The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted three verticals: education, non-profit and government, and retail. To help businesses and organizations in these verticals, global technology company Zoho Corporation has introduced its Vertical Relief Plan.
Earlier this year, Zoho unveiled its Small Business Emergency Subscription Assistance Program to help its small business customers.
Targeted support for verticals
“We are so grateful to all the workers who are helping us weather this storm,” said Sridhar Vembu, Zoho co-founder and CEO, in a press statement. “Beyond those on the front lines, there are workers in industries who are struggling, who are persevering, who are inventing new paths forward. The Vertical Relief Plan is a way to support those people, whether they be teachers, government workers, or retailers, who are entirely committed to helping others and returning the world to solid ground.”
Zoho cited data pinpointing which industries the pandemic has disproportionately hurt.
In Southeast Asia, retail sales are on a steady decline due to the COVID-19 shutdowns, coupled by decreasing travel.
Meanwhile, according to one UNESCO survey, an estimated 290M students are out of school around the world. In response, local governments and non-governmental organizations have been stretched thin.
Programs and tools
The Vertical Relief Plan consists of several programs and tools to assist businesses and organizations in these three affected verticals.
These solutions include:
- Non-profit and government - Zoho Creator COVID-19 App Program, Zoho Desk, Zoho Social, and Zoho Checkout
- Education - Zoho Classes and Zoho ShowTime
- Retail - Zoho Commerce
Zoho has more than 45 apps in nearly every major business category. These include sales, marketing, customer support, accounting and back office operations, and an array of productivity and collaboration tools.
Zoho’s headquarters is in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India. Additional offices are in the United States, India, Japan, China, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore.
