Zoho enters ONDC network with Vikra app, unveils low-code IoT solution

Says India customer base grew by 31 per cent in CY23

SaaS major Zoho on Wednesday announced that it was joining the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) network with the launch of Vikra, a seller side app, and Zoho IoT, a low-code platform enabling businesses to build and deploy custom IoT (Internet of Things) solutions.

Vikra, the company said, will act as a bridge for businesses to easily join ONDC. Businesses using the app can get on-boarded to the ONDC network, set up stores, create product catalogues, and start selling quickly through popular buyer apps like Paytm, Ola, and Snapdeal. They can also receive instant order notifications on WhatsApp and SMS for speedy fulfilment. They have options to self-deliver or deliver via partners like Delhivery on the ONDC network locally and nationally.

“We remain steadfast in our product R&D efforts, with a focus on effectively enhancing our platform through innovating and launching new products like Vikra and Zoho IoT while also integrating AI capabilities across the tech stack. We have steadily advanced on our contextual intelligence vision, applying AI technology to enhance customer experience and offer deeper insights,” said Sridhar Vembu, CEO amd co-founder, Zoho Corp.

The company also added their customer growth in India was up 31 per cent in calendar year 2023. India is now the firm’s second largest market, Vembu said.

“This commitment to continuous improvement is helping us become a preferred partner for large enterprises and government institutions across India. As businesses increasingly seek value from their software solutions and larger organisations aim to reduce bloat, we’re seeing significant growth in India, which has now become our second-largest market,” said Vembu.

The company said that its growth has been led by demand for unified, scalable, and flexible technology solutions that are easy to implement. The top products driving revenue growth in India are Zoho One, Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and Zoho People. In terms of customer growth, Zoho Books and Zoho Workplace are the fastest growing products. The sectors leading the growth are IT hardware and related services, financial services, manufacturing, retail, and non-IT professional services.

Zoho is also enhancing its AI capabilities by building and deploying multiple language models -- narrow, small, medium, and large -- for specific use cases within various products.

T Koshy, MD & CEO of ONDC, said, “Vikra represents the kind of innovation that supports ONDC’s mission to make e-commerce accessible to all. By integrating such advanced solutions from Zoho, we are not just simplifying technology for businesses, we are also opening doors to a vast, inclusive digital economy. This is a step forward in democratising e-commerce in India, where even the smallest businesses can now thrive in the digital marketplace harnessing the power of Technology.”