Skip to product menu
close
  • Sales
    Press Space or Enter to display list of options
EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

Try now
CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Try now
Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Try now
Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

Try now
People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Try now
Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Try now
Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
Skip to main content

Piscine Hippocampe's journey to efficiency

"Zoho Creator is a very movable product. It integrates seamlessly with Zoho Sheets, Zoho Books, and the entire ecosystem, which is immensely helpful to us. With Zoho Creator, we can customize everything, and whenever we need to adapt to a new situation, we can easily program the software to fulfill our requirements."

— Frédérik Lapierre, IT Director, Piscine Hippocampe

Frédérik Lapierre

Created by : Piscine Hippocampe

Country: Canada

Industry : Retail

Implementation Partner : BSP

View FAQs

Summary

With Zoho Creator, Piscine Hippocampe was able to overcome challenges that included complex manufacturing processes and software inefficiencies. The user-friendly ERP solutions helped streamline operations, enhance customer experience, and save more than five to ten hours per week. Zoho Creator's simplicity and customization empowered them to provide exceptional service efficiently.

The company

Founded in 1977, Piscine Hippocampe, a Canadian family business, focuses on manufacturing, installing, and selling in-ground pools, above-ground pools, hot tubs, and outdoor furniture. Their comprehensive approach encompasses manufacturing, retailing, installing, and servicing customers.

The challenges

Piscine Hippocampe faced challenges due to the complexity of their manufacturing processes, where everything from sourcing parts to transportation and installation needed to be perfectly coordinated. Their old software system, Acomba, was outdated and lacked integration capabilities. This led to inefficiencies, time-consuming manual tasks, and frequent errors.

Their processes were further complicated by using a mix of Excel, Acomba, and Servex. This system was disjointed, relying on multiple add-ons to stitch together functions. Slow manual operations, especially for invoicing, became a major issue.

There was also no integration between Servex and their inventory or accounting systems, which made managing inventory even more difficult after integrating their online shop. This often led to stock mismatches and delays. The disconnected systems also created gaps in communication, resulting in frequent errors and slowdowns that hurt overall business efficiency. Along with this, customer payments were complicated, often leading to delays and the need to manually adjust sales data.

"The complexity of the process lies in manufacturing tailored to customer orders. This involves sourcing perfect parts, transporting them to customers' backyards, coordinating with the installation team, and ensuring seamless assembly. However, before Zoho Creator, we used Acomba, which was not integrated with any other software we were using, leading to inefficiencies and errors."

— Frédérik Lapierre,IT Director, Piscine Hippocampe

The solution

To address these challenges, Piscine Hippocampe sought an ERP solution capable of integrating all their current processes and software. After exploring various options, they found Zoho to be the simplest yet most comprehensive solution. Despite user-friendly interfaces, Zoho products offered deep customization to suit complex processes. Recognizing the need for a knowledgeable partner, they turned to the Zoho Partner Program and found BSP (a Zoho Premium Partner).

With Zoho Creator, Piscine Hippocampe automated and centralized their operations. The ERP unified sales, service tracking, and inventory management, reducing manual input. Zoho Creator became the cornerstone of their operations, funnelling every aspect of the business through its centralized system. This integration simplified the business process by connecting Zoho Creator to other Zoho apps and external tools. For example, Zoho Flow gathered all online orders received through Shopify and sent them directly to Zoho Creator, ensuring real-time stock updates and minimizing discrepancies. Zoho Forms helped them collect and organize customer information.

Before Zoho Creator, service call scheduling was a manual process that involved reading a lot of emails and creating schedules in Excel. With Zoho Forms and Zoho Flow, this entire process was automated, saving considerable time by automatically triggering service calls and updates.

Everything that needed to be handled on the accounting side was seamlessly sent to Zoho Books via API, and the customer and vendor databases were stored in Zoho CRM. The flexibility of Zoho Creator empowered them to continuously adapt and customize workflows according to their evolving business needs.

