Office productivity suite Zoho removed the need to create an account to use their services today – you can now log in to any of their products using a Google or Yahoo account. Sign in is completed via Yahoo’s and Google’s authentication APIs.
I asked Zoho evangelist Raju Vegesna why they don’t just adopt OpenID to handle authentications instead. He says they will, soon, but also want to integrate directly with the most requested third parties to address users immediate needs (and it is still a pain to log in with OpenID). Vegesna also says they may integrate directly with other third parties, such as Microsoft and Facebook, in the future as well based on user requests.
The goal, Vegesnu says, is to get users to try Zoho with as little hassle as possible: “One thing we noticed is, when users try both Zoho and Google, more than 70% of them prefer Zoho. It made sense for us to do this. We want more users to try our apps.”
This certainly accomplishes that. In a matter of a couple of clicks, new users can get in to Zoho and start creating and editing documents. My guess is this works out well for them.
Zoho is one of the best offerings on the web. What’s interesting is that Google could really use Zoho and vice versa. Zoho will never scale to a Salesforce unless a *brand* acquires it- Google, Microsoft, Oracle(NetSuite), SAP. OK, maybe not SAP:)
Very newsworthy!!
Wow, this is brilliant. More websites should do this.
Are there any real downsides??
Yup this is great way to authenticate.
I’m curious how they did this. Does Google have an API for third party sites to do this? Or did they write something on App Engine and redirect to that to accomplish the authentication?
good story. they are keep doing the right things. i am impressed.
Nevermind, I think I answered my own question. They use the API that google developed to let social networks suck in contacts without a user giving the social network his/her password, and apparently just give you the option to use that as your primary way of signing in to zoho.
So, what about Google Docs?
That means zoho can rope in a Google user from signing up for Google Docs.
How much time it has to pass until somebody snatches Zoho?
Longer they wait more money they will pay…
i guess also that i will work for soho. if i take myself: few weeks ago i tried zoho first time, and find in some ways better (much more features)…. until that time i never thought about that someone might make a better job in that google.
what about yahoo office, should i try that as well?
typing error: “i guess also that IT will work for soho.”
Why “contacts”? Does this give Zoho access to my address book?
Is it just me or is there no Logout button?
I wanted to log in with Google after trying the Yahoo experience, but I can’t.
@Victor,
We don’t import your Address Book. If you want to import them to Zoho, we do have an option available though.
@Mark,
Logout is on the top right.
ok on the lighter side – Am a bit curious about this name “ZOHO” … Raju can u please tell us if there is any meaning to this name its just a fancy name ?
oops missed the “or” — or its just a fancy name ?
Smart move indeed
Making your customers’ life as simple as possible is one of most competitive strategies for ebusiness.
HappyTutors.com is just a small ebusines, but we are trying the same strategy to attract more tutors, students and parents to use our service.
HappyTutors.com
~ Connect Tutors with Students & Parents ~
@Kaviraj,
The name is a derivative from SOHO, our target market. The parent company’s name AdventNet starts with an ‘A’. We wanted to try the other opposite ‘Z’. So we ended up with Zoho.
Interesting move. Maybe they will boost their traffic this way and also the market share.
I find it interesting that they don’t use OpenID, which would give support for Yahoo! users *PLUS* all the other OpenID users.
The best thing. If other websites also takes this initiative, we dont need to remember all usernames.
They have a good strategic positioning and obviously, they are just executing. Congrats to Techcrunch on the editorial side: good story and brought out timely.
@Raju,
I guess there is a bug when trying to integrate Google Account with that of Zoho. I tried to login with Google Account and there was a step where it asks my Zoho Details to integrate.. it just doesn’t authenticate here the details I enter… it blindly accepts any details I input and goes to next step by asking for username “This is your first time login, please choose a Username.”
Well, at first point I don’t have a account with Zoho, but shouldn’t it not check the user account with Zoho and let me know such account doesn’t exist?
