Zoho CRM software costs less than market-leading Salesforce, but the right integration strategy can deliver an astonishing degree of additional functionality. integration with Zoho CRM can make the software an integral part of all business applications, automation efforts, and process workflows. Zoho CRM comes with three application programming interfaces or APIs, to integrate all business applications such as customer and stakeholder portals, eCommerce storefronts, third-party resources, websites, social media pages, subscription services, and marketplaces. Integrating all company business functions helps to improve customer service and user experience, improving loyalty and satisfaction. Statistics show that 68 percent of executives feel that their clients are less loyal than in the past, and 55 percent of marketers insist that improving engagement is one of their top priorities. [1] Zoho makes the eCommerce API integration process easier, cheaper, faster, and more scalable. Zoho API Choices Zoho offers a collection of application programming interfaces and software development kits, or SDKs that enable companies to create customer apps and features that deliver great user experiences. integration with the Zoho CRM APIs enables automated connections with most business software and applications. This streamlines internal operations and delivers better customer experiences across the board. The most popular and versatile of Zoho APIs are the Zoho REST APIs. All B2B companies need to do is hire the right developer to integrate business applications and other software such as ERP and eCommerce software. A skilled developer can help companies integrate all their business functions, build proprietary customer applications, and manage CRM data to maximum effect—such as building customer profiles, automating marketing initiatives, and creating customer-facing features for self-service. Zoho REST APIs Zoho's APIs allow developers to use any programming language, and all of them work seamlessly in Zoho's independent programming language. REST stands for Representational State Transfer, and the API allows developers to use a greater variety of data formats that automatically format in Zoho’s proprietary language. Many choose JSON because it is considered to be easier to use than many other languages. REST is used by powerhouses such as Yahoo, Google, eBay, and Amazon. The API uses less bandwidth than other APIs and integrates better with existing websites and business applications. B2B companies can perform almost all common tasks using a REST API, such as importing data, creating files, updating applications and databases, and deleting data. The API works on almost every aspect of ZOHO CRM software such as creating custom views and managing other administrative tasks using simple HTTP methodology. Bulk APIs Zoho Bulk APIs enable companies to manage huge datasets, back up existing data, and export large amounts of data seamlessly. The API creates an asynchronous job, or workflow, with a unique URL identifier. The results aren’t available immediately, but the benefit is that the process doesn’t use up all of your API and bandwidth limits. Users can set notification alerts when the job is completed and move on to other tasks. The information can also be set to download immediately after completion by setting the “download_url” function in the result attribute of the API response section. [2] Subscription APIs Zoho Subscription APIs are ideal for companies that maintain collaborative partner relationships with their clients. This API simplifies tasks such as recurring billing and payments, subscription management, subscription metrics, and connecting with a developer’s API. Subscriptions are authenticated by auth-tokens, which prevents security breaches and unauthorized service. [3] The Subscription API makes it easy to track changes in data and for customers to add new services using self-service applications. The Benefits of Integrating with Zoho CRM Software The benefits of integrating with Zoho CRM software include better management of inventory, greater access for customers to view company records and connect to third-party resources, and real-time updates of customer information. An integrated system can trigger HR alerts, create custom page displays based on customer profiles, and provide information for customer and stakeholder portals. Some of the top benefits of integration with the Zoho CRM APIs include: Close Deals Faster B2B companies can close deals more efficiently using personalization techniques, real-time inventory information, customer portals, and mobile apps. Automated services Sales staff get a transparent view of customer behavior and the ability to track emails, meetings, social media activity, and calls from any location. Zoho is fully accessible on mobile devices for both customers and staff. Maximum Social Impact Companies can maximize their social media efforts with Zoho connections. B2B organizations can follow customer behavior on social media and use that information to build more complete customer profiles. It’s easy to learn about what customers really think and respond accordingly to increase conversion rates. Seamless Account Management and Monitoring Zoho CRM makes it possible to monitor all accounts from a single database. Sales staff can track customers across product sales, locations, account demographics, and other criteria. Targeted Marketing Building strong profiles enables companies to market more effectively with relevant messages, seasonal sales, and special incentive offers. The Value of Professional eCommerce and Software Integration The decision to integrate your sales platform might generate worries about costs, scalability, and operational concerns, but your worries could be greater if you fail to deliver the seamless experience that most buyers now demand. Zoho REST APIs are great choices for cutting costs while retaining full functionality. You can also choose other Zoho APIs if they're a better fit for your organization. The only remaining problem is to choose the right developer, and Clarity, using our Clarity Connect integration platform, specializes in these types of integrations. Clarity also solves the problem of helping you choose the right API and learning how to use your integrated software to its fullest potential. References: [1] Annexcloud.com: B2B Loyalty Statistics: Advantage of Overlooked Opportunity https://www.annexcloud.com/blog/b2b-loyalty-statistics-take-advantage-of-an-overlooked-opportunity/ [2] Zoho.com: Bulk Read APIs - An Overview https://www.zoho.com/crm/help/developer/api/bulk-read/overview.html [3] Zoho.com: API Documentation https://www.zoho.com/subscriptions/api/v1/#authentication