In addition to this, Zoho Books complemented Zoho Creator by ensuring smooth financial operations, improving accuracy, and reducing errors in billing and transactions. Zoho Sheets was also integrated for effective data management, further enhancing the overall system’s efficiency. Automating invoices and customer payments through the point-of-sale system sped up payment processing and reduced errors, while service tracking enabled their field service team to efficiently manage appointments and customer requests, keeping all teams aligned.

"Piscine Hippocampe faced multiple challenges. When we conducted our scope, we began by asking questions and understanding the process so that we could determine the right fit. After completing our scope, we realized that Zoho Creator was going to be the heart of the operation."

— Youness Outlou,BSP - Zoho Premium Partner

Benefits and ROI

Piscine Hippocampe utilizes Zoho Creator as their point-of-sale system, with specific models tailored for customer orders of hot tubs, in-ground pools, or above-ground pools. This customization was part of a broader ERP solution that integrated the inventory and management systems of their business. Additionally, they developed a comprehensive service model to efficiently address post-purchase needs.

A significant improvement came with their ability to swiftly access customer information during checkout. Before Zoho Creator, searching through the customer database was time-consuming; after integration, it took just three seconds. This allowed customers to make their purchases quickly, simplifying their experience.

Zoho Creator’s automation capabilities reduced manual effort and errors, especially for scheduling service calls and managing post-sale processes. The seamless integration of Zoho Flow with Shopify and Zoho Books optimized financial transactions, invoicing, and real-time inventory management and saves the company five to ten hours each week. Additionally, the integration of Zoho Forms streamlined the collection of customer information, while Zoho Sheets further ensured that data management was efficient and accessible.

Together, these tools optimized the company’s workflows, improving customer satisfaction and overall business operations.

"One of the biggest advantages of using Zoho Creator was saving a lot of time and manpower by converting all our online sales through Shopify into the system. Now everything is automated because of Zoho Creator, and we are saving five to ten hours per week."

— Frédérik Lapierre,IT Director, Piscine Hippocampe

Looking forward

As Piscine Hippocampe continues to evolve, they are well-positioned to leverage Zoho’s suite of products for even greater operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Piscine Hippocampe is looking to expand their use of Zoho Creator by adding new workflows and integrating additional tools. They are exploring advanced automation features for customer communication, stock replenishment, and reporting, which will help streamline operations even further. Additionally, they plan to refine their service call management system, enhancing how they handle appointments and customer requests.

The company also aims to further integrate Zoho Creator with other platforms, ensuring that their entire business remains centralized and efficient as they grow. With their foundation set by Zoho, the company looks forward to exploring more automation, data insights, and innovations that will support their growth and meet the changing needs and expectations of their customers.

"Zoho Creator is great because you can use it in a very simple way and fulfill your everyday needs. And, if you desire, you can delve deeper into automation, thus minimizing human errors, customizing it to your preferences, and empowering you to deliver exceptional service efficiently."

— Frédérik Lapierre,IT Director, Piscine Hippocampe

Get a free, personalized demo.

Thank you for sharing your requirements with us. Our team will reach out to you soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zoho Creator?

Zoho Creator is a low-code application development platform that allows users to create custom applications on their own, with minimal coding experience. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface empowers developers and business users to build web and mobile applications that satisfy all their unique requirements with ease.

Are applications built on Zoho Creator scalable?

Applications built on Zoho Creator are built to auto-scale—the back-end infrastructure seamlessly scales as business demand grows. Currently 22,000+ customers across are using over 6 million applications built using Zoho Creator, a testimony to the power of the platform.

Does Zoho Creator have a free plan?

Yes, Zoho Creator has a free plan. This plan comes with a limited feature set and allows for one user, one application, 250 MB of storage, and 1,000 records. However, you have the option to upgrade to a paid plan whenever you wish.

Expand All