The result is same if I try to click crate new account… which asks for “This is your first time login, please choose a Username.”. I guess the login authentication isn’t done properly. Juts thought of letting you know.
Screenshot: http://i26.tiny....com/wa51k6.png
^^ You can see it takes any details I enter there in login box and moves to next step without any information if details entered or correct or invalid.
Cheers,
Vinay
BTW, Good idea of name Zoho which I read from your previous comment, which I always wanted to ask you folks! Great move.. keep rocking
!
@Vinay :
It looks like you would have clicked “Create a New Zoho Account” button, instead of “Associate Now” button. Could you please check-it again ?
Details just for your reference,
@ http://blogs.zo...yahoo-accounts/
“.. If you do not have a Zoho account with your Google or Yahoo email address, then you have the option to either “associate” the Google or Yahoo email address with your existing Zoho account (under Accounts) or you can “create a new one”..”
Regards,
Pandyah !
It only took me 8 hours to implement OpenID with Clickpass on OurDoings. A reasonably good programmer ought to be able to do the same in 20-40 hours. I think this article exaggerates the difficulty of implementing OpenID.
Someone offer $10 million for Zoho and get this atrocity off of my internets.
The email client is unimpressive next to Google Apps Gmail. 1 gig storage? c’mon.
Good move adding these new login options though.
@Pandyah!
What I was trying to explain here was.. even with the option of integrate with Zoho Account, it doesn’t validate my details I enter. The result is same for both create new account and inputing my login details.
I have skipped the step and created a new account but my question was does the authentication works fine when someone tries to integrate two accounts.
I thought the integration of Google Accounts was for all Zoho Services.. I tried Zoho Polls, its asking me to register.. isn’t there a Google Account integration there?
Cheers,
Vinay
Is Zoho Sheet better than Google Doc’s spreadsheet app?
Nice move by Zoho – they just gained an interested user they would not otherwise have had.
Smart move indeed… I tried Zoho for the first time because of this, and so far it does seem significantly better than Google Apps.
Not just Zoho most of the websites should allow yahoo/ google/ hotmail/ openID to avoid registrations. People are getting tired of creating 100’s of id’s and passwords.
Kris
YahooID + GoogleID > OpenID
Looks like OpenID has run into a new problem…
@Vinay :
Thanks for the details.
Another use case, you might have clicked “Create a New Zoho Account” button at least ‘one time’, so immediately Zoho has reserved an account with your Gmail id, then in case you come back to the previous page (by hitting Browser Back button!) and then tries to enter ‘invalid/valid” credentials to “Associate Now”, in this case you will redirected the page asking username on first time sign-in.
Again, we assure that we are validating the zoho credentials and allow only the authenticated account will be allowed to “Associate” Google/Yahoo! email-id to the existing Zoho Account.
Also, this Google/Yahoo! sign-in is supported for all SSO supported zoho services. Right now, Zoho Polls/CRM doesn’t come under Zoho SSO.
@Pandyah!
Thanks a lot for the detailed response.. much appreciated! And a great move.. hats off to your team
Cheers!
Brilliant! Better than Google. Will use it more from now on. Good work guys.
@Vinay,
Thanks.
Just for easy understanding, here’s a simple diagram explains the “Zoho using Google/Yahoo! Sign-in” flow @ http://zohostat...com/iam/zgy.gif
It’s great for users not havgin to create new accounts. We are tired of that. Thanks Zoho!
This is all fine, but why is Google allowing this? What’s in it for Google/Yahoo?
Just tried Zoho Writer, hoping it would be more usable than Google Docs.
It’s not. It seems to have the same massive shortcoming–it doesn’t seem to support both paragraph breaks and linebreaks.
I mean, come on, what word processor doesn’t support paragraphs?!
Why they don’t just use OpenID? LMAO. OpenID has no security whatsoever. Like anybody’s going to use OpenID for anythign that matters.
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i love google
Hello!congratulation.