Software integration partner builds and hosts powerful extensions using Catalyst
“Catalyst gave us an edge by being able to build and host two powerful Marketplace extensions within a short span of time. Both solutions have proved to be reliable and seamless in performance so far. We’re also extremely happy with the tech support we’ve received from Catalyst team.”
Kavitha, CEO - oApps
About oApps
oApps, a software application development company based in India, rolled out two different services in just three months using Catalyst. The partner specializes in applications that involve SMS services and data sync applications. Based in India, the company has built extensions for applications including oSync, Twilio, and RingCentral, which drive cloud-based data and bulk communication services.
Now available on Zoho Marketplace, these apps were developed to manage sales data and achieve seamless customer service. oSync, oApps’ sales-driven product extension, was built to enable different applications, including Zoho CRM and third-party sales apps like SalesLoft, to exchange data at regular intervals. Their other product extension was developed to empower Twilio users to integrate SMS/MMS services with Zoho Desk.
The challenge
Previously, data from Zoho CRM and third-party sales applications like SalesLoft and Outreach were siloed and it was tedious for customers to collate data from different applications. oApps saw that these customers needed a solution to push all the data from these third-party sales apps into Zoho CRM at regular intervals.
In terms of SMS communication, they saw a need for automation and hosting of he SMS communication while raising service tickets in the customer portal of Zoho Desk. There was no proper mechanism to track the service requests and send out prompt communication to the customers, and with oApps specialization in mobile communication, this was a great opportunity to help bridge that gap.
oSync extension highlights
- App syncs multiple modules from Zoho CRM into SalesLoft and vice versa.
- Auto-syncs every 60 minutes, with an option for manual sync.
- Offers one-way and two-way sync with user-selected master service.
- Includes custom field mapping between services.
Twilio extension highlights
- SMS and MMS inbound and outbound support.
- AI automates tickets and threads.
- SMS outbound message initiator.
- Instant acknowledgement support.
On the mobile side of things, they looked to use Twilio, which is a bulk SMS application used to send and receive SMS and MMS to customers. oApps’ custom application allows support personnel to send custom or bulk SMS to customers via a portal. The SMS content is automatically sent from Zoho Desk and replies from the end users or customers are raised as a ticket in Zoho Desk. Catalyst was used for building the Java functions of the service, as well as hosting and running the entire application.
Features used
- Catalyst Circuits
- WebClient hosting
- Functions
- Data store
Catalyst Circuits
Catalyst Circuits was used to regularly listen to the two portals and call the Functions for syncing data in oSync.
WebClient hosting
Both the applications' UIs were built and hosted using the Web Client hosting feature.
Functions
Advanced I/O functions were used to execute the applications.
Data store
Catalyst's data storage was a critical component of the oSync solution, as it's heavily data driven.
The benefits and ROI
oApps was able to build reliable and effective Marketplace extensions to drive better customer experience. oSync helps customers improve the sales process for a better buying experience and better sales engagement by syncing data between the sales and CRM applications, while the Twilio extension helps streamline communication between agents and end users through automation.
The team specifically called out Catalyst’s swift technical support, offering quick and responsive tech support to the oApps development team, which helped to expedite solution delivery. They also appreciated that the Catalyst platform wasn’t complex and had straightforward architecture and closely integrated components, which helped the oApps team focus on the extensions they were building instead of spending time on integrating fragmented components in complex ecosystems. Lastly, pricing is an important factor for SMBs who are trying to drive better customer adoption and offer customer solutions at the best rates possible. Catalyst, with its highly competitive pricing, helped oApps achieve just that. Ultimately, Catalyst enabled oApps to expand their offering and ultimately help more customers be more successful, all while keeping their main goals top of mind.