none of us had formal business training,” she adds. ”We were mental health professionals building on what we had learned running Island Psychiatry, and a lot of our learning happened along the way.”

“Curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to take thoughtful risks mattered far more than having a perfect plan,” Miller says. “Investing in the right software early was also important for us, but just as important was taking the time to really understand it.”

“One of the most helpful lessons we learned was that you should not try to fit yourself into a piece of software,” she explains. “You need software that fits your business. Having that mindset has helped us avoid chasing tools that look good on paper but do not support our real workflows.”

And Zoho certainly fits the bill in this respect.

Quebec-based global security company GardaWorld Security Systems and Technology relies on Zoho’s ability to adapt to a company’s growth while offering maximum flexibility.

“As our business has evolved over the past 10 years through further acquisitions, organizational restructures and new operating models, Zoho has continued to scale with us rather than forcing us into rigid frameworks,” says Brandon Lennix, Director of Commercial Operations.

Become a Zoho Customer Today

As Zoho celebrates 30 years of success and growth and crosses the threshold of 1 million customers worldwide, it also recognizes some of its most recent customer additions.

These include Rapid Response Monitoring and Synergy HomeCare in the U.S.; and Mercedes-Benz India, Force Motors, Joyalukkas and Union Bank of India in South Asia.

Also included are Flora Food Group, Handl Tyrol and Atout France in Europe; Al-Ahli Saudi FC and Al Qadsiah FC in the Middle East; Grupo Gonher in Latin America; and Creditas and Editora Globo in Brazil.

These customers and more come to Zoho because of the way the company’s unique philosophy sets it apart.

“Being bootstrapped, private, and built entirely in-house makes Zoho an outlier among competitors,” says Vembu.

For more on how Zoho’s solutions can help your small business grow, visit the Zoho website or contact their sales team.

This article, "Zoho Users Discuss The Future As Company Reaches 1 Million Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends

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