In this exclusive interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Chandrashekar (LSP), the Managing Director of Zoho Canada, shares his insights into the digital transformation challenges faced by Canadian businesses and how Zoho’s innovative solutions are helping bridge the technology gap. With his deep expertise in the software domain and years of experience with Zoho, LSP highlights the crucial role of AI-driven tools like Zia Agents in boosting productivity, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring data security. He discusses Zoho’s approach to integrating seamless digital solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, emphasizing how these tools can help businesses thrive in an increasingly competitive market.
Interview by Maheen Bari
Chandrashekar (LSP), Zoho Canada’s managing director, is committed to creating and spreading awareness of Zoho. He cut his teeth in the software domain with the WebNMS division of Zoho and has journeyed with the company at its crucial pivot points. LSP is based out of Cornwall, Ontario and holds a masters degree in information systems and applications.
Given that Canadian businesses are lagging behind in digital transformation, what specific tools or processes do you believe are lacking, and how can Zoho’s solutions help bridge this gap?
Zoho’s Trends in the Digital Workplace Transformation study highlights several significant gaps in Canadian businesses’ digital transformation efforts. One notable issue is the heavy reliance on manual task delegation, with 85% of companies still depending on outdated methods that hinder efficiency and productivity. Another challenge lies in the limited integration of digital tools, which disrupts the seamless workflows and collaboration needed for operational success. Moreover, security measures remain weak across many organizations, with only 46% adopting multi-factor authentication and fewer than 38% of employees receiving adequate cybersecurity training, leaving businesses vulnerable to potential threats.
Additionally, employee satisfaction with workplace tools is alarmingly low, as only 15% of employees feel that technology effectively meets their expectations.
Zoho’s solutions can bridge these gaps with tools like Zoho Creator and Zoho Flow that automate repetitive tasks, reduce errors and improve operational efficiency. Integrated platforms like Zoho Workplace unify communication, collaboration, and productivity to streamline workflows. Finally, AI-driven, cross-platform functionalities and intuitive interfaces can foster productivity and engagement to enhance the employee experience and ultimately support the business’ digital transformation.
How do Zia Agents align with Zoho’s broader AI vision, and what benefits do you see these autonomous agents bringing to businesses in terms of productivity and efficiency?
Zia Agents are a natural extension of Zoho’s decade-long commitment to advancing AI, which has evolved from proactive and generative AI to agentic capabilities. They align seamlessly with Zoho’s broader AI vision by leveraging the company’s unified data platform, proprietary tech stack, and privacy-first approach. These agents are designed to deliver intelligent, context-aware solutions across Zoho’s ecosystem, enhancing customer value while maintaining data security.
The business benefits of Zia Agents are substantial. By automating repetitive tasks and enabling cross-functional workflows, these autonomous agents boost productivity and operational efficiency. For instance, pre-built agents like the Account Manager Agent or IT Help Desk Agent streamline specific roles, while custom agents created in Zia Agent Studio can cater to unique business needs. This flexibility allows businesses to focus on strategic, high-value activities.
Moreover, Zia Agents foster collaboration by working together to achieve complex objectives, ensuring seamless integration across departments. Their ability to analyze data, predict outcomes, and execute tasks autonomously empowers businesses to make faster, data-driven decisions. Ultimately, Zia Agents not only enhance efficiency but also elevate customer and employee experiences, making them a transformative force in modern business operations.
Which industries or types of businesses do you think will benefit most from Zia Agents, and how can these agents be tailored to meet specific industry needs?
Zia Agents will impact industries that value automation, collaboration, and intelligent decision-making for customer service, sales, IT, and human resources, since these areas often involve repetitive tasks and cross-functional workflows. For example, retail businesses can deploy Zia Agents to enhance customer experiences through tailored support and predictive insights. Healthcare organizations may use agents to streamline administrative tasks like patient scheduling or inventory management, allowing professionals to focus more on patient care. In manufacturing, Zia Agents can optimize supply chain processes and equipment maintenance.
The flexibility of the Zia Agent Studio plays a crucial role in tailoring these agents to specific industry needs. With no-code and low-code options, businesses can create agents with customized skill sets using tools and data from Zoho’s unified platform and a range of language models. Companies can also combine complementary skillsets to develop cross-functional agents or even deploy them in third-party applications. The Agent Marketplace further empowers businesses by offering pre-built agents and fostering innovation among developers, ensuring specialized solutions for diverse industries.
Can you elaborate on the privacy and data security measures embedded into Zia Agents, especially considering the concerns around data breaches in Canadian businesses?
Zia Agents prioritizes privacy and data security in keeping with Zoho’s privacy pledge that emphasizes transparency and user autonomy. Zoho operates its own data centers, ensuring complete oversight of customer data that eliminates reliance on third-party providers while minimizing vulnerabilities and strengthening data protection. Its shared data model enhances security by integrating data across applications while maintaining strict privacy controls.
Zoho’s commitment to compliance with global standards, such as GDPR and HIPAA, further underscores its dedication to safeguarding sensitive information. Additionally, Zia Agents are designed to process data contextually and securely, ensuring that only relevant information is utilized for specific tasks.
As a leader in the tech industry, what final thoughts or advice would you offer to small and medium-sized businesses looking to accelerate their digital transformation and leverage AI effectively in their operations?
For SMBs aiming to accelerate their digital transformation, focusing on integration, automation, and security is crucial. AI-driven tools can automate routine tasks, reduce manual inefficiencies, and optimize operations while maintaining strong security protocols.
Digital transformation is an ongoing journey, but with the right technology, SMBs can improve productivity, safeguard sensitive information, and stay competitive.
Disclaimer: CanadianSME Small Business Magazine is committed to providing insightful interviews that highlight the successes and challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. The views expressed in this interview are those of the guest and may not reflect the opinions of the magazine or its affiliates
